SONGS OF THE CHURCH.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. No. 1.

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." Roм. xiii. 12.

ON Thee, whose glory fills the sky,

O Christ, our Saviour, we rely,

And adoration yield:

In darken'd scenes, and midst the blaze
Of cloudless noon in summer days,

Thou art our Sun and Shield.

Our sun, in whose effulgent ray
The darkest night is turned to day,
Transparent "light of light:"

Our shield, on Thy extended arm,
Thy trusting saints shall fear no harm,
Protected by Thy might.

The night is passing fast away,

And earth is ting'd with coming day;

"'Tis high time to awake:

'Tis time the deeds of night to shun, To pray for light, and watch the sun, Until the morning break.

Though earth dissolve, and like a scroll
Of flame, the heavens together roll,
Thy promise shall prevail :
Amidst the universal shock,

Hope our sure anchor on the rock,

The rock within the vail.

With no more war, and no more night, Released from foes to walk in light, With Thy redeem'd above:

And, through our never-ending days, To see Thy face and sing Thy praise, And dwell with Thee in love.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. No. 2.

THE night, that on the mountains spread
Its gloom, is passing fast away,

And earth, as rising from the dead,
Is fringed with the morning ray.

On error's path, with healing wing,
The Sun of Righteousness shall rise,
'Wake, tenants of the dust, and sing,
And let your anthems fill the skies.

O Saviour Christ, with love and fear,
We wait Thy coming steps to greet,
For now is our salvation near;
Make us for this salvation meet.

O let Thy glory round us shine,
And from our hearts dispel the night;
Pour down Thy rays of grace divine,
And flood the world with living light.

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. No. 1.

"Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope." ROм. XV. 4.

O THOU, who from primeval night

Didst call forth light, "and there was light," Whose mandate stirr'd the void repose, And order out of chaos rose.

Once more, Eternal Logos, shine
On this dark place with pow'r divine;
Our hearts renew, revive and search,
And guide and purify Thy Church.

"The volume of Thy Book" unseal,
And to our souls its love reveal:
Unfold Thy truth, unclose our eyes,
And make us to salvation wise.*

While in this desert world we stray,
Thy word shall guide us on the way;
Our hope, until the race is run,

Our verdict, when the work is done.†

* 2 Tim. iii. 15.

† St. John, xii. 38.