253. P. M.

Commencement of Public Worship.
Ar the portals of thy house,
LORD! We leave our mortal cares;
Nobler thoughts our souls engage,
Songs of praise and fervent prayers:

Pure and contrite hearts alone,
Find acceptance at thy throne.

2.

Hapless men, whose footsteps stray
From the temple of the LORD!
Teach them Zion's heavenly way,
To their feet thy light afford:
Let the world united join,
To extol thy love divine.

254. L. M.

The Sacrifice of the Heart.

WHEN, as returns this solemn day,
Man comes to meet his Maker, GOD,—
What rites, what honours shall he pay?
How spread his Sovereign's praise abroad?

2.

From marble domes and gilded spires,
Shall curling clouds of incense rise?
And gems, and gold, and garlands, deck
The costly pomp of sacrifice!

3.

Vain, sinful man!-creation's Lord
Thy richest offerings well may spare;
But give thy heart, and thou shalt find
Here dwells a GOD who heareth prayer.

255. P. M.

The Divine Blessing implored.

1.

LORD! dismiss us with thy blessing, Hope and comfort from above; Let us, each thy peace possessing, Triumph in redeeming love.

2.

Thanks we give, and adoration,
For the gospel's joyful sound;
May the fruits of thy salvation

In our hearts and lives abound.

3.

All our hopes on thee reclining,
Peace companion of our way,
May our sun, in smiles declining,
Rise in everlasting day.

256. P. M.

Close of the Evening Service.

1.

THOU didst make the darksome night,
Glorious Being! thou the day,
Which we close with calm delight,
Pleas'd thy precepts to obey.

2.

Bounteous Providence divine!
Oh how gracious is thy sway!
Duty and delight combine;
Truest bliss is to obey.

257. C. M.

Close of the Evening Service.

1.

SOON will our fleeting hours be past; And, as the setting sun

Now leaves the clouds in yonder west, Our parting beams be gone.

2.

May he from whom all blessings flow, Ŏur sacred rites attend;

Unite our hearts in wisdom's ways,
Till lifes' short journey end:

3.

And as the rapid sands run down,
Our virtue still improve;

Till each receives the glorious crown Of never-fading love.

258. s. M.

The Attraction of the Cross.

1.

BEHOLD the affecting sight, The Saviour lifted high! Behold the Son of God's delight

Expire in agony!

2.

We see, and we admire
In sympathy of love;
We feel the strong attractive power,
To lift our souls above.

3.

Drawn by such cords as these, Let all the earth combine, With chearful ardour, to confess The energy divine.

4.

In him our hearts unite, Nor share his griefs alone, But from his cross pursue their flight To his triumphant throne.

259. c. M.

Reflections on the Death of Jesus.

1.

WITH Warm affection let us view,
With pious grief improve,
The solemn and impressive scene
Of Jesus' dying love.

2.

Not all the malice of his foes,
His pity could subdue;
'Father forgive', he meekly pray'd,
"They know not what they do.'

3.

Oh what a love was here display'd
Beyond our utmost thought;
How pure the lessons, how sublime,
In life and death he taught!

4.

Let not his sacred truths, by us
Be lost or misapplied;
Nor let our thoughtless hearts forget
That 'twas for us he died.

260.

The Love of our Saviour, prompting to
Christian Love.

S. M.

I.

JESUS, the friend of man,
Invites us to his board;
The welcome summons we obey,
And own our gracious Lord.

2.

Here we survey that love Which spoke in every breath, Prompted each action of his life, And triumph'd in his death.

3.

Here let our powers unite, His honour'd name to raise; Let grateful joy fill every mind, And every voice be praise.

4.

One faith, one hope, one Lord, One God alone we know; Brethren we are; let every heart With kind affections glow.

5.

Warm'd with our Master's love,
And thy unmeasur'd grace,
LORD! let our thankful hearts expand
And all mankind embrace.