Linked in the Bond of Peace

Linked in the bond of peace

Let all with sac­red mirth

Lift up one song of praise and love

While pon­der­ing Je­su’s birth.

From age to age this day

Hath blest un­num­bered hearts;

And still its light shall wake fresh hope

Till all we mourn de­parts.

Our fa­thers hailed its dawn

With praise to God above;

And some re­called the Babe di­vine

Till burnt once more their love.

And love

re­kin­dled thus

Was fraught with good pro­found;

The fest­al day knit heart to heart

And spread pure joys around.

Alas! too oft ’twas stained

With ev­ils

and is still!

But O! let us hold fast the good

And hate and shun the ill.

Let all to­day be peace

And love

and ho­ly joy;

And earth’s sad needs by kind­ly deeds

To abate

our best em­ploy.