GENERAL HYMNS WALSALL. (C. M.) Sow = 5S. r ZEE1
J. G. Whittier, 1807–92.
O LORD, and Master of us all,
Whate’er our name or sign,
We own thy sway, we hear thy call,
We test our lives by thine.
2 Thou judgest us; thy purity
Doth all our lusts condemn;
The love that draws us nearer thee
Is hot with wrath to them;
3 Our thoughts lie open to thy sight;
And naked to thy glance
Our secret sins are in the light
Of thy pure countenance.
4 Yet weak and blinded though we be
Thou dost our service own;
We bring our varying gifts to thee,
And thou rejectest none.
5 To thee our full humanity,
Its joys and pains belong;
The wrong of man to man on thee
Inflicts a deeper wrong.
6 Who hates, hates thee; who loves, becomes
Therein to thee allied:
All sweet accords of hearts and homes
In thee are multiplied.
7. Apart from thee all gain is loss,
All labour vainly done;
The solemn shadow of the Cross
Is better than the sun.
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