Acts 1:26

• [Act 1:26] Bishop Of The Souls Of Men

  Bishop of the souls of men, When the foeman’s step is nigh, When the wolf lays wait by night For the lambs continually, Watch, O Lord, about us keep, Guard us, Shepherd of the sheep. When the hireling flees away, Caring only for his gold, And the gate unguarded stands At the entrance to the fold, Stand, O Lord, Thy flock before Thou the Guardian, Thou the Door. Lord, whose guiding finger ruled In the casting of the lot, That Thy Church might fill the throne Of the lost Iscariot, In our trouble ever thus Stand, good Master, nigh to us. When the saints their order take In the New Jerusalem, And Matthias stands elect, Give us part and lot with him, Where in Thine own dwelling place We may witness face to face.

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  source: Cyberhymnal

• [Act 1:26] Praise To The Heavenly Wisdom

  Praise to the Heavenly Wisdom Who knows the hearts of all— The saintly life’s beginnings, The traitor’s secret fall; Our own ascended Master, Who heard His Church’s cry, Made known His guiding presence, And ruled her from on high. Elect in His foreknowledge, To fill the lost one’s place; He formed His chosen vessel By hidden gifts of grace; Then, by the lot’s disposing, He lifted up the poor, And set him with the princes On high for evermore. For on the golden breastplate Of our great Priest above, Twelve are the stones that glisten And throbs that Heart of Love; And twelve the fair foundations Of Salem’s jasper wall; And twelve the thrones predestined Within her judgment hall. No mystic gem is lacking In that divine array; No empty throne shall darken The glory of that day; For lo! on twelve the Spirit, The Father’s Promise, came; And twelve went forth together To preach the saving Name. Still guide Thy Church, Chief Shepherd, Her losses still renew; Be Thy dread keys entrusted To faithful hands and true; Apostles of Thy choosing May all her rulers be, That each with joy may render His last account to Thee!

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  source: Cyberhymnal

Acts 7:56

• [Act 7:56] O Saving Victim, Open Wide

  O saving Victim, open wide The gate of Heaven to man below; Our foes press on from every side; Your aid supply; Your strength bestow. To your great Name be endless praise; Immortal Godhead, One in Three; Grant us, for endless length of days, In our true native land to be.
  Play	source: Cyberhymnal

• [Act 7:56] Yesterday, With Exultation

  Yesterday, with exultation, Joined the world in celebration, Of her promised Savior’s birth; Yesterday the angel nation Poured the strains of jubilation O’er the Monarch born on earth. But today o’er death victorious, By his faith and actions glorious, By his miracles renowned, See the Deacon triumph gaining, ’Midst the faithless faith sustaining, First of holy martyrs found. Onward, champion, falter never, Sure of sure reward forever, Holy Stephen, persevere; Perjured witnesses confounding, Satan’s synagogues astounding By thy doctrine true and clear. Thine own Witness is in Heaven, True and faithful, to thee given, Witness of thy blamelessness; By thy name a crown implying, Meet it is thou shouldst be dying For the crown of righteousness. For the crown that fadeth never Bear the torturer’s brief endeavor; Victory waits to end the strife; Death shall be thy life’s beginning, And life’s losing be the winning Of the true and better life. Filled with God’s most Holy Spirit, See the Heav’n thou shalt inherit, Stephen, gaze into the skies; There God’s glory steadfast viewing, Thence thy victor strength renewing, Pant for thy eternal prize. See, as Jewish foes invade thee, See how Jesus stands to aid thee, Stands at God’s right hand on high: Tell how opened heaven is shown thee, Tell how Jesus waits to own thee, Tell it with thy latest cry. As the dying martyr kneeleth, For his murderers he appealeth, For their madness grieving sore; Then in Christ he sleepeth sweetly, And with Christ he reigneth meetly, Martyr firstfruits, evermore.

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  source: Cyberhymnal

Acts 9:4

• [Act 9:4] Shepherd Now Was Smitten, The

  The Shepherd now was smitten; The wolf was ravening near; The scattered flock he threatened, But knew not Whose they were. In zealous fury seeking To bind and crucify, A sudden voice withheld him, A loud and startling cry: “Saul! Saul! why blindly daring To persecute thy Lord? ’Tis Jesus Whom thou hatest, Rebel not at My Word.” Then forth in prayer he stretcheth Those hands prepared to slay; “What wouldst Thou with Thy servant? My Lord and Master, say.” Christ’s foe becomes His soldier, The wolf destroys no more, A gentle lamb he enters The sheepfold by the door. O voice of God Almighty, What wonders hath it wrought! It rends the lofty cedars, It bends the haughty thought. Jesu, our Shepherd, cease not Thy flock from harm to free, And, when Thy sheep are wandering, O lead them back to Thee. To Father, Son, and Spirit, All glory, praise and might, Who called us out of darkness To His own glorious light.

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  source: Cyberhymnal