Whose sacred flower with fragrance fills the In adamantine chains shall death be bound, Swift fly the years, and rise the expected Nor fields with gleaming steel be covered o'er, morn! Oh spring to light! auspicious babe, be born! See, nature hastes her earliest wreaths to bring, With all the incense of the breathing spring! The brazen trumpets kindle rage no more; The swain in barren deserts with surprise Sink down, ye mountains; and ye valleys, Waste sandy valleys, once perplexed with rise! With heads declined, ye cedars, homage pay! Be smooth, ye rocks; ye rapid floods, give way! thorn, The spiry fir and shapely box adorn; The Saviour comes! by ancient bards fore- The lambs with wolves shall graze the ver Hear Him, ye deaf; and all ye blind, behold! | And boys in flowery bands the tiger lead: The steer and lion at one crib shall meet, And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet. The smiling infant in his hand shall take Rise, crowned with light, imperial Salem, rise! Exalt thy towery head, and lift thine eyes! And heaped with products of Sabean springs! glow. See heaven its sparkling portals wide display, Revealed, and God's eternal day be thine! cay, Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away; But fixed His word, His saving power re mains; Thy realm for ever lasts, thy own Messiah reigns! ALEXANDER POPE. TWELFTH DAY, OR THE EPIPHANY. THAT SO Thy blessed birth, O Christ, THE REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH. Or he had lately left the upper sphere, And had read all the sovereign schemes and divine riddles there. CHARLES LAMB. THE REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH. HAIL to the Lord's anointed- He comes to break oppression, He comes with succor speedy And bid the weak be strong; Their darkness turn to light, Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in His sight. By such shall He be feared Beloved, obeyed, revered; For He shall judge the poor, Through changing generations, With justice, mercy, truth, While stars maintain their stations Or moons renew their youth. He shall come down like showers Arabia's desert-ranger To Him shall bow the knee, The Ethiopian stranger His glory come to see; With offerings of devotion Ships from the isles shall meet, To pour the wealth of ocean In tribute at His feet. Kings shall fall down before Him, And gold and incense bring; All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing; For He shall have dominion O'er river, sea, and shore, Far as the eagle's pinion Or dove's light wing can soar. For Him shall prayer unceasing, A kingdom without end; O'er every foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest, From age to age more glorious, All-blessing and all-blest; The tide of time shall never His covenant remove; His name shall stand for ever; That name to us is-love. 749 JAMES MONTGOMERY. "JESUS SHALL REIGN." JESUS shall reign where'er the sun From north to south the princes meet To Him shall endless prayer be made, People and realms of every tongue ISAAC WATTS |