Would We Reject It Today?
"Truly He taught us to love one another.
His law is love, and His gospel is peace."
- O Holy Night
One of the most beautiful and emotional Christmas songs is "O Holy Night" by Placide Cappeau. I love the lyrics that speak of Jesus saving us from our error and revealing our soul's worth. I love the thrill of hope, and the announcement of a new and glorious morning for the world.
It seems that this song is loved by everyone I know, but I can't help but wonder, if this song were written in modern times, by the kind of people that were involved originally, would all of us embrace the song so generously? In fact, this most lovely and glorifying song about Jesus carried controversy in the old days because of the vessels that brought it to us.
I remember a few years ago, a popular Christian singer appeared on the TV show of an openly gay host. This brought public criticism from Christians who objected to her choice of, not only appearing on the show, but actually being kind to the host. Some said they would no longer be listening to her music.
I was happy to find out that, following the appearance, the singer had the best sales week for a Christian album in many years. She had broadened her audience and gained new fans simply by giving them a taste of the fruit of the Spirit.
Not long ago, a believer in Jesus wrote a best-selling book that became a movie. It was a powerful work that touched many of us in a deep, spiritual way. Lives were changed and hearts were healed from the message. Yet, I heard many Christians were boycotting and telling others not to read or see it, because the writer believed in a different criteria for God's acceptance than what is fundamentally believed by many. I happened to notice that a lot of those who rejected the work, were the ones who could have benefited greatly and might have experienced a heart-healing from the deep truth in the story.
"O Holy Night" was written by a Frenchman, Placide Cappeau, a wine distributor who was derided by some worshippers as a drunk and a socialist. And if you're a protestant with strong anti-pope feelings, I'll just throw in that he also attended a catholic church. Later, he quit Christianity (but not Christ), which garnered more criticism.
The man who set the poem to music, was Adolphe Adam, who was rumored to be not a Christian at all, but a Jew, and they said he only did the song for financial gain.
The song was removed from some hymnals. Organists and singers were rebuked at times for playing the song. It was expunged from many dioceses. It was banned from many churches. Yet, the song struck such a chord in the hearts of worshippers, that it continued to rise in popularity.
John Sullivan Dwight was the man who translated the song into English, inserting his own ideas in a few places. The result was marvelous. Oh, but now I see that Mr. Dwight was a Unitarian minister who was heavily influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was, and is not in line with many Christian fundamental beliefs.
How did such a heavenly sound come from such men? All I can say is, I'm glad it does. It can come from you and me. God doesn't need gold and silver vessels in the eyes of men. He has earthen vessels, so that the praise is to God and not us.
We are all seen as flawed, and so we judge ourselves and others incorrectly. Long laid the world in sin and error, pining. Until He appeared and the soul felt its worth. This is a season to look to Jesus, who reveals that God is our Father with amazing grace and unlimited love. We can rejoice in this truth, and celebrate it with songs of joy, songs like "O Holy Night".
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
- 2 Corinthians 4:7