5 Praise be to Thee through Jesus our sal

vation, God, Three in One, the ruler of creation, High throned, o'er all Thine eye of mercy casting,

Lord everlasting.

Bohemian Brethren. Tr. C. Winkworth. 101.

8,7,8,7,7,7 THRO' the day Thy love has spared us,

Now we lay us down to rest ;
Thro' the silent watches guard us,

Let no foe our peace molest ;
Jesus, Thou our guardian be,

Sweet it is to trust in Thee.
2 Pilgrims here on earth and strangers,

Dwelling in the midst of foes,
Us and ours preserve from dangers;

In Thine arms may we repose,
And, when life's short day is past,
Rest with Thee in heaven at last.

T. Kelly. 102

10,10,10,6 The day is ended. Ere I sink to sleep,

My weary spirit seeks repose in Thine. Father, forgive my trespasses and keep

This little life of mine. 2 With loving-kindness curtain Thou my bed,

And cool in rest my burning pilgrim

feet; Thy pardon be the pillow for my head,

So shall my sleep be sweet. 3 At peace with all the world, dear Lord,

and Thee, No fears my soul's unwavering faith can

shake;

All's well, whichever side the grave for me The morning light may break.

H. McE. Kimball.

103

L. M.
AGAIN, as evening's shadow falls,
We gather in these hallowed walls ;
And vesper hymn and vesper prạyer

Rise mingling on the holy air. 2 May struggling hearts, that seek release,

Here find the rest of God's own peace ;
And, strengthened here by hymn and

prayer,
Lay down the burden and the care.
3 O God, our light, to Thee we bow !

Within all shadows standest Thou.
Give deeper calm than night can bring ;

Give sweeter songs than lips can sing. 4 Life's tumult we must meet again,

We cannot at the shrine remain;
But in the spirit's secret cell,
May hymn and prayer forever dwell !

S. Longfellow.

104

10,65 O BRIGHTNESS of th' immortal Father's face,

Most holy, heav'nly, blest,
Lord Jesus Christ, in whom His truth and

grace
Are •visibly expressed.

2 The sun is sinking now and one by one

The lamps of evening shine : We hymn the eternal Father, and the Son,

And Holy Ghost divine.

3 Worthy art Thou at all times to receive

Our hallowed praises, Lord. O Son of God, be Thou, in whom we live, Through all the world adored.

Second Century. Tr. E. W. Eddis.

105

8s. INSPIRER and hearer of prayer,

Thou shepherd and guardian of Thine, My all to Thy covenant care,

I, sleeping or waking, resign. 2 If Thou art my shield and my sun,

The night is no darkness to me ; And, fast as my minutes roll on,

They bring me but nearer to Thee. 3 A sovereign protector I have,

Unseen, yet for ever at hand; Unchangeably faithful to save,

Almighty to rule and command.

4 His smiles and His comforts abound,

His grace, as the dew, shall descend ;
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.

A. M. Toplady.

106

8s, 75.81. SAVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing

Ere repose our spirits seal.
Sin and want we come confessing ;

Thou canst save and Thou canst heal.
Though the night be dark and dreary,

Darkness cannot hide from Thee.
Thou art He who, never weary,

Watchest where Thy people be.

2 Though destruction walk around us,

Though the arrow past us fly,
Angel guards from Thee surround us ;

We are safe if Thou art nigh.
Should swift death this night o'ertake us,

And our couch become our tomb,
May the morn in heaven awake us,

Clad in bright and deathless bloom.

3 Father, to Thy holy keeping

Humbly we ourselves resign;
Saviour, who hast slept our sleeping,

Make our slumbers pure as Thine ;
Blessed Spirit, brooding o'er us,

Chase the darkness of our night,
Till the perfect day before us

Breaks in everlasting light.

J. Edmeston. V. 3 added by E. H. Bickersteth. 107

8s, 7s. 81. VAINLY thro' night's weary hours,

Keep we watch, lest foes alarm ;
Vain our bulwarks, and our towers,

But for God's protecting arm.
Vain were all our toil and labor,

Did not God that labor bless;
Vain, without His grace and favor,

Every talent we possess.
2 Vainer still the hope of heaven,

Which on human strength relies ;
But to him shall help be given,

Who in humble faith' applies.
Seek we, then, the Lord's anointed ;

He will grant us peace and rest :
Ne’er was suppliant disappointed,
Who through Christ his prayer ad-
dressed.

H. Auber.

108

78. SOFTLY now the light of day

Fades upon my sight away ;
Free from care, from labor free,

Lord, I would commune with Thee. 2 Thou, whose all-pervading eye

Naught escapes, without, within,
Pardon each infirmity,

Open fault, and secret sin.
3 Soon, for me, the light of day

Shall for ever pass away ;
Then, from sin and sorrow free,

Take me, Lord, to dwell with Thee. 4 Thou who, sinless, yet hast known

All of man's infirmity,
Then, from Thine eternal throne,
Jesus, look with pitying eye.

G. W. Doane.

109

78.101.
FATHER, by Thy love and power
Comes again the evening hour;
Light has vanished, labors cease,
Weary creatures rest in peace.
Thou, whose genial dews distil

On the lowliest weed that grows,
Father, guard our couch from ill,

Lull Thy children to repose.
We to Thee ourselves resign ;

Let our latest thoughts be Thine. 2 Saviour, to Thy Father bear

This our feeble evening prayer.
Thou hast seen how oft to-day
We, like sheep, have gone astray ;
Worldly thoughts, and thoughts of pride,