AWAY IN A MANGER

Please accept my wishes for a beautiful and memorable Christmas. For this week I decided to choose the beautiful simple message of Away In A Manger. According to Wikipedia, the online dictionary, "The song was first published with two verses in an Evangelical Lutheran Sunday School collection, Little Children's Book for Schools and Families (1885) where it simply bore the title "Away in a Manger" and was set to a tune called "St. Kilda," credited to J.E. Clark. For many years the text was credited to the German reformer Martin Luther. Research has shown, however, that this is nothing more than a fable. In the book Dainty Songs for Little Lads and Lasses (1887) it bears the title "Luther's Cradle Hymn" and the note, "Composed by Martin Luther for his children, and still sung by German mothers to their little ones." A possible reason for the spurious attribution to Luther is that the 400th anniversary of his birth was in 1883. The words were either based on a poem written for this anniversary or were credited to Luther as a clever marketing gimmick.This song has never been found in Luther's works. The third stanza, "Be near me, Lord Jesus" was first printed in Gabriel's Vineyard Songs (1892), where it appeared with a tune by Charles H. Gabriel (simply marked "C"), thus these words are probably by Gabriel. Gabriel credited the entire text to Luther and gave it the title "Cradle Song." This verse is sometimes attributed to Dr. John McFarland, but since the popular story dates his contribution to 1904 (postdating the 1892 printing by 12 years), his contribution is highly questionable". But no matter who actually wrote it, it has been part of most Christmas celebrations for many years. And just a reminder, the Babe born in the manger was the same Son of God who later hung on the cross for the payment of mankind's sins. And if you have never accepted Him as your personal Savior, the message of Christmas has not yet changed your life. Accepting Him today would be the greatest Christmas gift.

(1) Away in a manger,

No crib for His bed

The little Lord Jesus

Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the sky

Looked down where He lay

The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay

(2) The cattle are lowing

The poor Baby wakes

But little Lord Jesus

No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus

Look down from the sky

And stay by my side,

'Til morning is nigh.

(3) Be near me, Lord Jesus,

I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care

And take us to heaven

To live with Thee there

Listen to it here. LISTEN