This Day in Christian History: December 29

This Day in Christian History: December 29


December 29, 1849: The Christmas Hymn It Came Upon a Midnight Clear first published.


Born on April 6, 1810 in Massachusetts, Edmund Sears was a minister and author who is best known as the author of the Christmas hymn, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. He began preaching as a missionary at age 27 in Ohio, and later served several towns in the Boston area. He wrote a good number of theological works in addition to his hymns.

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is said to have been written upon the request of Edmund's friend, William Parsons Lunt. Originally, the poem was written as a reflection on his time as a minister, but it has since become a beloved Christmas carol. It was first published in the Christian Register on December 29, 1849.

While we here in America know the song as set to the tune of  Carol by Richard Willis, it is sung to a different tune in the U.K. Arthur Sullivan composed a tune known as Noel and adapted the lyrics to this melody around 1874.  Here is what the tune sounds like in England.



Comments

  1. TheScribblingSpriteDecember 29, 2014 at 5:58 PM

    We just sang that song the other day in worship. I didn't know that about it! Thanks for sharing!

    Ally @ The Scribbling Sprite

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amber LemusDecember 29, 2014 at 6:52 PM

      Glad you enjoyed the post, Ally! Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Stephanie Landsem With #giveaway!

Image
I'm so excited to introduce you to Biblical Fiction author, Stephanie Landsem. She is the author of The Living Water series, and the third book just came out YESTERDAY!  Welcome Stephanie! Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m a wife, mother of four, and author of The Living Water Series. I love to travel, and am lucky that I’ve been able to see many parts of the world and have visited 4 continents. At home, I love to cook, especially new ethnic cuisines from places where I’ve traveled. When I can’t go to new places, I like to be outside hiking, taking walks, or even snowshoeing during our long Minnesota winters. If it’s too cold, my favorite place to be is inside, reading a good book with a cat in my lap. What is your favorite time in History? It will come as no surprise that I’m most drawn to ancient civilizations. In college, I studied a great deal of Greek and Roman history, and perhaps that why I love researching biblical times. There’s somethin
Read more

Cave of the Winds: Historical Colorado Cave & Giveaway! Part 1

Image
Cave of the Winds: Historical Colorado Cave & Giveaway! One of the blessings of having out of state family and friends visit, is the opportunity to see the sites in your own area! Earlier in January, we took family to visit Cave of the Winds, which is only about 45 minutes from my home. It has some fascinating history, and I have some pictures and a giveaway to share with you as well! Cave of the Winds is tucked away in the foothills outside of Colorado Springs next to the cozy town of Manitou Springs. It was first discovered in 1869 but didn't become a tourist attraction until 1881. It has since become the 2nd most commercial cave in the United States. At the bottom of the cavern you see here, is where the original entrance was discovered. Two brothers, John and George Pickett, were exploring the area for caves when they heard a low howling noise. They came to investigate and climbed through a small entrance into a large cavern. Before long, the howling noise returne
Read more

When Reads the Heart with Amanda Cabot

Image
Today I am honored to welcome Amanda Cabot to our When Reads the Heart series as she shares a heartwarming letter from one of her readers.     What made me I think I should write this story?   What made me think I could write it?   Those questions bounced through my head countless times as I was working on Scattered Petals , the second of my Texas Dreams trilogy.   Yes, it’s true that I write stories of healing.   Yes, it’s true that I begin each day by praying that my words will touch readers’ hearts and deepen their faith, but why did I feel compelled to create a heroine who’s raped on her way to a wedding?   The research was painful.   So, too, was the actual writing.   I wept as I wrote the scene where Priscilla’s parents are murdered and she’s attacked.   I wept as I wrote the scenes where she tries to deal with the trauma.   And all the while, I kept asking why ?   Why was I writing this story? The answers began to come soon after the book was published in early 2
Read more