A CHRISTMAS FAGGOT
[Illustration: THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW [Cross] TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.]
A CHRISTMAS FAGGOT
BY
ALFRED GURNEY, M.A.
VICAR OF S. BARNABAS', PIMLICO
AUTHOR OF 'THE VISION OF THE EUCHARIST AND OTHER POEMS' ETC.
'The Darling of the world is come, And fit it is we finde a roome To welcome Him. The nobler part Of all the house here is the heart, Which we will give Him, and bequeath This hollie and this ivie wreath To do Him honour who's our King, The Lord of all this revelling' HERRICK, _A Christmas Carol_
LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, & CO., 1 PATERNOSTER SQUARE 1884
(_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved_)
_TO_
_MY GODCHILDREN_
ETHEL, ALBINIA, CYRIL, BASIL, BERTRAM, WILFRID, LOUISE, HELEN, ARTHUR.
When the Angel of the waters With a gold and silver wing Gently stirred the wave baptismal, Heard ye not their carolling Who of old to Eastern shepherds Heralded their King?
To the shepherds of His people Still those angel-voices tell How God's river feeds the fountain Opened by Emmanuel, Yielding the baptismal waters Of salvation's well.
Children, you have passed those waters, Love-begotten from the dead; Will you make a gallant promise When my verses you have read-- 'We will trace life's lovely river To the Fountain-head'?
LOCH LEVEN: 1884.
PREFACE.
Most of the following poems have appeared in the 'S. Barnabas' Parish Magazine.' For my godchildren and my people I have made them up into a little bundle of sticks--a Christmas faggot to feed the fires in the winter palace of our King.
It is the Incarnation that justifies all joy, and song is the expression of joy. The Gospel Songs all celebrate the Great Nativity. Birth and marriage are the occasions most sacred to mirth and music among men; and Christmas is at once the Birthday and the Marriage Festival of Humanity.
Glad and thankful shall I be if any song of mine should help to fan the flame of rejoicing love in any Christian heart at this holy and happy season.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
YULE TIDE 1
THE MADONNA DI SAN SISTO 6
BETHLEHEM GATE 11
SAINT JOSEPH 16
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Christmas Faggot by Alfred Gurney
- 2: The Royal Birthday dawns again
- 3: An Eden that no walls enclose By Mary's arms encompassed
- 4: A triumph song e'en now they sing
- 5: The treasure trove of wedded hearts
- 6: No grief Embitter God's New Year
- 7: Love is of loveliness the root
- 8: Children know the things I know not
- 9: That jubilance of bridal mirth
- 10: The Cross His covenant displayed
- 11: Is at once a theology and a worship
- 12: 'A mediator is not a mediator of one
- 13: Is the fairyland of phenomenal existence
- 14: 'The fruit thereof is for meat