Hymn Stories: Christmas 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" as we know it today was translated from Latin in about 1850 by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin. Originally known as "Veni, Veni Emmanuel" it was used during the season of advent as a meditation on seven of the Biblical names attributed to Christ.
1. Emmanuel "God with us" - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
(Isaiah 7:14 New International Version)
2.Wisdom from on High
3.Lord of might
4.Rod of Jesse's stem
5.Key of David
6.Dayspring from on high
7.Desire of nations

Answer: O Come, All Ye Faithful

The authorship of this song is uncertain. It was first written in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis". John Francis Wade, a calligrapher, put this hymn in with a manuscript he copied for a college in Lisbon, Portugal. Thirty years later it was sent to the Portuguese Chapel in London and was called "Portuguese Hymn".
Source of this information is from "The complete Book of Hymns" William J. Peterson and Ardythe Peterson.
Frederick Oakeley is credited with the English translation of "O Come, All Ye Faithful".

Answer: Carol Of The Bells

Mykola Leontovich composed a song that was entitled "Shchedryk" which means bountiful. It was based on a Ukrainian folk chant that celebrated the coming of spring. In Ukraine it is traditionally sung on New Years Eve. When Peter Wilhousky, an American choir director and arranger, heard it he thought it sounded like bells and in 1936 he published the version now sung as "Carol Of The Bells".

Answer: Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem

R. Fisher Broyce loved music and as a young man was singing solo and in quartets. He had eleven children but only five lived until adulthood. Nevertheless their home was always filled with friends and music. He wrote a number of songs but he called "Beautiful Star Of Bethlehem" a gift from God.

The words and the music filled his mind and unable to concentrate from the noise in the house he went out to the milk barn and wrote it down. It has been recorded by many artists but neither he nor his family have ever received any royalties from it.

Answer: Unknown

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."(Matthew 2:1-2 NIV)

There are a number of legendary stories of the three or more kings, magi or wise men that came from the east to visit the Christ child. The Biblical account doesn't number them or even call them kings. The term magi could refer to astrologers or magicians.

John Henry Hopkins who composed this hymn, for a Christmas pageant for his nieces and nephews, was perhaps more interested in conveying the message symbolized in the three gifts brought by the kings. Gold, a gift for a king, Frankincense used to worship God and Myrrh to symbolize the sacrificial death of Christ for the sins of mankind.

Answer: The Friendly Beast

We don't know from the Bible that any animals were present at the birth of Jesus but this is a sweet and charming account of how they might have worshiped if they had been there.

"Jesus our brother kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude.
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother, kind and good.

"I," said the donkey, all shaggy and brown,
"I carried his mother up hill and down
I carried his mother to Bethlehem town. "
"I," said the donkey, all shaggy and brown.

"I," said the cow, all white and red
"I gave him my manger for his bed
I gave him my hay to pillow his head. "
"I," said the cow, all white and red

"I," said the sheep, with curly horn,
"I gave him my wool for a blanket warm
He wore my coat on Christmas morn. "
"I," said the sheep, with curly horn.

"I," said the dove, from the rafters high
"I cooed him to sleep so he would not cry
We cooed him to sleep, my love and I
"I," said the dove, from the rafters high.

Thus every beast, by some good spell
In the stable rude was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel
The gift he gave Emmanuel
The gift he gave Emmanuel"

Answer: Queen Victoria

Chruch music in the medieval times was in Latin and often very somber. The author of this particular song is unknown but its upbeat and joyous verses concerning the birth of Christ was sung for hundreds of years by London's watchmen who were licensed to sing Christmas carols.

It was during the reign of Queen Victoria, who loved the more joyous carols, that she authorized this carol as head of the Church of England to be placed in the Church of England's hymnals.

Answer: The Cuban missile crisis

Noel Regney and his wife Gloria Shayne wrote this song during the Cuban missile crisis. The threat of an impending nuclear war was so emotional for the couple they were unable to personally perform the song. It was originally recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale and released after Thanksgiving in 1962.

It sold over a quarter of million copies during that holiday season. Numerous artist have recorded this song but possibly the most well known version was recorded by Bing Crosby in 1963.

Answer: O Holy Night

Cappeau was asked by the town's parish priest to write a Christmas poem. The poem he wrote was called "Minuit, chretiens" (Midnight Christians). John Sullivan Dwight wrote the version that is sung today.
It is hard to believe an atheist could write a poem that so captures the heart of the Christmas message. I was 12 years old when I first heard this carol and it made me cry and it still does today when I hear it.

Answer: King George II

When King George I attended a performance in London he stood during the Hallelujah Chorus as a tribute to Christ, the King of Kings. It was customary that when the King stood anyone in his presence must also stand so the whole audience stood with the King and this has become a world wide tradition to this day.