The Star Of The East

Anonymous

Source: "Christmas Carols - Old & New." London: G. G. Harrup & Co., ca. 1918, pp. 39-41.

Star of the East, whose beacon light
    A gleam on Bethlehem threw,
And thither by that wondrous sight
    Arabia's sages drew;
On thee in thought we love to gaze
    In western climes afar,
And think on thy mysterious rays,
    Thou lovely eastern star.

Fair is the star of eve that sheds
    Her light betokening rest;
And fair the morning star that leads
    The day in glory drest:
But still more fair thy form arose,
    And lovelier to behold,
Which of a more serene repose
    A brighter glory told.

Hail thou, whose silvery radiance led
    Those Magian chiefs to bring
Their choicest gifts, in worship spread
    Before Judea's King:
That glorious Sun, whose harbinger
    Thy light was made to shine,
And like the pillar'd flame to bear
    Aloft salvation's sign!

Hail thou appointed to adorn
    The rising King of heaven,
The promis'd Child to Judah born,
    The Son to Israel given:
In whom the peaceful empire seal'd
    Should more and more increase;
In Him, the mighty God reveal'd,
    In Him, the Prince of Peace!

So on thy beacon light we gaze
    In western climes afar,
And note thy heav'n-directed rays,
    Thou lovely eastern star:
With praise to Him, who in the sky
    Thy wondrous cresset hung,
Prompt to inform the observing eye,
    Apart from speech or tongue.

Him who permits to all to see
    The light their stations need;
Who chose the star-vers'd sage by thee,
    Star of the east, to lead;
Who made by shepherd swains at night
    The angel's voice be heard;
And gives to use his scripture's light,
    His own recording word.

Note:

The source cited as its source: "Christmas Carols; or Sacred Songs, suited to the Festival of our Lord's Nativity." On further research, I discovered that this book was published in 1836 by John William Parker. It's full title is "Christmas Carols; or Sacred Songs, suited to the Festival of our Lord's Nativity; with Appropriate Music, and an Introductory Account of the Christmas Carol." I am searching for a copy.

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