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Ninety years ago, the people of St. John’s heard the Christmas Story in a unique way. On this, our Centennial Christmas, please accept this special gift from your Heritage Resource Team.
The Rev. Chauncey Wright Durden, D.D., served as Senior Minister of St. John’s Baptist Church from 1929 to 1944. He became pastor at the age of 60 years of age and served until he was 75. He was born in Wilkes County, GA in 1869 and passed on ahead of us in 1952 at the age of 82. He was married to Eva May Patrick Durden. She was also born in Georgia in 1880 and lived to the age of 84, passing on ahead of us in1964. Chauncey and Eva loved St. John’s and the people of St. John’s loved them. Their graves are in Sharon Memorial Park here in Charlotte. They had three children, Phosa (b1900-d1991); Rose (b1904-d1994); and Chauncey Jr. (b1907-1986). In 1934, while serving St. John’s, his book, The Epic of Jesus, was published. This book retells passages from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John using the art of prose. Here is the Christmas Story as told by Dr. Chauncey Durden in The Epic of Jesus (II and III, pages 14-16).
The better that the tribute might exact
From all the conquered nations of the world,
Augustus Caesar did proclaim decree,
By which the head of every family
Were hence commanded to their native place
Repair, and there by law to be enrolled.
Obedient to imperial mandate sent
Did righteous Joseph and his wife, Mary
Leave Nazareth, their home in Galilee,
And make the journey down to Bethlehem,
The city of David’s nativity.
For Joseph’s genealogy was there,
And his was lineage from David’s line.
Long was the way, and journey wearisome,
Until at last they reached the public khan,
Where they refreshment sought and room to rest.
They were among the last of caravan
To reach the khan, and found no room therein;
For those who first arrived bespoke all room.
No plea that Joseph made, or offered price
Could room obtain for him and Mary there.
So tired and faint did Mary pine for rest,
Expectant too, of motherhood besought
Good Joseph that some place for her be found.
Again he asked the keeper of the khan,
And pleaded that some room for her be found:
“Long have we journeyed over hill and plain,
Till now the time since leaving Nazareth
Is measured by two holy Sabbath days;
All worn, I fear for thine handmaid, my wife;
If only place for her may yet be found,
That she alone may rest and comfort have,
I will a place in manger seek with beasts,
And so we both shall pass the night in peace,
And on tomorrow find another place.”
The kindly host could only make reply:
“All room is now by others occupied,
You must begone and find some other place!”
But ere they went, did Mary whisper words
That filled Joseph with deep concern and fear,
For now he knew the fullness of her time
Was near at hand when should be born her Child.
Hard by the khan was manger kept for beasts
Of caravan, where provender was stored
Of straw and hay abundant for their need.
Here strangers, when no room in khan was found,
Might share with beasts the warmth of manager hay.
Here hither Joseph came with Mary sick,
And soon a couch of straw arranged for her,
Whereon she lay, the Queen of womankind,
The mother of our lord—and Christ was born!
No skilled physician, nor yet midwife kind,
Assisted at accouchement of the child,
No candle burned with flickering light to aid;
But mother with her hands the Infant wrapped
In swaddling clothes, and in the manger laid.
All through the night serene the shepherds watched,
Nort left the flock a prey to prowling beasts.
“’Twas duty’s high behest that they should guard,
That from the fold no sheep, nor little Lamb,
Should stray in hill or copse or tanged wood,
And be found wanting from the morning count.
And through the weary night with no complaint,
Making dark vigil holy sacrament,
They watched and waited for the coming morn.
But ere the light fell o’er Judean hills,
Or ran along the broad expansive plains,
Or walked upon the ridged mountain-top,
A vision wonderful from heaven came:
Far high above hung round a choral cloud,
From out whose limning radiance they heard
The chanting Cherubim in cadence sing
Of God’s good will to men and peace on earth.
Then forth stood Gabriel on the outer edge
Of the bright burnished cloud and to them said:
“Fear not, I bring glad tidings of great joy,
In which all nations of the earth shall share.
For there is born this day in Bethlehem,
The Christ, the promised Child of David’s seed.”
And then all the host joined with him and sang:
“To God be glory in the highest heaven,
Among all men on earth let there be peace.”
And richer far than hireling’s golden wage,
Or yet ambition’s honors, or valor’s wreath,
On diadem of kings and potentates,
Was Heaven’s bestowal that night upon these men.
Then ere Aurora opened the gates of dawn, --
Before Hyperon’s suffusing light,
Bathed topmost cedars on high Lebanon
Or flung his kisses shimmering afar
O’er all the hills and valleys down between,
Forth from the tented fields the shepherds came
To Bethlehem, and wrapped in swaddling clothes
They found the Holy Child, the infant Christ,
And bowed themselves in worship to the King,
Of whom they heard in field the angels sing.
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