3

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting thou art God,
To endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;

Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,

Be thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.

[L. M

30

NEW YEAR.

My times are in thy hand."

HE God of life, whose constant care

THE

With blessings crowns each opening year,

My scanty span doth still prolong,

And wakes anew mine annual song.

2 Thy children, panting to be gone,
May bid the tide of time roll on,
To land them on that happy shore
Where years and death are known no more.

3 No more fatigue, no more distress,
Nor sin, nor hell, shall reach that place;
No groans, to mingle with the songs
Resounding from immortal tongues:

4 No more alarms from ghostly foes;
No cares to break the long repose;
No midnight shade, no clouded sun,
But sacred, high, eternal noon.

5 O long-expected year! begin; .
Dawn on this world of woe and sin;
Fain would we leave this weary road,
And sleep in death, to rest with Göd.

31 'Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in [7s. DOUBLE all generations."

WHILE with ceaseless course the sun

Hasted through the former year,

Many souls their race have run,

Never more to meet us here:

Fixed in an eternal state,

They have done with all below:

We a little longer wait,

But how little, none can know.

2 As the wingèd arrow flies

Speedily the mark to find;

As the lightning from the skies

Darts, and leaves no trace behind;

32

Swiftly thus our fleeting days.
Bear us down life's rapid stream;
Upward, Lord, our spirits raise;
All below is but a dream.

3 Thanks for mercies past receive;
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us henceforth how to live
With eternity in view:

Bless thy word to young and old;
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
And when life's short tale is told,
May we dwell with thee above.

CIRCUMCISION.

"And when eight days were accomplished for the
circumcising of the Child, his name was called
Jesus."

THE ancient law departs

And all its terrors cease;

For Jesus makes with faithful hearts

A covenant of peace.

2 The Light of light divine,

True Brightness undefiled,

He bears for us the shame of sin,
A holy, spotless Child.

3 To-day the Name is thine,

At which we bend the knee;
They call thee Jesus, Child divine!
Our Jesus deign to be.

[S. M

33 "None other name is given under heaven whereby

[7s.

EPIPHANY.

34 "All the earth shall be filled with his majesty.”

2 He comes with succour speedy
To those who suffer wrong,
To help the poor and needy,
And bid the weak be strong;

To give them songs for sighing,
Their darkness turn to light,
Whose souls, condemn'd and dying,
Were precious in his sight

3 He shall descend like showers
Upon the fruitful earth;
And love and joy, like flowers,
Spring in his path to birth:
Before him, on the mountains,

Shall peace, the herald, go;
And righteousness, in fountains,
From hill to valley flow.

[7s. 6s.

Double.