Chapter C: M. 8 l

Lord, who at Cana’s wedding-feast
Didst as a Guest appear,
Thou dearer far than earthly guest,
Vouchsafe Thy presence here;
For holy Thou indeed dost prove
The marriage-vow to be,
Proclaiming it a type of love
Between the Church and Thee.

2. The holiest vow that man can make,
The golden thread in life,
The bond that none may dare to break,
That bindeth man and wife;
Which, blessed by Thee, whate’er betides,
No evil shall destroy,
Through care-worn days each care divides,
And doubles every joy.

3. On those who now before Thee kneel,
O Lord, Thy blessing pour,
That each may wake the other’s zeal
To love Thee more and more.
Oh, grant them here in peace to live,
In purity and love,
And, this world leaving, to receive
A crown of life above.

A. Thrupp, 1853, a.

444

11, 10, 11, 10

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in pray’r before Thy throne,
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

2. O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust, that fears nor pain nor death.

3. Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life’s day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life.

Dorothy F. Bloomfield, 1883.

445

L. M.

O blest the house, whate’er befall,
Where Jesus Christ is all in all;
Yea, if He were not dwelling there,
How poor and dark and void it were!

2. O blest that house where faith ye find,
And all within have set their mind
To trust their God and serve Him still
And do in all His holy will!

3. O blest the parents who give heed
Unto their children’s foremost need
And weary not of care or cost!
To them and heaven shall none be lost.

4. Blest such a house, it prospers well,
In peace and joy the parents dwell,
And in their children’s lot is shown
How richly God can bless His own.

5. Then here will I and mine to-day
A solemn covenant make and say:
Though all the world forsake Thy Word,
I and my house will serve the Lord.