_The Gloria in Excelsis is heard afar off. At the left, on the hillside, a faint light glows upon a group of watching shepherds. As the light brightens, they hear the heavenly voices, see the angel, and, struck with awe, fall upon their knees._ GABRIEL ~Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.~ _The shepherds gather wondering, as the heavenly messenger disappears and the chorus echoes into silence._ FIRST SHEPHERD Saw ye, my brothers? SECOND SHEPHERD Yea truly, and marveled. THIRD SHEPHERD And lo, our people come now from the hills With wonder upon them. SECOND SHEPHERD Let the sheep graze alone. The Lord his hand Is over us and all our flocks to-night. FIRST SHEPHERD This we have seen is in God’s will. And men Hearing of us this strange new word, will come From far to kneel adoring,--all such men As we who toil and watch. Not unto captains Of wrath, high lords, and governors of cities Did he speak, but unto simple folk he came And cried his tidings of great joy. To us God’s messenger doth pledge a Saviour Christ, And they who toil and watch, shall know of it. _He turns toward the windowless wall at the center._ ~Let us go now unto Bethlehem and see the thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.~ _Again the trumpets sound, and a mighty music of voices aspires as the thronging messengers of heaven appear along the central causeway. Before them, above the windowless wall, a star swings magically into flame. The Shepherds and the Eastern Kings move toward the star, enwrapt and silent._ _Now the wall seems suddenly to vanish. In its place, filled with a golden radiance, is the manger, and Mary the Mother holding the Child._ _The Shepherds kneel in adoration; and the Kings lay at her feet their gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh._ _Up from below come slowly the men and women of the nations who dwell in the city, they too kneeling till the stairways are dark with them; and all the while the music swells with a great gladness._