Wednesday, September 9, 2026

It is the 9th of September 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

We’ve mentioned William Chatterton Dix before on this show- he is the author of the famous epiphany hymn “As With Gladness Men of Old”- but one of the most popular hymns for that season is not even his most popular hymn. Today we remember the man and his hymns.

William was born in Bristol, England, in 1837 to Susannah and John Dix. His father was a surgeon but was also an aspiring author who wrote a biography of the famous Neo-Gothic kid poet Thomas Chatterton, after whom William Chatterton was named. The family attended St. Raphael’s church in Bristol, where William sang in the choir. The church was also noted for its role in the Anglo-catholic controversies and its particularly high church rituals. One can see the “high” church influences in his hymns.

William attended Bristol Grammar School and had literary aspirations like his father. But, also like his father, he sought steady employment in the trades. He ended up the manager of a marine insurance company in Glasgow. He would write hymns, often while convalescing from sickness. His ill health eventually led to his earlier retirement to Cheddar in the south of England, where he would write some of the most beloved hymns of his era.

And yes… Cheddar. Like the cheese. It has something to do with the caves- they let the cheese age and give it the distinct sharpness.

In his first hymn collection, 1859’s Hymns of Love and Joy, included “As with Gladness”. His high church background comes through in his collection from 1867, “Altar Songs, Verses on the Holy Eucharist”. It is in this collection that we find his excellent “Alleluia Sing to Jesus”. This hymn was originally given its own tune, “Alleluia,” written by John Wesley’s great-nephew Samuel. But it would become best known to the tune HYFRYDOL (and you can’t convince me that’s not a top 5 tune of all time).

Written for communion, most modern versions omit the fourth stanza with the lines “robed in flesh, our great high priest; thou on earth both Priest and victim in the Eucharistic Feast”. Music directors: I dare you to add it back! Dix believed that most hymnals were lacking good communion hymns.

But his most famous hymn is the nativity hymn “What Child Is This?” It’s the original “Mary Did You Know?” A Christmas song with a question that we all know the answer to.

And despite making my sons giggle, the second stanza remains an all-time reflection on both incarnation and crucifixion-

Why lies he in such mean estate

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians fear: for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nail, spear shall pierce him through,

The Cross be borne for me, for you;

Hail! hail the Word Made Flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary

 

It is believed that Dix wrote the text to be sung to the 16th century folk tune “Greensleeves”. The association thus between that tune (which was originally associated with scandalous themes) and the Christmas season forever linked (see Vince Guaraldi for the ultimate Greensleeves recording).

Other hymns include “Come unto Me, Ye Weary”, “In our work and in our play” and “To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise”, a popular harvest hymn. Dix would also take Greek and Ethiopian hymns and help facilitate those translations into singable English. William Chatterton Dix continued to write in Cheddar until his death on this day, the 9th of September in 1898; born in 1837, he was 61 years old.

 

The Last word for today comes from the hymnodist himself- this is the original Alleluia Sing to Jesus

1 Alleluia! sing to Jesus!

His the sceptre, His the throne;

Alleluia! His the triumph,

His the victory alone:

Hark! the songs of peaceful Sion

Thunder like a mighty flood;

Jesus, out of every nation

Hath redeemed us by His blood.

 

2 Alleluia! not as orphans

Are we left in sorrow now;

Alleluia! He is near us,

Faith believes, nor questions how:

Though the cloud from sight received Him,

When the forty days were o'er:

Shall our hearts forget His promise,

"I am with you evermore"?

 

3 Alleluia! Bread of Heaven,

Thou on earth our Food, our Stay!

Alleluia! here the sinful

Flee to thee from day to day:

Intercessor, Friend of sinners,

Earth's Redeemer, plead for me,

Where the songs of all the sinless

Sweep across the crystal sea.

 

4 Alleluia! King eternal,

Thee the Lord of lords we own;

Alleluia! born or Mary,

Earth Thy footstool, heaven Thy throne:

Thou within the veil hast entered,

Robed in flesh, our great High-Priest;

Thou on earth both Priest and Victim

In the Eucharistic feast.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 9th of September 2026 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man in the other land of cheese; he is Christopher Gillespie,

The show is written and read by a man who has lots of questions about cheese, how it's made, when it goes bad, why there are so many kinds… Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.