Incidents, inspirations and insights

Popular Christmas Carols:

by Ransiri Fernando

A hymn is described as a means of raising or quickening the spirit of devotion. It also helps to confirm one's faith; enlivens his hope; and kindles his love to God and man. In the Christian worship, song is specifically the peoples' part, the whole congregation is expected to sing the hymn and praise God.

The Methodists claim that Methodism was born in song. Charles Wesley the greatest of all Christian Hymn writers has written over six thousand hymns on almost every subject within the compass of Christianity. Christian Hymns are sung at Church Services, Family and Group get together and also used for solitary communion with God. It was St. Augustine that described a hymn as a "Song with Praise of God". Every man is called to praise his maker while he breaths.

Christmas is a festival of hope and expectations bringing with it the message of peace. On that first Christmas night the message of "Peace on the earth and Goodwill toward man" was heard in abundance.

The stories behind the writing of these hymns are very interesting. Specially the Christmas carols are written from personal feelings and sudden inspirations. These Hymn stories may be of lasting interest to a wide circle of readers. I sincerely hope that by reading the circumstances that led to writing these very popular carols will be of great spiritual help and a blessing to all readers.

The well known Christmas Hymn O, come O come, Emmanuel" has a curious origin. In the ancient Church it was the custom to sing a short sentence which fitted in with the particular church season. The short sentence sung in this way during Christmas sometimes consisted of only one word, a long drawn out "O" like a cry of distress, meant to indicate the intense longing of the Church for her Lord's Return.

This was called the greatest "O" of Advent, After a time, someone added a brief prayer such as "O Emmanuel come and save us. O king of David, unlock the prison house, O Dayspring, come and give us light" etc. This prayer turned out to be a beautiful hymn which is found in every hymn book of any repute in the present day. Dr. John Mason Neale who lived from 1818 - 1866 translated it into English.

O come O come Emmanuel,

And open wide our heavenly home,

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

William Chatterton Dix was an insurance agent and he fell very ill in 1859 and he was unable to go to church on Christmas Day. So he lay in bed and read to himself the gospel of St. Matthew 2: 10-12.

Pondering over the passage, it seemed to him to be fraught with real practical teaching for ourselves, and the wise men became to him examples to be followed by us. So before he slept that night he had turned these ideas in to poetry, and given the world that lovely hymn.

As with gladness men of old,

Did the guiding star behold,

As with joy they hailed its light,

Leading onward beaming bright,

So most gracious Lord, may we

Evermore be led to Thee

When we join on Christmas day in singing "Christians awake, Salute the happy morn" The Christian Church owes this magnificent hymn to the wish of a pretty young girl. Dolly Byron and her father lived in Manchester more than two hundred years ago. (1691-1763) John Byron is being a teacher of shorthand, one day he asked his eight year old daughter what she would like for a Christmas present, and Dolly, knowing that her father sometimes wrote poetry replied.

"Please write me a poem. When she came down on Christmas morning she found on her plate a piece of paper this beautiful hymn. Soon after, John Wainwright the organist of Manchester Parish Church, saw this hymn, and composed for it the tune "Yorkshire".

On the following Christmas morning Byron and his daughter were awakened by the sound of singing below their windows; it was Wainwright with his choir, singing Dolly's hymn:

Christians awake, Salute the happy morn

Whereon the saviour of mankind was born

They were thrilled to hear this. It had been said that the neighbours joined and learnt the words and the tune.

Joseph Scriven is an Irishman who resided in Canada. He lived for 66 years. His consecration of life to Christ was the result of a terrible grief which befell him at the age of twenty two. The young lady to whom he was engaged being accidentally drowned on the eve of their wedding day.

This happened when the two of them went for a swim. No one had ever known that Scriven was possessed of any poetical gift, until, shortly before his death, a neighbour who was watching him during his last illness, found in his room some lines in manuscript which he read with intense delight.

Asking Mr. Scriven how he came to write it, the latter replied that on the day her fiance died he wrote these lines to bring comfort to him and her mother not intending that others should see it. His account of the authorship of the hymn was "The Lord and I knew it between us".

Though it was intended not to reach any, this hymn is sung by millions of Christians throughout the world practically every day in life. No doubt that this is the most inspiring and much loved hymn which could be described as a relief for extreme suffering and pain.

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and grief to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

It is interesting to note that the Priest Rev. Mohr whose father was a soldier wanted his son to join the Austrian Army. God called him to write the most tender and emotion filled carol.

Gruber who was from a very poor family had secretly learned to play the organ against his fathers wishes in just three months at the age of Eighteen. How wonderful is the hand of God that within three months a young boy was chosen to compose one of the most absorbing melodies of all time. No words could describe the intense feeling manifested when the Christian World sing

Hark the Herald - angels sing,

Glory to the new born king

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

It goes on to say

Born that we no more may die

Born to raise us from the earth

Born to give us second birth

This well-known heart capturing Christmas carol is considered as one of the best from Charls Wesley's pen.

May these Hymn stories help to experience our Saviour's love and concern towards mankind and begin a new life in Christ during this season.