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4. Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Our balm in sorrow, and our stay in strife;
Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace.

790.

I.

Evening.

J. Ellerton.

8.7.8.7. D.

NOW, on land and sea descending,
Brings the night its peace profound;

Let our vesper-hymn be blending

With the holy calm around.
Soon as dies the sunset glory,

T

Stars of heaven shine out above,
Telling still the ancient story—

Their Creator's changeless love.

2. Now, our wants and burdens leaving
To His care, who cares for all,
Cease we fearing, cease we grieving,
At His touch our burdens fall.
As the darkness deepens o'er us,
Lo, eternal stars arise;

Hope and Faith and Love rise glorious,
Shining in the spirit's skies.

791.

I.

Evening Hymn.

UR day of praise is done;

OUR

S. Longfellow.

The evening shadows fall;

But pass not from us with the sun,
True Light that lightenest all!

2. Around the throne on high,

Where night can never be,

The white-robed harpers of the sky
Bring ceaseless hymns to Thee.

S.M

3. Too faint our anthems here;
Too soon of praise we tire;

But O, the strains how full and clear
Of that eternal choir!

4. Yet, Lord, to Thy dear will,
If Thou attune the heart,
We in Thine angels' music still
May bear our lower part.

5. 'Tis Thine each soul to calm,

Each wayward thought reclaim,
And make our life a daily psalm
Of glory to Thy Name.

6. A little while, and then

Shall come the glorious end;
And songs of angels and of men
In perfect praise shall blend.

J. Ellerton.

792.

I.

Close of Evening Prayer.

1. THE day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest ;

To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall hallow now our rest.

9.8.

2. We thank Thee that Thy Church unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,

Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day nor night.

3. As o'er each continent and island

The dawn leads on another day,

The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

4. The sun, that bids us rest, is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh hearts are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

5. So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth's proud empires, pass` away ;
But stand and rule, and grow for ever,
Till all Thy children own Thy sway.

J. Ellerton.

793.

Close of Holy Day.

I. NOW that our holy day is done,
Our day so blest and bright,

Lord, through the grace of Thy dear Son,
Vouchsafe us rest to-night.

2. Put thoughts of worldly strife aside,
Let love and faith increase;
Grant us, on this calm eventide,
Thine own best gift of peace.

3. Faint echoes of our sacred songs
Shall haunt each weary brain,
Even in sleep the heart prolongs
Our holy Sabbath strain.

4. And in our busy waking hours,
O Father, still we pray,

Let music from immortal bowers
Lighten the toils of day.

C.M.

794.

5. Send down through all the strifes of time
Some undertone of love,

A message from Thy sinless clime
Of perfect bliss above.

6. Such songs shall help us to endure
The world's discordant strife,
And keep our spirits calm and pure
Amid the cares of life.

7. Until this earthly conflict cease,
Lord, let us faithful be;

Thou him wilt keep in perfect peace
Whose mind is stayed on Thee.

Sarah Doudney.

Evening Brings us Home. 10.10.10.6. I. UPON the hills the wind is bleak and cold,

The sweet young grasses wither on the wold, And we, O Lord, have wandered from Thy fold; But evening brings us home.

2. The sharp thorns prick us, and our tender feet Are cut and bleeding, and the lambs repeat Their pitiful complaints! O rest is sweet

When evening brings us home.

3. We have been wounded by the spoiler's darts,
Our eyes are very heavy, and our hearts
Search for Thy coming, when the light departs;
At evening bring us home.

4. The darkness gathers; through the gloom no star
Shines on our path, and we have wandered far;
Without Thy lamp we know not where we are;
At evening bring us home.

5. The clouds are round us, and the snowdrifts thicken;
O Thou, dear Shepherd, leave us not to sicken
In the waste night, our tardy footsteps quicken;
At evening bring us home.

J. Skelton.

795.

I.

Evening Hymn.

7S. D.

1. THE day is done, the sacred day of thought and toil is past,

Soft falls the twilight cool and grey on the tired earth at last;

By wisest teachers wearièd, by gentlest friends oppressed,

In Thee alone, the soul outworn, refreshment finds and rest.

2. Bend, gracious Spirit, from above, like these o'erarching skies,

And to Thy firmament of Love lift up these longing

eyes;

And folded by Thy sheltering Hand, in refuge still and deep,

Let blessed thoughts from Thee descend, as drop the dews of sleep.

3. And when refreshed, the soul once more puts on new life and power,

O let Thine image, Lord, alone gild the first waking

hour!

Let that dear Presence dawn and glow fairer than morn's first ray, :

And Thy pure radiance overflow the splendour of

the day.

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