When, as re­turns the so­lemn day,
Man comes to meet his mak­er, God,
What rites, what hon­ors shall he pay?
How spread His so­ver­eign name abroad?

From mar­ble domes and gild­ed spires
Shall curl­ing clouds of in­cense rise,
And gems and gold and gar­lands deck
The cost­ly pomp of sac­ri­fice?

Vain, sin­ful man! cre­ation’s Lord
Thy gold­en of­fer­ings may well spare;
But give thy heart, and thou shalt find
Here dwells a God who hear­eth pray­er.

O grant us, in this so­lemn hour,
From earth and sin’s al­lure­ments free,
To feel Thy love, to own Thy pow­er,
And raise each rap­tured thought to Thee.