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Title: For New Year's Day, 1874
Author: Frances Ridley Havergal [
More Titles by Havergal]
'From glory to glory.'
--2 COR. iii. 18.
'FROM glory unto glory!' Be this our joyous song,
As on the King's own highway we bravely march along!
'From glory unto glory!' O word of stirring cheer,
As dawns the solemn brightness of another glad New Year.
Our own beloved Master 'hath many things to say;'
Look forward to His teaching, unfolding day by day;
To whispers of His Spirit, while resting at His feet,
To glowing revelation, to insight clear and sweet.
'From glory unto glory!' Our faith hath seen the King,
We own His matchless beauty, as adoringly we sing:
But He hath more to show us! O thought of untold bliss!
And we press on exultingly in certain hope to this:--
To marvellous outpourings of His 'treasures new and old,'
To largess of His bounty, paid in the King's own gold,
To glorious expansion of His mysteries of grace,
To radiant unveilings of the brightness of His face.
'From glory unto glory!' What great things He hath done,
What wonders He hath shown us, what triumphs He hath won!
We marvel at the records of the blessings of the year!
But sweeter than the Christmas bells rings out His promise clear
That 'greater things,' far greater, our longing eyes shall see!
We can but wait and wonder what 'greater things' shall be!
But glorious fulfilments rejoicingly we claim,
While pleading in the power of the All-prevailing Name.
'From glory unto glory!' What mighty blessings crown
The lives for which our Lord hath laid His own so freely down!
Omnipotence to keep us, Omniscience to guide,
Jehovah's Triune Presence within us to abide!
The fulness of His blessing encompasseth our way;
The fulness of His promises crowns every brightening day;
The fulness of His glory is beaming from above,
While more and more we realize the fulness of His love.
'From glory unto glory!' Without a shade of care,
Because the Lord who loves us will every burden bear;
Because we trust Him fully, and know that He will guide,
And know that He will keep us at His beloved side.
'From glory unto glory!' Though tribulation fall,
It cannot touch our treasure, when Christ is all in all!
Whatever lies before us, there can be naught to fear,
For what are pain and sorrow when Jesus Christ is near?
'From glory unto glory!' O marvels of the word!
'With open face beholding the glory of the Lord,'
We, even we (O wondrous grace!) 'are changed into the same,'
The image of our Saviour, to glorify His Name.
Abiding in His presence, and walking in the light,
And seeking to 'do always what is pleasing in His sight,'
We look to Him to keep us 'all glorious within,'
Because 'the blood of Jesus Christ is cleansing from all sin.'
The things behind forgetting, we only gaze before,
'From glory unto glory,' that 'shineth more and more,'
Because our Lord hath said it, that such shall be our way
(O splendour of the promise!) 'unto the perfect day.'
From glory unto glory!' Our fellow-travellers still
Are gathering on the journey! the bright electric thrill
Of quick instinctive union, more frequent and more sweet,
Shall swiftly pass from heart to heart in true and tender beat.
And closer yet, and closer the golden bonds shall be,
Enlinking all who love our Lord in pure sincerity;
And wider yet, and wider shall the circling glory glow,
As more and more are taught of God that mighty love to know.
O ye who seek the Saviour, look up in faith and love,
Come up into the sunshine, so bright and warm above!
No longer tread the valley, but, clinging to His hand,
Ascend the shining summits and view the glorious land.
Our harp-notes should be sweeter, our trumpet-tones more clear.
Our anthems ring so grandly, that all the world must hear!
Oh, royal be our music, for who hath cause to sing
Like the chorus of redeemed ones, the Children of the King!
Oh, let our adoration for all that He hath done
Peal out beyond the stars of God, while voice and life are one!
And let our consecration be real, and deep, and true;
Oh, even now our hearts shall bow, and joyful vows renew!--
'In full and glad surrender we give ourselves to Thee,
Thine utterly, and only, and evermore to be!
O Son of God, who lovest us, we will be Thine alone,
And all we are, and all we have, shall henceforth be Thine own!'
Now, onward, ever onward, from 'strength to strength' we go,
While 'grace for grace' abundantly shall from His fulness flow,
To glory's full fruition, from glory's foretaste here,
Until His Very Presence crown our happiest New Year!
[The end]
Frances Ridley Havergal's poem: For New Year's Day, 1874
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