Angels from the Realms of Glory
Popular Moravian Christmas Hymn by James Montgomery
Learn about this popular and classic carol heralding Christ's birth with the joyous refrain "Come and worship! Come and worship!"
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 newborn King!
Angels from the Realms of Glory was first sung on Christmas Day, 1821 in a Moravian Church in England. The writer of the hymn, James Montgomery, was orphaned at the age of six when his parents left him to become Moravian missionaries.
James Montgomery’s Difficult Childhood
Montgomery’s early life was not easy without parents. When his parents left to enter the mission field, they placed Montgomery in a Moravian settlement in Bracehill, County Antrim, Ireland.
After his parents died, Montgomery was enrolled in an English school where he did poorly, so he was then given an apprenticeship with a baker. Unhappy working for a baker, Montgomery ran away and spent his youth wandering the countryside trying different ways of living. Throughout those difficult years, the young Montgomery would write poetry.
Finally, he settled in Sheffield England and began working for the Sheffield Register, a local newspaper. Montgomery discovered his true talent; he loved to write. When the politically active owner fled the country to avoid trouble with the authorities and potential imprisonment, Montgomery purchased the paper and gave it the name the Sheffield Iris.
Like his predecessor, Montgomery wrote unpopular editorials. On several occasions, he was imprisoned. However, upon release, he discovered he was more popular than ever. He used his fame to promote social concerns that he felt were important, including the gospel. Despite being orphaned at a young age and the difficulty of his teenage years, Montgomery’s faith remained intact. Among his special concerns were foreign missions and the British Bible Society.
An Inspired Hymn
Age only increased Montgomery’s prestige within the community of Sheffield. He became a leader in the community and people were anxious to read what he believed regarding various issues. On Christmas Eve, when he was 45, Montgomery read Luke 2. Verse 13 described the appearance of the angels to the shepherds: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God (KJV).”
Inspired by the angels’ grand announcement, Montgomery wrote a Christmas poem that was published in the Sunday paper. Five years later, it was set to music and sung as a hymn for the first time it was the hymn we now know as Angels from the Realms of Glory.
Sources
Morgan, Robert J. Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 2003.
