3 He spake to Abram and his seed —

“In thee shall all the earth be blest ;" The memory of that ancient word

Lay long in his eternal breast. 4 But now no more shall Israel wait,

No more the Gentiles lie forlorn; Lo, the Desire of nations comes !

Behold, the promised Seed is born!

200
C. M.

Watts. The Song of Zacharias. 1 NOW be the God of Israel blessed,

Who makes his truth appear ;
His mighty hand fulfils his word,

And all the oaths he sware.
2 Now he bedews old David's root

With blessings from the skies;
He makes the branch of promise grow,

The promised Horn arise. 3 "Be every vale exalted high,

Sink every mountain low;
The proud must stoop, and humble souls

Shall his salvation know. 4 “The heathen realms with Israel's land

Shall join in sweet accord,
And all that's born of man shall see

The glory of the Lord.
5 “Behold the Morning Star arise,

Ye that in darkness sit ;
He marks the path that leads to peace,

And guides our doubtful feet."

201
7 M.

BULFINCH.
The Day-Spring from on high.
1 TOILING through the livelong night,

Faint, uncertain of his way,
How the traveller hails the light,

Herald of the coming day!
2 Thus, when fraud and rapine threw

O’er the world their cloud afar,
On the good man's raptured view

Broke the dawn of Judah's star. 3 Tears of joy and gratitude

Hailed the Baptist's natal morn,
For the heavenly light renewed,

For another prophet born; 4 Born to go before the face

Of Judea's Savior-King;
Tidings of celestial grace

To the mourning land to bring. 5 Thus began the song of praise,

For the day-spring's earliest ray ;
How should we the anthem raise

For the gospel's perfect day !

202
C. M.

WATTS. The Messiah's Coming and Kingdom. Ps. 98. 1 JOY to the world! the Lord come ;

Let earth receive her King ;
Let

prepare
And heaven and nature sing.

every heart

him room,

2 Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;

Let men their songs employ, While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.
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.

203
S. M.

WATTS.
The Naturity.
1 BEHOLD, the grace appears ;

The promise is fulfilled ;
Mary, the wondrous virgin, bears,

And Jesus is the child.
2 To bring the glorious news

A heavenly form appears;
He tells the shepherds of their joys,

And banishes their fears.
3 “Go, humble swains," said he,

"To David's city fly;
The promised Infant, born to-day,

Doth in a manger lie.
4.6 With looks and heart serene,

“Go visit Christ your King;” — And straight a flaming troop was seen;

The shepherds heard them sing, —

5 "Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth,
Good-will to men, to angels joy,

At the Redeemer's birth.” 6 In worship so divine

Let saints employ their tongues;
With the celestial host we join,

And loud repeat their songs. 7 "Glory to God on high,

And heavenly peace on earth,
Good-will to men, to angels joy,

At our Redeemer's birth."

204
L. M.

ANONYMOUS. Christmas Hymn. 1 IT comes, the long-expected morn,

The joyful day ordained by Heaven, When unto us a Child is born,

And unto us a Son is given. 2 The Messenger of God's design,

The conquering Hero, Prince of Peace, The Shiloh, sprung from Judah's line,

Appears, and all our sorrows cease. 3 He comes the broken heart to bind,

The mourning penitent to seek, From sin to free the captive mind,

And preach good tidings to the meek. 4 The desert blooms, and from the ground

Burst mantling pools and murmuring streams; The Sun of righteousness around

Shines on the world with healing beams.

5 While angels, in harmonious choirs,

Sing, “This is God's own Son confessed, The Savior, whom the world desires,

The Seed, in whom all men are blessed,”.

6 Like them with transport let us cry,

“All hail the day of Jesus' birth; Glory to God, who dwells on high, Good-will to men,

and

peace on earth.”

205

P. M.

Milton,

Altered by Rev. Dr. Gardiner. Angels proclaiming the Birth of Christ.

1 NO war nor battle's sound

Was heard the world around;
No hostile chiefs to furious combat ran;

But peaceful was the night,

In which the Prince of light
His reign of peace upon the earth began.

2 The shepherds on the lawn,

Before the point of dawn,
In social circle sat; while all around,

The gentle, fleecy brood,

Or cropped the flowery food,
Or slept or sported on the verdant ground,

3 When, lo! with ravished ears,

Each swain delighted hears
Sweet music, offspring of no mortal hand;

Divinely-warbled voice,

Answering the stringed noise, With blissful rapture charmed the listening band.