1 WHY should we start, and fear to die?
What timorous worms we mortals are
Death is the gate of endless joy,
And yet we dread to enter there.

3 The pains, the groans, and dying strife,
Fright our approaching souls away;
Still we shrink back again to life,
Fond of our prison and our clay.

3 O, if my Lord would come and meet,
My soul would stretch her wings in haste,
Fly, fearless, through death's iron gate,
Nor feel the terrors as she passed.

4 Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillows are,
While on his breast I lean my head,
And breathe my life out sweetly there.

God the Author of Mercies and Afflictions.

1 NAKED, as from the earth we came,
And crept to life at first,
We to the earth return again,
And mingle with our dust.

2 The dear delights we here enjoy,
And fondly call our own,

Are but short favors borrowed now,
To be repaid anon.

3 'T is God who lifts our comforts high,
Or sinks them in the grave;

He gives, and, blessed be his name,
He takes but what he gave.

4 Peace, all our angry passions, then;
Let each rebellious sigh
Be silent at his sovereign will,
And every murmur die.

5 If smiling mercy crown our lives,
Its praises shall be spread;
And we'll adore the justice, too,
That strikes our comforts dead.

12 & 11s. M.

650.

HEBER.

Farewell to a Friend departed.

1 THOU art gone to the grave; but we will not deplore thee,

Though sorrows and darkness encompass the tomb;

The Saviour has passed through its portals before

thee,

And the lamp of his love is thy guide through the gloom.

2 Thou art gone to the grave; we no longer behold

thee,

Nor tread the rough paths of the world by thy

side;

But the wide arms of mercy are spread to enfold

thee,

And sinners may hope, since the Siour hath

died.

Thou art gone to the grave; and, its mansion forsaking,

Perchance thy weak spirit in doubt lingered long;

But the sunshine of heaven beamed bright on thy

waking,

And the sound thou didst hear was the sera

phim’s song.

4 Thou art gone to the grave; but we will not deplore thee,

Since God was thy Refuge, thy Guardian, thy
Guide;

He gave thee, he took thee, and he will restore

thee;

And death has no sting, since the Saviour hath died.

8 & 7s. M.

651.

S. F. SMITH.

The Death of a Sister.

1 SISTER, thou wast mild and lovely,
Gentle as the summer breeze,
Pleasant as the air of evening,
When it floats among the trees.

2 Peaceful be thy silent slumber,—
Peaceful in the grave so low;
Thou no more wilt join our number,
Thou no more our songs shalt know.

3 Dearest sister, thou hast left us;
Here thy loss we deeply feel;
But 't is God that hath bereft us:
He can all our sorrows heal.

4 Yet again we hope to meet thee,
When the day of life is fled,

Then in heaven with joy to greet thee,
Where no farewell tear is shed.

L. M.

652.

Death of Parents.

FAWCETT.

1 THE God of mercy will indulge
The flowing tear, the heaving sigh,
When honored parents fall around,
When friends beloved and kindred die.

2 Yet not one anxious, murmuring thought
Should with our mourning passions blend;
Nor should our bleeding hearts forget
Their mighty, ever-living Friend.

3 Parent, Protector, Guardian, Guide,
Thou art each tender name in one;
On thee we cast our every care,
And comfort seek from thee alone.

4 To thee, our Father, would we look,
Our Rock, our Portion, and our Friend,
And on thy gracious love and truth
With humble, steadfast hope depend.

L. M.

653.

GASKELL.

The Light of the Gospel on the Tomb.

1 DARK, dark indeed, the grave would be,
Had we no light, O God, from thee;
If all we saw were all we knew,
Or hope from reason only grew.

2 But fearless now we rest in faith;
A holy life makes happy death;
'T is but a change ordained by thee,
To set the imprisoned spirit free.

3 Sad, sad indeed, 't would be to part
From those who long had shared our heart,
If thou hadst left us still to fear
Love's only heritage was here.

4 But calmly now we see them go
From out this world of pain and woe;
We follow to a home on high,

Where pure affections never die.

6 & 4s. M.

654.

MRS. HEMANS.

For Support in Death.

1 LOWLY and solemn be

Thy children's cry to thee,
Father divine!

A hymn of suppliant breath,
Owning that life and death
Alike are thine.

2 O Father, in that hour

When earth all succoring power
Shall disavow,

When spear and shield and crown
In faintness are cast down,
Sustain us thou!

3 By him who bowed to take
The death-cup for our sake,
The thorn, the rod,

From whom the last dismay
Was not to pass away,
Aid us, O God!