Christmas - Various

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Heavenly faith and longing are,

       Heavenly hope and life have birth,

       'Neath the smile of Bethlehem's star.

       In each lowly heart or home,

       By each love-watched cradle-bed,

       Where we rest, or where we roam,

       Still its changeless light is shed.

       In its beams each quickened heart,

       Howe'er saddened or denied,

       Keeps one little place apart

       For the Hebrew mother's Child.

       And that inner temple fair

       May be holier ground than this,

       Hallowed by the pilgrim's prayer,

       Warmed by many a pilgrim's kiss.

       In its shadow still and dim,

       Where our holiest longings are,

       Rings forever Bethlehem's hymn,

       Shines forever Bethlehem's star.

      CHRISTMAS DAY

      CHARLES WESLEY

      Hark! the herald angels sing

       Glory to the new-born King!

       Peace on earth and mercy mild,

       God and sinners reconciled.

       Joyful all ye nations rise,

       Join the triumph of the skies,

       With the angelic host proclaim

       Christ is born in Bethlehem!

       Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

       Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

       Light and life to all he brings,

       Risen with healing in his wings.

       Mild, he lays his glory by;

       Born, that man no more may die,

       Born to raise the sons of earth,

       Born to give them second birth.

      CHRISTMAS

      ANON

      Once in Royal David's city

       Stood a lowly cattle shed,

       Where a mother laid her baby

       In a manger for His bed.

       Mary was that mother mild,

       Jesus Christ that little child.

       He came down to earth from Heaven,

       Who is God and Lord of all.

       And his shelter was a stable,

       And his cradle was a stall.

       With the poor and mean and lowly,

       Lived on earth our Saviour Holy.

       And our eyes at last shall see Him

       Through His own redeeming love,

       For that child so dear and gentle

       Is our Lord in Heaven above;

       And He leads His children on

       To the place where He is gone.

       Not in that poor, lowly stable,

       With the oxen standing by,

       We shall see Him; but in Heaven,

       Set at God's right hand on high,

       When, like stars, His children crowned

       All in white, shall wait around.

      CHRISTMAS

      NAHUM TATE

      While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night,

       All seated on the ground,

       The angel of the Lord came down,

       And glory shone around.

       "Fear not," said he (for mighty dread

       Had seized their troubled mind);

       "Glad tidings of great joy I bring

       To you and all mankind.

       "To you, in David's town, this day

       Is born of David's line

       The Saviour who is Christ the Lord;

       And this shall be the sign:

       "The heavenly Babe you there shall find

       To human view display'd,

       All meanly wrapt in swathing bands,

       And in a manger laid."

       Thus spake the Seraph; and forthwith

       Appear'd a shining throng

       Of angels, praising God, and thus

       Address'd their joyful song:

       "All glory be to God on high,

       And to the earth be peace;

       Good-will henceforth from heaven to men

       Begin, and never cease!"

      "WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS BY NIGHT"

      MARGARET DELAND

      Like small curled feathers, white and soft,

       The little clouds went by,

       Across the moon, and past the stars,

       And down the western sky:

       In upland pastures, where the grass

       With frosted dew was white,

       Like snowy clouds the young sheep lay,

       That first, best Christmas night.

       The shepherds slept; and, glimmering faint,

       With twist of thin, blue smoke,

       Only their fire's crackling flames

       The tender silence broke—

       Save when a young lamb raised his head,

       Or, when the night wind blew,

       A nesting bird would softly stir,

       Where dusky olives grew—

       With finger on her solemn lip,

       Night hushed the shadowy earth,

       And only stars and angels saw

       The little Saviour's birth;

       Then came such flash of silver light

       Across the bending skies,

       The wondering shepherds woke, and hid

       Their frightened, dazzled eyes!

       And all their gentle sleepy flock

       Looked up, then slept again,

       Nor knew the light that dimmed the stars

       Brought endless Peace to men—

       Nor even heard the gracious words

       That down the ages ring—

       The Christ is born! the Lord has come,

       Good-will on earth to bring!

       Then o'er the moonlit, misty fields,

       Dumb with the world's great joy,

       The shepherds sought the white-walled town,

       Where lay the baby boy—

       And oh, the gladness of the world,

       The glory of the skies,

       Because the longed-for Christ looked up

       In Mary's happy

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