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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[Ill.u.s.tration]
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_ [End ill.u.s.tration]
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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 l.u.s.ter, 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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[Ill.u.s.tration]
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_ [End ill.u.s.tration]
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A CHRISTMAS CAROL
G.o.d 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.
G.o.d 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.
G.o.d 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 G.o.d on high, Peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Gladly we respond "amen!"
--_Old German Carol_.