the truth those blessed strains are telling
Of that new life where sin shall be no more!
Refrain
Angels of Jesus! Angels of light!
Singing to welcome The pilgrims of the night.
2.
Darker than night life's shadows fall around us,
And, like benighted men, we miss our mark;
God hides Himself, and grace hath scarcely found us,
Ere death finds out his victims in the dark.
3.
Far, far away, like bells at evening pealing,
The voice of Jesus sounds o'er land and sea;
And laden souls, by thousands meekly stealing,
Kind Shepherd! Turn their weary steps to Thee.
4.
Angels! sing on, your faithful watches keeping,
Sing us sweet fragments of the songs above;
While we toil on, and soothe ourselves with weeping,
Till life's long night shall break in endless love.
Page 173-174
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No. 112
ANGELS
Dear Angel! ever at my side
The Guardian Angel
Father Faber
Nicola A. Montani
Semplice
1.
Dear angel! Ever at my side,
How loving must thou be,
To leave thy home in Heav'n
To guide a sinful child like me.
2.
Thy beautiful and shining face,
I see not, tho' so near;
The sweetness of thy soft low voice
Too deaf am I to hear.
3.
But when, dear Spirit, I kneel down,
Both morn and nigh to pray'r,
Something there is within my heart,
Which tells me thou art there.
4.
Oh! When I pray thou prayest too,
Thy pray'r is all for me;
But when I sleep, thou sleepest not,
But watchest patiently.
5.
Then, for thy sake, dear Angel! now
More humble will I be:
But I am weak, and when I fall,
O weary not of me.
6.
Then love me, love me, Angel dear!
And I will love thee more;
And help me when my soul is cast
Upon th'eternal shore.
Page 175
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No. 113
THE HOLY SOULS
Help, Lord, the Souls which Thou hast made
The Faithful departed
Cardinal Newman
From a Slovak Hymnal
Arr. by N. A. M.
Andante
1.
Help, Lord, the souls which Thou hast made,
The souls to Thee so dear,
In prison for the debt unpaid,
Of sins committed here.
2.
These holy souls, they suffer on
Resigned in heart and will,
Until The high behest is done,
And justice has its fill.
3.
For daily falls, for pardoned crime
They joy to undergo
The shadow of Thy Cross sublime,
The remnant of Thy woe.
4.
Oh, by their patience of delay,
Their hope amid their pain,
Their sacred zeal to burn away
Disfigurement and stain.
5.
Oh, by their fire of love, not less
In keenness than in flame,
Oh,
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