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THE OFFERING

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1860

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 16, No. 25.

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THE OFFERING.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.

"My son, give me thine heart." Prov. xxiii, 25.
"Here is my heart!—my God, I give it thee, I heard thee call and say, 'Not to the world, my child, but unto me;' I heard, and will obey. Here is my love's offering to my king, Which, a glad sacrifice I bring— Here is my heart!
"Here is my heart!—surely the gift, though poor, My God will not despise: Valiantly and long I sought to make it pure, To meet thy searching eyes; Corrupted first in Adam's fall, The stains of sin pollute it all— My guilty heart!
"Here is my heart!—my heart so hard before, Now by thy grace made meet, Yet bruised and wearied, it can only pour Its anguish at thy feet; It groans beneath the weight of sin, It sighs, salvation's joy to win— My mourning heart!
"Here is my heart!—in Christ its longings end, Near to his cross it draws; It says, 'Thou art my portion, O my friend, Thy blood my ransom was.' And in the Saviour it has found What blessedness and peace abound— My trusting heart!
"Here is my heart!—Ah! Holy Spirit, come, Its nature to renew, And consecrate it wholly as thy home, A temple fair and true. Teach it to love and serve thee more, To fear thee, trust thee, and adore— My cleansed heart!
"Here is my heart!—it trembles to draw near The glory of thy throne; Give it the shining robe thy servants wear, Of righteousness thine own; Its pride and folly chase away, And all its vanity, I pray— My humbled heart!
"Here is my heart!—teach it, O Lord, to cling In gladness unto thee; And in the day of sorrow still to sing, 'Welcome, my God's decree.' Believing, all its journey through, That thou art wise, and just, and true— My waiting heart!
"Here is my heart!—O Friend of friends, be near, To make each tempter fly, And when my latest foe I wait with fear, Give me the victory! Gladly on thy love reposing, Let me say, when life is closing— Here is my heart."