On Christmas Eve 1865, a young minister stood on the hill overlooking Bethlehem where the shepherds had watched their flocks on the night Jesus was born. The impression of that starry night never left Phillips Brooks. Three years later he was asked to write a hymn for the children of his Philadelphia parish for their Christmas service. The words "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" were already in his mind. Brooks' church organist, Lewis Redner, set the words to music, declaring that the tune was "a gift from heaven." Brooks became an outstanding preacher and possibly the most highly esteemed American clergyman of his day. His deep earnestness, eloquence and poetic insight, made a strong impression on his listeners.
Twenty years later Brooks, who was by now an American Episcopal Bishop, was recovering from a life-threatening illness. He refused to receive any visitors until his freethinking humanist friend Colonel Bob Ingersoll arrived. Ingersoll, who was a renowned defender of agnosticism, was curious to know the reason Brooks wished to see him rather than his Christian friends. The explanation Brooks gave was that whilst he is assured of seeing his other friends in the next life he does not know if he will see the agnostic Ingersoll again.
Twenty years later Brooks, who was by now an American Episcopal Bishop, was recovering from a life-threatening illness. He refused to receive any visitors until his freethinking humanist friend Colonel Bob Ingersoll arrived. Ingersoll, who was a renowned defender of agnosticism, was curious to know the reason Brooks wished to see him rather than his Christian friends. The explanation Brooks gave was that whilst he is assured of seeing his other friends in the next life he does not know if he will see the agnostic Ingersoll again.
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