STAY WELL & SPARKLE  –  The Greatest Song?

O HOLY NIGHTWhat is your favourite song of all time? Break Every Chain? Solomon Roulay, Unchained Melodies? or C.K’s I Die Nah?

Mine? Well, just the other day I listened to dear friends go at it:  “You mad nah! How could Jesus be born on December 25?!” she screamed. He pontificated on the likely weather in Nazareth this time of year. She countered with that Roman emperor who added a month to the calendar. Yet another questioned the timing of the census this pregnant couple were traveling for.

“Come on guys. You missing the point entirely.” I interjected. “This argument will never ever be settled to everyone’s satisfaction.” The bottom line is, if one is not a Scrooge, faith accepts that special night, the Divine impacted humanity in a powerful way – and planet Earth has never been the same since.”

The following is my adaptation of a published article, ‘The Amazing Story of O Holy Night.’

In 1847, poet Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was a commissionaire of wines in a small French town. He was asked by his parish priest to pen a poem for Christmas mass. During a trip to Paris, Cappeau imagined witnessing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem as described in the Gospel of Luke and composed “Cantique de Noel.”

Cappeau felt he really was on to something so he went beyond the call of duty and sought accompaniment from Adolphe Charles Adams, a professional musician friend. Though Adams was Jewish and allergic to Christmas, he quickly put a tune together for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. “Cantique de Noel” became one of the most beloved Christmas songs in France. However, when the church establishment discovered Adams ethnic heritage, the song was suddenly denounced as unfit for church services because, hello, “its lack of musical taste and ‘total absence of the spirit of religion.’” As is often the case, when the church gets it so wrong, a resilient remnant prolongs the fight for truth and reason. The French people continued to sing it even more.

Ironically, even as Cappeau would later forsake the church to become a revolutionary socialist, his song continued to win hearts and minds for Christ. In 1871, during fierce fighting in the Franco-Prussian War, a French soldier jumped up from his muddy trench and started singing O Holy Night. At first they thought he was shell-shocked but then German soldier responded in like manner. Contagiously, both armies laid down their weapons and celebrated together the coming of the Christ child. Think the militaries of the Middle East today could ever do something like that?

But the best was yet to come! The song broke loose into the new world via an unlikely reclusive American writer, John Sullivan Wright. Something in that song moved Wright into action. An ardent, anti-slavery activist, Wright was struck by the words,

‘Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His Gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His name all oppression shall cease.’

Dwight published the English translation in his magazine, never expecting the song to find such widespread favour, especially spurring on the cause of the North during the American War Between the States.

But there is more!

In 1906, Reginald Fessenden, A 33-year-old university professor and associate of Thomas Edison made a dramatic technological breakthrough. Using a new type of generator, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man’s voice was broadcast over the airwaves:

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…” Radio operators on ships and wireless owners at newspapers, accustomed with the staticky beeps of Morse Code, were astonished at what some believed was the voice of an angel.

Fessenden was probably unaware of the sensation he was causing as men and women rushed to their wireless sets to catch this Christmas Eve miracle. After finishing his recitation of the birth of Christ, Fessenden picked up his violin and played “O Holy Night,” the first song ever sent through the air via radio waves!

Think about it. ‘O Holy Night’ was initiated by a forgotten French country parish priest, written by a poet later to abandon the faith, given soaring music by an unbelieving Jewish composer, used by Americans against the sin of racism and has become one of the most beautiful, inspired pieces of music ever created.

So as breaking news bombard us of the mayhem and madness, the witchcraft and the wickedness around the world, we give thanks for the inner peace we experience at this time. We strive indeed to show that love for one another, not only for family and friends at home and abroad, but also for the poor, the imprisoned, for our opponents, political and otherwise. This, indeed, is a special time for remembering the sick, the stranger, the disabled, the elderly, the lonely and the unborn.

My wish above all things is that indeed you stay well and sparkle in this blessed season. And now we can listen with new meaning to the lyrics of what I feel so profoundly is the greatest song ever written.

Dr. Sam Christian
Dr. Sam Christian

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Sam Christian is specialist surgeon who runs the Urgent Care on 137 Bath Road. It is a private practice ‘Casualty’ that offers timely medical care, office surgery, acupuncture and microdermabrasion. He is Medical Adviser to the Dominica Cancer Society and author of the faith and fitness nutrition book, ‘Mannafast Miracle.’ Dr. Christian can be reached at 440-9133. For more information, log on to the Urgent Care website

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12 Comments

  1. Francisco Telemaque
    December 28, 2014

    Ms. Educator, I am not suggesting that whosoever wish to celebrate Christmas should refrain from doing so, my contention is simply this the celebration of Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus Christ: Again I reiterate Jesus command his disciples that we celebrate the Passover, that to me is mandatory.

    Unfortunately, the Jehovah Witnesses are the only religion who celebrates the Passover, and they do that sometime in April I believe.

    Just because we like doing all the wrong things in life does not make make it right, and if it is not of God, it has to be satanic. It is true that in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; I believe we read and learn about the birth of Jesus, however, there is no mention of a month or any date of a month he was born. What I am going to say here is sort of unscriptural, nevertheless, you need to realize by the time the wise men; and note: the Bible never said “three wise men, or any number of men” nevertheless, when they found Jesus, the Bible plainly said “they found the young child.” Again we have to recognize that the wise men traveled for many months prior to finding Jesus, it may be two years, maybe more, from the time they saw the Star to the time they found him: So you see the confusion the doctrine of creates?

    An infant baby is a far cry from a young child. So, all of this thing; where some people have an small idol in a basket, and pictures of three men standing gazing down at the idol baby, has nothing to do with Jesus Christ and his father Jehovah. I do not care about the length of time your father had his Bible open on your table, if he believed it served a purpose relating to Christmas, he might be wrong, now if he opened it to teach you about the coming, and the birth of Jesus, his crucifixion, and resurrection, that would have served a wise, and good purpose, but if it was purely in recognition of Christmas, he wasted your time, and his time okay!

    For it is written in the Book of Matthew Chapter 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines commandments of men.”

    As such the idea that Jesus was born on the 25th day of December, is the doctrine of men, and not the word of God; you do not have to know what I am talking about, what I say true or false matters nothing. However, the word of God takes precedence over the words of any man no matter how well they frame their thoughts, and the doctrines they teach about God.

    Now I would much prefer if you simply wish me happy holidays, I see nothing wrong with one having a party in their home, or visiting friends and family at the end of the, the celebration could revolve around accomplished successes in the past year, and be happy to live through another year. Traditionally my grandmother, fed me and my siblings the best of everything at the end of the year, I maintain that tradition. I missed Boxing Day: In America, boxing day is unknown, I like meat sup on Boxing day hence I introduce Boxing day to “me moodam” okay;

    Hhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

    So she indulges in making a big pot of sup on Boxing day while life goes on as usual for the other Americans Born, she has adapted to my tradition, but our party is absolutely not celebrating the pagan holiday, and certainly we do go to church too. And so, I wish you happy holidays, all the best in the New Year, I wish all your dreams and dessier will be fulfilled in 2015.

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  2. SN
    December 27, 2014

    Francisco, we know there is no certainty Jesus was born on December 25. You mentioned there was no biblical celebration of Christmas and it was a pagan festival. There is some truth to that. However, the first celebration of the birth of Christ was when the angel announced the birth of Jesus. After making the pronouncement, there appeared a multitude of heavenly host singing and praising God (Luke 2: 13-14). We are to reflect Heaven on earth and if God made the heavenly hosts to celebrate his Son, why can’t we. The only thing that is wrong with the Christmas celebration is the commercial emphasis placed on it instead of the spiritual significance. What you fail to realize is, someone used a then existent holiday to draw attention to the fact Jesus was born savior of the world. Suddenly, a celebration which might have been confined to a small geographical area was now global, espousing the birth of the Christ child who changed the course of human history.
    Dr. Christian, although this is my favorite carol, I did not know its history. You have enlightened me and I express my thanks to you for doing so.

    • Francisco Telemaque
      December 28, 2014

      Okay, I am not contending that those of us who are believers, and followers of Jesus should not celebrate him, if we are celebrating him, we must do that on a daily basics. All I am saying is that, Christmas has nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing to do with the birth, of Jesus.

      Some people wait until December, 25th to remember God, but what happen to the eleven months prior to December 25th. The Bible told us we must pray continually, that is not an indication, we start praying today, and pray none stop, what he is say here is remember him at every hour, every minute of our life.

      We should pray daily.

      Plenty of people spend lots of money at Christmas, epically using Credit Cards, by the time the commercial holiday named Christmas is over, they take years paying off they debt, the vicious cycle continues to a point where some have to file bankruptcy.

      Do you believe that God and Jesus Christ have any part in that?

      I think not!

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  3. December 26, 2014

    Truly He taught us to love one another,
    His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
    Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
    And in His name all oppression shall cease.’ News Article

    Dr. Christian as always your message awakened the better side of me, thank you for the way you always remind me that Jesus is living in me, by the Power of Holy Spirit and through my faith in Him, the situations of this world are not so appealing to provoke that awakening.

    Yes indeed! “O Holy Night” is the most beautiful song to be penned and sung by men, and yet it would not surprise me, if I heard that the majority of today’s world, have not yet heard that song, much more to know it lyrics, the words which reminds us that God is in Primary control; His Law is Love and His Gospel—which is His message of Life in the Holy Bible—is about peace

    I do not embrace all Christian songs—especially the new ones—but I know the songs which reveal the meaning of God’s Love—the very Life of the Spirit in us, who will believe, such as “O Holy Night” which is based on the message of Life in the Holy Bible

    And as for the feasting and commercial activity which comes with the event of December 25–whatever they call it–it was not by my choice, but by the Will of God, I stopped partaking in this event years and years ago, God showed me why as time went by. It is so unfortunate that I read all sorts of leaders of Christianity blending this event of December 25, with the Birth of Jesus.

    Today I am fully aware that God entered this world in the form of man, who identified Himself as the “Son of Man” because He had a human mother—the conception that happened in a young virgin of the day. However I do not know the date of that birth, and I have no right to create one.

    As Christians we are yet to have complete understanding of God’s Word in the Bible—especially that we leave it sitting in dust on one of our shelves in the house; but that is the unfortunate thing about us, as we claim Life in Jesus Christ, but we know nothing about Him—how can we have Life in Him?

    As Jesus spoke with the unbelieving Pharisees, of His days on Earth, a part of that conversation went like this, at John 8:56- 59:

    “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by”

    It is factual that the Jewish leaders tried to kill Jesus there and then, because He spoke something which they could never understand and accept—without faith. Isn’t this the same thing that is happening up to today? Without our understanding of God’s Word for Life, we cling to “religion” which is the concept of man’s mind–his own wisdom and philosophy, such as December 25

    • December 26, 2014

      Those of us who study the Bible would know about the time God said to Moses at Exodus 3: 14, it goes like this; “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.” It is not a coincident that Jesus identified Himself as the same I AM to the Jewish Leaders, that is why they tried to kill right after He said that.

      Another thing that Jesus said about Himself is at John 14:11: “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves”.

      Then at the Book of Revelation Jesus tells us through the apostle John: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 3: 8 What is my point of all this?

      It is to show that we are to relate to God in Spirit and Truth–we will need faith to do that– for that is who He is: Eternal Spirit, Christ the Lord, whose body of flesh and bones is in the Man, whom we know as Jesus the Son. This can be compared to us, Christians, who have encountered the “new birth” for Jesus to us, pertaining to this encounter: We–Father and Son, have come to live with you. John 14; 23

      Jesus is the Person of our God of Love, the Son stands before the Father, in order to protect us, human beings, from the wrath of His Holiness—that is the reason we should know and sincerely accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior— “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself—Hebrews 6: 13 That “Himself” in this verse is the Man Jesus; the Person who holds the physical body of God Almighty, who is Spirit

      Now if we had learned all of this from the beginning, who are we to give God, Himself, a Date of Birth—for God cannot be born neither can He die—John tells us the “Jesus was in the beginning” Jesus tells us that He is the Alpha and the Omega—“the beginning and the end”

      It is by God’s will that no one should know the date of birth of Jesus, the Man, for He is the Christ of Love, Eternal Spirit, God Almighty. God was always in existence. But man refuse to accept God’s principles of Life, he had to reinstate his own; there are just too many shepherds in this world who are leading their flocks astray. Alas! Alas! Alas!

      • Francisco Telemaque
        December 28, 2014

        “I AM WHO I AM.”

        You know Elizabeth I know that you profess to be an authority on God’s word. I do not know from which Bible you are quoting, however, I read in the King James version of the Bible in the book of Exodus Chapter 3:14 “And God said unto Moses I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.”

        And if we wish to expand it we can get into the 15th verse:

        Which states: “And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: That is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.”

        Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  4. clean talk
    December 26, 2014

    My view on Christmas is this How can one die if he is not born
    Jesus came for one reason to SAVE humanity .
    No matter when he was born which is not the important item
    He was born . Let us just celebrate HIS birth and be happy HE died for us
    THANK YOU JESUS

  5. Barmweh Sorrel
    December 26, 2014

    Dr. Sam, you have such a wide range of things to share. Even as others cannot give up the vindictive backbiting of politics in this short season of goodwill, you continue to educate and inspire us.

    That song have has also been very special to me so it was nice taking a break from everything going on to lfascinating background of O Holy Night.

    • Ohio resident
      December 27, 2014

      That’s what they do when they want to come back to the society they left. b4 fleeing to and from Tiffnay Ohio .Lebron James returned to Ohio why can’t he? lol

  6. Francisco Telemaque
    December 25, 2014


    “How could Jesus be born on December 25?!”

    The person who questioned the date of the 25th day of December, as Jesus birth day might be on the right track; because there is no one alive, no matter who; I do not care who they are: pope, bishop, priest; Television, and Radio so called, televangelist, or so called reverend, or whatever they profess to be can prove without a doubt that Jesus was born on December 25th.

    Some theologians believe Jesus was born sometime in October! Now if we believe that we would now have to concentrate on the year Jesus was born, how can you pinpoint the day when Jesus was born, however, you are unable to point out the year in which he was born?

    On the hand true believers in the word of God, we know for a fact the word Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus Christ, and his birth. I am not a theologian, hence I am not prepared to challenge anyone to debate me on that, all I can say is that we cannot find not a single word mentioned in the Bible about Christmas; if it is not written in the scriptures of the Bible no matter how sincere one may be, and what religious rituals we become involved into in December, and in particular “Christmas day” that has nothing to do with God Jehovah and his Son Jesus Christ. In the first place Christmas is a pagan holiday, which was celebrated at the end of the year, Christians were not involve in such cerebrations.

    Definition of pagan: is a follower of a polytheistic religion as in ancient Rome. Are we modern day pagans? My answer to that is yes; anybody who celebrates Christmas is indeed a pagan! I know I will get plenty of thumbs down for this, nevertheless the truth is never a popular thing! What the world is celebrating on December 25th is nothing more than sensual pleasure. Hence one who has little or no religion as in Christianity, and who delights in sensual pleasure, and goods, irreligious in the sense of Christianity, or hedonistic people are indeed pagans! Those of us who believe in Christmas are into the practice of paganism!

    Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God Jehovah; never told or instructed anyone to celebrate his birth day, the only thing he instructs his disciples to do and we who are followers of Jesus must do is this: “And he took bread, and he gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying: This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.” That is observing the Passover, some will ask; what that has to do with the Passover; well, please refer to Leviticus 23:5,6, and 7:

    5. “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord passover.
    6. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.

    7. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.” So where does Christmas fit into his instructions Everything that shines is not gold, Christmas is a pagan holiday, and anyone who believes they are celebrating Jesus birth day are no less than a pagan!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

    • Ms. Educator
      December 28, 2014

      I say Merry Christmas to you Mr Telemaque. My family always celebrated Christmas ever since I could remember. My father placed the bible with a picture of the nativity scen on our center table at the beginning of the season. I was never in any doubt that is CHRIST birth we were celebrating especially when he read that scriptures about his birth. we spent the day together as a family. I don’t know what you talking about, maybe your family celebrated paganism. In any case whats in a date. Jesus WAS born anyway. I LOVE celebrating his birth. I dont celebrate my birth. He is THAT important to me. those pagans did their thing we do our thing. Cheerio! Mr Telemaque.

  7. Annon
    December 25, 2014

    And so I say, Merry Christmas to all.

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