ice of the Christ Child tells out with delight,
That mankind are the children of God.

On the sad and the lonely, the wretched and poor,
The voice of the Christ Child shall fall;
And to every blind wanderer open the door
Of hope that he dared not to dream of before,
With a sunshine of welcome for all.

--_Phillips Brooks._

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing
was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be
taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because
he was of the house and lineage of David. To be taxed with Mary his
espoused wife....

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished
that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born
son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.

(_Exit_ PROLOGUE.)

(_Soft chimes. As these chimes die away in the distance a concealed
choir is heard singing._)

O COME, COME, AWAY.

O come, come away
From labor now reposing,
Let busy care a while forbear;
O come, come away.

(_The front curtains are drawn, showing a winter street in Bethlehem.
No one appears on the stage, but the choir continues singing outside
at right front._)

Come, come, our social joys renew,
And thus where trust and friendship grew,
Let true hearts welcome you,
O come, come away.

RACHEL _and_ PRISCILLA _enter from the inn at right front, arm in arm.
They go to the center, then to the rear of the stage, turn and face
the inn, pause a moment or two, listening to the choir, and then go
out at rear left. The choir continues:_

From toils and the cares
On which the day is closing,
The hour of eve brings sweet reprieve,
O come, come away.
O come where love will smile on thee,
And round its hearth will gladness be,
And time fly merrily,
O come, come away.

_While the choir is singing the last three lines of the song_, SIMEON
_and_ ISAAC _enter from rear left, leaning on their shepherd's crooks.
They pause at rear center and listen to the singing. When the song is
finished the organ continues the same music softly._