Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

II.

O LORD, refresh Thy flock!
Athirst to Thee they cry:
Thou art the spiritual Rock
Whence they must drink or die.

O Lord! our sickness heal;
Thou, in our sufferings sore,
Wert lifted up, that we might feel
Sin's poison-fangs no more.

Preserve us, Lord, from death!
Thou art the Lamb Whose blood
Sprinkled o'er Israel's doors in faith,
A token was for good.

With many a bitter herb,
Of wishes dear subdued,

"Tis meet, that, dressed in pilgrim-garb,

We take Thee for our food.

Away those types are cast,
And now Thyself we see:

Yet let each hint that cheered the past,
Still lift our hearts to Thee!

To God the Father, Son,
And Holy Ghost be praise,
As in the ancient times was done,
And shall through endless days.

[77]

The Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

I.

O LORD! whate'er belongs to Thee,
May we with reverence greet,
Nor dare Thy holy property

As things unhallowed treat.

Thy Name no lip with jesting light,
Or idle speech profane;

Thy word no ear neglectful slight,
Or haughtily disdain.

Thy house; may there no reckless foot
The heedless mind display;

Nor worldly toils or gauds pollute
Thy peaceful sacred day.

May no vain heart the servants spurn
Who Thy commission bear;
Nor proudly from Thy Table turn,
Nor rashly venture there.

Lord, grant us grace each holy thing
Occasion meet to make

Of praise for Thee our Heavenly King,
And prize it for Thy sake,

Thy Name, Thy word, Thy house, Thy day,

Thy priests and rites divine,

The honour for Thy sake we pay,

That honour, Lord, is Thine.

Thou seest the duteous heart when we
Touch but Thy garment's hem,
And Thou hast said, Who honour Me,
Lo! I will honour them!

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God Whom we adore,

Be honour, glory, blessing, power,

Henceforth for evermore.

[78]

II.

THE twelve holy men are gathered in prayer,
The Psalm mounts on high, the Spirit descends:
A keen silent thrilling is round them in air,
A Power from the Highest with thought and
word blends.

They pass by the way to sight poor and mean: How glorious the train that streams to and fro ! The blind, dumb, halt, withered, by hundreds are

seen,

The prisoners of Satan lie chained where they go.

O lay them but where the shadow may fall

Of Christ's awful Saint, to prayer as he speeds: The mighty love token all fiends shall appal,

A gale breathe from Eden assuaging all needs.

Or bring where they lie Paul's girdle or vest: One touch and one word: the pain fleets away, The dark hour of frenzy is charmed into rest :

The hem of Christ's garment all creatures obey.

Christ is in His Saints; from Godhead made Man, The virtue goes out the whole world to bless. O'er lands parched and weary that shadow began To spread from th' Apostles, and ne'er shall grow less.

Thee, Lord of Thy Saints, the Godhead made Man,
The Father untiring in gifts of His grace,

The Spirit Who aids redemption's vast plan,
Let earth and the heavens eternally praise. [79]

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

I.

The hymn, O Lord, turn not Thy face from me, used for Ash-Wednesday, will serve for the first hymn, if instead of the doxology there be used the following—

To the One God Who heareth prayer,

Son, Sire and Spirit Blest,

For aid the Church shall still repair,

In time of her unrest.

II.

AD TEMPLA.

FROM the swaddling bands of night,
When sprang the world so fair,
Putting on her robes of light,

O what a power was there!

I

When our God who gave His Son,
His guilty foes to spare,
Woke to life the Guiltless One,
O what a love was there!

When from the Eternal's hand
The earth in beauty stood,
Decked in light at His command,
He saw and called it good.

Yet a goodlier world it stood
To the Creator's sight,
In the Lamb's all-cleansing blood
Washed to celestial white.

In the light of rising morn,
Which o'er creation flies,
We descry, by fancy borne,

A Heaven beyond the skies.

More, much more, in Jesu's face
When faith looks up in prayer,

The image bodily we trace
Of all God's fulness there.

In Thy law, Blest Trinity,

A torchlight sure and true,

What Thou forbiddest may we flee,
What Thou dost bid pursue.

[80]

« AnteriorContinuar »