8 Morning Has Broken

This song has a rather unusual story complete with interesting twists and turns.  We think it was probably a Galeic hymn tune originally.  In Scotland in the 1880s,  a wandering minstrel was singing the tune when someone noted the melody and preserved it for posterity.  In 1918, a Scotish poet put words to the melody using the title: "Child in the Manger."  In the 1920s, the editor of a British hymnal was looking for a light and happy hymn to sing at the beginning of a new day, and he wanted it sung to the old Gaelic tune.

Eleanor Farjeon,  a well-known playwright, novelist, and journalist, who had been on a long spiritual journey, was invited to write words to the tune now known as Bunessan.  Eleanor, who became an Anglican as a teenager was originally of Jewish descent.  She had dabbled in "alternative" beliefs including reincarnation.  She was received into the Catholic church when she was 70 after living a Bohemian lifestyle.  She called the text based, on Genesis 1:5,  "Thanks for the Day."

The song took its most famous twist in the 1970s when it was recorded by a devout Muslim....Cat Stevens;  it made it to the top of the pop charts.

Please enjoy this version, sung by Steven Curtis Chapman.  This video is especially appropriate for those of us who live on the coast.

       

688 A Mighty Fortress is our God

We tend to think of Martin Luther mainly as a great reformer, Bible translator (he translated the Bible from Latin into his native language, German), political leader, fiery preacher, and theologian.  But he was also a great musician.  The poet Samuel Coleridge once said of Luther, "He did as much for the Reformation with his hymns as he did through his translation of the Bible."  It was natural for Luther to value music as he grew up in an area of Germany that was known for its music.  Undoubtedly he grew up listening to his mother sing.  He also joined a boys' choir that sang at weddings and funerals, and he became proficient with the recorder (flute).

Luther had an important part to play in the Protestant Reformation.  He was determined to restore worship to the German Church.  He worked with other musicians to create new music for Christians and he himself wrote a number of hymns. It is said that he occasionally 'borrowed' popular secular melodies for his hymns; though occasionally when a tune brought too much criticism, he was "compelled to let the devil have it back again" because it was too closely associated with bars and taverns.

In addition to his musical and translating contributions, Luther was known for posting his Ninety-five Theses (points of belief and commitment) on the door of the Wittenberg Church in October, 1517.  Because of his rabble-rousing positions on doctrine, he faced continual threats to his life and he came to know and understand the gracious power of God's sheltering hand.

"A Mighty Fortress is Our God" is undoubtedly one of his greatest hymns.  The words are based on Psalm 46 and show's Luther's awareness of our intense struggle with Satan.  This is a difficult hymn to translate because the original German words are so vivid; therefore we have about 80 different English versions available.

Enjoy this version of "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir while marveling the beautiful pictures of God's creations.

Few people are aware of the fact the Martin Luther also wrote one of our most beloved Christmas carols, "Away in a Manger."

How Great Thou Art

This hymn as we now know it is really only about 30 years old.  For a 20th century hymn, it has quickly become a world-wide favorite.  It was introduced to American audiences at Stony Brook Bible College in 1951  but it wasn't until Cliff Barrows and Bev Shea of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team used it during the famed London Crusade, that the hymn started to become universally well-known.

The original source for the words was a Swedish poem by the Reverend Carl Boberg written in 1886.  His inspiration for this text is said to have come from a visit to a beautiful country estate on the southern coast of Sweden.  He was caught in a awe-inspiring thunderstorm which swung between flashing violence followed by a clearing calm punctuated by a clear brilliant sun and the sweet songs of nearby trees. The experience prompted the pastor to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God and he penned a nine-stanza hymn.  Several years later the Swedish pastor was surprised to hear a congregation sing his poem to the tune of an old Swedish melody.

A generation later in the early 1920s English missionary Stuart Hine and his wife were ministering in Poland where they learned there was a Russian version of Boberg's poem sung to the Swedish melody.  The text was subsequently translated into German.  In 1925, the Reverend Gustav Johnson translated the original Swedish text into English.  This translation is quite different than what we typically use today but may still be found in some hymnals.  in 1927, the German was translated into the Russian language.

Stuart Hine arranged the poem into a hymn version based on an experience as he was ministering in the Carpatian mountains.  He was deeply impressed by the beauty of the woods and forest glades.  The fourth verse was written after he returned to England.

Is it any wonder that it is a world-wide favorite? A discussion of How Great thou Art is not complete without hearing the great George Beverly Shea singing it as part of a Billy Graham service. Enjoy!

493 O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

The author of this hymn text is the well known Wesley brother, Charles.  When he and his brother sent word of their conversion to their mother, Susanna, she didn't know exactly what to think of it.  She replied, "....not that I can think that you were totally without saving faith before, but it is one thing to have faith, and another thing to be sensible we have it."

His conversion resulted in Charles' changed life and he gained control of both his temper and his "unfortunate drinking habit." He also began to spread the news of what had happened to him through a new vitality that became part of his preaching.  Charles started a new area of ministry:  prison, working at the infamous Newgate Prison.  He allowed himself to be locked up with condemned men on nights before their execution so he could comfort and witness to them during their final hours. 

At the first anniversary of his conversion approached, he wrote an 18 verse hymn describing his praise to the Lord.  It was titled, "For the Anniversary Day of One's Conversion." Verse 7 began, "O for a thousand tongues to sing" inspired by words Charles had once heard "Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise Him with them all."

Beginning with a 1767 hymnbook, the seventh verse was made the first and in John Wesley's compilation Collection of Hymns in 1780, this became the first hymn in the book.  Today we usually sing verses 7,8,9, and 10 of the original .

This week's video is a combination of new and traditional music.  The original hymn is heard at the beginning with contemporary refrains between the verses.  Hope you enjoy this selection.