Today in 1856 – Adolphe Adam Died

Adolphe Charles Adam was a classically trained French musician, who lived in Paris. He wrote over 50 operas and the music for 12 ballets. We know him in hymnody for one contribution only. He gave us the music for the French carol Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night).

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth!

The original French version was recorded in 1916 by the great Enrico Caruso. He avoids the temptation of tenor histrionics and sings with simplicity and tender feeling. In French, the song begins:

Minuit, chrétiens, cest l’heure solennelle
Où l’Homme Dieu descendit jusquà nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille despérance
En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!

(2) Today in 1878 – William Whiting Died

William Whiting was chorus master at Winchester College in England for over 35 years. He wrote volumes of poetry, and a number of hymns. But only Eternal Father, Strong to Save remains in common use. He is said to have written the song as a prayer for a friend leaving for America. It became the official hymn of the British Navy, and was later was adopted by the United States as their “Navy Hymn.” It was the favourite of Franklin Roosevelt, and was used at his funeral–as it was at the funeral of another U.S. Navy president, John F. Kennedy.

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

 (3) Maria Straub (Data Missing)

Maria Straub was born in Indiana in 1838, and she died in 1898. Other details about her life are hard to come by. We know she wrote some temperance songs, such as For Mother’s Sake I Will Refrain. But though she wrote over 200 hymns as well, only one remains in use, the children’s hymn from 1878, God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall. The music for the song was composed by Solomon Straub, Maria’s brother, a prominent musician in his own right.

The song is a simple expression of childlike confidence in God, based on the reassuring words of the Lord Jesus:

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

(Matt. 10:29-31; and see Matt. 6:25-30)

God sees the little sparrow fall,
It meets His tender view;
If God so loves the little birds,
I know He loves me, too.

He loves me, too, He loves me, too,
I know He loves me, too;
Because He loves the little things,
I know He loves me, too.

He paints the lily of the field,
Perfumes each lily bell;
If He so loves the little flow’rs,
I know He loves me well.

God made the little birds and flow’rs,
And all things large and small;
He’ll not forget his little ones,
I know He loves them all.