ON THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL.

AT THE FIRST VESPERS.

Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.-GENESIS xlix.

"Pastore percusso minas."

THE Shepherd smitten is, and, lo,
His flock the wolf is scattering wide;
For Saul as yet doth little know

He wounds in them a Saviour's side.

Prisons, and chains, and murderous wrath,
He breathes, where stern religion calls,
But one soft word has crossed his path,
And on the ground he stricken falls.

Saul, Saul, whence art thou? whither driven,
To persecute Christ's little band?

This is to wage a war with Heaven,

An arm almighty to withstand.

Lo, forth he spreads beseeching hands,
Prepared beneath Christ's yoke to go,
And, trembling, asks for His commands,—
What wouldst Thou have Thy servant do?

The spoiler fierce is lying low,

The vanquisher lies vanquished,

And he, who wore a threat'ning brow,
He is himself in triumph led.

O Lord it is Thy voice that shakes
Great Lebanon, with matchless ease
It goeth forth from Thee, and breaks
The tall aspiring cedar trees.

Good Shepherd, keep us as of old,

If Thou shouldst hurtful ought discern;

And, if we wander from Thy fold,
Again to Thee our bosoms turn.

Glory to God, both One and Three,
Who saw us laid in dead of night,
Glory and praise be unto Thee,

Who call'st us thence to glorious light.

AT MIDNIGHT.

The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up and the wild beasts of the field devour it. Turn Thee again, Thou God of Hosts, look down from Heaven: behold and visit this vine.PSALM 1xxx.

"Quos in postes, Saule, tendis ?"

WHITHER, Saul, this raging sense
In thy bosom burning,
On defenceless innocence

All thy fury turning?
Other than thou hast in mind
An avenger shalt thou find.

Christ is now at hand, behold,

Who His power defieth?
Where is now pursuer bold?

On the earth he lieth :

And Christ's armed foe e'en now
Shall as Christ's meek herald go.

He, who, fill'd with threatnings, sped,

Chains and death preparing;

By a gentle hand is led,

With a child-like bearing;

Like a raging wolf he came;

But he goes a gentle lamb.

Lord, men's hearts in sternest mood

Open lie before Thee;

He who in Thy children's blood,
Would blot out Thy glory,

With his blood shall it rehearse
Through the boundless universe.

Praise the Father, by whose might
Life to us is given;

And the Son, by whose blest light
We are born to Heaven ;

And the Spirit, by whose breath
We are saved from endless death.

AT THE MATTINS.

Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.-GAL. ii.

"Quæ gloriosum tanta cœlis evocat,"

LORD, from out Thy glorious skies,
Where Thy palace lies,

What cause constraining in Thine eyes
Brings Thee again to earth?

That Thou, the Judge of endless doom,

Again should as a Saviour come,

What foe doth call Thee forth?

With defying mien and tread

Hastes a warrior dread;

Afar the trembling flock is fled :
What hand can succor lend?

With suppliant gaze beseechingly
Their eyes look up; but from the sky
No pitying form doth bend.