Morning light was dawn­ing o’er the dist­ant hills,
Banished was the mid­night gloom;
Silently the an­gels clad in bright ar­ray
Came to guard the dear Re­deem­er’s tomb.
Soldiers were af­fright­ed and in ter­ror fled,
While the an­gels roll the stone away.
Then with joy pro­claim­ing, Christ the Lord is ris’n;
See the place where once the Sav­ior lay.

Refrain

Joy dispels our sor­row—plea­sures banish pain—
Earth awakes from win­ter’s gloom;
Easter an­thems ring­ing tell the joy­ful news
Christ is ris­en from the tomb.

Loving ones who sought Him at the break of day,
Found the an­gels wait­ing there;
Joy dis­pelled their sor­row—fear gave way to faith—
Hope suc­ceeded all their deep des­pair.
For the an­gels told them, Je­sus is not here,
But had sure­ly ris­en as He said.
Then with ea­ger foot­steps joy­ful­ly they tell
How that Christ had ris­en from the dead.

Refrain

Easter tells its glad­ness all the year around—
Happy birds their tri­bute bring;
Fragrant flow­ers bloom­ing af­ter win­ter days
Speak to us the joys of com­ing spring.
Earthly plea­sures van­ish, flowers soon shall fade,
But the joy of East­er shall en­dure.
Hope of re­sur­rect­ion ne­ver shall grow dim
While the Word of God abid­eth sure.

Refrain