James Montgomery, a revolutionary converted to Christianity, wrote "
Angels from the realms of glory" on Christmas Eve, 1816.
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
This was the year without a summer, a cold long year and a half.
The song "
Angels from the realms of glory" came from an Irish publisher, James Montgomery.
Early on, he was into revolutionary ideas involving the civil war between the Irish and the Brits.
Later, he become converted to Christianity.
Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light:
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.
All creation, join in praising
God the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising,
To th'eternal Three in One:
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ, the newborn King.