Pour out thy Spirit from on high;
  Lord! thine assembled servants bless;
Graces and gifts to each supply. 
  And clothe thy priests with righteousness.

2 Wisdom, and zeal, and faith impart,
  Firmness with meekness from above,
To bear thy people on our heart,
  And love the souls whom thou dost love;

3 To watch and pray, and never faint;
  By day and night, strict guard to keep;
To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,
  Nourish thy lambs, and feed thy sheep.

4 Then, when our work is finished here,
  In humble hope, our charge resign;
When the chief Shepherd shall appear,
  O God! may they and we be thine.

     James Montgomery, 1825.

465 Welton.  L.M.

An Ordination Service. (1011)

The solemn service now is done. 
The vow is pledged, the toil begun;
Seal thou, O God! the oath above,
And ratify the pledge of love.

2 The shepherd of thy people bless;
Gird him with thine own holiness;
In duty may his pleasure be
His glory in his zeal for thee.

3 Here let the ardent prayer arise, Faith fix its grasp beyond the skies.  The tear of penitence be shed, And myriads to the Savior led.

4 Come, Spirit! here consent to dwell; The mists of earth and sin dispel; Blest Savior! thine own rights maintain:  Supreme in every bosom reign.

     Samuel F. Smith, 1843.

466 Happy Day.  L.M.

Rejoicing in Entire Consecration. (937)

Oh, happy day, that fixed my choice,
  On thee, my Savior and my God! 
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
  And tell its raptures all abroad.

Cho.—­Happy day, happy day,
      When Jesus washed my sins away;
      He taught me how to watch and pray,
      And live rejoicing ev’ry day!

2 Oh, happy bond, that seals my vows
  To him who merits all my love! 
Let cheerful anthems fill the house,
  While to his altar now I move.

3 ’Tis done—­the great transaction’s done;
  I am my Lord’s, and he is mine;
He drew me, and I followed on,
  Rejoiced to own the call divine.

4 Now rest—­my long-divided heart—­
  Fixed on this blissful center, rest;
Here have I found a nobler part,
  Here heavenly pleasures fill my breast.

5 High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow,
  That vow renewed shall daily hear,
Till, in life’s latest hour, I bow,
  And bless in death a bond so dear.

     Philip Doddridge, 1740.

467 Happy Day.  L.M.

Converts Welcomed. (940)

Come in, thou blessed of the Lord! 
  Enter in Jesus’ precious name;
We welcome thee, with one accord,
  And trust the Savior does the same.

2 Those joys, which earth cannot afford,
  We’ll seek in fellowship to prove,
Joined in one spirit to our Lord,
  Together bound by mutual love.