Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-23
ORIGIN OF IMMORTAL
HYMN, "STIlLE NACHT"

I
eve, the vicar of Oberndorf. Joseph
Mohr. came to the teacher Of Arnsdorf
Franz Gruber. bringing a sheet of
paper with him, saying. Friend, could
you set to music this little poem
| which I have written? You understand
! that sort of thing, and tonight we can
| have II sung at the Christmas mass.
! 1t is real simple and childlike. but it is
well meant" Gruber whose duty 1t
was to provide church music in Obern
dorf on holidays. did not need much
! persuasion, and taking the sheet Of
paper with the little poem On ii, sat
down to the piano and in an incred-
| IDLY short time had struck of the tune
On Christmas eve the church at
Oberndorf shone In :he brilliant light
OF many candles. and was crowded
with wuTsfiippers The priest stood at
the altar, clouds Of incense assembled
| and the soft tons of the organ re-
sounded. But bark. Suddenly hymn
ar;ses, sunh only the angels in
heaven might sing TO the little Christ
child. All hold their breath. No one
wishes TO miss a single note of the
wonderful melody From the choir
loft descend it's majestic tones:
Silent night! Holy night,
All Is calm. all Is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace. ..
Silent night, Holy night!
Shepherds wake touched with fright.
Glories stream from heaven afar:
Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah,
Christ the Savior is born.
Silent night, Holy night!
Son Of God! Light OF light!
o how love beams from his face.
With the dawn of heavenly grace,
At Immanuel's birth!
The mass was over. The faithful
We're returning home with divine JOY
in their hearts: but their lips kept re-
peating the words. silent night; holy
night"
Rapidly the hymn spread not only
over the Salzourg country. but also
turnout neighboring Bavaria and, Aus
tria- The organ builder Mauracher,
who himself heard II sung by Mohr.
brought 1t to the Tyrol In the year
1888 the Zilerthal singers came to
Leipsic. and there sang the hymn at
the Christmas mass In Leipsic 1t was
known turnout the world At the pres
ent day it Is a popular folk song. and
is glariy sung by all Christians OF the
German tongue who celebrate the adj
vent OF the heavenly child Even be-
yound the seas in the new world, 1t is
heard. and there exerts powerful in
ftuence over German sentiment For
a long time nothing was known OF the
origin Of the hymn. Both writer and
composer were far too modest to pub
lish broadcast the authorship OF the
hymn and had informed only a small
circle of It. Many, therefore, supposed
that Mozart or Hayden had composed
the magnificent hymn. Only in recent
times have its true originators become
widely known. and they deserve that
their names should not be forgotten.
Joseph Mohr was the child Of poor
parents. and was born in Salzburg in
1892 Having a beautiful voice. he
became one Of the singers In the
cathedral choir. Later on he took or
ders in the Catholic church, and died
as vicar of Wagrein, 1s4S.
Franz Gruber was born In upper
Austria, 1877, as son Of poor weaver
In Burghausen he received his must
cal education In 1906 he came to
Arnsdorf. and died as choir leader OF
the parish church OF Hallein in 1868.
Both men have long lain at rest
Yet increasingly does this immortal
hymn swell in countless human hearts:
Sleep in heavenly peace!-Adapted
from the German by Mrs. L. F. Mis-
kovsky in The Advance.
Inventors Of excuses seldom require
the assistance of a patent attorney.