I—Tune: An English Melody
Hark! hark! to the angel-song through the skies pealing,
We bring you glad tidings on this happy morn;
On earth, peace and good-will to all men revealing,
Be joyful all people, Messiah is born;
Give glory to God with glad exultation,
Who on this blest morning his only Son gave;
That He might procure for lost man salvation,
The Word was made flesh—and is mighty to save.
Chorus
Hail, hail to the dawning
Of this happy morning—
The morning when Jesus the Saviour was born.
Thus teach us to praise Thee, O merciful Saviour,
In the jubilant song of the seraphim host;
Thy coming to save us—'twas alt of thy favor,
If thou hadst not pitied—our souls had been lost.
All praise for thy wonderful grace and compassion,
Who left thy bright throne in a manger to lay;
For sinners the chiefest, thine arm brought salvation,
And to Thee let all men their glad homae pay.
Chorus
Hail, hail to the dawning
Of this happy morning—
The morning when Jesus the Saviour was born.
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II—Tune: Luther
Sing praises unto God, sing praise
To Christ, the world's Creator !
Sing praise to Him (oh wondrous grace)
Who took on him our nature!
Loud hallelujahs let us sing,
To Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King,
Our gracious Mediator.
Exalted on his glorious throne,
Sits our Almighty Saviour;
All gifts and graces sending down,
To bless our souls for ever:
Spreads like the sun his truth abroad,
To guide our erring steps to God—
0 may we share his favour!
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III—Tune: The Vesper Hymn
Hark ! the midnight silence breaking,
Sounds symphonious fill the air,
Shepherds from their slumbers waking,
Who all trembling list to hear
Angel-minstrels raise the chorus,
Peace on earth, good-will to men,
Now in soften'd tones melodious,
They repeat the joyous strain.
Hallelujah ! Hallelujah!
Lo ! Jehovah dwells with men.
Now their notes like zephyrs stealing,
Gently o'er the Syrian plain,
Now like awful thunders pealing,
Bursts the choral-song again,
Unto God be highest glory,
Peace on earth good-will to men.
Spreads through earth the blissful story,
Men with angels join to sing
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Glory to the new-born King.
Saviour throned in highest glory,
Thou who wast in Bethlehem born,
We a youthful band before Thee,
Hail with joy this happy morn.
While we sing the joyful story,
Seraphs told the wond'ring swains,
Teach us humbly to adore Thee,
And accept our votive strains.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Arnen.
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IV—Tune: From Dr. Mendelssohn's
Oratorio of Elijah
The glorious light is dawning,
And gilds the mountains brow,
To Bethlehem this morning,
Rejoicing let us go.
We'll sing the blissful story,
The angels sang this morn—
How Christ, the King of Glory,
Was in a stable born.
His diadem forsaking,
He laid his glory by;
Our nature on him taking,
That he might bleed and die.
From sin and death to free us.
On wings of love he came—
For this the blessed Jesus
A little child became.
While shepherds low adoring,
To Him give homage meet,
And Eastern magi pouring
Earth's treasures at his feet;
We, while life's day is dawning,
Would our best offerings bring;
And on this happy morning
Worship the new-born King.
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A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
OFTEN and cheerily as this good old-fashioned greeting will be the "compliment of the season", from no one will it come more heartily than from the writer of these Christmas Chorales—who thus affectionately presents it to the members of his congregation and neighbours generally; but more especially does he desire this on behalf of the young people—for whose use he has written these simple verses and adopted them to some very beautiful music which, at this season, they intend to sing to their friends and neighbours.
A merry Christmas for you, say I. Oh! I love to think of the event which is commemorated on this day; not indeed, that I believe Christ was born on the twenty-fifth day of December—the day which from time immemorial has been set apart for the commemoration of our blessed Saviour's birth ; nor do I, as a protestant, approve of the name given to the day—which is Christmas from Christi Missa, the mass of Christ, which, on this day is offered in Popish Cathedrals and Mass Houses; or, do I think it at all fitting, that Christmas should be kept as it is by thousands in this Protestant country—who regard the season as one of carnal amusements and godless mirth.
While heartily abjuring the mummeries of superstition, as adopted by misguided Romanists; and those vanities of this wicked world—in the indulgence of which the giddy and the thoughtless will be at this time engaged in, I would nevertheless as heartily adopt what grave clerks have been wont to wish:—"A merry Christmas, and a happy New Year to you all."
Yes. A merry Christinas to you all I repeat; may from your dwellings "proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry" (Jer. xxx, 19.) But to be merry, you must needs be happy; to be happy, you must, each one for himself, experience the grace brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ—which event Christmas is intended to commemorate—the coming of Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. Sin is the cause of all the misery in the world; and, if not pardoned, it will make the soul miserable for ever; none, therefore, can be truly happy but those who are saved from sin. And there is no other name, whereby we must be saved, but that name which the angels announced to Joseph and Mary, at the Saviour's birth:— "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." To be happy now and through eternity you must be saved from the guilt of sin—the love and practice, of sin—and from the condemnation and wrath due to sin, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In wishing you a merry Christmas, you will understand me thereby to mean, that it is my heart’s desire and prayer to God that you may be saved; that is, that you may be created anew by the spirit and grace of Christ—cleansed from your sins by the blood of Christ—clothed with the righteousness of Christ—and thereby entitled to and meetened — as regenerated, pardonded, and justified beings—for everlasting glory. May the faithful —the true—the blessed saying be esteeemed by you, dear reader, as worthy of all acceptation—that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
A merry Christmas! that you may be merry after a very ancient and scriptural fashion (James v, 13) I have been anxious that a number of you should be taught to sing these Chorales. Martin Luther—the eminent Reformer, of Germany—when a little boy, sang—in the streets of Magdeburg, Christmas songs; at which time and by these practices, this wonderful man was laying the foundation of that profound musical knowledge, by which he was distinguished, next only, to his God-like efforts to deliver the souls of men from the cruel bondage of Romish superstition. "Young people," says this prince among musicians, "must always be accustomed to this art, for it makes men kind and virtuous."
Allow me also to give expression to the other half of the wish—A Happy New Year to you all. That it has pleased Almighty God, in his great mercy, to permit us to live so near to the close of the present year, is a matter for devout thanksgiving. Many have gone, who near us stood, to the awful bar of God. How manifold and suitable have been the favours bestowed upon us, by one ever gracious and bountiful benefactor during the year; from what dangers, seen and unseen, have we been preserved; of the least of all these mercies we are not worthy. Let not the year pass away without an effort to remember these instances of God's great kindness to us, and to be grateful for them. But, alas! how many have been our sins during the months, weeks, and days of the expiring year—what disobedience to parents—what forgetfulness of God and His
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goodness—what sad and awful violation of the Sabbath—what neglect of the house and worship of God— what thoughtlessness and want of seriousness in the sanctuary—what living after the flesh, and walking contrary to the way and word of God—for the which things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience. May it be your happiness to receive grace from God to begin the New Year with sincere heartfelt sorrow, for doing those things which you ought not to have done, and for having left undone those things which you ought to have done. Be assured, dear reader, that there is no hope of your being forgiven these sins of omission and of commission, but that which was proclaimed by the angels when Christ was born in Bethlehem:—"Unto you is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Help was laid upon one mighty to save; and if, by the grace of God, you see and feel your guilt and misery as to render such a Saviour—as is the Lord Jesus Christ—absolutely necessary, that you need a reconciler—a mediator—happy are you, for to you Jesus speaks in the language of ancient prophecy:—"Look unto me and be ye saved, for I am God, and besides me there is no Saviour." And in the days of His flesh He said, "God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." And the Apostle when addressing the Philippian Jailor, said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
A happy New Year to you. May it please God to grant you through the year healthful bodies, that you may be well and strong; remember who it is that gives your health and strength; your parents cannot keep disease from you, nor remove it when it has taken hold upon you. May you that are in health praise God for this inestimable blessing.
A happy New Year to you. May you be enabled to preserve during the year a good conscience; this is necessary to happiness; conscience you know is God's voice in the heart, which tells us whether we are doing right or wrong. The remembrance of sins will make us unhappy. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. Guilt on the conscience makes cowards of the bravest; the wicked fleeth when no man pursueth. When persons do wrong, their conscience condemns them; but when they act rightly their consciences approve of what they have done, and such persons have light hearts. Something within whispers to them that they have done what was right. In thus desiring that you may be in possession of a good conscience, it is in effect wishing you may be kept from thinking, feeling, and doing what it would be wrong for you to think, feel, or do.
I could wish indeed that from the heart you might all be disposed to say with the Psalmist, "O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes." But as in many things we offend all, how needful is it that we should have our hearts renewed by the Holy Spirit, and our consciences purified by the blood of Christ; for how can we be happy with a burden of guilt on the conscience. Remember, it is God alone who can preserve you from doing wrong. He only can uphold you in all your goings, that your footsteps slip not. May the Holy Spirit keep you from all evil, and guide your feet in the way of peace.
A Happy New Year to you, and should you be permitted so long, may God's providence guide you, God's grace preserve you, and God's blessing rest upon you, through all the days of the coming year; and if any of you should die before its termination, may He prepare you by his grace for a happy eternity.
So prays your affectionate friend and well-wisher,
J. WHITTEMORE.
Rushden, Dec. 23rd, 1850.
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