Patrick Comerford
There is less than a week to go to Christmas Day. At noon each day this Advent, I am offering an image as part of my own ‘Advent Calendar’ for 2025, and an Advent or Christmas carol, hymn or song.
My image for my Advent Calendar today is a collage of Advent wreaths seen on front doors at the north end or upper end of High Street in Stony Stratford.
The Gospel reading at the Eucharist today (Luke 1: 5-25) tells of the birth of Saint John the Baptist. So, as my Advent hymn today, I have chosen ‘On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry’.
This is one of the few Advent hymns to take account of Saint John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Coming Christ.
This hymn, which is based on the text in Luke 3: 1-18, was originally thought to be a mediaeval Latin hymn. But it was written by Charles Coffin (1676-1749), who became the Rector of the University of Paris in 1718, and first appeared in the Paris Breviary in 1736. It was translated by the Revd John Chandler (1806-1876), Vicar of Witley in Godalming, Surrey, and one of the early translators of Latin hymns into English with Anglican churches and parishes in mind.
The tune, ‘Winchester New,’ is a melody adapted from Georg Wittwe’s Musikalishes Hand-Buch (Hamburg, 1690) by Canon William Henry Havergal (1793-1870), one of the leading figures in reforming church psalmody in the Anglican tradition.
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry by Charles Coffin
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken, for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings.
Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
make straight the way for God within;
prepare we in our hearts a home
where such a mighty guest may come.
For thou art our salvation, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without thy grace we waste away
like flowers that wither and decay.
To heal the sick stretch forth thine hand,
and bid the fallen sinner stand;
shine forth, and let thy light restore
earth’s own true loveliness once more.
All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
whose advent doth thy people free;
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Ghost for evermore.
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