Till, girt with light, and by light led,
Eternal light shall crown her head;
And light remain her rich reward,

The gift of Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN.

THE INNOCENTS' DAY.

This Festival was originally connected with the feast of the Epiphany, but appears to have been made a separate Festival in the fifth century.

THE COLLECT.

Gelas. Greg. S.M.

The present form was adopted in the Revision of 1662.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants to glorify Thee by their deaths; mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us by Thy grace, that by the innocency of our lives, and constancy of our faith even unto death, we may glorify Thy Holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The arrangement of this and the two previous Festivals is said by some to have been made for the following reasons:-St. Stephen suffered both in will and deed; St. John in will, but not in deed, being preserved from death when plunged into boiling oil, according to Tertullian; and the Innocents in deed, though not in will. Thus the degrees of martyrdom determine the rank and order of these Festivals.

THE INNOCENTS' DAY.

Almighty God, who didst ordain
That lips of infants tender
Should, by their cries, in mortal pain,
Praise and glory render;

O mortify in us, we pray,
Our carnal lusts and vices ;
And every base affection slay,
That from Thy path entices.

To us the grace of children give,
That we, on Thee relying,

May show their pureness, while we live,

Their faithfulness in dying.

And thus Thy name be glorified,

O Father and Creator;

Through Jesus Christ, who for us died,

Our Lord and Mediator.

ΑΜΕΝ.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

This Festival was originally called the Octave of Christmas, and was a fast. It is very doubtful at what time the present title of the day arose.

The Collect is based on one in the Sacramentary of Gregory.

Prayer Book of 1549.

LMIGHTY GOD, who madest Thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit; that our hearts, and all our members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things obey Thy blessed will; through the same Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

O God Almighty, by whose will,

According to the law;

Thy Son did righteousness fulfil,
And circumcision bore.

Grant us the circumcision true,
That all our lusts may die ;
Our carnal hearts by grace renew,
Our spirits purify.

Amen.

That we, in all things, may obey
Thy blessed will and Word;
And truly serve Thee, day by day,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

AMEN.

THE EPIPHANY; OR THE MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST TO THE GENTILES.

It is probable that the celebration of this Feast obtained from the earliest times, as mention is made of it as early as A.D. 200. The Eastern Church combined this Festival with that of the Nativity till the end of the fourth century. In the Western Church, it would appear that the two Festivals were distinguished from the first.

THE COLLECT.

Greg. S.M.

GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest Thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant, that we, which know Thee now by faith, may, after this life, have the fruition of Thy glorious God-head; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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THE EPIPHANY.

God, who by the glory-star,
Eastern Magi from afar,
Surely leddest all the way,
To the place where Jesus lay.

To reveal to Gentile sight,

Him who was to be their Light;
And before their wond'ring eyes,
Make the Star of Jacob rise.

Grant that we, who know Thee here,
By faith, in this desert drear;

As the star, our steps to guide,

When dark doubts our souls betide,

May, when we shall end the stage
Of our earthly pilgrimage,
Thy God-head unclouded see,
And enjoy eternally;

Through the Lord that shines above,
Star to shed on earth His love;
And in heaven, that knows no night,
Sun of everlasting light.