209

WEA

Holy Communion.

VIII.

Penitential.

EARY and sad, a wanderer from Thee, By grief heart-broken, and by sin defiled; O what a joy in sorrow 'tis to be

Conscious that I am still, O God! Thy child. Strain'd were the cords of love by my sad will,

I would have broke them had I had my way, But, Lord! it was Thy love, not mine, that still Held my heart back, my tott'ring steps did stay. And now the crumbs that from Thy table fall Are all I ask, more than is meet for me; Yet kiss, and banquet, ring, and robe, are all Waiting me, Father, in my home with Thee. Back to the door, which ever open lay;

Back to the table, where the feast still stood; Back to the heart which never, night or day, Forgat me in my most forgetful mood:

Drawn by Thy love, that found me when a child,
And never for a moment let me go ;

Still, still Thine own, though soil'd and sin defiled,
I come, and Thou wilt make me clean, I know.
Wash me, I shall be clean; then let me kneel
Low at Thine altar, Thine adoring guest :
Thy Life my life, Its inner pulse to feel

Peace to my soul, to its heart-throbbings rest. The smallest crumb that falls from Thy dread board, Ransom of worlds, which worlds could never pay, Dropt in my heart, feeds that dear life, O Lord! Which, when Thou givest, none may take away.

There feed me with Thyself, until I grow
Into the stature of the life divine;
My right to plead, my privilege to know,
That Christ is God's, and I, O Christ! am Thine.

Feed me, and set me up upon the Rock
Higher than I, my shelter and my stay
Against the rudest winter-tempest's shock,
Against the fiercest sultry summer's day.

Thus let my life in ceaseless progress move,
On into deeper knowledge, Lord, of Thee,
The length, the breadth, the height, the depth of Love,
That first could care for, then did stoop to me.

Amen.

Also Hymns 31, 93, 105, 119, 135, 149, and 216.

210

LITANY HYMNS.

I.

Litany of Life.

ABOURING, and heavy-laden,

Fainting by the way from hunger,
Bread of Life, on Thee we feed.

Thirsting for the springs of waters
That, by Love's eternal law,

From the stricken Rock are flowing,
Well of Life, from Thee we draw.

211

Driven out from happy Eden,
Far from home and shelter stray'd,
Toss'd with tempest, faint from sunshine,
Tree of Life, we seek Thy shade.

In the land of cloud and shadow,
Where no human eye can see,
Light to those who sit in darkness,

Light of Life, we walk in Thee.
Strangers upon earth, and pilgrims,
Wearied with the world, and weak,
By life's many ways bewilder'd,

Path of Life, for Thee we seek.
Vex'd with passion's hateful bondage,
Longing, struggling to be free,
Where Thy loving banner leads us,
Prince of Life, we follow Thee.

Sick of sense's vain deceivings
Crumbling round us into dust,
Strong alone in Faith's believings,
Word of Life, in Thee we trust.
Thou the grace of life supplying,
Thou the crown of life wilt give,
Dead to sin, and daily dying,
Life of Life, in Thee we live.

Amen.

II.

Litany of Lobe.

'OD the Father, hear and pardon;

G God the Son, my Saviour be;

God the Holy Spirit, comfort;

Triune God! deliver me.

Q

Not my sins, O Lord, remember,
Nor Thine own avenger be ;
But for Thy great tender mercies,
Saviour God! deliver me.

By Thy holy Incarnation,
By its awful Mystery,

By Thy Birth and Circumcision,
Saviour God! deliver me.

By Thy Baptism in Jordan,
When the Dove came down on Thee;
By Thy Fasting and Temptation,
Saviour God! deliver me.

By Thy Cross, and by Thy Passion,
Bloody Sweat and Agony;

By Thy precious Death and Burial,
Saviour God! deliver me.

By Thy glorious Resurrection,
Thine Ascent to be my plea;
By the Holy Spirit's coming,

Saviour God! deliver me.

In all time of tribulation,
In the world's prosperity,

At my death, and in Thy judgment,
Saviour God! deliver me.

Amen.

212

MY

III.

Litany of Repentance.

Y sins have taken such an hold on me,
I am not able to look up to Thee;
Lord, I repent! accept my tears and grief;

But Thou hast taken all my sin away,
And I in Thee dare now look up and pray;

Lord, I believe! help Thou mine unbelief.

Of nights unhallow'd, and of sinful days,
Of careless thoughts, and words, and works, and

ways;

Lord, I repent! accept my tears and grief: And in the Life which doth within me live, And the Forgiveness which can all forgive;

Lord, I believe! help Thou mine unbelief.

Of selfishness, which makes the soul unjust,
Envy and strife, and every sinful lust;

Lord, I repent! accept my tears and grief: And in the Blood, which doth my pardon plead; The Truth and Love, which for me intercede ;

Lord, I believe! help Thou mine unbelief.

Of sins, that as a cloud have hid Thy face,
Of Thy care slighted, and Thy grievèd grace;

Lord, I repent! accept my tears and grief:

In Love, which puts sin's envious veil aside,
Rending the Veil of flesh which for me died;

Lord, I believe! help Thou mine unbelief.

Sin is my sorrow, passion is my pain,
To Thee their vileness-and in me their stain;
Lord, I repent! accept my tears and grief.

Christ is my joy, and out of all distress
He doth deliver with His Righteousness;
Lord, I believe! help Thou mine unbelief.
Amen.