A SUN-DAY HYMN

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES

[1809-1894]

LORD of all being, throned afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Centre and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!
Sun of our life, thy quickening ray
Sheds on our path the glow of day:
Star of our hope, thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, thy mercy's sign:
All, save the clouds of sin, are thine.

Lord of all life, below, above,

Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love;
Before thy ever-blazing throne

We ask no lustre of our own.

Grant us thy truth to make us free,

And kindling hearts that burn for thee,

Till all thy living altars claim

One holy light, one heavenly flame.

THE PILGRIMS OF THE NIGHT

FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER

[1814-1863]

HARK, hark, my soul! angelic songs are swelling
O'er earth's green fields and ocean's wave-beat shore:
How sweet the truth those blessèd strains are telling
Of that new life when sin shall be no more!

Angels of Jesus, angels of light,

Singing to welcome the pilgrims of the night!

Darker than night life's shadows fall around us,
And like benighted men we miss our mark:
God hides himself, and grace hath scarcely found us,
E'er death finds out his victims in the dark.

Angels of Jesus, etc.

Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,
The voice of Jesus sounds o'er land and sea,
And laden souls by thousands meekly stealing,
Kind Shepherd, turn their weary steps to thee.
Angels of Jesus, etc.

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Onward we go, for still we hear them singing,
Come, weary souls, for Jesus bids you come;'
And through the dark, its echoes sweetly ringing,
The music of the gospel leads us home.

Angels of Jesus, etc.

Rest comes at last; though life be long and dreary,
The day must dawn, and darksome night be past;
All journeys end in welcomes to the weary,

And heaven, the heart's true home, will come at last.
Angels of Jesus, etc.

Cheer up, my soul! faith's moonbeams softly glisten
Upon the breast of life's most troubled sea,

And it will cheer thy drooping heart to listen

To those brave songs which angels mean for thee. Angels of Jesus, etc.

Angels! sing on, your faithful watches keeping; Sing us sweet fragments of the songs above, While we toil on, and soothe ourselves with weeping, Till life's long night shall break in endless love. Angels of Jesus, etc.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

JOHN MARRIOTT
[1816]

THOU, Whose Almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,
And took their flight;
Hear us, we humbly pray;
And, where the gospel's day
Sheds not its glorious ray,
Let there be light!

Thou, Who didst come to bring
On Thy redeeming wing

Healing and sight,

Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind,
Oh, now to all mankind
Let there be light!

Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy Dove,

Speed forth Thy flight!
Move on the waters' face
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth's darkest place
Let there be light!

Holy and blessed Three,
Glorious Trinity,

Wisdom, Love, Might!

Boundless as ocean's tide

Rolling in fullest pride,

Through the earth, far and wide,

Let there be light!

BUDDHIST WRITINGS

TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY

HENRY CLARKE WARREN