Let this mortal frame decay,
Mingled with its kindred clay;
Since Thy mercies oft of old
By Thy chosen seers foretold,
Faithful now and stedfast prove,
God of truth, and God of love:

2 Since, at length, mine aged eye
Sees the day-spring from on high;
Those whom death had overspread
With his dark and dreary shade
Lift their eyes, and from afar
Hail the light of Jacob's star,
Waiting till the promised ray
Turn their darkness into day.
3 Sun of Righteousness, to Thee,
Lo, the nations bow the knee;
And the realms of distant kings
Own the healing of Thy wings.
See the beams, intensely shed,
Shine on Zion's favoured head;
Never may they thence remove,
God of truth, and God of love!

186 Where is He that is born King of the

Jews? Matt. ii.

I WHAT star is this so strangely bright,
Which shames the sun with fairer light?
It marks a new King's natal day,
To God's own cradle shows the way.
2 And lo, the eastern sages stand

To read in heaven the Lord's command: Children of faith they come; they find The Prince and Saviour of mankind. 3 They bless the meek and holy Child, An infant Lord, and Monarch mild: Their riches at His feet they pour, And with the heart their King adore. 4 O heavenly Lord, O holy Light, That shines through Nature's wondering night,

What marvels in Thy love we trace, What power divine, what glorious grace! 5 And now, thou bright and morning star, Arise again, and shine afar

From sea to sea, from shore to shore,
Till utmost tribes their King adore.
6 To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
May every tongue and nation raise
An endless song of thankful praise.

Amen.

1 HAIL the day, when in the sky
Shone the Day-spring from on high;
When the star from heaven displayed
Where the holy Child was laid. Alleluia!

2 Onward moving that bright flame
Did the Saviour's birth proclaim;
And the Gentiles came to bring
Offerings to their infant King.

3 Lord of glory, may Thy light
Shine upon our darkened sight,
Till it guide us to the rest
Where Thy people shall be blest.
4 May it light us on the road
Leading to the throne of God;
And our offering then shall be
Hearts devoted, Lord, to Thee.

5 Hymns of glory and of praise,
Father, unto Thee we raise;
Praise to Thee, O Christ our King,
And the Holy Ghost, we sing.

All.

All.

All.

AIL

1 THE ancient sages, led from far, Pressed on their doubtful, anxious way;

Nor rested, till the blazing star

Stood o'er the place where Jesus lay.
They came, they saw, and they adored;
Each costly treasure they unfold;
And offer to their infant Lord
Their myrrh, their frankincense, and
gold.

2 That star to us its light imparts;
Let us our pilgrimage pursue,
And with the homage of our hearts

To Bethlehem haste, and worship too. May we through life its guidance trace,

And mark its path o'er earthly things,
Until it lead us to the place

Where Jesus reigns, the King of
Kings.

3 Light of the world, true Light, arise,
Nor cease to shed Thy cheering ray,
Till o'er all lands beneath the skies
Thy glory shine in perfect day.
To God the Father lift your voice, &c,

E

189

We are come to worship Him. Matt. ii. 1 WITH the shepherds, adoration Let us bring to our salvation, Jesus, hope of every nation:

Fear ye not, the angels say: Flesh the King of glory taketh, His abode with us He maketh, And to festive praise awaketh

Heaven upon His natal day. 2 With the eastern sages pouring

At His feet their gifts, adoring,
Who for them in heaven is storing
Better riches than they bring,
To the Father and the Spirit,
And to Jesus, by whose merit
Life eternal we inherit,

Thanks and praises let us sing.

190

Walk as children of light. Eph. v. 1 BRIGHT was the guiding star that led, With mild benignant ray, The Gentiles to the lowly shed

Where earth's Redeemer lay.

2 But lo, a brighter, clearer light

Now points to His abode;

It shines through sin and sorrow's night
To guide us to our God.

30 gladly tread the narrow path,

While light and grace are given;
Who meekly follow Christ on earth,
Shall reign with Him in heaven.

4 Praise we the Father and the Son,
The Holy Ghost adore,

The God in whom we live alone,

One God for evermore.

3 As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin's alloy,

All our costliest treasures bring,

Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King. All.

4 Holy Jesus, every day

Keep us in the narrow way;

And when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
5 In the heavenly country bright
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There for ever may we sing
Alleluias to our King.

All.

All.

1 UP, up; new light upon thee breaks; Delay, my soul, no more:

The star of morning bids thee rise
And ope the lingering door.

2 Go, quit thy country; seek thy rest In other lands afar;

But ever keep thy wistful eyes

Upon the morning star.

3 It calls thee to a better home,

To joys untold, unpriced;
It leads thee to a Babe divine,
Thy Saviour, Jesus Christ.

4 He is the branch of Jesse's stem,

The rose of Sharon's mead; He is the very Lamb of God, And David's royal seed.

PART II.

5 Up, up, my soul; thy Lord to seek
Go forth without delay;

Yet walk with careful heed, and ask
Of all who know, the way.

6 But chief consult the Word of God;
Its voice is true and right;

It leads thee from the darkness forth
Into the perfect light.

7 When thou hast found that holy Babe,
In faith before Him fall;

To Him thy treasures yield, to Him
Thy love, thy life, thy all.

8 For He will speed thee on, fulfilled
With His refreshing grace,
To find a better fatherland,
A happier dwelling-place.

9 He points to seats beyond the skies,
The mansions of the blest,
Where Herods persecute no more,
And holy pilgrims rest.

194 They presented unto Him gifts, gold, and

frankincense and myrrh. Matt. ii.

10 BLESSED Babe divine,

What offerings shall we give Thee?

The gold of faith be Thine:

For we will still believe Thee.

O fill our eager hearts

With Thy refreshing grace,

And make them fit to be

Thy chosen dwelling-place.

2 Let frankincense aspire,

Pure sighs of sweetest savour,
Which pine with fond desire

To find Thy gracious favour.
O make them purer yet,
And send Thy Spirit down
The altar of our hearts
With holy fire to crown.

3 And myrrh too we prepare,
Our bitter tribulation,
Such grief as Thou didst bear
For us and our salvation.
Be strength and courage ours
In toil and tears and pain
With Thee to wear the yoke,

The cross with Thee sustain

4 Lo, all of ours is Thine,

Each hope and thought and feeling:
Come, blessed Babe divine,
Thyself in us revealing.
To Thee, and God in Thee,

Our dearest wishes tend:
O make us Thine and His

Through ages without end.

10 HEAVENLY Love, arise, arise,

And shed abroad Thy saving ray,
Shine Thou upon our darkened eyes,
And lead us in the perfect way.

2 As in the likeness of a star
Thou once arosest, guidance meet,
And led'st the sages from afar
To sit at holy Jesu's feet;

3 So guide us, safe from Satan's snares:
Shine out, sweet Star, around, above,
Till we have scaled the mighty stairs,
And reached Thy mansions, Heavenly
Love:

Where saints and harping Seraphim
Their songs of endless joy repeat,
And life itself is one glad hymn
To Father, Son, and Paraclete. Amen.

2 Thongh by a star Thou dost not lead Thy servants now below,

Yet Thy good Spirit, when they need,

Will show them how to go.

3 Though now we know Thee but in part, 'Tis written in Thy Word

That "Blessed are the pure in heart,
"For they shall see the Lord."
4 O Saviour, give us then Thy grace
To make us pure in heart,

That we may see Thee face to face
Hereafter as Thou art. Amen.

197

Rachel weeping for her children.
Matt. ii.

1 A VOICE comes from Ramah,
A voice of despair,
For death's gloomy angel
Is triumphing there:
His arrow the sweet buds

Of innocence smote,
And Rachel is weeping

For hers that are not.

2 Alas for the parents

Whose hope and whose trust
Are withered and broken,

And hid in the dust;
Where the blossom of morning
All lovely appears,
But the dewdrops of evening
Are mingled with tears!

3 A voice comes from Ramah,
A voice of dismay,

198

But the words of Jehovah

Can soothe it away: They tell of a region Where grief is forgot, And Rachel is solaced

For those that are not.

A voice was heard in Ramah. Jer. xxxi.

1 A VOICE from Ramah there was sent,
A voice of weeping and lament;
When Rachel mourned the children sore
Whom for the tyrant's knife she bore.
Triumphal is their glory now,
Whom earthly torments could not bow,
What time of hearts with anguish rent
A voice from Ramah there was sent.
2 Fear not, O little flock and blest,
The lion who your life opprest.
To heavenly pastures ever new
The heavenly Shepherd leadeth you,

Who dwelling now on Zion hill
The Lamb's fair footsteps follow stil
By tyrant there no more distrest,
Fear not, O little flock and blest.

3 And every tear is wiped away

By your dear Father's hands for aye:
Death has no power to hurt you now,
For whom life's ceaseless waters flow.
Who sow their seed, and sowing weep,
In everlasting joy shall reap,

What time they shine in heavenly day,
And every tear is wiped away.

199

And would not be comforted. Matt. ii. 18.

1 WHY weep'st thou by thy children's tomb? O Rachel, weep not so:

The bud is cropt by martyrdom,

The flower in heaven shall blow. Firstlings of faith! the murderer's knife Hath missed its deadly aim;

The God, for whom they gave their life,
For them to suffer came.

2 Though evil were their days and few,
Baptized in blood and pain,

He knows them whom they never knew,
And they shall live again.

Then weep not o'er thy children's tomb,
O Rachel, weep not so:

The bud is cropt by martyrdom;

The flower in heaven shall blow.

1 GLORY to Thee, O Lord,

Who from this world of sin
By cruel Herod's ruthless sword
Those precious ones did'st win!
Baptized in their own blood,

Earth's untried perils o'er,
They passed unconsciously the flood
And safely gained the shore.

3 Glory to Thee for all

The ransomed infant band,

Who since that hour have heard Thy call,

And reached the quiet land!

4 0 that our hearts within

Like theirs, were pure and bright!
O that as free from deeds of sin
We shrank not from Thy sight!

201

A door of hope opened. Hos. ii.

1 AWAKE, my soul, and bless His Name Whose mercies never fail;

Who shows to thee a door of hope
In Achor's gloomy vale.
2 Behold the portal wide displayed,
The buildings strong and fair;
Within are pastures fresh and green,
And living streams are there.

3 Enter, my soul, with cheerful haste,
For Jesus is the door;

Nor fear the serpent's wily arts,
Nor fear the lion's roar.

4 O may His grace the nations lead,

And Jew and Gentile come,

All travelling through one beauteous gate

To one eternal home.

5 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, &c.

202 Psalm 1xvii. God be merciful unto

us, &c.