|
"Thou Who Wast Rich"
There is a treatment update at the end of this message. www.caringbidge.org/visit/carlstam ===================================== Today's WORSHIP QUOTE is one of my favorite poems about Christ's first 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, especially outreach to China, will enjoy the note at the end about the poet (and about John and Betty Stam). 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, Savior and King, we worship thee. Emmanuel, within us dwelling, Make us what Thou wouldst have us be. Thou who art love beyond all telling, Savior and King, we worship Thee. — Frank Houghton (1894-1972) in PRAYING WITH THE ENGLISH HYMN WRITERS, compiled by Timothy Dudley-Smith. Triangle Books, 1994, ISBN 0281044333. I first became familiar with this great hymn from HYMNS II, InterVarsity Press, 1976, ISBN 0877847835. 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. Hudson Taylor's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Howard Taylor, wrote the celebrated biography of John and Betty Stam (my great aunt and uncle), THE TRIUMPH OF JOHN AND BETTY STAM. A couple of years ago, I put together a photo-essay on John and Betty Stam and their death as Christian missionaries in 1934. If you haven't seen this, please take a look. www.carlstam.org/familyheritage/jbstam.html Merry Christmas! Have a great week, Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Ministries The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw ============================== TOPICAL INDEX FOR FORTY-THREE GETTY/TOWNEND HYMNS http://www.gettymusic.com/topicalindex.pdf ============================== ============================== THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 1 (Ed Willmington): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-05 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 2 (Carl Stam): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-12 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 3 (Donald Hustad): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-19 THE PLACE OF THE CHOIR IN WORSHIP: PART 4 (Ron Man): http://www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2010-01-26 ============================== ============================== HEALTH UPDATE & PRAYER REQUEST FOR CHIP STAM, CANCER PATIENT www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam ============================== December 22 Treatment Update Dear friends and family (and some strangers), Once again, thanks so much for loving us and praying for us during this long (really long!) cancer journey. Journal entries and lots of pictures are found at www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam. God has been very good to us in countless ways, but we are weary. The LORD is so good, but He is not always fast. GRAFT VS. HOST DISEASE We are enduring the same routines of ups and downs: itching is up (GvsH rash), the swelling is down; and the various viruses seem to be in check. The blood pressure is stabilized for the present (Thank the Lord). I am still taking fifteen different daily medications with another three waiting in the wings in case I need them. We are convinced that the LORD has blessed us with excellent medical care. Today, December 22, was the longest day in the cancer clinic that we can remember. I got there at 8:00am, and I was there until (drum roll, please!) 5:55pm. My work today as a "patient" patient included vital signs (weight, temperature, and blood pressure), accessing my Double Purple Power Port, giving about ten small vials of blood for daily tests, an infusion of CANCIDAS, an infusion of IVIG (PRIVIGEN, immunoglobulin), an infusion of platelets, an MRI of L3 and L4, and an infusion of a unit of blood. Whew! And I started the day wondering, "When is my nap?" MRI ON MY BACK I had an MRI of my lower back yesterday, December 21, and another one today. These will help the neurologists understand what is going on with my neuropathy (numbing and tingling in my feet and hands) and the possible nerve damage in my left leg. Prayers appreciated. No results yet. For the present, I have been given a plastic brace for my left foot to keep my toes from dragging when I am walking. It really works. I am thankful. LOOKING AHEAD—PET SCAN The next PET SCAN will be on December 29 (Doris's birthday). You may remember that it was after the last PET SCAN (July 26) that the doctors were able to describe my body as "NED" (no evidence of disease—the lymphoma, that is). That was certainly a great day in my treatment timeline. We are praying that those new scans will show (or not show) the same thing again this time. Prayers appreciated. CHRISTMAS PRESENT IDEA—DORIS'S BOOK Hey! Take a look at the material on the web site: MOUNTAIN EDUCATORS: THE DOUGHERTY FAMILY AND THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS OF APPALACHIAN. Doris's relatives started Watauga Academy in 1899 (Boone, NC), a little mountain school that finally became Appalachian State University. Please forward this information to ASU fans (www.tinyurl.com/mountaineducators). Can you tell this is the proud husband writing? CANCER CARE Please keep praying fervently for us; and don't forget to pray for and care for the cancer patients in your families, churches, neighborhoods, and places of employment. OUR STEM CELL DRIVE IS OVER. Thanks to so many who helped make it such a success. We gathered 1,853 new DNA samples in the database, and we raised over $55,000 to pay for the testing. This will save lives. Straining towards Jesus, waiting, and trusting, Chip Stam www.caringbridge.org/visit/carlstam www.wqotw.org www.carlstam.org |