By Glenn Dromgoole

“Morning Has Broken” is a popular hymn found in most hymnals (for those of us who still use them!). It was originally published in 1931 as a Christian hymn with the title “Thanks for a Day,” written by English author Eleanor Farjeon and set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune.

I don’t remember singing it in the Baptist church growing up, but it’s become something of a personal favorite in recent years. Of course, it became quite popular after folk singer Cat Stevens recorded a version of it that hit number one on the Billboard easy listening chart in 1972.

It’s not really a gospel hymn, as there is no mention of Jesus, the cross, sin, salvation, or heaven, but it can be viewed as a tribute to creation, especially with the verse that goes:

Mine is the sunlight! 
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
Of the new day!

The other day I came across an old song sheet I had saved for more than 40 years. I was visiting a small Unitarian church in another city one Sunday. They didn’t have a hymnal, but instead distributed a front-and-back one-page song sheet.

The hymns had such titles as “Peace of the River,” “Rejoice in Love,” “Simple Gifts,” and “Poems of All Tongues,” none of which mentioned Jesus, the cross, sin, salvation, or heaven – or even God – but were universal tributes to goodness, peace, love, etc. I didn’t know any of the hymns, but I appreciated their sentiments.

But that’s not why I saved the song sheet for 40 years. One of the hymns was titled “Morning Has E’volved!” – to the tune of “Morning Has Broken.” Evidently “Morning Has Broken” was too much about God and creation for the author of this elegy to evolution. I don’t think we actually sang it that day, and I don’t think I could have — sober or with a straight face. Still can’t. Here it is, all three stanzas:

Morning Has E’volved

Morning has evolved! twas no first morning,
Science has spoken, said a new word.
Praise for the speaking, praise for evolving;
Praise for time springing fresh from the void.

Sweet the primord’l ooze of beginning,
Like a great mud slide out of the past.
Praise incompleteness of evolution,
For some improvement may come to pass.

Ours was a big bang in the first instant,
Born of that one blast, rushing away.
We’re made of star dust, in a new forming –
Life’s way of looking at the new day.

Well, I’m not going to let this devolve into a debate about creation versus evolution. I believe in both – evolution scientifically, creation spiritually. But when it comes to singing, I know I’m more inspired by “God’s re-creation of the new day” than “Sweet the primord’l ooze of beginning.”

Glenn Dromgoole’s newest book is A Few Words of Encouragement. He and his wife Carol own Texas Star Trading Company in downtown Abilene.