ill as we draw near
To Christmas day in the morning.

And just as the wise men did of old,
In the hush of the winter's dawning, cold,
We come to the stable, and we behold
The Child on the Christmas morning.

And just as the wise men deemed it meet
To offer Him gold and perfumes sweet,
We would lay our gifts at His holy feet,
Our gifts on Christmas morning.

O Babe, once laid in the oxen's bed,
With never a pillow for Thy head,
Now throned in the highest heaven instead,
O Lord of the Christmas morning!

Because we have known and have loved Thy star
And have followed it long and have followed it far
From the land where the shadows and darkness are
To find Thee on Christmas morning,--

Accept the gifts we dare to bring,
Though worthless and poor the offering,
And help our souls to rise and sing
On Christmas day in the morning.

{391}{392}

[Illustration]
MADONNA AND CHILD
By Sichel

"All my heart this night rejoices
As I hear, far and near,
Sweetest angel voices:
'Christ is born!' their choirs are singing,
Till the air everywhere
Now with joy is ringing."
--_Paul Gerhardt_
[End illustration]

{393}

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! A wake the string!
Heart, ear, and eye, and everything
Awake! the while the active finger
Runs divisions with the singer.

Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,
That sees December turned to May.
If we may ask the reason, say
The why, and wherefore all things here
Seem like the springtime of the year?

Why does the chilling winter's morn
Smile like a field beset with corn?
Or smell like to a mead new shorn,
Thus on the sudden? Come and see
The cause why things thus fragrant be:
'Tis He is born, whose quickening birth
Gives light and luster, public mirth,
To heaven and the under earth.

{394}

THE GUIDING STAR

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light,
Leading onward, beaming bright;
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led by Thee.

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before
Him whom heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever