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1736. 1860.

EVENING.

'O luce qui mortalibus.'

The splendours of Thy glory, Lord,
Hath no man seen nor known;
And highest angels veil their eyes
Before Thy shining throne.

Here we in darkness sit forlorn,
Death's shade upon us lies;

But night will wane and o'er our heads
The eternal dayspring rise.

So bright a day for us prepared

For us Thou hast in store,

That this all glorious sun shall fade
Its sevenfold light before.

But ah! too long thou lingerest,

Thou long expected day,

And ere we see thee, we must cast

This mortal coil away.

But when her bonds are rent, my God,
My soul to Thee shall soar,

And see Thy face and praise Thee well,
And love Thee evermore.

Grant us Thy peace, blest Trinity,
Fair love and saintly might;
And for this dim and fleeting day
Give us immortal light.

CHARLES COFFIN (Paris Breviary).
tr. by EDWARD WHITE BENSON,
Archbishop.

TWILIGHT HYMN.

'When Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations.'

1834.

Now the stars are lit in heaven

We must light our lamps on earth;
Every star a signal given

From the God of our new birth;

Every lamp an answer faint,

Like the prayer of mortal saint.

Mark the hour and turn this way,
Sons of Israel, far and near;
Wearied with the world's dim day,
Turn to Him whose eyes are here,
Open, watching day and night,
Beaming unapproachèd light.

Watchers of the sacred flame,

Sons of Aaron, serve in fear;
Deadly is the Avenger's aim,

Should the unhallowed enter here;
Keen His fires, should recreants dare
Breathe the pure and fragrant air.

There is One will bless your toil,
He who comes in heaven's attire,
Morn by morn, with holy oil,

Eve by eve, with holy fire.
Pray! your prayer will be allowed
Mingling with His incense cloud.

JOHN KEBLE.

TWILIGHT HYMN,

OR, CANDLE-HYMN OF THE ANCIENT CHRISTIANS.

Φῶς ἱλαρὸν ἁγίας δόξης,
ἀθανάτου Πατρὸς οὐρανίου,
ἁγίου, μάκαρος,

Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ,

ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλίου δύσιν,

ἰδόντες φῶς ἑσπερινόν,
ὑμνοῦμεν Πατέρα, καὶ Υἱόν,
καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα Θεόν.

*Αξιόν σε ἐν πᾶσι
καιροῖς ὑμνεῖσθαι φωναῖς
ὁσίαις, Υἱὲ Θεοῦ,
ζωὴν ὁ διδούς, διὸ

Before 4th cent.

ὁ κόσμος σε δοξάζει.

Author unknown.

1860.

O goodly Light of the holy glory
Of the immortal Father of heaven,
Holy and blessed,

O Jesu Christ:

We are come to the sunset,
We have seen the evening light,
And we praise the Father and Son
And Holy Spirit of God:

Worthy art Thou at all times
To be praised by pure voices,
Son of God, that givest life :

Therefore the world glorifieth Thee.

tr. by EDWARD WHITE BENSON,

Archbishop.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

EVENING before and EVENING of the First
Sunday in Advent.

1820.

1812.

1802,

Great God! what do I see and hear?

The end of things created!

The Judge of mankind doth appear.
On clouds of glory seated!

The trumpet sounds, the graves restore
The dead which they contained before;—
Prepare, my soul, to meet Him!

The dead in Christ shall first arise,
At the last trumpet's sounding,
Caught up to meet Him in the skies,
With joy their Lord surrounding:
No gloomy fears their souls dismay,
His presence sheds eternal day

On those prepared to meet Him.

But sinners, filled with guilty fears,
Behold His wrath prevailing ;

For they shall rise and find their tears
And sighs are unavailing :

The day of grace is passed and gone;
Trembling they stand before the throne,
All unprepared to meet Him.

Great God! what do I see and hear?
The end of things created!

The Judge of mankind doth appear,
On clouds of glory seated!

Beneath His cross I view the day

When heaven and earth shall pass away,

And thus prepare to meet Him.

THOMAS COTTERILL,

after WILLIAM BENGO COLLYER, VV. 2, 3, 4, and an unknown author, v. 1.

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