HYMN 497. L. M. [# or b]
For religious Schools.

1 O LORD, to thee we raise our song,
To thee address our humble prayer,
To whom our lives and strength belong;--
O make us all thy special care.

2 We thank thee for thy tender grace,
With which our infant minds are stored,
And taught to seek thy lovely face,
And learn our duty from thy word.

3 O may we ne'er abuse the day

On which the Friend of children rose,
Nor waste our time in sinful play,
And multiply our earthly woes.

4 But teach us all to read thy word,

And write thy precepts on our hearts: Thus lead us in thy doctrine, Lord, Which peace, and joy and life imparts.

HYMN 498. 8 & 7s. M. [#]

Children's Prayer.

1 GOD of mercy and of wisdom,
Hear thy children's lisping cry;
Let thy presence, Lord, be with them,
Teaching lessons from on high.

2 Here, beneath thy wing, we seat us,
Up to heaven for wisdom look;
Lord, in mercy deign to meet us,—
Meet us in thy sacred Book.

3 Since thy truth doth gild its pages,

May that truth, Lord, make us free;
On the Rock of endless ages

Let our faith established be.

4 To our faith we'll add the graces,
Virtue, knowledge, patience, love:
When on earth we leave our places,
Raise us all to seats above.

HYMN 499. L. M. [#]

Youthful Remembrance of God.

1 IN the soft season of thy youth,
In nature's early, smiling bloom,
Ere age arrive, and trembling wait
Its summons to the silent tomb ;-
2 Remember thy Creator, God;

For him thy nobler powers employ
Make him thy Fear, thy Love, thy Hope,
Thy Confidence, and highest Joy.

3 He shall defend and guide thy course
Through life's uncertain, stormy sea,
Till thou art landed on the shore
Of glorious immortality.

4 Then early seek the Lord, and choose
The path of wisdom and of truth:
The earth affords no lovelier sight
Than a discreet, religious youth.

HYMN 500. C. M. [#]

God's Word the best Guide of Youth.

1 THE morn of life, how fair and gay! How cheering and how new!

What hopes illume each opening day,
And brighten every view!

2 Youth's ardent mind, with joy elate,
Elastic and sincere,

Suspects no ills that may await,
Nor yields a thought to fear.

3 But slippery is the path they tread,
In pleasure's dangerous way;

A thousand snares around them spread,
And oft their feet betray.

4 How shall they, then, their course pursue Through life's uncertain road?

What friendly hand will point their view
To duty and to God?

5 In God's own word the way is sure,
And clear to every eye;
It leads us in a path secure
To brighter worlds on high.

HYMN 501. H. M. [#]

Youth exhorted to Virtue.

1 EARLY in life's young days
Let each unsullied youth
Seek wisdom's peaceful ways,

And walk the path of truth:
There streams of purest pleasure flow;
There honours bloom, and virtues grow.

2 Be God's all-perfect Son

Thy Pattern and thy Guide;

Let all his will be done,

Nor trust a friend beside:

Then shalt thou heave no guilty sighs,
No tears of anguish drown thine eyes.
3 His footsteps ever trace

With vigour and delight;
He'll lead thee by his grace,
Protect thee by his might,

And safe through all this dreary waste
Conduct thee on to endless rest.

PUBLIC ANNIVERSARIES.

HYMN 502. L. P. M. [#]

Thanksgiving for national Prosperity.

1 How rich thy gifts, Almighty King!
From thee our public blessings spring;
Extended trade, the fruitful skies,
The treasures liberty bestows,
The endless joys the gospel shows,
All from thy boundless goodness rise.

2 Here commerce spreads the wealthy store,
Which pours from every foreign shore;
Science and art their charms display;
Religion teaches us to raise

Our voices to our Maker's praise,

As truth and conscience point the way.

3 With grateful hearts, with joyful tongues, To God we raise united songs;

Here still may God in mercy reign;

Crown our just counsels with success,
With peace and joy our borders bless,
And all our sacred rights maintain.

HYMN 503. L. M. [#]
Annual Thanksgiving.

1 GREAT God, let all our tuneful powers
Awake, and sing thy mighty name :
Thy hand rolls on our circling hours,—
The hand from which our being came.
2 Seasons and moons, revolving round

In beauteous order, speak thy praise;
And years, with smiling mercy crowned,
To thee successive honours raise.

3 To thee we raise the annual song;

To thee the grateful tribute give;
Our God doth still our years prolong,
And midst unnumbered deaths we live.

4 Each changing season on our souls
Its sweetest, kindest influence sheds;
And every period, as it rolls,

Showers countless blessings on our heads.
5 Our lives, our health, our friends, we owe
All to thy vast, unbounded love;
Ten thousand precious gifts below,
And hope of nobler joys above.

HYMN 504. H. M.

H. M. [#]

Thanksgiving.

1 To thee, eternal King,

We raise our thankful eyes,