6.

Go

A MORNING HYMN.

OD of the morning, at whose voice
The cheerful sun makes haste to rise,
And like a giant doth rejoice

To run his journey through the skies.

From the fair chambers of the east,

The circuit of his race begins,

And, without weariness or rest,

Round the whole earth he flies and shines.

Oh, like the sun may I fulfil

The appointed duties of the day,
With ready mind and active will
March on and keep my heavenly way.

But I shall rove, and lose the race,
If God, my Sun, should disappear,
And leave me in this world's wide maze,
To follow every wandering star.

Give me thy counsel for my guide,
And then receive me to thy bliss s;
All my desires and hopes beside
Are faint and cold compared with this.

L. M.

ISAAC WATTS.

7.

IN SLEEP'S SERENE OBLIVION.

L. M.

'N sleep's serene oblivion laid,

I safely passed the silent night;
Again I see the breaking shade,
I drink again the morning light.

New-born, I bless the waking hour,
Once more, with awe, rejoice to be;
My conscious soul resumes her power,
And springs, my guardian God, to thee.

Oh, guide me through the various maze
My doubtful feet are doomed to tread ;
And spread thy shield's protecting blaze,
Where dangers press around my head.

A deeper shade shall soon impend,
A deeper sleep mine eyes oppress;
Yet then thy strength shall still defend,
Thy goodness still delight to bless.

That deeper shade shall break away,
That deeper sleep shall leave mine eyes,
Thy light shall give eternal day,

Thy love, the rapture of the skies.

JOHN HAWKesworth.

NEW every morning is the love

Our wakening and uprising prove;

Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;

New perils past, new sins forgiven,

New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind

Be set to hallow all we find,

New treasures still, of countless price,

God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
As more of heaven in each we see ;
Some softening gleam of love and prayer
Shall dawn on every cross and care.

The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask:
Room to deny ourselves; a road
To bring us, daily, nearer God,

L. M.

Seek we no more

content with these,

Let present rapture, comfort, ease,

As heaven shall bid them, come and go,

The secret this of rest below.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.

JOHN KEBLE.

9.

O THOU TRUE LIFE.

THOU true Life of all that live,

Who dost, unmoved, all motion sway;

Who dost the morn and evening give,
And through its changes guide the day,-

Thy light upon our evening pour ;
So may our souls no sunset see,
But death to us an open door
To an eternal morning be.

Thee in the hymns of morn we praise,
To thee our voice at eve we raise ;
Oh, grant us, with thy saints on high,
Thee through all time to glorify.

L. M.

BREVIARY. Tr. by EDWARD Caswall.

IO.

GLOR

EVENING HYMN.

LORY to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,
Beneath thine own almighty wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done;
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

Oh, may my soul on thee repose,

And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close, —
Sleep that may me more vigorous make
To serve my God when I awake!

When in the night I sleepless lie,
My soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
No powers of darkness me molest.

L. M.

THOMAS KEN.