There's a song in the air! There's a star in the sky! There's a mother's deep prayer And a baby's low cry! And the star rains its fire while the Beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king. There's a tumult of joy O'er the wonderful birth, For the virgin's sweet boy Is the Lord of the earth, Ay! the star rains its fire and the Beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king. In the light of that star Lie the ages impearled; And that song from afar Has swept over the world. Every hearth is aflame, and the Beautiful sing In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King. We rejoice in the light, And we echo the song That comes down through the night From the heavenly throng. Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring, And we greet in his cradle our Saviour and King! * * * * * AN OFFERTORY MARY MAPES DODGE Oh, the beauty of the Christ Child, The gentleness, the grace, The smiling, loving tenderness, The infantile embrace! All babyhood he holdeth, All motherhood enfoldeth-- Yet who hath seen his face? Oh, the nearness of the Christ Child, When, for a sacred space, He nestles in our very homes-- Light of the human race! We know him and we love him, No man to us need prove him-- Yet who hath seen his face? * * * * * CHRISTMAS SONG LYDIA A.C. WARD Why do bells for Christmas ring? Why do little children sing? Once a lovely, shining star, Seen by shepherds from afar, Gently moved until its light Made a manger-cradle bright. There a darling baby lay Pillowed soft upon the hay. And his mother sang and smiled, "This is Christ, the holy child." So the bells for Christmas ring, So the little children sing. * * * * * A CHRISTMAS CAROL CHRISTIAN BURKE The trees are hung with crystal lamps, the world lies still and white, And the myriad little twinkling stars are sharp with keener light; The moon sails up the frost-clear sky and silvers all the snow, As she did, perchance, that Christmas night, two thousand years ago! Good people, are you waking? Give us food and give us wine, For the sake of blessed Mary And her Infant Son Divine, Who was born the world's Redeemer-- A Saviour--yours and mine!