And, lo, the threefold band, That by yon altar stand! Childhood, and age, and virgin purity: She, mother undefil'd, And He, her Heaven-born child, And age, at such a sight, content in peace to die. But, ah! what sorrows fierce, What sword that heart shall pierce, Oh, born for keenest throb of deepest woe!- Another altar rise, And from this Holy Lamb th' atoning life-blood flow! Death's dark wing hovers o'er His holy head: And soon to manhood's bloom His sorrowing years shall come, And soon for gullty man His guiltless blood be To God the Father, Son, And Spirit, Three in One, In union blest one common voice we raise. To Thee, blest Trinity, Eternal glory be ; Pure be our hearts, and ceaseless be our praise. On the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. ZECH. ii. This is the festal light, Salvation's herald bright, When the golden sun was sent From the crystal firmament. We were all in ruin'd plight, Lo, God Himself comes down. Who with the Eternal Father shared His throne, And on His bosom lay, the Eternal Son, He wears time's lowly weeds, Nor scorns the Virgin's womb, the Holy One, Puts on our mortal needs, And as our victim bleeds, That by His guiltless blood He may atone For all our guilty deeds. He who fills all with His own Deity, Our earth hath trod, In lineaments of poor mortality: To bring us back to God, He makes us His abode. Then to His feet, who comes our King, All worship let us bring; Three persons and one God let endless ages sing. 2. The angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.-LUKE i. The herald lights from Heav'n on golden wing, Thee, from that wondrous and stupendous birth Thus moulded by the Spirit's holy flame, Thus He, who, ere the course of time began, To praise His Name, till time his course hath run, St. John in the Esland of Patmos. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the Isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Ghrist.-REV. i. John, by a tyrant's stern command, But his free spirit takes her flight Into the regions of the light. |