For the Aged.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.-PSALM 73. 26.

WHEN on my day of life the night is falling,

And, in the winds from unsunned spaces blown,

I hear far voices out of darkness calling

My feet to paths unknown,

Thou who hast made my home of life so pleasant,
Leave not its tenant when its walls decay;
O Love Divine, O Helper ever present,

Be Thou my strength and stay!

Be near me when all else is from me drifting-
Earth, sky, home's pictures, days of shade and shine,
And kindly faces to my own uplifting

The love which answers mine.

I have but Thee, O Father! Let Thy Spirit
Be with me then to comfort and uphold;
No gate of pearl, no branch of palm I merit,
Nor street of shining gold.

Suffice it if-my good and ill unreckoned,

And both forgiven through Thy abounding graceI find myself by hands familiar beckoned

Unto my fitting place.

Some humble door among Thy many mansions,

Some sheltering shade where sin and striving cease, And flows for ever through heaven's green expansions The river of Thy peace.

There from the music round about me stealing
I fain would learn the new and holy song,
And find at last, beneath Thy trees of healing,
The life for which I long.

J. G. Whittier.

Go not far from me, O God: my God, haste Thee to help me. I will patiently abide alway: and will praise Thee more and more. My mouth shall daily speak of Thy righteousness and salvation; for I know no end thereof. I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of Thy righteousness only. Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed: until I have shewed Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to all them that are yet for to come.-PSALM 71, 10-16.

At evening time it shall be light.-ZECH. 14. 7.

[This beautiful hymn was written on the evening of the day on which the Author had said parting words to his parishioners, shortly before his death. When he wrote it he was evidently thinking, not so much of the evening hours of the day as of the eventide of life.]

BIDE with me: fast falls the eventide ;

ΑΙ

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide :
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;

O Thou, who changest not, abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings;
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea;
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour:
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless :
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness :
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies; Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

H. F. Lyte.

The day is gone, and we give thanks, O Lord. Evening is at hand; make it bright unto us. As day has its evening, so also has life. O Lord, make the evening of life bright unto Thy servant. Cast him not away in the time of age; forsake him not when his strength faileth him. Abide with him, Lord, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. Let Thy strength be made perfect in his weakness. Bless his closing days. Make them pure, and peaceful, and sinless, and, if it please Thee, painless. Into Thy hands, O Lord, we commend him, spirit, soul, and body. Guard his lying down and his rising up, from henceforth even for ever. Let him remember Thee on his bed. Let him wake up, and be present with Thee. We ask all in the name of our only Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. [Bishop Andrewes.]

Weep not: she is not dead, but sleepeth.-ST. LUKE 8. 52.

So He giveth His beloved sleep.-PSA. 127. 2.

SLEEP on, beloved, sleep, and take thy rest,
Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour's breast;
We love thee well, but Jesus loves thee best:
Good-night!

Calm is Thy slumber as an infant's sleep,
But thou shalt wake no more to toil and weep:
Thine is a perfect rest, secure and deep:

Good-night!

Until the shadows from this earth are cast,
Until He gathers in His sheaves at last,
Until the twilight gloom is overpast,

Good-night!

Until the Lord's new glory floods the skies,
Until the loved in Jesus shall arise,
And He shall come, but not in lowly guise,
Good-night!

Until, made beautiful by Love Divine,
Thou in the likeness of thy Lord shalt shine,
And He shall bring that golden crown of thine,
Good-night!

Only 'Good-night '! beloved, not 'Farewell!'
A little while and all His saints shall dwell
In hallow'd union, indivisible:

Good-night!

Until we meet again before His throne,

Clothed in the spotless robe He gives His own,
Until we know even as we are known,

Good-night!

S. Doudney.

Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity; We give Thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased Thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching Thee, that it may please Thee, of Thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of Thine elect, and to hasten Thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of Thy Holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord.-ST. LUKE 12. 35, 36.

REJOICE, all ye believers,
And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising,
And soon will He draw nigh;
Up, pray and watch and wrestle :
At midnight comes the cry.
See that your lamps are burning,
Replenish them with oil;
Look now for your salvation,
The end of earthly toil.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go meet Him, as He cometh,
With hallelujahs clear.
Ye wise and holy virgins,

Now raise your voices higher,

Until in songs of triumph
They meet the angel choir.
The Marriage Feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up! ye heirs of glory,
The Bridegroom is at hand.
Our hope and expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, thou Sun, so long'd for,
O'er this benighted sphere;
With hearts and hands uplifted
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of our redemption,
That brings us unto Thee.

S. Findlater. (Trans.)

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through Him who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

The angel said: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.-ST. LUKE 2. 10, 11.

ANGELS, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;

Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth;
Come and worship,

Worship Christ, the new-born King.
Shepherds in the field abiding,

Watching o'er their flocks by night;
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant-light:
Come and worship,

Worship Christ, the new-born King.
Sages, leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star:
Come and worship,

Worship Christ, the new-born King.
Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,

Worship Christ, the new-born King.

James Montgomery.

Almighty God, Who hast given us Thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon Him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made Thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast given Thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that His inestimable benefit. and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of His most holy life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.