THE RESURRECTION.

HAIL, DAY OF DAYS! IN PEALS OF PRAISE.

(Salve, festa dies, toto venerabilis ævo.)

Free, from the Latin of VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS, Bishop of Poictiers, 600. Ic this sweet poem, the whole nature, born anew in the spring, and arrayed in the bridal garment of hope and promise, welcomes the risen Saviour, the Prince of spiritual and eternal life. The original (Daniel, I. 170) has fourteen stanzas, of three lines each. TRENCH (p. 152) gives only ten lines. DANIEL remarks, "Ex hoc suavissimo poëmate ecclesia decem versus sibi vindicavit, qui efficerent canticum triumphale Paschatis." It passed also into several German forms, e.g., "Sei gegrüsst, du heiliger Tag." The version here given is a very free transfusion, in a different measure. Another English version, more closely following the original, by Mrs. CHARLES: "Hail, festal Day! ever exalted high;" and one by Dr. NEALE: Hail, festal Day! for evermore adored."

HAIL, Day of days! in peals of praise

Throughout all ages owned,

When Christ, our God, hell's empire trod,
And high o'er heaven was throned.1

This glorious morn the world new-born
In rising beauty shows;

How, with her Lord to life restored,
Her gifts and graces rose!

1 "Salve, festa dies, toto venerabilis ævo,
Qua Deus infernum vicit et astra tenet.
Salve, festa dies, toto venerabilis ævo."

The spring serene in sparkling sheen
The flower-clad earth arrays,
Heaven's portal bright its radiant light
In fuller flood displays.

The fiery sun in loftier noon,

O'er heaven's high orbit shines,

As o'er the tide of waters wide

He rises and declines.

From hell's deep gloom, from earth's dark tomb,

The Lord in triumph soars;

The forests raise their leafy praise;

The flowery field adores.

As star by star He mounts afar,
And hell imprisoned lies,

Let stars and light and depth and height
In Hallelujahs rise.

Lo! He Who died, the Crucified,
God over all He reigns;

On Him we call, His creatures all,
Who heaven and earth sustains.

THE SUPPER OF THE LAMB TO SHARE. 237

THE SUPPER OF THE LAMB TO SHARE.

(Ad cœnam Agni providi.)

An old hymnus paschalis, which may have been sung, in the early Church, by the newly baptized catechumens, when, in their white robes, they first approached the Lord's table. DANIEL, I. 88, gives the original, and the altered form of the Roman Breviary ("Ad regias Agni dapes "). Trsl. in Voice of Christian Life in Song, p. 103 Another version by NEALE: "The Lamb's high banquet we await."

THE Supper of the Lamb to share,

We come in vesture white and fair,
The Red Sea crossed, our hymn we sing
To Christ, our Captain and our King.

His holy body on the cross,

Parched, on that altar hung for us;
And, drinking of His crimson blood,
We live upon the living God.

Protected in the Paschal night
From the destroying angel's might,
And by a powerful hand set free
From Pharaoh's bitter slavery.

For Christ our Passover is slain,
The Lamb is offered not in vain;
With truth's sincere unleavened bread,
His flesh He gave, His blood He shed.

O Victim, worthy Thou for ever,
Who didst the bands of hell dissever!
Redeem Thy captives from the foe,
The gift of life afresh bestow.

When Christ from out the tomb arose,
Victor o'er hell and all His foes,

The tyrant forth in chains He drew,
And planted Paradise anew.

Author of all, to Thee we pray,
In this our Easter joy to-day;
From every weapon death can wield
Thy trusting people ever shield.

WE KEEP THE FESTIVAL.

(Ad regias Agni dapes.)

From the Roman Breviary (Sabbato in Albis infra Octavam Pascha). DANIEL, 1. 88. Compare the preceding hymn and note. Reproduced (with a doxology added) by the Rev. Dr. A. R. THOMPSON, of the Dutch Reformed Church, New York, Easter, 1868. Contributed to this Collection.

E

We keep the festival
WE

Of the slain Lamb our King.

The Red Sea passed,

And safe at last,

Our Leader's praise we sing.