107.

ST. STEPHEN'S DAY. HEAD of the Church triumphant,

We joyfully adore Thee;
Till Thou appear,

Thy members here
Shall sing like those in glory.
We lift our hearts and voices
With bless'd anticipation,

And cry aloud,
And give to God
The praise of our salvation.
Thou dost conduct Thy people
Through torrents of temptation;

Nor will we fear,

While Thou art near,
The fire of tribulation;
The world, with sin and Satan,
In vain our march opposes :

By Thee we shall

Break through them all, Ere death our conflict closes. By faith we see the glory To which Thou shalt restore us;

The world despise

For that high prize Which Thou hast set before us; And if Thou count us worthy, We each, as dying Stephen,

Shall see Thee stand

At God's right hand,
To take us up to heaven.

108.

THE HOLY INNOCENTS' DAY. GLORY to Thee, O Lord!

Who since that hour have heard Thy call, Who, from this world of sin, And reach'd the quiet land ! By the fierce monarch's ruthless sword Those precious ones didst win!

Oh! that our hearts within,

Like theirs, were pure and bright; Glory to Thee, O Lord !

Oh! that as free from wilful sin
For now, all grief unknown,

We shrank not from Thy sight!
They wait in patience their reward, Lord I help us every hour.
The martyr's heavenly crown!

Thy cleansing grace to claim ;

In life to glorify Thy power,
Baptized in their own blood, -
Earth's untried perils o'er,

In death to praise Thy Name!
They pass'd unconsciously the flood,

And safely gain’d the shore.
Glory to Thee! for all
The ransom'd infant band,

A

SANDGATE 8, 8, 8, 8.

INSPIRER and Hearer of prayer, Thy minist'ring spirits descend,

Thou Feeder and Guardian of Thine, To watch while Thy saints are asleep; My all to Thy covenant care

By day and by night they attend, I sleeping and waking resign:

The heirs of salvation to keep: If Thou art my Shield and my Sun,

Thy worship no interval knows, The night is no darkness to me,

Their fervour is still on the wing; And, fast as my moments roll on,

And while they protect my repose, They bring me but nearer to Thee. They chant to the praise of my King.

I, too, at the season ordain'd,

Their chorus for ever shall join ;
And love and adore without end

Their faithful Creator, and mine.

O'er all the heavenly world He rules,

And all beneath the sky.
Ye Angels, great in might,

And swift to do His will,
Bless ye the Lord, whose voice ye hear,

Whose pleasure ye fulfil.
Let the bright hosts who wait

The orders of their King,
And guard His people when they pray,

Join in the praise they sing.
While all His wondrous works
Through His vast kingdom show
Their Maker's glory, thou, my soul,

Shalt sing His praises too.