By Pain, And Weariness, And Doubt

By Pain, And Weariness, And Doubt

December 26, St. Stephen's Day
The First Martyr

Music: Not Stated

Source: Rev. John Mason Neale, Hymns For Children. A Third Series. (1854), Third Edition (London: Joseph Masters, 1867), #10, pp. 14-15.
See: Christmas in Neale's Hymns for Children

1. By pain, and weariness, and doubt,
By fears within, and foes without,
By Satan’s power and Satan’s guile,
Christ’s servants must be tried awhile.

2. This is their joy in time of need,—
’Tis theirs to follow, His to lead;
’Tis His, and His alone, to call,
And theirs for Him to leave their all.

3. Oh, happiest, how much happiest, they,
The first to listen and obey,
Who go at once, who dare not wait,
But hear His voice and follow straight !

4. The first to magnify His name
In spite of danger and of shame ;
The first to leave the paths of sin,
Though all the world should walk therein.

5. By this the Saints their journey trod;
By this the Martyrs went to God:
Like him who first Christ’s Name confess’d.
And was the first to gain His rest.

6: Praise God from Whom all blessings flow ;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Note:

Also found in Mary Sackville Lawson, et al, eds., Collected Hymns, Sequences and Carols of John Mason Neale (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914), pp. 362-363, citing Acts 7:55-60 (KJV):

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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Some Feast Days During the Christmas-Tide

St. Nicholas
Feast Day: December 6
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St Stephen
(December 26)

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