body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother, Mary, that she might become a worthy habitation for thy Son; grant that, as we celebrate her memory with joy, so, by her pious intercession, we may be delivered from present evils and eternal death. Through, &c. Amen.

N. May the divine assistance remain always with us. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, I believe in God, in secret.

HYMNS SUNG AT VESPERS ACCORDING TO THE FESTIVAL.

CREATOR ALme Siderum, FOR ADVENT.

1.

Oh bright Creator of the skies-
Thyself the truest light of all-
Saviour from Satan's blasting thrall,
Receive our vows and suppliant cries!

2.

Thou who by kindest impulse swayed,
Didst come to heal our every woe
And the fell tempter's art o'erthrow
Ere all should be to hell betrayed;

3.

Who from a virgin temple sprung
The sins of all the world to bear,
And then for crimes thou couldst not share,
Wast on the cross a victim hung;-

4.

Great, glorious Lord! we pray to thee Whose very name hath such command, Nor heaven nor hell its power withstand, But trembling all must bend the knee.

5.

To thee, tremendous judge! we bow;
Last dreadful judge! we crave thine aid.
Be every wily foe dismayed.

Thy saving grace from heaven bestow.

6.

May willing honour, glory, praise
Be to the Father given and Son
And to the Holy Ghost whose throne
United stands for endless days.

JESU DULCIS MEMORIA, FOR II. SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

1.

The thought of Jesus must impart
True joy to every loving heart:
But oh, than honey far more sweet
Our Saviour face to face to meet !

2.

No song can be so sweet to hear,
No sound so well the heart can cheer,
The mind no thought so glad can frame
As Jesus Christ's most holy name.

3.

Oh Jesus! kind to sinners fears,
And kind to anxious suppliant prayers,
To those who seek for thee how kind!-
What then art thou to those who find?

4.

No tongue can make the hearer guess,
Nor writing say how thou dost bless :

232 AUDI BENIGNE CONDITOR; FOR LENT.

Those only who have tried can tell
What 'tis to love their Jesus well.

5.

Jesus, our only bliss be thou,
Who wilt all future joy bestow!
Oh let our love and glory be
For endless ages drawn from thee.

6.

Jesus, in whom each heart delights-
The living fountain-light of lights-
Exceeding every dearest bliss,
And every dream of happiness;

7.

Jesus our king, admired, rever'd,
The conqueror of all that's fear'd-
True sweetness all-who dost impart
Far more than asks the trembling heart;

8.

Oh stay with us! dear Jesus, stay!
Illume us with thy saving ray.

All darkness from our minds remove,
And fill the world with light and love.

AUDI BENIGNE CONDITOR, For Lent.

1.

Benign Creator! kindly hear

The prayers and sighs in sorrow blent, Which to thy pitying throne we bear In this most holy fast of Lent.

2.

Oh thou who searchest every heart,
And knowest man's infirmity;
Peace and forgiveness now impart,
And may thy grace our wants supply.

3.

Much have we sinned-our ways we blame, We own, confess our faults to heaven; Oh, for the glory of thy name,

Kind Jesus, be those faults forgiven !

4.

Oh grant that we may now restrain,
By abstinence our stubborn will:
That vicious strength may not remain
To urge our wayward hearts to ill.

5.

Oh grant most holy Trinity

This fast may every sin efface; And may our tears productive be,

Of blest increase of hope and grace.

VEXILLA REGIS, FOR PASSION AND PALM SUNDAY.

1.

See, see the royal banners fly!
Now beams the cross's mystery.
For life was still within the tomb
When death by life was overcome.

2.

Where smote the spear with direst blow,

Thence blood and water did o'erflow:

These all our guilty stains efface
And wash our souls with saving grace.

3.

This, this the mystery foretold
By David's faithful song of old :
He said to all, in mystic strain,
"From off a tree the God will reign."

4.

Oh beaming tree! thy branches fair
The royal purple colours wear.
Well chosen from an honoured sort,
Those sacred members to support.

5.

Oh blessed tree! whose arms can show
The ransom of a world from woe !-
His limbs the only weight could tell
What price could ransom man from hell.

6.

Hail cross! our only hope sublime
To cheer this penitential time-

On the finding of the cross is said
Who cheerest this high paschal time-
On the exaltation of the cross is said
Whose triumph cheers this glorious time-
Let grace renewed the just repay,
And wash the sinners guilt away.

7.

Hail holy Trinity, whose praise
Still bids us every song upraise,
Let those who now in patience bear
The cross on earth, thy guerdon share.