The American Revolution had just begun when six
year-old James and his parents left home in England to be missionaries in the
West Indies. James’ experience in boarding school was not pleasant, but life
went from bad to worse when word came that both of his parents had been killed
at their mission post. Sent back to England, James was shuffled from place to
place until his teenage years when he set out on his own. After trying to sell
his poetry, working various jobs, and spending some time being homeless, he
eventually got a job for a radical newspaper. When the editor had to flee the
country for publishing material the British government didn’t like, James took
over the job. Following in the footsteps of the previous editor, James was later
charged with writing an article inciting British people to take sides in the
French Revolution. James was sentenced to do jail time.
When he got out, James had still not learned his
lesson. Two years later he was again in trouble with the law for writing about
a riot by workers in a local mill. The government thought this was contrary to
the public interest and sent him back to jail. While in jail this time, he
wrote a book called “Prison Amusements.” Much to his surprise, when he
got out six months later, his book had become a best seller and he was
something of a celebrity. As a devout Christian, he used his paper and new
influence to advocate for causes like the plight of chimney sweeps and the
abolition of slavery.
He also began using his paper to publish his poems and
hymns, which received enthusiastic response. So, in 1816, after re-reading Luke
chapter 2 in preparation for writing a Christmas article for his paper, James
sat down and began to write,
“Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth!
Come and worship, Come and worship,
Worship Christ the new-born king.”
And that, as Paul Harvey would have said, is the rest
of the story about how James Montgomery, an orphaned, once homeless “jailbird”
used his talents to write one of the most beloved hymns of the Christmas
season.
This Christmas season, while we share in the joy of Christmas greetings
and gifts, feasting and family, lights and music--Don’t forget to “Come and worship
Christ the new-born king.”
(Re-written based on Stories of Christmas Carols by Ernest Emurian, Baker, 1958)
