90

dim

or

As Did the guiding star behold;
S with gladness men of old

As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright,

So, most gracious God, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.

2 As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to Thy lowly bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him whom heaven and earth adore,
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy-seat.

3 As they offered gifts most rare
At Thy cradle 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.

p 4 Holy Jesus, every day

cr

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.

f 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

Hallelujahs to our King.

W. C. Dix.

Epipbany Bymn. [FIRST TUNE.] 11.10.11.10. (dactylic).

J. F. THRUPP.

91

We have seen His star in the east.-MATT. ii. 2.

best of the sons of the morning,

f 1 BRIGHTEST and darkness, and lend us thine aid;

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

p 2 Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him, in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch, and Saviour of all.

3 Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odours of Edom, and offerings divine;

Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

p 4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation;

cr

Vainly with gifts would His favour secure ;
Richer by far is the heart's adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

f 5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

R. Heber.

93 In Him was life, and the life was the
light of men.-JOHN i. 4.
LORD and Master of us all!

Whate'er our name or sign,
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
We test our lives by Thine.

2 Thou judgest us: Thy purity

Doth all our lusts condemn;

The love that draws us nearer Thee
Is hot with wrath to them.

3 Our thoughts lie open to Thy sight,
And naked to Thy glance,
Our secret sins are in the light
Of Thy pure countenance.

4 Yet, weak and blinded though we be,
Thou dost our service own;

We bring our varying gifts to Thee,
And Thou rejectest none.

5 To Thee our full humanity,

Its joys, and pains belong;
The wrong of man to man on Thee
Inflicts a deeper wrong.

6 Deep strike Thy roots, O heavenly Vine,
Within our earthly sod,

Most human and yet most Divine,

The flower of man and God!
J. G. Whittier.

94

1

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.-
JOHN xiv. 6.

WE faintly hear, we dimly see,

In differing phrase we pray;
But, dim or clear, we own in Thee
The Light, the Truth, the Way!
2 Apart from Thee all gain is loss,
All labour vainly done;
The solemn shadow of Thy cross
Is better than the sun.

3 Alone, O Love ineffable!

Thy saving name is given;
To turn aside from Thee is hell,
To walk with Thee is heaven!

4 Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord,
What may Thy service be?

Nor name, nor form, nor ritual word,
But simply following Thee.

5 Thy litanies, sweet offices
Of love and gratitude;
Thy sacramental liturgies,
The joy of doing good.

6 The heart must ring Thy Christmas bells,
Thy inward altars raise,

Its faith and hope Thy canticles,

And its obedience praise.

J. G. Whit

95

As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly.-1 COR. xv. 49.

21 MEAN may seem this house of clay,

Yet 'twas the Lord's abode ;

Our feet may mourn this thorny way,
Yet here Immanuel trod.

2 This fleshly robe the Lord did wear;
This watch the Lord did keep;

These burdens sore the Lord did bear;
These tears the Lord did weep.

3 Our very frailty brings us near
Unto the Lord of heaven;
To every grief, to every tear,
Such glory strange is given.

4 But not this robe of flesh alone
Shall link us, Lord, to Thee;
Not only in the tear and groan
Shall the dear kindred be.

cr 5 Our own will be Thy life divine,
Thine image we shall bear ;

With Thine own glory we shall shine.
In Thine own bliss shall share.

60 mighty grace, our life to live
To make our earth divine!

O mighty grace, Thy heaven to give,
And lift our life to Thine!

T. H. Gill.