EVENING HYMN.

Sinking now in floods of light,

The sun resigns the world to night;

When a lingering glance he turns,

The glowing west with glory burns,

And the blushing heavens awhile

Long retain his parting smile.

Ere gray evening's sullen eye,

Bids those tints of beauty die;

Ere her tears have washed away

The footsteps of departing day,

Nature from her verdant bowers

Her last long strain of rapture pours;

Shrouded in her misty vest,

She sings a drowsy world to rest,

And tells to man, in thrilling strains,

That the Lord Jehovah reigns!

Lingering twilight dies away,

Night resumes her ancient sway,

Round her sable tresses twining

Countless hosts of stars are shining;

Weaving round the brow of night

A coronet of living light:

O'er the couch of nature bending,

Their beauteous glances downward sending,

A silent watch of glory keeping,

Guard the earth whilst life is sleeping.

Strains unheard by mortal ears,

Echo through the starry spheres;

Other worlds awake to sing,

Glory to the eternal King!

Till azure fields and liquid plains

Echo far, Jehovah reigns!

Creation sleeps — but many a sound

Of melody is floating round —

Where the moon-lit sea is flinging

Its snowy foam and upward springing

To meet the shore advancing nigh,

Pours, in many a broken sigh,

A mournful dirge o'er those who rest

Forgotten in its stormy breast.

Restless ocean, onward rave;

He who trod the boisterous wave,

Shall to life those forms restore,

Thy tides have rolled for ages o'er;

Those sleepers from thy depths shall spring

To meet in air their mighty King,

Whilst shrinking seas repeat their strains,

Lord of all, Jehovah, reigns!

This is night;— her mantle gray

She flings across the brow of day

To hide from mortal ken awhile

The splendour of his kingly smile.

But what magic beauties lie

In her dark and shadowy eye,

When the moon with glory crowned

Checkers o'er the distant ground;

Bathing now in floods of light,

Now retreating from the sight,

As the heavy vapoury cloud

Flings athwart its sable shroud;

Onward as her course is steering,

Now through broken cliffs appearing,

She shows the brightness of her form

And laughs exulting at the storm;

Whilst misty hills and moon-lit plains

Echo far, Jehovah reigns!

Night,— thy end is hastening fast,

Eternal day will dawn at last;

The Sun of righteousness shall rise,

Triumphant through his native skies;

And men redeemed from dust shall spring

To hail the advent of their King;

Till heaven's wide arch repeats their strains,

Christ, our own Immanuel, reigns!