|
"Thou Who Wast Rich"
advent. I hope the archaic language doesn't keep you from enjoying the power of this amazing Christmas text. Those of you who are interested in foreign missions to China will enjoy the note about the poet. THOU WHO WAST RICH BEYOND ALL SPLENDOR Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor, All for love's sake becamest poor; Thrones for a manger didst surrender, Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor. Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor, All for love's sake becomes poor. Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love's sake becamest Man; Stooping so low, but sinners raising Heavenward by Thine eternal plan. Thou who art God beyond all praising, All for love's sake becamest Man. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship thee. Emmanuel, within us dwelling, Make us what Thou wouldst have us be. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Saviour and King, we worship Thee. -- Frank Houghton (1894-1972) in PRAYING WITH THE ENGLISH HYMN WRITERS, compiled by Timothy Dudley-Smith. Triangle Books, 1994. Also found in HYMNS II, InterVarsity Press, 1976. Serving as Editorial Secretary for the China Inland Mission, Frank Houghton made a trip to China in 1934 to see first-hand the progress of the work. This hymn was written at a particularly difficult time in the history of the missions to China. Missionaries had been captured by the communist Red Army and released in poor health after over a year of suffering. Others had been captured never to be heard from again. In 1934 the young missionaries John and Betty Stam (my great aunt and uncle) were captured in Anhwei and beheaded. The news of these sorrows had reached the mission's headquarters in Shanghai. Though this was a very dangerous time for both the Chinese Christians and the foreign missionaries, Frank Houghton decided he needed to begin a tour through the country to visit various missionary outposts. While traveling over the mountains of Szechwan, the powerful and comforting words of 2 Corinthians 8:9, "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor," were transformed into this beautiful Christmas hymn. It can be sung to the tune of the French Carol melody FRAGRANCE. We try to find a place for it in our Christmas worship each year. Give it a try. Frank Houghton was consecrated as Bishop of East Szechwan in 1937. For the difficult years of 1940 to 1951 he served as General Director of the China Inland Mission, a time when most missionaries were either interred or evacuated. Although some would return after War II, by 1953 there were no more foreign missionaries in China. What Hudson Taylor had begun almost 100 years earlier would be left to the Chinese Christians to continue. I guess this turned into a little lesson in the history of missions to China. Merry Christmas! Have a great week, Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu |