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    December 19, 2019
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History of Hymns O Little Town of. Mt. Pleasant? "O litle town of Bethlehem, how still we see Thee lie. Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in Thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in Thee tonight. You might be surprised that the author of this hymn, the Rev'd Phillips Brooks has a Mt. Pleasant connection. More on that in a minute. The Rev'd Brooks (1835-1893) graduated from Harvard in 1855. He was ordained an Episcopal priest, and served parishes in Philadelphia and Massachusetts. The great Trinity Church of Boston was his longest appointment. It was from there that he was consecrated as the Episcopal Bishop of Boston. Brooks' inspiration came from a trip to the Holy Land in 1865. He was especially impressed by a Christmas Eve service at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, built on the site most accepted as the birthplace of Jesus. Three years later, he wrote this hymn as a Christmas song for the children's service at his Philadelphia church, drawing on the inspiration from his trip. We in the United States, for the most part, only know this hymn to the tune "St. Louis". It was composed by Lewis H. Redner (1831-1908). Redner was Brooks' organist at Church of the Advent in Philadelphia. He composed the tune at first solely for Brooks' words. However, in England, "O Little Town" is sung to the tune of "Forest Green", composed by Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958). Williams is best known to hymn singers as the composer of "For All the Saints". Twelve or so years ago, Iwas called by Martha Lehman to conduct the burial of her mother Mary Alice Hoaglin. Mary Alice and her husband Wilfred owned Hoaglin's Five and Dime in Mt. Pleasant Years ago. Wilfred's mother was Winifred Brooks Hoaglin, Winifred's uncle was the Rev'd Phillips Brooks, her father's brother. The Rev'd Brooks is buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA. Mary Alice and Wilfred as well as Wilfred's parents are all buried here at Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Funeral Home Kimzey 213 N. Main Mark A. Kimzey Mt. Pleasant 385-2244 and Cremation Service Malak, Inc. History of Hymns O Little Town of. Mt. Pleasant? "O litle town of Bethlehem, how still we see Thee lie. Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in Thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in Thee tonight. You might be surprised that the author of this hymn, the Rev'd Phillips Brooks has a Mt. Pleasant connection. More on that in a minute. The Rev'd Brooks (1835-1893) graduated from Harvard in 1855. He was ordained an Episcopal priest, and served parishes in Philadelphia and Massachusetts. The great Trinity Church of Boston was his longest appointment. It was from there that he was consecrated as the Episcopal Bishop of Boston. Brooks' inspiration came from a trip to the Holy Land in 1865. He was especially impressed by a Christmas Eve service at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, built on the site most accepted as the birthplace of Jesus. Three years later, he wrote this hymn as a Christmas song for the children's service at his Philadelphia church, drawing on the inspiration from his trip. We in the United States, for the most part, only know this hymn to the tune "St. Louis". It was composed by Lewis H. Redner (1831-1908). Redner was Brooks' organist at Church of the Advent in Philadelphia. He composed the tune at first solely for Brooks' words. However, in England, "O Little Town" is sung to the tune of "Forest Green", composed by Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958). Williams is best known to hymn singers as the composer of "For All the Saints". Twelve or so years ago, Iwas called by Martha Lehman to conduct the burial of her mother Mary Alice Hoaglin. Mary Alice and her husband Wilfred owned Hoaglin's Five and Dime in Mt. Pleasant Years ago. Wilfred's mother was Winifred Brooks Hoaglin, Winifred's uncle was the Rev'd Phillips Brooks, her father's brother. The Rev'd Brooks is buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA. Mary Alice and Wilfred as well as Wilfred's parents are all buried here at Forest Home Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Funeral Home Kimzey 213 N. Main Mark A. Kimzey Mt. Pleasant 385-2244 and Cremation Service Malak, Inc.