Middletown transcript., 1920-12-18

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The first Christmas carol
in history is the "GlOria in Excelsis'
found in the Roman mass. and in the
Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. 1t
is ascribed to Telesphorus, bishop. of
Rome, about the year A. D. 139, and
is common in both the eastern and
western churches.
An old English carol begins with the
notable words:
Behold simple. tender babe
In freezing winter night,
In homely manger trembling lies.
Alas. piteous sight
The higher critics. have wondered
how the shepherds could watch their
flocks by night, even in winter in
Judea, but this presented no difficulty
to Robert Southwell, the author of this
quaint carol, who as Jesuit was i'm
prisoned in the Tower of London, and,
after enduring the tortures of the rack,
was executed in 1894.
A popular carol among the Germans
is one written by Martin Luther for
his little son Hans. It begins:
From the highest heaven come to tell
The gladdest ews which e'er befell.
A very sad story is told in connec-
ton with this carol. In order to give
it realistic effect in a certain Luther
an church it used to be sung by boy
let down from the roof of the church
dressed as an angel. But one day the
rope broke, and the boy was killed.
This put an end to very beautiful but
dangerous Christmas custom.
At time when the liturgical and
biblical plays were popular the
Christmas carol was an important
feature. In Italy in the time of st.
Francis of Assist, in order to instruct
the people, the villagers came to the
church carrying lighted torches, and
there they saw the scene of the man.
ger filled with hay. and the OK and ass
standing in their places near the
Virgin and Child. Then it was that
st. Francis and his friars stood by the
manger all night long, giving God
thanks that by this means the hearts
Of the people had been touched.
'Rare old Ben Jonson," In the days
Of the "Good Queen Bess,'' wrote a
carol which begins II sing the Birth
was born tonight" And about that time
appeared a very popular carol which
is sung in "Merrie England even to
the present day. the first line Of which
is "GOd rest you, merrie gentlemen" ("
Some old Christmas carols have come
down to us in half Latin and half
English. Among them is carol which
appears In the collection for Grace
church, New York city:
When Christ was born Of pure Marie
In Bethlehem. that fair citie.
Angels sang with mirth and glee
In Excelsis Gloria.
In this "Grace collection" there is a
carol commencing 'Over the world on
Christmas morn," by DR.. Mackay
Smith.
The uncouth carol of the sixteenth
century has given place to the popu-
lar Christmas hymn Of later days.
Wherever the English language is
spoken Charles Wesley's hymn, "Hark.
the Herald Angels Sing" finds a place
in the sanctuary. It is also translated
into the languages Of India. China and
Japan. Its author was the brother of
the founder of Methodjsm. He was a
true poet and a perfect hymn writer.
His masterpiece is the beautiful hymn
"Jesus. Lover Of NY Soul" which was
sung by the Princess Alice at the
deathbed of the prince consort of
England, the lamenred husband Of
Queen Victoria.
"Come all ye faithful" is the