ANGELS' SONG. C. M. D.

G. A. MACFARREN.

4

4

2 Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

3 O ye, beneath life's crushing load
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way,
With painful steps and slow,-
Look up; for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing.

4 For lo, the days are hastening on
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When Peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,

And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

I CALM on the listening ear of night
Come heaven's melodious strains,
Where wild Judea stretches far
Her silver-mantled plains;
Celestial choirs, from courts above,
Shed sacred glories there;

And angels, with their sparkling lyres,
Make music on the air.

2 The answering hills of Palestine
Send back the glad reply,

And greet from all their holy heights.
The day-spring from on high;
O'er the blue depths of Galilee
There comes a holier calm,
And Sharon waves in solemn praise
Her silent groves of palm.

3 Glory to God! the lofty strain
The realm of ether fills;

How sweeps the song of solemn joy

O'er Judah's sacred hills!

"Glory to God!" the sounding skies Loud with their anthems ring; "Peace on the earth, good-will to men, From heaven's eternal King."

MANOAH.

C. M.

Arr. by H. W. GREATOREX.

The

1 THE race that long in darkness pined
Have seen a glorious Light;
The people dwell in day, who dwelt
In death's surrounding night.

2 To hail Thy rise, Thou better Sun,
The gathering nations come,
Joyous as when the reapers bear
The harvest-treasures home.

3 For Thou our burden hast removed,
And quelled th' oppressor's sway,
Quick as the slaughtered squadrons fell
In Midian's evil day.

4 To us a Child of hope is born,

To us a Son is given;

Him shall the tribes of earth obey,
Him all the hosts of heaven.

5 His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
For evermore adored;
The Wonderful, the Counsellor,

The great and mighty Lord.

6 His power, increasing, still shall spread; His reign no end shall know;

Justice shall guard His throne above,
And peace abound below.

2 In wondrous love the Incarnate God Descends from highest heaven, Those exiles home again to call, Himself to exile given.

3 He comes, to feeble knees a staff, And strength to sinking soul; Himself the Way, Himself the Light, Himself the Life, and Goal.

4 Eternal God, within the veil
Of human flesh confined,

O may Thy truth its beams unfold,
To every faithful mind.

104

Tr. by EDWARD CASWALL. 1 FROM lands that see the sun arise, To earth's remotest shore,

Let every tongue give praise to Him,
Whom blesséd Mary bore.

2 He comes, the world's blest Maker He, In servile guise arrayed,

In flesh our sin-bound flesh to free,
To save the souls He made.

3 The hosts of heaven His birthday keep,
The angels round Him sing;
And shepherds hasten to adore

Their Shepherd and their King.

4 Praise to the Father; praise to Thee,
The Virgin's Holy Son;
Praise to the Holy Paraclete,
While endless ages run.

2 He comes, the prisoners to release
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

3 He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray,

And on the eyes oppress'd with night
To pour celestial day.

4 He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And, with the treasures of His grace,
To bless the humble poor.

5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With Thy belovéd Name.

4 Hark, the cherubic armies shout,
And glory leads the song;
Good-willand peace are heard throughout
The harmonious heavenly throng.

5 With joy the chorus we repeat,

66

Glory to God on high!"

Good-will and peace are now complete; Jesus was born to die.

6 Hail, Prince of life, forever hail! Redeemer, Brother, Friend!

Though earth, and time, and life shall fail, Thy praise shall never end.

1 Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and
Repeat the sounding joy. [plains,

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

LENHAM. 8.7.

W. B. GILBERT.

9:4

8

9:3

108

JOHN CAWOOD.

2 Listen to the wondrous story, Which they 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 redeemed, and sins forgiven!

Loud our golden harps shall sound. 4"Christ is born, the great Anointed;

Heaven and earth His praises sing! O receive whom God appointed, For your Prophet, Priest, and King! 5"Haste, ye mortals, to adore Him;

Learn His Name to magnify, Till in heaven ye sing before Him, 'Glory be to God most high!'"

1 HARK, the hosts of heaven are singing
Praises to their new-born Lord,
Strains of music sweet are ringing,
Not a note or word unheard.

2 Through the darkness, strangely splendid
Flashed the light on shepherds' eyes;
As their lowly flocks they tended,
Came new tidings from the skies.

3 All the hosts of heaven are chanting
Songs with power to stir and thrill,
And the universe is panting
Joy's deep longings to fulfil

4 On this day, then, through creation
Let the glorious hymn ring out;
Let men hail the great salvation,
"God with us," with song and shout.

3 Justice and grace, with sweet accord, His rising beams adorn;

Let heaven and earth in concert join,
To us a Child is born.

4 Glory to God in highest strains,
In highest worlds be paid;
His glory by our lips proclaimed,
And by our lives displayed.

HERVEY'S HYMN. II.IO.

F. A. J. HERVEY.

9:23 54

19

Voices in Unison.

Voices in Harmony.

:

Vainly with gifts would His favor

secure:

Richer, by far, is the heart's adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

N. HERMANN.