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

MILTON,

P. M. 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!

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!

2 O clear and shining light, whose beams
That hour heaven's glory shed

Around the palms, and o'er the streams,
And on the shepherds' head:

Be near, through life and death,
As in that holiest night

Of hope, and joy, and faith-
O clear and shining light!

3 O star which led to him whose love
Brought down man's ransom free,
Where art thou? 'Midst the host above,
May we still gaze on thee?

In heaven thou art not set;
Thy rays earth may not dim;
Send them to guide us yet,

O star which led to him!

207

C. M.

Nativity of Christ.

PATRICK.

1 WHILE shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground,

The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.

2 "Fear not," said he, for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled mind,"Glad tidings of great joy I bring To you and all mankind.

3 "To you, in David's town, this day
Is born, of David's line,

The Savior, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign: :-

4 "The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,

All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid."

5 Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels, praising God, and thus
Addressed their joyful song:

6 "All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace!

Good-will henceforth, from heaven to men,
Begin and never cease!

208

L. M.

The Nativity.

T. CAMPBELL.

1 WHEN Jordan hushed his waters still, And silence slept on Zion's hill,

When Bethlehem's shepherds, through the night,
Watched o'er their flocks by starry light, -

2 Hark! from the midnight hills around,
A voice, of more than mortal sound,
In distant hallelujahs stole,

Wild murmuring o'er the raptured soul.

3 On wheels of light, on wings of flame, The glorious hosts of Zion came;

High heaven with songs of triumph rung, While thus they struck their harps and sung:

4 "O Zion, lift thy raptured eye;

The long-expected hour is nigh;

The joys of nature rise again;

The Prince of Salem comes to reign.