Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/486

 474 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED

Hymn 929. Safely through another week. JOHN NEWTON (109).

Appeared in Dr. Conyers s Psalms and ffytnns, 1774, and Olney Hymns, 1779, headed Saturday Night.

Hymn 930. Come, let us anew. CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns for New Year s Day, Bristol, 1750, No. 5 ; Works, vi. 14.

It has a place in all Methodist hearts as the first hymn of the new year. It is a silver cord on which the beads of life seem threaded.

John Fletcher once visited a girls school, and sat with them during the breakfast hour. At its close he invited them all to his vicarage at seven next morning. When they came he took his basin of bread and milk, asked his visitors to look at his watch and tell him how much time he took for breakfast. It was just a minute and a half. Then said Fletcher, My dear girls, we have fifty- eight minutes of the hour left us ; let us sing

Our life is a dream ;

Our time as a stream

Glides swiftly away, And the fugitive moment refuses to stay.

He spoke to them on the value of time, and the worth of the soul, and after praying with them, they returned to school deeply impressed by their unexpected lesson.

Hymn 931. Sing to the great Jehovah s praise !

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns for New Year s Day, Bristol, 1750, No. 7 ; the last hymn in the penny pamphlet ; Works, vi. 16.

Hymn 932. The Lord of earth and sky.

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749; Works, v. 55. An impressive paraphrase of the parable of the barren fig-tree. Luke xiii. 6-9. One verse is omitted, When justice bared the sword.

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