HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS.

GOOD TIDINGS.

SAINT LUKE.

AND there were in the same country Shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. And the Angel said unto them, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

"For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS

BY NIGHT.

NAHUM TATE.

WHILE shepherds watched their flocks by night,

All seated on the ground,
The angel of the 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

A 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 wrapped in swaddling 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.

CHRISTMAS CAROL.

OLD ENGLISH.

As Joseph was a-walking,
He heard an angel sing,
"This night shall be the birthnight
Of Christ our heavenly King.

"His birth-bed shall be neither
In housen nor in hall,
Nor in the place of paradise,
But in the oxen's stall.

"He neither shall be rockèd
In silver nor in gold,
But in the wooden manger
That lieth in the mould.

"He neither shall be washen

With white wine nor with red, But with the fair spring water That on you shall be shed.

"He neither shall be clothed
In purple nor in pall,
But in the fair, white linen
That usen babies all."

As Joseph was a-walking,
Thus did the angel sing,
And Mary's son at midnight
Was born to be our King.

Then be you glad, good people,
At this time of the year;
And light you up your candles,
For His star it shineth clear.

CHRISTMAS BELLS.

JOHN KEBLE. EXTRACT.

WAKE me to-night, my mother dear,
That I may hear

The Christmas Bells, so soft and clear,
To high and low glad tidings tell,
How God the Father loved us well;

How God the Eternal Son

Came to undo what we had done.

CHRISTMAS.

ANONYMOUS.

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 that little child.

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.

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.

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

A DESIRE.

ADELAIDE A. PROCTER. ARRANGED.

Он, to have dwelt in Bethlehem,

When the star of the Lord shone bright! To have sheltered the holy wanderers On that blessed Christmas night;

To have kissed the tender, way-worn feet Of the Mother undefiled,

And with reverent wonder and deep delight To have tended the holy child!