ATHER of heaven, Who hast created all
In wisest love, we pray,
Look on this child, who at Thy gracious call
Is entering on life's way!
Oh, make it Thine, Thy blessing give,
That to Thy glory it may live,
Father of heaven!
2 O Son of God, atoning Lord, behold
We bring this child to Thee;
Take it, O loving Shepherd, to Thy fold,
Forever Thine to be:
Defend it through this earthly strife,
And lead it in the path of life,
3 O Holy Ghost, Who broodest o'er the wave. Descend upon this child;
Give it undying life, its spirit lave
With waters undefiled;
And make it evermore to be
A child of God, a home for Thee,
O Holy Ghost!
4 O Triune God, what Thou hast willed is
We speak but Thine the might;
This child hath scarce yet seen our earthly
Yet pour on it Thy light
Of faith, and hope, and joyful love,
Thou Sun of all below, above,
O Triune God.
AVIOUR, Who Thy flock art feeding,
With the shepherd's kindest care,
All the feeble gently leading,
While the lambs Thy bosom share;
2 Now, these little ones receiving,
Fold them in Thy gracious arm;
There we know, Thy word believing,
Only there secure from harm.
3 Never from Thy pasture roving
Let them be the lion's prey;
Let Thy tenderness, so loving,
Keep them all life's dangerous way.
4 Then, within Thy fold eternal,
Let them find a resting-place;
Feed in pastures ever vernal,
Drink the rivers of Thy grace.
FATHER, bless the children
Brought hither to Thy gate;
Lift up their fallen nature,
Restore their lost estate;
Renew Thy image in them,
And own them, by this sign,
Thy very sons and daughters,
New born of birth divine.
2 O Jesu, Lord, receive them;
Thy loving arms of old
Were opened wide to welcome
The children to Thy fold;
Let these, baptized, and dying,
Then rising from the dead,
Henceforth be living members
Of Thee, their living Head.
3 O Holy Spirit, keep them;
Dwell with them to the last,
Till all the fight is ended,
And all the storms are past.
Renew the gift baptismal,
From strength to strength, till each,
The troublous waves o'ercoming,
The land of life shall reach.
4 O Father, Son, and Spirit,
O Wisdom, Love, and Power,
We wait the promised blessing
In this accepted hour!
We name upon the children
The Threefold Name divine;
Receive them, cleanse them, own them,
And keep them ever Thine.
token that thou shalt not fear
Christ crucified to own,
We print the cross upon thee here,
And stamp thee His alone.
2 In token that thou shalt not blush
To glory in His Name,
We blazon here upon thy front
His glory and His shame.
3 In token that thou too shalt tread
The path He travelled by,
Endure the cross, despise the shame,
And sit thee down on high;
4 Thus outwardly and visibly
We seal thee for His own:
And may the brow that wears His cross
Hereafter share His crown.
TAND, soldier of the cross,
Thy high allegiance claim,
And vow to hold the world but loss
For thy Redeemer's Name.
2 Arise, and be baptized,
And wash thy sins away;
Thy league with God be solemnized,
Thy faith avouched to-day.
3 Thine is our country now,
Our Lord and Master thine,
Receive imprinted on thy brow
His Passion's awful sign.
4 No more thine own, but Christ's;
With all the saints of old,
Apostles, seers, evangelists,
And martyr throngs enrolled.
5 Oh, bright the conqueror's crown,
The song of triumph sweet,
When faith casts every trophy down
At our great Captain's feet.
278 O Lord, our strength in weakness.
509 Soldiers of Christ, arise.
510 Go forward, Christian soldier.
GOD, in Whose all-searching eye
Thy servants stand, to ratify
The vow baptismal, by them made
When first Thy hand was on them laid;
Bless them, O Holy Father, bless,
Who Thee with heart and voice confess;
May they, acknowledged as Thine own,
Stand evermore before Thy throne.
2 O Christ, Who didst at Pentecost
Send down from heaven the Holy Ghost;
And at Samaria baptize
Those whom Thou didst evangelize;
And then on Thy baptized confer
The best of gifts, the Comforter,
By apostolic hands, and prayer;
Be with us now, as Thou wert there.
3 Arm these, Thy soldiers, mighty Lord, With shield of faith, and Spirit's sword; Forth to the battle may they go,
And boldly fight against the foe,
With banner of the cross unfurled,
And by it overcome the world;
And so at last receive from Thee
The palm and crown of victory.
|