It is recorded of Bengel, an old German saint, that he was much given to intercessory prayer, and that he had power with God, and prevailed. One, who was anxious to find out his secret, watched him unobserved in his hours of retirement. “Now,” said he, “I shall hear Bengel pray.”
The aged saint sat long before his open Bible, and, while perusing its sacred pages, hours passed away, and, while comparing scripture with scripture, the hour of midnight sounded. Nature seemed at length exhausted. He folded his arms over the open word, and, looking up, gave utterance to these words, “Lord Jesus, thou knowest me; we are on the same old terms.” A few moments more, and Bengel’s weary frame was resting in a sweet slumber.
“WE WILL NEVER GIVE THEE UP.”
(These lines were written with reference to one whose sad career they too truly describe. Handsome, generous, and amiable, early entering into uncontrolled possession of a large property, he was exposed to great temptations, to which his excitable temperament rendered him peculiarly open. Led away by wild companions, the downward course was speedily entered; and once there, he rushed on with fearful rapidity. He had Christian friends, and grace was given them to wrestle for his conversion, and to believe firmly and assuredly that the answer would come, though each day it seemed further off. “God’s ways are not our ways.” A few months after this poem was written, he was suddenly called hence, at the early age of twenty-five; and it is in humble gratitude to the God of all grace, and in simple trust in His word, that these lines are printed — that any who may be weeping and despairing over the case of some beloved one may take courage, and trust in the God who cannot lie, who even at the eleventh hour saved one whose case seemed utterly hopeless. Dear brother or sister in Jesus, who may thus be in deep waters, look up, pray on, and faint not. As God is true, He will, in His own time and way, answer your prayers. 1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15); Psalm 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15); Matt, 18, 19; 21:22; John 14:13, 14; 15:7; 16:2313And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13‑14)
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)
23And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (John 16:23); Luke 11:99And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Luke 11:9); Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13); Isa. 57:1919I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. (Isaiah 57:19); Matt. 24:3535Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35).—A. L.)
We will never give thee up! Ο thou sadly-erring one,
The’ faster in the downward path thy way-ward footsteps roam:
The’ harder than an adamant thy steadfast brow be set,
In proud rebellion ‘gainst thy God, thou’lt come to Jesus yet.
We will never give thee up! though each passing day and hour
Find thee a still more willing slave to Satan’s deadly power—
The’ tighter, closer, round thy life, sin’s iron chain be bound —
The’ darker grow thy deeds and words, thou, lost one, shalt be found.
We will never give thee up! the’ thou have no heart, nor eye,
Nor ear, but for the reckless mirth of godless revelry —
The ‘deeper in each vice thou plunge — the’ thine the scoffer’s part —
The drunkard’s, swearer’s, profligate’s, Christ yet shall have thine heart.
We will never give thee up! though from thee thou shalt cast
All good — the’ nature’s graces all shall from thy heart have past —
The’ men shall look with pitying scorn, shall tell us of despair,
Call thee a hopeless wreck — e’en then our God for thee shall care.
We will never give thee up! the’ the heavens above like brass
Seem stretched, we know that e’en thro’ them our feeble prayer must pass;
The earthborn clouds throng dark between, we know the sun is there,
That it will pierce them through anon — our God will answer prayer.
We will never give thee up I the’ our eyes grow dim with tears,
And our hearts sick with hope deferred, in a waste of weary years,
Each ending darker than the last, we will not look at thee,
But whisper still unto our God, “Our eyes are unto thee.”
We will never give thee up! The’ faint, cold, and sinful be
Our best petitions offered up ‘midst doubts and fears for thee;
We know no prayers of ours could stand the blaze of God’s white throne,
But Jesus lives to intercede — He pleads them as His own!
We will never give thee up! we know the day must come
When thou, a lowly prodigal, shalt seek thy Father’s home.
We know not when that day shall be; but as our God is true,
“Whate’er we ask in Jesu’s name, that will the Father do.”
We will never give thee up! God’s sure word shall be our stay;
The’ heaven and earth shall be removed, it cannot pass away.
Hath He not said, “Ask what thou wilt, the answer I will give?”
And think’st thou that He bids us ask, and will not let thee live?
We will never give thee up, Ο thou sadly erring one!
Morn, noon, and eve, and night, we’ll pray, until the prize be won.
Dear wanderer! sadly yearn our hearts, but there’s a heart above
That yearns with deeper tenderness — thou yet shalt know its love.
September, 1862.