p 2 While the prayers of saints ascend, God of love, to mine attend; cr Hear me, for Thy Spirit pleads; p Hear, for Jesus intercedes.

p 3 While I hearken to Thy law, Fill my soul with humble awe, cr Till Thy Gospel bring to me Life and immortality.

mf 4 While Thy ministers proclaim Peace and pardon in Thy Name, Through their voice, by faith, may I Hear Thee speaking from the sky. mf 5 From Thy house when I return, May my heart within me burn;

p And at evening let me say,

31

"I have walked with God to-day."

J. Montgomery, 1812.

C.M.

For dark and light are both alike to p 3 Grant us Thy peace upon our homeward way; [the day cr With Thee began, with Thee shall end p Guard Thou the lips from sin, the hearts from shame, [Thy Name. That in this house have called upon mf 4 Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life, [strife; cr Our balm in sorrow, and our stay in Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,

p Call us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace. J. Ellerton, 1866.

mp ALMIGHTY Father, bless the word Which through Thy grace we now have heard;

p O may the precious seed take root, cr Spring up, and bear abundant fruit.

The first, the best of days; [bright, The labourer's rest, the saint's delight, The day of prayer and praise.

p

grace,

Thus in Thy courts to seek Thy face: Grant, Lord, that we who worship here May all, at last, in heaven appear.

Anon.

8.7.8.7.4.7.

34 mp LORD, dismiss us with Thy blessing; Fill our hearts with joy and peace; Let us each, Thy love possessing, Triumph in redeeming grace: O refresh us,

Travelling through this wilderness. f 2 Thanks we give and adoration For Thy Gospel's joyful sound: May the fruits of Thy salvation In our hearts and lives abound: May Thy presence

With us evermore be found; p 3 So that when Thy love shall call us, Saviour, from the world away,

cr Fear of death shall not appal us, Glad Thy summons to obey.

f

May we ever

Reign with Thee in endless day.
J. Fawcett. (?)

II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR.

35

Advent.

6.5.6.5.D. with Ref.

HARK! the voice eternal,
Robed in majesty,

Calling into being

Earth and sea and sky;
Hark! in countless numbers
All the angel-throng
Hail creation's morning
With one burst of song.
High in regal glory,
'Mid eternal light,
Reign, O King Immortal,
Holy, Infinite.

2 Bright the world and glorious,
Calm both earth and sea,
Noble in its grandeur
Stood man's purity;

p Came the great transgression,
Came the saddening fall,
Death and desolation

36

8.8.8.

mf DAY of wrath! O day of mourning!

See fulfilled the prophets' warning,

Heaven and earth in ashes burning! f 20 what fear man's bosom rendeth, When from heaven the Judge descendp On Whose sentence all dependeth.[eth, ff 3 Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;

Through earth's sepulchres it ringeth;
All before the throne it bringeth.

f 4 Death is struck, and nature quaking, All creation is awaking,

To its Judge an answer making. mf 5 Lo! the Book exactly worded,

Wherein all hath been recorded: Thence shall judgment be awarded. mf 6 When the Judge His seat attaineth, And each hidden deed arraigneth, Nothing unavenged remaineth.

p 7 What shall I, frail man, be pleading? Who for me be interceding,

When the just are mercy needing?

8 King of Majesty tremendous, Who dost free salvation send us, p Fount of pity, then befriend us! mf 9 Think, good Jesu, my salvation

Cost Thy wondrous Incarnation; p Leave me not to reprobation!

p 10 Faint and weary Thou hast sought

me,

On the Cross of suffering bought me. Shall such grace be vainly brought me ? mf 11 Righteous Judge! for sin's polluGrant Thy gift of absolution, [tion Ere that day of retribution.

p 12 Guilty, now I pour my moaning, All my shame with anguish owning; Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning! cr 13 Thou the sinful woman saved'st; mf Thou the dying thief forgavest;

And to me a hope vouchsafest.

p 14 Worthless are my prayers and sighing,

cr Yet, good Lord, in grace complying, mf Rescue me from fires undying! mf 15 With Thy favoured sheep O place Nor among the goats abase me; [me! But to Thy right hand upraise me.

f 16 While the wicked are confounded, Doomed to flames of woe unbounded, p Call me, with Thy saints surrounded. pp 17 Low I kneel, with heart-submission, See, like ashes, my contrition; Help me in my last condition."

p 18 Ah! that day of tears and mourning! From the dust of earth returning cr Man for judgment must prepare him; Spare, O God, (p) in mercy spare him! pp 19 Lord, all pitying, Jesu blest, Grant us Thine eternal rest.

mf 2 The dead in Christ shall first arise At the last trumpet's sounding,

cr Caught up to meet Him in the skies, ƒ With joy their Lord surrounding: No gloomy fears their souls dismay, His presence sheds eternal day

On those prepared to meet Him.

mf 3 But sinners, filled with guilty fears, Behold His wrath prevailing;

For they shall rise and find their tears
And sighs are unavailing:

p The day of grace is past and gone; Trembling, they stand before the throne,

All unprepared to meet Him. mf 4 Great God, to Thee my spirit clings, Thy boundless love declaring; cr One wondrous sight my comfort brings,

f The Judge my nature wearing. mf Beneath His Cross I view the day When heaven and earth shall pass away,

cr

And thus prepare to meet Him. W. B. Collyer, 1812; J. Cotterill, 1820.

For, not in weakness clad, Thou
Our woes, our sins to bear, [com'st,
But girt with all Thy Father's might,
His judgment to declare.

p 2 The terrors of that awful day
O who can understand?

Or who abide, when Thou in wrath Shalt lift Thy holy hand? [roar, pp The earth shall quake, the sea shalĺ The sun in heaven grow pale; But Thou hast sworn, and wilt not Thy faithful shall not fail. [change, p 3 Then grant us, Saviour, so to pass Our time in trembling here,

40

Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone. J. Cennick, 1752; C. Wesley, 1758; M. Madan, 1760.

P.M.

HARK! a thrilling voice is sounding;

"Christ is nigh," it seems to say; "Cast away the works of darkness, O ye children of the day!"

mf 2 Wakened by the solemn warning, Let the earth-bound soul arise; Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling, Shines upon the morning skies.

f 3 Lo! the Lamb, so long expected, Comes with pardon down from heaven;

The watchmen on the heights

Go forth, the Bridegroom meet: Alleluia!

One and all to be forgiven;

mf 4 So when next He comes with glory, Wrapping all the world in fear,

p

cr May He with His mercy shield us, And with words of love draw near. TR. E. S. Caswell, 1849.

42

8.8.8.8.8.8.

trimmed light,

Speed forth to join the marriage rite. mf 2 Sion hears the watchmen singing, Her heart with deep delight is springing,

[gloom:

She wakes, she rises from her cr Forth her Bridegroom comes, all-glo

rious,

In grace arrayed, by truth victorious; Her Star is risen, her Light is All hail, Incarnate Lord, [come! Our crown, and our reward!

Alleluia!

And darker night is near.

p

And let your lights appear;

The Bridegroom is arising,

And soon He will draw nigh;

Up! pray, and watch, and wrestle!
At midnight comes the cry.

mf 2 See that your lamps are burning;
Replenish them with oil;
Look now for your salvation,
The end of sin and toil.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near,
cr Go meet Him as He cometh,
With Alleluias clear.

f 3 O wise and holy virgins,

Now raise your voices higher,
Until in songs of triumph
Ye meet the angel-choir.
The marriage-feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up, ye heirs of glory!

The Bridegroom is at hand. mp4 Our hope and expectation, O Jesu, now appear;

er Arise, Thou Sun so longed for,
O'er this benighted sphere!
f With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption,
And ever be with Thee!

44

L. Laurenti, 1700; TR. S. Findlater, 1854.

L. M.

mf ON Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry

Announces that the Lord is nigh;

f Awake, and hearken, for he brings Glad tidings of the King of kings.

mf 2 Then cleansed be every Christian breast,

And furnished for so great a Guest; Yea, let us each our hearts prepare For Christ to come and enter there. f 3 For Thou art our Salvation, Lord, Our Refuge and our great Reward; P Without Thy grace we waste away, Like flowers that wither and decay. mf 4 To heal the sick stretch out Thine hand,

And bid the fallen sinner stand; cr Once more upon Thy people shine, And fill the world with love divine. f 5 All praise, eternal Son, to Thee, Whose Advent set Thy people free; Whom with the Father we adore, And Holy Ghost for evermore.

C. Coffin, 1736; TR. J. Chandler, 1837.
8.8.8.8.8.8.

45
mfCOME, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel;
p That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! mf 2 O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny; From depths of hell Thy people save, cr And give them victory o'er the grave. f Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! mf 3 0 come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

f

Our spirits by Thine Advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! mf 4 O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.

f

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! mf 5 O come, O come, Thou Lord of

might!

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,