me. Woe wounds; Thou Woe is me! Lord have mercy on is me! lo! I hide not my art the Physician, I the sick; Thou merciful, I miserable. And all my hope is in thy ex ceeding great mercy. Give what Thou enjoinest, and enjoin what Thou wilt. For too little doth he love Thee, who loves anything with Thee which he loveth not for Thee. Ο love, who ever burnest and never consumest! God! Kindle me. Give me what O charity, my est, and enjoin what Thou wilt." Thou enjoin IX. DIES IRÆ. THE PRAYER IN THE DIES IRE. The Dies Ira, one of the grandest hymntones of the church, justly held in veneration by all denominations of evangelical Christians, and often sung to the music of the greatest composers, is attributed to Thomas of Celano, of the thirteenth century. It forms a part of Mozart's Requiem, has been frequently translated from the original Latin, and a translation of three of the most impressive stanzas, by Sir Walter Scott, is found in most collections of hymns. Sir Walter Scott was heard quoting it on his death bed, as was the Earl of Roscommon, and Dr. Johnson used to quote it, and weep at the vision that it brought before his mind. The following is an almost literal translation of the prayer which forms a large part of the poem : "Rex tremendæ Majestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, "King of Majesty tremendous, “Think, kind Jesu, my salvation "Faint and weary thou hast sought me, On the cross of suffering bought me. Shall such grace be vainly brought me? 66 Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution Ere that day of retribution. "Guilty, now I pour my moaning, All my shame with anguish owning; Spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning! "Thou the sinful woman saved'st; Thou the dying thief forgavest; And to me a hope vouchsafest. "Worthless are my prayers and sighing, Yet, good Lord, in grace complying, Rescue me from fires undying! "With thy favored sheep O place me! Nor among the goats abase me; But to thy right hand upraise me. "While the wicked are confounded, Doomed to flames of woe unbounded, Call me, with thy saints surrounded. "Low, I kneel in heart submission, See! like ashes, my contrition; Help me in my last condition." X. THOMAS A KEMPIS. This devout monk (1380-1471) has produced, in his "Imitation of Christ," a book of meditations and prayers which has commended itself to the Catholic and Protestant church alike, and that does not lose its influence with time. The following prayer from one of these meditations will indicate the spirit of this most notable book of devotion: "Dearest Jesus, spouse of my soul, supreme source of light and love, and sovereign Lord of universal nature! O, that I had the wings of true liberty, that I might take my flight to Thee, and be at rest! When will it be granted |