2 The task thy wisdom hath assign'd O let me cheerfully fulfil;

In all my works thy presence find,
And prove thy good and perfect will.
3 Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see;
And labour on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.
4 Give me to bear thy easy yoke,

And every moment watch and pray;
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day.

5 For thee delightfully employ

13

Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given; And run my course with even joy,

And closely walk with thee to heaven."

Evening Prayer.

"LIGHTEN OUR DARKNESS, WE BESEECH THEE,
O LORD."

Abide with us; for the day is far spent.

Luke xxiv. 29.

[10s.

1 ABIDE with me: fast falls the eventide ;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O thou, who changest not, abide with me.
3 Come not in terrors, as the King of kings;
But kind and good, with healing in thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea;
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.
4 I need thy presence every passing hour:
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?

Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me. 5 I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless :

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness: Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

6 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;

Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.P

14 I will arise and go to my Father.-Luke xv. 18. [103.
1 FATHER, again in Jesus' name we meet,
And bow in penitence beneath thy feet;
Again to thee our feeble voices raise,
To sue for mercy, and to sing thy praise.
2 O we would bless thee for thy ceaseless care,
And all thy work from day to day declare:
Is not our life with hourly mercies crown'd?
Does not thine arm encircle us around?

3 Alas! unworthy of thy boundless love,
Too oft with careless feet from thee we rove;
But now, encouraged by thy voice, we come,
Returning sinners to a Father's home.

4 O by that name in whom all fulness dwells,
O by that love which every love excels,
O by that blood so freely shed for sin,
Open blest mercy's gate, and take us in."

15 Under his wings shalt thou trust.-Ps. xci. 4.
1 ALL praise to thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light;
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath thine own almighty wings.

[L.M.

2 Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done :
That with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

3 Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed;
To die, that this vile body may
Rise glorious at the awful day.

4 O may my soul on thee repose,
And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that shall me more vigorous make,
To serve my God when I awake.

5 When in the night I sleepless lie,
My soul with heavenly thoughts supply:
Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
No powers of darkness me molest.

6 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

16

I will lay me down in peace.-Ps. iv. 8.
1 SUN of my soul, thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if thou be near;
Oh may no earthborn cloud arise,
To hide thee from thy servant's eyes.

2 When the soft dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eyelids gently steep,
Be my last thought, how sweet to rest
For ever on my Saviour's breast.

3 Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without thee I dare not die.

[L.M.

4 If some poor wandering child of thine
Have spurn'd to-day the voice divine,
Now, Lord, the gracious work begin;
Let him no more lie down in sin.

5 Watch by the sick, enrich the poor
With blessings from thy boundless store;
Be every mourner's sleep to-night,
Like infant's slumbers, pure and light.
6 Come near and bless us when we wake,
Ere through the world our way we take,
Till in the ocean of thy love

We lose ourselves in heaven above.a

17 They forsook all, and followed him.-Luke v. 11. [5s. 8s. JESU, still lead on,

1

2

3

4

Till our rest be won;

And, although the way be cheerless,
We will follow, calm and fearless:

Guide us by thy hand

To our Fatherland.

If the way be drear,

If the foe be near,

Let not faithless fears o'ertake us,
Let not faith and hope forsake us;

For through many a foe

To our home we go.

When we seek relief

From a long-felt grief,

When oppress'd by new temptations,
Lord, increase and perfect patience;

Show us that bright shore

Where we weep no more.

Jesu, still lead on,

Till our rest be won:

Heavenly Leader, still direct us,
Still support, console, protect us,
Till we safely stand

In our Fatherland. Amen.

18

In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,
and all the night with a light of fire. -
Ps. lxxviii. 14.

[10s. 4s.

1 LEAD, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom Lead thou me on.

The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on.

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
2 I was not ever thus, nor pray'd that thou
Shouldst lead me on;

I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead thou me on.

I loved the garish day, and spite of fears Pride ruled my will; remember not past years. 3 So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on

O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone.

And with the morn those angel faces smile Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile. 4 Meantime along the narrow rugged path, Thyself hast trod,

Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith, Home to my God,

To rest for ever after earthly strife

In the calm light of everlasting life. Amen.

19 At even they brought unto him all that were [L.M. diseased.-Mark i. 32.

1 Ar even, ere the sun was set,

The sick, O Lord, around thee lay;
O in what divers pains they met!
O with what joy they went away!

2 Once more 'tis eventide, and we,

Oppress'd with various ills, draw near : What if thy form we cannot see?

We know and feel that thou art here.