As when a child secure of harms

As when a child secure of harms

Author: J. Hart (1759)
Published in 12 hymnals

Representative Text

1 As when a child, secure of harms,
Hangs at the mother’s breast,
Safe folded in her anxious arms,
Receiving food and rest:

2 And, while through many a painful path
The travelling parent speeds,
The fearless babe, with passive faith,
Lies still, and yet proceeds:

3 Should some short start his quiet break,
He fondly strives to fling
His little arms about her neck,
And seems to closer cling;

4 Poor child, maternal love alone
Preserves thee, first and last;
Thy parent’s arms, and not thy own,
Are those that hold thee fast!

5 So souls that would to Jesus cleave,
And hear his secret call,
Must every fair pretension leave,
And let the Lord be all.

6 “Keep close to me, thou helpless sheep,”
The Shepherd softly cries;
“Lord, tell me what ’tis close to keep,”
The listening sheep replies.

7 “Thy whole dependence on me fix;
Nor entertain a thought
Thy worthless schemes with mine to mix,
But venture to be nought.

8 “Fond self-direction is a shelf;
Thy strength, thy wisdom flee;
When thou art nothing in thyself,
Thou then art close to me.”

Source: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #708

Author: J. Hart

Hart, Joseph, was born in London in 1712. His early life is involved in obscurity. His education was fairly good; and from the testimony of his brother-in-law, and successor in the ministry in Jewin Street, the Rev. John Hughes, "his civil calling was" for some time "that of a teacher of the learned languages." His early life, according to his own Experience which he prefaced to his Hymns, was a curious mixture of loose conduct, serious conviction of sin, and endeavours after amendment of life, and not until Whitsuntide, 1757, did he realize a permanent change, which was brought about mainly through his attending divine service at the Moravian Chapel, in Fetter Lane, London, and hearing a sermon on Rev. iii. 10. During the next two years ma… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: As when a child secure of harms
Author: J. Hart (1759)
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 12 of 12)

A Selection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs #d9

Hymns, etc. composed on various subjects #66

Page Scan

Hymns, etc. #69

Hymns, Selected from Various Authors, for the Use of Young Persons #d13

Page Scan

Hymns #66

Old School Sonnets, or a Selection of Choice Hymns #d30

The Young Convert's Companion #d9

Text

A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship. In four parts (10th ed.) (Gadsby's Hymns) #708

Page Scan

Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs #97

Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs #d11

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