'THE LIFE—THE TRUTH—THE WAY.'
Thou! who unseen didst guide my youth,
In pleasant paths of wholesome truth—
And when I turned away
Rebellious—to the world—to find
Food for a discontented mind—
And e'en forgot to pray— Preserver! thou who ne'er forsook
Me in my wandering ways—nor took
Just vengeance on me then—
O hear the prayer I raise to thee!
And even now forget not me—
O guide me forth again. Forgive my base ingratitude,
O thou most mighty—thou most good—
Bear with me once again.
A wicked, fearful child of clay,
I at thy feet most humbly lay
The talent thou hast given. All unimproved, debased it lies,
Too wretched for thy sinless eyes—
I with a broken heart
Come—for I've nowhere else to go—
Earth's brightest visions end in woe—
E'en pleasure hath a smart. At th' 'leventh hour I come to thee—
O Father, cast me not away—
Sick, heavy, faint, I come;
Through all my life thou'st watched o'er me;
But blind, I knew not that 'twas thee—
O Saviour, take me home!—Sel.