No step disturbs me, not a sound is heard, I commune in my chamber and am still, And muse with deep attention on Thy Word,

The faithful record of Thy mind and will. O speak a word of blessing, gracious Lord! Thy blessing is endued with soothing power;

On the poor heart worn out with toil, Thy word

Falls soft and gentle as the evening shower.

How sad and cold, if Thou be absent, Lord, The evening leaves me, and my heart how dead!

But if Thy presence grace my humble board,

I seem with heavenly manna to be fed ; Fraught with rich blessing, breathing sweet repose,

The calm of evening settles on my

breast;

If Thou be with me when my labours close, No more is needed to complete my rest.

88.7.

LUKE xi. 4

ATHER, in high heaven dwelling,

FA

May our evening song be telling Of Thy mercy large and free: Through the day Thy love hath fed us, Through the day Thy care hath led us, With divinest charity.

This day's sins, O pardon, Saviour,
Evil thoughts, perverse behaviour,
Envy, pride, and vanity ;
From the world, the flesh, deliver,
Save us now, and save us ever,

O Thou Lamb of Calvary.
From enticements of the devil,
From the might of spirits evil,

Be our shield and panoply ; Let Thy power this night defend us, And a heavenly peace attend us,

And angelic company.

Whilst the night dews are distilling, Holy Ghost, each heart be filling

With Thine own serenity; Softly let our eyes be closing, Loving souls on Thee reposing, Ever blessèd Trinity.

G. RAWSON.

530. The Peace of Jesus. JOHN XX. 19.

L.M.

Guest ;

After the day's confusion, toil, and din, O come to bring me peace, and joy, and rest,

To give salvation, and to pardon sin! Bind up the wounds, assuage the aching

smart

Left in my bosom from the day just past ; And let me on a Father's loving heart Forget my griefs, and find sweet rest at last.

C. J. P. SPITTA. Translated by R. Massie.

breast,

The weary need of sleep's deep balm, Come, Saviour, ere we go to rest,

And breathe around Thy perfect calm.

Thy presence gives us childlike trust,

Gladness and hope without alloy; The faith that triumphs o'er the dust, And gleamings of eternal joy.

Stand in our midst, dear Lord, and say, "Peace be to you, this evening hour;" Then all the struggles of the day

Vanish before Thy loving power.

Blest is the pilgrimage to heaven,
A little nearer every night;
Christ, to our earthly darkness given,
Till in His glory there is light.

G. RAWSON.

531.-A Song of Praise for Evening.

PSALM iv. 5.

QUAINT Hymn, characteristic of the devout author, many of whose Lays of Praise abound with felicities of expression, and a truly poetic, although rugged, strain. The present Hymn, like others of the writer, is found in our hymn-books in an almost endless variety of forms. The following is a complete and exact transcript from Mr. Sedgwick's careful edition. The half-stanza at the conclusion is usual in Mason's Hymns.

N

C.M.

WOW from the altar of my heart

Let incense-flames arise;

Assist me, Lord, to offer up

Mine evening sacrifice.
Awake, my love; awake, my joy;

Awake, my heart and tongue : Sleep not when mercies loudly call, Break forth into a song.

Man's life's a book of history,

The leaves thereof are days,

The letters mercies closely joined,
The title is Thy praise.

This day God was my Sun and Shield,

My Keeper and my Guide;
His care was on my frailty shown,
His mercies multiplied.

Minutes and mercies multiplied

Have made up all this day: Minutes came quick, but mercies were

More fleet and free than they. New time, new favour, and new joys, Do a new song require : Till I shall praise Thee as I would Accept my heart's desire.

Lord of my time, whose hand hath set

New time upon my score;
Then shall I praise for all my time,
When time shall be no more.

JOHN MASON.

SLO

7s.

ISAIAH xlv. 7.

LOWLY, by God's hand unfurled,
Down around the weary world
Falls the darkness; oh, how still
Is the working of Thy will!

Mighty Maker! here am I,
Work in me as silently;
Veil the day's distracting sights,
Show me heaven's eternal lights.

From the darkened sky come forth
Countless stars, a wondrous birth !
So may gleams of glory dart
Through the dim abyss, my heart;

Living worlds to view be brought
In the boundless realms of thought,
High and infinite desires,

Burning like those upper fires.

For the birds and flowers I thank Thee,
For each song and perfume sweet,
For the faith that dare address Thee,

For the love that may Thee greet;
Most, that I for every gift,
May my soul to Thee uplift.

For the love of friends I bless Thee,

Who to-day my joy have shared,
Whose true hearts, spread out before me,
Have Thy love to me declared;
For each thought of truth and love
They have echoed from above.

For the mystic bond which binds us
Each to each, and all to Thee,
And with all the past entwines us,

In the world's long harmony;
For each striving human soul
Which is part of Thy great whole.

Pour thy Spirit, Lord, upon me,

Guard me in unconscious sleep;

Be Thy Spirit ever with me

While death-slumbers o'er me creep;
And, my life's long journey past,
I am safe with Thee at last!

THE shadows of the evening hours

Fall from the darkening sky; Upon the fragrance of the flowers The dews of evening lie:

Before Thy throne, O Lord of heaven,

We kneel at close of day: Look on Thy children from on high,

And hear us while we pray.

The sorrows of Thy servants, Lord,
O do not Thou despise ;

But let the incense of our prayers
Before Thy mercy rise;

The brightness of the coming night
Upon the darkness rolls;
With hopes of future glory chase
The shadows from our souls.

Slowly the rays of daylight fade;
So fade within our heart
The hopes of earthly love and joy

That one by one depart :
Slowly the bright stars, one by one,
Within the heavens shine;
Give us, O Lord, fresh hopes in heaven,
And trust in things divine.

Let peace, O Lord,-Thy peace, O God,-Upon our souls descend;

From midnight fears and perils Thou

Our trembling hearts defend : Give us a respite from our toil;

Calm and subdue our woes; Through the long day we suffer, Lord, O give us now repose.

ADELAIDE A. PROCTER.