Great Forerunner Of The Morn, The

The great forerunner of the morn,

The herald of the Word, is born:

And faithful hearts shall never fail

With thanks and praise his light to hail.

With heavenly message Gabriel came,

That John should be that herald's name,

And with prophetic utterance told

His actions great and manifold.

John, still unborn, yet gave aright

His witness to the coming Light;

And Christ, the Sun of all the earth,

Fulfilled that witness at His birth.

Of woman born shall never be

A greater prophet than was he,

Whose mighty deeds exalt his fame

To greater than a prophet's name.

But why should mortal accents raise

The hymn of John the Baptist's praise?

Of whom, or e'er his course was run,

Thus spake the Father to the Son?

"Behold, My herald, who shall go

Before Thy face Thy way to show,

And shine, as with the day-star's gleam,

Before Thine own eternal beam."

All praise to God the Father be,

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,

Whom with the Spirit we adore

Forever and forevermore.