of old

And now, O Lord, be near to bless,
Almighty as of yore,

In crowded street, by restless couch,
As by Gennesareth's shore.

Be Thou our great Deliverer still,
Thou Lord of life and death;
Restore and quicken, soothe and bless,
With Thine almighty breath:
To hands that work and eyes that see,
Give wisdom's heavenly lore,

That whole and sick, and weak and strong,

May praise Thee evermore.

Amen.

E. H. PLUMPTRE.

Amen.

mf877 THE voice that breathed o'er

Eden,

That earliest wedding day,
The primal marriage blessing!
It hath not passed away :
2 Still in the pure espousal

Of Christian man and maid,
The Holy Three are with us,
The threefold grace is said.
3 For dower of blessed children,
For love and faith's sweet sake,
For high mysterious union

5 Be present, Son of Mary,

To join their loving hands,
As Thou didst bind two natures
In Thine eternal bands;

6 Be present Holiest Spirit,

To bless them as they kneel,
As Thou for Christ, the Bridegroom,
The heavenly spouse dost seal.

mf 7 O spread Thy pure wing o'er them, Let no ill power find place,

When onward through life's journey,
The hallowed path they trace.

mf 4 Be present, awful Father,

To give away this bride,

As Eve Thou gav'st to Adam,
Out of his own pierced side;

In perfect sacrifice,

Till to the home of gladness
With Christ's own Bride they rise.

mf 878 HOW welcome was the call,

And sweet the festal lay,

When Jesus deigned in Cana's hall
To bless the marriage day.

2 And happy was the bride,

3

And glad the bridegroom's heart, For He who tarried at their side Bade grief and ill depart.

His gracious power divine
The water-vessels knew;

And plenteous was the mystic wine,
The wondering servants drew.

the marriage.—John ii. 2.
O Lord of life and love,
Come Thou again to-day;
And bring a blessing from above,
That ne'er shall pass away.

5 Oh, bless as erst of old,

The bridegroom and the bride; Bless with the holier stream that flowed Forth from Thy pierced side.

mf 6 Before Thy gracious throne
This mercy we implore;

As Thou dost knit them, Lord, in one,
So bless them evermore.

Amen.

H. W. BAKER.

O Lord!

How sure is their defence!

Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help, Omnipotence.

2 In foreign realms, and lands remote,
Supported by Thy care,
Through burning climes they pass un-
And breathe in tainted air. [hurt,

T

dim 3 When by the dreadful tempest borne High on the broken wave,

cr They know Thou art not slow to hear, Nor impotent to save.

Obedient to Thy will;

save,

Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;

dim O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

mf20 Christ, whose voice the waters heard, And hushed their raging at Thy word, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, And calm amidst the storm didst sleep;

dim O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea.

Upon the waters dark and rude, And bid their angry tumult cease, And give, for wild confusion, peace; dim O hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea.

cry,

As o'er the trackless deep we roam,
Be Thou our haven always nigh,
On homeless waters Thou our home.

p 2 O Jesu, Saviour, at whose voice
The tempest sank to perfect rest,
Bid Thou the fearful heart rejoice,
And cleanse and calm the troubled
breast.

cr

The ocean woke to life and light,
Command Thy blessing in this hour,
Thy fostering warmth, Thy quickening
might

f 4 Great God of our salvation, Thee
We love, we worship, we adore ;
Our Refuge on time's changeful sea,
Our Joy on heaven's eternal shore.
Amen.

E. H. BICKERSTETH.