Classic Poem

Thy seers, O Christ, foresaw Thy church,
Foresaw it spread o'er all the lands,
And mothers bringing, far and wide,
Their children to Thy blessing hands.

And even then, as in a trance
Of foresight, they began to sing
Thy promise, to Thy coming church,
Of her all-great ingathering.

" I'll lift my hands to heathen men,
My standard to the tribes will rear;
And they shall bring Thy sons in arms,
Thy daughters on their shoulders bear.

The time shall come when thou, my church,
Shalt bring all newborn babes to me,
And when of men both high and low,
The birthspring shall be only Thee."

So take, O Lord, this child for Thine,
To Thy new life from Adam's dead;
O fold him in Thy arms of love,
And shed Thy blessings on his head.

As born to man he came to Thee,
A child of God he liveth now;
And for Thy Godhead's bliss he bears
Thy manhood's cross upon his brow.

O give him, by Thy Holy Ghost,
Thy counsel, and Thy Ghostly might,
The gifts of wisdom, and of skill,
And godliness and helpful light.

And strengthen him in faith and love,
And guide him on his heavenly way,
To his inheritance of bliss
To which he here is born to-day.