Maidens joyous, sorrow-free,
Think on us who wearily
Still on life's surf-beaten shore
Labour, toiling at the oar;
Plead for us in JESU's ear
In the hour of wreck and fear.
That beneath death's stormy sky
He may say Fear not, 'tis I:
I will guide you with My hand
To the far off heavenly strand;
Whence faint sounds of melody
Float across the wintry sea.
Virgin escort, robed in white,
Purer than the sun's pure light,
When life's stormy night is o'er-
Beacons on the eternal shore,-
Shed your brightness on the way,
Guide us to the perfect day.

Common of Holy Women. 223.

L.M.

HIGH let us all our voices raise,

In that heroic woman's praise,

Whose name, with saintly glory bright

Shines in the starry realms of light.
Filled with a pure celestial glow,
She spurned all love of things below;
And heedless here on earth to stay,
Climbed to the skies her toilsome
way.

With fasts her body she subdued,
But filled her soul with prayer's sweet
food;

In other worlds she tastes the bliss
For which she left the joys of this.

O CHRIST, the strength of all the strong,

To Whom all our best deeds belong,
With her prevailing prayers on high,
In mercy hear Thy people's cry.

To GOD the FATHER, with the SON,
And HOLY SPIRIT, Three in One,
Be glory while the ages flow,
From all above, and all below.

Amen.

CONCEPTION OF B. V. M. Dec. 8.

225.

7,6,7,6,7, 6, 7, 6.

WITHIN the womb of Anna,

By God's creating will,

To-day another heaven

Is framed for God to fill: From which that Sun unsetting On all the world hath shined, Supreme in loving Godhead,

The SAVIOUR of mankind.
The choir of ancient Prophets
Foretold that Virgin fair,
The spotless one and holy,

Whom barren Anna bare.
To-day with hearts rejoicing
We bless her honoured name,
We who receive the SAVIOUR
From Mary, pure from blame.
Be thou renewed, O Adam,

O Eve, in gladness bound,
The fairest bud hath blossomed
From dry and sterile ground:
It blooms with life immortal,

Takes barrenness away, So we, in jubilation,

Rejoice with them to-day.

Declare aloud, O David,

What sware the LORD to thee? What God the LORD hath promised Ye now fulfilled may see: He giveth us the Virgin

Who from my loins doth spring, Who bore the world's Creator,

The Adam new, the King,
The CHRIST, Who sits in glory
Upon my throne to-day,
Who governeth the kingdom
Which knoweth not decay.
The barren bears the Virgin,

GOD's Mother ever blest,
Who gave to Life's own Giver
Sweet nurture from her breast.
From Angel ranks in heaven,
From choirs of men below,
Let strains of hymns exulting
In perfect concord flow;
In praise of GOD the FATHER,
In praise of GOD the SON,
In praise of GOD the SPIRIT,

The Three Who are but One. Amen.

VIRGIN Spouse of CHRIST the
Lamb,

To Whom thou didst so closely hold,
The pang which won thy martyr-palm
Was light to thee by love made bold.
O lucid ray from splendour clear,
Through CHRIST, the Sun of Justice,
bright,

That thou mightst win thy Master dear

Glad wentest thou to deadly fight.
To die for JESU's sake was sweet,
To bear for Him the agony,
To sit for ever at His Feet,

The glorious prize which waited thee.

No torture mortal man could wield,
No force, could tear thee from His
Side,

Protected by that living Shield,
In that strong Castle fortified.

And when the battle stern, was o'er,
And victory through Him was thine,
In happy triumph Angels bore
Thy soul to dwell in light divine:
To dwell with Him, the Bridegroom
true,

Who holds His own in close embrace,
To give Him praise and glory due,
To look for ever on His Face.

Where Lucy, Virgin-Martyr blest,
On high to Thee, LORD JESU, prays,
Bring us to share her endless rest
Amidst the glory of Thy rays. Amen.

We only see the path is long
By which we have to go;
We only feel the foes are strong
That seek to work us woe.

We have not seen, we cannot see,

The Cross our Master bore, With all its pains, that we might be

The devil's slaves no more.

We only think it hard to part
With very pleasant sin,
And give to GOD a perfect heart,

And make Him LORD within.

The SPIRIT'S grace we cannot see,
That makes an infant whole;
And gives the water power to free
From sin a guilty soul.

We only know that we have power
To do our FATHER'S will;
Though every day and every hour,
We meet temptation still.

We walk by faith, and not by sight,
And, blessed Saint, like thee
We sometimes doubt if faith tells
right,

Because we cannot see.

Upon the promise we would lean
Thy doubting heart received

Every wound thy brow displays,
Beameth with unearthly rays;
Like an Angel's is thy face,
Glowing with celestial grace.

To the Victim, for thee slain,
Thou lay'st down thy life again,
First in death thy LORD to own,
First to share His thorny crown.
Next to thy Celestial Guide,
Thou didst stem the Red Sea's tide:
Leading on the Martyr host
To the Heavenly Canaan's coast.
Thou, who didst dispense thy store
Daily to the sick and poor,
Now art come, a welcome guest,
To thy FATHER's table blest.
In the nuptial robes arrayed,
Which thy blood hath purple made;
Thou the banquet dost attain
Of the Lamb that once was slain.
Glory to the FATHER be,
Glory, Virgin-born, to Thee,
And to Thee, blest PARACLETE,
Through the ages infinite. Amen.

And that have yet believed!"

Thou the Martyrs' crown and
King,

Who dost raise above the skies
All who earth and sin despise,-
Hear us now, and as we tell
How Thy Martyr Stephen fell,
Grant the prayer Thy servants pray,
Wash our stain of guilt away.

'Twas Thy SPIRIT from above
Filled his heart with strength and
love;

First to own his LORD in death,
First to gain the crown of faith;
Gazing upward to the skies,
With his parting breath he cries,
JESU, LORD, my soul receive,
JESU, LORD, my foes forgive.

LORD, for him Thy Name we bless,
Grant to us like holiness;
May we ever live to Thee,
And in death have victory.

SAINT, permitted here to see
Unutterable visions bright,

O mighty son of Zebedee,
Who didst that holy Gospel write,
Which telleth us of CHRIST the SON,
With FATHER and with SPIRIT One.

O Harp, aroused by GoD's own Hand,
Whose tones on earth for us prolong
The music of the far-off land,
The echoes of celestial song;
How sweet to us the notes that rung
From thy pure lips and tuneful
tongue!

Beloved disciple of the LORD,

Thou hast proclaimed, with thundersound,

The Hidden Wisdom, God the WORD, Unto the world's remotest bound, And, with thy gleaming torch, art guide

Of all to the Redeemer's Side.

For thou hast lain on JESU's breast, By thine own fervent love made bold,

And now hast found thy perfect rest Within thy SAVIOUR'S inner fold; There may thy Master, by His grace, Admit us too to see His Face.

One in steadfast worship eyes Thee,
Thy beloved, Thy latest born:
In Thy glory he descries Thee
Reigning from the Tree of scorn.
He upon Thy bosom lying

Thy true tokens learnt by heart;
And Thy dearest pledge in dying,

LORD, Thou didst to him impartShow'dst him how, all grace supplying,

Blood and Water from Thee start. He first, hoping and believing, Did beside the grave adore; Latest he, the warfare leaving, Landed on the eternal shore ; And his witness we receiving

Own Thee LORD for evermore. Much he asked in loving wonder,

On Thy bosom leaning, LORD! In that secret place of thunder

Answer kind didst Thou accord, Wisdom for Thy Church to ponder Till the day of dread award.

Lo! heaven's doors lift up, revealing How thy judgments earthward move;

Scrolls unfolded, trumpets pealing,
Wine cups from the wrath above;
Yet o'er all a soft voice stealing-
"Little children, trust and love!"
Thee, the Almighty King Eternal,

FATHER of the Eternal Word,
Thee, the FATHER'S WORD supernal,
Thee, of both, the Breath adored,
Heaven and earth and realms infernal
Own-One glorious GoD and LORD.
Amen.

Holy Ennocents. Dec. 28.

In everlasting joy shall reap:
What time they shine in heavenly day,
And every tear is wiped away.

O city blest o'er all the earth,

raise;

The victor Innocents we praise : Whom in their woe earth cast away, But heaven with joy received to-day, Where Angels see the FATHER's face, World without end, and hymn His

Whose are His earliest martyrs dear,
None from henceforth may call thee
By kindred and by triumph here.
small;

Of rival towns thou passést all;
In whom our Monarch had His birth,
O city blest o'er all the earth!

S. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY.
Dec. 29 & July 7.

234.

8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 7.

tressed,

In the fair land of light and rest:

He gives them mansions, one and all, In that His heavenly FATHER's hall; Thus have they changed their loss for gain,

By that accursed monarch slain.

A voice from Ramah was there sent,
A voice of weeping and lament:
When Rachel mourned the children's
care,

Whom for the tyrant's sword she bare:
Triumphal is their glory now
Whom earthly torments could not
bow:

What time, both far and near that went,

A voice from Ramah was there sent.

Fear not, O little flock, and blest,
The lion that your life oppressed!
To heavenly pastures ever new
The heavenly Shepherd leadeth you;
Who, dwelling now on Sion's hill
The Lamb's dear footsteps follow
still;

By tyrant there no more distressed,
Fear not, O little flock, and blest.

Of the Incarnate living WORD! Year by year the song upraising, Holy Saints and Martyrs praising, Join we all with one accord;

Who have died for CHRIST their LORD.

Sing we how, for naught esteeming How the murderer's weapon gleam. Tyrant's rage, a Prelate dies,

ing,

Altar's sanctity defies;

How the Martyr's life-blood streaming

Mingled with the sacrifice.

Year by year our joyful stories
In the holy Church be told,
How he died a Martyr glorious,
Prelate wise, Confessor bold;
How he reigns in heaven victorious,
Robed in white, with crown of gold.
To the LORD of all creation,

In Whose love the martyrs rest,
To the GOD of our salvation,

Whom their dying breath confessed, Honour, praise, and adoration, FATHER, SON, and SPIRIT blest. Amen.