John Ellerton, 1868.

58 Seymour, 7s.

Evening Devotion.

Softly now the light of day
Fades upon my sight away;
Free from care, from labor free,
Lord, I would commune with thee.

2 Thou whose all pervading eye
Naught escapes without, within,
Pardon each infirmity,
Open fault, and secret sin.

3 Soon, for me, the light of day
Shall forever pass away;
Then, from sin and sorrow free,
Take me, Lord, to dwell with thee.

4 Thou who, sinless, yet hast known
All of man’s infirmity;
Then from thine eternal throne,
Jesus, look with pitying eye.

     G.W.  Doane, 1824.

59 Stockwell. 8s & 7s.

Evening Meditations.

Silently the shades of evening
Gather round my lowly door;
Silently they bring before me
Faces I shall see no more.

2 O the lost, the unforgotten,
Tho’ the world be oft forgot! 
O the shrouded and the lonely! 
In our hearts they perish not.

3 Living in the silent hours,
Where our spirits only blend—­
They, unlinked with earthly trouble;
We, still hoping for its end.

4 How such holy memories cluster,
Like the stars when storms are past;
Pointing up to that far heaven
We may hope to gain at last.

     C.C.  Cox

60 Fading, Still Fading P.M., with Refrain.

Evening Prayer.

Fading, still fading, the last beam is shining;
Father in heaven, the day is declining;
Safety and innocence flee with the light,
Temptation and danger walk forth with the night. 
From the fall of the shade till the morning bells chime,
Shield us from danger, keep us from crime.

Ref.—­Father, have mercy,
      Father, have mercy,
      Father, have mercy, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

2 Father in heaven, O hear when we call; Hear, for Christ’s sake, who is Savior of all.  Feeble and fainting, we trust in thy might; In doubting and darkness thy love be our light; Let us sleep on thy breast while the night taper burns, Wake in thine arms when morning returns.

     Selina Huntingdon

61 God Be With You.  P.M.

Parting Blessing.

God be with you till we meet again,
By his counsels guide, uphold you,
With his sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again

Cho.—­Till we meet, till we meet,
      Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
      Till we meet, till we meet,
      God be with you till we meet again.

2 God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath his wings securely hide you,
Daily manna still provide you,
God be with you till we meet again.

3 God be with you till we meet again, When life’s perils thick confound you, Put his arms unfailing round you, God be with you till we meet again.