Hear us, Architect divine!

Great builder of thy church below: Now upon thy servants shine,

Who seek thy praise to show.

2 We, like Jesse's son, would raise
A temple to the Lord;

Sound throughout its courts His praise,
His saving name record;
Dedicate a house to Him,

Who, once in mortal weakness shrined, Sorrow'd, suffer'd to redeem,

To rescue all mankind.

3 Father, Son, and Spirit, send
The consecrating flame;
Now in majesty descend,

Inscribe the living name;
That great name by which we live,
Now write on this accepted stone;

Us into thy hands receive,
Our temple make thy throne.

BIRTH-DAY.

HYMN 530. H. M. [235]

GOD of my life, to thee
My cheerful soul I raise!
Thy goodness bade me be,

And still prolongs my days;

I see my natal hour return,
And bless the day that I was born.

2 Long as I live beneath,

To thee, O let me live;

To thee my every breath

In thanks and praises give; Whate'er I have, whate'er I am, Shall magnify my Maker's name. 3 My soul and all its powers, Thine, wholly thine shall be; All, all my happy hours

I consecrate to thee:

Me to thine image now restore,
And I shall praise thee evermore.
4 Then when the work is done,
The work of faith with power,
Receive thy favor'd son,

In death's triumphant hour--
Like Moses to thyself convey,
And kiss my raptur'd soul away.

HYMN 531. 11s. & 9s. [536]

AWAY with our fears! The glad morning

appears,

When an heir of salvation was born! From Jehovah I came, for his glory I am, And to him I with singing return.

2 O, the infinite cares, and temptations, and

snares,

Thy hand hath conducted me through! O, the blessings bestow'd by a bountiful God, And the mercies eternally new.

3 What a mercy is this; what a heaven of bliss, How unspeakably happy am I!

Gather'd into thy fold, with thy people enroll'd,
With thy people to live and to die.

4 My remnant of days I spend in his praise,
Who died the whole world to redeem ;
Be they many or few, my days are his due,
And they all are devoted to him.

THANKSGIVING DAY.

HYMN 532. C. M. [237]

WHEN all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys-
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise!

2 O, how can words with equal warmth The gratitude declare,

That glows within my ravish'd heart?But thou canst read it there!

3 To all my weak complaints and cries, Thy mercy lent an ear;

Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learn'd
To form themselves in prayer.

4 Unnumber'd comforts on my soul
Thy tender care bestow'd,
Before my infant heart conceiv'd
From whom those comforts flow'd.

HYMN 533. C. M. [237]

WHEN in the slippery paths of youth,
With heedless steps I ran;

Thine arm, unseen, convey'd me safe,
And led me up to man.

2 Thro' hidden dangers, toils and deaths,
It gently clear'd my way;
And thro' the pleasing snares of vice,
More to be feared than they.

3 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts My daily thanks employ;

Nor is the least a cheerful heart,
That tastes those gifts with joy,

4 Through every period of my life
Thy goodness I'll pursue;
And after death, in distant worlds,
The pleasing theme renew.
5 Through all eternity to thee
A grateful song I'll raise;
But O! eternity's too short
To utter all thy praise.

HYMN 534. L. M.

GOD of my life, through all my days,
My grateful powers shall sound thy praise;
My song shall wake with opening light,
And cheer the dark and silent night.
2 When death o'er nature shall prevail,
And all the powers of language fail,
Joy through my swimming eyes shall break,
And mean the thanks I cannot speak.

3 But O, when that last conflict's o'er,
And I am chain'd to earth no more,
With what glad accents shall I rise,
To join the music of the skies!

4 Soon shall I learn the exalted strains,
Which echo through the heavenly plains;
And emulate with joy unknown,
The glowing seraphs round the throne.
5 The cheerful tribute will I give,
Long as a deathless soul shall live:
A work so sweet, a theme so high,
Demands and crowns eternity.

15

NATIVITY.

HYMN 535. C. M.

WHILE shepherds watched their flocks by

night,

All seated on the ground,

The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.

2 "Fear not," said he, (for mighty dread
Had seiz'd their troubled mind,)
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.

3 "To you, in David's town, this day,
Is born of David's line,

The Saviour who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:

4 "The heavenly babe you there shall find
To human view display'd,

All meanly wrapp'd in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid."

5 Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith
Appear'd a shining throng
Of angels praising God, on high,
And thus address'd their song:

6 "All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace;

Good will henceforth, from heaven to men,
Begin and never cease.

HYMN 536. C. M.

SHEPHERDS, rejoice, lift up your eyes,
And send your fears away,
News from the regions of the skies-
A Saviour's born to-day.