Christmas. Various

Чтение книги онлайн.

Читать онлайн книгу Christmas - Various страница 4

Автор:
Серия:
Издательство:
Christmas - Various

Скачать книгу

style="font-size:15px;">       For Christ is born of Mary,

       And, gathered all above,

       While mortals sleep, the angels keep

       Their watch of wondering love.

       O morning stars, together

       Proclaim the holy birth!

       And praises sing to God the King,

       And peace to men on earth.

       How silently, how silently,

       The wondrous gift is given!

       So God imparts to human hearts

       The blessings of His heaven.

       No ear may hear His coming,

       But in this world of sin,

       Where meek souls will receive Him still,

       The dear Christ enters in.

       O holy Child of Bethlehem!

       Descend to us, we pray;

       Cast out our sin, and enter in,

       Be born in us to-day.

       We hear the Christmas angels

       The great glad tidings tell;

       Oh, come to us, abide with us,

       Our Lord Emmanuel!

      THE GLAD EVANGEL

      KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN

      When the Child of Nazareth was born, the sun, according to the Bosnian legend, "leaped in the heavens, and the stars around it danced. A peace came over mountain and forest. Even the rotten stump stood straight and healthy on the green hill-side. The grass was beflowered with open blossoms, incense sweet as myrrh pervaded upland and forest, birds sang on the mountain top, and all gave thanks to the great God."

      It is naught but an old folk-tale, but it has truth hidden at its heart, for a strange, subtle force, a spirit of genial good-will, a new-born kindness, seem to animate child and man alike when the world pays its tribute to the "heaven-sent youngling," as the poet Drummond calls the infant Christ.

      When the Three Wise Men rode from the East into the West on that "first, best Christmas night," they bore on their saddle-bows three caskets filled with gold and frankincense and myrrh, to be laid at the feet of the manger-cradled babe of Bethlehem. Beginning with this old, old journey, the spirit of giving crept into the world's heart. As the Magi came bearing gifts, so do we also; gifts that relieve want, gifts that are sweet and fragrant with friendship, gifts that breathe love, gifts that mean service, gifts inspired still by the star that shone over the City of David nearly two thousand years ago.

      Then hang the green coronet of the Christmas-tree with glittering baubles and jewels of flame; heap offerings on its emerald branches; bring the Yule log to the firing; deck the house with holly and mistletoe,

      "And all the bells on earth shall ring

       On Christmas day in the morning."

      THE SHEPHERDS

      WILLIAM DRUMMOND, OF HAWTHORNDEN

      O than the fairest day, thrice fairer night!

       Night to blest days in which a sun doth rise

       Of which that golden eye which clears the skies

       Is but a sparkling ray, a shadow-light!

       And blessed ye, in silly pastor's sight,

       Mild creatures, in whose warm crib now lies

       That heaven-sent youngling, holy-maid-born wight,

       Midst, end, beginning of our prophecies!

       Blest cottage that hath flowers in winter spread,

       Though withered—blessed grass that hath the grace

       To deck and be a carpet to that place!

       Thus sang, unto the sounds of oaten reed,

       Before the Babe, the shepherds bowed on knees;

       And springs ran nectar, honey dropped from trees.

       A CHRISTMAS CAROL

      JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL

      "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!"

       "What means that star," the Shepherds said,

       "That brightens through the rocky glen?"

       And angels, answering overhead,

       Sang, "Peace on earth, good-will to men!"

       'Tis eighteen hundred years and more

       Since those sweet oracles were dumb;

       We wait for Him, like them of yore;

       Alas, He seems so slow to come!

       But it was said, in words of gold,

       No time or sorrow e'er shall dim,

       That little children might be bold

       In perfect trust to come to Him.

       All round about our feet shall shine

       A light like that the wise men saw,

       If we our loving wills incline

       To that sweet Life which is the Law.

       So shall we learn to understand

       The simple faith of shepherds then,

       And, clasping kindly hand in hand,

       Sing, "Peace on earth, good-will to men!"

       But they who do their souls no wrong,

       But keep at eve the faith of morn,

       Shall daily hear the angel-song,

       "To-day the Prince of Peace is born!"

      A CHRISTMAS HYMN

      ALFRED DOMETT

      It was the calm and silent night!

       Seven hundred years and fifty-three

       Had Rome been growing up to might,

      

Скачать книгу