As we pass the hallow'd porch,
From our hearts the world exclude;
On the quiet of Thy Church

Let no earth-born thoughts intrude.

Meet it is that we begin
With acknowledgment of sin;
Such true repentance teach us,
That the Absolution reach us,

Then on David's sweetest strain,
All our varied notes employ ;
Let not round us float in vain
Prayer of anguish, hymn of joy.

Lead our spirits up to Thee,
Through our fervent Litany;
Nerve us when we chant our Creed;
For its glorious truths to bleed-

Lord, Thy special grace we seek
On thy Gospel's Minister;
Teach Thy servant how to speak,
Teach Thy people how to hear.

HYMN XXIX.

ADVENT.

HARK, the glad sound! the Saviour comes,
The Saviour promis'd long;

Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne,
And ev'ry voice a song.

He comes the pris'ners to release

In Satan's bondage held;

The gates of brass before Him break,
The iron fetters yield.

He comes to bind the broken heart,
To make the wounded whole;
To preach glad tidings to the meek,
And bless the humble soul.

Our glad Hosannahs, Prince of Peace,
Thine advent shall proclaim,

And heav'n's exalted arch resounds
Thine everlasting name.

HYMN XXX.

CHRISTMAS.

THINK on the mercy of our God,
Our great Redeemer's love;
How the dim waste of earth He trod,
And left His throne above!
And all, frail man, His foe to save,
And shew him hopes beyond the grave.

He came not in a warrior's path,
With mighty armies strong;
He came not as a God of wrath,
Avenging Judah's wrong—

To preach on earth His Father's word,
A little child, came Christ the Lord.

Glad was our Saviour's natal morn;
Angels rejoic'd in heaven;
That" unto us a Child is born,
To us a Son is given;"

And Angels left their home on high,
To tell of Christ's nativity.

HYMN XXXI.

FOR LENT.

OF sacred usage old

The lenten fast appears;

The Church attends and calls her fold To penitence and tears.

Such rite in days of yore

The Law, the Prophets shew'd;
Christ to the rite His witness bore,
And sanctified the mode.

In food, in sport, in sleep,
'Gainst o'er indulgence guard;
And e'en in sinless pleasures keep
A stricter watch and ward.

But chief each act of sin,

Each wish, each thought control, Nor give the tempter place to win Dominion o'er the soul.

HYMN XXXII.

GOOD FRIDAY.

SEE the destin❜d day arise!
See, a willing sacrifice

To redeem our fatal loss,
Jesus hangs upon the Cross.

Jesus, who but Thou had borne,

Lifted on that tree of scorn,

Every pang and bitter throe,
Finishing Thy life of woe?

Who but Thou had dar'd to drain,
Steep'd in gall, the cup of pain ;
And with tender body bear

Thorns, and nails, and piercing spear?

Thence pour'd forth the water flow'd,
Mingled from Thy side with blood,
Sign to all attesting eyes
Of the finish'd sacrifice.

Holy Jesus, grant us grace
In that sacrifice to place
All our trust for life renew'd,
Pardon'd sin, and promis'd good.

HYMN XXXIII.

EASTER DAY.

FAINT are the hopes which nature gives
That man again shall rise;

Too faint to guide him while he lives,
Or cheer him when he dies.

That night which saw the sealed stone
Roll'd from Thine empty tomb;
That night, assurance gives alone,
O Lord, of life to come.

To those at dawn, who thither sped,
How sweet the seraph strain,

"Seek

ye the living 'mong the dead? Your Lord is risen again,"

Our Lord is risen. But if we seek
Where He is gone, to go,

We must like Him be pure and meek,
And bear His yoke below.

If by His love and power upborne,
On Him in faith we stay,

The worldling's dread, the judgment morn, Shall be our Easter day.

HYMN XXXIV.

ASCENSION DAY.

BLEST Saviour, now Thy work is done,
O'er death and hell the victory;
And Thou, ascended to put on
The glories of eternity.

'Mid wondering angels, without end,
Th' eternal doors are open wide;
While, God and man, Thou dost ascend
To set Thee at Thy Father's side.

Our one High Priest, our Advocate,
Our Intercessor there on high;
Offering for us, without the gate,
The blood of endless charity.

Where Thou, our Head, art gone before,
Do Thou to Thee the body draw;

By ways where Thine own steps of yore
Have trod, Thine own life-giving law.