Volume 1 — CHRISTMAS HYMNS

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THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHERDS By Bernard Plockhorst (1825- )

"And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.'

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,--

'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.'"

--Luke 2:8-14

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CHRISTMAS LULLABY

Sleep, baby, sleep. The mother sings: Heaven's angels kneel and fold their wings. Sleep, baby, sleep! With swaths of scented hay Thy bed By Mary's hand at eve was spread. Sleep, baby, sleep! At midnight came the shepherds, they Whom seraphs wakened by the way. Sleep, baby, sleep! And three kings from the East afar, Ere dawn, came, guided by the star. Sleep, baby, sleep! They brought Thee gifts of gold and gems, Pure orient pearls, rich diadems. Sleep, baby, sleep! But Thou who liest slumbering there, Art King of kings, earth, ocean, air. Sleep, baby, sleep! Sleep, baby, sleep. The shepherds sing: Through heaven, through earth, hosannas ring. Sleep, baby, sleep!

--John Addington Symonds.

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THE STAR

They followed the star the whole night through; As it moved with the midnight, they moved, too; And cared not whither it led, nor knew, Till Christmas day in the morning. We have followed the star a whole long year, And watched it beckon, now faint, now clear, And now it stands still as we draw near To Christmas day in the morning. And just as the wise men did of old, In the hush of the winter's dawning, cold, We come to the stable, and we behold The Child on the Christmas morning. And just as the wise men deemed it meet To offer Him gold and perfumes sweet, We would lay our gifts at His holy feet, Our gifts on Christmas morning. O Babe, once laid in the oxen's bed, With never a pillow for Thy head, Now throned in the highest heaven instead, O Lord of the Christmas morning! Because we have known and have loved Thy star And have followed it long and have followed it far From the land where the shadows and darkness are To find Thee on Christmas morning,-- Accept the gifts we dare to bring, Though worthless and poor the offering, And help our souls to rise and sing On Christmas day in the morning.

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MADONNA AND CHILD By Sichel

"All my heart this night rejoices As I hear, far and near, Sweetest angel voices: 'Christ is born!' their choirs are singing, Till the air everywhere Now with joy is ringing."

--Paul Gerhardt

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL

What sweeter music can we bring, Than a carol for to sing The birth of this our heavenly King? Awake the voice! A wake the string! Heart, ear, and eye, and everything Awake! the while the active finger Runs divisions with the singer. Dark and dull night, fly hence away, And give the honor to this day, That sees December turned to May. If we may ask the reason, say The why, and wherefore all things here Seem like the springtime of the year? Why does the chilling winter's morn Smile like a field beset with corn? Or smell like to a mead new shorn, Thus on the sudden? Come and see The cause why things thus fragrant be: 'Tis He is born, whose quickening birth Gives light and luster, public mirth, To heaven and the under earth.

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THE GUIDING STAR

As with gladness men of old Did the guiding star behold, As with joy they hailed its light, Leading onward, beaming bright; So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led by Thee. As with joyful steps they sped To that lowly manger bed, There to bend the knee before Him whom heaven and earth adore; So may we with willing feet Ever seek the mercy seat. As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare; So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin's alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

--William C. Dix.

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THE HOLY NIGHT By Correggio (1493-1534)

Antonio Allegri Correggio, named from the Italian town in which he was born.

"We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem; The dumb kine from their fodder turning there, Softened their horned faces To almost human gazes Toward the newly born. The simple shepherds from the starlit brooks Brought visionary looks, As yet in their astonied hearing, rung The strange, sweet angel tongue; The Magi from the East in sandals worn Knelt reverent, sweeping round With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground, The incense, myrrh, and gold, These baby hands are impotent to hold; So let all earthlies and celestials wait Upon thy royal state: Sleep, O my kingly One!"

--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL

God rest ye, merry gentlemen; let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day. The dawn rose red o'er Bethlehem, the stars shone through the gray, When Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day. God rest ye, little children; let nothing you affright, For Jesus Christ, your Saviour, was born this happy night; Along the hills of Galilee the white flocks sleeping lay, When Christ, the child of Nazareth, was born on Christmas day. God rest ye, all good Christians; upon this blessed morn, The Lord of all good Christians was of a woman born: Now all your sorrows He doth heal, your sins He takes away; For Jesus Christ, our Saviour, was born on Christmas day.

--Dinah Maria Mulock.

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HAIL THE NIGHT! ALL HAIL THE MORN!

Hail the night! All hail the morn! When the Prince of Peace was born; When, amid the watchful fold, Tidings good the angel told. Now our solemn chant we raise Duly to the Saviour's praise; Now with carol hymns we bless Christ the Lord, our Righteousness. While resounds the joyful cry, "Glory be to God on high, Peace on earth, good-will to men!" Gladly we respond "amen!"

--Old German Carol.

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THE NATIVITY

"Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes, Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then, they say, no spirit can walk abroad; The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike; No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm; So hallowed and so gracious is the time."

--Shakespeare.

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THE CHRISTMAS TREE

There's a wonderful tree, a wonderful tree, The happy children rejoice to see, Spreading its branches year by year, It comes from the forest to flourish here; Oh! this beautiful tree, with its branches wide, Is always blooming at Christmas-tide. 'T is not alone in the summer's sheen Its boughs are broad and its leaves are green, It blooms for us when the wild winds blow, And earth is white with feathery snow: And this wonderful tree with its branches wide, Bears many a gift for the Christmas-tide. 'T is all alight with its tapers' glow, That flash on the shining eyes below, And the strange sweet fruit on each laden bough Is all to be plucked by the gatherers now. Oh! this wonderful tree, with its branches wide, We hail it with joy at the Christmas-tide. And a voice is telling, its boughs among, Of the shepherds' watch and angels' song; Of a holy babe in a manger low, The beautiful story of long ago, When a radiant star threw its beams so wide To herald the earliest Christmas-tide. Then spread thy branches, wonderful tree, And bring some dainty gift to me, And fill my heart with a burning love To Him who came from His home above-- From His beautiful home with the glorified, To give us the joys of the Christmas-tide.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL

It chanced upon the merry, merry Christmas eve I went sighing past the church, across the moorland dreary,-- "Oh! never sin and want and woe this earth will leave, And the bells but mock the wailing round, they sing so cheery. How long, O Lord, how long, before Thou come again? Still in cellar, and in garret, and on moorland dreary, The orphans moan, and widows weep, and poor men toil in vain, Till the earth is sick of hope deferred, though Christmas bells be cheery." Then arose a joyous clamor from the wild fowl on the mere, Beneath the stars, across the snow, like clear bells ringing, And a voice within cried, "Listen! Christmas carols even here! Though thou be dumb, yet o'er their work the stars and snows are singing. Blind! I live, I love, I reign; and all the nations through With the thunder of my judgments even now are ringing; Do thou fulfill thy work, but as yon wild fowl do, Thou wilt heed no less the wailing yet hear through it angels singing."

--Charles Kingsley.

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THE HOLY FAMILY By Carl Mueller

"Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, Within my heart that it may be, A quiet chamber kept for Thee. "My heart for very joy doth leap, My lips no more can silence keep; I, too, must sing with joyful tongue That sweetest ancient cradle song."

--Martin Luther

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SONG OF THE ANGELS

While shepherds watched 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 minds; "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 displayed, All meanly wrapped in swathing bands And in a manger laid." Thus spoke the seraph, and forthwith Appeared a shining throng Of angels, praising God, and thus Addressed 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."

--Ancient Christmas Song.

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CAROL, SWEETLY CAROL

Carol, sweetly carol, A Saviour born to-day; Bear the joyful tidings, Oh, bear them far away! Carol, sweetly carol, Till earth's remotest bound Shall hear the mighty chorus, And echo back the sound. CHORUS. Carol, sweetly carol, Carol sweetly to-day; Bear the joyful tidings, Oh, bear them far away. Carol, sweetly carol, As when the angel throng, O'er the vales of Judah, Awoke the heavenly song: Carol, sweetly carol, Good will, and peace, and love, Glory in the highest To God who reigns above. Carol, sweetly carol, The happy Christmas time: Hark! the bells are pealing Their merry, merry chime: Carol, sweetly carol, Ye shining ones above, Sing in loudest numbers, Oh, sing redeeming love!

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THE COMING OF THE MAGI

"'What means this glory round our feet,' The Magi mused, 'more bright than morn?' And voices chanted, clear and sweet, 'To-day the Prince of Peace is born.'"

--James Russell Lowell

"Lo! star-led chiefs Assyrian odors bring, And bending Magi seek their Infant King."

--Heber

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CRADLE HYMN

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His head. The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay-- The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes. I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

--Martin Luther.

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CRADLE HYMN

Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber; Holy angels guard thy bed; Heav'nly blessings without number Gently falling on thy head. Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment, House and home, thy friends provide; All without thy care or payment, All thy wants are well supplied. How much better thou'rt attended Than the Son of God could be, When from heaven he descended, And became a child like thee. Soft and easy is thy cradle; Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay, When his birthplace was a stable, And his softest bed was hay.

--Isaac Watts.

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CHORUS

We see Him come, and know Him ours, Who, with His sunshine and His showers, Turns all the patient ground to flowers. The Darling of the world is come, And fit it is we find a room To welcome Him. The nobler part Of all the house here, is the heart, Which we will give Him; and bequeath This holly, and this ivy wreath, To do Him honor, who's our King, And Lord of all this reveling.

--Robert Herrick.

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THE ADORATION OF THE CHILDREN Gherado delle Notte

"O come, all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant, To Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord, Lo! in a manger lies the King of angels; O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord"

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ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY

Once in royal David's city, Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother hid her baby In a manger for his bed; Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her 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 thro' all His wondrous childhood, He would honor and obey, Love and watch the lowly maiden In whose gentle arms He lay; Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as He. For He is our childhood's pattern, Day by day like us He grew, He was little, weak and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew: And He feeleth for our sadness, And He shareth in our gladness. 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: {416} 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.

--Mrs. C. F. Alexander.

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MADONNA AND CHILD

"Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown When Thou camest to earth for me; But in Bethlehem's home there was found no room For Thy holy nativity. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee."

--Emily Elizabeth Elliott.

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CALM ON THE LISTENING EAR OF NIGHT

Calm on the listening ear of night Come heaven's melodious strains, Where wild Judea stretches far Her silver-mantled plains; Celestial choirs from courts above Shed sacred glories there; And angels with their sparkling lyres Make music on the air. The answering hills of Palestine Send back the glad reply, And greet from all their holy heights The Dayspring from on high. O'er the blue depths of Galilee There comes a holier calm; And Sharon waves in solemn praise, Her silent groves of palm. "Glory to God!" the lofty strain The realm of ether fills; How sweeps the song of solemn joy O'er Judah's sacred hills. "Glory to God!" the sounding skies Loud with their anthems ring: "Peace on the earth; good will to men, From heaven's eternal King." Light on thy hills, Jerusalem! The Saviour now is born! More bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains Breaks the first Christmas morn; {420} And brighter on Moriah's brow, Crowned with her temple-spires, Which first proclaim the newborn light, Clothed with its orient fires. This day shall Christian tongues be mute, And Christian hearts be cold? O catch the anthem that from heaven O'er Judah's mountains rolled! When nightly burst from seraph-harps The high and solemn lay,-- "Glory to God; on earth be peace; Salvation comes to-day!"

--Edmund Hamilton Sears.

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