When forth from its Creator's hand
The earth in beauty stood,

All decked with light at his command,
He saw, and called it good.

But still more lovely in his sight,
The earth still fairer stood,

When the Holy Lamb had washed it white
In his atoning blood.

Still as the morning rays return
To the pious soul 'tis given

In fancy's mirror to discern

The radiant domes of Heaven.

But now that our eternal Sun
Hath shed his beams abroad,
In him we see the Holy One,
And mount at once to God.

Oh, holy blessed Three in One,
May thy pure light be given,
That we the paths of death may shun,
And keep the road to Heaven.

FIRST HOUR OF THE DAY,

or 6 A. M.

(Jam lucis orto sidere. No. 3. St. Ambrose.)

ONCE more the sun is beaming bright,

Once more to God we pray,

That His eternal light may guide

And cheer our souls this day.

Oh! may no sin our hands defile,

Or cause our minds to rove: Upon our lips be simple truth And in our hearts be love.

Throughout the day, oh! Christ, in Thee
May ready help be found,

To save our souls from Satan's wiles,
Who still keeps hov'ring round.

Subservient to thy daily praise
Our daily toil shall be:

So may our works, in thee begun,
Be further'd, Lord, by thee.

And lest the flesh, profanely proud,
Subdue the yielding soul,
May self-constraining temperance
That carnal pride control.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
Eternal glory be from man,
And from the angel host.

THIRD HOUR, or 9 A. M.

(Oh fons amoris, Spiritus. No. 4.)

OH Holy Spirit, Lord of grace,

Eternal source of love,

Inflame, we pray, our inmost hearts,

With fire from Heaven above.

As thou dost join with holiest bonds
The Father and the Son,

So fill thy saints with mutual love,
And link their hearts in one.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
Eternal glory be from man,
And from the angel-host.

OR THIS.

(Nunc sancte nobis Spiritus. No. 5. St. Ambrose.)

BLEST Spirit, one with God above,
Thou source of life and holy love,
Oh, cheer us with thy sacred beams,
Refresh us with thy plenteous streams.

Oh, may our lips confess thy name,
Our holy lives thy power proclaim :
With love divine our hearts inspire,
And fill us with thy holy fire.

Oh Holy Father, Holy Son,
And Holy Spirit, three in one,
Thy grace devoutly we implore;
Thy name be praised for evermore.

SIXTH HOUR, or 12.

(Jam Solis excelsum Jubar. No. 6.)

AND now the sun's meridian beams
Their brightest rays unfold,
And fill the air, on every side,
With darts of glitt'ring gold.

Oh Christ, thou Sun of righteousness,
Far brighter beams are thine;
Oh may our souls their influence feel,
Those rays of love divine.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
All glory be from saints on earth,
And from the angel-host.

OR THIS.

(Rector potens, verax Deus. No. 7.)

OH God of truth, Almighty Lord,
Thou rulest all things by thy word,
Thy sunbeams deck the rising morn,
Thy rays the sultry noon adorn.

Extinguish, Lord, th' unhallow'd fire
Of sinful strife, of vain desire:
Oh bid our pains, our sorrows cease,
And fill our hearts with holy peace.

Oh Holy Father, Holy Son,
And Holy Spirit, three in one,
Thy grace devoutly we implore,
Thy name be praised for evermore.

NINTH HOUR, or 3 IN THE AFTERNOON.

(Labente jam solis rotá. No. 8.)

AND now the sun's declining rays
Towards the eve descend;

E'en so our years are sinking down

To their appointed end.

Lord, on the cross thine arms were stretched,

To draw us to the sky:

Oh grant us then that cross to love,

And in those arms to die.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
All glory be from saints on earth,
And from the angel-host.

OR THIS.

(Rerum Deus tenax vigor. No. 9. St. Ambrose.)

ALMIGHTY God, thy throne above

No time can change, no power can move:
Thy word the fleeting hours obey,

They speed the night, they close the day.