CONTENTS.

THE ETERNAL PURPOSE.

PAGE

'The birth of Him that no beginning knew.(".Christ's Triumph in Heaven")

Giles Fletcher

3

Who can forget, never to be forgot (“Christ's Triumph in Heaven")

Giles Fletcher

Lo He! who, entering these foul cells of flesh (from the Latin) 7. R. S.

7

A Hymn of Heavenly Love .

Edmund Spenser

8

Man disobeying, disloyal, breaks his fealty (“Paradise Lost,” book iii.)

John Milton

19

Thou in thy thought art pondering (“Paradise,” canto vii., Cary's trans-

lation)

Dante

So when of old the Almighty Father sate (“ The Hind and Panther")

John Dryden 26

Messiah

Alexander Pope 27

To conquer and to save, the Son of God

Reginald Heber 31

22

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THE ANNUNCIATION.

PAGE

Unto the music of the spheres

Our hearts, O blessed God, incline

Of royal line, of holy heart (“ Verses for Holy Seasons")

Lowliest of women and most glorified

The Song of the Virgin

Magnificat

Felicia Hemans 40

.

Felicia Hemans 40

George Sandy's 41

THE NATIVITY.

On the Morning of Christ's Nativity :-

John Milton 45

I sing the birth was born to-night

Ben Jonson 57

The shepherds went their hasty way

S. T. Coleridge 38

New Prince, New Pomp

Robert Southwell 60

Virgin-born! we bow before Thee

Reginald Heber 61

As on the night before this happy morn

George Wither 62

For Thou wert born of woman (“The Fall of Jerusalem”) Henry H. Milman 63

What sudden blaze of song

John Keble 64

Hark! hear you not a cheerful noise

William Austin 67

When Jordan hushed his waters still

Thomas Campbell 68

A song of joy unto the Lord we sing

George Wither 70

Was not Christ our Saviour

Thomas Tusser 72

Come, ye redeemed of the Lord

J. Hart 73

From heaven above to earth I come (translated by C. Winkworth)

Martin Luther 75

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78

81

83

85

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86

87

The midnight is as bright as day!

N. T. Carrington

Peace! and to all the world

Henry Vaughan

Prudentius' Christmas Hymn (from the Latin)

J. R. S.

Run, shepherds, run, where Bethlehem blest appears W. Drummond

O than the fairest day, thrice fairer night

W. Drummond

It was the calm and silent night

Alfred Domett

No room for Judah's daughter, David's heir

Josiah Conder

Now let us sing with joy and mirth

Old Scottish Carol

Why liest Thou in stable (from the Latin)

7.R.S.

She gave with joy her virgin breast (translated from Ottfried's Metrical

Paraphrase)

S. T. Coleridge

Hark! the herald angels sing

Wesley

Song of the Angels

Nahum Tate

89

୨୦

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92

93

94

96

Ye flaming powers, and winged warriors bright

John Milton 123

Isaac Williams 124

O happy day, when this our state (from the Latin)

Lo! the eighth bright morn is flinging

W. J. Blew 125

Jerusalem, why are thy voices dumb (“ Verses for Holy Seasons") C. F. H.

127

O Thou who art enthroned on high

George Sandys 129

Sion, thine hallowed gates unfold

W. 7. Blew 130

THE EPIPHANY.

THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS.

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Who are they, travelling from afar (“ Verses for Holy Seasons”) C. F. H. 133

Deep in Sabea's fragrant groves retired

Mrs. Barbauld 134

Fair eastern star, that art ordained to run

Sir J. Beaumont 138