O Holy Night

The weary world rejoices: The story of how "O Holy Night" came to be

In 1834 when Disciples first began to meet in Decatur in the old log courthouse near Main and Wood, John Sullivan Dwight was trying to find himself in Boston. He graduated from Harvard College in 1832 and went directly to Harvard Divinity School, preparing for ministry. Upon graduation in 1836, he became pastor of the Unitarian Church at Northampton, Massachusetts. He was an intellectual of liberal views, but modest capacities, and the Northampton congregation expected greater challenge from the pulpit. His unhappy experience there ended after just a year.

He then joined the utopian Brook Farm community where he taught Latin and music to the children in this socialist society. Although the social experiment failed, he found his true calling in music. After the collapse of the community, he returned to his home town Boston in 1848 and in 1852 became the founder and sole editor of Dwight's Journal of Music. Over the next three decades he was an effective, high-minded, and notably conservative voice in promoting European-oriented classical music in the United States.

As a music critic of some note, he came across a new Christmas carol with music written by Parisian composer Adolphe-Charles Adam, best known for his ballet Giselle (1841). Placide Clappeau, mayor of Roquemaure, France, who often wrote poems for his own enjoyment, wrote the words to Cantique Noel (Christmas Song).

John Sullivan Dwight translated this carol into English, and O Holy Night became a part of American Christmas celebrations. As one who struggled for many years to find his place and meaning in life, his words continue to move us: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!" -- Charles Watkins

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Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
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