Chapter IV

O God, exalted on Thy throne,
Who dwell'st in purity unknown,
Lo, now we humbly wait,
Throw wide the Heavenly gate,
And with the Bridegroom, of Thy grace,
Give us at Thy right hand a place.
In holy garb, with lamp aglow,
To meet the Bridegroom forth I go.

ST. GREGORY

ST. GREGORY

Gregory of Nazianzus, son of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus, and life-long friend of Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, was born at Nazianzus, 325 A.D. He took up the priestly office at the earnest request of his father, and for some time was helpful to the aged bishop.

The times in which Gregory lived were trying times. The orthodox Christians clung to the creed of Nicea, and their champions did valiant battle with the Arians. As an advocate and exponent of evangelical truth, Gregory was summoned to Constantinople in 379, and as bishop of that See adorned the high position with gifts and graces as brilliant as they were rare. But he was not the man for such a position at such a time. Hilary, the 'Hammer of the Arians,' could keep the heretics at bay, and do in the Latin Church what Gregory could not do in the Greek Church--maintain his position and his cause against all comers. For one thing, the retiring disposition of Gregory inclined him to shrink from the din of conflict, and his high ideals weakened his hopefulness. The result was that he abandoned his position and retired to Nazianzus in 381. Deprived by death of his life-long friend, and of his brother Caesarius, to whom he was bound by more than brotherly love, he retired from the world and penned those poems, some of which are among the treasures of the Church Catholic. He died in 390.

The hymns of Gregory are found in the second volume of the Benedictine Edition of his works which was published in Paris in 1842. A selection can be seen in Daniel's _Thesaurus_, and in the _Anthologica Graeca, Carminum Christianorum_.

{ater archês, aperanton}

Cento from {se ton aphthiton monarchên}

I

O Light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and heaven
Are lustred by Thy ray;
No eye can to Thy throne ascend,
Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.

II

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I may serve in fear;
Above all boons, I pray,
Grant me Thy voice to hear;
From sin Thy child in mercy free,
And let me dwell in light with Thee.

III

That, cleansed from filthy stain,
I may meet homage give,
And, pure in heart, behold
And serve Thee while I live;
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And Thee, O Christ my Saviour, praise.

IV

In supplication meek
To Thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when Thou shalt come,
In love remember me,
And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,
Grant me a humble servant's place.

V

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly Thee implore;
And let Thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to Thee
From age to age eternally.

{tauta soi hêmeteroio thalysia, Christe}

Cento from {christe anax, se prôton}

I

Christ, for Thee a wreath adorning
Weaves my raptured soul with glee,
For from death this glorious morning
Thou hast risen triumphantly.

II

From the tomb behold Him rising,
Christ our Lord whose praise is sung.
Death is slain; O power surprising!
Hades' gates are open flung.

III

Thou for man to earth in meekness
Cam'st that he new born might be;
Thou upon the cross in weakness
Diedst that he might die with Thee.

IV

Thou didst rise--we hail Thee, Jesus!
And we leave the tomb with Thee.
Victor, by the power that frees us,
Where Thou art, there we would be.

V

Hark! the highest heavens are ringing,
Choirs angelic lead the strain,
And my opened lips in singing
Tell the praises forth again.

AN EVENING HYMN

{Se kai nyn eulogoumen}

I

Now at this evening hour,
O Thou, my Christ, to Thee,
Thou Word of God, Eternal Light,
All grateful praises be.

II

From Thee the Spirit comes,
Third beam of peerless light,
And in Thyself one glorious orb
The triple rays unite.

III

Thy word and wisdom Thou
To lighten man hast given,
That he the splendour might reflect
That shines superb in heaven;

IV

And having light within,
Might see Thine image bright,
And daily rise, till he himself
Is altogether light.

A MORNING HYMN

{orthrios didômi tô theô mou dexias}

I

The morning breaks, I place my hand in Thine,
My God, 'tis Thine to lead, to follow mine;
No word deceitful shall I speak the while,
Nor shall I stain my hand with action vile.

II

Thine be the day with worthy labour filled,
Strong would I stand to do the duty willed;
Nor swayed by restless passion let me be,
That I may give the offering pure to Thee;

III

Else were I 'shamed when hoary age I see,
Shamed were this board that bears Thy gifts to me:
Mine is the impulse; O my Christ, I pray,
Be Thou Thyself to me the Blessed Way!

AN EVENING HYMN

{epseusamên se tên alêtheian, loge}

I

O Word of Truth! in devious paths
My wayward feet have trod,
I have not kept the day serene
I gave at morn to God.

II

And now 'tis night, and night within,
O God, the light hath fled!
I have not kept the vow I made
When morn its glories shed.