Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Burial of the Dead.

70. CEASE, ye tearful mourners!

Thus your

hearts to rend;

Death is life's beginning

Rather than its end.

What though now to darkness

We this body give;
Soon shall all its senses
Re-awake and live;

And from its corruption
This same body soar,
With the self-same spirit
That was here of yore.

This was once the mansion
Of a soul endow'd
With sublimest powers,
By the breath of GOD.

Here eternal Wisdom
Lately made His home;
And again will claim it
In the days to come.

O divinest Period!

Speed upon thy way;

O eternal Justice!

Make no more delay. Amen.

71.

GR

The Vigils of Saints' Days.

REAT GOD, Whose Strength Thy martyrs steel'd

To follow Thy Unrivall❜d Son,

By Whom they braved the battle field,
By Whom the palm of conquest won;

Thy Strength, by sin assailed, we pray
To shield us in our mortal strife,
To drive the taint of guilt away,

To guard us from the ills of life.

The chains by Thee were loosed, that held
Thy martyr'd Saints in thrall below:
O, be it ours, by Thee upheld,

Away the world's vile bonds to throw !

O, be it ours, like them, to win

The vesture white, the branching palm;
And, free from sorrow as from sin,
To chant to Thee the holy psalm,-

To Thee, above Thy heavenly Host,

O FATHER, on Thy Glory's Throne; And join'd with Thee, the HOLY GHOST,

And, Virgin-born, th' Incarnate SON. Amen.

72.

The Conversion of St. Paul.

AINST what foeman art thou rushing?
Saul, what madness drives thee on?

Innocents in fury crushing,

Children of the sinless One:

Whom thou hatest,

His just Power thou shalt own!

See! the LORD, from Heaven descending,
Smites him, blinds him, lays him low;
See the persecutor bending

Humbly, meekly, to the blow;
See him rising

Friend to CHRIST, no longer foe.

Breathing slaughter, chains preparing,
O, how fierce his anger burn'd!
Trembling now, and lost his daring,
Meek obedience he has learn'd;
The destroyer

Now into a lamb is turn'd.

CHRIST, Thy Power is man's salvation,

Hardest hearts Thou mak'st Thine own:
He who wrought such desolation,

That Thy Name might be o'erthrown,
Now converted,

Through the world that Name makes known.

Praise the FATHER, GOD of Heaven,
Him who reigns supreme on high :
Praise the SON for sinners given

Both to suffer, and to die :

Praise the SPIRIT,

Guiding us most lovingly.

Amen.

The Purification of St. Mary the Virgin. ION, ope Thy hallow'd dome:

73. To His Temple CHRIST is come:

Lifeless shadows, haste away,

Grace and Truth beam forth to-day.
Flocks and herds shall bleed no more,
Stanch'd the blood of reeking gore;
Lo! He comes from Heaven above,
Victim to His FATHER'S Love.
Lo! the Virgin's downcast eye
Owns His hidden GODHEAD nigh:
Heavenly musings, all unheard,
Meetly hail the silent WORD;
Whilst to Heaven her pious love
Duly vows the sacred dove,
And upon her bosom lies,

More than dove-like Sacrifice.

Aged Simeon sees at last

Hopes foretold from ages past;
Anna doth the Presence own

Yearning Faith so long hath known.

Glory be to FATHER, SON,

And Blest SPIRIT, THREE IN ONE.
LORD on high to Thee we raise

Faithful hearts in ceaseless praise.

Amen.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin

Mary.

74. No inferior Angel;
NO the Virgin He sends

But Gabriel He summons,
His Might, His Archangel;
He! Lover of Men.

Go forth on thy message,
Great gifts to unfold;
From the letter of Scripture
The veil shall be roll'd,

By the might of thy word.

Draw nigh,-speak the tidings,—
Say Hail! to her now;
And say, Highly favour'd,

And say, Fear not Thou,

And, The Lord is with thee.

The word she receiveth,
That lowliest one,

Believeth, conceiveth,

And beareth the SON;

And His Name shall be call'd

« PreviousContinue »