O Little Town of Bethlehem In 1859, Phillips Brooks graduated from Episcopal Theological Seminary and began his ministry as a pastor. He was a Harvard graduate as well, who had tried his hand at teaching Latin but had given up and turned to prayer and Bible study to find his way. In 1861, Brooks became pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia. He was a master orator and his special love of children drew literally thousands to his congregation. But by 1863, the country was in the middle of the Civil War and his fervor was beginning to wane. Every Sunday, he looked down at the widows and mournful faces and became weary of trying to find a message of joy or peace. Then, president Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and Phillips Brooks was asked to preside over the funeral ceremony. He was not Lincolns pastor, but was asked because of his fame as an inspirational speaker. By 1865, poor Brooks needed a break so that he could regain his faith and renew his spirit. He left America for an extended visit to the Middle East. While there, he toured the spots of Biblical importance. On Christmas Eve in Jerusalem that year, Brooks felt the need to get away from the masses of people who crowded the village streets. He borrowed a horse and spent time wandering, lost in thought. Just as the sun was setting, he rode into the tiny town of Bethlehem and the clear sky became full of stars. Awed by the wonder of the scene and how our Savior came from such humble beginnings, his faith was inspired! He returned to his congregation with high hopes that his experience would inspire his flock. But the words failed him and he grew desperate for a way to share how he felt. In December of 1868, he recalled his time in the Holy Land again. This time, the words flowed and soon formed a poem. Brooks enthusiastically took his poem to good friend and church organist Lewis Redner so that the words could be set to music. Redner struggled at first and on Christmas Eve went to bed in discouragement--with nothing on the page. As he lied there, a melody finally came to him and just in time for the Christmas day service! The song O Little Town of Bethlehem was presented at church and soon became extremely popular in Philadelphia and around the world. Phillips Brooks is known as one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century, but his inspired song is a large part of what makes him so well-loved. https://youtube/watch?v=cpHY3jU27dc
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:39:59 +0000
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