As the Dawn Was Breaking

As the dawn was calm­ly break­ing

On that glo­ri­ous East­er day

The great truth in mys­te­ry shroud­ed

Proved a blest re­al­ity.

Jesus Christ the won­drous Pro­phet

Who had died up­on the tree

Now had van­quished death—vic­tor­ious

And thus set the cap­tive free.

Oh

spread the mes­sage far and wide:

Jesus lives and reigns on high;

He has van­quished His last foe

In His earth-life here be­low

And is com­ing soon

but nev­er more to die.

Hark! the ver­dant earth is quak­ing

Under Heav’n’s po­ten­tial sway;

For Je­hov­ah’s faith­ful an­gel

Came and rolled the stone away.

He is ris­en

was the mes­sage

And again the an­gel said

Why come ye to see the liv­ing

Here among the si­lent dead?

As they left in fear and trem­bling

There was one who lin­gered long

And she stood and wept for sor­row

Close be­side that va­cant tomb.

But her tears to glad fru­ition

Changed

when Je­sus met her there

For His lov­ing voice so gen­tle

Soon sub­dued her vain des­pair.

Hallelujah! Christ has ris­en

Victor o’er that dark do­main.

Earthly foes could not sub­due Him

Tho’ His bo­dy they had slain.

I’m the life and re­sur­rect­ion

Was the say­ing that He kept;

For from death He rose vic­tor­ious

The first fruits of them that slept.