As we approach the holiday season (yes, Christmas will be here before you know it), I am reminded of a poem that I first heard of about a dozen years ago. It is a take-off on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. The poem subscribes to the theology that says Jesus Christ will return for true Believers one day in an event called the Rapture of the Church. If you read any of the books in the Left Behind series, you will know what I am talking about.
Anyhow, the poem, 'Twas the Night Before Jesus Came, is online at MyMessiah.net, in a free printable format.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
October 22, 2004 02:24 PM
*grin* The poem SAYS it is "Copyright 1993" But I'm almost positive I found this on a little wallet-size card when I was 10-12 years old, memorized it and quoted it at Bible Camp. (1983-1985)
Thanks for the memories.
December 18, 2004 01:23 PM
You are correct, Sarah. The poem was made into small tract cards, Christmas cards, 8x10 prints and 11x14 prints. I should know, I have all of them. They were first sold through Bethany farms in the 80's so your memory is correct.
I have approximately 50-60 thousand of these wallet size cards, and about 2-3 thousand of everything else. If you know anyone that wants any, contact me; I have them for sale very inexpensively.
Steve
January 5, 2005 08:50 AM
Steve,
Do you by any chance know of a male artist that worked for Bethany Farms whose work was similar to Norman Rockwell? I used to work at a print company that printed some of his work but I cannot think of his name.
May 9, 2005 11:59 AM
I see that Cindy Whitehead who is STORMY GALE is going around from site to site on the net claiming to have a copy write on the poem: The Night Before JESUS Came. She claims she wrote it in the 70's on one site and then 1980 her. She did NOT write this poem and she does NOT have any copy writes on any poems or books any where in the USA. She claims to be a Christian who has been delivered from being a lesbian ect and that her family disowned her at 16 yrs old. She is a born liar who was not disowned yet she was the one who disowned her dad, brother and her 3 sons. I know for I am her brother of 46 yrs.
May 9, 2005 10:38 PM
I was indeed contacted by "Stormy Gale" and initially pulled my links down in order to research the matter. I have found that the copyright for this poem is listed in the Library of Congress under the name Dianne Frances Donenfeld, copyright 2000. I know the poem was written before then, but Ms. Donenfeld apparantly has the copyright. Since Stormy Gale has provided no proof to me, I must take Ms. Donenfeld's registration as proof. I would NEVER steal anything from anyone, but since Ms. Donenfeld has given me permission to reprint the poem, I believe any court of law would stand behind me.
May 16, 2005 09:48 AM
The number at the bottom of the card (registration number I believe) is 1303430
November 29, 2005 10:09 AM
Well, I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but just thought you'd be interested in knowing that my wife bought a book in Des Moines, Iowa, back in 1977 (or '78) entitled, "Twas the Night Before Jesus." It's an illustrated version the the exact poem everyone seems to be claiming to be the author of. By the way, the "opening credits" of the book says it's author is Herbert Brokering, illustrated by Werner Willis, and design by John D. Firestone Associates, Inc. The book was copyrighted in 1977 and published by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO. It's a huge "paperback" measuring about 24 x 18 inches closed. My wife puts it up on an easel every year and reads it to her students at school.
December 4, 2005 05:24 AM
My Inaugural Address at the Great White Throne Judgment of the Dead, after I have raptured out billions!
At: http://www.angelfire.com/crazy/spaceman/
eschatology,End Times,second coming,rapture,secret rapture,Second Resurrection,Great White Throne Judgment of the Dead,
End of days,Day of the Lord,Endtime,Judgment Day
December 29, 2006 01:04 AM
Who on earth did write this 'poem' ?
So far I have heard it attributed to 5 people-at least.
It really isn't a good poem; its rhymes and scansion are very wobbly, the lines are uneven length and it could do with a good editing to raise it from its current level of doggerel.
August 22, 2007 09:13 PM
IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: "WHO ON EARTH WROTE THIS POEM"? THE TRUE AUTHOR IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS COMMENT. I HAVE BEEN WRITING POETRY SINCE 1968. NONE OF WHICH IS PUBLISHED BY ME. BUT ALL OF IT IS IN MY POSSESION. AFTER BECOMING A CHRISTIAN IN 1979, I DECIDED THAT CHRISTIANDOM NEEDED A CHRISTMAS POEM, SO I WROTE "TWAS THE NIGHT JESUS CAME". ONE EVENING I ASKED MY PASTOR, OF THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH, I WAS A MEMBER OF, TO READ IT AND GIVE ME HIS OPINION. HE LIKED IT, AND ASKED TO RECITE IT TO THE CONGREGATION AND I RELUCTANTLY AGREED.
ABOUT 1998 OR SO I FOUND IT ON THE INTERNET BEING CLAIMED BY "BETHANY FARMS". I CALLED THEM AND ASKED HOW THEY GOT MY POEM. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH SAID AT LEAST 5 OTHER PEOPLE WERE CLAIMING IT ALSO. BECAUSE SO LONG A TIME HAD PASSED, I COULD NOT FIND ANYONE WITH A RECORDING OF THAT EVENINGS SERVICE. BUT EVERYONE I ASKED, SAID THEY REMEMBERED IT. EXCEPT THE PASTOR.
TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL YELLOW LEGAL PAPER I WROTE IT ON AND AFTER CONTACTING AN ATTORNEY...BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SITUATION, I GAVE UP TRYING TO RECLAIM IT. BUT NOW IT'S STARTING TO MAKE ME AND MY FAMILY(WHO ALSO KNOW THE TRUTH OF IT'S AUTHORSHIP)UPSET AND ANGRY.
NOW, UNLESS "GOD" GAVE IT TO SEVERAL PEOPLE, "VERBATIM", THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN BY: REV. EDWARD M. GIONEST, SR. I AM MAKING THIS ASSERTION AS A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AND IN THE MANNER IN WHICH MOSES SAID TO PHAROAH," I AM THAT I AM. THIS WAS AN UNEQUIVICAL STATEMENT OF FACT, JUST AS MY STATEMENT IS.
December 18, 2007 09:44 PM
Actually, I wrote this poem in 1967. It was published in the Courier Express Newspaper in Buffalo, NY. The paper is now defunk, but I have the old yellowed article bearing my name. There have been some minor changes, but it is definately mine.
December 18, 2007 09:48 PM
No, my mistake. I didn't write that poem. I wrote Achy-Breaky Heart. (Maybe) Actually the 60's were a blur. Sorry.
April 2, 2008 08:46 PM
this is for john aka stormy gale and others, you must have alot of time on your hands to go around playing games using other peoples names. If you were a real christian you would not have time for this, you would be more interested in asking god for forgiveness for things you have done in the past. I know because i'm your son.
PS: by the way tell Amy i said hey
December 7, 2008 12:06 PM
It amazes me that people try to claim other's works. I would guess that it takes a forlorn ego and a sinning spirit. I have a typewritten copy of this poem title "'Twas The Night Jesus Came" and attributed to "Margie Knight". It was typewritten [on an ancient thing called a typewriter for the young folk's information] on a heavy, letter sized, light green sheet of paper, and then folded, stapled, and mailed to my wife and her ex-husband. The postmark is 14 Dec 1993 and it has a 29 cent stamp. It seems obvious that "Margie Knight" is another of those who would like a claim to fame without deserving it. How many does this make? This one could definitely dishonor the 2000 copyright in a legal way.
February 15, 2009 04:24 PM
To all who would lay claim to my poem, I say, "have at it". Over the years I have become angry and upset over this, but the Lord has calmed me and brought to my attention the fact that it has and still is "blessing " people. The poem was given to me by the Lord and I am proud of it. If it's that good, and it obviously is, I can only thank the Lord it has reached so many and blessed so many. The Lord is "my" witness to it's authorship and that's good enough for me. There are always going to be the kind of people who respond to anything in a manner belittling to someone else. If this makes you folks happy...then so be it. After all, no one believed "Jesus" was who he said he was either. I would like to thank all those people who were influential in getting it out there for the world to see.
Sincerely,
Rev. Edward M. Gionest, Sr.
September 24, 2009 09:09 AM
Rev. Gionest, Sr.,
I am sorry for your pain. I hope those who have its copyrighted will pray and ask the Lord to show them the true author and grant ownership. When they realize you really wrote the poem, I believe they will. Of course, I believe the TRUE author to be the Holy Spirit. I really like the poem. The first time I saw it, the poem was signed "author unknown." Our church did a play using the theme. I would like to use it again for something else but don't know who to ask. Rev Gionest, I understand your pain, so does Jesus but like Joseph said, what others meant for evil, God used for good(Genesis 50:20).
The cross used by evil, corrupt, greedy people to hang an innocent, just man, the Son and Lamb of God was for those same people to see their sins and repent, lest they die and enter hell for eternity. Two sinners, hanging on crosses on each side of Jesus, remind us that some will repent and live in heaven forever. Others, sad for them, will scoff and scorn not realizing what they are doing to cause their own destruction (Luke 23). With faith in the one who first coined the following phrase, we, too, must say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)." Jesus knew as we must learn that souls in Heaven are worth more than any pain, suffered here or any material goods gained.
In Jesus, we win,
Peggy Mills