201

7s M.

BULFINCH.

The Day-Spring from on high.

1 TOILING through the livelong night,
Faint, uncertain of his way,

How the traveller hails the light,
Herald of the coming day!

2 Thus, when fraud and rapine threw
O'er the world their cloud afar,
On the good man's raptured view
Broke the dawn of Judah's star.

3 Tears of joy and gratitude

Hailed the Baptist's natal morn,
For the heavenly light renewed,
For another prophet born;-

4 Born to go before the face
Of Judea's Savior-King;
Tidings of celestial grace

To the mourning land to bring.
5 Thus began the song of praise,
For the day-spring's earliest ray;
How should we the anthem raise
For the gospel's perfect day!

202

C. M.

WATTS.

The Messiah's Coming and Kingdom. Ps. 98.

1 JOY to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns; Let men their songs employ,

While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, Repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.

1 BEHOLD, the grace appears;

The promise is fulfilled;
Mary, the wondrous virgin, bears,
And Jesus is the child.

2 To bring the glorious news

A heavenly form appears;

WATTS.

He tells the shepherds of their joys,
And banishes their fears.

3 "Go, humble swains," said he,
"To David's city fly;

The promised Infant, born to-day,
Doth in a manger lie.

4 "With looks and heart serene,
"Go visit Christ your King;"
And straight a flaming troop was seen;
The shepherds heard them sing, -

5 "Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth,
Good-will to men, to angels joy,
At the Redeemer's birth."

6 In worship so divine

Let saints employ their tongues;
With the celestial host we join,
And loud repeat their songs.

7 "Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth,
Good-will to men, to angels joy,
At our Redeemer's birth."

204

L. M.

Christmas Hymn.

ANONYMOUS.

1 IT comes, the long-expected morn, The joyful day ordained by Heaven, When unto us a Child is born,

And unto us a Son is given.

2 The Messenger of God's design,

The conquering Hero, Prince of Peace,
The Shiloh, sprung from Judah's line,
Appears, and all our sorrows cease.
3 He comes the broken heart to bind,
The mourning penitent to seek,
From sin to free the captive mind,

And preach good tidings to the meek.

4 The desert blooms, and from the ground Burst mantling pools and murmuring streams; The Sun of righteousness around

Shines on the world with healing beams.

5 While angels, in harmonious choirs,

Sing, "This is God's own Son confessed, The Savior, whom the world desires, 'The Seed, in whom all men are blessed,".

6 Like them with transport let us cry,
"All hail the day of Jesus' birth;
Glory to God, who dwells on high,
Good-will to men, and peace on earth.”

205

P. M. {

MILTON,

Altered by Rev. Dr. Gardiner.

Angels proclaiming the Birth of Christ.

1 NO war nor battle's sound

Was heard the world around;

No hostile chiefs to furious combat ran;
But peaceful was the night,

In which the Prince of light
His reign of peace upon the earth began.

2 The shepherds on the lawn,
Before the point of dawn,

In social circle sat; while all around,
The gentle, fleecy brood,

Or cropped the flowery food,

Or slept or sported on the verdant ground,

3 When, lo! with ravished ears,
Each swain delighted hears

Sweet music, offspring of no mortal hand;
Divinely-warbled voice,

Answering the stringed noise,

With blissful rapture charmed the listening band.

4 They saw a glorious light

Burst on their wondering sight;

Harping in solemn choir, in robes arrayed,
The helmed cherubim

And sworded seraphim

Are seen in glittering ranks, with wings displayed.

5 Sounds of so sweet a tone

Before were never known,

But when of old the sons of morning sung,
While God disposed in air

Each constellation fair,

And the well-balanced world on hinges hung.

6 "Hail, hail, auspicious morn! The Savior Christ is born!"

Such was the immortal seraph's song sublime; Glory to God in heaven!

66

To man sweet peace be given,

Sweet peace and friendship to the end of time."

206

P. M.

MRS. HEMANS.

Christmas Hymn.

1 O LOVELY voices of the sky, Which hymned the Savior's birth, Are ye not singing still on high,

Ye that sang,

"Peace on earth"?

To us yet speak the strains
Wherewith, in time gone by,
Ye blessed the Syrian swains,
O voices of the sky!