Thanks from my heart I offer Thee, Jesus, dearest Friend, For all that Thou didst suffer, My good didst Thou intend. Ah! grant that I may ever To Thy truth faithful be, And in the last death-shiver May I be found in Thee. When hence I must betake me, And death at last must meet, Lord, do not then forsake me, Thy child with welcome greet. When terror has bereft me, Of heart and hope, again, Lord! from my woe uplift me, In virtue of Thy pain. Be Thou my consolation When death o'ertaketh me; May Thy death-tribulation Before mine eyes then be! I'll on Thee, fondly gazing, Fix my believing eyes, While firmly Thee embracing,-- He dies well who so dies. THE SEVEN WORDS SPOKEN BY THE LORD JESUS ON THE CROSS. My heart! the seven words hear now That Jesus Christ hath spoken, When on the cross His heart through woe And murder dire was broken; Ope now the shrine, And lock them in, As gifts all price excelling. In bitter grief, They'll give relief, 'Neath crosses joy instilling. His first and chiefest care He made Who hated Him to cover: God for the wicked men He pray'd, That He'd their sin look over. "Forgive, forgive," He said in love, "Them every one, O Father! Not one doth see What doeth he, In ignorance 'tis rather!" How fair it is, let all learn here, To love their foes who grieve them, And all their faults with hearts sincere Aye freely to forgive them. He also shows, How grace o'erflows His heart, how kind His mood is, That e'en his foe, Who'd work Him woe, Doth in Him find what good is! Then to His mother doth He speak, Who stood near him He loveth, And as He can, though voice be weak, With words of comfort sootheth: "Woman! there see Thy son, for me Thou shalt by him be guarded. Disciple! see, Let her by thee As mother be regarded." O faithful heart! thou car'st for all Thine own who truly love Thee, When they in tribulation fall Thou seest, the sight doth move Thee; A friend in need, In word and deed, Thou at their side appearest, Dost by Thy grace Find them a place, Them to good souls endearest. The third thing that Thy lips have said Thou spak'st to him beside Thee, When, "Think upon me then," he pray'd, "When God Himself shall guide Thee Up to Thy throne, Thy head shall crown As Lord of earth and heaven:" "To walk with Me To-day shall thee In Paradise be given."