With lowly self-oblation,
For Christ an offering meet,
He laid his earthly riches
At the apostles' feet.
2 The son of Consolation!

O name of soothing balm!
It fell on sick and weary

Like breath of heaven's own calm!
And the blest son of comfort,
With fearless, loving hand,
The Gentiles' great apostle
Led to the faithful band.

3 The son of Consolation!

Drawn near unto his Lord,
He won the martyr's glory,
And passed to his reward.
With him is faith now ended,
For ever lost in sight,
But love, made perfect, fills him
With praise, and joy, and light.

4 The son of Consolation!

Lord, hear our humble prayer,
That each of us thy children
Such blessed name may bear!
That we, sweet comfort shedding
O'er homes of pain and woe,
Midst sickness and in prisons,
May seek thee here below.

5 The sons of Consolation!

O what their bliss will be,
When Christ the King shall tell them
"Ye did it unto me"!

The merciful and loving

The Lord of life shall own,

And as his priceless jewels

Shall set them round his throne.

Maud Coote, 1871

282

Ο

ST. JOHN BAPTIST

L.M.

N Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings.

2 Then cleansed be every Christian breast,
And furnished for so great a guest;
Yea, let us each our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.

3 For thou art our salvation, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without thy grace we waste away,
Like flowers that wither and decay.

4 To heal the sick stretch out thine hand, And bid the fallen sinner stand;

Once more upon thy people shine,
And fill the world with love divine.

5 All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
Whose Advent set thy people free;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost for evermore.

Amen.

Charles Coffin, 1736; Tr. John Chandler, 1837, alt

Also the following

63 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding

283

ST. PETER

8.8.8.6

FORS

ORSAKEN once, and thrice denied, The risen Lord gave pardon free, Stood once again at Peter's side, And asked him, "Lov'st thou me?”

2 How many times with faithless word
Have we denied his holy Name,
How oft forsaken our dear Lord,
And shrunk when trial came!

3 Saint Peter, when the cock crew clear, Went out and wept his broken faith; Strong as a rock through strife and fear, He served his Lord till death.

4 How oft his cowardice of heart
We have without his love sincere,
The sin without the sorrow's smart,
The shame without the tear!

5 0 oft forsaken, oft denied,

Forgive our shame, wash out our sin;
Look on us from thy Father's side,
And let that sweet look win.

6 Hear when we call thee from the deep,
Still walk beside us on the shore,
Give hands to work, and eyes to weep,
And hearts to love thee more. Amen.

Cecil Frances Alexander, 1875

Also the following

135 Jesus, and shall it ever be 147 In the hour of trial

284

ST. JAMES

L.M.

TE praise thy Name, O Lord most

WR

high, Redeemer of our souls from death, And all thy mercies magnify,

In making known thy saving faith.

2 Thou didst the humble fisher call,
Beside the shores of Galilee:
At thy command he gave up all,
And left his nets to follow thee.

3 O happy choice, for earthly toil

The strife to rescue souls from sin; For treasures that may rust and spoil, The crown of heavenly life to win.

4 O favoured one, who, ere he knew
The sharpness of the coming cross,
Of thy bright beauty caught the view
That turns to gain all earthly loss.

5 Thy promise is fulfilled, and he

Dares in thy painful steps to go; To drink thy cup of agony,

And drain the bitter dregs of woe.

6 Grant, Lord, that hope of seeing thee
In bliss may us with courage nerve,
The world and all its pomp to flee,
Our cross to bear, and thee to serve.

Amen.

Anonymous

285

O

THE TRANSFIGURATION

L.M.

WONDROUS type! O vision fair Of glory that the Church shall share, Which Christ upon the mountain shows, Where brighter than the sun he glows!

2 From age to age the tale declare, How with the three disciples there, Where Moses and Elias meet,

The Lord holds converse high and sweet.

3 With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest to-day
What glory shall be theirs above
Who joy in God with perfect love.

4 And faithful hearts are raised on high
By this great vision's mystery;

For which in joyful strains we raise
The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.

5 O Father, with the eternal Son,
And Holy Spirit, ever One,

Vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace
To see thy glory face to face. Amen.
Latin; Tr. John Mason Neale, 1854, alt.

286

ORD, it is good for us to be

L.M.D.

High on the mountain here with thee; Where stand revealed to mortal gaze Those glorious saints of other days; Who once received on Horeb's height The eternal laws of truth and right; Or caught the still small whisper, higher Than storm, than earthquake, or than fire.

2 Lord, it is good for us to be

Entranced, enwrapt, alone with thee;
And watch thy glistering raiment glow
Whiter than Hermon's whitest snow,
The human lineaments that shine
Irradiant with a light divine:

Till we too change from grace to grace,
Gazing on that transfigured face.

3 Lord, it is good for us to be

Here on the holy mount with thee;
When darkling in the depths of night,
When dazzled with excess of light.