Hark! with what awful cry

His spirit takes its flight ;
That cry, -it pierced His Mother's heart,

And whelm'd her soul in night.
Earth hears, and to its base

Rocks wildly to and fro;
Tombs burst ; seas, rivers, mountains quake :

The veil is rent in two.
The sun withdraws his light;

The midday heavens grow pale ;
The moon, the stars, the universe,

Their Maker's death bewail.
Shall man alone be mute?

Come, youth and hoary hairs !
Come, rich and poor! come, all mankind !

And bathe those feet in tears.
Come ! fall before His Cross,

Who shed for us His blood;
Who died the victim of pure love,

To make us sons of God.
Jesu, all praise to Thee,

Our joy and endless rest !
Be Thou our guide while pilgrims here,
Our crown amid the blest.

Tr. from the Latin by E. Caswall.

From henceforth there is nought of mine
But I would seek to make it Thine,

Since all myself to Thee I owe.
Whate'er my utmost powers can do,
To Thee to render service true,
Here at Thy feet I lay it low.

Gerhardt, tr. by Miss Winkworth. 460. CHRIST: His faithfulness. Not seldom, clad in radiant vest,

Deceitfully goes forth the morn;
Not seldom, evening in the west

Sinks smilingly forsworn.
The smoothest seas will sometimes prove,

To the confiding bark, untrue;
And, if she trust the stars above,

They can be treacherous too.
The umbrageous oak, in pomp outspread,

Full oft, when storms the welkin rend,
Draws lightnings down upon the head

It promised to defend.
But Thou art true, incarnate Lord,

Who didst vouchsafe for man to die :.
Thy smile is sure, Thy plighted word

No change can falsify.
I bent before Thy gracious throne,

And ask'd for peace with suppliant knee;
And peace was given, nor peace alone,

But faith, and hope, and ecstasy !- Iordsworth,

459. CHRIST: His death.

O WORLD! behold upon the tree
Thy Life is hanging now for thee,

Thy Saviour yields His dying breath ;
The mighty Prince of glory now
For thee doth unresisting bow

To cruel stripes, to scorn and death.
Alas ! my Saviour, who could dare
Bid Thee such bitter anguish bear,

What evil heart entreat Thee thus ?
For Thou art good, hast wrongèd none,
As we and ours too oft have done :

Thou hast not sinn'd, dear Lord, like us. I and my sins, that number more Than yonder sands upon the shore,

Have brought to pass this agony. Tis I have caused the floods of woe That now Thy dying soul o'erflow,

And those sad hearts that watch by Thee.
Yet Thou dost even for my sake
On Thee, in love, the burdens take,

That weigh'd my spirit to the ground.
Yes : Thou art made a curse for me,
That I might yet be blest through Thee :

My healing in Thy wounds is found.

461. CHRIST: His incarnation.

ALL praise to Thee, eternal Lord !
Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;
Choosing a manger for Thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are Thine alone.
Once did the skies before Thee bow :
A Virgin's arms contain Thee now;
Angels, who did in Thee rejoice,
Now listen for Thine infant voice.
A little child, Thou art our guest,
That weary ones in Thee may rest ;
Forlorn and lowly is Thy birth,
That we may rise to heaven from earth.
Thou comest in the darksome night
To make us children of the light, -,
To make us, in the realms divine,
Like Thine own angels round Thee shine.
All this for us Thy love hath done ;
By this to Thee our love is won :
For this we tune our cheerful lays,
And shout our thanks in ceaseless praise.

Schaff

We love Him for the tender touch

That made the leper whole, And for the wondrous words that heal'd

The tired, sin-sick soul.

But closer to His loving self

Our human hearts are brought, When for the little children's sake

Love's sweetest spell is wrought. For their young eyes His sorrowing face

A smile of gladness woreA smile that for His little ones

It weareth evermore.

462. CHRIST: His knowledge of our necessities. Thou knowest, Lord, the weariness and sorrow

Of the sad heart that comes to Thee for rest; Cares of to-day, and burdens for to-morrow,

Blessings implored, and sins to be confess'd; I come before Thee at Thy gracious word, And lay them at Thy feet ; Thou knowest, Lord. Thou knowest all the past ; how long and blindly

On the dark mountains the lost sheep had stray'd ; How the Good Shepherd follow'd, and how kindly

He bore it home upon His shoulders laid, And heal'd the bleeding wounds, and soothed the

pain, And brought back life, and hope, and strength again. Thou knowest all the present; each temptation,

Each toilsome duty, each foreboding fear;
All to myself assign'd of tribulation,

Or to beloved ones, than self more dear;
All pensive memories, as I journey on,
Longings for vanish'd smiles and voices gone.
Thou knowest all the future gleams of gladness,

By stormy clouds too quickly overcast,
Hours of sweet fellowship and parting sadness,

And the dark river to be cross'd at last; Oh, what could hope and confidence afford To tread that path, but this—Thou knowest, Lord. Thou knowest, not alone as God, all knowing ;

As man, our mortal weakness Thou hast proved; On earth with purest sympathies o'erflowing,

O Saviour, Thou hast wept, and Thou hast loved ! And love and sorrow still to Thee may come, And find a hiding-place, a rest, a home. Therefore I come, Thy gentle call obeying,

And lay my sins and sorrows at Thy feet,
On everlasting strength my weakness staying,

Clothed in Thy robe of righteousness complete ;
Then rising and refresh’d, I leave Thy throne,
And follow on to know as I am known.

The voice that silenced priest and scribe,

For them grew low and sweet ; And still for them His gentle lips

The loving words repeat : *Forbid them not!' O blessed Christ!

We bring them unto Thee, And pray that on their heads may rest

Thy benedicite !-E. D.

465. CHRIST: His love for children.

• The Master has come over Jordan,'

Said Hannah, the mother, one day : He is healing the people who throng Him

With a touch of His finger, they say. And now I shall carry the children,

Little Rachel and Samuel and John ; I shall carry the baby, Esther,

For the Lord to look upon.' The father look'd at her kindly;

But he shook his head and smiled : “Now, who but a doting mother

Would think of a thing so wild ?
If the children were tortured by demons,

Or dying of fever, 'twere well;
Or had they the taint of the leper,

Like many in Israel'-
Nay, do not hinder me, Nathan;

I feel such a burden of care :
If I carry it to the Master,

Perhaps I shall leave it there.
If He lay His hands on the children,

My heart will be lighter, I know ;
For a blessing for ever and ever

Will follow them as they go.'
So, over the hills of Judah,

Along the vine-rows green,
With Esther asleep on her bosom,

And Rachel her brothers between,

6

463. CHRIST : His knowledge of the heart.
THERE is no need of words of mine to tell
My heart to Thee ; Thou needest not to spell,
As others must, my hidden thoughts and fears,
From out my broken words, my sobs, or tears ;
Thou knowest all, knowest far more than I,
The inner meaning of each tear or sigh.

464. CHRIST : His love for children. THERE is no sweeter story told

In all the blessed Book,
Than how the Lord within His arms

The little children took.

'Mong the people who hung on His teaching,

Or waited His touch and His word, Through the row of proud Pharisees hastening,

She pressd to the feet of the Lord.

Still in the solitary place

I would awhile abide,
Till with the solace of Thy love

My heart is satisfied,
And all my hopes of happiness

Stay calmly at Thy side. ---A. L. Waring.

467. CHRIST: His plea with the sinner.

Now, why shouldst thou hinder the Master,'

Said Peter, 'with children like these ?
Seest not how, from morning till evening,

He teacheth, and healeth disease?'
Then Christ said, “Forbid not the children ;

Permit them to come unto me:'
And He took in His arms little Esther,

And Rachel He set on His knee.- Julia Gill.

I BORE with thee long weary days and nights,

Through many pangs of heart, through many tears; I bore with thee, thy hardness, coldness, slights,

For three and thirty years.
Who else had dared for thee what I have dared ?

I plunged the depth most deep from bliss above; I not my fesh, I not my spirit spared :

Give thou me love for love.

466. CHRIST: His love our solace.

SWEET is the solace of Thy love,

My heavenly Friend, to me, While through the hidden way of faith

I journey home with Thee, Learning by quiet thankfulness

As a dear child to be. Though from the shadow of Thy peace

My feet would often stray,
Thy mercy follows every step,

And will not turn away ;
Yea, Thou wilt comfort me at last,

As none beneath Thee may.
Oft in a dark and lonely place,

I hush my hasten'd breath,
To hear the comfortable words

Thy loving Spirit saith ;
And feel my safety in Thy hand

From every kind of death.

For thee I thirsted in the daily drouth,

For thee I trembled in the nightly frost :
Much sweeter thou than honey to my mouth ;

Why wilt thou still be lost?
I bore thee on my shoulders, and rejoiced :

Men only mark'd upon my shoulders borne
The branding cross; and shouted hungry-voiced,

Or wagg'd their heads in scorn.
Thee did nails grave upon my hands ; thy name

Did thorns for frontlets stamp between mine eyes : I, Holy ONE, put on thy guilt and shame;

I, GOD, Priest, Sacrifice.

Oh, there is nothing in the world

To weigh against Thy will ; E'en the dark times I dread the most

Thy covenant fulfil ; And when the glorious morning dawns

I find Thee with me still.

A thief upon my right hand and my left ;

Six hours alone, athirst, in misery :
At length, in death, one smote my heart, and cleft

A hiding-place for thee.
Naild to the racking cross, than bed of down

More dear, whereon to stretch myself and sleep :
So did I win a kingdom, -share my crown ;
A harvest,-come and reap.

Christina Rossetti.

468. CHRIST: His presence longed for.

No other comforter I need,

If Thou, dear Lord, be mine ;Thy rod will bring my spirit low,

Thy fire my heart refine, And cause me pain that none can heal

By other love than Thine.

Then in the secret of my soul,

Though hosts my peace invade, Though through a waste and weary land

My lonely way be made,
Thou, even Thou, wilt comfort me-

I need not be afraid.

My Saviour, whom absent I love,

Whom, not having seen, I adore, Whose name is exalted above

All glory, dominion, and power, Dissolve Thou those bands that detain

My soul from her portion in Thee ; Ah! strike off this adamant chain,

And make me eternally free When that happy era begins,

When array'd in Thy glories I shine,

Nor grieve any more, by my sins,

The bosom on which I recline, Oh, then shall the vail be removed,

And round me Thy brightness be pour'd ! I shall meet Him whom absent I loved,

I shall see whom unseen I adored.

And then nevermore shall the fears,

The trials, temptations, and woes, Which darken this valley of tears,

Intrude on my blissful repose : To Jesus, the crown of my hope,

My soul is in haste to be gone ; Oh! bear me, ye cherubim, up,

And waft me away to His throne !-Corper.

He who bore all pain and loss
Comfortless upon the cross,
Lives in glory now on high,
Pleads for us and hears our cry:

Hallelujah!
He whose path no records tell,
Who descended into hell,
Who the strong man arm'd hath bound,
Now in highest heaven is crown'd:

Hallelujah!
He who slumber'd in the grave,
Is exalted now to save ;
Now through Christendom it rings
That the Lamb is King of kings :

Hallelujah!
Now He bids us tell abroad,
How the lost may be restored,
How the penitent forgiven,
How we, too, may enter heaven:

Hallelujah!
Thou our Paschal Lamb indeed,
Christ, to-day Thy people feed :
Take our sins and guilt away;
Let us sing by night and day:

Hallelujah!
Tr. from the German by Miss Winkworth.

469. CHRIST : His power to cleanse.

A LEPER once to Jesus came,
Believing only in His name,

And trusting in His love :
* Thou seest, Lord, my direst need,
Unclean and dying! Yet I plead,

Thou canst my curse remove !'
'I will! Be clean !' the Lord replied,
And straightway thrill’d the healthful tide

Of life along his veins ;
His leprosy was cleansed away,
His heart was fill'd with joy that day,

Departed all his pains.
Lord, I a suppliant also bow,
For I Thy power have need of now,

To cleanse away my guilt ;
The leprosy of sin I feel,
Its woe, its curse ; but Thou canst heal-

Thou canst, if but Thou wilt.
Oh, let Thy power again be seen!
Speak Thou the word : 'I will! Be clean!'

On me let mercy shine,
My guilt be pardon'd-heart be heal'd--
My soul for Thy salvation seal'd-

The glory shall be Thine.

471. CHRIST: His resurrection.

ERE yet the dawn has fill'd the skies,
Behold my Saviour Christ arise,
He chaseth from us sin and night,
And brings us joy and life and light :

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
O stronger Thou than Death and Hell !
Where is the foe Thou canst not quell?
What heavy stone Thou canst not roll
From off the prison'd anguish'd soul ?

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

470. CHRIST : His resurrection.

CHRIST the Lord is risen again ! Christ hath broken every chain ! Hark! the angels shout for joy, Singing evermore on high :

Hallelujah ! He who gave for us His life, Who for us endured the strife, Is our Paschal Lamb to-day! We, too, sing for joy, and say :

Hallelujah!

If Jesus lives, can I be sad?
I know He loves me, and am glad ;
Though all the world were dead to me,
Enough, O Christ, if I have Thee !

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
He feeds me, comforts and defends,
And when I die His angel sends
To bear me whither He is gone,
For of His own He loseth none :

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

No more to fear or grief I bow, God and the angels love me now;

The joys prepared for me to-day
Drive fear and mourning far away :

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!-Herman.

472. CHRIST : His resurrection.

The morning purples all the sky,

The air with praises rings; Defeated hell stands sullen by,

The world exulting sings. Glory to God! our glad lips cry ;

All praise and worship be On earth, in heaven, to God most High,

For Christ's great victory!
While He, the King, all strong to save,

Rends the dark doors away,
And through the breaches of the grave

Strides forth into the day;
Glory to God! our glad lips cry;

All praise and worship be
On earth, in heaven, to God most High,

For Christ's great victory!
Death's captive, in his gloomy prison,

Fast fetter'd He has lain ;
But He has master's Death, is risen,

And Death wears now the chain.
Glory to God ! our glad lips cry;

All praise and worship be On earth, in heaven, to God most High,

For Christ's great victory!

Thy blessed labours done,

Thy crown of victory won, Hast pass’d from earth, pass'd to Thy home on high ;

Our eyes behold Thee not,

Yet hast Thou not forgot Those who have placed their hope, their trust, in

Thee ;

Before Thy Father's face

Thou hast prepared a place,
That where Thou art, there they may also be.

It was no path of flowers

Through this dark world of ours, Beloved of the Father, Thou didst tread!

And shall we in dismay

Shrink from the narrow way,
When clouds and darkness are around it spread ?

O Thou, who art our life,

Be with us through the strife! Thy holy head by earth's fierce storms was bow'd;

Raise Thou our eyes above,

To see a Father's love Beam, like the bow of promise, through the cloud.

E’en through the awful gloom

Which hovers o'er the tomb,
That light of love our guiding star shall be ;

Our spirits shall not dread

The shadowy way to tread, Friend, Guardian, Saviour, which doth lead to Thee !

Sarah A. Miles.

474. CHRIST: His treatment of the weak.

The shining angels cry, 'Away

With grief ; no spices bring;
Not tears, but songs, this joyful day,

Should greet the rising King !'
Glory to God! our glad lips cry;

All praise and worship be
On earth, in heaven, to God most High,

For Christ's great victory!
That Thou our Paschal Lamb mayst be,

And endless joy begin,
Jesus, Deliverer, set us free

From the dread death of sin.
Glory to God! our glad lips cry;

All praise and worship be
On earth, in heaven, to God most High,

For Christ's great victory!
Roman Breviary, tr. by A. R. Thompson.

When evening choirs the praises hymn'd

In Zion's courts of old,
The high priest walk'd his rounds, and trimm'd

The shining lamps of gold ;
And if, perchance, some flame burn'd low,

With fresh oil vainly drench'd,
He cleansed it from its socket, so

The smoking flax was quench’d.
But Thou who walkest, Priest Most High !

Thy golden lamps among,
What things are weak, and near to die,

Thou makest fresh and strong ;-
Thou breathest on the trembling spark,

That else must soon expire,
And swift it shoots up through the dark,

A brilliant spear of fire !

473. CHRIST: His sympathy with us.

Thou, who didst stoop below

To drain the cup of woe, Wearing the form of frail mortality,

The shepherd that to stream and shade

Withdrew his flock at noon, On reedy stop soft music made,

In many a pastoral tune;