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| HERALD of Christ, the day is come, | |
| Day by prophetic lips foretold, | |
| When from the shadow of the tomb | |
| The page of life shall be unrolled: | |
| The daylight dawns: the bright beams glow; | 5 |
| First witness of that light art thou. | |
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| Greatest among the sons of clay, | |
| Less than the least in heaven’s domain, | |
| Last of the old world, called away | |
| Ere God in man restores His reign: | 10 |
| Thou seest the dawn climb up the skies, | |
| Yet may’st not see the Sun arise. | |
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| Those beams shall tint the humblest cot, | |
| Shall flood the plains of earth with light, | |
| Thou may’st not feel them: ’tis thy lot | 15 |
| To stand upon the skirts of night: | |
| Didst thou not long to see that morn? | |
| Rejoice: thou seest the daylight dawn. | |
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| Through the bright gates of orient pearl | |
| Elias drives his fiery car, | 20 |
| On thee his mantle may unfurl | |
| With spirit and with power from far: | |
| Jordan for thee may part once more, | |
| But earth lies on the farther shore. | |
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| ’Tis thine in desert paths to stand | 25 |
| And cry, “The Lord’s highway prepare! | |
| Heaven’s promised kingdom is at hand, | |
| Make straight the rugged pathways there: | |
| Lay low the hills His steps before, | |
| Who comes with fan to purge His floor. | 30 |
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| “Upon the hills I hear His feet: | |
| He comes to burn the chaff with fire, | |
| And He will gather in His wheat | |
| Upon the day of wrath and ire: | |
| The axe is laid unto the root, | 35 |
| Woe to the tree that bears no fruit!” | |
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| Stern accents of the law of fear, | |
| Last threatening accents from above, | |
| Sole birthday in the Church’s year | |
| Which veils in death the law of love; | 40 |
| Our God to light for all who die | |
| Brings life and immortality. | |
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