229.

CHURCH FESTIVALS.

CHRISTMAS.

8s & 7s.

[ARK! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly sounding through the skies?

Lo! the angelic host rejoices;
Heavenly hallelujahs rise.

2 Hear them tell the wondrous story,
Hear them chant, in hymns of joy,
"Glory in the highest-glory!
Glory be to God most high!

3 "Peace on earth, good will from heaven,
Reaching far as man is found;
Souls redeem'd, and sins forgiven!
Loud our golden harps shall sound.
4 "Christ is born, the great Anointed;
Heaven and earth His praises sing!
Oh, receive whom God appointed
For your Prophet, Priest, and King!
5 "Haste, ye mortals, to adore Him;
Learn His name, and taste His joy:
Till in heaven ye sing before Him,
'Glory be to God most high!'"

230.

HA

ARK! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled."

2 Joyful, all ye nations, rise;
Join the triumphs of the skies;
With th' angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."

78.

3 Mild He lays His glory by;
Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth;
Born to give them second birth.
4 Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
5 Let us then with angels sing,

Glory to the new-born King!-
Peace on earth, and mercy mild;
God and sinners reconciled!"

231.

ARK! hark! the notes of joy
Roll o'er the heavenly plains,

And seraphs find employ

H. M

For their sublimest strains:
Some new delight in heaven is known;
Loud sound the harps around the throne.
2 Hark! hark! the sounds draw nigh;
The joyful hosts descend;
The Lord forsakes the sky;

To earth His footsteps bend;
He comes to bless our fallen race;
He comes with messages of grace.
3 Bear, bear the tidings round;
Let ev'ry mortal know

What love in God is found,

What pity He can show:
Ye winds that blow, ye waves that roll
Convey the news from pole to pole.
4 Strike, strike the harps again,
To great Immanuel's name;

Arise, ye sons of men,

And all His grace proclaim:

Angels and men, wake ev'ry string;
"T is God the Saviour's praise we sing.

232.

CALM on the list'ning ear of night

Come heaven's melodious strains,

Where wild Judea stretches far
Her silver-mantled plains.

C. M.

2 Celestial choirs, from courts above,
Shed sacred glories there,
And angels, with their sparkling lyres,
Make music on the air.

3 The joyous hills of Palestine
Send back the glad reply,

And greet, from all their holy heights,
The day-spring from on high.

4 O'er the blue depths of Galilee
There comes a holier calm,

And Sharon waves, in solemn praise,
Her silent groves of palm.

5 "Glory to God!" the sounding skies
Aloud with anthems ring;

"Peace to the earth, good will to men,
From heaven's eternal King!"

233.

COME

11s.

OME hither, ye faithful, triumphantly sing:
Come see in the manger the angels' dread
King!

To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord;
Oh, come ye, come hither, to worship the Lord!

2 True Son of the Father, He comes from the skies; To be born of a virgin He does not despise: To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord; Oh, come ye, come hither, to worship the Lord! 3 Hark! hark to the angels, all singing in heaven, "To God in the highest all glory be given!" To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord; Oh, come ye, come hither, to worship the Lord! 4 To Thee then, O Jesus, this day of Thy birth, Be glory and honor through heaven and earth. True Godhead incarnate, omnipotent Word! Oh, come, let us hasten to worship the Lord!

234 (778).

H. M.

ANGELS! from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;

Ye, who sang cieation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Come and worship --

Worship Christ, the new-born King.
2 Shepherds! in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the heavenly light:
Come and worship—

Worship Christ, the new-born King.

3 Sages! leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar:
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star:
Come and worship -

Worship Christ, the new-born King.

1 Saints! before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship-

Worship Christ, the new-born King.

235 (124).

GOOD FRIDAY.

EHOLD the Saviour of mankind

BEHOLD of

How vast the love that Him inclined
To bleed and die for thee!

C. M.

2 Hark! how He groans! while nature shakes, And earth's strong pillars bend!

The temple's veil in sunder breaks,
The solid marbles rend.

3 'Tis done! the precious ransom's paid:
"Receive my soul!" He cries:

See where He bows His sacred head!
He bows His head and dies!

4 But soon He'll break death's envious chain, And in full glory shine;

O Lamb of God! was ever pain,
Was ever love like Thine!

236.

FIR

AROM Calvary a cry was heard, A bitter and heart-rending cry; My Saviour! ev'ry mournful word Bespeaks Thy soul's deep agony.

I M.

2 The scourge, the thorns, the deep disgraceThese Thou couldst bear, nor once repine; But when Jehovah veil'd His face,

Unutterable pangs were Thine.