"WONDERFUL BIRTH, TO A MANGER HE CAME"

During this Christmas season, with the nip of winter in the air, and with the goodwill, excitement, bright lights, and music of the season, I find myself thinking of a song from by-gone college days. The writer was in two quartets--the "Campus Quartet," and the "Varsity Quartet," as well as the Hardin-Simmons University A Cappella Choir. This was one of our favorite selections.

This song which has always meant so much to me, because of its message (and I am sure because also of past camaraderie), is not thought of necessarily as a Christmas song, but it does fit in nicely in the season. It was composed in 1939 by A.H. Ackley, a talented gospel hymn writer of the period, and copyrighted by Rodeheaver.

As you will see, as you read the text further down, the words have a certain poetic movement to them. As a general rule in singing, the words should have a smooth flow as they are sung, with attention given to accented and unaccented syllables from a poetic standpoint, and if well-wedded to the tune, these will coincide with the accents of the music.

This is true of this gospel hymn. Trained singers should have the breath control necessary to sing long phrases and hold at the end of the phrase if needed. Ensembles, through much practice, can sing every syllable, word, speed-up, slow- down---all members right together. That's what makes this an excellent song for a quartet. In fact I have never seen it in a SATB songbook or hymnal.
Not only does it speak of Christ's birth: ("Wonderful birth, to a manger he came..."), but of the whole Divine Redemptive plan. Read the Gospel message below:

Wonderful birth, to a manger he came,
Made in the likeness of man, to proclaim
God's boundless love for a world sick with sin,
Pleading with sinners to let him come in.

Wonderful life, full of service so free,
Friend to the poor and the needy was He,
Unfailing goodness on all He bestowed,
Undying faith in the vilest he showed.

Wonderful death, for it meant not defeat,
Calvary made His great mission complete.
Wrought our redemption, and when he arose,
Banished forever the last of our foes.

Wonderful hope, He is coming again,
Coming as King o'er the nations to reign;
Glorious promise,His word cannot fail,
His righteous kingdom at last must prevail!

Chorus:
Wonderful name he bears,
Wonderful crown He wears,
Wonderful blessings His triumphs afford;
Wonderful Calvary, wonderful grace for me,
Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord!

If you can find an old Rodeheaver or Lillenas songbook, you will enjoy playing this tune.
By Mil

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