"For you shall go out from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into
the homeland with joy and be led forth by your Leader, the Lord Himself,
and His word with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth
before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier
shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown,
for an everlasting sign of jubilant exaltation and memorial to His praise,
which shall not be cut off."
(Isaiah 55:12-13)
Music I love-but ne'er a strain
Could kindle raptures so divine,
So grief assuage, so conquer pain,
And rouse this pensive heart of mine-
As that we hear on Christmas morn,
Upon the wintry breezes born.
Though Darkness still her empire keep,
And hours must pass, ere morning break;
From troubled dreams, or slumbers deep,
That music kindly bids us wake:
It calls us, with an angel's voice,
To wake, and worship, and rejoice;
To greet with joy the glorious morn,
Which angels welcomed long ago,
When our redeeming Lord was born,
To bring the light of Heaven below;
The Powers of Darkness to dispel
And rescue Earth from Death and Hell.
While listening to that sacred strain,
My raptured spirit soars on high;
I seem to hear those songs again
Resounding through the open sky,
That kindled such divine delight,
In those who watched their flocks by night.
With them I celebrate His birth-
Glory to God, in the highest Heaven,
Good-will to men, and peace on earth,
To us a Saviour-King is given;
Our God is come to claim His own,
And Satan's power is overthrown!
A sinless God, for sinful men,
Descends to suffer and to bleed;
Hell must renounce its empire then;
The price is paid, the world is freed,
And Satan's self must now confess
That Christ has earned a right to bless:
Now holy Peace may smile from heaven,
And heavenly Truth from earth shall spring:
The captive's galling bonds are riven,
For our Redeemer is our King;
And He that gave His blood for men
Will lead us home to God again.
"Music On Christmas Morning"
(1846)
Anne Bronte
(1820-1849)
English novelist and poet
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