Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25
"Upon a Midnight Clear
For the Dispatch)
1.-THE world in solemn stiffness lay
To hear tho angels sing"

liz OAA
To hear the angels sing.
resnIendent night, whose countless
stars shine indeed like diamonds IN tno
SKI" welcome the flight Of day, wheh
n has brought such celestial beauty
Those lonely fields where patient shep-
herds watch their hOcks seemed never
go ouiet. Brilliance Of night ana sul-
ness of earth are in ominous harmony,
Could man behold the perfection spread
above him tonight and not become 1851
I'm wonder at the works or GodF has hot
Heaven tonight given OF It's plesseu
peace to earth? Man would Ill oeseIFe
his earth should its future Dc ever "S
now sublime night, blessed Of mankind
through all time for it's all-glorious event.
As the Shepherds stand and behold their
wonder takes form more In silence than
words. They forget their fiocks, age,
the world in It's entirety. Bye and NINA
alike are fixed on the heavenly piano.
rama. The group is startled, and eN-
Carnations of mingled fear and wonder
rise i'm q chorus from its lips. Wonder
and fear seize the shepherds and strug-
gle 10 master them. What living form
comes from that sky into which they
have stood gazing? What voice can II
be that is heard from the heavens? Why
askl An angel has appeared, "an the.
glory of the Lord shone round about
them" Little wonder they are sore
afraid" The angel poises in midair,
saying: Fear not; for behold l bring
you good tidings Of great Joy, which
shall be to all people" Then they hear
of the birth, whose good tldings' none
less than an angel may bring. Behold
The heavens present a wondrouS scene.
Indeed, it is one Divine who Is born to-
night. White figures are gathered about
the angel an innumerable and heavenly
host. Not whence or why come they.
Nay. A Saviour Is born tonight. Chant
ing voices descend. 1t is, indeed, the
hour for an angelic hymn. No earthly
voice in such harmony as the earth now
first hears. Heart Behold! A host, in
deed. and heavenly as the voices declare
through their very sweetness to the
shepherd listeners. Every angel eye is
turned heavenward and no voice is Silent
in the host surrounding the chief angel.
II Is a glorious hymn that reaches unto
and Is sweetest in Heaven. How mean
and unworthy now seem men and their
earthi Immortal %birthnight. Why should
not tonight be the first OF its perfection
and have Heaven 10 sing? Hear 1t pro-
claimed by heavenly choristers: Glory
10 God in the highest and on earth peace,
good will toward men, Joyous song Of
tNtE-DhlG JOY udS lOuiAh NAHifeDANh III
holy song. Blessed anthem, tit 70 en-
trance mortal ears that are scarcely
worthy to listen. Divine birth. Heaven
ly music. A melody above earth tonight
as sweet, as strange to mortal ear. A
spectacle there strange 20 mortal eye.
Oh, that some miracle might preserve
what is heard and seen above these lonely
fields tonight. Still descends tho song
as a subdued echo. Angel voices blend
In a harmony such as zone but celestial
choristers produce. Softer now, but
scarcely less sweet. Lower In tone, and
gradually more distant. Lower and lower,
but audible stu those words: GLORY 10
God I'm the highest and on earth peace,
good will toward len" More distant
until indistinct. Sweet, even in its indis-
tinctness. The words die away and the
voices are seemingly silent. An angel
host is returning whence it came. Silence
where it recently sung. Deserted Is the
sky OF It's angel visitors. But in tho ears
of the shepherds, II nowhere else, is still
the hymni GLORY 10 God in the highest
and on earth peace, good Will toward
men,"
.
No longer the shepherds stand among
their iocks. Nay. They have left, and
ponder over tho good tidings OF great
joy as they go in haste toward BethIe-
hem. JOHN TAYLOB PERRIN, Jr.