24 Days of Christmas - Day 19

Carol: Silent Night, Hymn #204

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

Story: Silent Night: How it Came to be Written

On Christmas Eve, 1818, in the little Alpine village of Oberndorf in northern Austria, it was snowing hard. The people of the little town had long before gone to bed and all was quiet and still. But there was one light still burning. It shone from the study window of the young priest, Joseph Mohr.

Joseph Mohr had not been able to go to sleep that night and he had been pacing up and down his study, pausing now and then to look out of the window at the silent, snow covered scene before him. He was deeply worried. Christmas, a day of music and rejoicing, was almost there and as yet he had seen no way to overcome the disappointment he knew was in store for his congregation.

The truth of the matter was that the church organ was in need of repair and there was no
repairman in the town of Obenrdorf and the heavy snows had made it impossible to get one from anywhere else.

He was thinking of this and at the same time was remembering a conversation he had had
the preceding summer with his friend, Franz Gruber, a school teacher in the town of Arnsdorf not far away. Gruber was also an accomplished musician and played the organ in the village church. One day, as was their custom they had been sitting in the pastor's garden singing together to the accompaniment of Gruber's guitar. Suddenly Gruber had stopped in the middle of a hymn and turned to his friend.

"Father," he had said, "do you realize that of all these Christmas songs we've been singing none expresses the real Christmas spirit? "

"You are right, my friend," the priest answered. "Perhaps one day someone will write a song that will tell simply the meaning of the Holy Night. "

"Why should not that someone be you ? " asked the schoolmaster. Joseph Mohr had laughed. "And will you write the music if I do? " "Of course," Gruber replied. "And I'm quite serious about this. I'm sure you can do it. "

In the weeks that followed this conversation, Joseph Mohr had tried to write that song. But
somehow, try as he would, the words simply didn't come; and now on Christmas Eve he felt a little sad as he thought of the service the next evening with no organ and no new song to sing to his people as he had planned.

As he stood at his window now, lost in thought, he suddenly realized that someone was
struggling through the deep snow toward his house. He rushed to the door and went out to help his exhausted visitor into the warmth of his fire. It was a woman, too breathless to speak for some moments, but at last she was able to tell her story.

She had come over the mountain from the cabin of a friend of hers who that night had given
birth to her first child, a son.

"And Father, " the woman concluded, "her husband , who is a young woodcutter, is very anxious that you come and bless the new mother and the babe this very night. "

"Of course I'll go. " the priest answered.

"But the snow is getting very deep down," the woman protested. "I came as I promised him I would, but I'm sure he'll understand if you wait until morning. 'Twas not snowing hard like this when I left their house. "

"I don't mind the snow. And the walk will be good for me," Joseph Mohr answered. "I'm feeling too wakeful to go to bed anyway. You stay here until you're rested before you go home."

Bundling himself up in his warmest clothes and taking a stout cane to help him, the priest started out. It was several miles to the woodcutter's cabin and the heavy snow made it difficult to walk, but when he arrived and opened the door he caught his breath at the scene before him. It was one he would never forget.

There was the new mother in her bed smiling happily at her husband, who was kneeling in
adoration before a crude wooden crib in which lay his newborn son. It seemed to Joseph Mohr that he was looking at a scene that had taken place in Bethlehem of Judea many ages before.

The young woodcutter felt the sudden draft of cold air and rose quickly to his feet. "Welcome, Father, " he cried. "I didn't expect you to come when I realized how hard it was snowing; but I'm grateful you're here. "

Proudly he led the priest over to the cradle where the child lay and Father Mohr admired the baby and then gave him and the mother his blessing.

Although the woodcutter wanted the priest to partake of some refreshment before he left,
Father Mohr replied that he must be on his way. Bidding goodbye to the happy parents, he set out for home - but this time the way didn't seem quite so hard. The snow was no longer falling hut the branches of the pine trees bent low under their heavy white mantle. The stillness in the forest was awe-inspiring. As he plowed through the drifts the pastor kept thinking of the little family he had just left. Truly this had been a holy night.

At home, he could hardly wait to take off his coat and warm his stiff fingers. Then he sat down at his desk and began to write. It was early morning before he finished and fell exhausted upon his bed for a little rest.

But he didn't stay there long. Soon he arose, ate his breakfast and hurried out again. This time he went in the direction of Arnsdorf where his friend Franz Gruber lived. When Gruber opened his door Joseph Mohr handed him the manuscript containing the words he had written in the early morning hours.

Recipe: Homemade Chewy Caramels

1 c. sugar
3/4 c. dark corn syrup
1/2 c. butter
1 c. light cream
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 T. vanilla

Combine sugar, syrup, butter and 1/2 c. of the cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the remaining 1/2 c. cream and cook slowly until at the firm ball stage. Remove from heat and add nuts and vanilla. Pour into a greased pan to set.