The sun in heaven was darkened when Christ the Lord was slain,
And in the holy Temple the veil was rent in twain;
And all His sad disciples in sorrow bowed the head;
They thought His reign was ended; was not the Master dead?
Within the tomb they laid Him; the Roman watch was set,
And there were moans and weeping where'er His followers met;
All hope was dead within them; the Star of Bethlehem
Had set in utter darkness, and what was left for them?
In sorrow and in mourning the Sabbath passed away;
But early on the morrow, just at the break of day,
To seek His tomb the Marys went silently and slow,
Who by the cross had waited, and were the last to go.
They carried precious ointment and spices rich and rare,
The body of the Master for burial to prepare;
Their hearts were sad and heavy, their weeping eyes downcast,
And not a word was spoken as toward the tomb they passed.
But when they stood beside it, what wonder struck their sight?
Behold, a glorious angel, in robes of shining white;
They heard with joy and wonder the gracious words he said:
"Why seek ye here the Master, the living with the dead?
"For lo! He hath arisen--behold where He hath lain--
From death He hath arisen for evermore to reign;
Go, tell His sad disciples, that they may weep no more;
In Galilee then seek Him, where He hath gone before."
'Twas in the early morning, just at the break of day,
He rose to drive the darkness, the night of sin, away;
And on this dawn there follows no darkness and no night;
He lives and reigns forever, the Lord of life and light.