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380

5 0 thou, whose suns and rains,
Upon those mighty plains,
Fall evermore;

Send down the dews of peace,
The sun of righteousness,
And let thy light increase

From shore to shore.

P. M.

FROM FENELON.

Would be Thine.

1 LIVING or dying, Lord, I would be thine!

O, what is life?

A toil, a strife,

Were it not lighted by thy love divine.

I ask not wealth,

I crave not health

Living or dying, Lord, I would be thine!

2 O what is death,

When the poor breath

In parting can the soul to thee resign;
While patient love

Her trust doth prove —

Living or dying, Lord, I would be thine!

3 Throughout my days,

Be constant praise

Uplift to thee from out this heart of mine:
So shall I be

Brought nearer thee

Living or dying, Lord, I would be thine!

381

P. M.

The Noble Bead.

1 CALL them from the dead

For our eyes to see;

Prophet-bards, whose awful word

W. J. Fox.

Shook the earth, "Thus saith the Lord,”

And made the idols flee

A glorious company!

2 Call them from the dead

For our eyes to see:

Sons of wisdom, song, and power,
Giving earth her richest dower,

And making nations free

A glorious company!

3 Call them from the dead

For our eyes to see:

Forms of beauty, love, and grace,
"Sunshine in the shady place,”

That made it life to be

A blessed company!

4 Call them from the dead

Vain the call will be;

But the hand of Death shall lay,

Like that of Christ, its healing clay

On eyes which then shall see
That glorious company!

CHANTS.

CHANTS,

AND

SELECTIONS FOR CHANTING.

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REMARKS. THE design, in appending to this Collection of Hymns a compilation of Chants, and Selections for Chanting, is, to furnish to congregations the means of joining in this most devotional style of sacred music; and, with this view, the chants inserted have been selected or composed rather with reference to simplicity and ease of performance, than to striking musical effect. No progressions, either of harmony or melody, have been admitted, except of a natural and easy kind, and the parts kept entirely within the compass of the voices for which they are intended. It is believed that the musical abilities usually found among the members of congregations will enable them, with a little attention to the subject, to join, under the lead of a competent chorister, and more certainly under the lead of a good choir,—in the chant; and that its occasional use will not only be highly interesting and salutary in itself, but that it will heighten, by contrast, the effect of the sacred melodies and harmonies now so generally used in connection with metrical psalmody.

CHANTS, generally, are either of two, three, or four strains; and each strain consists of the chanting note, or chord, and a cadence of either two or of three measures. The chanting note, or chord, is expressed by a single note, or chord, filling one measure, but which is to be continued, without regard to time, sufficiently long to recite that portion of the verse to which it is applied, with due regard to articulation, accent, punctuation, and expression. The cadences are to be sung in time. Some chants are not of

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