He dreams he sees a lamp flash bright,

Glancing around his prison room — But 't is a gleam of heavenly light

That fills up all the ample gloom.

The flame, that in a few short years

Deep through the chambers of the dead Shall pierce, and dry the fount of tears,

Is waving o'er his dungeon-bed.

Touched he upstarts — his chains unbind

Through darksome vault, up massy stair, His dizzy, doubting footsteps wind

To freedom and cool moonlight air.

Then all himself, all joy and calm,

Though for a while his hand forego, Just as it touched, the martyr's palm,

He turns him to his task below;

The pastoral staff, the keys of heaven,

To wield awhile in grey-haired might, Then from his cross to spring forgiven, And follow Jesus out of sight.

KEBLE.

SAINT JAMES'S* DAY.

JULY 26.

COLLECT. Grant, O merciful God, that as thine holy apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ, and followed him; so we, forsaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HYMN.

And couldst thou, JAMES, to win the meed
Of glory for his saints decreed,

Thy Saviour's cup of sorrow taste?
And couldst thou bear, above thee spread,
The waves baptismal, dark and dread,

Which o’er thy Saviour past ?

Thou couldst: such aid his Spirit lent!
The stripes, the bonds, the imprisonment,

The scornful look, the taunting word,

The angry council's stern decree,
The tyrant's rage and cruelty,

And last the fatal sword:

These came in turn; and then thy death! O thou, to wear a martyr's wreath

The first of all thy brotherhood! First of thy Saviour's chosen train, Like him the cup of woe to drain,

Like him baptized in blood!

We dare not rend the veil aside,
By which the All-knowing wills to hide

The secrets of the unseen world:
But to our vision it should seem,
Might we without irreverence deem

Of that dark veil unfurled ;

Should seem that thou wert there to see, 0 James, O son of Zebedee,

And he, the favored of your Lord, Martyr with thee at least in will ; Together throned on God's high hill

Beside your King adored.

For not in vain his word was given
That ye, who have through sufferings striven,

For him and for his Gospel known,
With him shall in his glory dwell,
And judge the tribes of Israel,
Throned by Messiah’s throne.

Q

Nor vain the word, that whosoe'er
Shall the Messiah's name prefer

To houses, parents, children, wife;
Shall hundred-fold by Him be blest,
Be welcomed to his Father's rest,
And dwell in endless life.

Bp. MANT.

1

SAINT BARTHOLOMEW'S DAY.

AUGUST 24.

COLLECT. O Almighty and everlasting God, who didst give to thine apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy word; grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church to love that word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

HYMN.

• Behold, in whom no guile I find,

An Israelite indeed!”
NATHANAEL, thus thy virtuous mind

Did Israel's sovereign read.

A guileless heart! what fairer scene

In all this world below,
Does nature's loveliness contain,

Or God's creation show?

Fair are the snow-wreaths, that infold

Yon Alpine mountain's head ;
Fair is the stream, all crystal, rolled

Clear o'er its pebbly bed ;