articlesforchristians

I want to tell you to-day about two “Hims.” The first is a man “Him.” The second is a song “Hymn.”

The man “him” is Phillips Brooks. He was born in 1835 and died in 1893. He never married, so he had no girls and boys of his own. But he loved all children. He had a great, warm heart, and in that heart was a big corner for all young people. He became a minister. His first church was in Philadelphia. Later he moved to Boston. He had not been in Boston very long when, one night, about midnight, the people saw flames breaking out through the roof of the church. A sorrowing congregation, with their pastor, watched their loved church as it burned to the ground.

When, after the fire, they came together, they inquired, “What shall we do? Shall we rebuild here or shall we take another location?” Finally, it was decided to build a new church on Copley Square. That was many years ago. They built a beautiful temple of worship. It is still known everywhere as “Phillips Brooks’ Church,” so wonderfully did his personality enter into the project.

Now the second “hymn.” When Phillips Brooks was a young man in Philadelphia he made a trip to the Holy Land. As Christmas drew near he wrote and sent back to the girls and boys of his Sunday School, a Christmas poem. The organist of his church composed music for the words, and this hymn was sung for the first time in Trinity church, Philadelphia. It is a beautiful Christmas hymn. Yes, it is my favorite.

“Oh, little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie.”

MEMORY VERSE, Matthew 2: 6

“Thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: For out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel.”

MEMORY HYMN

“O little town of Bethlehem.”