The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-25
THE HYMN.

hallow'd fire.
THE HYMN.
It was the Winter wild
While the Heav'n-born child.
All meanly wrapt, in the rude manger
Nature in awe to him
HID doff'd her gaudy trim,
WITH her great Master so to sympa-
thize;
1t was no season then for her
To wanton with the sun, her lusty para
mOur.
II.
Only with speeches fair
She woos the gentle air
To hide her guilty front with innocent
snow,
And on her naked shame,
Pcllute with sinful blame.
The sanity veil of maiden white to
COMPOUNDED that her Makers eyes
Should look so near upon her foul de-
formities.
But He, her fears to cease,
Sent down the meek-ey'd Peace:
She crown'd with olive green, came
softly sliding
Down through the turning sphere,
Ills Icduy udTDlISGTp
With turtle wing the amorous clouds
And waving wide her myrtle wand.
She strikes a universal peace through
sea and land.
No war, or battles sound,
Was heard the world around.
The idle spear and shield were high
w hung;
The hooked chariot stood
Unstaind with hostile blood,
The trumpet spake not to the armed
throng;
And Kings safe still with awful eye,
AS if they surely knew their sovereign
Lord was by.
But peaceful was the night
Wherein the Prince of light
His reign of peace upon the earth be-
gan:
The winds. with wonder whist.
Smoothly the waters kist,
whispering new joys to the mild Ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave.
While birds of calm sit brooding on the
charmed wave.
The stars, with deep amaze,
Stand fixt in steadfast gaze,
And win not take their flight
For all the morning light.
Or Lucifer that often warn'd them
But in their glimmering orbs did glow,
Until their Lord Himself bespake, and
bid them go.
And though the shady gloom
Had given day her room,
The sun himself withheld his wonted
speed;
Ard hid his head for shame,
AZ his inferior flame
The new-enl:ghten'd world no more
He s should u g need: SIM annear
Than his bright throne or burning axle
tree could bear.
The shepherds on the lawn.
Or ere the point of dawn,
Safe simply chatting in rustic row;
Full little thought they than
That the mighty Pan
Was kindly come to live with them be-
Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep.
Was all that did their silly thoughts so
busy keep
When such music sweet
Their hearts and ears did greet
AS never was by mortal finger strook;
D:viney warbled voice
Answering the stringed noise
AS all their souls in blissful rapture
took
The air, such pleasure 10th to lose.
with thousand echo's stiIf>prolongs each
heavily close.
Nature, that heard such sound
Beneath the hollow round
OF Cynthia's seat the airy region thrill
ing,
Now was almost won
To think her mart was done.
And that her reign had here its last
fulfilling;
She knew such harmony alone
Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in hap
pier union.
At last surrounds their sight
A globe of circular light,
That with long beams the shame-fac't
night arrayed;
The helmed cherubim
And sworded seraphim
Are seen in glittering ranks with wings
dsplay'd;
Harping in loud and solemn choir.
With INEXPENSIVE notes to Heav'n's new
born Heir.
Such music (as It's said
Before was never made
But when of old the sons of morning
sung;
While the Creator great
His consultations set,
And the well-balanc't world on hinges
hung,
And cast the dark foundations deep,
And bid the weltring waves their oozy
channel keep.
XIII
Ring out, we crystal spheresi
Once bless our human ears
Of we have power TO touch our senses
SOD
And yet your silver chime
Move in me,odious time:
And let the base of Heav'n's deep or
gan blow;
And, with your ninefold harmony.
Make up full consort to tn angelic SYM
phony.
For if such holy song
our fancy lopg.
Time will run back, and fetch the age
of gold:
And specki'd vanity
Will sicken soon and die,
And leprous sin will melt from earthly |
mould:
And Hell itself viii pass away,
And leave her dolorous mansions to the |
peering day.
XIV.
Yea. Truth and Justice then
VIII down return to men.
orb'd IN a rainbow; and, like glories
Mercy will sit between.
rhron'd in celestial sheen.
With radiant feet the tissued clouds
down steering;