Angel of Peace

Angel of peace

thou hast wan­dered too long;

Spread thy white wings to the sun­shine of love!

Come while our voic­es are blend­ed in song

Fly to our ark like the storm-beat­en dove—

Fly to our ark on the wings of the dove;

Speed o’er the far-sound­ing bil­lows of song

Crowned with the ol­ive leaf gar­land of love;

Angel of peace

thou hast wait­ed too long!

Brothers we meet on this al­tar of thine

Mingling the gifts we have ga­thered for thee;

Sweet with the od­ors of myrtle and pine

Breeze of the prair­ie and breath of the sea—

Meadow and mount­ain and for­est and sea;

Sweet is the frag­rance of myr­tle and pine

Sweeter the in­cense we of­fer to thee

Brothers once more round this al­tar of thine!

Angels of Beth­le­hem

an­swer the strain!

Hark! a new birth-song is fill­ing the sky!

Loud as the storm wind that tum­bles the main

Bid the full breath of the or­gan re­ply—

Loud let the tem­pest of voic­es re­ply;

Roll its long surge like the earth-shak­ing main!

Swell the vast song till it mounts to the sky!

Angels of Beth­le­hem

ec­ho the strain!