The Bible Story Part 111

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CRADLE HYMN

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay-- The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

--_Martin Luther_.

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Music for "Cradle Hymn".

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CRADLE HYMN

Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber; Holy angels guard thy bed; Heav'nly blessings without number Gently falling on thy head.

Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment, House and home, thy friends provide; All without thy care or payment, All thy wants are well supplied.

How much better thou'rt attended Than the Son of G.o.d could be, When from heaven he descended, And became a child like thee.

Soft and easy is thy cradle; Coa.r.s.e and hard thy Saviour lay, When his birthplace was a stable, And his softest bed was hay.

--_Isaac Watts_.

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CHORUS

We see Him come, and know Him ours, Who, with His suns.h.i.+ne and His showers, Turns all the patient ground to flowers.

The Darling of the world is come, And fit it is we find a room To welcome Him. The n.o.bler part Of all the house here, is the heart,

Which we will give Him; and bequeath This holly, and this ivy wreath, To do Him honor, who's our King, And Lord of all this reveling.

--_Robert Herrick_.

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THE ADORATION OF THE CHILDREN Gherado delle Notte

"O come, all ye faithful, joyfully triumphant, To Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord, Lo! in a manger lies the King of angels; O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord"

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ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID'S CITY

Once in royal David's city, Stood a lowly cattle shed, Where a mother hid 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 G.o.d 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 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.

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: {416} And He leads His children on To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable, With the oxen standing by, We shall see Him; but in heaven, Set at G.o.d's right hand on high; When like stars His children crowned All in white shall wait around.

--_Mrs. C. F. Alexander_.

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MADONNA AND CHILD

"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.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus, There is room in my heart for Thee."

--_Emily Elizabeth Elliott_.

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CALM ON THE LISTENING EAR OF NIGHT

Calm on the listening ear of night Come heaven's melodious strains, Where wild Judea stretches far Her silver-mantled plains; Celestial choirs from courts above Shed sacred glories there; And angels with their sparkling lyres Make music on the air.

The answering hills of Palestine Send back the glad reply, And greet from all their holy heights The Dayspring from on high.

O'er the blue depths of Galilee There comes a holier calm; And Sharon waves in solemn praise, Her silent groves of palm.

"Glory to G.o.d!" the lofty strain The realm of ether fills; How sweeps the song of solemn joy O'er Judah's sacred hills.

"Glory to G.o.d!" the sounding skies Loud with their anthems ring: "Peace on the earth; good will to men, From heaven's eternal King."

Light on thy hills, Jerusalem!

The Saviour now is born!

More bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains Breaks the first Christmas morn; {420} And brighter on Moriah's brow, Crowned with her temple-spires, Which first proclaim the newborn light, Clothed with its orient fires.

This day shall Christian tongues be mute, And Christian hearts be cold?

O catch the anthem that from heaven O'er Judah's mountains rolled!