AT A SOLEMN MUSIC.

"BLEST pair of Sirens, pledges of Heaven's joy,
Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice and Verse,
Wed your divine sounds, and mixed power employ,
Dead things with inbreathed sense able to pierce;
And to our high-raised phantasy present
That undisturbed song of pure concent,
Aye sung before the sapphire-coloured throne
To Him that sits thereon,

With saintly shout and solemn jubilee;
Where the bright Seraphim in burning row
Their loud uplifted angel-trumpets blow,
And the Cherubic host in thousand quires
Touch their immortal harps of golden wires,
With those just Spirits that wear victorious palms,
Hymns devout and holy psalms

Singing everlastingly :

That we on Earth, with undiscording voice,

May rightly answer that melodious noise;

As once we did, till disproportioned sin

Jarred against nature's chime, and with harsh din
Broke the fair music that all creatures made

To their great Lord, whose love their motion swayed

In perfect diapason, whilst they stood

In first obedience, and their state of good.

Oh! may we soon again renew that song,

And keep in tune with Heaven, till God ere long
To His celestial consort us unite,

To live with Him, and sing in endless morn of light."

JOHN MILTON, 1629.

I.

L. M.

Christian Chorals.

Come, O Creator Spirit, come !

"Veni Creator Spiritus.'

"For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people."

Latin. RABANUS MAURUS, d. 856.
Trans. M. WOOLSEY STRYKER, 1884.

OLD CHURCH SONG. KLUG'S GESANGBUCH, 1535.
Har. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, d. 1750.

2.

Thou, Who art called the Paraclete,

The Gift of God most high Thou art,
The Font of life, love's Light and Heat,
And Unction of the inmost heart.

3.
Thou seven-fold Bounty, ever new,
Thou Finger of the hand divine,
Thou Promise of the Father due,
Enriching all our speech by Thine!

4.

Light Thou a flame in every sense;
Upon our hearts Thy love inflood;
And, for our bodies impotence,

Confirm us with perpetual good.

5.

Further repel the enemy;

Right soon Thy gift of peace begin; So then, if Thou our Vanguard be,

Safe shall we shun each hateful sin.

6.

Thro Thee to know the Father teach;

The knowledge of the Son outpour; For Thou the Spirit art of each,

And thus believe we evermore.

7.

Be praise to Father, and to Son,
And Holy Paraclete, in One.
So may the Son on us confer

The blessings of the Comforter!

heavenly King,-The God of truth and grace: Join we, then, with sweet ac- cord,

All in one thanksgiving join: Ho-ly, ho- ly, ho -ly Lord! E - ter-nal praise be Thine.

By permission of E. & J. B. Young & Co.

4.

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty.

Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before Thee,

Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3.

Holy, holy, holy! tho the darkness hide Thee,

Tho the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

Only Thou art holy: there is none beside Thee,

Perfect in power, in love, and purity.