2 As the wingéd arrow flies
Speedily the mark to find;
As the lightning from the skies
Darts and leaves no trace behind;
Swiftly thus our fleeting days
Bear us down life's rapid stream;
Upward, Lord, our spirits raise;
All below is but a dream.

3 Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us henceforth how to live,
With eternity in view:

Bless Thy word to young and old;
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
And when life's short tale is told,
May we dwell with Thee above.

545 (607).

G

L.M.

REAT God! we sing that mighty hand,
By which supported still we stand,
The op'ning year Thy mercy shows—
Let mercy crown it till it close.

2 By day, at night, at home, abroad,
Still we are guarded by our God;
By His incessant bounty fed,
By his unerring counsel led.

3 With grateful hearts the past we own;
The future, all to us unknown,
We to Thy guardian care commit,
And, peaceful, leave before Thy feet.
4 In scenes exalted or depress'd,

Be Thou our joy, and Thou our rest;
Thy goodness all our hopes shall raise,
Adored through all our changing days.

5 When death shall interrupt our songs.
And seal in silence mortal tongues,
Our Helper, God, in whom we trust,
In better worlds our souls shall boast.

546 (608).

YOD of our lives! Thy constant care

L. M.

Gr With blessings crowns each op'ning year;

These lives, so frail, dost Thou prolong,
And wake anew our annual song.

2 How many precious souls are fled
To the dark regions of the dead,
Since, from this day, the changing sun
Through his last yearly course has run!
3 We yet survive, but who can say,
Or through the year, or month, or day,
I shall retain my vital breath,
Thus far, at least, in league with death?
4 That breath is Thine, eternal God!
'Tis Thine to fix the soul's abode:
We hold our lives from Thee alone,
On earth, or in the world unknown.
5 To Thee we all our powers resign;
Make us and own us still as Thine:
Then shall we smile, secure from fear,
Though death should blast the rising year.

547.

YOME, let us anew

Our journey pursue,

Roll round with the year,

11s & 5s.

And never stand still till the Master appear;

His adorable will

Let us gladly fulfil,

And our talents improve

By the patience of hope, and the labor of love.

2 Our life is a dream;
Our time, as a stream,
Glides swiftly away,

And the fugitive moment refuses to stay:
The arrow is flown-

The moment is gone

The millennial year

Rushes on to our view, and eternity's here.

3 Oh, that each in the day
Of His coming may say -
"I have fought my way through-

[do!"

I have finish'd the work which Thou gav'st me to
Oh, that each, from his Lord,
May receive the glad word
"Well and faithfully done!

Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne!"

548 (599).

THE SEASONS.

NTERNAL Source of every joy!

L.M.

Ewe may Thy praise our lips employ,

While in Thy temple we appear
To hail Thee Sov'reign of the year.

2 Wide as the wheels of nature roll,
Thy hand supports and guides the whole!
The sun is taught by Thee to rise,
And darkness when to veil the skies.

3 The flow'ry spring, at Thy command, Perfumes the air and paints the land; The summer rays with vigor shine,

To raise the corn and cheer the vine. 4 Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days Demand successive songs of praise; And be the grateful homage paid, With morning light and ev'ning shade. 5 Here in Thy house let incense rise, And circling sabbaths bless our eyes, Till to those lofty heights we soar, Where days and years revolve no more. 549

PRAISE to God, immortal praise,

For the love that crowns our days; Bounteous Source of ev'ry joy, Let Thy praise our tongues employ; All to Thee, our God, we owe, Source whence all our blessings flow. 2 All the blessings of the fields, All the stores the garden yields, Flocks that whiten all the plain, Yellow sheaves of ripen'd grainLord, for Thee our souls shall raise Grateful vows and solemn praise. 8 Clouds that drop their fatt'ning dews, Suns that genial warmth diffuse, All the plenty summer pours, Autumn's rich o'erflowing stores; All to Thee, our God, we owe, Source whence all our blessings flow. 4 Peace, prosperity, and health, Private bliss and public wealth,

79.

Knowledge, with its gladd'ning streams,
Pure religion's holier beams-

Lord, for these our souls shall raise
Grateful vows and solemn praise.

550 (933).

F

LOUNTAIN of mercy, God of love,
How rich Thy bounties are;
The changing seasons, as they move,
Proclaim Thy constant care.

2 When in the bosom of the earth,
The sower hid the grain,

Thy goodness mark'd its secret birth,
And sent the early rain.

C. M

3 The spring's sweet influence, Lord, was Thine The plants in beauty grew;

Thou gav'st refulgent suns to shine,
And soft refreshing dew.

4 These varied mercies, from above,
Matured the swelling grain:
A kindly harvest crowns Thy love,
And plenty fills the plain.

5 We own and bless Thy gracious sway;
Thy hand all nature hails:

Seed-time nor harvest, night nor day,
Summer nor winter fails.

551.

C. M.

W Proclaim the op'ning year,

HEN brighter suns and milder skies

What various sounds of joy arise!
What prospects bright appear!

2 Earth and her thousand voices give
Their thousand notes of praise;