this calm im - pres - sive hour, of mer

of

2 Our hope, when autumn winds blew wild, 4 Thine too by right, and ours by grace, We trusted, Lord, with Thee;

The wondrous growth unseen,
And still, now spring has on us smiled, The hopes that soothe, the fears that bracc,
We wait on Thy decree.

The love that shines serene.

5 So grant the precious things brought forth 3 The former and the latter rain,

By sun and moon below,
The summer sun and air,

That Thee, in Thy new heaven and earth,
The green ear, and the golden grain,

We never may forego.
All Thine, are ours by prayer.

Rev. John Keble. (1792–1866.) 1857.

Winter and Spring. 1254

1255 Ps. cxlvii.

“Seed-time and Harvest."
2 He sends His showers of blessings down, 1 FOUNTAIN of mercy, God of love,
To cheer the plains below;

How rich Thy bounties are ;
He makes the grass the mountains crown, The rolling seasons, as they move,
And corn in valleys grow.

Proclaim Thy constant care.
3 His steady counsels change the face 2 When in the bosom of the earth
Of the declining year;

The sower hid the grain,
He bids the sun cut short his race, Thy goodness marked its secret birth,
And wintry days appear.

And sent the early rain. 4. His hoary frost, His fleecy snow, 3 The spring's sweet influence was Thine, Descend and clothe the ground;

The plants in beauty grew;
The liquid streams forbear to flow, Thou gav'st refulgent suns to shine,
In icy fetters bound.

And mild refreshing dew.
5 He sends His word and melts the snow, 4 These various mercies from above
The fields no longer mourn;

Matured the swelling grain;
He calls the warmer gales to blow, A yellow harvest crowns Thy love,
And bids the spring return.

And plenty fills the plain.
6 The changing wind, the flying cloud, 5 Seed-time and harvest, Lord, alone
Obey His mighty word:

Thou dost on man bestow;
With songs and honors sounding loud, Let him not then forget to own
Praise ye the sovereign Lord.

From whom his blessings flow.
Rev. Isaac Watts. 1719. ab.

Mrs. Alice Flowerdew. (1759–1830.) 1811. abo

1256
For New Year's Day.

13 With grateful hearts the past we own; Ps. lxv. 11.

The future, all to us unknown, 2 Wide as the wheels of nature roll,

We to Thy guardian care commit,
Thy hand supports and guides the whole;
The sun is taught by Thee to rise,

And peaceful leave before Thy feet. And darkness when to veil the skies.

4 In scenes exalted or deprest,

Be Thou our joy, and Thou our rest; 3 The flowery spring, at Thy command, Perfumes the air and paints the land;

Thy goodness all our hopes shall raise, The summer rays with vigor shine,

Adored through all our changing days. To raise the corn and cheer the vine.

Rev. Philip Doddridge. 1755. ab. and all. 4 Thy hand in autumn richly pours

1258

New Year. Through all our coasts redundant stores; 1 ANOTHER year, another year And winters, softened by Thy care,

Hath sped its flight on silent wing; No more a face of horror wear.

And all that marked its brief career 5 Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days, Hath passed from mortal reckoning. Demand successive songs of praise ;

2 Lord, for Thy grace and patient love, And be the grateful homage paid,

Unwearied still, and still the same, With morning light and evening shade.

For all our hopes of joy above, 6 Here in Thy house let incense rise,

We laud and bless Thy Holy Name. And circling sabbaths bless our eyes; Till to those lofty heights we soar,

3 We bless Thee for each happy soul, Where days and years revolve no more.

Throughout another fleeting year, Rev. Philip Doddridge (1702–1751.) 1755 ab. and alt.

Or by Thy quickening grace made whole,

Or parted in Thy faith and fear. Help obtained ef God. 1257 Acts xxvi. 22.

4 Still bear with us, and bless us still; i GREAT God, we sing that mighty hand And, while in this dark world we stay,

By which supported still we stand: O let us love Thy sacred will,
The opening year Thy mercy shows;

O let us keep Thy narrow way.
Let mercy crown it till it close.

5 So, when the rolling stream of time 2 By day, by night, at home, abroad,

Hath opened to a boundless sea, Still we are guided by our God;

Loud will we raise that song sublime, By His incessant bounty fed,

“All power and glory be to Thee.” By His unerring counsel led.

Rev. Richard Frederick Littledale (1833–) 1867

COME, LET US ANEW. 11, 5.

Samuel Webbe. (1740—1816.) C. 1770.

1. Come, let us

a • new Our journey pur- sue, Roll round with the year, And nev-er stand

tal-ents im . prove By the patience of hope, and the la • bor of love,

By the patience of hope, and the la- bor of

1259 New Year's Day.

With vigor arise, 2 Our life is a dream,

And press to our permanent place in the skies.
Our time, as a stream,

Of heavenly birth,
Glides swiftly away,

Though wandering on earth,
And the fugitive moment refuses to stay.

This is not our place,
The arrow is flown,

But strangers and pilgrims ourselves we con-
The moment is gone,

fess. The millennial year

2 No longing we find Rushes on to our view, and eternity's here. For the country behind; 30 that each in the day

But onward we niove,
Of His coming might say,

And still we are seeking a country above. “I have fought my way through,

A country of joy “I have finished the work Thou didst give

Without any alloy,

We thither repair ;
me to do."
O that each from his Lord

Our hearts and our treasure already are there.
May receive the glad word,

3 The rougher our way, “Well and faithfully done,

The shorter our stay; "Enter into My joy, and sit down on My The troubles that come thronc."

Shall come to our rescue, and hasten us home. Rev. Charles Wesley. (1708—1788.) 1750.

The fiercer the blast,

The sooner 'tis past; 1260 Speeding homeward.

The tempests that rise I COME, let us anew

Shall serve but to hurry our souls to the skies. Our journey pursue,

Rev. Charles Wesley. 1749. ab. and alt.