Hear us, Redeemer, hear us, ever-blessed!
Hear, thou that dwellest infinite in splendour,
Hear, thou that always lovest to be gracious,
Rise and be with us!
If yet thou smilest favouring on England,
If yet the rose, the thistle, and the shamrock,
Form a sweet garland offer'd on thine altar,
Keep us united.
Let not the thief or murderer infest us,
Let not the base incendiary be near us,
Let not the foul adulterer pollute us-
Spare us from evil:
Bring up the youth in modesty and virtue,
Grant to old age tranquillity and wisdom,
Give the glad sons of Britain health and honour,
Greatness and plenty.
May British mercy more than British valour
Gain from the world its laurel and its olive,
Till over all her enemies triumphant
Help her to rule her own rebellious children,
That the wide West may honour and uphold her,
Aid her to spread the banner of protection
Over her conquests:
Save from intestine murmurings and discord,
Criminal sloth, and infidel compliance,
Scatter the curse of national rejection
Brooding above us;
Let open faith, integrity, and firmness,
Primitive truth, and piety, and prudence,
Loyal content, and patriotic virtue,
Crown us with blessings, though we be unworthy, Fill us with mercies forfeited, and rescue
From bitter hate and scorn among the Gentiles Protestant Zion.
Friend of the needy, pity and relieve them:
Prosper our arts, and sciences, and commerce:
All that can bless and beautify a nation,
Ever be Britain's!
Long as the world rejoices in thy favour,
Holding it up Omnipotent-let England,
Let Caledonia, with her sister Erin,
Queen of the nations,
Reign, and be strong, acknowledging thy mercy;
Hear us in choral voice of supplication,
Who now invoke thy succour and thy blessing,
Father Almighty!
Yes, we accept the promise of thine answer,
Yes, we depend on pity for protection,
And upon God our confidence reposes,
Through the Redeemer.
A PRAYER FOR THE LAND.
ALMIGHTY Father! hearken,
Forgive, and help, and bless,
Nor let thine anger darken
The night of our distress;
A sin, and shame, and weakness,
Are all we call our own,
We turn to thee in meekness,
And trust on Thee alone.
O God, remember Zion-
And pardon all her sin!
Thy mercy we rely on,
To rein thy vengeance in;
Though dark pollution staineth
The Temple thou hast built,
Thy faithfulness remaineth-
And that shall cleanse the guilt!
To Thee then, Friend All-seeing,
Great source of grace and love,
In whom we have our being,
In whom we live and move-
Jerusalem, obeying
Thy tender word, "draw near,"
Would come securely, praying
In penitence and fear.
Thou knowest, Lord, the peril
Our ill deserts have wrought,
If earth for us is sterile,
And all our labour naught!
Alas! our righteous wages
Are famine, plague, and sword,
Unless Thy wrath assuages
In mercy, gracious Lord!
For lo! we know Thy terrors.
Throughout the world are rife,
Seditions, phrensies, errors,
Perplexities, and strife!
Thy woes are on the nations,
And Thou dost scatter them
Yet, heed the supplications
Of thy Jerusalem!
Truth, Lord, we are unworthy,
Unwise, untrue, unjust, Our souls and minds are earthy, And cleaving to the dust; But pour thy graces o'er us, And quicken us at heart; Make straight Thy way before us, And let us not depart!
Turn us, that we may fear Thee, And worship day by dayDraw us, that we draw near Thee, To honour and obey;
A BALLAD FOR OUR MINES AND MANUFACTORIES.
FAIR work for fair wages! it's all that we ask,
An Englishman loves what is fair-
We'll never complain of the toil or the task,
If Livelihood comes with the care;
Fair work for fair wages! we hope nothing else
Of the mill, or the forge, or the soil,
For the rich man who buys, and the poor man who sells,
Must pay and be paid for his toil.
Fair work for fair wages—we know that the claim Is just between master and man;
If the tables were turned, we would serve him the same, And promise we will when we can!
We give to him industry, muscles, aud thews,
And heartily work for his wealth,
So he will as honestly yield us our dues,
Good wages for labour in health!
Enough for the day, and a bit to put by
Against illness, and slackness, and age;
For change and misfortune are ever too nigh
Alike to the fool and the sage;
But the fool in his harvest will wanton and waste,
Forgetting the winter once more,
While true British wisdom will timely make haste And save for the "basket and store!"
Ay; wantonness freezes to want, be assured,
And drinking makes nothing to eat,
And penury's wasting by waste is secured,
And luxury starves in the street!
And many a father with little ones pale,
So racked by his cares and his pains,
Might now be all right, if, when hearty and hale,
He never had squander'd his gains!
We know that prosperity's glittering sun
Can shine but a little, and then
The harvest is over, the summer is done
Alike for the master and men:
If the factory ship with its Captain on board
Must beat in adversity's waves,
One lot is for all! for the great cotton lord
And the poorest of Commerce's slaves.
One lot! if extravagance reign'd in the home,
Then poverty's wormwood and gall;
If rational foresight of evils to come,
A cheerful complacence in all:
For sweet is the morsel that diligence earn'd,
And sweeter, that prudence put by;
And lessons of peace in affliction are learn'd,
And wisdom that comes from on high!
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