When Paul and Silas sung,
The earth began to quake;
The prison doors were open flung;
Her firm foundations shake.

The pris'ners' bands were loosed;
Who can the Lord control?
May equal power be now diffused,
And free each captive soul.

Sing till you feel your hearts
Ascending with your tongues;
Sing till the love of sin departs,
And grace inspires your songs.

Sing till you hear Christ say
"Your sins are all forgiven;"

Go on, rejoicing all the way,
And sing your souls to heaven.

HYMN FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP.

LORD, we come before Thee now;
At Thy feet we humbly bow.
Oh, do not our suit disdain !

Shall we seek Thee, Lord, in vain?
In Thy temple, lo, we wait,
Knocking at Thy mercy's gate;
Now let all Thy chosen race
See with joy Thy blessed face.

Oh, that we might lift our eyes!
Oh, that our poor hearts would rise
To the throne of grace above,
And enjoy the sweets of love!
Lord, on Thee our souls depend;
In compassion now descend :
Fill our hearts with Thy rich grace,
Tune our lips to sing Thy praise.

Saviour, wilt Thou not appear?
Thou hast often met us here;
Blessed Master, don't dismiss
Us without a kiss of peace;
Take away the veil of sin;
Shed Thy glory, Lord, within:
Give us double for our shame;
Let our portion be the Lamb.

In Thine own appointed way
Now we seek Thee, here we stay;
Lord, we know not how to go
Till a blessing Thou bestow.

Send some message from Thy word,
That may joy and peace afford;
Let Thy Spirit now impart

Full salvation to each heart.

Open, Lord, the Fountain wide,
Bury us in Thy dear side;
Thy rich mercy has no bounds,
Hide us, Saviour, in Thy wounds;
Love us, wash us in Thy blood,
Make us kings and priests to God;
May new names to us be given,—
Sons of God, and heirs of heaven.

Comfort those who weep and mourn
Let the time of joy return;
Those that are cast down, lift up,

Strong in faith, in love, and hope;

Grant that those who seek may find

Thee a God sincere and kind;

Heal the sick, the captive free;
Let us all rejoice in Thee.

Son of man, in this Thy day,
Thine abundant grace display;
Preach the acceptable year,
Bring the gospel tidings near;

Sin and Satan, Lord, dethrone,
Rule and reign in us alone;
Save us all from sin and wrath;
Make us heirs of God through faith.

Stablish, Lord, our hearts with grace,
Give us an abiding peace;

Then, though floods around us flow,
Though winds from all quarters blow,
Built upon Thyself, the Rock,

We endure the mighty shock;
We are over and above

Conquerors through Thy matchless love.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HANGFORD.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HANGFORD held an appointment in India, where he died a few years ago. Of his personal history, we have been unable to ascertain any further particulars. He composed the popular hymn "Speak gently," which originally appeared in Sharpe's London Magazine, vol. v., p. 256. 1847-8. It was set to music by Miss Lindsay, and is published, with the music, by Messrs. Cocks & Co., New Burlington Street, London.

SPEAK GENTLY.

SPEAK gently! it is better far
To rule by love than fear :
Speak gently! let not harsh words mar
The good we might do here.

Speak gently! Love doth whisper low
The vows that true hearts bind;
And gently Friendship's accents flow;
Affection's voice is kind.

Speak gently to the little child;

Its love be sure to gain.

Teach it in accents soft and mild;
It may not long remain.

Speak gently to the young; for they
Will have enough to bear:

Pass through this world as best they may, 'Tis full of anxious care.

Speak gently to the aged one;
Grieve not the care-worn heart;
The sands of life are nearly run;
Let such in peace depart.

Speak gently, kindly, to the poor;
Let no harsh tone be heard;
They have enough they must endure,
Without an unkind word.

Speak gently to the erring; know
They must have toiled in vain;
Perchance unkindness made them so ;
Oh! win them back again.

Speak gently: He who gave His life
To bend man's stubborn will,
When elements were fierce in strife,
Said to them, "Peace, be still!"

Speak gently: 'tis a little thing

Dropp'd in the heart's deep well; The good, the joy which it may bring, Eternity shall tell.

WILLIAM VERNON HARCOURT.

THE REV. WILLIAM VERNON HARCOURT, canon residentiary of York Cathedral, is younger son of the Rt. Rev. Edward Vernon Harcourt, Archbishop of York, and Anne, third daughter of the first Marquess of Stafford. He was born in 1789, at Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire. He graduated both at Oxford and Cambridge, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1840, he printed a thin duodecimo volume of "Psalms and Hymns," but the compositions in this work have been included in the "Symmetrical Psalmody," which appeared from his pen in 1855. Canon Harcourt was one of the originators of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1861, he succeeded, on the death of his elder brother, to the property of Nuneham Park, Oxfordshire. The following hymns have been transcribed from the "Symmetrical Psalmody," with Mr. Harcourt's kind permission.

THE MILLENNIUM.

A SEEDLING of Jesse shall flower,
A Ruler descend from his line,
Instinct with the Spirit of power,
The Spirit of wisdom Divine.

A Judge to reprove for the meek,
The mantle of justice to wear,
To render their rights to the weak,
The wrongs of the poor to repair.

Then none shall dévour or hurt,

When God has His dwelling with men;
The babe with the scorpion shall sport,
And play on the cockatrice' den.

Then children the tiger shall lead ;

The wolves shall lie down with the flocks;

The kid with the leopard shall feed,

The lion eat straw with the ox.

The word that goes forth from His mouth
A light to the nations shall be,

To spread from the north to the south,
And flow like the tides of the sea.