Songs of the Nightengale

Sacrament
Dear Father, grant us this new day may be
As bread and wine of sacrament to me;
The wine of inner light, that I may know
The cleansing sweetness of thy spirit's flow;
The bread of thy substance, that I may share
The load of those that have too much to bear,
And thus reconsecrate to thy great plan
My life, my all, to serve my fellow man.
May each hour hold remembrance of thy love
Which fires my soul and lifts my eyes above
The strife and conflict of man's passing hour
To faith and trust in thine eternal power.
Show me the shining glory of thy way,
O Lord, I would commune with thee this day.

Before You
"Before you" he trod
all the path of woe,
He took the sharp thrusts
with his head bent low
He knew deepest sorrow
and pain and grief
He knew long endurance
without relief.

He took all the bitter
from death's deep cup,
He kept not a blood drop,
but gave all up.
"Before you,"
and for you, he won the fight
To bring you to glory
and to realms of light.


 The heart-searching Memorial is near the saddest, and yet most glorious time of the year. It is so sad to think of a world causing such suffering to such a sinless man; and then rejoicing in that he was sinless and a ransom for all. Yes, it's sad and also glorious, for he will draw all men unto him, and all shall know him sometime and marvel at all the grace that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I also look further at the wonderful Jehovah God who made it all possible, whose voice came from heaven to strengthen his Son and help him to go on until the final cry, "It is finished!" The price was paid, the battle won. He had gone through the desert wild and bare and brought back his own, and there arose a cry from the gates of heaven, "Rejoice, I have found my sheep!"

Great and marvelous things hath he done for us so that we can give unto God the glory that is due unto his name.