Catholic Hymns. Henry Formby

height sublime,

       Sits amid the cherubim.

       ⁠Hail, &c.

      "Say, ye holy shepherds, say

       What your joyful news to-day?

       Wherefore have ye left your sheep

       On the lonely mountain steep?"

       ⁠Hail, &c.

      "As we watch'd at dead of night,

       Lo! we saw a wondrous light;

       Angels singing, 'Peace on earth,'

       Told us of the Saviour's birth."

       ⁠Hail, &c.

      Sacred Infant! all divine!

       What a tender love was Thine,

       Thus to come from highest bliss

       Down to such a world as this!

       ⁠Hail, &c.

      Teach, oh, teach us, holy Child,

       By Thy face so meek and mild;

       Teach us to resemble thee

       In Thy sweet humility.

       ⁠Hail, &c.

      Virgin Mother! Mary blest!

       By the joys that fill thy breast,

       Pray for us, that we may prove

       Worthy of the Saviour's love

       ⁠Hail,&c.

      Veni Creator.

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      Come, O Creator Spirit blest!

       And in our souls take up Thy rest;

       Come, with Thy grace and heav'nly aid,

       To fill the hearts which Thou hast made

      Great Paraclete! to Thee we cry:

       O highest gift of God most high!

       O fount of life! O fire of love!

       And sweet Anointing from above!

      Thou in thy sevenfold gifts art known;

       Thee Finger of God's hannd we own;

       The promise of the Father thou!

       Who dost the tounge with pow'r endow.

      Kindle our senses from above,

       And make our hearts o'erflow with love;

       With patience firm, and virtue high,

       The weakness of our flesh supply.

      Far from us drive the foe we dread,

       And grant us Thy true peace instead;

       So shall we not, with Thee for guide,

       Turn from the path of life aside.

      Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow,

       The Father and the Son to know;

       And Thee through endless times confess'd

       Of both th' eternal Spirit blest.

      All glory while the ages run

       Be to the Father and the Son

       Who rose from death; the same to Thee,

       O Holy Ghost eternally.

      Machined by Robson and Levy, Great New Street, E.C.

      Divine Grace.

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      O Jesu, my beloved King,

       ⁠I give all thanks to Thee,

       Who by Thy cross hast merited

       ⁠Celestial grace for me.

      In Adam rais'd to dignities

       ⁠Transcendent and divine;

       In Adam fallen from the bliss

       ⁠That once in him was mine.—

      That grace to which my native strength,

       ⁠Could never have attain'd,

       That grace, O my Incarnate God,

       ⁠In Thee I have regain'd.

      O gift of love! O gift immense!

       ⁠Surpassing nature's law;

       What force to will and to perform

       ⁠From this pure fount I draw.

      By this how many passing acts,

       ⁠Which else had been in vain,

       Endued with meritorious power,

       ⁠A prize eternal gain!

      By this to me is open'd wide,

       ⁠Through death's inviting door,

       A brighter world, a nobler realm

       ⁠Than Adam lest of yore.

      O Jesu! on whose grace alone

       ⁠I by Thy grace depend,

       Grant me the grace to persevere

       ⁠In grace unto the end.

      Divine Providence.

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      Behold the lilies of the field,

       ⁠They neither toil nor sow;

       Yet God doth all things needful yield,

       ⁠That they may bud and blow.

      Not Solomon in glory shone

       ⁠Like one of these poor flowers,

       That look to God, and God alone,

       ⁠For sunshine and for showers.

      And does His mercy value less

       ⁠The offspring of His grace?

       And will a Father's love not bless

       ⁠The child that seeks His face?

      Oh, then away with fear and care

       ⁠For all that may betide:

       And turn to God in trustful pray'r,

       ⁠And in His love confide.

      He is our Father, and He knows

       ⁠His earthly children's need;

       On all our daily wants and woes

       ⁠He looks with careful heed.

      Easter Hymn.

       (I.)

       Victimæ Paschali laudes.

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      Christ the Lord is ris'n to-day:

       Christians, haste your vows to pay;

       Offer ye your praises meet

       At the Paschal Victim's feet.

       ⁠For the sheep the Lamb hath bled,

       ⁠Sinless in the sinner's stead;

       ⁠Christ the Lord is ris'n on high,

       ⁠Now He lives no more to die.

      Christ, the victim