3 "Lo, the sacred hour is near!
What was darkness now is clear:
Christ is coming! raise your voices,
Say farewell to doubt and fear."

4 "Lo, the Prince of Peace is born!
Lo, on high the star of morn!
And it shall not fade forever,
Nor its brilliancy be shorn."

Anon.

THE

97

HE happy Christmas comes once more,
The heav'nly Guest is at the door,
The blessed words the shepherds thrill,
The joyous tidings: Peace, good-will,

2 To David's city let us fly,

Where angels sing beneath the sky; Through plain and village pressing near, And news from God with shepherds hear.

3 O let us go with quiet mind,

The gentle Babe with shepherds find;
To gaze on Him Who gladdens them,
The loveliest Flower on Jesse's stem.

4 The lowly Savior meekly lies,

Laid off the splendor of the skies;
No crown bedecks His forehead fair,
No pearl, nor gem, nor silk is there.

5 No human glory, might, and gold,
The lovely Infant's form enfold;

The manger and the swaddlings poor
Are His, Whom angels' songs adore.

6 O wake our hearts, in gladness sing,
And keep our Christmas with our King,
Till living song, from loving souls,
Like sound of mighty water rolls!

7 Come, Jesus, glorious, heavenly Guest, Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast; Then David's harpstring, hushed so long, Shall swell our jubilee of song.

N. F. S. Grundtvig.
C. P. Krauth, Tr.

THE

98

HE Babe in Bethl'em's manger laid,
In humble form so low,

By wond'ring angels is surveyed
Through all His scenes of woe.
Noël, Noël,

Now sing a Savior's birth,
All hail His coming down to earth,
Who raises us to heav'n.

2 A Savior, sinners all around!

Sing, shout the wondrous word;
Let every bosom hail the sound,
A Savior! Christ the Lord.
Noël, Noël, etc.

3 For, not to sit on David's throne
With worldly pomp and joy,
He came for sinners to atone,
And Satan to destroy.
Noël, Noël, etc.

4 Well may we sing a Savior's birth,
Who needs the grace so given,
And hail His coming down to earth,
Who raises us to heaven.
Noël, Noël, etc.

Anon.

99

O COME, little children, O come, one and all,

To visit the manger in Bethlehem's stall, And see what the Father in heaven so true Has done to prepare a bright Christmas for

you.

2 O see, in the manger, this strange little bed, A Child, sweet and gentle, is resting its head, A Babe, clad in garments so pure and so white,

And fairer by far than the angels of light.

3 On hay and on straw in the manger it lies; Both, Mary and Joseph, with fond loving eyes Are gazing upon it, and shepherds draw near, And jubilant angels from heaven appear.

4 O kneel with the shepherds in worship and

prayer,

And join the dear angels who also are there; Sing glory to God in the heavens above,

And praise Him for Jesus, the gift of His love.

5 O dearest, O sweetest, O heavenly Child,
So pure and so holy, so good and so mild;
For us poor and weak in the manger hast lain,
And also for us like a lamb Thou wast slain.

6 Take Thou, then, our hearts which we offer to Thee,

And keep them from sin and from wicked

ness free;

Yes, let them be holy and blesséd like Thine, Thou Son of the Highest, Thou Infant divine.

C. von Schmidt. H. Brueckner, Tr.

100

UNTO us a Child is born,

Christians, hear the story;
In this world our flesh is worn,
By Christ, the Lord of glory.

2 In a manger He is laid,

Where the kine are sleeping; Angels recognize their Lord,

And o'er Him watch are keeping.

3 Alpha and Omega, Thine
Be this day our chorus;
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
Now let Thy grace be o'er us.

15th Century. J. Fulton, Tr.

101

PRAISE God the Lord, ye sons of men,
Before His highest throne;
Today He opens heav'n again,
And gives us His own Son.: ||

2 He leaves His heavenly Father's throne,
Is born, an infant small,

And in a manger poor and lone

: Lies in an humble stall.: ||

3 He lays aside His power divine,
A servant's form doth take,
In want and lowness He doth pine
|: Who heaven and earth did make.:||

4 He nestles at His mother's breast, Her milk His food must be,

Whom saints and angels call the Blest, |: Of David's house is He.:||

5 'Tis He who in these latter days
From Judah's tribe should come,
By whom the Lord, again would raise
: His Church, His Christendom.: ||