3 mf How Thou didst guard his tender youth,
In desert wastes away from men ;
Where no light tongue with taint of sin
His spotless innocence might stain ;-

cres

4 How Thou didst send him to proclaim His advent, Who from sin sets free;

5

mf And Him with water to baptize Who cleanses from iniquity.

Still let his cry recall the feet

That in the wastes of error stray;

cres The heart of stone in pieces break;

And guide our steps through life's rough

way.

6 So shall our loving Saviour find

Within our souls a dwelling place;
Where His blest Presence shall abide,
And perfect us with gifts of grace.

7 mf To Thee we cry, (cres) Whom angels sing
With ceaseless hymns, O Triune God;
dim O spare Thy people, spare us, Lord,
Redeemed by Jesus' precious Blood.

cres

Also the following:

On Jordan's bank, the Baptist's cry.
When Christ, the Lord, would come on earth

486

St. Peter's Bay.

Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my Church. Matt. xvi. 18.

1 mf CREATOR of the rolling flood!

On Whom Thy people hope alone;
Who cam❜st by water and by blood,
For man's offences to atone :-

Amen.

W. Cooke.

L.M.

2 mf Who from the labours of the deep
Didst set Thy servant Peter free,
To feed on earth Thy chosen sheep,
And build an endless church to Thee :-

3 mf Grant us, devoid of worldly care,

And leaning on Thy bounteous hand, dim To seek Thy help in humble prayer,

cres

And on Thy sacred rock to stand :— 4 mf And when, our life-long toil to crown, Thy call shall set the spirit free,

cres

To cast with joy our burthen down,
And rise, O Lord! and follow Thee!

1 WE praise Thy Name, O Lord most High, Redeemer of our souls from death,

And all Thy mercies magnify,

In making known Thy saving faith.

2 mf Thou didst the humble fisher call, Beside the shores of Galilee;

cres

At Thy command he gave up all,
And left his nets to follow Thee.

3 my O happy choice, (p) for earthly toil
The strife to rescue souls from sin:
dim For treasures that may rust and spoil,
The crown of heavenly life to win.

cres

dim

4 mf O favoured one, who, ere he knew
The sharpness of the coming cross,
cres Of Thy bright beauty caught the view
That turns to gain all earthly loss.

f

5p Thy promise is fulfilled, and he

Dares in Thy painful steps to go;
To drink Thy cup of agony,

And drain the bitter dregs of woe.
6 mf Grant, Lord, that hope of seeing Thee
In bliss may us with courage nerve,
The world and all its pomp to flee,
Our cross to bear, and Thee to serve.

488

Amen.

Anon. (From the Hymnary, 1872).

St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

The Lord knoweth them that are His.

2 Tim. ii. 19.

1 KING of Saints, to Whom the number Of Thy starry host is known,

mf Many a name by man forgotten

cres

8.7.

Lives for ever round Thy throne: [ened, my Lights which earth-born mists have dark.

cres

dim

There are shining full and clear→→
Princes in the court of heaven,-
Nameless, unremembered, here.

2 mf In the roll of Thine apostles

One there stands, Bartholomew,
He for whom to-day we offer

Year by year our praises due;
How he toiled for Thee and suffered
None on earth can now record;

cres All his saintly life is hidden
In the knowledge of his Lord.

3 mf Was it he, beneath the fig-tree
Seen of Thee, and guileless found;
He who saw the Good he longed for
Rise from Nazareth's barren ground;
He who met his risen Master

cres

On the shore of Galilee;

He to whom the word was spoken, 'Greater things thou yet shalt see'? 4 p None can tell us ; (cres) all is written In the Lamb's great book of life— ƒ All the faith, and prayer, and patience, All the toiling and the strife: There are told Thy hidden treasures:— Number us, O Lord, with them, When Thou makest up the jewels Of Thy living diadem! Amen.

dim

cres

f

J. Ellerton

St. Matthew the Apostle.

489 He saith unto him, Follow Me. Matt. ix. 9. 1 mƒ BEHOLD, the Master passeth by !

2

p Oh, seest thou not His pleading Eye? With low sad voice He calleth theecres 'Leave this vain world, and follow Me.'

Р

cres

L.M.

O soul, bowed down with harrowing care,
Hast thou no thought for heaven to spare?
From earthly toils lift
up thine eye;-
Behold, the Master passeth by!

3 mf One heard Him calling long ago,
And straightway left all things below,
Counting his earthly gain as loss
For Jesus and His holy Cross.

4 That Follow Me' his faithful ear
Seemed every day afresh to hear:
Its echoes stirred his spirit still,
And fired his hope, and nerved his
will.

5

Ρ God gently calls us every day :

cres Why should we then our bliss delay ?
ƒ He calls to heaven and endless light:
dim Why should we love the dreary night?

6 Praise, Lord, to Thee for Matthew's
call,

At which he rose and left his all:

p Thou, Lord, e'en now art calling

Hark! hark, my soul ! angelic songs are swelling (278)

It came upon the midnight clear

Stars of the morning, so gloriously bright

There is no night in heaven

They come, God's messengers of love