Scripture Verse

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Matthew 25:40

Introduction

Words: Will­iam J. Ir­ons (1812–1883), alt.

Music: Ar­thur H. Brown (1830–1926) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Arthur Brown (1830–1926)

Lyrics

O, sing we a car­ol all blithe and free,
And fit for our Christ­mas morn,
For the world is as cold as the cold can be,
Though its Lord on this day was born;
Though its Lord on this day was born:
’Tis a win­try time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driv’n from a Chris­tian’s door?

Refrain

’Tis a win­try time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driv­en from a Chris­tian’s door?
And who should be driv’n from a Chris­tian’s door?

For the an­gel’s song at the birth of Christ,
With tid­ings of joy be­gan;
And it rang with a glo­ry to God in the high­est,
And a bro­ther­hood true for man;
Yet ’twas win­ter time for rich and poor,
When the shep­herds came to the sta­ble door.
Yet ’twas win­ter time for the rich and poor,

Refrain

True sag­es were they who to Beth­le­hem led,
Brought frank­in­cense, myrrh, and gold,
Which they of­fered to Christ on His man­ger bed,
With a rev­er­ent love untold.
Yet ’twas win­ter time for rich and poor,
When the wise men knelt at the sta­ble door.
Yet ’twas win­ter time for the rich and poor,

Refrain

Cannot we make our of­fer­ings now to Christ’s need,
When His poor all around we see?
Inasmuch as to them we have done the deed,
He will say, Ye have done to Me.
He will say, Ye have done to Me.
’Tis a win­try time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driv’n from a Chris­tian’s door?

Refrain