FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

Sun of righteousness, arise!

Warm our hearts, and bless our eyes: Let our prayer thy pity move;

Make this year a time of love.

3 Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us, henceforth, how to live
With eternity in view;

Bless thy word to old and young,
Fill us with a Saviour's love;
When our life's short race is run,
May we dwell with thee above.

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1

2

3

5

HYMN. 5's and 11's.

A New Year.

COME, let us anew

Our journey pursue,

Roll round with the year,

And never stand still, till the Master appear.

Our life is a dream,

Our time as a stream
Glides swiftly away;

And the fugitive moment refuses to stay.

The arrow is flown,

The moment is gone;

The millennial year

Rushes on to our view, and eternity's here.

O that each in the day

Of his coming may say,

"I've fought my way through,

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I've finish'd the work thou did'st give me to do!"

O that each from his Lord
May receive the good word,
"Well and faithfully done!

Enter into my joy, and sit down on my throne!"

2 B

FOR THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR.

69

HYMN. C. M.

Reflections at the End of the Year.

1 AND now, my soul, another year
Of thy short life is past;

I cannot long continue here,
And this may be my last.

2 Much of my dubious life is gone,
Nor will return again;

And swift my passing moments run,
The few that yet remain.

3 Awake, my soul-with utmost care
Thy true condition learn:

What are thy hopes?-how sure? how fair?
What is thy great concern?

4 Behold, another year begins!
Set out afresh for heaven;
Seek pardon for thy former sins,
In Christ so freely given.

5 Devoutly yield thyself to God,
And on his grace depend;

With zeal pursue the heav'nly road,
Nor doubt a happy end.

70

HYMN. S. M.

Rapid flight of Time.

JMY few revolving years,

How swift they glide away!

How short the term of life appears,
When past-'tis but a day!—

2 A dark and cloudy day,

Made up of grief and sin;
A host of dang'rous foes without,
And guilt and fear within.

3 Lord, through another year,
If thou permit my stay,
With watchful care may I
The true and living way!

pursue

HYMN. C. M.

71 Praise for Providential Goodness.

1 GOD of our lives, thy various praise
Our voices shall resound:

Thy hand directs our fleeting days,
And brings the seasons round.
2 To thee shall grateful songs arise,
Our Father and our Friend;

Whose constant mercies from the skies,
In genial streams descend.

3 In ev'ry scene of life, thy care,
In ev'ry age, we see:

And, constant as thy favours are,
So let our praises be.

4 Still may thy love, in every scene,
To ev'ry age, appear;
And let the same compassion deign
To bless the opening year.

HYMN. C. M.

72 The House appointed for all living.
1 HOW still and peaceful is the grave,
Where, life's vain tumults past,

Th' appointed house, by heav'n's decree,
Receives us all at last!

2 The wicked there from troubling cease-
Their passions rage no more;
And there the weary pilgrim rests
From all the toils he bore.

3 All, levell'd by the hand of death,
Lie sleeping in the tomb,

Till God in judgment calls them forth,
To meet their final doom.

Bright suns arise,
The mild wind blows,
And beauty glows,

Thro' earth and skies.

2 The morn, with glory crown'd,
His hand arrays in smiles:
He bids the eve decline,
Rejoicing o'er the hills:
The ev'ning breeze
His breath perfumes;
His beauty blooms

In flow'rs and trees.

3 With life he clothes the spring,
The earth with summer warms:
He spreads th' autumnal feast,
And rides on wintry storms:
His gifts divine

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Thro' all appear;
And round the year
His glories shine.

HYMN. L. M.

THE flow'ry spring, at God's command,
Perfumes the air, and paints the land:
The summer rays with vigour shine,
To raise the corn and cheer the vine.
2 His hand in autumn richly pours,
Through all her coasts, redundant stores;
And winters, soften'd by his care,
No more the face of horror wear.

3 The changing seasons, months and days
Demand successive songs of praise;
And be the cheerful homage paid,
With morning light, and ev'ning shade.
4 And oh, may each harmonious tongue
In worlds unknown the praise prolong,
And in those brighter courts adore,
Where days and years revolve no more.

75

HYMN. C. M.
Spring.

1 WHEN verdure clothes the fertile vale, And blossoms deck the spray,

And fragrance breathes in ev'ry gale,
How sweet the vernal day!

2 Hark! how the feather'd warblers sing!
'Tis nature's cheerful voice;
Soft music hails the lovely spring,
And woods and fields rejoice.

3 O God of nature, and of grace,
Thy heav'nly gifts impart;
Then shall my meditation trace
Spring blooming in my heart.
4 Inspir'd to praise, I then shall join
Glad nature's cheerful song;
And love, and gratitude divine
Attune my joyful tongue.

76

HYMN. S. M.

The Spring.

SWEET is the time of spring,
When nature's charms appear;

The birds with ceaseless pleasure sing,
And hail the op'ning year:

But sweeter far the spring

Of wisdom and of grace,

When children bless and praise their King Who loves the youthful race.

2 Sweet is the dawn of day,

3

When light just streaks the sky; When shades and darkness pass away, And morning's beams are nigh:

But sweeter far the dawn

Of piety in youth;

When doubt and darkness are withdrawn

Before the light of truth.

Sweet is the early dew,

Which gilds the mountain's tops,

And decks each plant and flow'r we view, With pearly glitt❜ring drops:

But sweeter far the scene

On Zion's holy hill;

When there the dew of youth is seen

Its freshness to distil.