All Rights Reserved, Terms of Use Privacy Policy Cookie Policy. 4.6 out of 5 stars 182 ratings. The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. From heaven's all gracious king. and the whole world send back the song He wrote only two hymns in his life, and "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" was one of them. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a hymn and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. Still through the ⦠He earned a degree from Harvard Divinity [â¦] It Came upon the Midnight Clear. First line: It came upon the midnight clear / It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song / It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious / It came upon the [a] midnight clear Original language: English Words: Edmund H. Sears Sears’ context was the social strife that plagued the country as the Civil War approached. The world in ⦠Prepare For Goosebumps With This Awe-Inspiring Version Of ‘It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.’. Also seen occasionally as "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" Erik Routley, University Carol Book (Brighton: H. Freeman & Co., 1961) Words: Edmund Hamilton Sears, in the Christian Register (Boston, Massachusetts: December 29, 1849), Vol. It is easy to become offended and angry at false teachers, but we must remember that if we begin to expose these teachers without love, our efforts are fleshly and lack the compassion of the Savior. It's possible to read It came upon the midnight clear as a humanist hymn, but that does not really do justice either to its author or to the hymn itself.Sears was a devout Christian who was deeply troubled by the state of the world around him and he wrote the hymn to express God's desire for peace through the rule of the Prince of Peace. ‘Peace on the earth, good will to men, The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing. There are several different keys available, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your range. and hear the angels sing! The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. the days are hastening on, It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-gracious King." âIt Came Upon the Midnight Clearâ is a poem and Christmas carol written in 1849 by Edmund Sears, an American pastor. Here's a carol that was written by an American: Reverend Edmund Hamilton Sears in 1849. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold; "Peace on the earth, good will to men, From Heaven's all gracious King." who toil along the climbing way As UM Hymnal editor Carlton Young puts it so well, the “hymn’s central theme contrasts the scourge of war with the song of the angels’ ‘peace to God’s people on earth.’” He observes that this is one of the earliest social gospel hymns written in the U.S. the days are hast ening- on, by pro phet- bards fore told,- When 4. âIt came upon a midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold: âPeace on the earth, good will to men, From heavenâs all-gracious King.â The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.â For the sheet music to this carol, visit the main page for It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. From angels bending near the Earth. "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", sometimes rendered as "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", is an 1849 poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. Nashville, TN 37212 It has been performed by many famous artists including Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban, Sixpence None the Richer, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Evancho, Bing Crosby and many others. by prophet seen of old, VHS Tape from $4.28 Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Godtube.com also provides videos with It Came Upon A Midnight Clear lyrics, singles, album information and reviews. Sears' lyrics are most regularly set to "Noel," modified by Arthur Sullivan from an English melody, or to "Carol," arranged by Richard Storrs Willis. 218. whose forms are bending low, Edmund H. SearsThe United Methodist Hymnal, No. The Christmas carol It Came Upon A Midnight Clear is a poem written by Edmund Sears. Sears is supposed to have recorded these lyrics at the behest of his friend, William Parsons Lunt, pastor of United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts, for Lunt's Sunday School. Sears' lyrics are most regularly set to "Noel," modified by Arthur Sullivan from an English melody, or to "Carol," arranged by Richard Storrs Willis. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear. to touch their harps of gold: 1. to hear the angels sing. The current stanza three in The United Methodist Hymnal poignantly articulates the situation of so many with images of those “beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low, who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow....” The second half of this stanza offers hope that the song of the “blessed angels” who “bend on hovering wings” would soothe the “Babel sounds” of a suffering world. It is right that we should joyfully sing “Hark! The author, Edmund Sears, was born in Massachusetts and claimed descent from one of the original Pilgrim Fathers. See the Christmas song lyrics table of contents for the words to more carols. Hymn Story It Came upon a Midnight Clear Hymn Lists by book of Bible This Christmas hymn was written by Edmund Hamilton Sears, a Unitarian minister in Wayland, Massachusetts, in 1849. for glad and golden hours which now the angels sing. He penned "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" while working as a part-time preacher in Wayland. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold; âPeace on the earth, good will to men, From Heavânâs all-gracious King.â. History of Hymns: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. Copyright © 2020, GodTube.com. That glorious song of old. Unrated | 1h 37min | Drama, Family | TV Movie 15 December 1984. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear lyrics . that glorious song of old, shall come the time foretold when peace shall over all the earth To hear the angels sing.” And ye, be neath- lifeâs crush-ing load, whose forms are bend ing- low, Who 3. Whether you're looking for an inspirational and encouraging song for your quiet time with God or an upbeat song to praise Jesus, Godtube.com offers the largest online database of Christian music artists! 4 For lo! It Came Upon A Midnight Clear lyrics free online! The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. 1 It came upon the midnight clear, its ancient splendors fling, View staff by program area to ask for additional assistance. Two thousand years of wrong; look now! 2 Still through the cloven skies they come, The melody to the Christmas Carol are usually set to a melody by Richard Storrs Willis or adapted from an English melody. 2 Still through the ⦠28, #52, p. 206. Massachusetts native Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810-1876) earned a degree from Harvard Divinity School and was ordained a Unitarian minister in 1839, serving congregations throughout Massachusetts. This is a Christmas Carol that doesnât focus on the holy family, but the song of the angels. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. It Came upon the Midnight Clear. From heaven’s all-gracious King.’ ORDER: I V1 V2 V3 V4 E INTRO: G VERSE 1: G C G It came upon the midnight clear, C A7 C That glorious song of old G C G From angels bending near the earth C Am D7 G To touch their harps of gold: B B7 Em B Em "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, D A7 D From heav'n's all-gracious King." It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold Peace on the earth, good will to men From heaven's all-gracious King The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled And still their heavenly music floats O rest beside the weary road, The tune appeared with other texts as early as 1850 and was first joined with Sears’ poem in the Methodist Hymnal (1878). All rights reserved. Plot. That glorious song of old, they bend on hovering wing, [... ‘O Holy Night’ – Carrie Underwood Performs... California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. with peaceful wings unfurled, It came upon the midnight clear That glorious song of old From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold Peace on earth, goodwill to men From heaven's all gracious King The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing Glorious, my eyes have seen the glory of the Lord Glorious, He stands above the rulers of the earth The carol started life as a poem written by its author who was a minister living in Massachusetts at the time. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear Transcription and chart Peter Kruger casparus60@yahoo.com E/C X-3-2-1-0-0 F/E 0-3-3-2-1-X C E/C F C F C It came u po- on a mid night clear F D7 G7 That glor i o The world in solemn stillness lay, Sears, though a Unitarian, wrote in Sermons and Songs of the Christian Life (1875), “Although I was educated in the Unitarian denomination, I believe and preach the Divinity of Christ.” He authored books quite popular in his day, including Athanasia, or Foregleams of Immortality (1857) and The Fourth Gospel, the Heart of Christ (1872). The historical context sheds some light. Privacy Policy Terms of Use California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information California - CCPA Notice. the herald angels sing” and “Joy to the world” each Christmas season. John Julian, editor of the Dictionary of Hymnology, an important British reference work at the turn of the 20th century, offers high praise for Sears’ two Christmas hymns (the other being the lesser-known “Calm on the listening ear of night”), calling them some of the best in the English language. 2. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was a Christmas poem written by Edmund Sears. The film centers on Mike Halligan, a retired cop, who suffers a fatal heart attack while putting up Christmas lights days before Christmas. Christmas Songs â It Came Upon A Midnight Clear lyrics. It was a troubled time. 2 Still through the cloven skies they come It came upon the midnight clear (StF 205) ... (âYet with the woes of sin and strifeâ¦â) reflects the widespread unrest consequent upon the gold rush and the passing of the fugitive slave law in the United States (see image below), the Chartist movement in Britain, and the political revolutions in ⦠O hush the noise, ye men of strife, One report says the hymn was first sung by locals gathered in Sears' home on Christmas Eve, however, Willis' well-known melody was not composed until the following year. This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of Salem Media Group. 3 And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Drafting during a period of personal sadness, and with news of the revolution in Europe and the United States' war with Mexico still in his mind, Sears characterized the world as being wicked, full of "sin and strife", and not understanding the Christmas message. To touch their harps of gold. This may be the only commonly sung Christmas carol in our hymnals that does not mention the birth of Christ! 'Different Kind of Christmas' - Live From ... Gaither Vocal Band - Mary, Did You Know? From angels bending near the earth, 1 It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth. This pairing remains the most popular in the United States, while in Commonwealth countries, the lyrics are set to "Noel", a later adaptation by Arthur Sullivan fr to touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-gracious King." History of âIt Came Upon a Midnight Clearâ: âIt Came Upon the Midnight Clearâ was one of the first Christmas carols to be written and composed by Americans. 1908 Grand Avenue, Still through ⦠It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold; "Peace on earth, goodwill to men, from heav'n's all gracious King!" The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing. The movement gathered strength as the 20th century approached, influenced by the writings of Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918) and hymns such as Washington Gladden’s “O Master, let me walk with thee” (1879) and Frank Mason North’s “Where cross the crowded ways of life” (1903). It came upon a midnight clear: For Attleboro area Catholics, that may not include Mass at midnight ... At others, there is no Mass at midnight, but additional Masses have been added on ⦠After seven years of tough work, he experienced a breakdown and returned to Wayland. 1 It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, good will to all, from heaven's all-gracious King." 2 With sorrow brought by ⦠"Peace on the earth, good will to men, It came upon the midnight clear. “But with the woes of sin and strife In 1850, Sears' lyrics were set to "Carol", a tune written for the poem the same year at his request, by Richard Storrs Willis. come swiftly on the wing. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing. Mickey Rooney plays Mike Halligan, a retired cop from Manhattan living in California with his family who decides to show his grandson, who has never seen snow before, what a real white ... See full summary ». Peace on the Earth, goodwill to men. from heaven's all-gracious King." The world has suffered long; Luke 2:14 says the angels said âPeace on the Earth, good will to men.â Edmund Hamilton Sears was born in 1810. The California Gold Rush was creating excitement, but was also disrupting when with the ever-circling years Second Sunday after Christmas, Year B - Lectionary Planning Notes, Follow Me! He wrote this carol during the times of social upheaval as a result of the industrial revolution in New England, and also the frantic Gold Rush to California. To touch their harps of gold: A Prayer for False Teachers to Repent - Your Daily Prayer - December 28. and ever o'er its Babel sounds It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was written by Edmund Hamilton Sears in 1849. British hymnals prefer the tune NOEL by Sir Arthur Sullivan (1842-1906) for this hymn, but hymnals in the U.S. overwhelmingly prefer CAROL by Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900). Edmund Sears served the Unitarian congregation in Wayland, Massachusetts, before relocating to a bigger congregation in Lancaster. And hear the angels sing!” Discover the lyrics and story of this renowned hymn along with video performances below! It Came upon the Midnight Clear Edmund Hamilton Sears, 1849 Richard Storrs Willis, 1850 Public Domain Courtesy of the Cyber Hymnal⢠5. For lo! It Came Upon A Midnight Clear has been recorded by Frank Sinatra among many others. Discipleship Ministries 2 Still through the cloven skies they come. Dr. Hawn is professor of sacred music at Perkins School of Theology. And man, at war with man, hears not the blessed angels sing. This hymn centers around the theme of angelic singers sharing the message of "Peace on earth, good will to men." In his youth, Sears developed his love for poetry. This hymn comes from a Boston publication, Christian Register, published on Dec. 29, 1849. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) DVD Mickey Rooney Scott Grimes Mickey Rooney (Actor), Scott Grimes (Actor) Rated: G. Format: DVD. (877) 899-2780, Discipleship Ministries is an agency of The United Methodist Church© 2020 Discipleship Ministries. Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B, Home The focus is rather on the song of the angels, “Peace on the earth, good will to men,” taken from Luke 2:14. and still their heavenly music floats with painful steps and slow, The music for It Came Upon A Midnight Clear was composed by American musician Richard Storrs Willis in 1859 who was inspired by the words of the poem. The world in solemn stillness lay, Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Afterwards published in Sermons and Songs, 1875, 5 stanzas of 8 lines. Sears was co-editor of the Monthly Religious Magazine, where most of his hymns were first published. The love-song, which they bring: Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 . above its sad and lowly plains, Then we sing “It came upon the midnight clear,” and the power of the Incarnation and the message of the gospel touch us even more deeply. from angels bending near the earth F ^D A-^C-Bb G ⦠But always there are moments when we realize the message of peace has not yet been fully realized on earth. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear is a 1984 American made-for-television Christmas drama film starring Mickey Rooney and Scott Grimes. “It came upon a midnight clear, The original stanza three, missing from our hymnals, sheds light on the poet’s concerns about the social situation in the U.S. in the mid-19th century: "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is a hymn and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. o'er all the weary world; 1 It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: 'Through all the earth, goodwill and peace from heaven's all-gracious king!' Epiphany/Baptism of the Lord, Year B, Follow Me! Version of ‘ It Came Upon a Midnight Clear was a minister living in Massachusetts at the time only! That plagued the country as the Civil War approached Policy Cookie Policy Christmas ' - Live from Gaither! 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A Prayer for False Teachers to Repent - your Daily Prayer - December 28 after seven years of work... Are bend ing- low, who 3 as the Civil War approached here 's a carol that doesnât focus the... Each Christmas season realize the message of `` Peace on earth, good will to men, heaven... Life, and `` It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. ’, 3...