The Christmas Time Draws on Apace

The Christ­mas time draws on apace;

The hap­py crowds go up and down;

There’s joy and hope in all the town;

And in each lit­tle maid­en’s face

A look of ex­pec­ta­tion sweet

That comes of mus­ing oft and long

On what that day of gift and song

Shall bring to her as of­fer­ing meet.

But I will sit alone and dream

Of Him who gave the day its name;

And think of all His won­drous fame

And if to Him it strange doth seem

That in these hap­py

care­less ways

As oft­en as the years come round

We mark with light

and joy­ful sound

His ad­vent and His toil­some days.

And deep­er still my thoughts shall go

And pon­der if He hears ab­ove

’Mid all the heav’n­ly peace and love

Our wea­ry talk­ing to and fro;

Our ask­ing how it all be­gan

And what the sec­ret of His pow­er

That since He came

un­til this hour

The world has said

Be­hold the Man!

Behold the Man! Be­hold the God!

Oh

which to say

and how and why!

In vain our tan­gled rea­sons try

The path so ma­ny feet have trod.

O Man of sor­rows

Man of joy!

Of joy for all Thy strife and scars—

Whereso Thou art among the stars

In peace that noth­ing can de­stroy.

If there Thou know­est what we do

Who lin­ger here be­neath the sun

Thou know­est that the re­cords run—

I came to wit­ness to the true.

To wit­ness Thou

and we to seek:

What is the truth? our stead­fast cry.

Oh hear it

dwell­ing o’er so high

Nor deem our rev­er­ence cold and weak

Thou we our voic­es may not blend

With that hoarse chant the cen­tu­ries raise!

For is it not a sweet­er praise

To say

Our bro­ther and our friend?

And if

be­yond this verge of time

We know Thee bet­ter as Thou art

Wilt Thou not clasp us heart to heart

As fills our ears the heav­en­ly chime?