1 God from on high hath heard!
Let sighs and sorrows cease!
Lo! from the opening heaven descends
to man the promised peace.
2 Hark! through the silent night
angelic voices swell;
their joyful songs proclaim that God
is born on earth to dwell.
3 See how the shepherd-band
speed on with eager feet;
come to the hallowed cave with them
the holy Babe to greet.
4 But O what sight appears
within that lowly door!
A manger, stall, and swaddling clothes,
a child and mother poor!
5 Art thou the Christ? The Son?
The Father’s image bright?
And see we him whose arm upholds
earth and the starry height?
6 Yea, faith can pierce the cloud
which veils thy glory now;
we hail Thee God, before whose throne
the angels prostrate bow.
7 Our sinful pride to cure
with that pure love of thine,
O be thou born within our hearts,
most holy Child divine.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #66
Coffin, Charles, born at Buzaney (Ardennes) in 1676, died 1749, was principal of the college at Beauvais, 1712 (succeeding the historian Rollin), and rector of the University of Paris, 1718. He published in 1727 some, of his Latin poems, for which he was already noted, and in 1736 the bulk of his hymns appeared in the Paris Breviary of that year. In the same year he published them as Hymni Sacri Auctore Carolo Coffin, and in 1755 a complete ed. of his Works was issued in 2 vols. To his Hymni Sacri is prefixed an interesting preface. The whole plan of his hymns, and of the Paris Breviary which he so largely influenced, comes out in his words.
"In his porro scribendis Hymnis non tam poetico indulgendunv spiritui, quam nitoro et pietate co… Go to person page >
Woodford, James Russell, D.D., was born April 30, 1820, and educated at Merchant Taylors School, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, of which he was a scholar; B.A. Senior Optime, and 2nd class in the Classical Tripos. He was ordained in 1843, and became second Master in Bishop's College, Bristol; and Curate of St. John the Baptist, Broad Street, in that city. He became Incumbent of St. Saviour's, Coalpit Heath, 1845; of St. Mark's, Easton, Bristol, 1848; and Vicar of Kempsford, Gloucestershire, 1855. In 1868 he was preferred by the Crown to the important vicarage of Leeds on Dr. Atlay's appointment as Bishop of Hereford. He was several times Select Preacher at Cambridge. He was also Hon. Chaplain to the Queen (1867). In 1873 he was consecrate… Go to person page >
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