His presence fills each heart with joy,
Tunes every mouth to sing;

By day, by night, the sacred courts
With glad hosannas ring.

3 The Lamb which reigns upon the throne
Shall o'er them still preside;

Feed them with nourishment divine,
And all their footsteps guide.
'Mong pastures green he'll lead his flock,

Where living streams appear;
And God the Lord from every eye

Shall wipe off every tear.

178

HOLY INNOCENTS.

"These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth."

LORD, the Holy Innocents

Laid down for thee their infant life,

And martyrs brave and patient saints
Have stood for thee in fire and strife.

2 We wear the cross they wore of old,
Our lips have learn'd like vows to make;
We need not die; we cannot fight;

What may we do for Jesus' sake?

3 O day by day each Christian child
Has much to do, without, within;
A death to die for Jesus' sake,
A weary war to wage with sin.

[L. M.

4 When deep within our swelling hearts,
The thoughts of pride and anger rise,
When bitter words are on our tongues,
And tears of passion in our eyes;

5 Then we may stay the angry blow,
Then we may check the hasty word,
Give gentle answers back again,

And fight a battle for our Lord.

6 With smiles of peace and looks of love,
Light in our dwellings we may make,
Bid kind good-humour brighten there,
And do all still for Jesus' sake.

7 There's not a child so weak and small
But has his little cross to take,

His little work of love and praise,
That he may do for Jesus' sake.

179

"They are without fault before the throne
of God."

2 Glory to thee for all

The ransomed infant band,

Who since that hour have heard thy call,
And reach'd the quiet land.

[S. M.

3 O that our hearts within,

Like theirs, were pure and bright;
O that, as free from deeds of sin,
We shrank not from thy sight.

4 Lord, help us every hour

Thy cleansing grace to claim;
In life to glorify thy power,

In death to praise thy name.

THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE.

180 "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former."

BEHOLD a humble train

The courts of God draw near;

A Virgin Mother and her babe
Before the Lord appear.

2 O wondrous, blessèd sight!

To faithful eyes made known,
That lowly babe-the mighty God,
The Prince of Peace, they own.

3 And now this temple shines
With glory far more bright
Than e'er the former temple saw,
E'en at its greatest height.

4 The cloud indeed was there,

The symbol of the Lord;

But here the Lord himself appears,
The true, incarnate Word.

[S. M.

5 Blest Saviour, come once more
With power and grace divine;
Our hearts thy living temples make,
Wholly and ever thine.

ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

181 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall [S. M. 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.

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

3 Ask not how this should be,
But worship and adore,
Like her whom heaven's majesty
Came down to shadow o'er.

4 Meekly she bowed her head
To hear the gracious word,
Mary, the pure and lowly maid,
The favoured of the Lord.

5 Blessed shall be her name

In all the Church on earth,

Through whom that wondrous mercy came,
The incarnate Saviour's birth.

182

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS.

"O praise the Lord, all ye his hosts: ye servants [7s. of his that do his pleasure."

PRAISE

to God who reigns above,

Binding earth and heaven in love;

All the armies of the sky

Worship his dread sovereignty.

2 Seraphim his praises sing,
Cherubim on fourfold wing,

Thrones, Dominions, Princes, Powers,
Ranks of Might that never cowers.

3 Angel hosts his word fulfil,
Ruling nature by his will:
Round his throne archangels pour
Songs of praise for evermore.

4 Yet on man they joy to wait,

All that bright celestial state,
For true Man their Lord they see,
Christ, the incarnate Deity.

5 On the throne our Lord who died
Sits in manhood glorified,

Where his people faint below
Angels count it joy to go.