5 O Jesus, ever with us stay! Make all our moments calm and bright, Chase the dark night of sin away-- Shed o'er the world thy holy light!
514 L. M. Soft be the gently breathing notes.
Soft be the gently breathing notes That sing the Saviour's dying love; Soft as the evening zephyr floats, Soft as the tuneful lyres above: Soft as the morning dews descend, While warbling birds exulting soar; So soft to our almighty Friend Be every sigh our bosoms pour.
2 Pure as the sun's enlivening ray, That scatters life and joy abroad; Pure as the lucid orb of day, That wide proclaims its Maker, God; Pure as the breath of vernal skies, So pure let our contrition be; And purely let our sorrows rise To him who bled upon the tree.
How pleasing to behold and see The friends of Jesus all agree-- To sit around the sacred board As members of one common Lord.
2 Here we behold the dawn of bliss-- Here we behold the Saviour's grace-- Here we behold his precious blood, Which sweetly pleads for us with God.
3 While here we sit, we would implore That love may spread from shore to shore, Till all the saints, like us, combine To praise the Lord in songs divine.
4 To all we freely give our hand, Who love the Lord in every land; For all are one in Christ our head, To whom be endless honors paid.
Welcome, ye hopeful heirs of heaven, To this rich feast of gospel love-- This pledge is but the prelude given To that immortal feast above.
2 How great the blessing, thus to meet According to our Saviour's word, And hold by faith communion sweet, With our unseen yet present Lord.
3 And if so sweet this feast below, What will it be to meet above, Where all we see, and feel, and know, Are fruits of everlasting love!
4 Soon shall we tune the heavenly lyre, While listening worlds the song approve; Eternity itself expire, Ere we exhaust the theme of love.
'Twas on that night when doomed to know The eager rage of every foe, That night in which he was betrayed, The Saviour of the world took bread;
2 And, after thanks and glory given To him that rules in earth and heaven, That symbol of his flesh he broke, And thus to all his followers spoke:
3 My broken body thus I give To you, my friends; take, eat, and live; And oft the sacred feast renew, That brings my wondrous love to view.