I lie before Thy door,

O turn me not away!

Nor in mine old age give me o'er

To Satan for a prey!

But ere the end of life and term of grace,
Thou Merciful! my many sins efface!

The Priest beheld, and pass'd
The way he had to go:

A careless glance the Levite cast,

And left me to my woe:

But Thou, O JESU, Mary's SON, console,

Draw nigh, and succour me, and make me whole !

Thou Spotless Lamb divine,

Who takest sin away,

Remove far off the load that mine

Upon my conscience lay:

And, of Thy tender mercy, grant thou me

To find remission of iniquity!

STICHERA FOR THE SECOND WEEK

OF THE GREAT FAST.

οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις τοὺς ταράττοντας.

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?

Christian! never tremble!

Never be down-cast!

Smite them by the virtue

Of the Lenten Fast!

Christian! dost thou hear them,

How they speak thee fair? Always fast and vigil?

Always watch and prayer? Christian! answer boldly:

While I breathe I pray : Peace shall follow battle,

Night shall end in day.

"Well I know thy trouble,
O My servant true;

Thou art very weary,-
I was weary too:

But that toil shall make thee

Some day, all Mine own:

But the end of sorrow

Shall be near My Throne."

MESO-PENTECOST.

The day which halves the distance between Easter and Pentecost, is a feast of no small dignity in the Oriental Church; and the Canon at lauds is the composition of our present poet. I will try a portion of it in rhymeless lyric metre, which, to my own mind, gives the truest representation of the original.

ODE I.

Thou turnedst the Sea.

Exult, ye Gentiles! mourn, ye Hebrews! CHRIST,

Giver of Life, hath burst

The fetters of the Tomb:

And rais'd the dead again, and heal'd the sick.

This is our GOD, Who giveth health

To every soul believing on His Name.

Marvel of marvels! Thou, O LORD, didst

turn

The water into wine,

As once Thou spak'st the word

To Egypt's river, and forthwith 'twas blood. All praise to Thee, O LORD, Who now By laying down Thy glory, man renew'st !

O overflowing stream of truest life,
Our Resurrection, LORD!

Thou for our sakes didst toil,

Thou for our sakes-so Nature will'd-didst

thirst:

And resting Thee by Sichar's well, Of the Samaritan didst seek to drink.

Thou blessest bread, Thou multipliest fish,

Incomprehensible!

Thou freely feed'st the crowd,

And givest Wisdom's spring to thirsting

men.

Thou art our SAVIOUR, O our GOD!

Giver of Life to them that trust in Thee!