His Witnesses

Chosen that thou shouldest know Him
And the fulness of His grace,
That, through all life's varied pathway,
Thou His purposes should'st trace.
Chosen that His will should daily
Be to thee a new delight,
Not a dark, mysterious problem,
But a path of shining light.

Oh, how ready is the Father
To unfold that glorious will ;
He who seeks to do shall know it,
Is His word of promise still.
Bitter loss the life must suffer
That, dismayed, shrinks back in fear,
All because God's will, it fancies,
Is a burden hard to bear.

"God is love,"—if thou wilt trust Him,
Then each day thine eyes shall see
How the will of God enfoldeth
With its blessing thine and thee.
And when all around are storm-tossed,
Calm and steadfast thou shalt stand ;
For anointed eyes can ever
'Neath the surface mark His Hand.

Yet His gracious choice goes farther,
He hath chosen thee to see
Him, Who for thy sake a victim
Hung accursed on Calvary.
Though the eye of sense no longer
May His glorious Form behold,
To the eye of faith thy Saviour
Still His beauty doth unfold.

In the eyes that thus have seen Him,
Oh, how small are things of earth,
All its joys, its passing glory
Now appear as little worth.
For the vision rises ever
Of the Saviour on the cross,
And the Sacrifice once offered
To redeem the world's great loss.

In the daily life they see Him,
And that vision nerves for toil,
For the sight of Jesus pleading
Oft the tempter's arts will foil.
Trial comes, yet eyes He touches
Still see "Jesus only" there;
Hearts that else were heavy laden
"Seeing Him" are freed from care.

Fuller yet His loving purpose,
He hath chosen thee to hear
Gracious words His lips will utter
In thy waiting, listening ear.
Words which first thy soul shall enter
Bearing blessing from thy Lord,
Then in other hearts to echo,
Waking many a silent chord.

For the words of Christ shall never
Pass away, or lose their grace,
As of old heart-needs supplying
In all lands, of every race.
Still the messages He speaketh
Glow with life and spirit too,
Carried forth by "earthen vessels,"
Souls through them are born anew.

They alone, who know and see Him,
Speak of Him with living power,
For their life is spent abiding
In His Presence hour by hour.
John, beholding, pointed to Him.
As the Lamb from Heaven above;
Two disciples turned to follow,
Drawn by unseen cords of love.

Thou art called to "be His witness,"
Thus to know, and see, and hear
Him, the living, present Saviour,
And go forth His name to bear.
"Unto all men," thy commission,
In His might thy power alone,
Glory shining bright before thee,
And thy blessed Lord's "Well done."