He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, The wealth of every mine. He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills--- The sun and stars that shine. Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell. He is my Father, so they’re mine as well! He owns the cattle on a thousand hills--- I know that He will care for me!

“How congregational singing; as we know it in our Sunday schools today, came about is a very interesting story. Until a little more than 400 years ago common people did not sing at all in church. The music was produced only by priests or by specially selected choirs. Then, too, the whole service, songs and all was in Latin, which most of the people did not understand.

“With the Protestant Reformation in Europe came a number of hymns in the every-day language of the people, for use in their worship. But there was needed a gifted leader like Martin Luther, to give the great impulse and expression to congregational singing. Luther, who became the renowned leader of the Reformation, was a poor miner’s son, and was born in Elisleben, Germany, at the foot of the Hartz mountains, in 1483. He was divinely talented in music, and could play the flute and lute in addition to being an excellent singer.

“As a boy, while a student at a Franciscan Monastery school, Luther often used his beautiful voice to sing at the windows of wealthy citizens for alms to be given to the poor. At Christmas time, he and his companions often went wandering through the neighboring villages singing the carols of the Infant Jesus. To Luther, Music was a “gift and a grace of God: it could drive out the devil and make men forget all wrath.”

“We are not surprised, then, that later in life Luther became intensely interested in encouraging congregational singing. “I wish,” he said, “to compose sacred hymns, so that the Word of God may dwell among the people by means of songs.” The people should have hymns, as well as the Bible, in their own language, so that they could, “read God’s Word and speak to Him in their songs.” The Protestant church services were no longer to be in Latin, but in the common language of the people.

“The first Protestant hymnal was published in Wittenberg, Germany, 1524. It contained only eight hymns, four of them written by Luther himself. This little book “flew all over Europe” in answer to a deep-felt want. The new hymns, with the magnificent music to which they were set, were eagerly learned by the people. We hear of musicians playing them on their blow-horns from church steeples, and of crowds singing them in the market-place.

“Luther’s poetic gifts being once unfolded, he composed many more hymns, winning the name of “the Nightingale of Whittenberg.” Within twenty years after that hymnal was issued, at least 117 collections of hymns by Luther and his associates had been printed. Protestant Germany became a veritable “sea of song.” In this way the great Reformer has come to be known as the father of congregational singing, which under his leadership rapidly grew in popularity. Some people said that he did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as by his translating and preaching of the Bible.

“Not often is there a genius like Luther’s, to compose both the music and the words for his inspiring hymns. His famous hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” written about 1529, is set to one of the most splendid hymn tunes he ever composed. This ancient hymn was inspired by the 46th Psalm. . .

“Luther loved to appeal to children also. He chose happy tunes and fitted charming words to them. . . The little cradle song, “Away in a Manger,” which has been the delight of children all over the world, is thought to have been written for his small son Hans (John), for a Christmas Eve festival, perhaps in 1530. . . The last stanza is a prayer we will all like to learn and say together:

Be with me Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.

-- This interesting story is taken from “Stories Of Hymns We Love,” Pages 5-7 condensed