Peaceful Christmas from Meadow Lake

It came upon a midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:

"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come

with peaceful wings unfurled,

and still their heavenly music floats

o'er all the weary world;

Above its sad and lowly plains,

they bend on hovering wing,

and ever o'er its Babel sounds

the blessed angels sing.

And ye, beneath life's crushing load,

whose forms are bending low,

who toil along the climbing way

with painful steps and slow,

look now, for glad and golden hours

come swiftly on the wing.

O rest beside the weary road,

and hear the angels sing!

For lo, the days are hastening on,

by prophets seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold

When peace shall over all the earth

its ancient splenfors fling,

and the whole world send back the song

which now the angels sing.

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.

Edmund H Sears, 1810-1876