32

Adeste. H.C.86. A.M.59. C.H.92.

O

COME, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant,

come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him

Born the King of angels;

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

God of God,

Light of Light,

Lo, He abhors not the Virgin's womb;
Very God,

Begotten, not created;

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above:

66

Glory to God

In the highest;

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesu, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing;
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Amen.

33

Irby. H.C.474. A.M.329. G.B.58.

Stood a lowly cattle-shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

He came down to earth from Heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,

And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood,
He would honour and obey,

Love, and watch the lowly maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay:
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

For He is our childhood's pattern,
Day by day like us He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless;
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Is our Lord in Heaven above;
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.

34

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in Heaven,

Set at God's right hand on high;
When, like stars, His children crowned,
All in white shall wait around.

Margaret. H.C.89. C.H.642.
Reception. G.B.62.

Amen.

HOU didst leave Thy Throne and Thy kingly

TH

crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem's home there was found no room For Thy holy nativity.

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!

There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth cam'st Thou, Lord, on earth,
And in great humility.

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!

There is room in my heart for Thee.

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;

But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!

There is room in my heart for Thee.

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy children free;

But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus!

Thy Cross is my only plea.

When Heaven's arches ring, and her choirs shall sing, At Thy coming to victory,

Let Thy voice call me Home, saying, "Yet there is There is room at My side for thee."

And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,

[room,

When Thou comest and callest for me. Amen.

35

Bethlehem. H.C.83. C.H.94.

Winchester Old. H.C.113. A.M.62. G.B.60.

HILE shepherds watched their flocks by

W night,

All seated on the ground,

The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.

"Fear not," said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind;
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.

"To you, in David's town this day,
Is born, of David's line,

A Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:

"The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,

All meanly wrapt in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng

Of angels praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song:

"All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace ;

Goodwill henceforth from Heaven to men
Begin and never cease."

36

T

Amen.

Also the following: 272–276.

Innocents' Day

Rachel. H.C.476.

Melcombe. H.C.339. A.M.347. G.B.356.

READ softly; mothers weep for them As if their very hearts would break, Those blessèd babes of Bethlehem Who gave their life for Jesus' sake. 'Tis true they never learned His Name Upon their infant lips to take: But Christian children always claim They lived and died for Jesus' sake. And we must live and die for Him, For Him a good confession make, Although our blood may never dim The cruel sword for Jesus' sake. We must our struggling wills subdue, We must the paths of sin forsake, And all things lovely, pure, and true, Must be our own for Jesus' sake. Hush there are little ones that cry, And there are little hearts that ache;

And we those bitter tears may dry,

And soothe those hearts for Jesus' sake.

Then be our journey short or long,
From rosy dawn when first we wake