Long Ago in Bethlehem (Beale)

lyricist: Evelyn Beale, 1905
Composer: Henry Wetton

Long

long ago in Beth­le­hem

The Christ child came

With no one but the mo­ther sweet

To warm His lit­tle hands and feet

And know His name.

How won­der­ful to think that He

Was God of all!

No sign of Heav­en’s bright es­tate

To show that He was rich and great

That babe

so small!

Yet thou­sand angels wor­shiped Him

On that dark night

To their dear Lord

on rev­er­ent knee

Poor shep­herds knelt

made wise to see

By heav’n­ly light.

Still in the long dark win­ter hours

The Christ child comes;

Have we no place

O child­ren dear?

Must we not wish to keep Him here

In our own homes?

O Christ child sweet

our in­fant king!

We child­ren pray

Make in our hearts a lit­tle place

Where we may keep Thee

by Thy grace

On Christ­mas Day.

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