14

But Thou wilt hear the thought I mean,
And not the words I say;

Wilt hear the thanks among the words,
That only seem to pray.

Still, still thy love will beckon me,
And still thy strength will come
In many ways to bear me up
And bring me to my home.

I would not have Thee otherwise
Than what Thou still must be;
Yea, Thou art God, and what Thou art
Is ever best for me.

And so, for all my sighs, my heart
Doth sing itself to rest,

O Love divine, most far and near,
Upon thy tender breast.

J. W. Chadwick.

Evening.

Now that day its wings has furled.
And the earth has gone to rest ;
Take me, Shepherd of the world,

Home to sleep upon thy breast.

All the night from dream to dream,
Keep my spirit pure and bright;
Fill the darkness with the stream
Of thine everlasting light.

If I waken, calm and fair

Be the thoughts that in me rise;

And thy presence in the air

Make my heart a Paradise,

75,

15

16

But if trouble in my heart,

Or fierce pain me restless keep,
Then to me thy peace impart ;
Give to thy beloved sleep.
So when morning with his wing
Wakens me to work and play,
I may rise with joy and sing-
'God has turned my night to day.'

Evening.

S. A. Brooke.

8.7.

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,

Stars of heaven shine out above,

Telling still the ancient story—
Their Creator's changeless love.

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.

Evening.

S. Longfellow.

HOLY Father, who this day
Hast vouchsafed to guide our way,
Be Thou near to soothe and bless,
Cheering night's dark loneliness

With thy light.

7.7.7.7.3.

In our hearts bid tumult cease;
Fill our minds with heavenly peace;
Breathe thy calm o'er earthly strife;
Troubled ones in this stern life
Lead aright.

Send thy comfort from on high,
Blessing those in pain who lie;
Whisper to them words of love-
How for aye in realms above

They shall rest.

Those, now far from home in sin,
Bring, O Father, safely in ;

Lead their trembling steps to Thee;
With thy dear ones may they be
Ever blest.

Hush complaints; bend every will
Ne'er to doubt, but trust Thee still;
On the path now overcast

With dark clouds and shadows vast
Send thy peace.

We are blind, and see not why
Grief is sent and troubles try;
From too heavy weight of care,
Gloom, and darkness of despair,

Grant release.

Steer us onward to that shore
Where all pain and grief are o'er ;
Guard in tempest our frail bark,

Guide it through the gathering dark

To the light.

Edith Miles.

Go down, great sun, into thy golden west,

The day is done, the hours of labour past; The night's dark shadows deepen all around; The day is over; rest has come at last.

And so our life to eventide draws nigh,

IOS.

Our days of change their course have almost run;

And soon the storms of winter will be past, And then comes summer, and th' unsetting sun.

And in that holier world of joy and peace,

Our sun shall rise upon a land so blest, That none in this poor world have words to tell How great the joy of that pure heavenly rest.

But there the Light that never dies shines on Undimmed, unclouded through th' eternal years;

And souls shall find, in that sweet home of Love,

The hand that wipes away the mourners' tears.

Now, when the burden of the day is gone,
Devoutly, now.

When the glad morn upon the hills was spread,
Thy smile was there;

Now, as the darkness gathers overhead,
We feel thy care.

19

Night spreads her shade upon another day
For ever past;

So o'er our faults, thy love, we humbly pray,
A veil may cast.

Silence and calm, o'er hearts by earth distrest,
Now sweetly steal;

So every fear that struggles in the heart.
Shall faith conceal.

Thou, through the dark, wilt watch above our sleep

With eye of love;

And Thou wilt wake us, when the sunbeams leap

The hills above.

From age to age unchanging, still the same
All-good Thou art;

Hallowed for ever be thy holy name

In every heart.

Anon.

Evening.

EVENSONG is hushed in silence
And the hour of rest is nigh;
Strengthen us for work to-morrow,
God Almighty, God Most High.
Sinful men and sinful women,
Help us in the narrow way,
Till Thou bring us to thy city
Whence thy sons can never stray.
We are weary of life-long toil,
Of sorrow, and pain, and sin ;
But there is a city with streets of gold,
And all is peace within.

8.7.