171

1

2

3

4

7.6.7.6.8.8.

Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.-Ps. iv. 8.

HE day is past and over;

THE

All thanks, O Lord, to Thee! We pray Thee now that sinless

The hours of dark may be ;

O Jesus, keep us in Thy sight,,

And guard us through the coming night!

The joys of day are over;

We lift our hearts to Thee,

And ask Thee that offenceless
The hours of dark may be;

O Jesus, make their darkness light,
And guard us through the coming night!

The toils of day are over;

We raise our hymn to Thee; And ask that free from peril

The hours of dark may be;

O Jesus, keep us in Thy sight,

And guard us through the coming night!

Be Thou our soul's preserver,
For Thou, O God, dost know
How many are the perils
Awaiting us below;

O loving Jesus, hear our call,

And guard and save us from them all! ANATOLIUS. 450.

172

1 SU

L.M.

He giveth His beloved sleep.

" Ps. cxxvii. 2.

UN of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if Thou be near;

O may no earth-born cloud arise,

To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes.

2 When with dear friends sweet talk I hold,
And all the flowers of life unfold,
Let not my heart within me burn,
Except in all I Thee discern.

3 When the soft dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eyelids gently steep,

Be my last thought,-How sweet to rest
For ever on my Saviour's breast!

4 Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without Thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh
For without Thee I dare not die.

5 If some poor wandering child of Thine
Have spurned to-day the voice divine,
Now, Lord, the gracious work begin;
Let him no more lie down in sin.

Watch by the sick; enrich the poor With blessings from Thy boundless store; Be every mourner's sleep to-night, Like infants' slumbers, pure and light. 7 Come near and bless us when we wake Ere through the world our way we take; Till, in the ocean of Thy love, We lose ourselves in heaven above. JOHN KEBLE. 1820.

O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel;
For some are sick, and some are sad:
And some have never loved Thee well;
And some have lost the love they had;

4 And some are pressed with worldly care;
And some are tried with sinful doubt;
And some such grievous passions tear,
That only Thou canst cast them out;

5 And some have found the world is vain, Yet from the world they break not free; And some have friends who give them pain,

Yet have not sought a Friend in Thee.

6 And none, O Lord, have perfect rest,
For none are wholly free from sin;
And they who fain would love Thee best
Are conscious most of wrong within.

7 O Saviour Christ, Thou too art Man:
Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried;
Thy kind but searching glance can scan
The very wounds that shame would hide.

8 Thy touch has still its ancient power;
No word from Thee can fruitless fall:
Hear, in this solemn evening hour,
And in Thy mercy heal us all.

174

88.

H. TWELLS. 1868.

He lifted up His hands, and blessed them.-Luke xxiv. 50.

1 WEET Saviour, bless us ere we go; Thy word into our minds instil And make our lukewarm hearts to glow With lowly love and fervent will. Ref.-Through life's long day and death's dark night,

O gentle Jesus, be our light!

2 The day is gone, its hours have run,
And Thou hast taken count of all,
The scanty triumphs grace hath won,
The broken vow, the frequent fall.

3 Grant us, dear Lord, from evil ways
True absolution and release;
And bless us, more than in past days,
With purity and inward peace.

4 Do more than pardon; give us joy,
Sweet fear, and sober liberty;
And simple hearts without ill oy,
That only long to be like Thee.

5 Labour is sweet, for Thou hast toiled;
And care is light, for Thou hast cared!
Ah! never let our works be soiled.
With strife, or by deceit ensnared.",
3 For all we love, the poor, the sad,
The sinful, unto Thee we call;
Oh, let Thy mercy make us glad;
Thou art our Jesus and our All.

F. W. FABER. 1852.

Then said Jesus... Peace be unto you.-John xx. 21. AVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing, Ere repose our spirits seal;

SA

Sin and want we come confessing;

Thou canst save, and Thou canst heal.

2 Though destruction walk around us,
Though the arrows past us fly,
Angel-guards from Thee surround us;
We are safe if Thou art nigh.

3 Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He who, never weary,

Watchest where Thy children be.

4 Should swift death this night o'ertake us,
And our couch become our tomb,
May the morn in heaven awake us,
Clad in light and deathless bloom.
JAMES EDMESTON. 1820.

176

1

L.M.

Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.-Ps. xvii. 8.

ILORY to Thee, my God, this night,

GLO

For all the blessings of the light; Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings, Beneath Thine own almighty wings.

2 Forgive me, Lord, for Thy dear Son,
The ills that I this day have done:
That with the world, myself, and Thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

3 Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed:
Teach me to die, that so I may
Rise glorious at the judgment day.

4 Oh, may my soul on Thee repose,
And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close;
Sleep, that may me more vigorous make
To serve my God when I awake.

5 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
THOMAS KEN. 1695.

177

10s.

Abide with us, for it is toward evening.uke xxiv. 29.

1ABIDE with me! fast falls the even

tide; [abide! The darkness thickens; Lord with me When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me!

2 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! 3 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! 4 Come not in terrors, as the King of ings, 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

2 Every youth and maiden,
On the harvest plain,
Round the waggons laden
With their golden grain,
Swell the happy chorus,
On the evening air,
Unto Him who o'er us
Bends with constant care.
3 For the sun and showers,
For the rain and dew,
For the nurturing hours
Spring and summer knew;
For the golden autumn,

And its precious stores,
For the love that brought them
Teeming to our doors.

4 Earth's broad harvest whitens
In a brighter sun;
Thou the orb that lightens
All we tread upon;
Send out labourers, Father!
Where fields ripening wave;
All the nations gather,
Gather in and save.

O Almighty Giver!
Bountiful and free,
Then as joy in harvest
We shall joy in Thee.

179

1

то

J. S. B. MONSELL. 1863.

C.M.

Seed-time and harvest... shall not cease.-Gen. viii. 22.

10 praise the ever-bounteous Lord,
My soul, wake all thy powers;

He calls, and at His voice come forth
The smiling harvest hours.

2 His covenant with the earth He keeps ;
My tongue, His goodness sing;
Summer and winter know their time,
His harvest crowns the spring.

3 Well pleased, the toiling swains behold The waving yellow crop;

With joy they bear the sheaves away,
And sow again in hope.

4 Thus teach me, gracious God, to sow
The seeds of righteousness;
Smile on my soul, and with Thy beams
The ripening harvest bless.

JOHN NEEDHAM. 1768.

They joy before Thee, according to the joy in harvest.-Isa. ix. 3.

COME, ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of Harvest-Home.
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied :-
Come to God's own temple, come,
Raise the song of Harvest-Home.

2 All this world is God's own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade, and then the car,
Then the full corn shall appear:
Lord of Harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
3 For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offences purge away;
Give His angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
To Thy final Harvest-Home!
Gather Thou Thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There for ever purified,

In Thy presence to abide;

Come, with all Thine angels, come,

Raise the glorious Harvest-Home."

2 Can a child presume to choose
Where or how to live?
Can a Father's love refuse
All the best to give?

More Thou givest every day
Than the best can claim;
Nor withholdest aught that may
Glorify Thy name.'

3 If in mercy Thou wilt spare
Joys we yet partake;
If in life, serene and fair,
Brighter rays may break;

Thee our hearts, while glad they sing,
Shall in all proclaim;

And whate'er the year may bring,
"Glorify Thy name."

4 If Thou callest to the cross,
And its shadow come,
Turning all our gain to loss,
Shrouding heart and home;
May we think how Thy dear Son
To His glory came,

In His footsteps follow on;
"Glorify Thy name."

〃

L. TUTTIETT. 1866

182

7.6.

The years of the right hand of the Most High.-Ps. lxxvii. 10.

1 ANOTHER year is dawning;

Dear Master, let it be,

In working or in waiting,
Another year with Thee.

2 Another year of leaning

Upon Thy loving breast,
Of ever-deepening trustfulness,
Of quiet, happy rest.

3 Another year of mercies,

Of faithfulness and grace, Another year of gladness

In the shining of Thy face. 4 Another year of progress, Another year of praise, Another year of proving Thy presence all our days. 5 Another year of service,

Of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training

For holier work above.
6 Another year is dawning;
Dear Master, let it be,
On earth or else in heaven,
Another year for Thee.

183

F. R. HAVERGAL. 1870.

SABBATH MORNING.

S.M.

Seek those things which are above.
Col. iii. 1.

ISE, heart! thy Lord arose

1 RIS

With the first morning ray;

Leave far below thy cares and woes; It is the rising day!

2 Rise with a spirit's love,

3

4

Follow the Master's way,

And seek the things that are above;
It is Ascension day!

Mount in the holy light;

Up! to the calm serene!

To heavenly places take thy flight,
Where Christ, the Lord, is seen.

Ascend where angels soar !

Pray with them side by side;

And with the white-robed Church adore Thy Saviour glorified.

This is the day the Lord hath made.-Ps. cxv. 24.

there be light to-day;

HIS is the day of light:

O Day-spring, rise upon our night
And chase its gloom away.

185

7.6.

J. ELLERTON. 1868.

It began to dawn toward the first of the week.-Matt. xxviii. 1.

1 THE dawn of God's dear Sabbath
Breaks o'er the earth again,

As some sweet summer morning
After a night of pain.

It comes as cooling showers

To some enchanted land,

As shade of clustered palm-trees
'Mid weary waste of sand.

2 Lord, we would bring for offering,
Though marred with earthly soil,
A week of earnest labour,

Of steady, faithful toil;
Fair fruits of self-denial,
Of strong, deep love to Thee,
Fostered by Thine own Spirit,
In our humility.

3 And we would bring our burden
Of sinful thought and deed,
In Thy pure presence kneeling,
From bondage to be freed;
Our heart's most bitter sorrow
For all Thy work undone !
So many talents wasted,

So few bright laurels won!

4 May we in joy and gladness
Reach Thy dear home at last,
When life's short week of sorrow
And sin and strife is passed;
When angel-hands have gathered
The fair, ripe fruit for Thee,
O Father, Lord, Redeemer,
Most Holy Trinity.

186

1

ADA CAMBRIDGE. 1866.

L.M.

The rest of the holy Sabbath.
Exod. xvi. 23.

ANOTHER six days' work is done,

Another Sabbath is begun; Return, my soul, enjoy thy rest, Improve the day thy God hath blest.

2 Come, bless the Lord, whose love assigns
So sweet a rest to wearied minds;
Provides an antepast of heaven,
And gives this day the food of seven.

3 O that our thoughts and thanks may rise As grateful incense to the skies;

And draw, from heaven, that sweet repose, Which none but he that feels it knows.

4 This heavenly calm within the breast Is the dear pledge of glorious rest, Which, for the Church of God remains The end of cares, the end of pains.

5 With joy, great God, Thy works we view In various scenes, both old and new; With praise we think on mercies past; With hope we future pleasures taste.

6 In holy duties, let the day

In holy pleasures, pass away;
How sweet a Sabbath thus to spend,
In hope of one that ne'er shall end!
JOSEPH STENNETT. 1712.

187

7.6.

This is the day the Lord hath made.-Ps. cxviii. 24.

DAY of rest and gladness,

O day of joy and light,

O balm of care and sadness,

Most beautiful, most bright; On thee the high and lowly, Before the eternal throne, Sing Holy, Holy, Holy,

To the great Three in One!

2 On thee, at the creation,

The light first had its birth; On thee for our salvation

Christ rose from depths of earth, On thee our Lord victorious

The Spirit sent from heaven; And thus on thee most glorious A triple light was given.

3 Thou art a port protected

From storms that round us rise;

A garden intersected

With streams from Paradise; Thou art a cooling fountain

In life's dry dreary sand;

From thee, like Pisgah's mountain,
We view our promised land.

4 Thou art a holy ladder,

Where angels go and come;
Each Sunday finds us gladder,
Nearer to heaven our home:
A day of sweet refection
Thou art, a day of love;
A day of resurrection

From earth to things above.

5 To-day on weary nations The heavenly manna falls, To holy convocations

The silver trumpet calls,
Where gospel-light is glowing
With pure and radiant beams,
And living water flowing

With soul-refreshing streams.
6 May we, new graces gaining
From this our day of rest,
Attain the rest remaining
To spirits of the blest;
To Holy Ghost be praises,
To Father, and to Son;
The Church her voice upraises
To Thee, blest three in One.

C. WORDSWORTHI,
BISHOP OF LINCOLN. 1832.