Alway with Thy Church art thou,
Present with us even now ;
To our souls for ever near,
Us to nourish, keep, and cheer!
By the sacramental bread,
On Thyself the soul is fed ;
Of Thy living blood, the wine
To the faithful is the sign.

223. Christ our Passover sacrificed for us. The cup of blessing which we bless, Is it not the communion of the blood of

Christ? The bread which we break, Is it not the communion of the body of

Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one

body : For we are all partakers of that one bread.

1 Cor. x. 16.

SACRED PLACES AND TIMES.

Consecration Service for Churches and

Churchyards. BLESSED be thy name, O Lord God, for that it pleaseth thee to have thy habitation among the sons of men upon earth. Grant that in this place, now set apart to thy

service, thy holy name may be worshipped in truth and purity to all generations.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to be now present with us who are here to consecrate this place to the honour of thy great name, separating it henceforth from all

unhallowed, ordinary, and common uses, and dedicating it entirely to thy service and holy worship.

O God, thou hast taught us in thy Word that there is a difference between the spirit of a beast that goeth downwards to the earth, and the spirit of a man which goeth up to God who gave it. By the example of thy holy servants in all ages, thou hast taught us to set apart peculiar places where the bodies of thy saints may rest in peace, and be preserved from all indignities, while their souls are safely kept in the hands of their faithful Redeemer. Mercifully accept this work of ours, in separating this portion of land to that good service.

224. Church is the House of God. (7’s.)

In this house the Lord is near,
God our Saviour dwelleth here!
Let no evil enter in,
Idle looks or thoughts of sin.
In this house our fathers prayed,
Round it in the dust they're laid ;

To their judgment they have passed,
We like them shall die at last.
Here to Jesus we were given,
And baptized as heirs to heaven ;
Here “our Father” doth us meet;
Here, O here's his mercy seat.
In this house his people pray,
And his servant shows the way ;
He is praised, his Word is read,
And his Church with manna fed.
In this house with holy fear,
Still remember God is near ;
Quietness around should tell,

Here it pleases God to dwell."

66

225. Reverence in the House of God. KEEP thy foot when thou goest to the

house of God; And be more ready to hear, Than to give the sacrifice of fools : For they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, And let not thine heart be hasty To utter anything before God : For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth : Therefore let thy words be few. Pay that which thou hast vowed.

Eccles. v. 1.

226. The Eye of God at Church. (L. M.)
It is the holy house of prayer,
God's flock have met to worship there;
The cloud of angels, as of old,
Look down, and what do they behold ?
You who have been to Jesus given,
Mark'd with his cross, baptized for heaven,
Forget your God in wicked play,
With idle thoughts and eyes astray !
There is a silent One unseen,
Whose piercing eye, so calm and keen,
Ranges through every aisle and pew,
Fixing his sorrowing look on you !
'Tis
your

Redeemer ever near;
He waits your simple prayer to hear ;
But (), you mock at all his grace,
Yet you must one day see his face !

227. All things to be done decently.
I WOULD have you know,
That the Head of every man is Christ ;
And the head of the woman is the man;
And the head of Christ is God.
Every man praying or prophesying, having

his head covered, Dishonoureth his Head. But every woman that prayeth or prophe

sieth with her head uncovered,

Dishonoureth her head.
Let women keep silence in the churches,
For it is not permitted them to speak ;
For it is a shame for women to speak in the

church. i Cor. xi. 3 ; xiv, 34, 35.

228. Honour the Churchyard. (7's.)
Let us all tread gently here,
For this dust to God is dear ;
And we walk o’er many a head
Lowly in its narrow bed.
In the churchyard's holy ground,
Christian dust is all around ;
Every lump of earth we see,
Once had life as well as we.
Here we will not jump nor play,
Let all noise keep far away ;
When the trumpet shakes the skies,
All this dust shall live and rise.
Here some loving father sleeps,
While at home his orphan weeps!
Here some babe is turned to clay,
From its mother snatched away.
Here are brothers, sisters dear,
Who their happy homes did cheer !
Let us always, as we tread,
Think of the tears that have been shed.