IV.

CHRIST.

I.

ADVENT AND NATIVITY.

(p. 159.)

II.

EVENTS IN CHRIST'S MINISTRY.

(p 178.)

III.

OFFICES TO THE SOUL.

(p. 192.)

IV.

THE CROSS.

(p. 224.)

ADVENT AND NATIVITY.

223. P. M.

1 0 LOVELY Voices of the sky, Which hymned the Saviour's birth! Are ye not singing still on high,

Ye that sang,

"Peace on earth"?

To us yet speak the strains,
Wherewith, in time gone by,
Ye blest the Syrian swains,
O Voices of the sky!

2 O clear and shining Light, whose beams
That hour heaven's glory shed
Around the palms, and o'er the streams,
And on the shepherds' head!

Be near, through life and death,
As in that holiest night

Of hope, and joy, and faith;

O clear and shining Light!

3 0 Star which led to Him whose love Brought down man's ransom free!

Where art thou? —'midst the host above,
May we still gaze on thee?
In heaven thou art not set,
Thy rays earth may not dim;
Send them to guide us yet,
O Star which led to Him!

224. L. M.

1 WHEN, marshalled on the nightly plain, The glittering host bestud the sky, One star alone, of all the train,

Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.

2 Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks,
From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
It is the Star of Bethlehem!

3 Once on the raging seas I rode;

The storm was loud, the night was dark; The ocean yawned, and rudely blowed The wind that tossed my foundering bark.

4 Deep horror then my courage froze; Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem; When suddenly a star arose,

It was the Star of Bethlehem.

5 It was my guide, my light, my all;
It bade my dark forebodings cease;

And, through the storm and danger's thrall,
It led me to the port of peace.

6 Now, safely moored, my perils o'er, I'll sing, first in night's diadem, For ever, and for evermore,

The Star-the Star of Bethlehem!

225. S. M.

1 BEHOLD the sun, how bright
From yonder east he springs,
As if the soul of life and light
Were breathing from his wings.

2 So bright the Gospel broke
Upon the souls of men;

So fresh the dreaming world awoke
In truth's full radiance then.

3 Before yon sun arose,

Stars clustered through the sky;
But, O, how dim, how pale, were those,
To his one burning eye!

4 So truth lent many a ray,

To bless the pagan's night;

But, Lord, how faint, how cold, were they,
To thy one glorious light!

226. 6 & 4s. M.

1 THOU, whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight!