What Are These Ethereal Strains?

What are these ethe­re­al strains

Floating o’er Ju­dea’s plains?

Burning spir­its through the sky

With their lof­ty min­strel­sy!

Hark! they break the mid­night trance

With the joy­ous ut­ter­ance

Glory to God

and peace to men

Christ is born in Beth­le­hem!

Quench

ye types

your fee­ble ray

Shadows

ye may melt away!

Prophecy

your work is done;

Gospel ag­es have be­gun!

Temple! quench your al­tar fires

For these ra­diant an­gel choirs

To a ru­ined world pro­claim—

Christ is born in Beth­le­hem!

Pillowed is His in­fant head

On a bor­rowed man­ger bed!

He around whose throne ab­ove

Angels hymned their songs of love

Now is wrapped by vir­gin hands

In earth’s mean­est swad­dling bands;

Once ad­ored by se­ra­phim

Now a babe of Beth­le­hem!

Eastern sages from afar

Guided by a mys­tic star

Followed

till its lus­ter mild

Brought them to the heav’n­ly Child.

May each pro­vi­dence to me

Like a guid­ing me­te­or be

Bringing near­er un­to Him

Once the Babe of Beth­le­hem!