As with Gladness Men of Old facts for kids

"As with Gladness Men of Old" is a well-known hymn often sung during the Epiphany season. Epiphany is a Christian holiday that celebrates the visit of the wise men to baby Jesus. William Chatterton Dix wrote this hymn on January 6, 1859. He was sick in bed at the time. Many people think of it as a Christmas carol. However, it is usually found in the Epiphany section of hymn books. The music for the hymn was adapted in 1861 by William Henry Monk. He used a tune written by Conrad Kocher in 1838. The hymn tells the story of the wise men visiting Jesus.

The Story Behind the Hymn

How "As with Gladness" Was Written

William Chatterton Dix was a poet's son. He loved to write Christian poems in his free time. On January 6, 1859, Dix was very sick. He had been ill for many months. He could not go to church for the Epiphany service that day.

Instead, he read the Bible's story of Epiphany. This story is found in the Gospel of Matthew. Reading it gave him an idea. He spent the whole day writing down his thoughts. This writing became the hymn "As with Gladness Men of Old."

Sharing the Hymn with the World

Dix kept his new hymn private for a year. Then, in 1860, it was published. It appeared in a book called Hymns for Public Worship and Private Devotion. This book was made for St Raphael's Church in Dix's hometown of Bristol.

The hymn was also added to Hymns Ancient and Modern. This was a very important hymn book. Dix was a layman, meaning he was not a clergyman. He worked as a marine insurance agent. He was very happy his hymn was chosen. He even published it himself in his own book, Hymns of Joy and Love.

The Music for the Hymn

The editor of Hymns Ancient and Modern was William Henry Monk. He chose a tune for "As with Gladness Men of Old." The tune came from an organist named Conrad Kocher. Kocher was from Stuttgart.

Monk changed Kocher's tune a little bit. He made it more balanced. Interestingly, Dix himself did not like the tune. But the tune became very popular. It was even named "Dix" as a tribute to him. Most people still use this tune when they sing the hymn today. This same tune is also used for the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth."

How the Hymn Became Popular

Spreading Across Churches

After it was published, the hymn became very popular. It was sung in the Church of England. It was also sung in other Anglican churches. These churches were all over the British Empire.

A famous person, Sir Roundell Palmer, helped make it popular. He praised the hymn in a paper he wrote in 1866. The words of the hymn even appeared in artwork in churches.

Between the 1950s and 1970s, the hymn was less popular as a Christmas carol. But people still loved its positive message. It later became popular again as a carol. It is still printed in hymn books today. The Church of England continues to use it. "As with Gladness Men of Old" is also sung in concerts, not just in churches.

The Hymn in Other Countries

In 1871, the hymn was first published in the United States. It appeared in the Episcopal Church's hymn book. Later, it was included in The Hymnal 1982. Some words in the fourth verse were changed there.

By 1875, the Baptist Church in the United States also started publishing it. It was in their book, The Service of Song for Baptist Churches. When the United Methodist Church uses the hymn, it can be read aloud for Epiphany. It is also sung as a song. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses the hymn too. But they use different music by Dan Carter. The hymn has also been published in The Harvard University Hymn Book.

Lyrics

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright
So, most gracious God, may we
Evermore be led to Thee

As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Thee whom heaven and earth adore
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy-seat

As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare
So may we with holy joy
Pure, and free from sin's alloy
All our costliest treasures bring
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King

Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way
And, when earthly things are past
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
Need they no created light
Thou its light, its joy, its crown
Thou its sun, which goes not down.
There forever may we sing
Hallelujahs to our King

See Also

• Hymn
• Epiphany (holiday)
• Christmas carol