O, Sing We a Carol

O, sing we a carol all blithe and free

Author: William Josiah Irons, 1812-1883 (alt.)
Tune: [O, sing we a carol all blithe and free]
Published in 2 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. O, sing we a carol all blithe and free,
And fit for our Christmas morn,
For the world is as cold as the cold can be,
Though its Lord on this day was born;
Though its Lord on this day was born:
’Tis a wintry time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driv’n from a Christian’s door?

Refrain
’Tis a wintry time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driven from a Christian’s door?
And who should be driv’n from a Christian’s door?

2. For the angel’s song at the birth of Christ,
With tidings of joy began;
And it rang with a glory to God in the highest,
And a brotherhood true for man;
Yet ’twas winter time for rich and poor,
When the shepherds came to the stable door.
Yet ’twas winter time for the rich and poor, [Refrain]

3. True sages were they who to Bethlehem led,
Brought frankincense, myrrh, and gold,
Which they offered to Christ on His manger bed,
With a reverent love untold.
Yet ’twas winter time for rich and poor,
When the wise men knelt at the stable door.
Yet ’twas winter time for the rich and poor, [Refrain]

4. Cannot we make our offerings now to Christ’s need,
When His poor all around we see?
Inasmuch as to them we have done the deed,
He will say, Ye have done to Me.
He will say, Ye have done to Me.
’Tis a wintry time for the rich and poor,
And who should be driv’n from a Christian’s door? [Refrain]

Author: William Josiah Irons, 1812-1883

Irons, William Josiah, D.D., son of Joseph Irons, was born at Hoddesdon, Herts, Sep. 12, 1812, and educated at Queen's College, Oxford (B.A. 1833, D.D. 1854), and took Holy Orders 1835. In 1837 he became Incumbent of St. Peter's, Walworth, and was subsequently Vicar of Barkway, Incumbent of Brompton, Rector of Wadingham; and in 1872, Rector of St. Mary-Woolnoth, formerly held by his father's friend, John Newton. He was also Bampton Lecturer in 1870, and Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral. He died June 18, 1883. Dr. Irons took a somewhat prominent part in the ecclesiastical controversies of his day, and published extensively thereon in the form of Sermons, Letters, Pamphlets, &c. His important work, the Bampton Lectures, 1870, was on Christi… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O, sing we a carol all blithe and free
Title: O, Sing We a Carol
Author: William Josiah Irons, 1812-1883 (alt.)
Language: English
Refrain First Line: 'Tis a wintry time for the rich and poor
Copyright: Public Domain

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The Cyber Hymnal #5308

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