THE faint, sweet light breaks over the hills, To waken the chords of memory's bells And bring us Christmas morning. O, Christmas morning, fresh and clear, Is this your token of a glad New Year? Is this your emblem of a good new cheer To come with your hallowed dawning? The glad east glows with resplendent beam And wakens from sleep a childhood's dream Of a Christmas gone forever. O, childhood's Christmas, now no more, Come from the sheen of that evergreen shore! Come with your faith and your hope of yore— Come with your honest endeavor. The bold, bright sun mounts up to his throne With eagle speed through the paling zone, And manhood's Christmas hangs o'er us. O, manhood's Christmas, bold and strong, Give us your boldness to battle the wrong, Give us your power the fight to prolong— Shine in your glory before us. The pale west glows with a purpling light, That rolls in serried columns bright, Where the day king's banners rally. But now 'tis gone, and night is nigh; O, then may our good deeds glitter on high, And our past pure thoughts bespangle our sky To light our way through the valley. |