GOSPEL POEM!

WHEN I SEE CHRIST

When I shall leave this house of clay,
Perhaps that time may be to-day
That I shall go or He appear
And while in death there is no fear,
Yet would be joy should He decide
Till His return I'd here abide,
But whether so, or I depart,
The earnest prayer that fills my heart
Is when I see Him face to face,
'Cause He in judgment took my place,
That by His word or look I'll know
That much of life spent here below
Has been well-pleasing in His sight;
And who can measure the delight
If there should come some small reward
From those hands on Calvary scarred.

What earthly honors can compare
With the glories we shall share,
Glories which shall never cease
With Christ exalted, Prince of Peace?
Eternal ages, endless bliss,
For all the world I would not miss;
But when in the presence of my
Lord I stand and hope for some reward,
I'll not be there for work I've done,
But by God's grace Who gave His Son
To suffer, bleed, to die, and then
To conquer death, to rise again,
And in the body to ascend
To His own place at God's right hand.
Glorious gospel; What a cost!
What a love for sinners lost!
Spurn this love? this grace despise?
How can a man be so unwise?

Satan largely is to blame;
He hates Christ's gospel and His name.
The same who in the garden lied
And brought sin by appeal to pride
Beguiles, deceives and schemes today;
So sinners doubt, deny, delay.
With temporal things he charms the soul
And thus holds sinners in control.
Religious schemes and ways galore
To keep the lost outside the door;
Away from Calvary; God's one way
To save the sheep that's gone astray.
Satan doth the saved one hate
And bids for him with every bait,
Riches, pleasure, fame and ease,
Fleshly lusts he would appease.

This clever tempter is alert,
His every move is but to hurt,
To lead the saint to compromise
And make him run without a prize;
To bring reproach, disgrace and shame
To the Saviour's cause and hurt His name.
The battle's real; for us too hard,
Each moment we must be on guard.
In Jesus' strength alone we fight,
For He alone can put to flight
The demon forces that oppose
And conquer for us all our foes.
And only as in Him we trust
Can we overcome our lust.
The pressure, trials, strife and strain
Increase with labours not in vain,
But grace sufficient if we but ask
Christ has promised for each task.

'Twill soon be over; 'twill not be long
Till we'll be with that heavenly throng.
If till He come we occupy
Or if He tarry and we die,
And we are faithful, even though
Friends forsake us here below
Persecute, and scoff and frown,
Suffering saints shall have a crown.

At the rising of the just
When we stand, as stand we must,
Before our Saviour's judgment seat
And He reveals the chaff and wheat,
When hidden things are manifest
Will our works abide the test?
With secret motives brought to light,
When we have finished here our fight,
Shall we hear God's blessed Son
Approve our service with "well done"?
Such words will far out-pay the price
Our suffering, toil and sacrifice.

What a challenge for our best
Our every talent to invest!
Not on earth, our treasures hoard,
But as He said, in heaven stored.
Then He'll prove what here He taught
That no man e'er served God for nought.
So as for me whate'er the cost,
I want to count no day as lost.
I want not temporal things to dim
My heavenly vision and sight of Him,
But day by day to serve my Lord
And wait His time for my reward.
J.c.