Scripture Verse

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

Introduction

portrait
Maltbie D. Babcock (1858–1901)

Words: A. Emi­lie Pouls­son, in Hymns and Ca­rols, ed­it­ed by Malt­bie Bab­cock (New York: No­vel­lo, Ew­er, 1903), num­ber 19, and, in slight­ly mo­di­fied form, in Pri­ma­ry School Ca­rols (Co­lum­bus, Ohio: Lu­ther­an Book Con­cern, 1913), num­ber 11.

Music: Tor­re­ón Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, No­vem­ber 1894 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Pouls­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Once the lit­tle Christ-child lay,
Cradled in the frag­rant hay,
Long ago on Chris­tmas.
Stranger bed a babe ne’er found,
Wondering cat­tle stood around,
Long ago on Christ­mas.

By the shin­ing vi­sion taught,
Shepherds for the Christ-child sought,
Long ago on Christ­mas.
Guided in a star­lit way,
Wise men came their gifts to pay,
Long ago on Christ­mas.

And to­day the whole glad earth
Praises God for that Child’s birth,
Long ago on Christ­mas.
For the Life, the Truth, the Way,
Come to bless the earth that day,
Long ago on Christ­mas.