Daniel Whittle’s Last Poem Dictated from His Death Bed (inspired by a chiming clock that reminded Whittle of bells on a priest's robes signaling his presence)
"Swift, with melodious feet, the midnight hours pass by;
As with each passing bell so sweet, I think, 'My Lord draws nigh.'
I see Heaven's open door, I hear God's gracious voice;
I see the blood-washed 'round the throne, and with them I rejoice.
It may be that these sounds are the golden bells so sweet
Which tell me of the near approach of the Heavenly High Priest's feet.
Not every night is thus; some nights with pain are drear.
Then I join my moan with creation's groan and the chimes I do not hear.
But the Lord remains the same; faithful He must abide;
And on His word my soul I'll rest, for He is by my side.
Some midnight sleepless saints, made quick by pain to hear,
Shall join the glad and welcome cry, 'The Bridegroom draweth near.'
Then I shall see His face, His beauteous image bear;I
'll know His love and wondrous grace, and in His glory share.
So sing my soul in praise, as bells chime o'er and o'er,
The coming of the Lord draws near, when time shall be no more."
I Know Whom I Have Believèd (Daniel Whittle)
I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for His own.
Refrain: But I know Whom I have believèd, and am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.
I know not how this saving faith to me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word wrought peace within my heart. Refrain
I know not how the Spirit moves, convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word, creating faith in Him. Refrain
I know not what of good or ill may be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days, before His face I see. Refrain
I know not when my Lord may come, at night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him, or meet Him in the air. Refrain
It Is Well with My Soul (Horatio Spafford)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul.
Refrain: It is well, with my soul, it is well, with my soul,It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul. Refrain
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: if Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. Refrain
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, the sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord! Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul! Refrain
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain
The Light of the World Is Jesus (Philip Bliss)
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin, the Light of the world is Jesus!
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in. the Light of the world is Jesus!
Refrain: Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee; sweetly the light has dawned upon me.Once I was blind, but now I can see: The Light of the world is Jesus!
No darkness have we who in Jesus abide; the Light of the world is Jesus!
We walk in the light when we follow our Guide! The Light of the world is Jesus! Refrain
Ye dwellers in darkness with sin blinded eyes, the Light of the world is Jesus!
Go, wash, at His bidding, and light will arise; the Light of the world is Jesus! Refrain
No need of the sunlight in Heaven we’re told; the Light of the world is Jesus!
The Lamb is the Light in the city of gold; the Light of the world is Jesus! Refrain
How Can I Keep from Singing? (Robert Lowry)
My life flows on in endless song; above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn that hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die? The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round! Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin; I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—How can I keep from singing?
Here Is Love (William Rees, Welsh, vv. 1,2; William Williams, Welsh, vv. 3,4; William Edwards, this English translation, 1900; Robert Lowry (tune 1876).
Here is love, vast as the ocean, lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom, shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember? Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten, throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.
On the mount of crucifixion, fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers, poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world in love.
Let me all Thy love accepting, love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only and my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory, nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me, Thou Thyself hast set me free.
In Thy truth Thou dost direct me by Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting, as I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless, drawing out my heart to Thee.
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (George Matheson, blind Church of Scotland preacher)
O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be.
O Light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray, that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day may brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead, and from the ground there blossoms red life that shall endless be.
Make Me a Captive, Lord (George Matheson)
Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.
Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life’s alarms when by myself I stand;
Imprison me within Thine arms, and strong shall be my hand.
My heart is weak and poor until it master find;
It has no spring of action sure, it varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move till Thou has wrought its chain;
Enslave it with Thy matchless love, and deathless it shall reign.
My power is faint and low till I have learned to serve;
It lacks the needed fire to glow, it lacks the breeze to nerve.
It cannot drive the world until itself be driven;
Its flag can only be unfurled when Thou shalt breathe from heaven.
My will is not my own till Thou hast made it Thine;
If it would reach a monarch’s throne, it must its crown resign.
It only stands unbent amid the clashing strife,
When on Thy bosom it has leant, and found in Thee its life.
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