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A Christmas greeting

Chapter 29: CHILDREN’S EVENING HYMN
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About This Book

The essay offers a spirited reflection on the Christmas season, defending the traditional greeting against modern cynicism and urging readers to set aside private grief or quarrels to practice kindness, forgiveness, and small neighborly deeds. It acknowledges sorrow caused by war and loss while offering consolation that the departed may yet be near, and counsels cheerfulness as an ethical choice. It criticizes restless travel to continental resorts as a frivolous escape, praises old English Yuletide customs, and blends moral exhortation with patriotic imagery toward the horizon of a new year.

CHILDREN’S EVENING HYMN


In our hearts celestial voices
Softly say:
“Day is passing, Night is closing,
Kneel and Pray!”
Father, we obey the summons,
Hear our cry!
Pity us, and help our weakness,
Thou Most High!
For the joys that most we cherish
Praised be Thou!
Good and gentle art Thou ever,
Hear us now!
Coming morrow we may never
Live to see;
All we ask Thee is to keep us
Safe with Thee!
May our dreams be of Thy Kingdom
Bright and fair;
Where at last we hope to meet Thee,
Free from care.
Now the stars are shining o’er us
In the skies;
Looking like the watching Angels’
Loving eyes.
Softly now and slowly dying
Ends our strain,—
Grant that we may in Thy Kingdom
Sing again.
There, when all our strife is over,
Sin forgiven,
May we dwell with Thee for ever
Up in Heaven!