The WORD is the Song

Not often thought of as Christmas carols are 5 songs from Scripture. Dr. John S. Barnett, http://www.dtbm.org/ in his excellent devotional on the Book of Revelation, entitled Living Hope for the End of Days, has this to say:

"Did you realize that at that first Christmas God introduced New Testament believers to the songs of heaven? Christ's birth was surrounded by the songs of the saints. Since Luke continued with the record of the early church in Acts, and Paul told us that Spirit-filled saints sing, we can be sure that the early church sang much and often.
Luke recorded a series of five Spirit-prompted songs:

1) Elizabeth broke into song at Mary's arrival. This was the first song of the New Testament, which is known from the first words of the Latin Vulgate as the 'Exclamavit'. (Lu. 1:42-45)

2) Mary followed with her marvelous 'Magnificat' (Lu. 1:46-55), in which she quotes over twenty different Scriptures!

3) Zacharias broke forth into his famous 'Benedictus' (Lu. 1:68-79) which means 'good saying'.

4) Angels broke into the night sky over the shepherds' fields of Bethlehem with 'Gloria' (Lu.2:14)

5) While holding the infant Jesus in his arms, Simeon lifted his eyes to God and sang his 'Nunc Dimittis' (Lu. 2:29-32).

And some day, when we at last enter into Christ's presence, Revelation says that we will be forever singing that He alone is worthy!"
(Living Hope, page 615)

As we move into the new year and have the opportunity to share the Gospel and join in Christian fellowship and study His Word, let's listen for the Spirit prompted songs in our own hearts. And let's learn to sing them. Begin singing the words of these 5 songs from Scripture during a personal worship time and begin preparations for the time when the redeemed will sing forever the glorious song that Jesus Christ alone is worthy!

May His grace, His peace and His joy be with you.

O GO!

"You who bring good tidings to Zion, GO UP ON A HIGH MOUNTAIN. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, LIFT UP YOUR VOICE WITH A SHOUT, LIFT IT UP, DO NOT BE AFRAID; say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God!' " (Isaiah 40:9)

"Men everywhere must hear these glad tidings if they are to benefit from them. With absolute clarity they must hear the message, "Here is your God!" ' (Kenneth W. Osbeck)

Get the picture? Got the message? Go! Go tell it on the mountain!!

Go! This word is obvious as to what to do and you can view it as a command from God, specifically to you.
Tell - Don't assume that people 'know' about Jesus. They don't and God tells you to tell them, and as recorded in Isaiah 'Shout'!
"It" is the good news of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior - such glorious news, the Gospel!
On the mountain - This is difficult for people who live only 5 feet about sea level, but where ever your mountain is, use it as your pulpit, your speaking platform, your soapbox and let the world know your Savior. I'm glad the refrain includes "over the hills and everywhere".

I'm also glad that Isaiah told us "do not be afraid" because sometimes, when the emotion of the season fades, I am reluctant to boldly share or even share at all the good news of the Christmas message. Interesting that before the Christ was even born, we were afraid to share the good news that God was giving to us, that He is God, through His prophets. And how thankful we should be that His words were recorded for us. And that our Christmas message in carol/song form was recorded for us through the work of so many poets, pastors, composers, Sunday school teachers and those we label "traditional". Such is the case of our carol today.

John W. Work (1871-1925) who, with his brother Frederick, was instrumental in writing down and publishing Negro spirituals, published Folk Songs of the American Negro in 1907 and included this spiritual. The refrain was a traditional spiritual and John wrote the 3 stanzas that tell of the shepherds and the manger. Ending the 3rd stanza with these words: "God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn," we can't help but sing out on the rhythmic and compelling traditional refrain:
"Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere -- go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!"

Join with those shepherds, and the angels and at least 3 magi, and Christians everywhere, clap your hands, and shout out along with the music: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/gotitotm.htm
The wonderful message of Christmas is that Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ the Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, Emmanuel is here!!!!!!!!!!!

O Come!!

Hey!! don't stop with the manger, or the star or even those lowly shepherds or high-born Magi. O COME!! all ye faithful and let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!!

When the packages are all opened and we have leftovers in the 'frig, the family and friends have gone on their way and we are faced with preparing for another turn of the calendar year, it is easy to have a let-down in emotions and enthusiasm. But, this is just the time to Come and Adore Him. All the bustle is over and you can really concentrate on the wondrous gift that was given to all mankind and that includes you. Take some extra hours and learn of the Word of the Father and read that Word for youself. Don't let this gift be the only one not opened or appreciated or not used!

O Come, All Ye Faithful is a beautiful Christmas carol and I think is best sung today, as the final verse says: "Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning." There has been some questioning of the author and when written and a possible circuitous route started by John Wade, a Roman Catholic, who may have written the words and slipped them in a manuscript he was writing while in Lisbon, Portugal in 1750. It was published in Wade's Cantus Diversi, 1751. The story goes on that 30 years later it turned up in the Portuguese chapel in London, the Duke of Leeds heard it sung and included it in repretoire of his singing group, using it yearly thereafter. We do know that it was originally in Latin and you can often hear, at least the first verse, sung "Adeste Fideles". We thank Frederick Oakeley (1802-1880) for translating it into English for his congregation and for us to sing.

We generally sing only 3 verses, although some versions contain 7. The 3 that we sing are beautiful and full of the imagery that fills so many of the carols. It has one of the most familiar refrains ever penned: "O Come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord". I just know you are singing along with those words. If you want some music, click here:http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/c/ocomeayf.htm

An interesting title is given to our Lord in the first verse -- born the King of angels. And the last verse has another very interesting title - Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. Those are good reasons for us to Come and Adore Him.

We're not quite finished with our Christmas carol overview. There are some energetic, more recent additions to the carols that remind us that once we have Come, it is time to Go.

There's a Song in the Air! There's a Song in my Heart!

For all of us, Christmas morning brings memories and one of my favorites is my Mother singing the Christmas carol "There's a Song in the Air!" She would have me play the carol, sing all the verses and then she would dance her funny little waltz to the rhythm of the 3/4 time of the music, all the while checking on the Rome beauty apples baking, watching for my grandparents to arrive, having my sister help her in setting her beautiful holiday table and helping Dad get a fire going in the fireplace. Whew - alot to do. But with all that activity she would stop at the end of each verse to make sure she didn't miss singing about the King that was born to all mankind. She truly knew the truth of this carol in her heart and would sing it often during the year, long past Christmas morning...or maybe getting ready for the next year!

This beautiful carol was written byJosiah Gilbert Holland who was a medical doctor and also helped originate Scribner's Magazine. The words for the song were included in a Sunday school hymnal in 1874 and it wasn't until about 25 later that Karl Harrington, a well known church musician in the Methodist church and one of the editors of the 1905 Methodist Hymnal, set the verses to the tune that we use today. And it is a lovely, lilting melody that just fits the words perfectly. Listen now: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/s/tsongair.htm

So often we hear this song sung quietly or with a kind of hushed reverence but I think Mom sang it best and as the angels sang it on Christmas morning - with exuberance, with gusto, with animation and definitely with Great Joy. And probably with dancing!

I mentioned that each verse ends with acknowledgement of the birth of The King -
vs.1 and vs2 are alike: "the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King".
The last 2 lines of vs. 3: "Every hearth is aflame -- and the beautiful sing in the homes of the nations that Jesus is King!"

And all of verse 4:
"We rejoice in the light, and we echo the song that comes down thru the night from the heavenly throng.
Ay! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring, and we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!"

After many years, when her dance was much slower, my mother's voice was still strong as she sang "There's a Song in the Air!" because she knew her Savior and King and she had the Song in her Heart. That is the greatest gift any parent can impart to a child, that knowledge of Jesus Christ as Savior and King, because that is the greatest gift ever given -- from our Heavenly Father to His children.

Rejoice! Sing with Joy! Celebrate the birth of our Savior and King! and go on, do a little dance!

Never Late and Always Right

Ever have one of those days when you are sure that what is happening is not right and nothing is on schedule?? I've often wondered about young Mary, heavy with child, depending on Joseph to care for her in this strange town of Bethlehem. Questions? I'll bet she had questions. Worries? Can't imagine a no-worry evening. Is this right? Why now??

When we trust our lives to and in Him, as Mary did, and when we act in faith, as did Joseph, we can know that God is never late and always right.
This morning in Our Daily Bread, a publication of Radio Bible Class, http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml we had our eyes opened and our hearts assured that God is never late and always right. What an interesting insight is given to us in this meditation:

"As a young girl in the late 1920s, Grace Ditmanson Adams often traveled with her missionary parents through inland China. Later, she wrote about those trips and the crowded places where they stayed overnight—village inns full of people coughing, sneezing, and smoking, while babies cried and children complained. Her family put their bedrolls on board-covered trestles in a large room with everyone else.
One snowy night, they arrived at an inn to find it packed full. The innkeeper expressed his regret, then paused and said, “Follow me.” He led them to a side room used to store straw and farm equipment. There they slept in a quiet place of their own.
After that, whenever Grace read that Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7), she saw the event differently. While some described the innkeeper as an example of uncaring, sinful mankind who rejected the Savior, Grace said, “I truly believe that Almighty God used the innkeeper as the arranger for a healthier place than the crowded inn—a place of privacy.”
Through eyes of faith, we see God’s provision for Mary. Look for the ways He provides for you. — David C. McCasland
Wait on the Lord from day to day,Strength He provides in His own way;There’s no need for worry, no need to fear,He is our God who is always near. —Fortna
Those who let God provide will be satisfied."

On this Silent Night, Holy Night, as we hum Away in a Manger and our hearts recall the beautiful First Noel, let us also remember that God is Never Late and He is Always Right.
Never. Always.

May God bless your heart this moment...and get ready to Sing His Praises. It's almost Christmas DAY!!!!

If needed, here is the link for words and music:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/i/silntnit.htm
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/w/awaymang.htm (scroll down for a beautiful picture)
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/r/frstnoel.htm (again, lovely artwork)

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

Luke 2:4 "So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the Town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David."

This Christmas carol is one of my very favorites. The words are well chosen, well placed and tell the facts of the occasion beautifully. The tune is so simple with emphasis where needed and good for children's voices. The story behind the hymn is humble and uplifting. And the imagery is, well, perfect in creating the scene in the mind's eye.

Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) was, like others we have noted, Harvard educated and spent the large part of his pastorate in the Episcopal Trinity Church of Boston where he was a giant of the faith - well known for his sermons, writings and his ability to relate to his parish. In 1865 Brooks took a trip to the Holy Land and spent Christmas eve at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, and the evening made quite an impression upon him. Three years later when he was pastoring a church in Philadelphia he wanted a special song for the children to sing in their Christmas Sunday school pageant and remembering his special Christmas evening in Bethlehem wrote the words in just one sitting. His organist, Lewis Redner, was asked to put the words to music and after hearing the tune in a dream, quickly wrote it out. And the rest is history, as the carol has become a favorite with children and adults all over the world.

There are 5 verses, although only 4 are usually sung. And the theology is stunning in every verse. One of the most memorable phrases in the 1st verse is the last line: "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight." - the hope of eternal life with Christ and the fear of eternal judgement without Him became manifest at that moment of birth.

Verse 2 has the familiar hope again for peace to men on earth following acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as God the King.

Verse 3 has to be given in total:
"How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv'n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav'n. No ear may hear His coming, but, in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive Him still the dear Christ enters in."

The 4th verse is really a prayer and can be used as a Christmas devotional prayer. This would be an excellent word tool to help little ones learning how to pray and asking Jesus into their hearts. Again, the whole verse is:
"O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin and enter in -- be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!"

Brooks kept the focus of the hymn on Christ as the Savior, still telling the lovely story of the birth yet with the definite emphasis on Savior - the hopes, peace, impart to human hearts, meek souls receiving and be born in us today.

In all our hurrying and scurrying about this week, my prayer is that you will quiet yourself and become aware of silent stars passing by, dark streets where the everlasting LIGHT is aglow, and enjoy the pure joy of experiencing, either for the first time or again, the wondrous gift that is given - our Lord Emmanuel.

If you need the words or tune - http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/l/olittle.htm

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.' " (Luke 2:13)

The lovely Christmas carol is a fairly recent addition to the carol collection having been written by an American, Edmund Sears in 1849, just about the same time frame as our Longfellow carol. The tensions and uncertain political times of those years before our Civil War are reflected in the words of both songs.

Sears, who graduated from Harvard Divinity School and served in small pastorates in the East part of our country, based his words on the Scripture from Luke quoted above and from Isaiah 9:6 "And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." An interesting point is that in many of the Christmas carols, including this one, the angels are portrayed as singing but the Scripture tells us that one angel announced the Good News to the shepherds and then the "great company of heavenly host" joined the angel saying "Glory to God".

The first of the 5 verses is by far the most familiar and when sung in a program, the middle verses are often omitted. Yet, they contain the condition of man who needs peace. We read in vs. 1 that the "angels are bending near the earth" and then vs.4. records that "ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow.." Quite a contrast of bending. The last line of vs.4 is wonderful for us today - "O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing."

The last verse is based in prophcey (as prophet bards foretold) and we sing of the age of gold that is coming when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling and "the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing."

Did you notice that each verse ends with "the angels sing? And in 3 of the verses the word gold is used to remind us of "heav'n's all gracious King!"

Sing with the angels here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/itcameup.htm

A note about the words and music -- this carol, with no refrain, has a phrase which is introduced by 2 notes sung followed by 2 more notes an octave lower which creates a change in mood. The words in the first verse to emphasize this mood change are"Peace on (2 high notes) the earth (an octave lower)"; verse 4 "Look now! (high) for glad (low) " and then in verse 5 "When peace (up) shall over (down)". As you listen to this great carol you will hear the emphasis and appreciate what the author was wanting us to know - Jesus Christ is our peace!! And He gives us peace in our tense and unsettled times, just as the angels gave their heavenly pronouncement of peace at the time of the Roman rule. As we read in an earlier post, life is uncertain; Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever - Our Peace.

Bells???

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" - poem by H. W. (1807-1882)Longfellow

"I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along the unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, a chant sublime Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head “There is no peace on earth,” I said,“For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Longfellow wrote this poem (set to music by J.B.Calkin) during the American Civil War and there are two verses that refer specifcally to the war that are now usually omitted when sung at Christmas. You can read those verses and hear the tune here:http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/h/iheardtb.htm

As in all of our lives, Longfellow had known deep sorrows and was shaken by the death of his wife and the injuries to his oldest son when he penned these words. All of us are heartened by his sentiments, yearning for peace and good will to men. The 4th vs. in particular is one full of hope when we sing "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep".

I have 2 observations: This piece is classed as a Christmas carol, but where in the song do you find the reason for Christmas? No mention of prophecies, angels, stars, mangers, geneologies, wise men or a Baby born to a virgin. True, the angels proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Lu. 2:14 and this is right in the middle of the Christmas narrative. But no reason is given for this proclamation in Longfellow's poem. It is noted that Longfellow belonged to the Unitarian church and "he maintained a strong belief in God's goodness and personal concern for His people." (Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by K.W.Osbeck.) Thank God that as Christians we know WHO is our peace and how good will has been given to men in the Incarnation.

Obersation 2: When was the last time you heard bells on Christmas day? Or even just heard church bells ring out in all their glory.?? We have bell choirs, carillons, organ registers of bells and chimes and the ding-ding of the Salvation Army bell ringers, but I have not heard real church bells for a long time. An article recently said that alot of the magnificent cathedrals of Europe no longer have their bell towers, or bells or people who know how to ring the bells. Maybe that is a good reason for us to sing this Christmas song, to remind ourselves of the joy and glorious occasion, the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that should cause us to call out, chime out and share the Good News!!

Kings Worship THE KING

Camels made from broomsticks, little boys tripping over striped bathrobes, shoeboxes decorated with tin foil and overflowing with pop-it pearls -- images of Christmas pageants past and the processions of the three (average age 7 1/2 years) "kings" to the manger scene. The mystery of those kings is enhanced with the music that accompanies, an Eastern, oriental tune and a dotted note rhythmic bass line. And oh my! what that tune, rhythm and subject matter has had done it over the years, not always holy, not always Scripturally correct and not always getting the message across, but definitly memorable.

We don't know how many Magi (wise men, sages, royalty, not really kings) followed the Star of Wonder, Star of Night, Star of Royal beauty bright. The Star did lead them to the Christ, but not at the time of His birth, so the church for many years sang this hymn-carol on Jan. 6 as the last day of the 12 day celebration of Christmas. We sing about Three Wise Men or kings because we know that 3 gifts were offered to Christ from the account in Matthew 2:11: "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." There was lots of religious/political intrigue in the Holy Land then, too.

Interesting gifts to bring to a young child, don't you think? The author of the carol clearly tells us the significance of each of those gifts:
1 - Gold is for the King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.
2 - Incense owns a Deity nigh, prayer and praising all men raising, Worship Him, God on High
3 - Myrrh, bitter perfume, sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

The last verse points to the Resurrection:
"Glorious now behold Him arise,
King (gold), and God (incense) and sacrifice (myrrh),
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Sounds through the earth and skies."

Sometimes we see the phrase "Wise men still seek Him". I like that because He is, was, and always will be King, God, Savior - and it is the wise man who knows he needs Jesus Christ, Messiah.
My cousin sent a card in which he stated that we can know we are of infinite value to God by the birth of the Savior and the sacrifice He made for us. We are worth more than gold because we are His. That's wisdom.

John H. Hopkins, Jr. (1820-1891) wrote the words and music for We Three Kings of Orient Are for a Christmas pageant being performed at the General Theological Seminary, New York, around 1860. He was an Episcopal priest and gave the eulogy at the funeral service for President Ulysses S. Grant in 1885.

Sing along here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/e/t/we3kings.htm

To learn more about those Wise Men, John MacArthur is one of the best teachers:
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/2183

Angels! Angels!! Angels!!!

From the earthy maid Margaret singing higly pigly, we soar to the heavenly realms and such glorious words and music are given to us in three very familiar and joyous Christmas carols.

Angels from the Realms of Glory has four stanzas, each addressed to a different group of worshippers - vs. 1 Angels, vs.2 Shepherds, vs. 3 Sages and vs. 4 Saints, with the following chorus: "Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King."
The author has an interesting background:
"Other than Issac Watts and Charles Wesley, probably no writer has contributed more to the development of Christian hymns than James Mortgomery, a London journalist who championed the cause of the poor and downtrodden, as well as foreign missions. It is fitting that the music was composed by a blind organist, Henry Smart, the designer and builder of some of England's finest organs and one of the outstanding musicians of his day." from Great Songs of Faith (Tyndale).
I found the 4th vs. very exciting as, at the moment, I'm reading through The Revelation:
"Saints, before the altar bending, Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending, In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King."
Sing along here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/f/afrglory.htm

A traditional French carol, Angels We Have Heard on High, has one of the best loved and oft sung refrains in the carol library. The words of the refrain "Gloria in excelsis Deo, Gloria in excelsis Deo" are translated: "Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest." Choirs, particularly the sopranos, really take a deep breath and sing the refrain all in one long phrase.
Luke 2:17-20 records that the shepherds, after seeing the babe in the manger, were amazed (I'll bet they were!!) and returned "glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen." We, too, should continue the Christmas season by sharing this Good News and go to our workplaces, homes, schools "glorifying and praising God" for all we have heard and seen.
This carol has 4 beautiful and simple verses and all are followed by that thrilling refrain:http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/n/angelswe.htm

Hark! the Herald Angles Sing is usually included in most programs of carol singing and most folks can sing, at least, the first verse and the refrain. And what is it that those herald angels are singing? "Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" And then we are instructed to "With the angelic host proclaim, 'Christ is born in Bethlehem!' "
The second verse has an interesting description of the newborn King - "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity". And then in vs 3 "the heaven-born Prince of Peace" and "the Sun of Righteousness" and ends with this tremendous phrase:
"Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King!' "

And who wrote this Christmas hymn which is packed full of theology? Charles Wesley, the hymn writing brother of John Wesley, the great Methodist preacher. Charles (mentioned above) Wesley is responsible for over 6,000 hymn texts. This link will have 2 more, rarely sung, verses also packed with glorying names for the newborn King:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/h/a/hhangels.htm

I hope you can take the time to scroll down each of the above sites because you will see a beautiful piece of artwork, depicting the Christmas carol on canvas. The woodcut for the Wesley hymn is charming. And then, go ahead and join the heavenly choirs, raising your voice to the heavens in Praise and Joy.
"Worship Christ, the newborn King!" "Gloria in excelsis Deo!" "Glory to the newborn King!"

Time out....

I'll let your voice take a rest from singing all those wonderful Christmas carols and chat abit about the origin of the Christmas carols, hymns and songs.

"The birthplace of the true Christmas carol is Italy where, in the 13 c. St. Francis brought religion out from its "Latin" cloister and made of it a warm and human thing, a part of, rather than separated from, life. Here, in the 13 c., in the poems of another inspired Franciscan, Jacopone da Todi, come the first real outburst of Christmas joy in a popular tongue. From Italy the carol then spread quickly to all those countries where Christianity existed. Although the word "carol" originally meant ring dance and did not necessarily apply to Christmas, during the 15 c. it gradually came to mean "song" not necessarily accompanied by dancing. Before 1550, "carol" was defined by a definite form -- a group of uniform stanzas with a burden [refrain] which begins the song and is repeated after each stanza. Today the word "carol" is synonymous for most people with any song relating to Christmas." from A Book of Christmas Carols by H.& R. Shekerjian

There are carols of the shepherds -- While Shepherds Watched their flocks by night.
Dance carols - In Dulci Jubilo.
The beautiful, rocking Lullaby Carols -- Away in a Manger.
Nativity carols, which include the Magi -- We Three Kings and Silent Night.

And carols are sung that contain stories and legends -- The Friendly Beasts.
Carols that have customs from many lands -- Oh Christmas Tree.

Finally, there are those carols which are traditional, fun and have more to do with the holiday than the Holy Day -- The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Don't let the repetition and shallow use of the carols rob you of the joy that singing the Carols can bring. As the Trademan says to Christmas, in Make Room for Christmas (1675):

"We will send for some of our loving
Neighbors and be merry altogether,
until Childermas-day be past and gone.
In Which time my wife Joan shall lay
Apples in the fire to Roast,
my Man William shall tell thee a merry tale,
and my Maid Margaret shall sing the melodious Carrols of several pleasant Tunes;
And so, we'l be higly pigly one with another."!!

The Friendly Beasts

Who of us, as a child or with our child, has not enjoyed singing about the animals that were with Baby Jesus on Christmas night?! Perhaps you even played the part of the donkey, cow, sheep or dove or one of the others added to the song at a later date, ie: camel, rooster or mouse. Well, as familiar as this child's selection might be, very little is known.

The author? unknown
The date written? perhaps 12 c. France
The music? could have been taken from a Latin song used in the Mass, Orientis Partibus Adventavit Asinus, which translated means From the East the Donkey came. This song was used for The Donkey's Festival in the 13 c. church to commemorate the Flight into Egypt. At the end of each verse, the congregation would sing "Heh! Sir Ass, oh Heh" as a live donkey was led into the sanctuary! The modern church has nothing on the medieval church for drama and entertainment!

Well, thinking about the occasion for the song -- were there really animals present at the birth? There are none in the Gospel accounts of the birth. Was the birth really in a stable?
And were the animals (if present) aware of their awesome guest? We've been enjoying a Teaching Course on Art of the Northern Renaissance and such a variety of stables, some quite ornate, and settings are portrayed and almost all of them included the ox, the donkey, some sheep.

Rather than getting bogged down in the facts, let's just enjoy the simplicity of the 6 verses. The first begins:
Jesus our brother, strong and good, Was humble born in a stable rude;
And the friendly beasts around Him stood, Jesus our brother, strong and good.

Verse 2 is "sung" by the donkey, shaggy and brown who carried His mother to Bethlehem;
Verse 3 has the cow, all white and red, giving his manger for His bed.
Verse 4 is the sheep with the curly horn, giving his wool for a blanket warm.
And the dove in vs. 5 cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry.

The final verse:
And every beast, by some good spell, In the stable dark was glad to tell,
Of the gift He gave Emmanuel,
The Gift He gave Emmanuel.

Animals have played important roles throughout Scripture and we some immediately come to mind like the serpent in the Garden, Jonah and the whale, the ravens that fed Elijah and another famous donkey belonging to a prophet called Balaam. All of the animals mentioned served God in one capacity or another and we can know that if there were animals to greet the Christ Child, they, too, were there not by accident but because ALL CREATION is to give praise to God. The Psalms are full of all creation joining in Praise to God and Isaiah tells us that mountains and hills will burst into song and trees will clap their hands! (Isaiah 55:12)

Burl Ives recorded this song in a Christmas album in 1952 and from then it became very popular as a standard for albums, TV shows and children's programs. A recent rendition was sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell, baritone, along with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Mitchell sounding like the animals as he sang their verse. Beautiful and very different.

So you can enjoy the song for yourself: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/r/friendbe.htm

Once in Royal David's City

Magnificent! Profound. Simple and ordinary. Glorious processional! These are some of the adjectives used to describe this English Christmas hymn. How can one piece of basic chords, basic meter structure and words written for a child to understand have those attributes?

Cecil F. Alexander, the wife of the Anglican chief bishop of Ireland, wrote over 400 hymn texts, many for children. This hymn was part of a collection of songs for children to teach them the various parts of The Apostles Creed. You may be acquainted with the hymn, "All Things Bright and Beatiful" which she wrote for the first part of the Creed about God the Father, "maker of heaven and earth." Once in Royal David's City has the lines "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary" as it's text focus. She wrote these verses in 1848 and they were set to music in the following year.

What makes this hymn special for all of us becomes evident when you read the words. I'll share the verses and music now: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/n/onceirdc.htm

This quote is from this site: http://www.hymnary.org/text/once_in_royal_davids_city

"A good mingling of the biblical story and Christian theology, the text sets the nativity of Christ into a much larger framework-the history of salvation. Alexander's words enable us to look back and to look forward from this historic event. Stanzas 1 and 2 recall Christ's humble birth. Stanza 3 focuses on Christ's childhood and identity with humanity. Stanzas 4 and 5 look forward to the sharing of Christ's glory with his children."

This is SO important for us to understand - that Christmas is not just about the birth of our Savior, although that is very important; but that we see the virgin birth of Jesus Christ as the integral manifestation of the Covenant of God with man. If you become aware of this point of theology, you will enjoy singing the Christmas carols even more because you will know that Jesus Christ is from the beginning, for all time, unto eternity! What a magnificent, profound, simple, glorious TRUTH!!

How very blessed we are that Cecil Alexander cared so much for children (as well as all the poor in her parish) that she wrote for them and thus enabled all of us to understand and sing The Christmas Story.

On a personal note: over 40 years ago, my sister gave me a vinyl 33 rpm recording of the combined choirs of the King's College, Cambridge, presenting the Christmas Story in song and Scripture, as a Christmas gift. What a gift! I wore it out, playing it all year long for many years. This hymn was used as the processional, after the great chiming bells had called the faithful to come and celebrate, and the actual recording caught the echoing of the organ, choirs and congregation as they processed from the entrance to the loft. I need to say THANKS again, sister, for that gift!

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

This hymn-carol-song-verse is often not included in our traditional church hymn books since it is considered by some to be secular even though the verses do include the Christmas story. Although published in 1827, it was well known as an old English carol " sung in the streets of London". We also learn that "old London had municipal watchmen who were licensed to perform certain tasks, including the singing of Christmas carols" and this carol was one of those performed. Mind where you breathe on the comma -- Ye rest merry, gentlemen and not God rest ye, merry gentlemen.

It was included, to great effect, in A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. You might remember that Ebenezer Scrooge hears it being sung on Christmas eve and yells at the singers that he will hit them with a ruler if they continue to sing. Merry, indeed -- bah! humbug!

The verse tune is in a minor key, unusual to our ear for Christmas and the chorus is short and in the relative major key, so that the song does end on a more positively sounding note, which is in keeping with the words of the refrain:

O, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy:
O, tidings of comfort and joy!

I'm sure that just reading the above refrain has you humming the tune.

The first verse and the last verse give the title of the carol particular meaning. "Let nothing you dismay" and "save us from Satan's power when we were gone astray" from the first verse set the focus of the words. And then we sum up the merry attitude in "Now to the Lord sing praises" and "true love and brotherhood each other now embrace". Those are wonderful reasons to be merry!

I really like the last line:
"This holy tide of Christmas all other doth deface."
Think about that. The holiness of Christmas puts all other "holidays" to shame. And what a shame that so many think of this Blessed Holy Day as just another holiday for worldly merriment and not the merry (blessed, happy) JOY that is ours, given to us, in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The words for all verses are here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/godrest.htm

Here is a gift for your eyes - a reproduction of an old carol book.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bramley/carols/files/jpg/0007=2.htm
Turn some of the pages to see the lovely art work, not only for God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen but some others, as well.

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

Perhaps you won't recognize this Christmas hymn by it's title or it's music. But I'm pretty sure the you will know the giant of a man who wrote the words-- Martin Luther. Those of us who claim a Reformation heritage and cling to the Reformed doctrines know Luther for his monumental stand against the abuses of the Roman Catholic clergy and their practices. And we know him for his prodigious output of translating the Bible into the common language so the church could read the Word for itself and on his Scripture commentaries. And we may know him for the mighty hymns (no pun intended) he wrote (A Mighty Fortress is our God).

But here is a Christmas hymn, authored by Luther. This charming song was written specifically for his 5 year old son, Hans, and it was to be sung at all family Christmas celebrations. Interesting to know that as God communicated with us by sending His Son into the world, Luther communicated the Gospel to his son with this story-song.

It contains 15 4-line verses and a man dressed as an angel would come into the gathering and sing:
"From heaven above to earth I come;
To bear good news to every home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
Whereof I now will say and sing."

Then follows the verses that tell the glorious story until verse 8 where the assembled children and adults answer:

"Welcome to earth, Thou noble Guest,
Through Whom e’en wicked men are blest!
Thou com’st to share our misery,
What can we render, Lord, to Thee!"

The verses then tell of the humble surroundings for the birth and remind us that Jesus Christ is for everyone - young, old; rich, poor, wise, simple. Christmas is beyond our understanding, and yet presented in a way that even small children can grasp.

I imagine the last 2 verses were sung with great feeling and a swelling of joyful, grateful voices:

"My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep,
I too must sing, with joyful tongue,
That sweetest ancient cradle song.

Glory to God in highest Heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given,
While angels sing, with pious mirth,
A glad New Year to all the earth."

I would hope that all parents would love telling THE Christmas story, finding unique ways to impress upon their children the "Glad tidings of great joy" while young hearts and eager minds can hear The Truth in all it's Glory!

All of the verses are here:http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/f/r/fromheav.htm

We live in uncertain times...

That was a comment I heard from a radio commenter this morning. As believers we know that we always live in uncertain times...

But even from the world's point of view, we should see that we always live in uncertain times...

1760s-1770s ~ the American Revolution
1790s ~ the French Revolution
1800-1815 ~ Napoleonic era
1820s & 1830s ~ restlessness in Europe following the French Revolution
1848 ~ Europe convulsed with revolution
1860 ~ American Civil War
1870s ~ Louis Napoleon's delusions of grandeur ~ Franco-Prussian war ~ Bismarck & the unification of Germany
1880s-1910s ~ Tensions between Germany - France - Austro-Hungary - England
1914 ~ World War One
1920s ~ illusion of less uncertain times...
1930s ~ worldwide economic collapse
1940s ~ World War Two - Korean War
1950s ~ illusion of less uncertain times...
1960s ~ assasination of JFK - "revolutions" on the campuses - Viet Nam
1970s ~ stagflation
1980s ~ continued economic angst - Reagan - Berlin Wall comes down
1990s ~ glastnost - internet - dot com - illusion of less uncertain times...
2000s~ 9/11 & its fallout - almost worldwide economic collapse - likely to happen yet...

What was/is happening in Asia, South America, Africa & the rest of the world...

We always live in uncertain times...we live in a fallen world.

That will change~ Psalm 2

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

My Dad and Mom enjoyed roses. Dad became quite involved, learning and always trying out new methods of growing and became the family expert with his various rose gardens, working hard to keep them blooming. And Mother got the greatest joy going to visit folks who needed her cheery smile, carrying a small bouquet or even just one of Dad's prize roses. It was a rare treat to have a rose bush keep blooming until Thanksgiving and I can remember no time that we had fresh roses on the Christmas table. Certainly , no "Flower bright, amid the cold of winter, when half-spent was the night."

The German composer, Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) set this piece to music sometime around 1605. The words had been written earlier in the 15 century and there is no definite author given. It was not translated from the German to English until the late 1800's.

The title comes from the Song of Songs 2:1, "I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys." Early on The Rose was assigned to Jesus Christ and the Rose became another name for our Lord. Often, it is used in conjunction with the well known passage from Isaiah 11:1-2: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord--".

As with the Christmas hymn "In the Bleak Midwinter", the tune is simple and matches the simplicity of the words. The image of the rose and the branch prophecy of the lineage of King David, in the first verse, are woven easily together:

"Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from Tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming as men of old have sung.
It came, a Flower bright, Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night."

The phrase "When half-spent was the night" is repeated at the end of verse 2. Was the author referring to the actual event or is this a more theological point -- that the night is still with us and we are waiting for the Day of the Lord? This Rose bloomed and the fragrance has sweetened the whole world but Christians all await the beauty and overpowering presence of that morning when, at His 2nd coming, Christ will be revealed as the Ruler of all, for all times.

"This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God, From sin and death He saves us
And lightens every load." verse 3.

Those of us who live in the part of the country where we can enjoy roses all year long, have the privilege of being reminded of this lesson of the Rose. As we come up the walk approaching our home, our rose bush, Don Juan, is a colorful and beautiful reminder of this beautiful Christmas hymn.

The verses and tune can be heard here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/h/lhowrose.htm

Bleak Midwinter JOY

We don't know for sure the month that our Savior was born, we are just told that "the time came for her baby to be born" in Luke 2:6-7. But for alot of us we celebrated the Christmas season during the bleak midwinter. Sometimes we enjoyed a break with mild temps, so one could ride a new 2-wheeler (with Dad holding on to the seat for safety) the very day that it was found under the tree (or on the front porch as Santa could not get it down the chimney). But there were other times when the thermometer plunged down to -25 on Christmas eve and, although there might be protests, Mom would bundle everyone up, Dad would warm up the car and we would all join in our traditional candle lit service at church.

Christina Rosetti wrote a simple yet powerful poem, In the Bleak Midwinter, that has some vivid images of that night. Look at some of the phrases in vs. 1, "Snow on snow, snow on snow" and "earth stood hard as iron" to describe the winter-ness of the night. The 2nd verse gives us the paradox of that occasion, "He comes to reign...a stable place sufficed". The 3rd verse is precious as the"cherubim and seraphim thronged the air" and "His mother...worshiped the beloved with a kiss."

But perhaps it is in the 4th verse that we are confronted with our inadequacy as humans to present HIM with a gift and Rosetti sums up this simple, profound hymn with these words: "Yet what I can I give Him: Give my heart."

Christina Rosetti (1830-1894) was part of a family that was interesting and influential in arts and letters. This poem was set to music 12 years after her death by the English composer, Gustav Holst, better know for his large orchestral compositions (The Planets). Holst wrote the music early in his career. And Christina, a devout Anglican, was well known and respected for her books of poetry which were largely religious.

The words to this beautiful hymn are here:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/n/intbleak.htm

If you are in bleak circumstances, climate or heart, I pray this will help you focus on the GIFT of the Lord Jesus Christ and that your joy may be full as your give your heart to HIM.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

I have always been inspired, comforted, challenged, informed and sometimes even convicted in spirit by the words of our Christmas Carols and Hymns. And I would like to share some of these precious gifts of music with you.

The first one is very appropriate to be first as the title suggests: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which is taken from the book of Isaiah 7:14 - Behold, a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son and his name shall be Emmanuel.

The tune used is called plainsong which was the music of the medieval church. There is a lack of a strict rhythm and you can feel a freedom in the meter which creates a sense of the melody rebounding back and forth from the stone cathedral walls.
O Come, O come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

The text is interesting as it originally had no chorus, the one that we sing being:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Each stanza of the verse was part of a liturgical phrase used during Advent and each stanza had a different name for Christ and an emphasis on that particular name so that the hymn could be used for Christian meditation. That would be a good practice for us to continue today. The names used are:
Emmanuel - God with us;
Wisdom from high;
Desire of nations;
Lord of might;
Rod of Jesse;
Dayspring;
and Key of David.

As we approach the time to celebrate God fulfilling His Covenant Promise in the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would be pleasing in His sight and balm for your soul to contemplate these names. They really have nothing to do with a baby, and yet that Baby is all of the these names!

The melody and some information as well as the words for all the verses can be found here:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/c/ocomocom.htm

Because of all the rain this spring, summer, fall, tonight again! the leaves are just amazing colors!! In this picture you can see the bright red of a fire bush; just to the right, the copper color of what I call the "penny" tree (the leaves are a round shape & look like copper pennies in the fall); and the brilliant yellow of the maple tree. The Lord is so good to give us such a dazzling delight to the eyes as we head into the days of winter.

new piano

Our church has as a new piano!! Left to right (back row) Mark Morgan, elder; John Patti, pastor; Will Swisher, elder; Al Watson, visitor.

Left to right (front row) Lorrin Watson, visitor and Chair of the WFAA, Inc.; Brenda Swisher, our church pianist. This is an electric piano which has lots of capabilities and beautiful sound. It replaces our old upright which was terminally out of tune! We were blessed to purchase the piano from some cousins of the pastor's wife who are believers and love the Lord. How precious the Lord's provision is!!!

looking to the future

Just to make you work a bit ~~ a Rod.

And ~~ Praise.

Praise to the Lord

Praise Him

Morning by morning - another "jewel"

"If you would reach to something higher than ordinary groveling experience, look to the Rock that is higher than you, and gaze with the eye of faith through the window of consistent prayer. When you open the window on your side, it will not be bolted on the other". Spurgeon

Eye of faith through the window of consistent prayer - I like that. And I certainly would reach to something higher than ordinary groveling experience.

John 10:10b - "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

The Rock that is Higher I

Udate 12:17PM by lynmeryl

light

Isaiah 9

1d "In Galilee of the Gentiles.

2 The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

Upon them a light has shined."


John 8

12 Then Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Carry the Light

Send the Light

no light

Isaiah 8

19 And when they [leaders of Israel] say to you [Isaiah],

“Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,”

should not a people seek their God?

Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

20 To the law and to the testimony!

If they do not speak according to this word,

it is because there is no light in them."


Israel wants to consult mediums and wizards for answers to her problems.

Isaiah's response ~ "should not a people seek ther God?
Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?"

They should seek their answers in God's Word ~~ if they do not...it means there is no light in them, they are spiritually blind to God.

Haydn in hymnal

While enjoying a new CD of the Haydn string quartets last evening, we were stopped in our tracks when the 2nd movement of the String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76 began the lovely melodies of a very familiar hymn, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken. Upon checking it out in our Baptist Hymnal (c: 1991), we found that these words were written by John Newton, 1725-1807 and the music by Franz Joseph Haydn, 1732-1809.



And then we found that this same tune by Haydn is used in 2 other hymns, still in the BH, one entitled We Are Called to Be God's People (words by Thomas A. Jackson, 1931-) and the second Word of God, Across the Ages (words by Ferdinand Q. Blanchard, 1876-1968).



I tried to find Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken in the cyberhymnal, but it is not listed. The words are just beautiful and when I think of the man who wrote those words, I am humbled and so thankful for the Power of the Holy Spirit in sinners....saved by Grace.



more, later.

Update by lynmeryl @ 10:54AM

shekina radiance

You note that in the NKJV translation of M. 5:16, Matthew says "and glorify your Father in Heaven". Some translations say "your Father who is in Heaven". "our goods works" of course will both glorify our Father who is in Heaven and our Father in Heaven; beautiful facets of Truth.

We do our good works before men because our godly lives, Biblical truths and the work of the Holy Spirit will bring men to a saving knowledge of Christ.

We will meet those in Heaven who will have been saved because we were obedient to the command in Matthew 5:16 to...

"Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Incredible to think that we insignificant beings might be used as instruments to enable others to be in heaven to glorify our Father for eternity.

Shine!

Ah - the tremendous exhortation of Matt. 5:16. And what of those good works??

The wisdom of Proverbs 24:29 tells us what not to do:

'Do not say, "I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done." '

The wisdom of Our Lord tells us what to do:

Matt. 7:12 "So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

and

Luke 6:31 "And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."

As followers of the Light of the World, the true light that enlightens every man, we can be and we must be and we are different from the attitudes that are so dominant in this world, ie: payback. We can be lights that manifest, that give guidance, that warn and give cheering influence. What a great responsibility and what a great way to live each day!

Thank You God for the Light!

light

Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

from C.H.S.

Each morning I enjoy a book called Morning by Morning, written by Charles H. Spurgeon, and usually find that his choice of Scripture along with his meditations stay in my mind during the day. Often, just a word will be the trigger to remind me of his thoughts. The trigger word from the devotion this morning was an especially good word for me to remember - LIGHT - from this verse :

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Philippians 2:15.

Spurgeon reminds us of several uses of Light:

---we use lights to make manifest (display) - our lives and conversation should be such that all about us can clearly perceive the image of Jesus reflected in all our daily actions;

---lights are intended for guidance - to help those in darkness and to interpret the Scriptures (like Philip did for the Ethiopian)and to point sinners to the Savior;

---lights are used for warning - as with a lighthouse, put up the true light on every dangerous rock and point out every sin and tell what it leads to;

---And as lights we should also have a very cheering influence, as a comforter with kind words and carry sunshine wherever we go, diffusing happiness around us.

The mediation ended with these lovely words which I assume are a part of a hymn:

Gracious Spirit dwell with me; I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek Would for Christ my Savior speak.

Which, in turn, reminds me of another special verse about light - John 8:12 where Jesus tells us that "I am the LIGHT of the world".

Lord, let me shine for You.

songs for Sunday

from a fellow Pennsylvanian, Philip Bliss, 1838 - 1876. Man of Sorrows or Hallelujah, What A Savior! And I Will Sing of My Redeemer and Jesus Loves Even Me.

thanks

Psalm 105

1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!

2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!

3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

4 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!

5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

6 O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!"

have

you ever heard of Caedmon?

UPDATE 9/1: Here are some very interesting links to introduce you to this 7th century laborer turned monk.

Caedmon's poetry can be considered our first Bible in the English language.

another question

Who used the Latin Vulgate Bible to translate the Bible into Greek?

UPDATE 9/1: The man who translated Jerome's Vulgate Bible into Greek was the noted Dutch Renaissance humanist, Desiderus Erasmus.

now you know

What is the name of the first authorized Bible in the English language?
The Great Bible.

Under what King of England was it authorized?
King Henry VIII.

What was the date of its publication?
1539

Who prepared this Bible?
Miles Coverdale

Who's translation was used as the basis of this Bible?
For the New Testament and much of the Old Testament it was William Tyndale's translation.

Who's work did Tyndale use as the basis for his English translation?
The Latin New Testament of Desiderius Erasmus.
Erasmus had the Greek on the left side of the page and the Latin on the right. That was those who were both Greek and Latin scholars could compare these translations as they read the Bible.

oh, P. S.

Answers will follow, but I'll give you some time to figure the questions out for yourself! heh

do you know?

What is the name of the first authorized Bible in the English language?

Under what King of England was it authorized?

What was the date of its publication?

Who prepared this Bible?

Who's translation was used as the basis of this Bible?

Who's work did the translator use as the basis for his English translation?

are you washed

in the blood? Written by Elisha Albright Hoffman.

Mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 2: 16

"For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Isaiah 40:13

Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as his counselor has instructed?

John 15:15

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Romans 11:34-36

"For who has know the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be glory forever. Amen.

Utterly humbling. To think that Almighty God has given such a treasure to be housed in such an earthen vessel. My natural mind cannot comprehend that vast truth. But "we have the mind of Christ." Thanks be to God. AMEN.

spiritual riches

Job 28

12 But where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding"

13 Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.

14 The deep says, 'It is not in me';
And the sea says, 'It is not with me'.

15 It cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.

16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire.

17 Neither gold nor crystal can equal it,
Nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral or quartz,
For the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20 From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And concealed from the birds of the air.

22 Destruction and Death say,
'We have heard a report about it with our ears'.

23 God understands its [wisdom's] way,
And He knows its place.

24 For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And sees under the whole heavens,

25 To establish a weight for the wind,
And apportion the waters by measure.

26 When He made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,

27 Then He saw widom and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.

28 And to man He said,

'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding'.

worldly riches

Job 28

1 Surely there is a mine for silver,
And a place where gold is refined.

2 Iron is taken from the earth,
And copper is smelted from ore.

3 Man puts an end to darkness,
And searches every recess for ore,
In the darkness and and the shadow of death.

4 He breaks open a shaft away from people;
In places forgotten by feet
They hang far away from men;
They swing to and fro.

5 As for the earth, from it comes bread,
But underneath it is turned up as by fire;

6 Its stones are the source of sapphires,
And it contains gold dust.

7 That path no bird knows,
Nor has the falcon's eye seen it.

8 The proud lions have not trodden it,
Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.

9 He puts his hand on the flint;
He overturns the mountains at the roots.

10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
And his eye sees every precious thing.

11 He dams up the streams from trickling;
What is hidden he brings forth to light.

memory

So often, men and women who have been mightily used by God, are forgotten by men. From little known Thomas Bilney to Asahel Nettleton (who?) and even to Johann Gutenburg. Gutenburg is widely known today as the the inventer of the printing press, but at the time of his death he was a pauper, remembered by few and we have no idea where his grave might be. It was only much later that his contribution to history was realized.

Since Asahel Nettleton is a name and a man those of us who are reformed should know, I present a series of links that will give you a good chance to learn about him. Enjoy!

Divine Election

Nettleton's Home Page

Forgotten

Faithful Preacher

Timeline

Evangelistic Style

fallen world

Job 21
7 Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?

8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,
Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves without miscarriage.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.

12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their days in wealth,
And in a moment go down to the grave.

14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’

the Rock

Psalm 95
1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

3 For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.

Augustus Montague Toplady

This English clergyman and writer, (1740-1778), is best known for his beloved and very familiar hymn, which was just one of many he wrote, but in his short lifetime he was known for his works of verse Poems on Sacred Subjects and best known for his polemical and dogmatic works. Toplady had been strongly influenced by the teachings of John Wesley but moved away from the Arminianism of the Methodists to the doctrines of Sovereign Grace of the Calvinist church and was licensed to preach in the Anglican Church, serving in the Anglican Church for the remainder of his life.
Two of his most influential and popular published works were The Church of England Vindicated from the Charge of Arminianism (1769); and The Historic Proof of the Doctrinal Calvinism of the Church of England (1774).
There was a constant and bitter controversy between the followers of Wesley who stressed man's free will and those who followed John Calvin's doctrine of election. In an article written for the The Gospel Magazine in 1776 Toplady wrote "he supported the doctrine of election by arguing that just as England could never pay her national debt, so man through his own efforts could never satify the eternal justice of a Holy God." (from Amazing Grace by Osbeck). Included with the article was a hymn which was the climax of his article which God has preserved over these 200 years to bless and encourage countless souls, including some precious Methodists I have known.
As you read through these words, you will find the Sovereign Grace that is the rock....
the Rock of Ages:

Rock of ages, cleft for me, left me hide myself in Thee;
let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure.

Could my tears forever flow, could my zeal no languor know,
these for sin could not atone -- Thou must save and Thou alone:
in my hand no price I bring; simply to Thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death,
when I rise to worlds unknown and behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
Augustus Toplady

"For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea....they all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them and that rock was Christ." (1 Cor. 10:1,3,4)

addendum

to this post.

next

Asahel Nettleton.

words of encouragement from Paul 4

I separated out each verse, in order to allow for a savoring contemplation of the incredible, "unbelievable" truths articulated in each of them. It is just breathtaking...

Romans 8

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written:

“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

comfort

Psalm 94

12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD,
And teach out of Your law,

13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the LORD will not cast off His people,
Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

15 But judgment will return to righteousness,
And all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?
Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?

17 Unless the LORD had been my help,
My soul would soon have settled in silence.

18 If I say, “My foot slips,”
Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.

19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul."

What a blessing to trust and rest in the Lord.

words of encouragement from Paul 3

Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

These. Three. Verses. Are. Breathtaking.

can you hear God now??

Psalm 94
1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.

3 LORD, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?

4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

5 They break in pieces Your people, O LORD,
And afflict Your heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.

7 Yet they say, “The LORD does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

8 Understand, you senseless among the people;
And you fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?
He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,
He who teaches man knowledge?

11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
That they are futile.

hmmmmmmmmmm...

Job 12
24 He [God] takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.

25 They grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

Sure looks like today's news to me...

words of encouragement from Paul 2

Romans 8
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27 And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

a happy ending

The Lollard's Pit in Norwich, England was one of the sites used for the burning of martyrs, those who were judged heretics by the Imperial Church of Rome; Smithfield was another. Images:

here, here, here and here (this last image is of the martyrdom of William Tyndale whose final prayer was "Lord, open the king of England's eyes". He wanted an English translation of the Bible for the common folk; this could only be done by the authority of the king.

While the images seem stylized, they nevertheless convey the experience of these martyrs. And Thomas Bilney was to be counted among them. He was convicted of heresy, but his friends pressured him and felt he would be throwing his life away just when he was spreading the gospel so successfully.

So he recanted; he was then paraded around a public area carrying fagots***** to remind him he had recanted and thus would not burn in an inferno of fagots. (See the images linked above to see the twigs and sticks bound together to provide this furnace of torture.) He was then returned to prison. *****At the site of Paul's Cross, he had to use his fagots to ignite and burn a stack of William Tyndale's Bibles.

However, the punishment of being burned at the stake was nothing compared to what was to come. The burning of William Tyndale's Bibles absolutely shattered him.

"After he spent a year in the Tower he returned to Cambridge, but he was so tortured by remorse that he had denied his Christ, that he could not bear to have anyone, not even his old friend Latimer, read or mention the Scriptures him. 'His mind wandered, the blood froze in his veins, he sank under his terrors; he lost all sense, and almost his life, and lay motionless in the arms of his astonished friends.' He could obtain no consolation."

"...he resolved to rectify the great wrong he had done. He determined never again to renounce the truth of God's Word."

He returned to Norfolk the town where he had first preached. He no longer had a license to preach and was soon apprehended.

"The night before [his] execution, friends who came to comfort, reminded him, 'Though the fire would be hot, God's spirit would cool it.' To show them his lack of fear he put his finger in the candle flame, leaving it there until it was burned off to the first joint. He told them, ' I feel by experience, and have known it long by philosophy, that fire by God's ordinance is naturally hot; but yet I am persuaded by God's Holy Word, and by the experience of some mentioned in the Word, that in the flame they felt no heat, and in the fire they felt no consumption; and I can constantly believe, however the stubble of this my body shall be wasted by it, yet my soul and spirit shall be purged thereby, a pain for the time, whereon, notwithstanding, followeth joy unspeakable.' He referred them to Isaiah 43:2 'When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.'"

"'Little' Bilney was executed at Lollard's Pit..." faithful to his Christ and to the Truth of God's Word.

Like Little-Faith, Bilney faltered and stumbled in his Christian walk, but by God's grace and the Holy Spirit coming along side, he persevered to the end to give glory to his Savior and praise to his God.



quoted material taken from the Friends of William Tyndale site.

words of encouragement from Paul 1

Romans 8
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

back to Bilney

"Since he was of a shy and bashful nature, he did not at first with boldness preach to the world. It is written that his vocation was prayer...pleading for souls".

Bilney was the leader of the protestant group in Cambridge. He and several others began meeting secretly in the White Horse Inn to discuss these new Lutheran teachings.

"Any evangelist would be proud to count among his converts those that Bilney made, names that stand high in the Reformation's hall of fame, persons without whom the English Reformation would perhaps not have been accomplished. Of Cambridge's eminent professors, Arthur, Thistle, and Stafford were the first to respond to him Latimer, Barnes, Lambert, Warner, Fooke and Soude were also among those he converted. All were men who place formost roles in the English Reformation." In fact, "he is known to have converted more great men among the English Reformers than did anyone else."

Others he was associated with were Tyndale and Frith. Bilney quietly attempted to fit his presentation of or conversation about the Gospel to the person he wished to convert.

His intensity in his love for His Savior and the Word of God must have seemed incandescent & the response to the Gospel would have reminded us of the effect of the Gospel in

Acts 2
40 And with many other words he [Peter] testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread and prayers.
47 ...praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Later Bilney became emboldened enough to preach. "It was not long, however, before opposition to his preaching developed. Twice monks forcibly drew him out of the pulpit."

This is only the beginning...

quoted material taken from the Friends of William Tyndale site. Information about Bilney specifically, is found here.

who?

The forgotten evangelist.

Oops....

Forgive me - his name is Thomas Bilney ! I'm glad the Lord knows us all and doesn't have to bother with proper names.

Excellent things...

I'm sure that Little Bliney agreed with the words from Proverbs 22:20-21:

"Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge,
That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
That you may answer words of truth
To those who send to you?"

How incredibility blessed we are to have our Bibles! I cannot imagine trying to be a Christian without having access to the Scriptures.

Just this week I was made aware (again) of the tremendous need for Bibles in China. In an article published in The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter (www.persecution.com) a Christian named "Shi Weihan printed 140,000 Bibles to give away to Christians in China. The government confiscated them all. What was the cost of his free gift? $22,000 fine, 3 years in prison and 2 daughters growing up without a father."

This faithful follower of Christ knows of the "excellent things". It will be interesting to see how Thomas Bliney fits in this interesting and ongoing story.

the story of "Little" Bilney

Paul was uniquely gifted by God for a very specific purpose,

Acts 9:
15 But the Lord said to him [Ananias], "Go, for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake."

Jesus has confirmed that if the world persecuted Him, it will persecute His followers. Would we be prepared for that?

Have you ever heard of Thomas Bilney?

He was born in Norwich, England around 1495; he was a quiet, studious young man who was ordained as a priest in 1519. Like Luther, he made intense efforts to please God through vigils, fasting, confessing, going to mass, buying indulgences, ad nauseum. All to no effect, all to no achievement of peace of mind about his standing with God.

Just at this point in time, the Greek New Testament was circulating in the "underground". Imagine trying to be Christian with no Bible?!? The Latin Vulgate (Jerome 347AD-420AD), which had been translated by him a thousand years earlier, was the only translation for the West and was restricted to the churches and monasteries. Most people would have no idea what the Word of God had to say to them!

Erasmus (a Dutch humanist, ca 1466 to 1536) prepared important new Latin and Greek editions of the Bible in 1522. His Greek New Testament was circulating in England that time. It was the first time that a parallel version of the Bible had been published, with a column of Latin on one side of the page and Greek on the other.

Bilney was called "Little" Bilney because of his slight stature. His intense desire to be right with God and his unavailing efforts to achieve this, led him finally to "read it [the NT] in secret. With considerable fear he purchased a copy and locking himself in his room, he allowed the book to fall open, and he read, "This is a faithful saying, which is worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 1 Timothy 1:15

"Bilney grasped the idea readily, that if Paul thought himself the chief of sinners, and yet was saved, then he, Bilney, even a greater sinner in his own estimation, could be saved too. What a revelation! What a relief! Instead of despair, a great inward peace now came into his soul."

The Lord had saved him. What would be God's role for this newly saved saint in this turbulent, reformation era??

Stay tuned...

the story of litte-faith

Then Christian said to Hopeful, "I recall now the story of Little-Faith (scroll down about 1/2 the page) who dwelt in the town of Sincere. The story is this: At the entering in at this passage, there comes down from Broadway Gate a lane called Dead Man's Lane; so-called because of the murders that are commonly done there; and this Little-Faith, going on pilgrimage as we do now, chanced to sit down there and fell asleep."

"Now, there happened at that time to come down that lane from Broadway Gate, three sturdy rogues, named Faint-Heart, Mistrust, and Guilt, three brothers; and they, espying Little-Faith,
came galloping up and with threats bade him stand and deliver his purse. But when he made to haste to do it (for he was loth to lose his money) Mistrust ran up to him and took from his pocket a bag of silver. Then he cried out, 'Thieves! thieves!' With that Guilt, with a great club, struck Little-Faith on the head, and felled him flat to the ground, where he lay bleeding as one that would bleed to death. All this while the thieves stood by."

"But hearing someone upon the road, and fearing it was Great-Grace that dwells in the city of Good-Confidence, they took to their heels and left this good man to shift for himself. Now, after a while Little-Faith came to himself and, getting up, made shift to scramble on his way. This was the story."

HOPEFUL. Did they take from him all that he had?

CHRISTIAN. No; the place where his jewels were they never found; so he kept them still. But he had scarce enough money to bring him to his journey's end; so he was forced to beg as he went, to keep himself alive, for his jewels he dared not sell, for if they were missing at the gate of the Celestial City, he would be shut out of an inheritance there.

HOPEFUL. But is it not a wonder they got not from him his certificate, by which, he was to be admitted at the Celestial Gate?

CHRISTIAN. It is a wonder; and it was more by good providence than by his effort, that they missed getting that good thing.

Then Christian sang:

"Poor Little-Faith! hast been among the thieves?

Wast robbed? Remember this: whoso believes

And gets more faith, shall then a victor be

Over ten thousand: else scarce over three."

This story comes from the book Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, written while he was imprisoned (around 1675) for his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

a kaleidoscope of Christians

Do we really believe that Christians are each unique, gifted uniquely by God, or do we picture them as more or less all the same?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 and 20-31

1 Corinthians 12
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?"

Obviously, God does not picture us as more or less the same.

When we think of the heros of the faith, who immediately comes to mind? The apostles, like Peter and Paul, Polycarp, Latimer, Ridley, too many to name.

But what about the unsung heros? Jesus says that even the very hairs on our heads are numbered. (Luke 12:7) So we know that He knows who they are, many of whom lost their lives for His sake and thus found them for all eternity.

More to come...

who?

The forgotten reformer.

not on the same wave length

More on conversations from Scripture ~~

Romans 8
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

It is no wonder we can't 'hear' each other, is it?

more on Calvin

I've been chasing around on the web to find some good Calvin sites & there are quite a few, as you might imagine.

Theology through Technology

Calvin500

Wikipedia

CRTA (Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics) has Calvin's complete Institutes online, that pretty cool!!

The Hall of Church History has information and sites of other Reformers.

The year of John Calvin

This may be the year of Darwin for evolutionists, but for believers it is the year of John Calvin, one of the Reformers of the 16th century, he was born in 1509. More about him soon.

think on these things

This is such exciting good news for believers!

Romans 6
5 If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.
9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him.
10 The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.