Day Four of a week with Horatio Bonar continues with an interesting poem "The Blessing Chain." This type of poem is like the mathematical proposition, "if this, then that." The quote below from Ambrose is Bonar's springboard. Another familiar chain in the New Testament is the apostle Peter's chain, a lovely chain addition equation in I Peter 1:5-7.
Bonar's poem is below, followed by an altered version which I am using in a composition I'm working on this week for SATB choir. I used the Creeds as a model for my update, i.e. the Apostles' Creed is singular (I believe) and the Nicene Creed is plural (We believe). It was a lovely practice at the church I was at in Cary to alternate using both of these creeds in worship. I miss the collective "we" of the Nicene Creed in churches where I've served and the Apostles' Creed is the only one used. [rabbit trail ends here, back to Bonar's poem . . . ]
Don't let the -eth endings, or the use of he as a reference to both men and women put you off in Bonar's poetic writing. He was a godly man, pastor, and theologian, and his words can be a blessing to us today if we can slip into his world for a few minutes to gain insight for growth.
The Blessing Chain
“Omnis, qui Christum recipit, sapiens;
qui autem sapiens, liber; omnis igitur
Christianus et liber et sapiens.”
AMBROSE of Milan
He who in
Christ believeth,
Is wise,
is wise;
He who
this Christ receiveth,
Alone is
wise.
He
who this wisdom winneth,
Is
free, is free;
He
in whose heart it reigneth,
Alone
is free.
He
who this freedom graspeth,
Is
strong, is strong;
He
who this freedom claspeth,
Alone
is strong.
He
who this strength retaineth,
Is
good, is good;
He
in whom it remaineth,
Alone
is good.
He
who this goodness findeth,
Is
glad, is glad;
He
who this goodness mindeth,
Alone is glad.
Horatius Bonar, 1861
Altered by NG
All who in
Christ believe,
Are wise,
are wise.
All who
this Christ receive,
Alone are
wise.
All
who this wisdom win
Are
free, are free;
All
in whose hearts it reigns
Alone
are free.
All
who this freedom grasp
Are
strong, are strong
All
who this freedom clasp
Alone
are strong.
All
who this strength retain
Are
good, are good
All
in who it remains
Alone
are good.
All
who this goodness find
Are
glad, are glad
All
who this goodness mind,
Alone are glad.
Horatius Bonar, 1861, alt. Nancy
Gerst, 2012
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
MUSIC & LINKS
The Creed in the organ works of J.S. Bach:
Wir glauben all' an einen Gott - BWV 740 (Hans-Andre Stamm, organist)
Goldberg Variations - Glenn Gould
A scholarly look at Bach's Goldberg Variations and it's creedal structure is presented by Dr. Tim Smith in Meaningfulness in Bach's Cyclical Works. If you don't have time or mental focus to consider his essay today, do bookmark it for future thoughtful reading.
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