THE MESSAGE OF THE CHIMES

“Joy to all, this Christmas morn,
Christ our Saviour has been born.”
Peal the chimes in yonder steeple
Ringing forth to all the people.
“Joy to all, this Christmas morn!
None are friendless, none forlorn.
Those whose hearts by grief were saddened
By the Saviour's birth are gladdened.
“Joy to all this Christmas morn!
Barrier gold and selfish scorn
Vanish, while in hymns of praise
Rich and poor their voices raise.
“Joy to all this Christmas morn!
Overflowing plenty's horn,
Wondrous treasures round us fall,
Gifts from God to great and small.
“Nature's gift's a cloak of snow,
Under which to live and grow;
But to man is given love,
Love of Christ, from God above.”

A WINTER LULLABY[2]

Hushaby, lullaby, rockaby, dear,
Sleep, little one, thou hast nothing to fear;
Safe in thy crib by the blazing log fire,
Rocked by a hand that never can tire;
Under thy coverlets dainty and warm,
Thou knowest naught of the keen winter's storm.
Hushaby, lullaby, rockaby, dear,
Sleep, little one, thou hast nothing to fear.
Under the skies of night, crystal and cold,
Studded with all the bright stars it can hold,
Sleep the wild flowers that fell with the frost,
Sleep the wild flowers the autumn breeze tossed.
Leaves and new snow keep them dainty and warm,
What can they know of the keen winter's storm?
Some day will Spring with her torch and her rain
Come to the place where the flowers have lain,
Melting their covers of glistening snow,
Bidding her zephyrs through treetops to blow,
Thus she will wake them and kiss them with dew,
Calling them forth to life that is new.
So, baby dear, when to-morrow's fresh light
Dawns on the world that is shrouded in night,
Then will the angels who guarded thy sleep,
Give me their watch o'er my baby to keep.
Thou with thine eyes of the heaven's own blue,
Waking, will call me to life that is new.
Hushaby, lullaby, rockaby, dear,
Sleep, little one, thou hast nothing to fear.

[2] Set to music by Professor Silas Pratt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.