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TO THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM.

"OH MARY, CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN, PRAY FOR US WHO HAVE Recourse to theE."

LITTLE BABE OF Bethlehem, hAIL!
Welcome to this lowly vale!

Gently folded and caress'd,
Welcome to thy Mother's breast,
Welcome to the Virgin Spouse,
Of that Virgin Mother's vows,—
Welcome to the eastern sage,
And the simple shepherd's age;
Welcome to the old man's heart,
Who may now in peace depart,
Since his long-expected Lord
He hath seen, and hath adored!
Welcome to that prophetess,
Thou didst by thy presence bless;
To the martyred innocents,
'Mid their mothers' wild laments,
Who, to save their Saviour, died,
Blood-baptised by Herod's pride.

Welcome to thy new-born bride,—
Holy Church which thou wilt guide,
Ever without spot or stain;
And which purchased by thy pain,
Seeks to give for price so dear,
Blood for blood, and tear for tear,—
Gifts that only are not dead,
By the blood which thou hast shed.
Welcome to all children found,
In that Church's hallowed ground,
To the men whom tongues of fire,
With the Holy Ghost inspire,
Wandering over land and sea,
Calling all to worship thee.
Welcome to the virgin band,
Chosen lilies of thy land,
Those who sing to thee a song,
Never heard on other tongue,
Those whose happy right 's to be,
Ever, ever, following thee.
First fruits thou hast gladly given
Of thy glorious death to Heaven!

Welcome to the martyred crowd,
Who to tortures gladly bowed,
And who conquering gloriously,
Found in death their victory;
To the anchorites, whose feet,
Sought the desert's far retreat,
Shunning every worldly care,
As they would shun Satan's snare,
Trusting for their daily need
Thou, who dost the sparrows feed;
Daily to their passions dying,
Daily at the cross' foot sighing,
Learning as their legends tell
How to die by living well.
Welcome to the spirits meek,
Who in cloisters shelter seek
From a world, whose softest tone
Discord hath for them alone,
And who turn them wearily
From its smiles to weep with thee.
Welcome to the learned sages
Who upheld thy Church of ages,
And who still with pious lore
Prove her spotless as before.
To all spirits pure and bright
In thy love-reflected light,
And who hold thee in the heart,
Sweetest Babe, thou welcome art!

Welcome! (tho' not welcomed so)
To all sinuers in their woe,
Thus in humbler tones we say
Weeping sadly while we pray;
For our sins are round us now,
Even while our heads we bow
To the manger and the straw,
Where the angels gazed with awe.
And we are not like the few
Who thy first sweet presence knew,
Not like her who at thy feet
Refuge found and pardon sweet,
Not like those who gladly bled

For the blood which thou didst shed,
Not like those who for thee sighed

In the desert till they died,

And whose hearts within them burned
While from earth they sadly turned,
Mourning like the turtle dove
In the absence of its love.

In our sorrow and our shame,
We no place with these can claim ;
We have sought in thee no treasure,
We have found in thee no pleasure.
But in folly and in madness
We have drank of sin and sadness.
Yet while matchless love we see
Clothed in helpless infancy,
GoD alike of strong and frail,
Venture we to bid Thee, Hail!

LITTLE BABE, we humbly pray
We may not unworthy stay
At Thy holy shrine to-day.
We would ask Thee, did we dare,
In the midst of woe and care,
So to feel as Mary felt

O'er Thee, when her heart did melt,
In that awful, strange revering,
With the mother's love endearing.
We would ask the virtues bright
Made Thee in her spouse delight;
We would ask the faith sublime
Of those kings of olden time;

And the happy humbleness

That the shepherds' souls did bless.

But, alas! we sinners are,

Nor to ask such things we dare;

Only venture we to crave

That in mercy Thou wouldst save,

And that we may linger near

To thy Virgin Mother dear,

And in sad sweet tears may stay

At thy manger all the day;

Sins and sorrows to deplore,

Promising to sin no more,

And to say with soul sincere,

BABE OF BETHLEHEM, WELCOME HERE!

Feast of St. Winefride, V.M.

END OF VOL. II.

M. C. A.

INDEX TO VOL. II.

ANGELUS, The, 107

Anglican Self-Delusions, 110

Aquinas, Rhythm to the Holy Eucharist of St. Thomas, 125

Africa, Moffat's Southern, 86, 135

An Anglican Protest, 198

Agnes, St., 248

Angels, Song of the, 258

Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, 268

Bethlehem, To the Babe of, 350

Catholic Institute, Annual Meeting of the, 57

Church of England, and Crimes of, 1; Note to the same, 207

Church Music, 60

Church, Nave of the, Chapter IV. 129; Chapter V. 280; Chapter VI. 337

Crudities of National Character, 181

Catholic Religion in France, 232

Catholic Spirit of Shakespeare, 251

Catholic Parish Priest, The, 260

Crucifixion, On the, 279

Diary, Extracts from an Unpublished, 213

Dante, Fragments from, 265

Delusions, Anglican Self, 110

England, Church and Crimes of, 1; Note to the same, 207

Elizabeth of Hungary, Life of St., 38, 303

Fasts and Festivals of the Catholic Church, The, 327

Fragments from the Holy Fathers of the Eastern Church, 49, 65

Free Kirk and Erastian Kirk, 62

Feast of the Transfiguration, 105

St. Michael the Archangel, Hymn at Lauds, 160

All Saints, 211

the Most Holy Trinity, 215, 287

Florentinus, Life of Dom, 175, 274
France, Catholic Religion in, 232

Fragments from the "Inferno" of Dante, 265

Génévieve, Life of St., 216

Garden, The Enclosed, 288, 323

Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer, Notice of, 294

Hymn, The Matin, 206

Hymn, Lucis Creator Optime, 287

Holy Readings, Notice of, 294

Institute, Annual Meeting of the Catholic, 57

Kirk, The Free and Erastian, 62

Lady, To our Blessed, 347

Life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, 38, 303

Legal Sketches, No. 1-Joining Circuit, 71

No. 2-The Old Bailey, 145

Laurence, Reflections suggested by the Feast of St., 156
Laudes Diurnæ, 171

Life of Dom Florentius, 175, 274

Life of St. Génévieve, 216

Life and Virtues of Mary, Mother of GOD, 241, 297

Loire, Notes by the, 312

Lucis Creator Optime, Translation of, 287

Moffat's Southern Africa, 86, 135

Michael the Archangel, Feast of, 160

Magdalen, The, 185

Matin Hymn, 206

Mary, Mother of GOD, Life and Virtues of, 241, 297

Menzies, of Pitfodels, Death of John

Music, Church, 60

Music, Sacred, 318

Nave of the Church, Chapter IV. 129; Chapter V. 280; Chapter VI. 337

National Character, Crudities of, 181

Oak, in Battle, Sussex, Traditions of an Ancient, 336

Painting of Christ by Correggio, On a, 342

Prayers for the Conversion of England, 31

Prodigal's, The, Address to his Home, 42
Psalın cxxxvii.

Protest, An Anglican, 198

Pilgrim, Extract from an unpublished Diary of a, 213

Presentation of our Lord, On the, 258

Propagation of the Faith, Annals of, 268

Parish Priest, The Catholic, 260

Reflections suggested by the Feast of St. Laurence, 156

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