Lo, In The East Appears A Star

Representative Text

1 Lo, in the east appears a star,
In eastern skies unseen before;
And ancient sages from afar
Hasten the mystery to explore.

2 These ancient sages, led from far,
Began their doubtful, anxious way;
Nor rested till the wandering star
Stood o’er the place where Jesus lay.

3 They came, they saw, and they adored;
Each costly treasure they unfold,
And offer to their infant Lord,
Their myrrh, their frankincense and gold.

4 That star to us its light imparts:
May we its guiding rays pursue,
And with the homage of our hearts
To Jesus come, and worship too.

5 May we through life its guidance trace,
And mark its path o’er earthly things,
Until it leads us to the place,
Where Jesus reigns the King of kings.

6 Light of the world, O Savior, rise;
Nor cease to shed Thy cheering ray,
Till o’er the lands beneath the skies
Thy glory shines in perfect day.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #9617

Author: Thomas Cotterill

Thomas Cotterill (b. Cannock, Staffordshire, England, 1779; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1823) studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, England, and became an Anglican clergyman. A central figure in the dispute about the propriety of singing hymns, Cotterill published a popular collection of hymns (including many of his own as well as alterations of other hymns), Selection of Psalms and Hymns in 1810. But when he tried to introduce a later edition of this book in Sheffield in 1819, his congregation protested. Many believed strongly that the Church of England should maintain its tradition of exclusive psalm singing. In a church court the Archbishop of York and Cotterill reached a compromise: the later edition of Selection was withdrawn… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Lo, in the east appears a star
Title: Lo, In The East Appears A Star
Author: Thomas Cotterill
Meter: 7.6.7.6 D
Source: A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, Adapted to the Festivals of the church of England,/cite> 8th ed., 1819
Language: English
Notes: Alternate tune: LUTON by George Burder, 1774
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

DUKE STREET

First published anonymously in Henry Boyd's Select Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1793), DUKE STREET was credited to John Hatton (b. Warrington, England, c. 1710; d, St. Helen's, Lancaster, England, 1793) in William Dixon's Euphonia (1805). Virtually nothing is known about Hatton, its composer,…

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The Cyber Hymnal #9617
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The Cyber Hymnal #9617

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