Henry Van Dyke

The Story of the Other Wise Man Henry Van Dyke

Henry Van Dyke was a 19th century American educator, clergyman, and writer. After graduating from the Princeton Theological Seminary he became a professor of literature at Princeton. He later became the U S minister to the Netherlands. While ambassador to the Netherlands he played a major role in helping President Wilson keep the US out of World War I. Van Dyke wrote poetry, essays and hymns. He wrote the words to the hymn Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee. First published in 1895, this story about faith has become a Christmas classic. It describes the pilgrimage of a fourth wise man who does not reach Bethlehem in time to present his gift to the baby Jesus, because he stops along the way to help people in need. He spends the next thirty-three years searching for the Messiah.