3 Whoso to this board repaireth,
Take good heed how He prepareth;
Death instead of life shall be
Receive who comes unworthily.

4 Thou shalt hold with faith unshaken, That this food is to be taken

By the sick who are distressed,
By those whose heart is sin-oppressed.

5 Christ says: Come, ye heavy-laden,
I your weary hearts will gladden;
They that are yet strong and well,
Despise the best physician's skill.

6 Couldst thou earn thine own salvation,
Useless were my death and passion;
This feast is not spread for thee,
If thine own helper thou wilt be.

7 If thou this believest truly,
And confession makest duly,
Thou a welcome guest art here,
This heavenly food thy soul shall cheer.

8 But the fruits must not be missing,
Love thy neighbor without ceasing,
That true love let him receive,

Which here to thee thy God doth give.

442

7,6,7,6

THE voice that breathed o'er Eden,
That earliest wedding day,

The primal marriage blessing,-
It hath not passed away.

2 Still in the pure espousal
Of Christian man and maid,

The Holy Three are with us,
The threefold grace is said.

3 Be present, loving Father,
To give away this bride,
As Eve Thou gav'st to Adam
Out of his own pierced side.

4 Be present, Son of Mary,

To join their loving hands, As Thou didst bind two natures In Thine eternal bands.

5 Be present, Holiest Spirit,

To bless them as they kneel, As Thou for Christ, the Bridegroom, The heavenly spouse dost seal.

6 O spread Thy pure wings o'er them,
Let no ill power find place,
When onward to Thine altar
Their hallowed path they trace.

7 To cast their crowns before Thee In perfect sacrifice,

Till to the home of gladness

443

With Christ's own Bride they rise.

C. M. 81

LORD, who at Cana's wedding feast
Didst as a guest appear,

Thou dearer far than earthly guest
Vouchsafe Thy presence here;
For holy Thou indeed dost prove
The marriage vow to be,
Proclaiming it a type of love

Between the Church and Thee.

2 The holiest vow that man can make, The golden thread in life,

The bond that none may dare to break,
That bindeth man and wife;

Which, blest by Thee, whate'er betides,
No evil shall destroy,

Thro' care-worn days each care divides, And doubles every joy.

3 On those who now before Thee kneel, O Lord, Thy blessing pour,

That each may wake the other's zeal
To love Thee more and more:
Oh, grant them here in peace to live,
In purity and love,

And this world leaving, to receive
A crown of life above.

444

11,10,11,10

O PERFECT Love, all human thought

transcending,

Lowly we kneel in pray'r before Thy throne,

That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,

Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

2 O perfect Life, be Thou their full assur

ance,

Of tender charity and steadfast faith, Of patient hope, and quiet, brave endur

ance

With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

3 Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;

Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,

And to life's day the glorious unknown

445

morrow

That dawns upon eternal love and life.

L. M.

O BLEST the house, whate'er befall,
Where Jesus Christ is all in all;
Yea, if He were not dwelling there,
How poor, and dark, and void it were!

2 O blest that house where faith ye find,
And all within have set their mind
To trust their God and serve Him still,
And do in all His holy will.

3 O blest the parents who give heed
Unto their children's foremost need,
And weary not of care or cost:

To them and heaven shall none be lost.

4 Blest such a house, it prospers well,
In peace and joy the parents dwell,
And in their children's lot is shown
How richly God can bless His own.

5 Then here will I, and mine to-day
A solemn cov'nant make and say:
Though all the world forsake Thy
Word,

I and my house will serve the Lord.

446

L. M.

HAPPY the man who feareth God,
Whose feet His holy ways have trod;

Thine own good hand shall nourish thee, And well and happy shalt thou be.

2 Lo! to the man these blessings cleave Who in God's holy fear doth live; From him the ancient curse hath fled By Adam's race inherited.

3 Out of Mount Zion God shall send,
And crown with joy thy latter end,
That thou Jerusalem mayst see
In favor and prosperity.

4 He shall be with thee in thy ways,
And give thee health and strength of
days;

Yea, thou shalt children's children see, And peace on Israel shall be.

5 Praise God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One;
As 't was through ages heretofore,
Is now, and shall be evermore.

447

8,7 61

GRACIOUS Savior, gentle Shepherd,
Children all are dear to Thee;
Gathered with Thine arms, and carried
In Thy bosom, may They be;
Sweetly, fondly, safely tended,
From all want and danger free.

2 Tender Shepherd, never leave them
From Thy fold to go astray;

By Thy warning love directed,
May they walk the narrow way;
Thus direct them, thus defend them,
Lest they fall an easy prey.