THE people that in darkness sat

A glorious Light have seen;

The Light has shined on them who long
In shades of death have been.

To hail Thee, Sun of Righteousness,
The gathering nations come;
They joy as when the reapers bear
Their harvest treasures home.
For Thou their burden dost remove,
And break the tyrant's rod,
As in the day when Midian fell
Before the sword of God.

For unto us a Child is born,
To us a Son is given,

And on His shoulder ever rests

All power in earth and heaven.

His Name shall be the Prince of Peace,
The Everlasting Lord,

The Wonderful, the Counsellor,

The God by all adored.

His righteous government and power

Shall over all extend;

On judgment and on justice based,

His reign shall have no end.

Lord Jesus, reign in us, we pray,
And make us Thine alone;
Who with the Father ever art
And Holy Spirit One.

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold;
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger-bed;
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet

Ever seek the mercy-seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ! to Thee our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day

Keep us in the narrow way;
And when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,

29.

Thou its Sun which goes not down
There for ever may we sing
Alleluias to our King.

L.M.

JESUS shall reign where'er the sun
Doth his successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And princes throng to crown His head;
His Name, like sweet perfume, shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song,
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His name.
Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honours to our King:
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud Amen.
30.

L. M.

JESU! the very thought is sweet!
In that dear Name all heart-joys meet:
But oh! than honey sweeter far
The glimpses of His presence are.

No word is sung more sweet than this,
No sound is heard more full of bliss,
No thought brings sweeter comfort nigh,
Than Jesus, Son of God Most High.

Jesu, the hope of souls forlorn,
How good to them for sin that mourn!
To them that seek Thee, oh, how kind!
But what art Thou to them that find?
No tongue of mortal can express,
No pen can write the blessedness,
He only who hath proved it knows
What bliss from love of Jesus flows.
O Jesu, King of wondrous might!
O Victor, glorious from the fight!
Sweetness that may not be expressed,
And altogether loveliest!

Abide with us, O Lord, to-day,
Fulfil us with Thy grace, we pray;
And with Thine own true sweetness feed
Our souls from sin and darkness freed.

SEPTUAGESIMA.

31.

P. M.

ALLELUIA! Song of gladness,

Voice of everlasting joy;
Alleluia! Sound the sweetest
Heard among the choirs on high,
Hymning in God's blissful mansion
Day and night incessantly!

Alleluia! Church victorions,

Thou mayst lift the joyful strain! Alleluia! Songs of triumph

Well befit the ransomed train.

C

32.

Faint and feeble are our praises
While in exile we remain.

Alleluia! Songs of gladness

Suit not now our souls forlorn ;
Alleluia! Sounds of sadness

Midst our joyous strains are borne:
For in this dark world of sorrow

We with tears our sins must mourn.

Praises with our prayers uniting,
Hear us, blessed Trinity;
Bring us to Thy blissful presence,
There the Pascal Lamb to see,
There to Thee our Alleluia

Singing everlastingly.

C. M.

THERE is a book, who runs may read,
Which heavenly truth imparts,
And all the lore its' scholars need,
Pure eyes and Christian hearts.

The works of God, above, below,
Within us and around,

Are pages in that book to show
How God Himself is found.

The glorious sky, embracing all,
Is like the Maker's love,

Wherewith encompassed, great and small
In peace and order move.