e moving spirit of the services there, the venerable appearance and
warm monotone voice of the pastor, and, especially, the hearty,
soul-stirring singing. Many of Grundtvig's own great hymns were
introduced at Vartov. From there they spread throughout the church. And
it was to a large extent the hearty, inspiring congregational singing at
Vartov which made the Danish church a singing church.

Chapter Fourteen
The Hymnwriter

Splendid are the heavens high,
Beautiful the radiant sky,
Where the golden stars are shining,
And their rays, to earth inclining,
-: Beckon us to heaven above :-

It was on a Christmas night,
Darkness veiled the starry height;
But at once the heavens hoary
Beamed with radiant light and glory,
-: Coming from a wondrous star :-

When this star so bright and clear
Should illume the midnight drear,
Then, according to tradition,
Should a king of matchless vision
-: Unto earth from heaven descend :-

Sages from the East afar
When they saw this wondrous star,
Went to worship and adore Him
And to lay their gifts before Him
-: Who was born that midnight hour :-

Him they found in Bethlehem
Without crown or diadem,
They but saw a maiden lowly
With an infant pure and holy
-: Resting in her loving arms :-

Guided by the star they found
Him whose praise the ages sound.
We have still a star to guide us
Whose unsullied rays provide us
-: With the light to find our Lord :-

And this star so fair and bright
Which will ever lead aright,
Is God's word, divine and holy,
Guiding all His children lowly
-: Unto Christ, our Lord and King :-

This lovely, childlike hymn, the first to appear from Grundtvig's pen,
was written in the fall of 1810 when its author was still battling with
despair and his mind faltering on the brink of insanity. Against this
background the hymn appears like a ray of sunlight breaking through a
clouded sky. And as such it must undoubtedly have come to its author. As
an indication of Grundtvig's simple trust in God, it is noteworthy that
another of his most childlike hymns, "God's Child, Do Now Rest Thee," was
likewise composed during a similar period of distress that beset him many
years later.

For a number of years Grundtvig's hymn of the Wi