PURIFICATION OF ST. MARY THE VIRGIN 138

LORD, to Thy holy temple
Come back, and fill with glory

The hearts and ways of men :
Not as a lowly Infant,

Unnoticed and unknown,
But in the royal splendour

Of Thine eternal throne.
O Thou, whom we delight in,

The Messenger of love,
Come to Thy temple quickly

Back from Thy throne above :
But who may bide Thy coming,

Who hear Thy footstep's tread,
Who stand when Thou appearest,

Thou Judge of quick and dead?
Thy Spirit send before Thee,

Till every heart, restored
By His new life, adore Thee,

Their only God and Lord :
And make our offerings pleasant

As in the days of old,
And as in former happy years

Of which our fathers told.
Come back, and fill Thy temple,
Built

up

of human hearts,
With that abiding presence

Which never more departs :
Come, where the prostrate nations

Before Thy feet shall fall ;
Come, with Thy holy angels,
Come back the Lord of all.

139

, And Thine ordained servants bless; Graces and gifts to each supply,

And clothe Thy priests with righteousness. Within Thy temple when they stand

To teach the truth as taught by Thee, Saviour, like stars in Thy right hand

Let all Thy Church's pastors be.
Wisdom and zeal and love impart,

Firmness and meekness, from above,
To bear Thy people on their heart,

And love the souls whom Thou dost love. To watch and pray, and never faint,

By day and night their guard to keep, To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,

To feed Thy lambs and tend Thy sheep. So, when their work is finished here,

They may in hope their charge resign ; So, when their Master shall appear,

They may with crowns of glory shine.

VIRGIN MARY

140

HALL we not love thee, Mother dear,
Whom Jesus loves so well?
And, to His glory, year by year,

Thy joy and honour tell?
Bound with the curse of sin and shame

We helpless sinners lay,
Until in tender love He came

To bear the curse away.
And thee He chose from whom to take

True flesh His Flesh to be ;
In It to suffer for our sake,

By It to make us free.
O wondrous depth of grace divine

That He should bend so low !
And, Mary, oh! what joy 'twas thine

In His dear love to know !
Jesu, the Virgin's holy Son,

We praise Thee and adore,
Who art with God the Father One,

And Spirit evermore.

SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST

141
O THOU, Who didst at Pentecost

Send down from heaven the Holy Ghost,
That He might with Thy Church abide
For ever, to defend and guide ;
Illuminate Thy servants, Lord,
The preachers of Thy holy word.
O may Thy pastors faithful be,
Not labouring for themselves, but Thee :
Give grace to feed with wholesome food
Whom Thou hast purchased by Thy blood,
Thy sheep and lambs, and thus to prove
How dearly they the Shepherd love.
That which Thy holy Scriptures teach,
That, and that only, may they preach ;
May they the true foundation lay,
Build gold thereon, not wood or hay;
And meekly preach, in days of strife,
The sermon of a holy life.

142
THOU
"HOU art the Way ; by Thee alone

From sin and death we flee;
And he who would the Father seek

Must seek Him, Lord, by Thee.

Thou art the Truth ; Thy word alone

True wisdom can impart ;
Thou only canst inform the mind,

And purify the heart.
Thou art the Life; the opening tomb

Proclaims Thy conquering arm;
And those who put their trust in Thee

Nor death nor hell shall harm.

Thou art the way, the Truth, the Life ;

Grant us that way to know,
That truth to keep, that life to win

Whence joys eternal flow.