Cleanse us and remember us,
So we thine shall be !

168.

The Song of Hannah.

My heart rejoiceth in the Lord!
Because I rejoice in thy salvation.
There is none holy as the Lord,
For there is none beside Thee:

Neither is there any rock like our God.
The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth,
And he shall give strength unto his king,
And exalt the horn of his anointed.

1 Sam. ii. 1, 2, 10.

SAINT MATTHIAS'S DAY.

(24th February.)

Epistle, Acts i. 15-26.

Gospel, Matt. xi. 25-30.

Matins, Luke vii.

Evensong, Ephes. i.

169. O save us, for thy Mercy's sake. (C.M.)

UNTO thy heavenly throne, O Lord,
For mercy we appeal,

That thou wouldst send us heavenly balm,
Our grievous wound to heal.

And as Thou art a help to all

That put their trust in Thee,
Vouchsafe, in all our deep distress,
Our comforter to be.

Forgive our sins, forget our ills,
Behold our humble heart;

For only in Thee do we trust
To bid our griefs depart.

And after this our life is done,
O grant us of thy grace,
That in the latter day in heaven
We have a joyful place.

170.

The Barren Fig-tree.

A CERTAIN man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard;

And he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard,

Behold, these three years I come

Seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none:
Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he, answering, said unto him,
Lord, let it alone this year also,

Till I shall dig about it, and dung it;
And if it bear fruit, well;

And if not, then after that thou shalt cut it

down.-Luke xiii. 6.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED

VIRGIN MARY.

(Lady-day, 25th March.)

Epistle, Isaiah vii. 10-15. Gospel, Luke i. 26-38.

Matins, John xii.

Evensong, 2 Tim. iii.

171. He shall gather his Lambs.

BLESSED Saviour, once a child,
Thou didst righteousness fulfil;

(7's.)

Lowly, gentle, hallowed, mild,
Thou didst do Thy Father's will.
Glory unto Thee we sing
For thy love to children shown,
Praising them who did them bring,
Marking infants for thine own.
Yea, thy tender, ceaseless love
Keeps thy lambs within thine arms;
Trains them up for heaven above,
Shields them safe from Satan's harms.
In Thy paths thou mak'st them go,
For their peace doth mercy yearn ;
Oft Thou teachest babes to know
Truths which wise men never learn.

172. The Daysman betwixt God and us.

BEHOLD, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory:

This great fire will consume us :

If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.

Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say:

And speak thou unto us

All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee,

And we will hear it and do it.

And the Lord said unto me,

O that there were such an heart in them.

Deut. v. 24.

SAINT MARK'S DAY.

(25th April.)

Epistle, Ephes. iv. 7-16. Gospel, John xv. 1-11.

Matins, Acts xxii.

Evensong, 1 John i.

173. A Little Child's Loneliness. (s.M.)

How sad and strange I feel;

No friend I love is near!
Father and mother both are far!
How lonely to be here!

The twilight has come on,
"Twill soon be dark black night!
How shall I go to sleep alone,
Lest dreams should me affright?

Yet, why am I afraid?
Is the great God away?
That cannot be; so let me kneel,
And sing my hymn and pray.

I cannot be alone

As long as God is here;

And he will keep me safe all night,
And drive away my fear.

174.

The Gospel of Peace.

How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,

That publisheth peace;

That bringeth good tidings of good,

That publisheth salvation;

That saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth.
Isaiah lii. 7.

The upward Way.

(L.M.)

A THOUSAND ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
O let my willing steps ascend
That upward pathway to the sky.
The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek eternal joys above,
Where glory without end shall be
The gift of God's unbounded love.
How many never knew that road,
How many hate it when 'tis known;
And none save those who learn of God
Will care to choose it for their own.
O Christ, who art thyself the way,
From sin and dangers I would flee;
My lamp by night, my guide by day,
O help Thy child to follow Thee.

176. The Kingdom of Christ.

THE eyes of them that see shall not be dim,