ON SILENT WORSHIP

JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY

Let deepest silence all around
  Its peaceful shelter spread;
So shall that living word abound,
  The word that wakes the dead.

How sweet to wait upon the Lord
  In stillness and in prayer!
What though no preacher speak the word,
  A minister is there.

A minister of wondrous skill
  True graces to impart;
He teaches all the Father's will,
  And preaches to the heart.

He dissipates the coward's fears,
  And bids the coldest glow;
He speaks; and lo! the softest tears
  Of deep contrition flow.

He knows to bend the heart of steel,
  He bows the loftiest soul;
O'er all we think and all we feel,
  How matchless his control:


And ah! how precious is his love,
  In tenderest touches given:
It whispers of the bliss above,
  And stays the soul on heaven.

From mind to mind, in streams of joy,
  The holy influence spreads;
'Tis peace, 'tis praise, without alloy,
  For God that influence sheds.

'Twas thus, where God himself is known
  To shine without a cloud,
The angel myriads round his throne,
  In solemn silence bowed.

And all were still and silent long,
  Nor dared one note to raise,
Till burst the vast extatic song,
  And heaven was fill'd with praise.