With lifted arm, and thund'ring cry, "Who shall our God defy?"

Thou stood'st; then the dark rebel rout
Fell scatter'd all about;

And He who gave the victory,
Gave thee the crown on high.

O fairest in that winged band,
Where the bright heralds stand;
To thee the highest place is given
Within the courts of Heav'n,
To ope and close the starry door,
And bring the Judge before.

"Tis thine to set the spirit free In death's last agony,

Coming in calm unearthly light,

To walk through death's dim night, And bear her from her chains away, To mansions of the day.

Glory to the Eternal Three,
Equal in majesty ;

To Him who did our being give,
Who died that we might live,

Whose breath Divine doth us restore,

And cherish evermore.

Amen.

AT THE MATTINS.

Blessed art Thou upon the throne of Thy kingdom, and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art Thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims.-DAN. iii.

"Mille quem stipant solio sedentem."

O THOU, around whose everlasting throne
Throng countless hosts, a glorious multitude,
Free from all bodily weight; make us Thine own,
Whom Thou to Thee hast hallowed with Thy blood.

Those happy seats, wherein Thy kingdom lies,
Beyond the stars, for us Thou dost prepare,
And ever from those sweet societies

Thou sendest friendly guides to lead us there.

May the repeller of unearthly harms,
Great Michael, champion of the law divine,
Ever be o'er us with ethereal arms

To shield us from the foe, and keep us Thine!

May Gabriel his sweet aid around us plant,
And in the might of God's own fortitude
Come oft from Heav'n, a glorious pursuivant,
To visit us with messages of good.

L

May Raphael's gentle art and healing hand,
Which gave blind Tobit old to see the light,
Wave all around his soothing influence bland,
Scattering our body's ills, and spirit's blight.

From Thee, sole Fountain of all good below,
King of the heavenly hosts, our praise begun,
In Thee shall end. 'Tis truth Thy name to know,
And life to trust in Thee, the Three in One.

GUARDIAN ANGELS.

AT THE VESPERS.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation ?-HEB. i.

"Custodes hominum psallimus Angelos."

AND are there then celestial habitants,
Whom a kind Father's care around us plants,
Sent to walk with us in our earthly trance?

Yes, Heav'n's undying outcast, in dark hate
Of those whom God hath call'd to his lost state,
Ever around our pathway lies in wait.

And these blest guardians at high Heav'n's command Dwell round about our homes, with unseen wand Watchful to ward his wiles, and hold our hand.

All praise to God the Father of the Word,
All praise to God the Son with one accord,
All praise to Thee, the Holy Ghost ador❜d.

AT THE MATTINS.

I say unto you, that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father, which is in Heaven.-MATT. xviii.

"Regnator orbis summus et arbiter."

WHERE the angelic hosts adore Thee,
Thou o'er earth and Heav'n dost reign,
At Thy word they rose before Thee,
And Thy breath doth them sustain.
From high angels Thee attending,
Thou dost faithful guardians send;
In mysterious ways descending,
May they keep us to the end.

Keep us, else with wiles deceiving
The persuader of all ill,
Round his deadly meshes weaving,
The lost soul will rend and kill.
All Creation bows before Thee,

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Highest angels that adore Thee

Succour and sustain the lost.