IV.-Times and Seasons. 27--CHRISTMAS. ADESTE FIDELES. THE use of this Christmas hymn only dates from the close of the last century, although it may have been composed a century earlier. COME, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. God of God, Light of Light, Lo! He abhors not the Virgin's womb; Begotten, not created; O come, let us adore Him, etc. Sing, choirs of Angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of Heav'n above: "Glory to God In the highest;' O come, let us adore Him, etc. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. DESTE, fidéles, ALæti triumphantes; Veníte, veníte in Bethlehem; Regem angelórum ; Veníte adorémus, Veníte adorémus, Veníte adorémus Dominum. Deum de Deo, Lúmen de Lúmine, Gestant puellæ viscera : Deum vérum, Genitum non fáctum : Veníte adorémus, etc. Cantet nunc Io Cantet nunc aula cœléstium, Gloria in excelsis Deo: Ergo qui nátus Die hodiérna, Jesu, Tibi sit glória : Patris aeterni Verbum caro factum : Veníte adorémus, etc. TUNE-"Adeste FidelES." 28-CHRISTMAS. HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING. THIS familiar Christmas hymn was originally written, "Hark how all the welkin rings," as is shown within brackets, and also in the second verse there is a change. It is printed at the end of the Book of Common Prayer, and is the only Wesleyan hymn thus favoured. Both the hymn and the tune are inseparably associated with the English Christmas. H ARK! the herald angels sing, Glory to the new-born King; Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; "Christ the Lord is born to-day!"] Christ, by highest heaven adored, Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see, Hail, the Incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to appear, Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace! Mild He lays His glory by, Now display Thy saving power, Thine to ours, and ours to Thine. Adam's likeness, Lord, efface, Let us Thee, though lost, regain, Formed in each believing heart. 29-LENT. MISERERE. THE penitential psalm (the fifty-first), attributed to David after his sin with Bathsheba, is, perhaps, of all the psalms in the Psalter, that which has helped men most. Mr. Marson says, in his "Psalms at Work": "None of the other psalms have had half the effect upon men's minds that this one has had. It has a library of its own." It was the favourite of Aldhelm in the eighth century and of Keble in the nineteenth. HAVE mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my trans. gressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my trangressions; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it; thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. |