815.

I.

SUMM

UMMER suns are glowing over land and sea,
Happy light is flowing bountiful and free.

2. Everything rejoices in the mellow rays,

All earth's thousand voices swell the psalm of praise. 3. God's free mercy streameth over all the world,

And His banner gleameth everywhere unfurled. 4. Broad and deep and glorious as the heaven above, Shines in might victorious His eternal love.

5. Lord, upon our blindness Thy pure radiance pour, For Thy loving kindness make us love Thee more. 6. And when clouds are drifting dark across our sky, Then, the veil uplifting, Father, be Thou nigh. 7. We will never doubt Thee, though Thou veil Thy light; Life is dark without Thee; death with Thee is bright. 8. Light of light! shine o'er us on our pilgrim way, Go Thou still before us to the endless day.

W. W. How.

816.

I.

For a Flower Service.

PAINTER of the fruits and flowers,
We own Thy wise designs,

Whereby these human hands of ours
May share the works of Thine!

2. Apart from Thee, we plant in vain
The root, and sow the seed;

Thy early and Thy latter rain,
Thy sun and dew we need.

3. Our toil is sweet with thankfulness,
Our burden is our boon;

The curse of earth's grey morning is
The blessing of its noon.

C.M.

4. Why search the wide world everywhere,
For Eden's unknown ground?—

That garden of the primal pair
May never more be found.

5. But, blest by Thee, our patient toil
May right the ancient wrong,
And give to every clime and soil
The beauty lost so long.

6. Its earliest shrines the young world sought,
In hill-groves, and in bowers;
The fittest offerings thither brought,
Were Thy own fruits and flowers.
7. And still with reverent hands we cull
Thy gifts, each year renewed;
The good is always beautiful,
The beautiful is good.

817.

I.

ONCE

Harvest.

J. G. Whittier.

L.M.

NCE more the liberal year laughs out
O'er richer stores than gems of gold;
Once more, with harvest-song and shout,
Is Nature's bloodless triumph told.

2. O favours every year made new!

O blessings with the sunshine sent!
The bounty overruns our due,

The fulness shames our discontent.
3. We shut our eyes, the flowers bloom on ;
We murmur, but the corn-ears fill;
We choose the shadow, but the sun

That casts it, shines behind us still.

4. Now let these altars, wreathed with flowers
And plied with fruits, awake again

Thanksgiving for the golden hours,
The early and the latter rain!

J. G. Whittier.

818.

I.

Harvest.

9.8.9.8.

OW sing we a song for the harvest:

Νο

Thanksgiving and honour and praise,

For all that the bountiful Giver

Hath given to gladden our days!

2. For grasses of upland and lowland,
For fruits of the garden and field,
For gold which the mine and the prairie
To delver and husbandman yield!

3. And thanks for the harvest of beauty,—
For that which the hands cannot hold;
The harvest eyes only can gather,
And only our hearts can enfold!

4. We

reap it on mountain and moorland;
We glean it from meadow and lea;
We garner it in from the cloudland ;
We bind it in sheaves from the sea.

5. But now we sing deeper and higher,—
Of harvests that eye cannot see;
They ripen on mountains of duty,

Are reaped by the brave and the free:

6. And these have been gathered and garnered,—
Some golden with honour and gain,

And some, as with heart's-blood, are ruddy,—
The harvests of sorrow and pain.

7. O Thou, who art Lord of the harvest,
The Giver who gladdens our days,
Our hearts are forever repeating
Thanksgiving and honour and praise!

W. C. Gannett.

819.

1.

Harvest Praise.

PRAISE, O praise our God and King;
Hymns of adoration sing;

For His mercies still endure

Ever faithful, ever sure.

2. Praise Him that He made the sun

Day by day his course to run;
For His mercies still endure
Ever faithful, ever sure;

3. And the silver moon by night,
Shining with her gentle light;
For His mercies still endure
Ever faithful, ever sure.

4. Praise Him that He gave the rain
To mature the swelling grain ;
For His mercies still endure
Ever faithful, ever sure;

5. And hath bid the fruitful field
Crops of precious increase yield;
For His mercies still endure
Ever faithful, ever sure.

6. Praise Him for our harvest-store'
He hath fill'd the garner-floor;
For His mercies still endure

Ever faithful, ever sure;

7. And for richer Food than this,
Pledge of everlasting bliss;
For His mercies still endure
Ever faithful, ever sure.

8. Glory to our Bounteous King;
Glory! let creation sing;

For His mercies still endure

Ever faithful, ever sure.

7S.

Sir H. W. Baker.

820.

I.

The Giver of All.

8.8.8.4.

LORD of heaven, and earth, and sea,

To Thee all praise and glory be ;
How shall we show our love to Thee,
Who givest all?

2. The golden sunshine, vernal air,

Sweet flowers and fruit, Thy love declare ;
When harvests ripen, Thou art there,
Who givest all.

3. For peaceful homes, and healthful days,
For all the blessings earth displays,
We owe Thee thankfulness and praise,
Who givest all.

4. For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven,
For means of grace and hopes of heaven;
Father, what can to Thee be given,

Who givest all?

5. We lose what on ourselves we spend ;
We have as treasure without end,
Whatever, Lord, to Thee we lend,
Who givest all.

6. Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thee,
Repaid a thousandfold will be ;
Then gladly will we give to Thee,
Who givest all :

7. To Thee, from whom we all receive
Our life, our gifts, our power to give.
O may we ever with Thee live,

Who givest all.

C. Wordsworth.