2 Joy to the world! the Saviour 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.

199

I. Watts.

C. M.

HARK, the glad sound! the Saviour comes, The Saviour promised long;

Let every heart prepare a throne

And every voice a song.

2 He comes, the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held :

The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

3 He comes, from thickest films of vice
To clear the mental ray,

And on the eyes oppressed with night
To pour celestial day.

4 He comes, the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,

And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.

5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim:

And heaven's eternal arches ring
With Thy beloved name.

200

P. Doddridge.

C. M.

AS SHADOWS cast by cloud and sun
Flit o'er the summer grass,
So, in Thy sight, almighty One,
Earth's generations pass.

2 And as the years, an endless host,
Come swiftly pressing on,

The brightest names that earth can boast
Just glisten and are gone.

3 Yet doth the star of Bethlehem shed
A lustre pure and sweet;
And still it leads, as once it led,
To the Messiah's feet.

4 O Father, may that holy star

Grow every year more bright, And send its glorious beams afar To fill the world with light! W. C. Bryant.

201

P. M.

O LITTLE town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!

8,6,8,6,7,6,8,6

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;

The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

2 For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond'ring love.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!

And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth.

3 How silently, how silently,

The wondrous gift is given !
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

4 O holy Child of Bethlehem !
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in ;
Be born in us to-day.

We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!

P. Brooks.

202 10,8,10,8, with Refrain, 8,8 (Irregular)

THOU didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly

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!

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

But in lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.
Oh, come, etc.

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

But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn,

They bore Thee to Calvary.
Oh, come, etc.

4 When Heaven's arches shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,

At Thy coming to victory,

Let Thy voice call me home, saying, "Yet there is room,

There is room at My side for Thee."

203

And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.
Emily E. S. Elliott.

To us a child of hope is born,
To us a son is given,

And on His shoulder ever rests

All power in earth and Heaven.

C. M.

2 His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
The everlasting Lord,

The Wonderful, the Counsellor,
The God by all adored.

3 His righteous government and power
Shall over all extend;

On judgment and on justice based,
His reign shall have no end.

4 Lord Jesus, reign in us, we pray,
And make us Thine alone,
Who with the Father ever art
And Holy Spirit, one.

204

J. Morison. Version of Hs. A. and M., Ab.

ONCE in royal David's city
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..

8,7,8,7,7,7

2 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.

3 And, thro' all His wondrous childhood, He would honor and obey,

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

4 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.

5 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.