There's a wonderful tree, a wonderful tree,
The happy children rejoice to see,
Spreading its branches year by year,
It comes from the forest to flourish here;
Oh! this wonderful tree, with its branches wide,
Is always blooming at Christmas-tide.
'Tis not alone in the summer's sheen
Its boughs are broad, and its leaves are green; It blooms for us when the wild winds blow, And earth is white with feathery snow;
And this wonderful tree, with its branches wide, Bears many a gift for the Christmas-tide.
'Tis all alight with its tapers' glow,
That flash on the shining eyes below,
And the strange sweet fruit on each laden bough
Is all to be plucked by the gatherers now.
Oh! this wonderful tree, with its branches wide,
We hail it with joy at the Christmas-tide.
And a voice is telling, its boughs among,
Of the shepherds' watch and angels' song;
Of a holy Babe in a manger low,
The beautiful story of long ago,
When a radiant star threw its beams so wide,
To herald the earliest Christmas-tide.
Then spread thy branches, wonderful tree,
And bring some dainty gift to me,
And fill my heart with a burning love
To Him who came from His home above-
From His beautiful home with the glorified,
To give us the joys of the Christmas-tide.
65 Hark! a burst of heavenly music, From a band of seraphs bright, Suddenly to earth descending, In the calm and silent night: To the shepherds of Judea, Watching in the earliest dawn, Lo, they bear the joyful tidings, Jesus, Prince of Peace is born! Chorus.-Sweet and clear those angel voices, Echoing through the starry sky, As they chant the heavenly chorus, Glory be to God on high."
Slumbering in a lowly manger
Lies the Mighty Lord of all,
And before the holy Stranger
See the trembling shepherds fall.
He has come, the long expected,
Full of wisdom, love and grace,
To redeem His weary creatures,
To restore our human race.
Chorus -So let angels wake the chorus,
So let happy men reply;
Chanting the celestial anthem,
"Glory be to God on high.'
And this joyful Christmas morning
Breaking o'er the world below,
Tells again the wondrous story
Shepherds heard so long ago;
Who shall still our tuneful voices,
Who the tide of praise shall stem,
Which the blessed angels taught us
In the fields of Bethlehem?
Chorus.-Hark! we hear again the chorus,
Ringing through the starry sky;
And we join the heavenly anthem,
'Glory be to God on high!"
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