A Christmas Faggot

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A Christmas Faggot (1884)
by Alfred Gurney
772062A Christmas Faggot1884Alfred Gurney



A CHRISTMAS FAGGOT

by

ALFRED GURNEY, M. A.

Vicar of S. Barnabas's, 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'


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.