4. At least until to-morrow wait ;

Keep back your harsh control;
To-day ye shall not desecrate
The sabbath of the soul.

A, L. Barbauld.
Emily Taylor.

I.

769.
Joy in God.

8.8.8.8.6.
ON
N this, the holiest and best

Of earth's dim days—the day of rest ;
0, let my happy portion be
To find supreme delight in Thee,

In Thee, my God, in Thee.
2. These precious hours I would improve

In fervent prayer, in sacred love;
From earth's distracting pleasures flee,
To find my every joy in Thee,

In Thee, my God, in Thee.
3. When, humbly kneeling at Thy throne,

With deep distress my guilt I own,
0, let my contrite spirit see
What boundless mercy dwells in Thee

In Thee, my God, in Thee.
4. Thus on each day of holy rest,

May I with heavenly joys be blest ;
And in a bright eternity
Have my undying bliss in Thee,

In Thee, my God, in Thee.

770.

C.M.

Preparation for Worship. OTHOU who hast Thy servants taught

That not by words alone,

1.

But by the fruits of holiness

The life of God is shown !

2. While in Thy house of prayer we meet,

And call Thee God and Lord,
Give us a heart to follow Thee,

Obedient to Thy word.

3. When we our voices lift in praise,

Give Thou us grace to bring
An offering of unfeigned thanks,

And with the spirit sing.
4. And in the dangerous path of life

Uphold us as we go,
That with our lips and in our lives
Thy glory we may show.

Henry Alford.

L.M.D.

771. The Blessing of Worship.
1. OUR Father, God ! not face to face,

May mortal sense commune with Thee,
Nor lift the curtains of that place

Where dwells Thy secret majesty ;
Yet wheresoe'er our spirits bend,

In reverent faith and humble prayer,
Thy promised blessing will descend,

And we shall find Thy Spirit there,

2. Lord ! be the spot where now we meet,

An open gateway into heaven;
Here may we sit at Jesus' feet,

And feel our many sins forgiven.
Here may desponding care look up,

And sorrow lay its burden down,

Or learn of Him to drink the cup,

To bear the cross, and win the crown.

3. Here may the sick and wandering soul,

To truth still blind, to sin a slave,
Find better than Bethesda's pool,

Or than Siloam's healing wave.
And may we learn, while here apart

From the world's passion and its strife,
That Thy true shrine's a loving heart,
And Thy best praise a holy life!

E. H. Chapin.

772

Sunday Hallowing the Week.

C.M.

1.

NOT
OT on this day, O Lord, alone,

Would we Thy presence seek ;
But fain its hallowing power would own,

Through all the coming week.

2. If calm and bright its moments prove,

Untouched by pain or woe,
May they reflect a thankful love

To Thee, from whom they flow.

3. Or should they bring us grief severe,

Still may we lean on Thee ;
And though our eyes let fall the tear,

At peace our spirits be.

4. In every scene, or dark, or bright,

Thy favour may we seek;
And O! do Thou direct us right

Through all the coming week.

W. Gaskell.

773

The Place and Hour of Worship. 75 1. SOVEREIGN and transforming grace,

We invoke Thy quick’ning power ;
Reign the spirit of this place,

Bless the purpose of this hour.
2. Holy and creative Light!

We invoke Thy kindling ray ;
Dawn upon our spirits' night,

Turn our darkness into day.
3. To the anxious soul impart

Hope all other hopes above ;
Stir the dull and hardened heart

With a longing and a love.
4. Give the struggling peace for strife,

Give the doubting light for gloom;
Speed the living into life,

Warn the dying of their doom.
5. Work in all ; in all renew

Day by day the life divine ;
All our wills to Thee subdue,
All our hearts to Thee incline.

F. H. Hedge.

774. The House of Worship.

L.M. 1. UNTO Thy temple, Lord, we come

With thankful hearts to worship Thee ;
And pray that this may be our home

Until we touch eternity :-
2. The common home of rich and poor,

Of bond and free, and great and small;
Large as Thy love for evermore,

And warm and bright and good to all.

3. And dwell Thou with us in this place,

Thou and Thy Christ, to guide and bless ;
Here make the well-springs of Thy grace

Like fountains in the wilderness.
4. May Thy whole truth be spoken here;

Thy gospel light for ever shine;
Thy perfect love cast out all fear,
And human life become divine.

Robert Collyer.

775.

Sabbath Hymn.

C.M.

1. WE meet again this Sabbath day,

Our praise and prayer to blend,
And, as we calmly sing and pray,

Our minds to Heaven ascend.
2. With thoughts of God and hopes of Heaven,

And with faith's mystic sight,
We gaze, as though the veil were riven,

Into yon world of light.
3. And when we leave this hallowed fane

And to our homes return,
There may we prove that not in vain

Our hearts within us burn.
4. Resulting from our piety,

As here we pray and sing,
Home and its loved society

With holier blessings spring.
5. To work and fireside go we back,

The better for our prayer,
And strive that home shall never lack
Love's sweet ambrosial air.

F. Haydn Williams.