The Story of Silent Night

On Christmas Eve in 1818, Franz Gruber, church organist in the little town of Oberndorf, near Salzburg, Austria, made an alarming discovery. The organ would not play!

For several days previous to Christmas Eve, Oberndorf had been snowbound. Gruber, knowing there was no one in Oberndorf capable of repairing the organ, was afraid there would be no music for this Christmas. He could hardly imagine Christmas without music. Quickly he went to the vicar, Joseph Mohr, and told him his story. He asked Mohr to write a new Christmas song which could be easily sung without the use of the organ.

Later as Mohr sat reading Christmas stories from his Bible . . . "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior" . . . the words welled up in his soul like a heavenly anthem. Long into the night he sat meditating on them. As the full meaning gripped his soul, he wrote a poem about the wondrous story.

Early the next day, Gruber took the newly written words and composed a melody. Now the people were gathering at the church. There was one man who could pick out tunes on a guitar. He was asked to accompany the new carol.

The people of Oberndorf loved the song immediately, and thus Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber gave to the world one of the most beautiful and best loved of the Christmas carols. It was not long before the Tyrolean Singers took the song to America. For years it went under the title, "Song from Heaven." Today "Silent Night" is sung in nearly every language of the world.

Oh, that the real meaning of Christmas would grip us this season like it did Joseph Mohr, as we consider the angel's message: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

Yes, the angel's message is for you and me. The Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world to save all who have gone astray in sin. As the prophets had prophesied, the almighty God clothed Himself in flesh and became man, to bring light and hope in our dark world. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Here is the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus Christ died and rose again that we might have fellowship with God and life everlasting.

Your faith in Jesus Christ must be in accordance with the Word of God. Tradition will not save you. Obey the plan of salvation, as the Apostle preached it in Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

If you know the Savior, may your life be filled with a "holy silence" and peace with God this Christmas season. And if you do not know Him personally, won't you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ right now so that you too may know the joy and true meaning of Christmas?

Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ, the Saviour is born Christ, the Saviour is born Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "