explain why Brorson should leave his fruitful work at Randrup for an
inferior position in a new field. It is certain that the change brought
him no outward advantages, and his position as a Danish pastor in a
largely German speaking community must have presented certain unavoidable
difficulties.

Although Brorson to our knowledge took no part in the endless contest
between German and Danish, his personal preference was, no doubt, for the
latter. It is thus significant that, although he must have been about
equally familiar with both languages, he did not write a single hymn in
German. He showed no ill will toward his German speaking compatriots,
however, and worked harmoniously with his German speaking co-workers. But
this strongly German atmosphere does constitute a peculiar setting for
one of the greatest hymnwriters of the Danish church.

The congregation at Toender had formed the peculiar custom of singing in
German--even at the Danish service. It is self-evident, however, that
such a custom could not be satisfactory to Brorson. He was a Pietist with
the fervent longing of that movement for a real spiritual communion with
his fellow Christians. But a custom that compelled the pastor and his
congregation to speak in different tongues was, of necessity, a hindrance
to the consummation of such a desire. And now Christmas was drawing near,
that joyful season which Brorson, as his hymns prove, loved so well and
must heartily have desired to share with his hearers, a desire which this
mixture of tongues to a certain extent, made impossible. He and his
congregation had to be one in language before they could wholly be one in
spirit.

And so, shortly before the great festival in 1732, he published a small
and unpretentious booklet entitled: _Some Christmas Hymns, Composed to
the Honor of God, the Edification of Christian Souls and, in Particular,
of My Beloved Congregation during the Approaching Joyful Christmastide,
Humbly and Hastily Written by Hans Adolph Brorson_.

This simple appearing booklet at once places Brorson among the great
hymnwriters of the Christian church. It contains ten hymns, seven of
which are for the Christmas season. Nearly every one of them is now
counted among the classics of Danish hymnody.

Brorson seems at once to have reached the height of his ability as a
hymnwriter. His Christmas hymns present an intensity of sentiment, a
mastery of form and a perfection of poetical skill that he rarely