The end of all things is at hand,
Sober, and watchful let us be,
And firm to our profession stand,
In faith and hope and charity.
221
Satan, our adversary knows
The limit of his lawless power,
Yet like a roaring lion goes
Forth, seeking whom he may devour.
The shield of faith then let us take;
From his assaults to guard our bearts,
And quench, though from the burning lake,
The force of all his fiery darts.
The gospel-hope be, too, our stay,
When doubt and unbelief prevail,
Our comfort in the evil day,
Our strength when flesh and spirit fail.
And charity, that bond of peace,
The source and soul of pure delights,
Sweet charity, that shall not cease,
But man with God, through Christ, unites:--
That holiest unction from above
Be shed on our affections here,
Till all are perfected in love,
And perfect love hath cast out fear.
Source: Sacred Poems and Hymns #221
James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missio… Go to person page >
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