ADVENT.·

THE Church has waited long
Her absent Lord to see;
And still in loneliness she waits,
A friendless stranger she.
Age after age has gone,

Sun after sun has set,

And still in weeds of widowhood

She weeps a mourner yet.

Come, then, Lord Jesus, come!

Saint after saint on earth

Has lived, and loved, and died;
And as they left us one by one,
We laid them side by side;
We laid them down to sleep,
But not in hope forlorn ;
We laid them but to ripen there,
Till the last glorious morn.

Came, then, Lord Jesus, come!

The serpent's brood increase,

The powers of hell grow bold,
The conflict thickens, faith is low,
And love is waxing cold.
How long, O Lord our God,

Holy and true, and good,

Wilt Thou not judge Thy suffering Church,
Her sighs and tears and blood?

Come, then, Lord Jesus, come !

We long to hear Thy voice,

To see Thee face to face,

To share Thy crown and glory then,
As now we share Thy grace.

Should not the loving bride

The absent bridegroom mourn?

Should she not wear the weeds of grief

Until her Lord return?

Come, then, Lord Jesus, come!

The whole creation groans,

And waits to hear that voice,
That shall restore her comeliness,

And make her wastes rejoice.

DAWN.

Come, Lord, and wipe away

The curse, the sin, the stain,

Aud make this blighted world of ours
Thine own fair world again.

Come, then, Lord Jesus, come !

DAWN.

LIGHT of the better morning,
Shine down on me!

Sun of the brighter heaven,

Bid darkness flee!

Thy warmth impart
To this dull heart:

Pour in thy light,
And let this night

Be turned to day

By thy mild ray!

Lord Jesus, come;

Thou day-star shine;

Enlighten now

This soul of mine!

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Streaks of the better dawning
Break on my sight,

Fringing with silver edges.

These clouds of night.

Gems on morn's brow,

Glow, brightly glow,
Foretelling soon

The ascending noon,
Wakening this earth
To second birth,

When He shall come

To earth again,

Who comes to judge,

Who comes to reign.

RETURN UNTO THY REST.

CEASE, my soul, thy strayings!

Have they brought thee peace ?

Come, no more delayings,

Cease thy wanderings, cease.

These vanities how vain!

Wander not again.

Thou hast found thy centre;
There, my soul, abide;

Never more adventure

Now to swerve aside.

These vanities how vain!

Wander not again.

Thou hast reached thy dwelling;

Safe, sure anchorage
From the perilous swelling

Of the tempest's rage.

These vanities how vain!

Wander not again.