57.

C. M.

BOWRING.

Nature's Evening Hymn.

1 THE heavenly spheres to thee, O God, Attune their evening hymn;

All wise, all holy, thou art praised
In song of seraphim!

Unnumbered systems, suns and worlds
Unite to worship thee,
While thy majestic greatness fills
Space, time, eternity.

2 Nature, a temple worthy thee,
That beams with light and love;
Whose flowers so sweetly bloom below,
Whose stars rejoice above,

Whose altars are the mountain cliffs
That rise along the shore;
Whose anthems, the sublime accord
Of storm and ocean roar;

3 Her song of gratitude is sung

By spring's awakening hours;
Her summer offers at thy shrine
Its earliest, loveliest flowers;
Her autumn brings its ripened fruits
In glorious luxury given;
While winter's silver heights reflect
Thy brightness back to heaven.

4 On all thou smil'st; and what is man Before thy presence, God?

A breath but yesterday inspired,
To-morrow but a clod.

That clod shall mingle in the vale,
But, kindled, Lord, by thee,
The spirit to thy arms shall spring,
To life, to liberty.

1 THUS far the Lord has led me on,
Thus far his power prolongs my days!
And every evening shall make known
Some fresh memorial of his grace.

2 Much of my time has run to waste,
And I, perhaps, am near my home;
But he forgives my follies past,
He gives me strength for days to come.
3 I lay my body down to sleep;
Peace is the pillow for my head:
While well appointed angels keep
Their watchful stations round my bed.
4 Faith in his name forbids my fear:
O may thy presence ne'er depart!
And in the morning make me hear
Thy love and kindness in my heart.

5 Thus when the night of death shall come,
My flesh shall rest beneath the ground,
And wait thy voice to rouse my tomb,
With sweet salvation in the sound.

70

GENERAL PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING.

59.

P. M.

ANONYMOUS.

Solemn Invocation.

1 COME, thou Almighty King!
Help us thy name to sing;
Help us to praise !

Father all glorious,

O'er all victorious,

Come and reign over us,
Ancient of days!

2 Come, thou all gracious Lord!
By heaven and earth adored,
Our prayer attend!

Come, and thy children bless:
Give thy good word success;
Make thine own holiness
On us descend!

3 Never from us depart;
Rule thou in every heart,
Hence, evermore!

Thy sovereign majesty
May we in glory see,

And to eternity

Love and adore.

Praise to the only true God. Ps. 86.

1 ETERNAL God, almighty cause
Of earth and seas and worlds unknown;
All things are subject to thy laws;
All things depend on thee alone.

2 Thy glorious being singly stands,
Of all within itself possessed:
Controlled by none are thy commands,
Thou in thyself alone art blessed.

3 Worship to thee alone belongs;
Worship to thee alone we give;
Thine be our hearts, and thine our songs;
And to thy glory may we live.

4 Lord, spread thy name through heathen lands; Their idol deities dethrone;

Subdue the world to thy commands,

And reign, as thou art, God alone.

61.

10 & 11s. M. SPIRIT OF THE PSALMS. Adoring Praise. Ps. 104.

1 Oн praise ye the Lord, his greatness proclaim; Jehovah, our God, how awful thy name! How vast is thy power, thy glory how great; Lo, myriads of spirits thy mandates await!

2 Thy canopy's heaven, in splendor so bright; Thy chariot the clouds, thy garment the light. The works of creation thy bidding perform; Thou ridest the whirlwind, directest the storm.

3 What wisdom is shown, what power displayed In all that thy hand hath fashioned and made! The earth full of riches, in beauty complete; The fathomless ocean, with wonders replete.

4 0 thou, our great God, Redeemer and King, With hearts full of love, to thee will we sing; To life's latest moment our voices we 'll raise, And join the full chorus of blessing and praise.

62.

L. M.

TATE & BRADY.

Thanksgiving and Holiness. Ps. 106.

1 0 RENDER thanks to God above,
The fountain of eternal love;
Whose mercy firm through ages past
Has stood, and shall forever last.

2 Who can his mighty deeds express,
Not only vast, but numberless?
What mortal eloquence can raise
His tribute of immortal praise?

3 Happy are they, and only they,

Who from thy judgments never stray;
Who know what's right; nor only so,
But always practise what they know.

4 Extend to me that favor, Lord,
Thou to thy chosen dost afford:
When thou return'st to set them free,
Let thy salvation visit me.

5 O may I worthy prove to see
Thy saints in full prosperity;
That I the joyful choir may join,
And count thy people's triumph mine.