HYMN 76. C. P. M.

Reign of Christ. Isa. xxxv.

'HE radiant dawn of gospel light,

THE

The prophet saw in vision bright,
And hailed th' auspicious day,

When Christ should all his grace disclose
And cure the world of all its woes,
By truth's triumphant sway.

2 His prosp'rous reign shall still succeed-
So hath Almighty love decreed—
Let earth with anthems ring.
The desert be no longer sad;
The solitary place be glad ;
The wilderness shall sing.

3 Carmel and Sharon too shall bring,
Their honours to the new-born king,
Whose reign shall never cease.
Libanus, wave thy lofty plumes,
For lo! the king of Salem comes—
MESSIAH! prince of peace!

4 The feeble knee confirmed shall stand;
And nerved with strength the trembling hand:
Ye timid souls be brave.

Let all your fears be banished hence;
Behold your God! with recompense
He comes-he comes to save.

5 The blind their eyes shall open wide; To drink the light's o'erflowing tide, The deaf sweet music hear;

The lame like bounding hart shall leap;

The dumb no longer silence keep,
But shout redemption near.

6 And there shall be a holy way,
In which the simple shall not stray-
The path so plain and bright.
Way-faring men therein shall walk,
And of their home and kindred talk,
With rapture and delight.

7 No ravenous beast in quest of prey,
No lion lurking in the way,

Shall ever there be seen.

The place where dragons lay concealed,
Large crops of waving grass shall yield,
With reeds and rushes green.

8 And when to Zion's peaceful home,
The ransomed of the Lord shall come;
(O haste the blissful day,)

Glad strains shall every tongue employ,
In songs of everlasting joy,
And sighing flee away.

HYMN 77. 8 & 7 M.

Birth of Christ.

HARK! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly sounding through the skies?

Lo! th' angelic host rejoices

Heavenly hallelujahs rise.

2 Hear them tell the wondrous story, Hear them chant in hymns of joy,

Glory in the highest-glory!

Glory be to God most high!

{*Rayner.

3 "Peace on earth-good will from heaven,
Reaching far as man is found;
Souls redeemed, and sins forgiven"-
Lord, our golden harps shall sound.

4 Christ is born, the great anointed;
Heaven and earth his praises sing!
O receive whom God appointed
For your prophet, priest and king.

HYMN 78. 10 & 11 M.

The Infant Jesus.

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.

2 Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining,
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall,
Angels adore him in slumber reclining,
Mighty Redeemer 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?

4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would his favour secure :
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,

Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

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!

(Bp. Heber.

9

HYMN 79. P. M. 67.

Birth of Christ.

BEHOLD the prince of peace! He comes,
On wings of everlasting love,
And lo! majestic-majestic anthems break,
From bright angelic tones above.
Wave victorious-victorious conqueror wave,
Thy banner o'er the boasting grave.

2 Let mortals catch the lofty strain,
And shout salvation through the earth:
In loud hosannas-hosannas all rejoice,
And hail with joy the Saviour's birth.
Wave victorious, &c.

3 He comes to break the chains of sin,
And chase the mist of error's gloom:
He comes to conquer-to conquer death, and throw
Celestial splendours round the tomb.

Wave victorious, &c.

4 He comes, arrayed in power divine,
The stern despoiler to destroy:

He comes triumphant-triumphantly he comes
To fill the universe with joy.

Wave victorious, &c.

5 Then sound the anthem loud and long,
Throughout creation's wide domain:

Let heaven re-echo-re-echo through the skies,
The notes first heard on Judea's plain.
Shout glad tidings-glad tidings through the earth;
With rapture hail the Saviour's birth.

[*H. Spencer.

HYMN 80. H. M.

Christ's Birth Proclaimed.

HARK! what celestial notes,
What melody we hear!

Soft on the morn it floats,
And fills the ravished ear.

The tuneful shell, the golden lyre,

And vocal choir, the concert swell.

2 Angelic hosts descend,

With harmony divine;

See, how from heaven they bend,

And in full chorus join!

Fear not, say they; great joy we bring:
Jesus, your king, is born to-day.

3 Glory to God on high!

Ye mortals spread the sound,

And let your raptures fly

To earth's remotest bound!

For peace on earth, from God in heaven,
To man is given, at Jesus' birth.

COMMUNION.

HYMN 81. S. M.

Christian Unity.

ET party names no more

LET

The Christian world o'erspread;

Gentile and Jew, and bond and free,
Art one in Christ, their head.