Two Thousand Troubled Years

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Two thousand troubled years

Author: Alfred Hayes
Published in 6 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 Two thousand troubled years
Time’s weary brow have worn,
Since that strange star to shepherds told
The Prince of Peace was born.

2 Two thousand years of gloom,
Of groping toward the light,
Of prophets scorned and martyrs slain,
And battle done for right.

3 But year by year the bells
The old glad tidings bring,
And men forget their strife, to keep
The birthday of the King.

4 Christ’s kingdom yet will come,
And good prevail o’er ill,
Though often with a crown of thorns
We mock the Master still.

5 But He will not forsake
The world for which He died,
Till all mankind be gathered home
At the great Christmastide.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #12910

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Author: Alfred Hayes

Hayes, Alfred, M.A., son of E. J. Hayes, Town Clerk of Birmingham, was born at Wolverhampton in 1857, and educated at King Edward's school, Birmingham, and New College, Oxford. At the present time (1906) he is the Secretary of the Midland Institute, Birmingham. He has published The Last Crusade and Other Poems, 1886; The March of Man and Other Poems, 1891, and other poetical works. His hymn "Two thousand troubled years" (Christmas) was written at the request of a friend, circa 1896, and published with music by Sir F. Bridge (Novello & Co.). It was included in Horder's Worship Song, 1905. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) Go to person page >

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