EPIPHANY.
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Lord Babe, if Thou art HeWe sought for patiently,Where is Thy court?Hither may prophecy and star resort;Men heed not their report.”—“Bow down and worship, righteous man:This Infant of a spanIs He man sought for since the world began!”—“Then, Lord, accept my gold, too base a thingFor Thee, of all kings King.”— “Lord Babe, despite Thy youthI hold Thee of a truthBoth Good and Great:But wherefore dost Thou keep so mean a state,Low-lying desolate?”—“Bow down and worship, righteous seer:The Lord our God is hereApproachable, Who bids us all draw near.”—“Wherefore to Thee I offer frankincense,Thou Sole Omnipotence.”— “But I have only broughtMyrrh; no wise afterthoughtInstructed meTo gather pearls or gems, or choice to seeCoral or ivory.”—“Not least thine offering proves thee wise:For myrrh means sacrifice,And He that lives, this Same is He that dies.”—“Then here is myrrh: alas! yea, woe is meThat myrrh befitteth Thee.”— Myrrh, frankincense, and gold:And lo! from wintry foldGood-will doth bringA Lamb, the innocent likeness of this KingWhom stars and seraphs sing:And lo! the bird of love, a DoveFlutters and coos above:And Dove and Lamb and Babe agree in love:—Come all mankind, come all creation hither,Come, worship Christ together.
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