'Tis gain to die with Jesus nigh--
The Rock of thy salvation.

--Francis Scott Key.

The dearest thing on earth to me
Is Jesus' will;
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
To do his will.
Worldly pleasures cannot charm me,
Powers of evil cannot harm me,
Death itself cannot alarm me,
For 'tis his will.

SWEET PROMISES

O Jesus, I have promised,
To serve thee to the end;
Be thou forever near me,
My Master and my Friend.
I shall not fear the battle
If thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If thou wilt be my guide.

O let me feel thee near me;
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.

O Jesus, thou hast promised
To all who follow thee,
That where thou art in glory
There shall thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow
My Master and my Friend.

--John E. Bode.

THE KING OF LOVE

The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
And he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul he leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
With thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

And so, through all the length of day,
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house forever.

--Henry W. Baker.

WE WOULD SEE JESUS

We would see Jesus when our hopes are brightest
And all that earth can grant is at its best;
When not a drift of shadow, even the lightest,
Blurs our clear atmosphere of perfect rest.

We would see Jesus when the joy of living
Holds all our senses in a realm of bliss,
That we may know he hath the power of giving
Enduring rapture more supreme than this.

We would see Jesus when our pathway darkens