The Child of the Eastern Star
By Mattie B. Leake
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his Star in the East, and are come to worship Him.—Matt. 2:1, 2.” O’er the hills of Judea there’s rustling of wings,
And the sound of a glorious song;
And great joy for the world in the message that rings
Through that beautiful angel throng,
For the tidings of peace and redemption to bring
They have come from a country afar;
And they sing of a Saviour, Redeemer, and King,
E’en the Child of the Eastern Star. Toward the sea beyond Jordan there lies a dark land,
And the pall of eternal gloom,
Where are wandering souls with no pitying hand
To guide them toward heaven and home;
When behold midst the darkness there shines a great light,—
A light from a country afar,
Drives the darkness away and dispels the world’s night,—
’Tis the Child of the Eastern Star. On the doomed slopes of Calvary, there’s mingling of tears,
And the wail of a broken heart
For the powers of darkness have compassed their work,
And the earth breaks in terror apart.
The dear hands oft upraised in compassion and love,
And the form they have tried to mar,
Are now stilled; and the Lamb they have taken and slain
Was the Child of the Eastern Star. O’er the hilltops of Olivet shineth a cloud;
On the earth is a tenantless tomb
And grim Death, with its pain and its comfortless shroud,
Is reft of its terror and gloom.
Sing, O angels! O earth, let your loud praises rise!
And echo from near and from far,
To the Lord of the earth! to the King of the skies!
To the Child of the Eastern Star! O’er the crumblings of time the “white armies of heaven”
Are waiting the summons of God,
Soon to follow the Lamb, true and faithful, and clothed
With a vesture deep crimsoned in blood.
And thy time is at hand, O thou Bride of the King;
The gates are already ajar!
Hail glorious Bridegroom who comes for His own!
O Child of the Eastern Star!