born as at this time for us; who by the operation of the Holy Ghost, was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his Mother, and that without spot of sin, to make us clean from all sin. Therefore with Angels, and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen. ON THE NATIVITY. Translation by the author of "The Cathedral." Let all the earth her King adore Where'er the sun doth roll; Sent forth from the eternal shore He comes the Virgin-born. He asks returns for such vast love, And, though the Judge of all, Then be all praise to Him above, To Father and to Son And Spirit ever One. H. AND A. HILL, TYP., STANDARD OFFICE, BRISTOL. No. 5. SCRIPTURE TRACTS FOR THE FASTS AND FESTIVALS. ST. STEPHEN. BY A LAYMAN. "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope."-Romans xv. 4. LONDON: J. G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON. STRONG, BRISTOL; COMBE, LEICESTER. PRINTED BY H. AND A. HILL, CASTLE GREEN, BRISTOL MDCCCXXXIX. Price One Penny, or Seven Shillings per Hundred. ST. STEPHEN. (Translation by the Author of "The Cathedral.") Rightful Prince of Martyrs thou, Like a gem each rugged stone, From thy forehead's gushing streams Thou the first-slain victim free First to tread the pointed road Prince of Martyrs, thee behind What a countless army wind! Thou of Virgin Mother born, ST. STEPHEN. COLLECT FOR ST. STEPHEN'S DAY, DEC. 26. Grant, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr, Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God, to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate.-Amen. TE DEUM. The noble army of Martyrs: praise Thee. ACTS VI. 8. PROPER LESSON. Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law for we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. ACTS VII., I. Then said the high Priest, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken-(read St. Stephen's address in the proper lessons of the day).-When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. EPISTLE FOR THE DAY. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of |