2 Quench Thou the fire of hate and strife,
That wasting fever of the heart;
From perils guard our feeble life,
And to our souls Thy peace impart.
3 Grant this, O Father, Only Son,
And Holy Spirit, God of grace,
To whom all glory, Three in One,
Be given in every time and place!

13

Amen.

L.M.

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud."

-Ps. lv. 17.

I UP to the throne of God is borne
The voice of praise at early morn,
And He accepts the punctual hymn
Sung as the light of day grows dim.
2 Nor will He turn His ear aside
From holy offerings at noontide;
Then here to Him our souls we raise
In songs of gratitude and praise.
3 Blest are the moments, doubly blest,
That, drawn from this one hour of rest,
Are with a ready heart bestowed
Upon the service of our God!

4 Look up to heaven! The unwearied sun
Already half his race hath run;
He cannot halt nor go astray,
But our immortal spirits may.

5 Lord! since his rising in the East
If we have faltered or transgressed,
Guide, from Thy love's abundant source,
What yet remains of this day's course.

6 Help with Thy grace, through life's short day, Our upward and our downward way:

And glorify for us the West,

When we shall sink to final rest.

Amen.

14

C.M.

"The shadows of evening are stretched out."-JER. vi. 4.

I As now the sun's declining rays

Towards the eve descend,

So life's brief day is sinking down
To its appointed end.

2 Lord, on the Cross Thine Arms were stretched To draw Thy people nigh;

Oh grant us then that Cross to love,

And in those Arms to die!

3 All glory to the Father be,

All glory to the Son,

All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run.

Amen.

15

II.10.

"The Lord was my stay."-2 SAM. xxii. 19.

I O STRENGTH and Stay upholding all creation,

Who ever dost Thyself unmoved abide, Yet day by day the light in due gradation From hour to hour through all its changes guide;

2 Grant to life's day a calm unclouded ending, An eve untouched by shadows of decay, The brightness of a holy deathbed blending With dawning glories of the Eternal Day. Amen

16

66

8.8.8.4.

Begotten again unto an inheritance that fadeth not away."-

I PET. i. 4.

I THE radiant morn hath passed away,

And spent too soon her golden store;
The shadows of departing day

Creep on once more.

2 Our life is but a fading dawn ;
Its glorious noon how quickly past!
Lead us, O Christ, when all is gone,
Safe home at last.

3 Oh, by Thy soul-inspiring grace
Uplift our hearts to realms on high;
Help us to look to that bright place
Beyond the sky;

4 Where light and life and joy and peace
In undivided empire reign,

And thronging Angels never cease

Their deathless strain;

5 Where saints are clothed in spotless white, And evening shadows never fall;

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."-Ps. xci. 1.

I AGAIN, as evening's shadow falls,

We gather in these sacred walls;

And vesper hymn and vesper prayer
Rise mingling on the holy air.

2 May struggling hearts that seek release
Here find the rest of God's own peace;
And strengthened here by hymn and prayer,
Cast off their burden and their care.

3 O God, our Light, to Thee we bow ;
Within all shadows standest Thou;
Give deeper calm than night can bring ;
Give sweeter songs than lips can sing.

4 Life's tumult we must meet again,
We cannot in Thy courts remain;
But in the spirit's secret cell

May hymn and prayer for ever dwell! Amen.

18

L.M.

"At even when the sun did set, they brought unto Him all that were diseased."-ST. MARK i. 32.

I AT even, ere the sun was set,

The sick, O Lord, around Thee lay; Oh, in what divers pains they met ! Oh, with what joy they went away! 2 Once more 'tis eventide, and we Oppressed with various ills draw near: What if Thy form we cannot see? We know and feel that Thou art here. 3 O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel ; For some are sick, and some are sad, And some have never loved Thee well, And some have lost the love they had; 4 And some are pressed with worldly care; And some are tried with sinful doubt; And some such grievous passions tear That only Thou canst cast them out; 5 And some have found the world is vain, Yet from the world they break not free; And some have friends who give them pain, Yet have not sought a friend in Thee. 6 And none, O Lord, have perfect rest, For none are wholly free from sin; And they who fain would serve Thee best Are conscious most of wrong within. 7 O Saviour Christ, Thou too art Man; Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried; Thy kind but searching glance can scan The very wounds that shame would hide; 8 Thy touch has still its ancient power; No word from Thee can fruitless fall; Hear, in this solemn evening hour, And in Thy mercy heal us all. Amen.

19

"Thy Name is near."-Ps. lxxv. 1. 1 BEFORE the ending of the day,

Creator of the world, we pray

L.M.

That Thou with wonted love wouldst keep
Thy watch around us while we sleep.
2 Our souls from evil dreamings keep
Through all the unguarded hours of sleep;
Our ghostly foe do Thou restrain,
So may no sin our bodies stain.

3 Hear Thou our prayer, Almighty King!
Hear Thou our praises, while we sing,
Adoring with the heavenly host

The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

20

Amen.

75.

"The sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose."

-ECCLES. i. 5.

I FATHER, 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 bed from ill,
Lull Thy creatures to repose.
We to Thee ourselves resign;
Let our latest thoughts be Thine.
2 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 schemes of pride,
Wishes to Thy Cross untrue,

Secret faults and undescried,

Meet Thy spirit-piercing view;
Blessed Saviour, yet through Thee
Grant that these may pardoned be.