Divinely warbled voice
Answering the stringed noise,
As all their souls in blissful rapture took:
The air such pleasure loth to lose,
With thousand echoes still prolongs each heav'nly close.
EJOICE in Christ alway
When earth looks heavenly bright,
When joy makes glad the livelong day,
And peace shuts in the night.
Rejoice, when care and woe
The fainting soul oppress,-
When tears at wakeful midnight flow,
And morn brings heaviness.
Rejoice, when festal boughs,
Our winter walls adorn,
And Christians greet, with hymns and vows,
The Saviour's natal morn.
Rejoice, when mourning weeds
The widowed Church doth wear
In memory of her Lord who bleeds,
While Christians fast to prayer.
Rejoice in hope and fear,
Rejoice in life and death,
Rejoice, when threatening storms are near,
And comfort languisheth.
When should not they rejoice
Whom Christ his brethren callsWho hear and know his guiding voice When on their hearts it falls?
Yet not to rash excess
Let joy like ours prevail ;-
Feast not on earth's deliciousness,
Till faith began to fail.
Our temperate use of bliss-
Let it to all appear;
And be our constant watchword this"The Lord Himself is near !"
Take anxious care for nought,-
To God your wants make known,
And soar, on wings of heavenly thought,
Toward his eternal throne.
So, though our path is steep,
And many a tempest lours,
Shall his own peace our spirits keep,
And Christ's dear love be ours.
ATHER! by thy love and power
Comes again the evening hour:
Light has vanished, labours cease,
Weary creatures rest in peace.
Thou, whose genial dews distil
On the lowliest weed that grows,
Father! guard our couch from ill,
Lull thy children to repose.
We to Thee ourselves resign,
Let our latest thoughts be thine.
Saviour to thy Father bear
This our feeble evening prayer;
Thou hast seen how oft to-day
We, like sheep, have gone astray:
Worldly thoughts, and thoughts of pride,
Wishes to thy cross untrue,
Secret faults, and undescried,
Meet thy spirit-piercing view,
Blessed Saviour! yet through Thee
Pray that these may pardoned be.
Holy Spirit! breath of balm!
Fall on us in evening's calm :
Yet awhile before we sleep,
We, with Thee, will vigils keep;
Lead us on our sins to muse,
Give us truest penitence,
Then the love of God infuse,
Breathing humble confidence;
Melt our spirits, mould our will,
Soften, strengthen, comfort still!
Blessed Trinity! be near
Through the hours of darkness drear;
When the help of man is far,
Ye more clearly present are:
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Watch o'er our defenceless head,
Let your Angels' guardian host
Keep all evil from our bed,
Till the flood of morning rays
Wake us to a song of praise.
From Hymns and Poems.
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