Defend, O God! with guardian hand, And grant our church Thy grace to stand In faith and unity! The Spirit's help of Thee we crave, That Thou, whose blood was shed to save, A flock to welcome Thee! TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. To conquer and to save, the Son of God The grave unbolted half his grisly door, (For darkness and the deep had heard His fame, FOR ST. JAMES'S DAY. THOUGH sorrows rise, and dangers roll I love Thee, Lord! I love Thee still! Though Sinai's curse, in thunder dread, Oh, by the pangs Thyself hast borne, Thou lovest me, Lord! Thou lovest me still! MICHAELMAS DAY. OH Captain of God's host, whose dreadful might Led forth to war the armed seraphim, And from the starry height, Subdued in burning fight, Cast down that ancient dragon, dark and grim! Thine angels, Christ! we laud in solemn lays, Our elder brethren of the crystal sky, Who, 'mid Thy glory's blaze, The ceaseless anthem raise, And gird Thy throne in faithful ministry! We celebrate their love, whose viewless wing To mortal saints to bring, Or guard the couch of slumbering infancy. But Thee, the First and Last, we glorify, Who when Thy world was sunk in death and sin, The armies of the sky, But didst with Thine own arm the battle win. Alone didst pass the dark and dismal shore, Didst light and life restore, To us who lay in darkness and undone! Therefore, with angels and archangels, we To Thy dear love our thankful chorus raise, And tune our songs to Thee, Who art, and art to be, And endless as Thy mercies sound Thy praise! IN TIMES OF DISTRESS AND DANGER. OH God, that madest earth and sky, the darkness and the day, Give ear to this Thy family, and help us when we pray ! For wide the waves of bitterness around our vessel roar, And heavy grows the pilot's heart to view the rocky shore ! The cross our Master bore for us, for Him we fain would bear, But mortal strength to weakness turns, and courage to despair! Then mercy on our failings, Lord! our sinking faith renew! And when Thy sorrows visit us, oh send thy patience too! BEFORE A COLLECTION MADE FOR THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL. FROM Greenland's icy mountains, From India's coral strand, Roll down their golden sand; From many an ancient river, Their land from error's chain! What though the spicy breezes The gifts of God are strown, Bows down to wood and stone! Can we, whose souls are lighted Till each remotest nation Has learn'd Messiah's name! Waft, waft, ye winds, his story, It spreads from pole to pole! |