Everlasting Easter Day

The Easter season continues in many churches, though not all will extend it all the way to  Ascension Day, forty days after Easter Sunday.  This little-known text first appeared in Carols Old and Carols New (1916), a collectuon edited by the Reverend Charles Hutchins.  That book was primarily Advent and Christmas hymns and songs but there were many for other seasons of the year as well.

Alleluia! Sing the triumph
Of the Victor in the strife,
Who, thro’ death, himself has brought us
To the resurrection life.
Lo! the bars of death are riven,
Now forever open stand;
Nevermore shall close the portals
Of the Resurrection Land!

Alleluia! Night's long bondage
Breaks in everlasting dawn,
Fled forever in the radiance
Of the resurrection morn.
Now is past the night of weeping,
With the morning comes our joy;
By his glorious resurrection
Death’s cruel pow'r did Christ destroy.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He has triumphed gloriously:
Now, through Christ may we, triumphant,
Joyful gain the victory.
Alleluia! Savior, keep us
By your heav’nly grace, we pray,
That we keep with those in heaven
Everlasting Easter Day.

Alleluia! Christ, we hail you!

Join the chorus of the skies,
And with angels and archangels
May our hymn of praise arise.
Alleluia! praise and glory,
Laud, thanksgiving, honor, might,
Worship, blessing, adoration,
To the Victor Infinite.

E. Mabel Dawson, 1916; alt.

Tune: IN BABILONE (8.7.8.7.D.)

Dutch melody, 18th cent.;

arr. Julius Rontgen, 1906