THE HE hymns in the Appendix are taken, for the most part, from Hymns Ancient and Modern: those which are copyright in that collection are here reprinted with the kind permission of the proprietors. Hymn No. 351 is inserted with the permission of the publishers.

The numbers on the right-hand of each hymn refer to the tunes in Hymns Ancient and Modern (Revised Edition).

Sonning, 1883.

307

308

HA

ADVENT.

ARK! a thrilling voice is sounding;
"Christ is nigh," it seems to say;
"Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day!"

Wakened by the solemn warning,
Let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her Sun, all ill dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heaven;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiven;

That when next He comes with glory
And the world is wrapped in fear,

With His mercy He may shield us,
And with words of love draw near.

Honour, glory, might, and blessing
To the Father and the Son,
With the Everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.

Amen.

GOD from on high hath heard,

Let sighs and sorrows cease;

Lo! from the opening heaven descends
To man the promised Peace.

(47)

(58)

Hark! through the silent night
Angelic voices swell;

Their joyful songs proclaim that "Go
Is born on earth to dwell."

See how the shepherd-band
Speed on with eager feet;

Come to the hallowed cave with them
The holy Babe to greet.

But oh! what sight appears
Within that lowly door;

A manger, stall, and swaddling clothes,
A Child and Mother poor.

Art Thou the Christ? the Son?
The Father's Image bright?
And see we Him Whose arm upholds
Earth and the starry height?

Yea, faith can pierce the cloud
Which veils Thy glory now;

We hail Thee God, before Whose Throne
The angels prostrate bow.

A silent Teacher, Lord,

Thou bid'st us not refuse

To bear what flesh would have us shun,

To shun what flesh would choose.

Our swelling pride to cure

With that pure love of Thine,

O be Thou born within our hearts

Most holy Child Divine.

Amen.

309

EPIPHANY.

(77)

WH

HAT star is this, with beams so bright,
More beauteous than the noonday light?

It shines to herald forth the King,

And Gentiles to His cradle bring.

310

See now fulfilled what God decreed,
"From Jacob shall a star proceed;"
And eastern sages with amaze
Upon the wondrous vision gaze.

The guiding star above is bright,
Within them shines a clearer light,
Which leads them on with power benign
To seek the Giver of the sign.

True love can brook no dull delay;
Nor toil nor dangers stop their way;
Home, kindred, father-land, and all ́
They leave at their Creator's call.
O Jesu! while the star of grace
Allures us now to seek Thy face,
Let not our slothful hearts refuse
The guidance of that light to use.
All glory, Jesu, be to Thee
For this Thy glad Epiphany;
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Ghost for evermore.

LENT.

Amen.

CHRISTIAN, dost thou see them

On the holy ground,

How the troops of Midian
Prowl and prowl around?
Christian, up and smite them,
Counting gain but loss;
Smite them by the merit
Of the holy Cross.

Christian, dost thou feel them,
How they work within,
Striving, tempting, luring,
Goading into sin?

(91)