Herdsmen keeping lonely vigil
While the earth in slumber lay;
Eager scanned the far horizon,
For the coming of the day;
And a blaze of heavenly light,
Rent the curtains of the night.
Never shone a morn so radiant
Since creation had its birth,
And the orb of day in fulness
Shed its primal light on earth,
And the morning stars abroad,
Triumphed with the sons of God.
Stay your coming, dawn and sunrise,
For a Sun of high renown
Pours His light upon our darkness,
And this Orb shall ne'er go down;
Now Immanuel, Christ our Lord,
Dwells on earth, Incarnate Word.
51
Lift your eyes, ye lonely watchers,
See the host in raiment white;
List, the strains of heavenly music
Mingling with transcendent light;
Ne'er such music waked a morn;
Sons of men! the Christ is born.
Weary hearts that dwell in darkness!
Cast your dismal fears away;
Lo, the Sun on earth is shining,
For the morn has risen today,
And the light that hailed His birth,
Pours its glory on the earth.
Source: Hymns of the Early Church: translated from Greek and Latin sources; together with translations from a later period; centos and suggestions from the Greek; and several original pieces #50
Brownlie, John, was born at Glasgow, Aug. 6, 1857, and was educated at Glasgow University, and at the Free Church College in the same city. In 1884 he was licensed by the Presbytery of Glasgow; in 1885 he became Assistant Minister of the Free Church, Portpatrick, and on the death of the Senior Minister in 1890 he entered upon the full charge of the Church there. He has interested himself in educational matters, became a Member of the local School Board in 1888, a governor of Stranraer High School in 1897, and Chairman of the governors in 1901. His hymnological works are:—
1. The Hymns and Hymnwriters of the [Scottish] Church Hymnary, 1899. This is a biographical, historical, and critical companion to that hymnal, and is well done and… Go to person page >
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