 | The poems of Robert Traill Spence Lowell |  |
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A CHRISTMAS SERMON.
On the glorious Birthday morning,
All the church is dressed in green;
Loud are heard the holy anthems,
Sweetest prayers go up between.
All the church is dressed in green;
Loud are heard the holy anthems,
Sweetest prayers go up between.
He that lay in lowly manger,
Now is known as Heaven's King;
What but angels sang, aforetime,
Now have men been taught to sing:
Now is known as Heaven's King;
What but angels sang, aforetime,
Now have men been taught to sing:
“God have glory, in the highest:
Peace on earth, good-will towards men:
Over all the tide of ages,
Ever now as it was then.”
Peace on earth, good-will towards men:
Over all the tide of ages,
Ever now as it was then.”
After prayers and chant all ended,
Then the priest begins to preach:
In God's name he speaketh plainly,
For God's sake he loveth each.
Then the priest begins to preach:
In God's name he speaketh plainly,
For God's sake he loveth each.
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“Lo!” he saith, “the Lord of Glory,
Born and cradled in a stall!
Sure He had but scanty welcome,
Seeing He was Lord of all.
Born and cradled in a stall!
Sure He had but scanty welcome,
Seeing He was Lord of all.
“Yet, in sooth, He sought no other,
Nor to earth for homage came;
Here He took the form of servant;
Here He bared the cheek to shame.
Nor to earth for homage came;
Here He took the form of servant;
Here He bared the cheek to shame.
“Not of this world was His kingdom:
He lived not at monarch's cost:
He sought not the known and honored,
But He came to seek the lost:
He lived not at monarch's cost:
He sought not the known and honored,
But He came to seek the lost:
“Lost from out the world's long annals,
For they came of humble kin:
Lost from out the Book of Heaven,
For their life was led in sin.
For they came of humble kin:
Lost from out the Book of Heaven,
For their life was led in sin.
“Thus the poor, and thus the sinner,
Found the Lord beside their door:
Heard His blessed words of comfort,
Such as no man spake before.
Found the Lord beside their door:
Heard His blessed words of comfort,
Such as no man spake before.
“Let our thoughts, this day, my brethren,
Seek the poor, by men forgot;
Whom the holy Christ remembered,
Coming here to share their lot.
Seek the poor, by men forgot;
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Coming here to share their lot.
“This world hath its rich and needy:
This world hath its high and low:
On the one side, pomp and worship;
On the other, toil and woe.
This world hath its high and low:
On the one side, pomp and worship;
On the other, toil and woe.
“Not forever shall we struggle
With the trials of this state:
To be poor, and yet be thankful;
To be lowly-willed, if great.
With the trials of this state:
To be poor, and yet be thankful;
To be lowly-willed, if great.
“Yet a little, and the Judgment:
Then we change for good or ill:
Rich or poor shall enter heaven,
As they did the Father's will.
Then we change for good or ill:
Rich or poor shall enter heaven,
As they did the Father's will.
“To be rich we may not covet,
Ye have heard the Saviour say:
And He chose the lowest station
When He came to earth this day.
Ye have heard the Saviour say:
And He chose the lowest station
When He came to earth this day.
“He has told us of His kingdom,
Hardly shall the rich go in;
Though the best that this world offers,—
Power and glory,—wealth may win.
Hardly shall the rich go in;
Though the best that this world offers,—
Power and glory,—wealth may win.
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“I will tell a simple story:
Every day it falleth true;
Jesu grant you all, my brethren,
That it be not so of you.
Every day it falleth true;
Jesu grant you all, my brethren,
That it be not so of you.
“See you there how Dives sitteth,
Richly clad, at dainty fare?
Many servants make obeisance,
Many guests sit humbly there.
Richly clad, at dainty fare?
Many servants make obeisance,
Many guests sit humbly there.
“Now one cometh, speaking softly,
‘Lazarus is at the gate:
Waiting, in full mournful fashion,
That his welcome cometh late.
‘Lazarus is at the gate:
Waiting, in full mournful fashion,
That his welcome cometh late.
“‘For he meekly claimeth kindred,
Though he is of low degree.’
Heed the rich man, now, my brethren:
Scornful answer maketh he:
Though he is of low degree.’
Heed the rich man, now, my brethren:
Scornful answer maketh he:
“‘Lazarus? I know no beggars,
And my kin bear no such name:
Yet these poor folk have their kindred;
Bid him go from whence he came.’
And my kin bear no such name:
Yet these poor folk have their kindred;
Bid him go from whence he came.’
“‘Good my lord, the dogs are licking,
In mere ruth, his running sore;
He is modest, and he claimeth
But the crumbs from off thy floor.’
In mere ruth, his running sore;
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But the crumbs from off thy floor.’
“‘Prating varlet!’ said the rich man,
‘Now what idle knaves have I!
Was there none to bid this beggar
Choose a fitter place to die?’
‘Now what idle knaves have I!
Was there none to bid this beggar
Choose a fitter place to die?’
“He forgot that in God's heaven,
Righteous poor shall have their share:
And he thrust him from the threshold,
Caring nought how he might fare.
Righteous poor shall have their share:
And he thrust him from the threshold,
Caring nought how he might fare.
“So the servants laid the beggar
Just before another's gate;
Coming back, with due obeisance,
At their master's side to wait.
Just before another's gate;
Coming back, with due obeisance,
At their master's side to wait.
“Soon the poor man died, full godly,
And with saints he went to dwell:
Next the rich man died, and, after,
Lifted up his eyes in hell;
And with saints he went to dwell:
Next the rich man died, and, after,
Lifted up his eyes in hell;
“And afar he saw the poor man,
As he lay in Abraham's breast;
And, from out his place of torment,
Prayed towards that blissful rest.
As he lay in Abraham's breast;
And, from out his place of torment,
Prayed towards that blissful rest.
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“'T was but for a drop of water:
Yet his boon he could not win:
God had set a gulf, forever,
'Twixt the two that were not kin.
Yet his boon he could not win:
God had set a gulf, forever,
'Twixt the two that were not kin.
“For the words of dreadful judgment,
Christ hath told us what they be:
‘I was hungry, sick, and naked,
And ye had no care of me.’
Christ hath told us what they be:
‘I was hungry, sick, and naked,
And ye had no care of me.’
“Then shall they make forward answer,
That on earth had Him forgot:
‘Lord, when saw we Thee an-hungered,
Sick, and naked, and cared not?’
That on earth had Him forgot:
‘Lord, when saw we Thee an-hungered,
Sick, and naked, and cared not?’
“Christ shall say, ‘These poor and wretched
Whose meek claim ye put aside,
I do own them as my brethren,
And in them was I denied.
Whose meek claim ye put aside,
I do own them as my brethren,
And in them was I denied.
“‘When ye saw me not, nor heard me,
It was I put up the claim:
I lay pining at the threshold,
For they sought you in my name.’
It was I put up the claim:
I lay pining at the threshold,
For they sought you in my name.’
“Let us, then, confess Christ's brother,
Lest we claim another kin:
Then, before the gate of heaven,
He shall bid us enter in.
Lest we claim another kin:
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He shall bid us enter in.
“Glory, worship, love, and service,
To the blessed One in Three:
As it was in the beginning,
Is, and evermore shall be!”
To the blessed One in Three:
As it was in the beginning,
Is, and evermore shall be!”
| The poems of Robert Traill Spence Lowell | |