MORNING.

Ten thousand times ten thousand,
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints
Throng up the steeps of light:
"Tis finished! all is finished,

Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.

What rush of Alleluias

Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation

And all its tribes were made!
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!

O, then what raptured greetings
On Canaan's happy shore,
What knitting severed friendships up,

Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle

That brimmed with tears of late;

Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.

1867

Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain,
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power and reign:
Appear, Desire of nations,

Thine exiles long for home;

Shew in the heavens Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Saviour, come.

HENRY ALFORD.

1854.

EVENING.

O quickly come, dread Judge of all:
For, awful though Thine advent be,
All shadows from the truth will fall,
And falsehood die, in sight of Thee:
O quickly come for doubt and fear
Like clouds dissolve when Thou art near.

:

O quickly come, great King of all;
Reign all around us, and within ;
Let sin no more our souls enthral,

Let pain and sorrow die with sin:
O quickly come: for Thou alone
Canst make Thy scattered people one.

O quickly come, true Life of all;
For death is mighty all around;
On every home his shadows fall,

On every heart his mark is found:
O quickly come: for grief and pain
Can never cloud Thy glorious reign.

O quickly come, sure Light of all,
For gloomy night broods o'er our way;
And weakly souls begin to fall

With weary watching for the day:
O quickly come for round Thy throne
No eye is blind, no night is known.

LAWRENCE TUTTIETT

1702.

CHRISTMAS EVE,

and EVENING of CHRISTMAS DAY.

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,

The angel of he 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

The 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, and thus
Addressed their joyful song:

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

Good will henceforth from heaven to men
Begin, and never cease!'

NAHUM TATE (New Version).

CHRISTMAS DAY.

MORNING.

Adeste fideles.

Adeste fideles,

Laeti triumphantes,

Venite, venite in Bethlehem :

Natum videte

Regem angelorum;

Venite adoremus Dominum.

Deum de Deo,

Lumen de Lumine,

Gestant puellae viscera ;

Deum verum,

Genitum, non factum,

Venite adoremus Dominum.

Cantet nunc io

Chorus angelorum,

Cantet nunc aula caelestium,

Gloria in excelsis

In excelsis Deo,

Venite adoremus Dominum.

Ergo qui natus

Die hodierna

Iesu,. Tibi sit gloria:

Patris aeterni

Verbum caro factum;

Venite adoremus Dominum.

Author unknown.