Here may Thy faithful people know
The blessings of Thy love;

The streams that through the desert flow;
The manna from above.

We come, obedient to Thy word,
To feast on heavenly food;
Our meat, the Body of the Lord;
Our drink, His precious Blood.

Thus would we all Thy words obey;
For we, O God, are Thine;
And go rejoicing on our way,
Renewed with strength divine.

184

OLD AND NEW YEAR.

For Thy mercy and Thy grace,
Constant through another year,
Hear our song of thankfulness;
Jesu, our Redeemer, hear.

In our weakness and distress,

7s.

Rock of strength, be Thou our stay;

In the pathless wilderness

Be our true and living way.

Who of us death's awful road
In the coming year shall tread ?
With Thy rod and staff, O God,
Comfort Thou his dying bed.

Make us faithful, make us pure,
Keep us evermore Thy own,
Help Thy servants to endure,
Fit us for the promised crown.

So within Thy palace gates

We shall praise, on golden strings, Thee, the only Potentate,

Lord of lords and King of kings. Amen.

185

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light;
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious God, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger-bed;
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy-seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare ;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure, and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

7s.

Holy Jesus! every day
Keep us in the narrow way;

And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,

Thou its Sun, which goes not down:
There for ever may we sing

Alleluias to our King.

186

C. M.

With Christ we share a mystic grave;

With Christ we buried lie;

But 'tis not in the darksome cave
By mournful Calvary:

The pure and bright baptismal wave
Entombs our nature's stain ;

New creatures from the cleansing flood
With Christ we rise again.

Thrice blest, if through this world of strife,

And sin, and selfish care,

This snow-white robe of righteousness

We undefilèd wear.

Thrice blest, if, through the gate of death, Glorious at last and free,

We to our joyful rising pass,

O risen Lord, with Thee. Amen.

187

1 The strain upraise of joy and praise,

2 To the glory of their King

P.M.

Alleluia !

Shall the ransomed people sing Alleluia. 3 And the Choirs that dwell on high

Shall re-echo through the sky Alleluia. 4 They in the rest of Paradise who dwell, The blessed ones, with joy the chorus swell, Alleluia.

5 The planets glittering on their heavenly

way,

The shining constellations, join and say

6 Ye clouds that onward sweep! Ye winds on pinions light!

Alleluia.

Ye thunders, echoing loud and deep!
Ye lightnings, wildly bright!

In sweet consent unite your Alleluia.

7 Ye floods and ocean billows!

Ye storms and winter snow!
Ye days of cloudless beauty!
Hoar frost and summer glow!
Ye groves that wave in spring,
And glorious forests, sing Alleluia.

8 First let the birds, with painted plumage

gay,

Exalt their great Creator's praise, and say

Alleluia.

9 Then let the beasts of earth, with varying

strain,

Join in creation's Hymn, and cry again

Alleluia.

10 Here let the mountains thunder forth sonorous, Alleluia!

There let the valleys sing in gentler chorus,

11 Thou jubilant abyss of ocean, cry

Alleluia.

Alleluia.

Ye tracts of earth and continents, reply

12 To God, Who all creation made, The frequent hymn be duly paid:

Alleluia.

Alleluia.

13 This is the strain, the eternal strain, the Lord of all things loves: Alleluia.

This is the song, the heav'nly song, that
Christ Himself approves : Alleluia.

14 Wherefore we sing, both heart and voice awaking, Alleluia.

And children's voices echo, answer making

15 Now from all men be out-pour'd

Alleluia to the Lord;

With Alleluia evermore

The Son and Spirit we adore.

Alleluia.

16 Praise be done to the Three in One, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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