Scripture Verse

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

Introduction

portrait
Maltbie D. Babcock
(1858–1901)

Words: A. Emi­lie Pouls­son, 1885. Ap­peared in Jun­ior Car­ols (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts and Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Unit­ed So­ci­ety of Chris­tian En­deavor, 1906, num­ber 17.

Music: Tor­re­ón Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, No­vem­ber 1894 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Pouls­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

illustration

Once the lit­tle Christ-child lay,
[or, Once a little ba­by lay]
Cradled in the frag­rant hay,
Long ago on Chris­tmas.
Stranger bed a babe ne’er found,
Wondering cat­tle stood around,
Long ago on Christ­mas.

By the shin­ing vi­sion taught,
Shepherds for the Christ-child sought,
Long ago on Christ­mas.
Guided in a star­lit way,
Wise men came their gifts to pay,
Long ago on Christ­mas.

And to­day the whole glad earth
Praises God for that Child’s birth,
Long ago on Christ­mas.
For the Life, the Truth, the Way,
Come to bless the earth that day,
Long ago on Christ­mas.