Reformátusok Lapja, 1968 (68. évfolyam, 8-12. szám)
1968-12-01 / 12. szám
14 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA Zke Christmas Jund AFFIRMS THAT NOTHING SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO THE CHRISTMAS FUND SEND CONTRIBUTIONS TO: THE PENSION BOARDS UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 287 Park Avenue South • New York, N, Y, 10010 Centuries ago the Apostle Paul declared that nothing shall separate us from the love of God. Today a special group of Christians hear the words in a unique context. They are the retired ministers of our fellowship who are in need. Through the annual Christmas Fund appeal thousands of individuals and churches join in reaffirming our fellowship with the heroes of the faith in our time. Words that separate people today include: illness, pain, insecurity, and age. Christmas Fund gifts provide a practical means of holding together the lives of those whose professional years are ended. Through your gifts The Pension Boards provide direct, tangible help for those with small pensions, based on small salaries, whose purchasing power is reduced by inflation, or whose emergency needs could be devastating. The Christmas Fund goes out in Christmas checks and, when there is need, in emergency grants. The poster subjects representing the Veterans of the Cross are Dr. and Mrs. Silas P. Bittner. Twenty-five of his 53 years in the ministry were devoted to the retirement needs of ministers. Though they are not Christmas Fund recipients, they are appropriate representatives of those your gifts will help. This year all Christmas Fund activity and all emergency relief matters are handled from the unified offices of The Pension Boards in New York. Checks made payable to the Christmas Fund should be sent directly to The Pension Boards — United Church of Christ, 287 Park Avenue South. New York, N. Y. 10010. Silent Jitgfit “Silent Night,” one of the world’s most treasured Christmas carols was written 150 years ago. It was Franz Xaver Gruher and Joseph Mohr who gave the first rendition of "Silent Night, Holy Night.” Joseph Mohr was the assistant pastor of the St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in the Austrian town of Oherndorf, north of Salzburg. In this one street village, in 1818, there lived a ship owner, who invited the caroling groups into his house to present the Christmas pageant. This ship owner’s hospitality and the pageant presentation, inspired the young priest, and instead of returning to the Church climbed the small mountain close to the village, and under the starry skies started to write. From these simple and yet beautiful words came the famous carol: “Silent Night.” The next morning, which was December 24, Mohr went to the village of Arnsdorf, which was near by. His friend, Franz Gruber, the local school teacher and organist of the Oberndorf Church, lived there. Mohr asked Gruher to compose a melody for his lyric. Gruber’s melody was arranged for a solo voice and guitar accompaniment. At the Christmas Eve Service, this carol was sung in the Oberndorf Church with guitar accompaniment because the organ was not in working condition. Mohr was transferred to another church and his hymn was barred by the hierarchy because it was thought to he too modern. Gruber remained in Arnsdorf for a while, hut later moved to Hallein, where he took the position of organist and choir director in the church. He composed other hymns but none as famous as “Silent Night.” He died in 1863 in the village of Hallein. After Mohr’s departure from Oberndorf, the melody and lyrics of “Silent Night” spread all over the world and were translated into many languages. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia was enchanted by the hymn and ordered that it he sung by the Berlin Dome Choir each Christmas Eve. In 1899, a new church was built in Oberndorf to replace the old church which had been washed away in a flood. For the 150th Anniversary of their carol, Gruber’s home was made a museum, and Mohr’s skull was found and buried under the altar of the Oherndorf church. For December 22, special celebrations are planned and will he televised by the European Television Network. A commemorating stamp is also heing issued by the Post Office Department in Austria. On this Christmas Eve, Protestant and Roman Catholic choirs in Oherndorf will he singing together the ever famous carol: “Silent Night, Holy Night.” May it truly he a silent night and holv night all over the world. Francis Vitéz
