If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!
Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promis'd good to me.
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.
News
Legend of The Dogwood Tree
Two thousand years ago, few trees in the Middle East were big enough
to construct anything. However, one tree was valued above the others
for its thick trunk and fine, strong wood.
When the Romans came to rule over Jerusalem, their government
used this same timber to build the crosses for executing criminals.
A group of workers were assigned to gather wood for the crosses.
Before long, every Roman official knew the best wood came from
these gatherers of execution wood, so those workers became popular.
One day, the wood gatherers received a special request. An officer
of the Roman court came and said, "The King of Jews is to
be put to death. Deliver an extra-large cross made from your finest
wood." So, a fresh tree was cut from the forest of the trees
with thick trunks and fine, strong wood. An extra-tall (and extra-heavy)
cross was quickly made and delivered.
Three days after the death of Jesus of Nazereth, the chief wood gatherer got alarming news. "All of our finest trees are withering!" the messenger whispered. The wood gatherer hurried to the forest and saw that it was true.
Several years later, the chief wood gatherer heard that, every spring, many people visited the old forest that had once made his job so easy. Despite his advancing years, he set out to discover why. He saw the remains of forest, now like a salty bottoms, with only a few trees still standing tall, bare, lifeless and rotting.
