Ere sin threw a blight'o'er the spirit's young bloom, MIRIAM'S SONG. Air-Avison.' And the garland of love was yet fresh on her brow! “ And Miriam, the Prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a Oh! then was her moment, dear spirit, for flying timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her From this gloomy world, while its gloom was un- with timbrels and with dances.”—Exod. xv. 20. known And the wild hymns she warbled so sweetly, in dying, Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea ! Were echoed in heaven by lips like her own! Jehovah has triumph’d-his people are free. Weep not for her,-in her spring-time she flew Sing-for the pride of the tyrant is broken, To that land where the wings of the soul are un- His chariots, his horsemen, all splendid and brave furl'd, How vain was their boasting !—The Lord hath but And now, like a star beyond evening's cold dew, spoken, Looks radiantly down on the tears of this world. And chariots and horsemen are sunk in the wave. Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea! Jehovah has triumph'd,-his people are free. THE TURF SHALL BE MY FRAGRANT Praise to the Conqueror, praise to the Lord ! SHRINE. His word was our arrow, his breath was our sword! Who shall return to tell Egypt the story Of those she sent forth in the hour of her pride ? The turf shall be my fragrant shrine; For the Lord hath look'd out from his pillar of glory, 2 My temple, Lord ! that Arch of thine ; And all her brave thousands are dash'd in the tide. My censer's breath the mountain airs, Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea! GO, LET ME WEEP! Air-STEVENSON. Go, let me weep! there's bliss in tears, When he who sheds them inly feels And the pale stars shall be, at night, *The only eyes that watch my rite. Some lingering stain of early years Effaced by every drop that steals. Thy heaven, on which 't is bliss to look, The fruitless showers of worldly woe Shall be my pure and shining book, Fall dark to earth, and never rise; Where I shall read, in words of flame, While tears that from repentance flow, The glories of thy wondrous name. In bright exhalement reach the skies. Go, let me weep! there's bliss in tears, I'll read thy anger in the rack When he who sheds them inly feels That clouds awhile the day-beam's track; Some lingering stain of early years Effaced by every drop that steals. Leave me to sigh o'er hours that flew More idly than the summer's wind, But in its light my soul can see And, while they pass'd, a fragrance threw, But left no trace of sweets behind.Some feature of the Deity! The warmest sigh that pleasure heaves There's nothing dark, below, above, Is cold, is faint to those that swell But in its gloom I trace thy love, The heart where pure repentance grieves And meekly wait that moment when O’er hours of pleasure loved too well! Thy touch shall turn all bright again! Leave me to sigh o'er days that flew More idly than the summer's wind, And, while they pass'd, a fragrance threw, 1 This second verse, which I wrote long after the first, But left no trace of sweets behind. alludes to the fate of a ery lovely and amiable girl, the daughter of the late Colonel Bainbrigge, who was married tn Ashbourne church, October 31, 1815, and died of a fever in a few weeks after: the sound of her marriage-bells seem- 1 I have so altered the character of this air, which is ed scarcely out of our ears when we heard of her death. from the beginning of one of Avison's old-fashioned conDuring her last delirium she sung several hymns, in a voice certos, that, without this acknowledgment, it could hardly even clearer and sweeter than usual, and among them were I think, be recognised. some from the present collection (particularly, “There's 2 " And it came to pass, that, in the morning-watch, the nothing bright but Heaven,'') which this very interesting Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians, through the girl had often heard during the summer. pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the 2 Pii orant tacite. Egyptians.”—Exod. xiv. 24. As still to the star of its worship, though clouded, COME NOT, OH LORD! The needle points faithfully o'er the dim sea, Air-HAYDN. So, dark as I roam, in this wintry world shrouded, COME not, oh Lord ! in the dread robe of splendour The hope of my spirit turns trembling to thee, Thou worest on the Mount, in the day of thine ire; My God! trembling to theeCome veil'd in those shadows, deep, awful, but tender, True, fond, trembling, to thee: Which Mercy flings over thy features of fire ! So, dark as I roam, in this wintry world shrouded, The hope of my spirit turns trembling to thee! Lord! thou rememberest the night, when thy nation' Stood fronting her foe by the red-rolling stream; On Egypt? thy pillar frown'd dark desolation, BUT WHO SHALL SEE. Air-STEVENSON. When, throned on Zion's brow, The Lord shall rend that veil away Which hides the nations now !! Of his rebuke shall lie ;? When pain shall cease, and every tear Be wiped from every eye!3 Then, Judah! thou no more shalt mourn Beneath the heathen's chain ; Thy days of splendour shall return, And all be new again.4 The Fount of Life shall then be quaff'd In peace, by all who come !5 And every wind that blows shall waft Some long-lost exile home! ALMIGHTY GOD! CHORUS OF PRIESTS. Air-MOZART. ALMIGHTY God! when round thy shrine The palm-tree's heavenly branch we twine, And the sunk heart, that inly bled, (Emblem of Life's eternal ray, Heaven's noblest sacrifice ? And Love that “ fadeth not away,”) We bless the flowers, expanded all,” We bless the leaves that never fall, And trembling say, “ In Eden thus Like Mary kneel, like Mary weep, The Tree of Life may flower for us!" “ Love much”3—and be forgiven ! When round thy cherubs, smiling calm Without their flames, we wreath the palm, AS DOWN IN THE SUNLESS RETREATS. 1 “And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the Air-Haydn. covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations."- Isaiah xxv. 7. As down in the sunless retreats of the ocean, 2 "The rebuke of his people shall be take away from off all the earth.”—Isaiah xxv. 8. Sweet flowers are springing no mortal can see, 3 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; So, deep in my soul the still prayer of devotion, neither sball there be any more pain."-Rev. xxi. 4. Unheard by the world, rises silent to thee, 4"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."- Rev. xxi. 5. My God! silent to thee 5 “And whosoever will, let him take the water of life Pure, warm, silent, to thee : freely."'- Rev. xxii. 17. 6 The Scriptures having declared that the Temple of So, deep in my soul the still prayer of devotion, Jerusalem was a type of the Messiah, it is natural to conUnheard by the world, rises silent to thee! clude that the Palms, which made so conspicuous a figure in that structure, represented that Life and Immortality 1 " And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and which were brought to light by the Gospel."--Observations the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to on the Palm, as a sacred Emblem, by W. Tighe. them, but it gave light by night to these.”—Exod. xiv. 20. 7 " And he carved all the walls of the house round about My application of this passage is borrowed from some late with carved figures of cherubims, and palm-trees, and open prose writer, whose name I am ungrateful enough to forget. flowers.”—1 Kings vi. 29. 2 Instead of“ On Egypt” here, it will suit the music bet- 8“ When the passover of the tabernacles was revealed to ter to sing "On these;" and in the third line of the next the great law-giver in the mount, then the cherubic images verse, "While shrouded” may, with the same view, be al- which appeared in that structure were no longer surrounded tered to " While wrapp'd." by flames; for the tabernacle was a type of the dispensation 3" Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved of mercy, by which Jehovah confirmed his gracious cove much."-St. Luke vii. 47. nant to redeem mankind."--Observations on the Palm Oh God! we feel the emblem true,- But long as Love, almighty Love, Shall on his throne of thrones abide, Smiling for ever by his side. BEHOLD THE SUN. Air-LORD MORNINGTON. From yonder east he springs, Were breathing from his wings. OH FAIR! OH PUREST! Air-Moore. Oh! be like this dove; So bright the gospel broke Upon the souls of men; In truth's full radiance then! Before yon sun arose, Stars cluster'd through the sky, To his one burning eye! To bless the Pagan's night- To thy one glorious light! The sacred pages of God's own book Oh ! be like the dove; LORD, WHO SHALL BEAR THAT DAY. Air-Dr. BOYCE. When we shall see thy angel hovering o'er And hear him swear by thee that time's no more ?" No. II. 3 ANGEL OF CHARITY. When thro' the world thy awful call hath soundedAir-HANDEL. “Wake, oh ye dead, to judgment wake, ye dead !"2 And from the clouds, by seraph eyes surrounded, ANGEL of Charity, who from above The Saviour shall put forth his radiant head ; 3 Comest to dwell a pilgrim here, While earth and heaven before him pass away_4 Thy voice is music, thy smile is love, Who, mighty God, oh who shall bear that day? And pity's soul is in thy tear! When on the shrine of God were laid When, with a glance, the eternal Judge shall sever First-fruits of all most good and fair, Earth's evil spirits from the pure and bright, That ever grew in Eden's shade, And say to those, “ Depart from me for ever!” To these, “ Come, dwell with me in endless light!"5 Hope and her sister, Faith, were given 1 "And the Angel which I saw stand upon the sea and But as our guides to yonder sky; upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by Soon as they reach the verge of heaven, Him that liveth for ever and ever, that there should be time Lost in that blaze of bliss, they die.? no longer."--Rev. x. 5, 6. ? "Awake, ye dead, and come to judgment.” 3“They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds 1 In St. Augustine's treatise upon the advantages of a of heaven and all the angels with him.”—Matt. xxiv. 30, and xxv. 31. solitary life, addressed to his sister, there is the following 4. “From his face the earth and the heaven fled away." fanciful passage, from which the thought of this song was - Rev. xx. 11. taken :-"Te, soror, nunquam nolo esse securam, sed ti 5 " And before him shall be gathered all nations, and He mere, semperque tuam fragilitatem habere suspectam, ad instar pavidæ columbæ frequentare rivos aquarum et quasi shall separate them one from another. in speculo accipitris cernere supervolantis effigiem et ca “Then shali the king say unto them on his right band, vere. Rivi aquarum sententiæ sunt scripturarum, quæ de Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prelimpidissimo sapientia fonte profluentes,” etc. etc.- De Vit. pared for you, etc. Eremit. ad Sororem. “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, De part from me, ye cursed, etc. 2 " Then Faith shall fail, and holy Hope shall die, "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; One lost in certainty, and one in joy."--Prior. but the righteous into life eternal.”-Matt. xxv. 32, et seq. When each and all in silence take their way- LIKE MORNING, WHEN HER EARLY BREEZE. Air-BEETHOVEN. OH! TEACH ME TO LOVE THEE. LIKE morning, when her early breeze Breaks up the surface of the seas, That, in their furrows, dark with night, Thy grace can send its breathings o'er The spirit, dark and lost before, And, freshening all its depths, prepare For truth divine to enter there! In joy and in sorrow, through praise and through Till David touch'd his sacred lyre, blame, In silence lay the unbreathing wire- But when he swept its chords along, Even angels stoop'd to hear that song. So sleeps the soul, till thou, O Lord, Shall deign to touch its lifeless chord- In music, worthy of the skies! COME, YE DISCONSOLATE. Air-German. COME, ye disconsolate, where'er you languish, Come, at the shrine of God fervently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your are WEEP, weep for him, the man of God guishIn yonder vale he sunk to rest, Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal. But none of earth can point the sod? Joy of the desolate, light of the straying, Hope, when all others die, fadeless and pure, Here speaks the Comforter, in God's name saying “Earth has no sorrows that Heaven cannot cure." His doctrines fell like heaven's rain, 3 His words refresh'd like heaven's dew- Go, ask the infidel, what boon he brings us, Oh, ne'er shall Israel see again What charm for aching hearts he can reveal, A chief to God and her so true. Sweet as that heavenly promise Hope sings usWeep, children of Israel, weep! “Earth has no sorrow that God cannot heal." Remember ye his parting gaze, His farewell song by Jordan's tide, When, full of glory and of days, AWAKE, ARISE, THY LIGHT IS COME. Air-STEVENSON. Awake, arise, thy light is come;' The nations, that before outshone thee, Now at thy feet lie dark and dumb The glory of the Lord is on thee! Arise--the Gentiles, to thy ray, From every nook of earth shall cluster; And kings and princes haste to pay 1 " And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the Their homage to thy rising lustre.? plains of Moab.”-Deut. xxxiv. 8. 2 “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab: Lift up thine eyes around, and see, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day."-Ibid. O'er foreign fields, o'er farthest waters, ver. 6. 3 “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall Thy exiled sons return to thee, distil as the dew."--Moses' Song. To thee return thy home-sick daughters.3 4 "I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither."'--Ver. 5. 5 “As he was going to embrace Eleazer and Joshua, and 1 "Arise, shine ; for thy light is come, and the glory of was still discoursing with them, a cloud stood over him on the Lord is risen upon thee."--Isaiah lx. the sudden, and he disappeared in a certain valley, although 2 " And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to he wrote in the Holy Books, that he died, which was done the brightness of thy rising.”—Isaiah lx. out of fear, lest they should venture to say that, because of 3 “Lift up thine eyes round about and see; all they gather his extraordinary virtue, he went to God.”-Josephus, Book themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come iv. chap. viii. from afar, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side."-Ib And camels rich, from Midian's tents, There is a lone Pilgrim, before whose faint eyes Shall lay their treasures down before thee; The water he pants for but sparkles and flies And Saba bring her gold and scents, Who may that Pilgrim be? By fair shining hopes, that in shining are gone. There is a bright Fountain, through that Desert stealLike doves, long absent, when allow'd ing Homeward to shoot their trembling pinions. To pure lips alone its refreshment revealing- What may that Fountain be? 'Tis Truth, holy Truth, that, like springs under To bring thy sons across the sea, ground, ind waft their gold and silver over. By the gifted of Heaven alone can be found." And Lebanon, thy pomp shall grace_4 There is a fair Spirit, whose wand hath the spell The fir, the pine, the palm victorious To point where those waters in secrecy dwellShall beautify our Holy Place, Who may that Spirit be? 'T is Faith, humble Faith, who hath learn’d that, No more shall discord haunt thy ways, where'er Nor ruin waste thy cheerless nation; Her wand stoops to worship, the Truth must be there But thou shalt call thy portals, Praise, And thou shalt name thy walls, Salvation. SINCE FIRST THY WORD. Air-NICHOLAS FREEMAN. SINCE first thy word awaked my heart, Like new life dawning o'er me, Where'er I turn mine eyes, Thou art, All light and love before me. Nought else I feel, or hear or see- All bonds of earth I sever Thee, oh God, and only Thee I live for, now and ever. Like him, whose fetters dropp'd away When light shone o'er his prison, Hath from her chains arisen. And shall a soul Thou bid'st be free a Air-CRESCENTINI. Return to bondage ?-never! THERE is a bleak Desert, where daylight grows Thee, oh God, and only Thee I live for, now and ever. What may that Desert be? HARK! 'T IS THE BREEZE. Air-ROUSSEAU. 1 " The multitude of camels shall cover thee; the drome- HARK !—'t is the breeze of twilight calling daries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense.”—Isaiah lx. Earth's weary children to repose ; 2. "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves While, round the couch of Nature falling, to their windows?"-Ib. 3" Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Gently the night's soft curtains close. Tarebish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and Soon o'er a world, in sleep reclining, their gold with them."-16. Numberless stars, through yonder dark, 4 " The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee; the fir Shall look, like eyes of cherubs shining tred, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet From out the veils that hid the Ark ! glorious."-16. 5 " Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting Guard us, oh Thou, who never sleepest, nor destruction within thy borders ; but thou shalt call thy Thou who, in silence throned above, walls, Salvation, and thy gates, Praise.”—Ib. 6 “Thy sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for Throughout all time, unwearied, keepest brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord Thy watch of Glory, Power, and Love. shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory."-16. 7'" Thy sun shall no more go down ; for the Lord shall be 1 In singing, the following line had better be adopted thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."--10. “Can but by the gifted of heaven be found.” 8 “Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall in- 2 " And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, herit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work and a light shined in the prison, and his chains fell off from of my hands."--Ib. his hands."---Acts xii. 7. |