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THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE
EPIPHANY.

Lessons: Isaiah li., lii. 13. and liii., liv.
Epistle Rom. xii. 1-6. Gospel: St. Luke ii. 41.

THE COLLECT.

O LORD, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people which call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion."-Isaiah li. II.

"He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied."-Isaiah liii. II.

"I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia."-Rev. xix. 6.

Hark, creation's Alleluia, rising from a thousand shores,

Vibrates sweet as angel voices, loud as many waters

roars,

"Blessing, glory, power, salvation to our God upon the Throne,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, infinite, supreme, alone."

On and on, from dawn to sunset, borne on every changeful wind,

From the myriad-minded peoples of the hoary climes of Ind,

From the ransom'd sons of Afric, from old Sinim's crowded lands,

From the freeborn wanderers roaming Araby's unconquer'd sands.

From the coasts of ice to regions where perpetual summer smiles,

From the sunny-hearted children of the far Pacific isles,

From the numbers without number of rejoicing Christendom,

From the watchers for His advent who will soon to Zion come.

Gathering strength from every nation, every kindred, tribe, and tongue,

Hark, that everlasting anthem, hark that glorious tide of song,

Floods the valleys with its music, echoes from the lasting hills,

Onward, upward, till the temple of the living God it fills.

Hark, it mingles with the raptures of the armies of the sky,

Who have pass'd through tribulation into perfect rest on high,

Clothed in robes

of spotless beauty, palms of triumph in their hand,

Harping on their harps Hosannas, as before His face they stand :

"Glory unto Him who loved us, Him who wash'd us with His blood,

Kings and priests henceforth for ever to our Father and our God.

Alleluia! saints and angels, raise your loudest loftiest strains :

Alleluia! hell is vanquish'd: God the Lord Almighty reigns."

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

Lessons Isaiah lv., lvii., lxi.

Epistle Rom. xii. 6—17. Gospel St. John ii. 1—12. THE COLLECT.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of Thy people, and grant us Thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth His glory.”—St. John ii. 11.

A MARRIAGE HYMN.

Ere the words of peace and love,
Breathed on earth, are borne above,
While their echo, soft and clear,
Lingers on the tranced ear,
Catch upon your lips the strain,
Swell the notes of prayer again,
Prayer with benedictions fraught,
Passing words and passing thought:
Co-eternal Three in One,
Seal the nuptial benison.
Blessings from the earth beneath,
Fruits and flowers in woven wreath ;
Balmy dews that heaven distils
On the everlasting hills;
Angel wings, a guard of light
O'er the peaceful home by night;
Angel steps to tend the way
Onward, heavenward, day by day:
Co-eternal Three in One

Seal the nuptial benison.

Hear our prayer: this union be
Ratified, O God, by Thee :

This another link entwined

Hearts and homes and heaven to bind
In that mystic chain of love,

Holding us, but held above;
Knitting all that world to this,
Eden's bloom to glory's bliss:
Co-eternal Three in One,
Seal the nuptial benison.

Three in One, and One in Three,
Blessedness is blessing Thee;
While we pour in chant and hymn,
Full hearts, flowing o'er the brim,-
Water by Thy power benign
Blushing as celestial wine,-
Till within the golden gates,
Where the Lamb His bridal waits,

We with all the white-robed throngs
Sing the heavenly Song of songs.

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE
EPIPHANY.

Lessons Isaiah lxii., lxv., lxvi.

Epistle Rom. xii. 16. Gospel: St. Matt. viii. 1—14.

THE COLLECT.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth Thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest till He establish and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."-Isaiah lxii. 6, 7.

O brothers, lift your voices,
Triumphant songs to raise ;
Till heaven on high rejoices,
And earth is fill'd with praise.
Ten thousand hearts are bounding
With holy hopes and free;
The Gospel trump is sounding,
The trump of Jubilee.

O Christian brothers, glorious
Shall be the conflict's close:
The cross hath been victorious,
And shall be o'er its foes.
Faith is our battle-token:
Our leader all controls;
Our trophies, fetters broken;
Our captives, ransom'd souls.

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