Blessed Saviour, Thou art with us
In this lovely wood today,
Joying to behold our gladness,
Pleased to see the children play.
Lord, we thank Thee for the sunshine,
For the sweet and balmy air:
All around us Thou hast lavished
Gifts which tell that Thou art here.
‘Twas Thy hand that formed the flowers,
Gave the trees their varied hue,
Filled with life Thy whole creation,
Kept for ages fresh and new.
Lord, today the grass appeareth
So refreshing to our eyes;
Yet we know the scythe awaits it,
At man’s will it fades and dies.
So the fresh young lives around us
All ere long must garnered be;
O, may death but be the portal
To a grand eternity.
Lord, the leaves to us are speaking,
Waving gently in the breeze;
“Life is short,” they seem to tell us,
“Not for long we grace the trees:
“Soon life’s autumn comes upon us,
Forms new buds for early spring,
Then the place that now sustains us
Bears a new and lovely thing.”
Ah! Lord Jesus, Thou hast told us
As a leaf we all do fade;
But in death we hail the advent
Of a life beyond the grave.
Spring is ours, as well as autumn,
An eternal, fadeless spring;
On the Resurrection Morning,
Perfected, Thy praise we’ll sing.
Never more shall we be weary,
Never bear one taint of sin;
Speed the wings of time, Lord Jesus,
Love’s eternity begin.
ML 11/12/1922