They saw a glorious light Burst on their wond'ring sight. Harping in solemn choir, in robes arrayed, And sworded seraphim Are seen in glitt'ring ranks, with wings displayed. Sounds of so sweet a tone, Before were never known, Each constellation fair, And the well balanced world on hinges hung. "Hail, hail, auspicious morn! (Such was the immortal seraph's song sublime,) Sweet Glory to God in heaven! To man sweet peace be given, peace and friendship to the end of time! Milton (altered by Dr Gardiner.) II. OH! lovely voices of the sky Which hymned the Saviour's birth, To us yet speak the strains, Oh! clear and shining light, whose beams As in that holiest night Of hope, and joy, and faith: Oh! clear and shining light. Oh! star which led to Him, whose love In heaven thou art not set, 2* Mrs Hemans. III. "And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."—Luke ii. 16. THE shepherds went their hasty way, tread, They told her how a glorious light, Streaming from a heavenly throng, Around them shone, suspending night! While sweeter than a Mother's song, Blest Angels heralded the Saviour's birth, Glory to God on high! and Peace on Earth. She listen'd to the tale divine, And closer still the Babe she press'd; Joy rose within her, like a summer's morn ; born. Thou Mother of the Prince of Peace, That Strife should vanish, Battle cease, O why should this thy soul elate? Sweet music's loudest note, the Poet's story, Didst thou ne'er love to hear of Fame and Glory? And is not War a youthful King, A stately Hero clad in mail? Beneath his footsteps laurels spring; Him Earth's majestic monarchs hail Their Friend, their Playmate! and his bold bright eye Compels the maiden's love-confessing sigh. "Tell this in some more courtly scene, "And therefore is my Soul elate. "War is a ruffian, all with guilt defil'd, "That from the aged Father tears his Child! "A murderous fiend, by fiends ador'd, "Steals all his Widow's toil had won; "Plunders God's world of beauty; rends away "All safety from the Night, all comfort from the Day. "Then wisely is my soul elate, "The Mother of the Prince of Peace. Joy rises in me, like a summer's morn: Peace, Peace on Earth, the Prince of Peace is born." S. T. Coleridge. "And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them."-Matt. ii. 9. IV. BRIGHTER than the rising day, The Star that rose in Bethlehem. When our eyes are dimm'd with tears, Sweet as music to our ears, Faintly warbling o'er the plain. |