WHO IS HE IN YONDER STALL

Now here's a question for you. What do the songs "Up On The Housetop" (click, click, click) and "Who Is He In Yonder Stall" have in common? ... Give Up? They both were written by the same person, Benjamin Russell Hanby. He is also the author of "Darling Nellie Gray", written in 1856, about some of the evils of slavery. "Up on the Housetop," was composed in 1864 while he was serving as minister of a church in Dayton, Ohio. The hymn "Who is He in Yonder Stall" was written in 1866. Born July 22, 1833 near Rushville, Ohio, he later moved to Westerville, Ohio to attend Otterbein College. He was a father, a minister, and an abolitionist. His home was a stop for the Underground Railroad and he helped free slaves. The "Hanby House" where he lived in Westerville is now owned by the Ohio Historical Society and is open as a museum. The Ohio Historical Marker next to his grave reads: "Song writer and minister of the United Brethren Church. Hanby was an Otterbein College graduate, class of 1858." The last song he wrote before he died, at the age of 33, was, "Who is He in Yonder Stall". This is one of the clearest expositions of the life and work of Christ. We used to teach this hymn to children when we did children's work because it so clearly outlines the key aspects of the life of Christ. All it is missing is a verse about Christ's promised return. It is usually sung as shown below, but often musical artists sing it as a series of questions with each question followed by the answer given in the refrain.

(1) Who is He in yonder stall

At Whose feet the shepherds fall?

Who is He in deep distress,

Fasting in the wilderness?

Refrain

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

(2) Who is He the people bless

For His words of gentleness?

Who is He to Whom they bring

All the sick and sorrowing?

Refrain

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

(3) Who is He that stands and weeps

At the grave where Lazarus sleeps?

Who is He the gathering throng

Greet with loud triumphant song?

Refrain

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

(4) Lo! at midnight, who is He

Prays in dark Gethsemane?

Who is He on yonder tree

Dies in grief and agony?

Refrain

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

(5) Who is He that from the grave

Comes to heal and help and save?

Who is He that from His throne

Rules through all the world alone?

Refrain

'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story!

'Tis the Lord! the King of glory!

At His feet we humbly fall,

Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!

You can listen to it here. LISTEN

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

Yesterday and today I've spent considerable time trying to remove the snow from our sidewalks and driveway. I can't say that I enjoy doing that, but I have been struck by the fact that it is so still and quiet outside with the snow falling. Traffic is almost nonexistent. People are inside. And the snow falls so quietly. I guess we just aren't used to stillness and quietness anymore. But as I was working. the words of this week's hymn choice kept going through my mind, especially the first verse, "O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! … " It must have been a still, quiet night when Jesus was born. And the silence was broken by the angel choir. This thought was part of what led Philip Brooks to write this special carol. He was an Episcopal Priest, and he first thought about this song while he was on a journey to the Holy Land in 1865. On Christmas Eve, while he was heading to Jerusalem from Bethlehem, he stopped at an open field, to watch the dusk envelop the town. And after that, he attended a five hour church service at the Church of Nativity. And for three long years, he kept his memories to himself. Then he was motivated to share his memories with a church gathering. And what he did was write a five stanza poem, and give it to the church organist, Lewis Redner, who gave the poem its musical background. And this song was heard for the first time on December 27, 1868. Four of the more familiar verses are shared below.

(1) O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

(2) For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth!

(3) How silently, how silently, the wondrous Gift is giv'n;

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His Heav'n.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.

(4) O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!

Listen to it here. LISTEN

HE BECAME POOR

Each year at Christmas, once this week's choice gets into my mind, I sing it over and over again. Its words continually minister to my heart. It is amazing to me that the God who has created and controls this vast universe would allow His Son to leave all the glory and riches of heaven to become poor and come to this earth, for me. We are living in very difficult times and while most of us are so blest, there are so many folks who are struggling because they have so little. Some have become poor because they've lost their jobs and their homes. It's not been their choice. There are homeless folks all around us. But none of us would ever willingly trade what we have for their situations. We would never choose to be poor. But that is exactly what Christ did for us. He came to be born in a lowly manger, then to be rebuked and finally crucified. When I chose this hymn for this week I became frustrated because I can only find the words of one verse. Damaris Carbaugh does a stirring arrangement of this, but she just sings one verse in English and one in Spanish. The song has a 1958 copyright by the Lillenas Publishing Company, so the rest of the words must exist somewhere. Maybe you can locate them for me. Both the words and the music were written by Byron Carmony, a pastor for 40 years. And that is about all that I can find. However, the words of this one verse are so powerful and stirring that I still had to post them. Meditate on them with hearts full of gratitude and amazement as you prepare for this Christmas season.

They borrowed a manger of hay for His bed; Jesus my Savior;

No soft, downy pillow, no warm cradle spread for Jesus, my Lord.

CHORUS:

His were the planets and stars in the sky;

His were the valleys and mountains so high;

His, all earth's riches from pole unto pole;

But He became poor to ransom my soul.

(Spanish verse)

En rudo y prestado pesebre nació, Cristo, mi Cristo;

Ni cama ni almohada su cuerpo gozó, Jesús, mi Señor.

Dueño era El de las pléyades mil,

Suyos los valles, y montes sin fin,

Ricos tesoros El puede contar,

Mas pobre vivió, mi ser por salvar.

© 1958 by Lillenas Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

HE BECAME POOR ... CONTINUED

Thanks to my cousin, Karen, we now have the other verses of the hymn "He Became Poor". Here they are.

They borrowed a colt--lowly beast for a King, Jesus, my Saviour

No court gave Him honor, no carillons ring for Jesus, my Lord.

His were the planets and stars in the sky;

His were the valleys and mountains so high;

His, all earth's riches from pole unto pole,

But He became poor to ransom my soul.

He borrowed a room for the Passover Feast, Jesus my Saviour;

Becoming both Servant and Heavenly Priest, this Jesus, my Lord.

His were the planets and stars in the sky;

His were the valleys and mountains so high;

His, all earth's riches from pole unto pole,

But He became poor to ransom my soul.

They borrowed a tomb for the Crucified One, Jesus, my Saviour

No monument royal for God's only Son for Jesus, my Lord.

His were the planets and stars in the sky;

His were the valleys and mountains so high;

His, all earth's riches from pole unto pole,

But He became poor to ransom my soul.

WONDERFUL NAME HE BEARS

I've mentioned here before how much I love the beautiful music that is played overnight on Fridays and Saturdays by our local Christian radio station. Often I wake early in the morning and meditate on the words of this special music. But there is one problem. Early Saturday morning the music is interrupted by a 30 minute program that I really don't care for. Much of it is very dull preaching, often by a monotone speaker who is obviously reading his message. But before the speaker they often have a quartet sing an old hymn, usually one that I haven't heard in many years. Sometimes it is one that I used to sing, years ago, with The Gospel Four quartet. Yesterday that happened and they sang my choice for this week. I found myself singing along even though I haven't heard the words for years. I decided to get up and I went to my computer to find the words before I forgot them. After much searching, I was successful in finding the words. But I couldn't find anything about the background of the hymn, except for some information about the writer, Alfred H. Ackley, 1887-1960. He was born in Pennsylvania and showed great promise as a child. His musician-father personally tutored him before sending him to New York City to study music. From there, it was on to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Alfred then returned to the States to attend Westminster Seminary in Maryland, and he was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry in 1914. After pastoring a church in his home state of Pennsylvania, Alfred was called to a congregation in California where he wrote his most famous hymn, "He Lives". But all I could find about this particular hymn is that it was copyrighted in 1938 by The Rodehaver Company. And I also can't even find any sources where you can go to listen to it. (Come and see me and I'll try to sing it for you.) But, hopefully, the words will still minister to you. It shares important things about the life of Christ, and then, like most old hymns, it ends with a stirring verse about the future. And that is my favorite verse of this hymn.

Wonderful birth, to a manger he came,

Made in the likeness of man, to proclaim

God's boundless love for a world sick with sin,

Pleading for sinners to let him come in.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful life, full of service so free,

Friend to the poor and the needy was he;

Unfailing goodness on all he bestowed,

Undying faith in the vilest he showed.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful death, for it meant not defeat,

Calvary made his great mission complete,

Wrought our redemption, and when he arose,

Banished for ever the last of our foes.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful hope, he is coming again,

Coming as king o'er the nations to reign;

Glorious promise, his word cannot fail,

His righteous kingdom at last must prevail!

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.