THE LONG NIGHT WATCHES

13

Comfort every sufferer
Watching late in pain;
Those who plan some evil
From their sin restrain.

Through the long night watches
May Thine Angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.

When the morning wakens,
Then may I arise
Pure, and fresh, and sinless
In Thy holy eyes.

Glory to the Father,
Glory to the Son,

And to Thee, blest Spirit,

Whilst all ages run.

S. Baring-Gould.

OUR day of praise is done i

The evening shadows fall;

Yet pass not from us with the sun,
True Light that lightenest all!

Around the throne on high,
Where night can never be,
The white-robed harpers of the sky
Bring ceaseless hymns to Thee.

Too faint our anthems here;
Too soon of praise we tire;

But oh, the strains how full and clear
Of that eternal Choir!

Yet, Lord, to Thy dear will
If Thou attune the heart,
We in Thine angels' music still
May bear our lower part.

"Tis Thine each soul to calm,
Each wayward thought reclaim,
And make our life a daily psalm
Of glory to Thy Name.

Shine thou within us, then,
A day that knows no end,
Till songs of angels and of men
In perfect praise shall blend.

J. Ellerton.

14

BIDE with me! fast falls the eventide ;
The Wark mes deepens, Lord, with me

abide!

When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou who changest not, abide with me!

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free,
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me!

SHINE THROUGH THE GLOOM

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings; But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings; Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea, Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me!

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile ;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou didst not leave me, oft as I left Thee:
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour:
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me!

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless :
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness:
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy
victory?

I triumph still if Thou abide with me!

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes! Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies!

Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee:

In life and death, O Lord, abide with me!

15

H. F. Lyte.

THE twilight falls, the night is near;
our work away,

And kneel to Him who bends to hear
The story of the day.

The old, old story; yet we kneel
To tell it at Thy call,

And cares grow lighter when we feel
Our Father knows them all.

Knows all the morning and the night,
The joy, the grief, the loss,

The mountain track, the valley bright,
The hourly thorn and cross.

Thou knowest all: we lean our head,
Our wearied eyelids close;
Content and glad awhile to tread
The path our Father knows.

And He has loved us! all our heart
With answering love is stirred;
And poverty and toil and smart
Find healing in that word.

So here we lay us down to rest,
As nightly shadows fall;

And lean, confiding, on His breast,
Who knows and pities all.

16

THE sun declines; o'er land and sea
Creeps on the night;

The twinkling stars come one by one
To shed their light;

With Thee there is no darkness, Lord
With us abide,

And 'neath Thy wings we rest secure
This eventide.

Anon.

THE HOLY CALM

Forgive the wrong this day we've done,
Or thought, or said;
Each moment with its good or ill
To Thee has fled;

O Father, in Thy mercy great
Will we confide;

Thy benediction now bestow
This eventide.

And when with morning light we rise,
Kept by Thy care,

We'll lift to Thee with grateful hearts,
Our morning prayer.

Be Thou through life our Strength and Stay,
Our Guard and Guide

To that dear home where there will be
No eventide.

R. Walmsley.

17

NOW

OW on land and sea descending,
Brings the night its peace profound;

Let our vesper hymn be blending
With the holy calm around.

Soon as dies the sunset glory,
Stars of heaven shine out above,
Telling still its ancient story-
Their Creator's changeless love.

Now our wants and burdens leaving
To His care, who cares for all,
Cease we fearing, cease we grieving,
At His touch our burdens fall.