William Harding at The Lamb Inn, Urchfont in 1978 Part 1 of 4

Stained Glass from All Saints Church in Marden

Come Christians Now Behold the Lamb (Roud 12,616)

Come Christians Now Behold the Lamb, unlike While Shepherds Watched, is something of a rarity and, because of this, we have decided to include this recording of the tune. The only set of words that I can find for the hymn were sent to the English folksong collector Cecil Sharp sometime around 1904-5 by Miss Susan Holden of The Rectory, Aston-on-Trent, near Derby. According to Miss Holden, the “Husher in” carol was sung every Christmas in her village.

These are the words from Susan Holden:

Come Christians now behold the Lamb

That on this day was born.

Come rise and praise his holy name

And husher in the morn.

From Heaven those glorious tiding came

To mortals here on earth.

God sent his only begotten Son

At his stupendeth birth.

Now to the father and the Son

Let praise and glory be given,

Let saints on earth with angels join

The harmony of heaven.

(repeat 3^rd line, also last line, and sing last line thus – and husher in, and husher in the morn and husher in the morn).