TEMPLE.

There Joseph at her side
In reverent wonder stands;
And, fill'd with holy joy,
Old Simeon in his hands
Takes up the promised Child,
The glory of all lands.

Hail to the great First-born,
Whose ransom-price they pay!
The SON before all worlds,
The Child of man to-day,
That He might ransom us
Who still in bondage lay.

O Light of all the earth,
Thy people wait for Thee!
Come to Thy temples here,
That we from sin set free
Before Thy FATHER'S face
May all presented be! Amen.
The following Hymn is suitable:
445 Bless'd are the pure in heart.

SAINT MATTHIAS'S DAY.

231 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven

apostles.

BISHOP of the souls of men,

When the foeman's step is nigh,
When the wolf lays wait by night
For the lambs continually,
Watch, O LORD, about us keep,
Guard us, Shepherd of the sheep.

When the hireling flees away,
Caring only for his gold,
And the gate unguarded stands
At the entrance to the fold,
Stand, O LORD, Thy flock before,
Thou the Guardian, Thou the Door.

LORD, Whose guiding finger ruled
In the casting of the lot,

That Thy Church might fill the throne
Of the lost Iscariot,

In our trouble ever thus

Stand, good Master, nigh to us.

When the Saints their order take
In the new Jerusalem,
And Matthias stands elect,

Give us part and lot with him,
Where in Thine own dwelling-place
We may witness face to face.

Amen.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

MARY.

232 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

PRAISE we the LORD this day,

This day so long foretold,

Whose promise shone with cheering ray
On waiting saints of old.

The Prophet gave the sign
For faithful men to read;
A Virgin, born of David's line,
Shall bear the promised Seed.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE B. V. MARY.

Ask not how this should be,
But worship and adore,

Like her, whom God's own majesty
Came down to shadow o'er.

Meekly she bow'd her head
To hear the gracious word,
Mary, the pure and lowly Maid,
The favour'd of the LORD.

Blessed shall be her name
In all the Church on earth,
Through whom that wondrous mercy came,
The Incarnate Saviour's birth.

JESU, the Virgin's Son,

We praise Thee and adore,

Who art with GOD the FATHER One

And SPIRIT evermore.

Amen.

The following Hymns are also suitable:

335 From highest heav'n th' Eternal SON.
336 O Love, how deep! how broad! how high!
337 Praise to the Holiest in the height.

SAINT MARK'S DAY.

The Hymns for Evangelists are suitable.

SAINT PHILIP AND SAINT JAMES'S DAY.
The Hymns for Apostles are suitable; also
344 Thou art the Way; by Thee alone.

SAINT BARNABAS THE APOSTLE.

233 Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation.

SON of GOD, our Captain of salvation, Thyself by suffering school'd to human grief, We bless Thee for Thy sons of consolation, Who follow in the steps of Thee their Chief;

Those whom Thy SPIRIT'S dread vocation severs To lead the vanguard of Thy conquering host; Whose toilsome years are spent in brave endeavours To bear Thy saving Name from coast to coast; Those whose bright faith makes feeble hearts grow stronger,

And sends fresh warriors to the great campaign, Bids the lone convert feel estranged no longer, And wins the sunder'd to be one again;

And all true helpers, patient, kind, and skilful, Who shed Thy light across our darken'd earth, Counsel the doubting, and restrain the wilful, Soothe the sick bed, and share the children's mirth.

Such was Thy Levite, strong in self-oblation

To cast his all at Thine Apostles' feet; [nation, He whose new name, through every Christian From age to age our thankful strains repeat. Thus, LORD, Thy Barnabas in memory keeping, Still be Thy Church's watchword, "Comfort ye;" Till in our FATHER'S house shall end our weeping, And all our wants be satisfied in Thee. Amen.

SAINT JOHN BAPTIST'S DAY.

234 Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Nunc suis tandem novus e latebris.

O! from the desert homes,

Where he hath hid so long,

The new Elijah comes,

In sternest wisdom strong;
The voice that cries
Of CHRIST from high,
And judgment nigh
From rending skies.

Your GOD e'en now doth stand
At heaven's opening door;
His fan is in His hand,
And He will purge His floor;
The wheat He claims
And with Him stows;
The chaff He throws
To quenchless flames.

Ye haughty mountains, bow
Your sky-aspiring heads;
Ye valleys, hiding low,
Lift up your gentle meads
Make His way plain
Your King before;
For evermore
He comes to reign.

;

May thy dread voice around,
Thou harbinger of light,
On our dull ears still sound,
Lest here we sleep in night,
Till judgment come,
And on our path

The LAMB's dread wrath
Shall burst in doom.

O GOD, with love's sweet might
Who dost anoint and arm
CHRIST'S Soldier for the fight
With grace that shields from harm,
Thrice-blessed THREE,

Heav'n's endless days
Shall sing Thy praise
Eternally. Amen.