O Holy Night: Dreaming of a black and white Christmas

The third stanza of O Holy Night is the one that’s most often overlooked.  Although most know the song’s heavenly strains, few focus upon its earthly message.

That message is summed up in these few lines from the third stanza:  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. 

The person who wrote the original version of those lines was Placide Cappeau, a non-Christian French poet of the 19^th century.  Cappeau, known more back then for his radical socialism than for his poetry, was deeply opposed to all forms of oppression.  He was an abolitionist at heart – thus, the third stanza. 

The poem was then set to music by French composer Adolphe Adam, who was best known until that time for writing operas and ballets.  Between Cappeau’s reputation as a radical, and Adam’s reputation as an entertainer, O Holy Night became more and more ostracized by conservative church officials.  Rumors were started that Adam was Jewish, which made the song’s acceptance into traditional Christian circles even more difficult.

O Holy Night might have eventually faded into oblivion had it not been “rescued” by the American Unitarian minister and music journalist, John Sullivan Dwight.  Dwight was a social idealist who resonated strongly with Cappeau’s abolitionist lyrics.  His now-famous English translation of Cappeau’s inspired words was allegedly first published in 1855.

There are numerous Christmas carols that tell of Christ’s miraculous birth.  What’s particularly unique about O Holy Night is that it strongly upholds Christ’s essential message:  Love one another.

Whether Christmas is white or not…

Resources

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/o_holy_night.htm

http://www.carols.org.uk/white_christmas.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Holy_Night

http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/johnsullivandwight.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placide_Cappeau

Copyright December 25, 2010 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved