Ages passed by, the holy prophet slept;
Man hears no more the music of his voice
His image was not on the land or sea
Still his blest writings made the world rejoice
And still his glad and touching prophecy
Over a world of sorrow, smiled and wept.
Man hears no more the music of his voice
His image was not on the land or sea
Still his blest writings made the world rejoice
And still his glad and touching prophecy
Over a world of sorrow, smiled and wept.
Hushed was the holy night, the wise men trod
Judea's winding paths to Bethlehem
Their glad eyes fixed on one resplendent gem
Upheld and guided by the hand of God
That bathed the Orient in celestial light;
Judea's winding paths to Bethlehem
Their glad eyes fixed on one resplendent gem
Upheld and guided by the hand of God
That bathed the Orient in celestial light;
Onward it moved in majesty sublime
Its mellow beams winging their flight to earth
Fraught with glad tidings of the Saviour's birth
And then ascending to the throne divine
To tell the angels of a world redeemed,
O'er Heaven's own hosts the wondrous glory streamed.
Its mellow beams winging their flight to earth
Fraught with glad tidings of the Saviour's birth
And then ascending to the throne divine
To tell the angels of a world redeemed,
O'er Heaven's own hosts the wondrous glory streamed.
Earth in her rapture had so glorious grown
That e'en the angels could not stay at home
But left the realm of Heaven to join the strain
That God's great universe could scarce contain,
The wonders of the great redemption plan
Destined to rescue fallen, ruined man.
That e'en the angels could not stay at home
But left the realm of Heaven to join the strain
That God's great universe could scarce contain,
The wonders of the great redemption plan
Destined to rescue fallen, ruined man.
O prophets of to-day! Isaiah spake
Of Christ's first coming to a world of sin,
To-day his inspired prophecy awake
And yet a newer triumph-hymn begin,
Sing, 'till yon heavens take up the rapturous strain,
Of Christ's first coming to a world of sin,
To-day his inspired prophecy awake
And yet a newer triumph-hymn begin,
Sing, 'till yon heavens take up the rapturous strain,
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