Author: admin

Forward through the ages, in unbroken line,
move the faithful spirits, at the call divine;
gifts in different measure, hearts of one accord,
manifold the service, one the sure reward.

forward through the ages, in unbroken line
move the faithful spirits at the call divine.

wider grows the kingdom, reign of love and light;
for it we must labor, till our faith is sight.
prophets have proclaimed it, martyrs testified.
poets sung its glory, heroes for it died.

not alone we conquer, not alone we fall;
in each loss or triumph lose or triumph all.
bound by god’s far purpose in one living whole,
move we on together to the shining goal.

Fountain of mercy, god of love,
whose gifts all creatures share,
the rolling seasons as they move
proclaim thy constant care.

when in the bosom of the earth
the sower hid the grain,
thy goodness marked its secret birth,
and sent the early rain.

the spring’s sweet influence, lord, was thine,
the seasons knew thy call;
thou mad’st the summer sun to shine,
the summer dews to fall.

the gifts of mercy from above
matured the swelling grain;
and now the harvest crowns thy love,
and plenty fills this plain.

o ne’er may our forgetful hearts
o’erlook thy bounteous care,
but what our father’s hand imparts
still own in praise and prayer.

to father, son, and holy ghost,
the god whom we adore,
be glory, as it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

He dies! the friend of sinners dies!
lo! salem’s daughters weep around;
a solemn darkness veils the skies,
a sudden trembling shakes the ground.

come, saints, and drop a tear or two
for him who groaned beneath your load:
he shed a thousand drops for you,
a thousand drops of richer blood.

here’s love and grief beyond degree:
the lord of glory dies for men!
but lo! what sudden joys we see,
jesus, the dead, revives again!

the rising god forsakes the tomb;
the tomb in vain forbids his rise;
cherubic legions guard him home,
and shout him welcome to the skies.

break off your fears, ye saints, and tell
how high your great deliv’rer reigns;
sing how he spoiled the hosts of hell,
and led the monster death in chains!

say, “live forever, wondrous king!
born to redeem, and strong to save;”
then ask the monster, “where’s thy sting”
and, “where’s thy vict’ry, boasting grave”

Friend of the home: as when in galilee
the mothers brought their little ones to thee,
so we, dear lord, would now the children bring,
and seek for them the shelter of thy wing.

thine are they, by thy love’s eternal claim,
thine we baptize them in the threefold name;
yet not the sign we trust, lord, but the grace
that in thy fold prepared the lambs a place.

lord, may thy church, as with a mother’s care,
for thee the lambs within her bosom bear;
and grant, as morning grows to noon, that they
still in her love and holy service stay.

draw through the child the parents nearer thee,
endue their home with growing sanctity;
and gather all, by earthly homes made one,
in heaven, o christ, when earthly days are done.

Jesus, our brother, strong and good,
was humbly born in a stable rude,
and the friendly beasts around him stood,
jesus, our brother, strong and good.

“i,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“i carried his mother uphill and down,
i carried his mother to bethlehem town;
i,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

“i,” said the cow, all white and red,
“i gave him my manger for his bed,
i gave him hay to pillow his head;
i,” said the cow, all white and red.

“i,” said the sheep with curly horn,
“i gave him my wool for his blanket warm,
he wore my coat on christmas morn;
i,” said the sheep with curly horn.

“i,” said the dove, from the rafters high,
“i cooed him to sleep that he should not cry,
we cooed him to sleep, my mate and i;
i,” said the dove, from the rafters high.

thus all the beasts, by some good spell,
in the stable dark were glad to tell
of the gifts they gave emmanuel,
the gifts they gave emmanuel.

From every spire on christmas eve,
the christmas bells ring clearly out
their message of goodwill and peace,
with many a call and silver shout.
for faithful hearts, the angels’
song still echoes in the frosty air,
and by the altar low they bow, in
adoration and in prayer.

a thousand blessed memories throng,
the stars are holy signs to them,
and from the eyes of every child looks
forth the babe of bethlehem;
but there are others, not like these,
whose brows are sad, whose hopes are crossed,
to whom the season brings no cheer,
and life’s most gracious charm is lost.

to whom that story, old and sweet,
is but a fable at the best,
the christmas music mocks their ears,
and life has naught of joy or rest.
oh! for angel’s voice to pierce the
clouds of grief that over them rise,
the mists of doubt and unbelief that
veil the blue of christmas skies.

that they, at last, may see the light
which shines from bethlehem, and unfold
for christ the treasures of their hearts,
icher than spicery or gold.
hope of the ages, draw thou near, till
all the earth shall own thy sway,
and when thou reignest in every heart
it will, indeed, be christmas day.

From heaven high, o angels, come,
eya, eya, susani, susani, susani.
come music, song, come pipe and drum,
alleluia, alleluia.
of jesus sing and maria.

let every instrument join in,
eya, eya, susani, susani, susani.
bring lute and harp and violin,
alleluia, alleluia.
of jesus sing and maria.

send forth your voices louder yet,
eya, eya, susani, susani, susani.
with organ and with flageolet,
alleluia, alleluia.
of jesus sing and maria.

how heavenly must the music be,
eya, eya, susani, susani, susani.
because a heavenly child is he,
alleluia, alleluia.
of jesus sing and maria.

to men on earth all peace may be,
eya, eya, susani, susani, susani.
and praise to god eternally,
alleluia, alleluia.
of jesus sing and maria.

From highest heaven i come to tell
the gladdest news that e’er befell;
these tidings true to you i bring,
and gladly of them say and sing.

‘to you today is given a child,
born of a chosen virgin mild; [1]
that blessed child, so sweet and kind,
shall give you joy and peace of mind.

’tis christ our lord and god indeed,
your help and stay in every need:
himself your saviour he will be,
from sin and death to set you free.

‘all blessedness to you he bears
which god the father’s love prepares;
the heavenly kingdom ye shall gain,
and now and ever with us reign.

‘now hear the sign, and mark with care
the swaddling clothes and crib so bare;
there shall ye find this infant laid
who all the world upholds and made.’

then let us all our gladness show,
and with the joyful shepherds go
to see what god for us hath done,
in sending us his glorious son.

awake, my soul! my heart, behold
who lieth in that manger cold!
who is this lovely baby boy
’tis jesus christ, our only joy.

now welcome, ever-blessed guest,
to sinful souls with guilt oppressed;
in mercy come to our distress!
how can we thank thy gentleness

ah, lord, who all things didst create,
how cam’st thou to this poor estate,
to make the hay and straw thy bed,
whereon the ox and ass are fed

nay, were the world ten times so wide,
with gold and gems on every side,
yet were it all too small to be
a narrow cradle, lord, for thee.

thy samite and thy silk array
are swathing-bands and coarsest hay
which thou, o king, dost bathe with light
as though enthroned in heaven bright. [2]

and all this woe hath come to thee
that thou might’st show the truth to me;
for all the power and wealth of earth [3]
to thee are vile and nothing worth.

ah, jesu, my heart’s treasure blest,
make thee a clean, soft cradle-nest
and rest enshrined within my heart,
that i from thee may never part.

so shall i evermore rejoice,
and bounding sing, with heart and voice,
a lullaby which thou wilt own,
the spirit’s song of sweetest tone.

to god on high all glory be,
who gave his only son for me;
for which the angels carol clear
and sing us such a glad new year.

from homes of quiet peace
we lift up hands of prayer,
and those thou gavest us to love
commend, lord, to thy care.

in perils of the sea
watch o’er them day by day;
in perils of the common life
be thou their strength and stay.

let thine almighty arm
be their defense and shield;
and whosoever’s cause is thine
to them the victory yield.

From lands that see the sun arise,
to earth’s remotest boundaries,
the virgin born today we sing,
the son of mary, christ the king.

blest author of this earthly frame,
to take a servant’s form he came,
that liberating flesh by flesh,
whom he had made might live afresh.

in that chaste parent’s holy womb,
celestial grace hath found its home:
and she, as earthly bride unknown,
yet call that offspring blest her own.

the mansion of the modest breast
becomes a shrine where god shall rest:
the pure and undefiled one
conceived in her womb the son.

that son, that royal son she bore,
whom gabriel’s voice had told afore:
whom, in his mother yet concealed,
the infant baptist had revealed.

the manger and the straw he bore,
the cradle did he not abhor:
a little milk his infant fare
who feedeth even each fowl of air.

the heavenly chorus filled the sky,
the angels sang to god on high,
what time to shepherds watching lone
they made creation’s shepherd known.

all honor, laud, and glory be,
o jesu, virgin born, to thee;
all glory, as is ever meet,
to the father and to paraclete.