 | Wood-notes and Church-bells |  |
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CHRISTMAS PRAISE FOR HARVEST PLENTY.
The year with all its mercies will soon have fled away,
The bells will soon ring welcome once more to New Year's day;
But ere the old year vanish into the silent Past,
Let us o'er its fair seasons our grateful glances cast:
The bells will soon ring welcome once more to New Year's day;
But ere the old year vanish into the silent Past,
Let us o'er its fair seasons our grateful glances cast:
And while Spring's shoots and blossoms, and Summer's azure skies,
And Autumn's golden bounty, before our memory rise,
Reflect how cheery Winter to every season owes
Some tint of the bright garland which crowns his Christmas snows.
And Autumn's golden bounty, before our memory rise,
Reflect how cheery Winter to every season owes
Some tint of the bright garland which crowns his Christmas snows.
The gleaming showers of April, the genial warmth of June,
The tender frosts of August beneath the mellowing moon,
Their various powers combining—we see our table spread
With Christmas-tide abundance, God's precious gift of Bread.
The tender frosts of August beneath the mellowing moon,
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With Christmas-tide abundance, God's precious gift of Bread.
We catch the pleasant ripple from fields of yellow grain,
We see the loaded waggon come rumbling down the lane,
The sound of happy voices from rural homes is heard,
Blessing the God of harvest, who keeps his plighted Word.
We see the loaded waggon come rumbling down the lane,
The sound of happy voices from rural homes is heard,
Blessing the God of harvest, who keeps his plighted Word.
And round our Christmas fireside we join the general praise,
And to the great Creator adoring thanks we raise,
Who gives us harvest, seed-time, cold, heat, and night, and day,
The Summer and the Winter, till earth shall pass away.
And to the great Creator adoring thanks we raise,
Who gives us harvest, seed-time, cold, heat, and night, and day,
The Summer and the Winter, till earth shall pass away.
Old men and little children, husband and gentle wife,
Praise God for a good harvest, for bread, the staff of life,
Praise God for strength to labour, and for the boon of health,
And for the pearl contentment, earth's most enduring wealth.
Praise God for a good harvest, for bread, the staff of life,
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And for the pearl contentment, earth's most enduring wealth.
And let the bells of Christmas, as merrily they ring,
Feelings more high and holy to Christian bosoms bring,
Since on this happy morning, long since, to men was given
Another gift more precious—the Bread which came from Heaven.
Feelings more high and holy to Christian bosoms bring,
Since on this happy morning, long since, to men was given
Another gift more precious—the Bread which came from Heaven.
He came to us in Winter, a white-robed Babe, to show
The garment He would weave us, fairer than driven snow:
He felt the drought of Summer, and a more scorching heat,
Which upon Calvary ripened the drooping “Corn of Wheat.”
The garment He would weave us, fairer than driven snow:
He felt the drought of Summer, and a more scorching heat,
Which upon Calvary ripened the drooping “Corn of Wheat.”
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He bought for us the comforts of cheerful Christmastide
With slowly paid out rubies from brow and hands and side:
More costly far than silver, or gold, or precious stones,
One drop of that dear ransom which for our sin atones.
With slowly paid out rubies from brow and hands and side:
More costly far than silver, or gold, or precious stones,
One drop of that dear ransom which for our sin atones.
As with the joy of Harvest we joy this happy morn,
To us is given a Saviour, to us a Child is born:
We are like men rejoicing when they divide the spoil—
Heaven's jewel decks yon manger, Heaven's joy ends earth's long toil.
To us is given a Saviour, to us a Child is born:
We are like men rejoicing when they divide the spoil—
Heaven's jewel decks yon manger, Heaven's joy ends earth's long toil.
Is ours the plenteous harvest? Oh, let us spare a sheaf
For those who pine with hunger, or sit in lonely grief:
And is the spoil celestial in our possession found?
Oh, let us share the treasure with all our brethren round.
For those who pine with hunger, or sit in lonely grief:
And is the spoil celestial in our possession found?
Oh, let us share the treasure with all our brethren round.
Has God given us abundance of earthly, heavenly, Bread?
He points us to the needy, desiring to be fed:
And as our hands we open, He gives us more and more,
And as our hoards we lessen, He multiplies our store!
He points us to the needy, desiring to be fed:
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And as our hoards we lessen, He multiplies our store!
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