^*»« ., ». »,.l.si„, ^,^._^^ PRINCETON, N. J. Shelf Division Section Number , 'V^. ANNOTATIONS UPON Popular Hymns BY CHARLES SEYMOUR ROBINSON, D.D. iditor and Compiler of "Songs of the Church," 1862; "Songs for the Sanctuary," 1865 " Psalms and Hymns," 1875; " Spiritual Songs," 1878: "Laudes Domini." 1884; " New Laudes Domini," 1892 FOR USE IN PRAISE-MEETINGS New York : HUNT & EAION Cincinnati : CRANSTON & CURTS Copyright, 189J, by H U NT A EATON, New Vi>Ric. PREFACE. These Annotations liave been provided with Indexes, particular and voluminous, so that references to hymns by the Authors of them, as well as by the First Lines of them, can easily be reached. Hence they might be used with almost all the best hymnals in common employment in evangelical churches. For the sake of following some order and establishing some limit in the selection, the hymns have been chosen mostly from Laudes Domini, issued in 1884, and New Laudes Domini, issued in 1892 — two manuals for singing by choirs and congregations, which have attained a phenomenally wide use among the various Christian denominations. It is interesting to notice an intelligent growth in public sentiment concerning the gen- eral subject of hymnological study. Churches now are not satisfied with mere stanzas which might be lined out to be sung in fragments. They want hymns that are poetical in spirit and in structure rhythmical and lyrical. Within a few years no hymnbook has had pros- perity unless it has supplied the names of the authors with at least some hints concerning their biographies. Out of this has rapidly been developed a taste for inquiry concerning the histories of particular pieces which God's singing people have learned to love. And a great wealth of new compositions has suddenly been put within the glad reach of the various denominations of Christians during the three decades just closing the nineteenth century. Little by little the familiar names of Ray Palmer, Charlotte Elliott, Horatius Bonar, Edward Caswall, Frances Ridley Havergal, Thomas Hastings, and John Mason Neale have advanced into fame until their contributions to the sacred songs of the religious world are rivaling in number and worth those of Isaac Watts, Anne Steele, James Montgomery, and even John Newton and William Cowper and Charles Wesley. We all want to know about these choristers of many choirs and lands and tongues, many of whom are already singing in their white robes on the other side of the mysterious vail. The volume now laid before the public has grown slowly through a period of years. It has been prepared specially as a help for " Praise Meetings," or so-called " Services of Song." Almost any hymn appropriate to such employment in a promiscuous Sabbath gathering of God's devout people may be found here suitably noticed. It lowers the tone of joyous and happy-hearted worship of the Highest to spend the hours announced for communion and thanksgiving in singing the pieces appropriate only to camp meetings and to gospel missions for the conversion of sinners. It is very 'rare, if ever, that hymns of wrestling conviction or of poignant penitence can be utilized in a jubilant act of worship. The various paragraphs of incident and exposition, of biography, history, literary crit- icism, and art suggestion, which are attached now and then to the data of authorship and composition in the book, cannot be appreciated nor even understood unless this explanation is intelligently accepted. The attempt is made in each annotation to give to an inexperi- enced leader a thought of such a character that he will find a hint in it or out of it avail- able in the course of the comment he will have to frame as he introduces each piece to be sung. Much depends on the taste and aptitude of the minister who presides in these serv- ices. He must always preach. No spiritual man has any business to give up a Christian pulpit on the Lord's Day to anything besides preaching God's gospel of salvation to men. 4 PREFACE. Madame Antoinette Sterling once said with git-al spirit to me. " They say that 1 preach in my singing; so 1 do; so 1 try to do; so I nie.in to do always I" And no one th;it t-ver heard this gifted artist with her clear and distinct enunciation. Iicr matchlessly pathetic tones, her magnetic impulse forcing tears in his eyes when he could not stop to notice that she had tears in her own— no one who ever heard her in her wonderful way preach " The Lord is my Shepherd." or " Oh, rest in the Lord, wait patiently for him." could doubt whether Christ's love might be ofTt-rcd in the strains of a contralto hymn. To begin with, this whole plan, like everything else in the work of our Master, is a matter of faith— of living faith and experimental confidence. The man who attempts to conduct a praise service must believe that it has a veritable existence of its own. that it is a helpful and sure rewarder of him who diligently seeks it ; any misgiving is ruin. It is not to be looked upon as a musical entertainment, nor can it be put forward as a make- shift for a sermon ; it is nothing, nothing at all, unless it is what it purports to be, a sanctuary service of adoring and grateful praise of Almighty God. The minister must l)e just as devout in it as he would be at a communion ; the choir must not suffer themselves to be beguiled into imagining it as a fresh and beautiful opportunity for a parade or display. It is simply a service for a worshipful people, full of joyous love and thanksgiving to their Maker. Hence it should be treated as an instrument of prodigious energy either for good or for evil. It must be used, therefore, with supreme care lest it should be retortetl into a danger and a discouragement, reacting upon the congregation like an Afghan's boomerang. There is not in all our treasury of resources a more potent force than this of real honest singing of God's praises by masses of men, women, and children. It will be easier for the men who write annotations in the years to come than it has been for us who have attempted it just now. Often we have been compelled to study biog- raphies and investigate antiquated collections and search many works of general literature merely to find a few reminiscences of the venerable saints who sang the hymns of hope and faith which our fathers accepted, and discover now and then a picture someone drew of those who added the versions of the Psalms in an English dress more or less met- rical. But the religious periodicals, as well as the big-volume makers have cleared up now almost all the mysteries that the former ages will ever be expected to yield. Two or three enthusiastic and very dear friends have been steadily for the last eighteen months engaged with me in finishing this book. I sincerely hope the perusal of it will recall the hours we have spent in the study together. The amount of detail has made the mechanical part of our work nothing less than toilsome drudgery; but I candidly admit for inyself that I complete the task with a certain sort of i)ensive regret, so pleasant have been the lines along which it has led. 1 humbly and prayerfully commend the-e sugges- tions I have offered to my fellow-singers in the hope that they may be of real help. New York Citv, io East 130th St. Chari.es Seymour Robinson. ANNOTATIONS UPON THE HYMNS OF LAUDES DOMINI. I Praise to Christ. P. M. When morning gilds the skies, My heart awaking cries, May Jesus Christ be praised: Alike at work and prayer To Jesus I repair : May Jesus Christ be praised. 2 To thee, O God above, I cry with glowing love. May Jesus Christ be praised: This song of sacred joy, It never seems to cloy ; May Jesus Christ be praised. 3 Does sadness fill my mind, A solace here I find ; May Jesus Christ be praised: Or fades my earthly bliss. My comfort still is this. May Jesus Christ be praised. 4 When evil thoughts molest. With this I shield my breast ; May Jesus Christ be praised: The powers of darkness fear When this sweet chant I hear : May Jesus Christ be praised. 5 When sleep her balm denies. My silent spirit sighs. May Jesus Christ be praised: The night becomes as day, When from the heart we say, May Jesus Christ be praised. 6 Be this, while life is mine. My canticle divine: May Jesus Christ be praised: Be this the eternal song. Through all the ages long, May Jesus Christ be praised. Rev. Edward Caswall was reared within the pale of the Estabhshed Church of Eng- land, but he died in the communion of the Roman CathoUc Church, having been re- ceived in 1847. He was born July 15, 18 14, at Yately, in Hampshire, entered Oxford Uni- versity in 1832, and was graduated in 1836. He was ordained in 1839, and next year be- came perpetual curate of Stratford-sub-Castle, near Salisbury. He seceded from the English Church in 1 846, and became a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and was placed in the Congregation of the Oratory, which had been instituted in Birmingham by Cardinal Newman. There he remained until his death, January 2, 1878. The present hymn is found in Hymns and Poems, 1873, and is announced as translated from the German : Beim fruheit Morgenlicht. It is a great favorite with the singers at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Usually it is printed for distribution in the audience on a separate sheet. It was from one of these slips that the verses were copied for Latides Domini. The spirited refrain at the end of each triplet of lines gave a suggestion for a title to the collection. The compiler of this and other hymn-books, little and large, would like to say, once for all, that the aim of his entire work could not better be indicated than it is in the single line, " May Jesus Christ be praised." For this book aims to be peculiar in presenting hymns which are neither didac- tic nor hortator}^ but which are addressed more directly and persistently as praises to the one Lord Jesus Christ. Pliny gave it as the singular characteristic of Christians in his day that they were wont to assemble early in the morning and evening, and sing alterna- tively among themselves a hymn of praise to Christ as God — cannen Christo quasi Deo die ere secum invicem. 2 Mornin.g Hymn. L- M. O Christ ! with each returning morn Thine image to our hearts be borne ; And may we ever clearly see Our God and Saviour, Lord, in thee ! 2 All hallowed be our walk this day ; May meekness form our early ray. And faithful love our noontide light, And hope our sunset, calm and bright. 3 May grace each idle thought control, And sanctify our wayward soul ; May guile depart, and malice cease, And all within be joy and peace. 4 Our daily course, O Jesus, bless; Make plain the way of holiness : From sudden falls our feet defend. And cheer at last our journey's end. OPKNINC OF SEK\ |i Rev. John Chandler was an Kn^lish clcr- g)-man, bom in Witlcy. Surrey. June i6. 1806, cdurated at Corpus Christi Collejfe. ( )xford. jji. n 1827. He was ordained in the 1 - Church in 1831. and Ix-ianu- the sii«c(»v, ,; <,| his father as \'icar of Witley; subsequently he was appointed rural clean. He seems to have s|H-nt his entire life in that charj^'e, a tjuiet and useful man. He died at Puttiey. July 1. 1876. In 1837 he issued a small lxM)k of >jreat excellence called I/ymits of tlu Primith-t- Chttrih. This contained a hundred and eiyjht I^itin hymns with render- ings into Enj.jlish made by himself. These translations have had and have merited a wide and lasiinij popularity. Many of them have gone into most of the modern hymnals in Great Britain and .America. The one before us now is a translation of the Splendor pa- iertut i^loria of Ambrose, the famous bishop of Milan. 3 "Early I'ou-i." I.. M. Mv opening eyes with rapture see The dawn of tin- rcturnine day ; Mv thoughts, O Goti. ascend to thee, While thus my early vows I pay. 2 Oh, bid this trifling world retire, And drive each carnal thought away ; Nor let me feel one vain di-sirc — One sinful thought through all the day. 3 Then, to ihv courts when I repair, My soul shall rise on joyful wing. The wonders of thy love declare. And join the strains which angels sing. James Hutton was an English layman, bt)m in London. September 3, 171 5. He was a cousin of Sir Isaac Newton, and a son of a clerg)-man of piety and thoughtfulness, who gave him an excellent education, and then ap- prenticed him to a bookseller. He chose this business for himself aftenvard, and used to hold religious meetings in his store for some years. In 1739 he visited Herrnhut. and com- mg under the influence of Count von Zinzen- dorf, l)ecame a Moravian. He was zealous and remained faithful in that connection till he died. May 3, 1795, ^nd was buried at Chel- sea, in England. He printed the second Hand-fHwk for the Moravians in 1741, and their Manual of Doctrine in 1742. This hjTnn is s;tid to have been given in the appen- dix to a volume published by Daniel Benham in 1856. entitled Memoirs of James Hutton, Comprisini^ the Annals of his Life and Con- nection with the United Brethren. Invoealion. I^ M. 3 Come, fill our heart* with iiiwmrd (trength, Makr our cnlargM bouU po«aeM, And learn the height, and breadth, and length Of th'nc eternal love and grace. 3 Now to the O.'' ■ er can do More than our ; : wishes know. Be everlasting Ikmi By all the Church, thruugh ChriM his Son. Ti^ The tliat ( .iniiot III •kI endent or Congregational Church of South- ampton, was. in 1683, "persecuted and im- prisoned for non-conformity six months ; and was after that forced to leave his family and live privatelv for two years." Indeed, this was not his first incarceration for conscience's sake. His pa.stor also had been ejected as far back as 1662, and on the recall of the Declaration of Indulgence, in 1674, was sub- jected to still greater violence. The two men, preacher and deacon together, seem to have l>een jiiit in confinement at the same time : and it is said that Isaac Watts' mother, with her balK* in her arms, sat more than once in her distress on the stone at the gate of the prison. The child was born July 17, 1674. and not till William of Orange canne over and revolu- OPENING OF SERVICE. tionized England did better days for him commence. He continued his studies in London, but passed many of his inter\'ening years in the old parish at Southampton. He wrote rhymes for his mother's delectation when he was seven, but not until he reached a promising precocity of eighteen did he dis- play his power. Whether the congregation used the rough verses of Sternhold and Hop- kins, or whether they were afflicted by those (no better) of Barton, it cannot be settled now : but one time he startled the grave offi- cers of the parish by expressing his disgust with the performance. " Give us something which will be better, young man !" they re- plied. He took up the challenge at once, and offered his first hymn ; this the people sang at the close of the evening service. It was the one beginning, " Behold the glories of the Lamb." In most of the collections of his poems this can be found ; but when a choice had to be made for modern uses, the prefer- ence soon was given to those which were the fruit of his maturer experience. However, his work was cordially accepted ; and each evening for a long time he presented a fresh composition, until he had given them at last two hundred and twenty-two in all ; these they printed in a portable form for local use. It is admitted now that this one writer has done more for the Church in this line of Christian usefulness than any other. He gave a new impulse to the service of God's praise, and worthily bears the name of the " Father of English Hymnody." Dr. Watts' hymns were gathered, in 1707, into a volume divided into three books ac- cording to subject. The one now before us is No. 135 of Book I.: " Come, dearest Lord, descend and dwell." He entitled it, " The love of Christ shed abroad in the heart. Eph. 3:16." " A Nobler Rest." L. M. Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love, But there 's a nobler rest above ; To that our longing souls aspire, With cheerful hope and strong desire. 2 No more fatigue, no more distress, Nor sin nor death shall reach the place; No groans shall mingle with the songs That warble from immortal tongues. 3 No rude alarms of raging foes, No cares to break the long repose. No midnight shade, no clouded sun, But sacred, high, eternal noon. 4 O long-expected day, begin ! t)awn on these lealms of woe and sin ; Fain would we leave this weary road. And sleep in death to rest with God. i-^^ --fi' KEV. PHILIP DODDRIDGE, D. D. Any good encyclopedia would tell us that Rev^ Philip Doddridge, D. D., was an English clergyman belonging to the Independent or Congregational branch of the Church. He was the son of a merchant, and the last one of a large family of twenty children. He was ■ born in London, June 26, 1702 ; his constitu- tion was feeble from his infancy. His pa- rents were religious people, and early turned the lad's attention to an education for the. ministr)\ But they both died while yet he was young, and his care devolved upon friends, who showed much kindness to the afflicted orphan. At twenty years of age he was or- dained, and became the pastor of the small parish of Kibworth. In 1729 he was called to open an academy at Northampton for the purpose of training young men for the minis- \.xy. He remained at this work for some twenty years. He was one of the most volu- minous writers of religious literature in that period. His Family Expositor, a commen- X.'arsj upon the New Testament, his Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, and his Life of Colonel Gardifier, are still popular, and famous as books of the highest worth. But the rapid development of consumptive tendencies in his constitution rendered it ne- cessar}' for him to seek health in a milder cli- mate. He started for Portugal, and died at Lisbon, October 26, 175 1 ; he now lies buried in the English graveyard in that foreign city by the sea. This hymn, written by Dr. Philip Dod- dridge to be sung at the close of a sermon he 8 OPENING OF SERVICE, preached June 2, 1736. from the text. Heb. 4:9." There remaineth thercfort- a rest to the people of (itxl," is jijivt-n in Hymns I'oundtui on various Tfxls in tlu- lloly Sirifituris, 1755. As it was first sent to the public the opening stanza, which, indeed, is ver)- tame comp)arativcly, commenced. " Lord of the Sab- bath, hear our vows." This has been dropixrd in most of the mwlern collections. .A zeal (jr a freak of restoration, however, bids fair to spoil the favorite lyric, which owes much of its excellence to the wise pruninjif it has had from editors alonjj the years. Admittinj^ and enduring all this talk just at the present so popular about " the tinkering of hymns," we still would like to ask whether people do ac- tually prefer in the first stanza to say, " The songs which from the Desert rise ": and in the second stanza to say. " With ardent Pangs of strong desire ": and in the third stanza to say, " No Groans to mingle with the songs." These can all be found, and other felicities like them, in the original draft as printed in .Sir Koundell Palmer's />'(»<»{• l pra\ er. 3 The time how lovely and how still ! Peace shines and smiles on all below ; Tbenlain, the stream, the wootl, the hill, All fair with evening's setting glow. 3 5>easnn of rest ! the tranquil soul Fi-cis tin- sweet calm ami melts to love. And while these sacred moments roll, Faith sees the smiling heaven abMive. 4 Nor will our days of toil be long ; Our pilgrimage will soon be trong leaning towards the ("hurch of Kngland.the .ser\icesof which I always found more congenial to my own feelings." He was singularly happy and voluminous in his production of religious poetr)'. He 1^ .said to have composed more than two thou- s<'ind hymns. Of these, many have been \k\- petuated in the modem collections. This one IS to be found in the Cottage Minstrel, 1821. and is there entitled, " The Cottager's Reflec- tions upon the Sabbath Evening." He is.sued his first volume in 1817. Others followed; the Sacred Lyrics apf>eared in 1821 ; this contained most of his best known prrxluc- tions. He died in Homerton. a suburb of London, January 7, 1867, being then seventy- six years of age. The evening of the Lord's Day must have been a favorite part of his life, for many of his poems refer to it. He seemed to feel the glory of it. the rest of it. the prophecy of it. He never shows his religious experience more delightfully or more helpfully than when he is singing of .Sabbath night and " the morrow's quick returning light," which " must call us to the world again." Yet his whole heart is filled with the dear hope of a dawn where "' a sun that never sets shall rise." 7 " Gatfs of H farm " L. M. How sweet to leave the world awhile. And seek the presence of our Lord I Dear Saviour, on thy people smile. And come, according to thy word- 3 From busy scenes we now retreat That we may here converse with thee: Ah, Lord I l>ehold us at thy feet : Let this the " gate of heaven " be. 3 " Chief often thousand !" now appear, That we by faith may see thy face: Oh, si>eak. that we thy voice mav hear, Ann let thy i>resence fill this place. Rev. Thomas Kelly was the son of Right Honorable Haron Kelly, and was born near Athoy, in Queens County. Ireland. July 13, 1769. He graduated at Dublin Iniversity. and at first tcwik up the study of law. Even- tually he changed the plan of his professional life, and in 1792 he was ordained a clergyman in the Established Church. But he was too zealous for anything like tame routine, and .sfime considered him almost a fanatic. Row- land Hill made his acquaintance and Ix-fore long they were both silenced because their preaching was t fret to leave thy door. s (".."! is .III siin. Ill ni.ikf. our day ; C<~' -^ our way Fr' •>'»l sin, Frn: - within. 4 All nectllul K^ace will God bestow, And crown that ijracc with glory, too; He gives us all thiiiK', and withholds No real koo<1 from upright souls. J ("> Co ! .lur KiiiK, whose sovereign sway rii --Is oi heaven obey, Di-- "■. cxi-rl thy power, Ti! "'■ ili> name adore ! We find here the second part of Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 84, L. M. It con- sists of five stanzas, and is entitled " (iod in his Church, or (irace and (ilory." It was in comnientin)^ upon that sinjjle expression, " one day in thy courts is belter than a thousand," that the jjood IJishop Home exclaimed : "If this be the case upon earth, how much more in heaven I Oh. come that one j^lorious day whose sun shall never go down, nor any cloud obscure the luster of his beams ; that day when the temple of God shall be opened in heaven, and we shall be admitted to serve him for ever therein I" 12 " Return, my Soul!" L. M. Another six days' work is done, Another Sabballi is begun ; Return, my soul! enjov thy rest. Improve the day thy CJod natli blessed. 2 Oh, that our thoughts and thanks may rise As grateful incense to the skies ; Ana draw from heaven that sweet repose, Which none but he that feels it knows. 3 This heavenly calm, within the breast, Is the dear pledge of glorious rest Which for the church of God remains — The end of cares, the end of pains. 4 In holv duties let the day, In holy pleasures, pass away ; How sweet a S.tbbath thus to spend, In hope of one that ne'er shall end. Rev. Joseph Stennett. the author of this Sabbath hymn, was born at Abingdon. Berks, England, in 1663. He was the second of that race which for upward of a century of useful- ness enriched the ministry of the Haptist Church in Kngland. Scholarship and excel- lent abilitv, piety and zeal, have always Ix-en accredited to him as a preacher and a Chris- tian. He was a teacher for some years in London, in 1688 he married Susanna, daugh- ter of (ieorge Guill, a French Protestant refugee ; and shortly after this, believing him- self called to the ministry', he was ordained as pastor of the Seventh-Day I5aptist Church, then worshiping in Devonshire Square. Lon- don, of which his father had once been the minister. Of this same congregation he re- mained pastor until his death, though some- times his .ser\ices were in demand for preach- ing elsewhere. He skillfully utilized his time by employing the first day of the week for his ab.sences from home and his ser\ices in other diits. He was widely popular in his work, continued in the conlulence of all who knew him till his death, which t(K)k place July 4. 171 3. Among his last words were: '• I re- joice in the Ciod of my salvation, who is my strength and my Cod." It is a little difiicult to keep the genealogy of this Stennett family perfectly clear, espe- cially as more than one of the name wrote hymns for their own comfort and handed them dcnvn for singing among people who took very little pains to keep literan,* titles dis- tinct. There is no great importance in the matter ; but it can be remembered as a fact, by any who care to know, that Edward Sten- nett began the line. He was a dis.senting minister who with other Non-conformists suf- fered persecution, and for a short time im- prisf)nment because of their enthusiastic espou- sal of the cause of the Commonwealth. .After the Revolution he removed to Wallingford. Joseph was his son, and he had a son Joseph in his turn ; and that son had a son Samuel, who had a son Joseph : and all the men were ministers ; then this remarkable line ceased. 1 3 Psalm 92. L. M. SwEKT is the work, my God, my King, To praise thy name, give thanks and sing ; To show thy love by morning light. And talk of all thy truth at night. 2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest ; No mortal care shall seize my breast ; Oh, may mv heart in tune be found, Like David's harp of solemn sound I 3 My heart shall triumph in my Lord, And bless his works, and bless his word : Thy works of grace, how bright they shine I How deep thy counsels! how divine! 4 Lord, I shall share a glorious part, \Vhen grace hath well refined my heart. And Iresh supplies of joy are shed, Like holy oil to cheer my head. 5 Then shall I see, and hear, and know All 1 desired or wished below ; And every power find sweet employ, III that eternal world of joy. In the version of the Psalms by Dr. Watts, this appears in seven stanzas as the first part, L. M.. of Psalm 92. It is entitled. " .A Psalm for the Lord's Day." In one of the greatest English coal mines there is a constant forma- tion of limestone, caused by the trickling of water through the rocks. This persistent dripping contains many minute particles of lime, and these are deposited in the open spaces, and as the water runs off are soon settled down into solid limestone. This would OPENING OF SERVICE. be as pure as the whitest marble but for the black dust which rises from the coal while the miners are at work ; that dust is mixed with the soft mass and discolors its whole substance. On Sunday no work is done ; of course no dust is raised. So there is one layer of pure white among the seven. And that is the result all over the mine in each of the extensive galleries. The miners have given a name of their own to this peculiar conformation ; they call it the " Sunday-stone." For it has six black streaks in it, separated by thin white lines to mark the short rests of the nights ; and then it has one large white streak in it brighter and cleaner than all the rest. It seems like a constant tally of the days. Is there an eternal tally of God's Sabbaths, auto- nomical, self-reckoning, which we all are at one time to meet ? 14 Psalm 103. L. M. Bless, O my soul ! the living God, Call home thy thoughts that roam abroad ; Let all the powers within me join In w'ork and worship so divine. 2 Bless, O my soul ! the God of grace; His favors claim thy highest praise ; Why should the wonders he hath wrought Be lost in silence and forgot ? 3 'T is he, my soul ! who sent his Son To die for crimes which thou hast done ; He owns the ransom, and forgives The hourly follies of our lives. 4 Let the whole earth his power confess, Let the whole earth adore his grace ; The Gentile with the Jew shall join In work and worship so divine. This is the First Part, L. M., of Psalm 103, in Dr. Isaac Watts' collection, where it is en- titled : " Blessing God for his goodness to Soul and Body." This must have been a favorite theme with the poet, for he made one version in this meter consisting of eight verses, then another in the same consisting of six more, to which after a " Pause " he added still three ; and then taking up short meter he made one version of six verses, and an- other of eight more, to which he added still a third of four verses — thirty-five stanzas given to this one psalm. So at last we learn the secret of this man's power : it lay mostly in the wonderful grace of gratitude in his heart. He had lost his health ; he was an invalid nearly all of his life. He had passed away from his youth ; many of his old friends were gone. He had no home of his own in the world ; he lived for thirty years the guest of a generous nobleman. He had no children ; yet he wrote Dzvvie and Moral Songs for Infant Minds, one of the best books ever made for little ones to learn and sing. He never married. The only wo- man he ever loved and expected to wed jilted him cruelly ; yet he uttered but one cr}- of his soul voiced in the hymn, " How vain are all things here below," one pardonable pang of self-pity as he surrendered his life. He was small in figure and insignificant in person — less than five feet in height ; the woman said she " loved the jewel, but could not admire the casket that contained it." And still this great and good man was as happy as a bird ; he called upon " all the powers within " him to keep on singing till he went home to " the land of pure delight." " Though I could reach from pole to pole. And grasp the ocean in a span, I must be measured by my soul — Tlie mind 's the measure of the man." 15 " Day of Rest." L. M. 6L The day of rest once more comes round, A day to all believers dear ; The silver trumpets seem to sound That call the tribes of Israel near; Ye people all, obey the call. Ami in Jehovah's courts appear. 2 Obedient to thy summons, Lord, We to thy sanctuary come ; Thy gracious presence here afford, And send thy people joyful home ; Of thee, our King, oh, may we sing, And none with such a theme be dumb. 3 Oh, hasten, Lord, the day when those Who know thee here shall see thy face : When suffering shall for ever close, And they shall reach their destined place; Then shall they rest, supremely blest. Eternal debtors to thy grace. This is No. 148 of Thomas Kelly's third edition, 1809, though it is likely the composi- tion of the hymn dates three years earlier. Some double rhymes make it seem a little odd, but it is only a plain long meter of six lines. The author has attached to it the text. Num. 10:2, and has evidently meant it for a call to worship : " Make thee two trumpets of silver ; of a whole piece shalt thou make them : that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps." Rabbi Jehudah, one of the celebrated doc- tors of the Jewish law, was wont to call the attention of his pupils to the fact that the Is- raelites broke the first Sabbath, and therefore God let them go into captivity. He would point, in proof of this, to the statement that the children of Israel went out to gather man- na on the holy day, and that the ven,^ next chapter says, " Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim." There can be no doubt that the sober and reverent setting apart of one day in the seven is obligator}^ for all time. And it might well be expected that, whenever a duty so plain as this is denied by any believer, there will be an incursion of 13 OPENING OF SERVICE. spiritual Anialckitcs upon his experience which will put his highest hopes in [xrril. 10 MormtHg. L. M. Tl. SI. . 3 Awake, lilt Anil with the ;ii . Who all nijcf't l>''i>; uiisscaiuil miij; High praises to the eternal KiiiK. 3 f-i - • •' - •. I- .' hast kept Ai Ci.> ln...^ ... .....,, . 4 L»rd, I niy vows to thee renew : Scatter inv si'iis as moniine dew ; Guard my first suriiiKS of tnnuglit and will And with th>sell my spirit fill. 5 Direct, control, suggest, this da\ , All I design, or do, or say ; Til -t ;«ll vn\ powrrs, witli all ihcir might, In tliy sole Kli'^y "':»y unite. the sun lul ri«e I sUpl: nth shall wake, THOMAS KKN, D. D. Rev. Thomas Ken, 1). 1).. the author of this hymn, was a bishop in the Church of V.n^- hnd ; he was Ixjrn at Ik-rkhampstead, Hert- fordshire. July. 1^)37. and died at Lonvjleat. S. 1711. He studied at Winchester sl. where his name is still seen cut in one of the st«>ne pillars ; then his colle]ije course was pursued at < ).xfortl ; he was ord.iincd to the mini>tr\' simicwherc about 1666. After holding various preferments he removed aj>;ain to Winchester; he was a fel- low there in the college, and in 1669 became prebendan,- of the cathedral. In 1682 he was apiH)inted chaplain to Charles II.. and two years after this was made Bishop of Hath and Wells. This advancement was the more re- markable because, while he was living in Winchester, the looint- ment which showed that even the king re- spected his virtue. It was at Winchester also that he prepared a Manual of Pravcrs for the use of the schol- ars, and to this were appended his Morning, Evening, and Midnight Hymns. These were what gave to George Whitetield his pious bent in his college days. And these have come down to us in the years since with memories of early life and home prayers, when the voices now silent have sung at the family altar the unforgotten lines. 1 7 Psalm 145, L. .M. Mv God, my King, thy various praise Shall fill the remnant of my days; Thv grace employ my humble tongue Till death and glory raise the song. 3 The wings of every hour shall bear Some thankful tribute to thine ear . And every setting sun shall sec New works of duty done for the€. 3 Thy works with sovereign gloix shine, And speak thy majesty divine: Let Zion in her courts pioclaim The sound and honor of thy name. 4 But who can speak thy wondrous deeds? Thy greatness all our thoughts exccedtt Vast and unsearchable thy ways ; \'ast and iinmoital be thy praise. " The Greatness of God." is the title aftixed by Dr. Isaac Watts to this version of I'salm 145 in L. M. It consists of six stanzas, from which those in ordinary use have been i hosen. It is a wise and suggestive remark of the Ger- man preacher Krummacher. that unl)eli€f does •* nothing but darken and destroy. It makes the world a moral desert, where no divine footsteps are heard, where no angels ascend and descend, where no living hand adorns the fields, feeds the birds of heaven, or regulates events." 18 NhW OU! TIk F.afh Dav'i Dutirs. \ < fv ini'riiiiiK '■• Ibe lti\ e L. M. ■ brought, >ught. OPENING OF SERVICE. 13 2 New mercies, each returning day, Hover around us while we pray; New perils past, new sins forgiven, New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven. 3 If, on our daily course, our mind Be set to hallow all we find, New treasures still, of countless price, God will provide for sacrifice. 4 The trivial round, the common task, Will furnish all we need to ask, Room to deny ourselves, a road To bring us daily nearer God. 5 Only, O Lord ! in thy dear love Fit us for perfect rest above ; And help us, this and every day, To live more nearly as we pray. REV. JOHN KEBLE Rev. John Keble, the author of the Chris- tian Year, is better introduced to the world as a poet. Whatever part he took effectively in the great Tractarian movement was aug- mented extraordinarily by the exquisite beauty of his hymns. He wrote six of the ninety small treatises which were issued, but it was the poetr\- and singing put together rather more than the logic of the arguments which arrested to any extent the common people of Great Britain. In the end Keble chose the place of a village pastor ; he became the Vicar of Hursley parish, near Winchester, and there, with the surroundings of rural content and peace about him, pursued the path of duty to the end of his life. He was the son of a clergyman, and was born at Fairford, Gloucestershire, April 25, 1792. He was educated at Oxford, gradua- ting with high honors in his class in 18 10. In 1831 he was appointed Professor of Poetr\-. This last distinction he had earned, not only by his eminent fitness for the position, but by the success of his little volume, the Christian Year, a noble work, reaching its ninety-sixth edition in the author's lifetime. It was pub- lished in 1827, and when the copyright expired in 1873 nearly half a million copies had been sold. As the market was then opened, and the fame of the poetry had reached the Ameri- can public also, the sales became almost enor- mous. He issued afterward other books, but this one was the strongest and best. Large numbers of the poems in it are charged with sentiments which Protestant people are not willing to accept, but Keble shared with New- man all the responsibility of tn,-ing to turn the English Church over to Rome, without sur- rendering the emoluments of the establish- ment with which he continued in connection, until he died at Bournemouth, March 29, 1866. Keble followed the tradition of almost all the English hymnists in placing a morning and an evening hymn at the beginning of his book of poems. This piece of sixteen stanzas, from which the usual selection is compiled, is found at the opening of the Christian Year. The text added for a motto is quoted from Lam. 3 :22, 23 : " His compassions fail not. They are new every morning." 1 9 Christ's Presence Sought. C. M. Again our earthly cares we leave And to thy courts repair ; Again with joyful feet we come To meet our Saviour here. 2 Great Shepherd of thy people, hear ! Thy presence now display ; We bow within thy house of prayer ; Oh ! give us hearts to pray. 3 The clouds which vail thee from our sight, In pity. Lord, remove : Dispose our minds to hear aright The message of thy love. 4 The feeling heart, the melting eye, The humble mind bestow ; And shine upon us from on high, To make our graces grow. 5 Show us some token of thy love, Our fainting hope to raise ; And pour thy blessing from above. That we may render praise. Upon a marble in the church of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Woolchurch Haw, Lombard Street, London, one may read this inscription : " John Newton, Clerk, once an Infidel and Libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy, Near 16 years at Olney in Bucks ; And — years in this church." This epitaph was prepared by himself, the blank of which, preceding the " years," should u (IPENINC OF SERVICE. be filled with " 28." " And 1 carm-stly de- sire." he further s.iys. " that no other monu- ment, and no ins'-ription but to this purport, n\ay be attempted for mt." N\s ^ It will arrest attention on the instant, this frank admission made upon his tombstone by the man whose pen wrote the line all of us have sKin-fT for years: " How sweet the name of Jesus sounds." Was that man once an infidel and a Iil>ertine ? His life has been written by his most intimate friend, Richard Cecil, and by others; our annotations need only that we quote what his biographers have said of him. He was born in London, July 24, 1725, "old style;" Auj^ust 5, as we now reckon dates ; he died in London. December 21, 1807. His father was a sea-farinj( man, the mas- ter of a ship tradinj^ chiefly between the ports of the MediterraYiean. Within a year of his wife's death he married a woman who appa- rently did not care to carry out the in.struc- tif)ns f)f the former wife. It was a relief to her to have the child r)ut of the way ; and he was put to school for two years, where he ac- quired the simplest rudiments and a little smatterini,( of I-atin. His main acquisitions were in the way of idle habits and a taste for low assf)ciatcs ; and by the time he was eleven he left school tinally. and accompanied his father on his voya>jes f(jr the four succeeding years. He was one who never let his virtues get in the way of his enjoyments. Dissolute as he was even in his boyhood, he was not with- out religious conviction, frequently fa.sting and praying and returning to the Word of God ; and we are told by Cecil that " he took up and laid aside a religious profession three or four different times before he was sixteen years of age." \'ery shortly after this, while in sailor's garb, walking about the docks. Newton was seized antl impressed on board the Harwich, and as war with France was at this time im- minent, there was no way to procure his re- lease. Hy and by, however, things changed, and he started on his wav homeward over the sea. With the main incfdents of that voyage we are probably many of us familiar — the terrible .storm that threatened to founder the vessel, and which aroused a still more dread- ful tempest in Newton's soul ; so that amid the crashing of the thunder and the vivid darting of the lightning he became insensible to all without in the recurrence of those Scrip- tures that sounded as anathemas of heaven upon his guilty head ; his despair, his finding a copy of Thomas \ Kempis in the cabin and perusmg it, and its profound impression upon him ; his determination to quit his wicked life — with this we are familiar. ^'et while this was succeeded by an un- doubted change, it was not a thorough re- newal. He needed a hand to lead him from remorse to repentance, from reformation to Christ. Even after his return to England and his marriage to .Mary Catlett he reem- barked in the slave-trade, and made three voyages to (iuinca to purchase slaves for the West Indies. It was si.\ years after that dreadful storm that Providence brought him into association with a godlv sea captain, who, fathoming his condition, led him to that self- renunciation which resulted in the full and unequivocal acceptance of Christ. In the Ohttv Hymtts this one is given as No. 43, Ik)ok III. It is changed in many lines ; the title of it there is : " ( )n (~)pening a House of Worship ;" and it contains seven stanzas of varving merit. The main value of the piece consi'sts in the recognition once more f)f the necessity of a due preparation fur wor- ship before the exercise begins. The use of it for a dedication ser\'ice is thoroughly legitimate. 20 " Cuidf ui." Now that llic sun is f;l(^nK brighl. Implore wc, iK-iidine low. Th.il lu-, the uncreated Light. .M.ty Ki>ir deed of wrong, Niir tlmuKht"* that idly rove : But smi|ile truth h«- on our tongue. And in our hearts be love. C. M. OPENING OF SERVICE. 15 3 And while the hours in order flow, O Christ, securely fence Our gates, beleaguered by tho The gate of every sense. 4 And grant that to thine honor, Lord, Our daily toil may tend ; That we begin it at thy word, And in thy favor end. 5 Now to our God, the Father, Son, And Holy Spirit, sing: With praise to God, the Three in One, Let all creation ring. CARDINAL NEWMAN. This is one of the excellent translations with which John Henry Newman has enriched our hymnology. It is rendered with grace- fulness and spirit from the hymn attributed to Ambrose, Jam lucis or to sidere, as found in the Paris Breviary. The author tells us that his voyage from Palermo to Marseilles, on his way home from Rome, was thoroughly occu- pied : " I was writing verses the whole time of my passage." He was evidently, partly with the return of health, and partly with the gaining of a settled mood of mind, in a state of the highest exhilaration and poetic fervor. A very strange m.easure of emotion comes over me as, in the ordinary course of these annotations, I reach the name of John Henry Newman. The venerable prelate of the Roman Catholic Church lies dead as I take my pen ; friends whose names are mighty, and whose numbers grow large as they gath- er, are looking upon his face, pale and quiet, in the hall of the Oratory at Birmingham. He was born in London, February 21, 1801 ; he died in Birmingham, August 1 1, 1890, two days ago, suddenly, and apparently without pain. It arrests one's imagination to think seriously here how much he has learned with- in these forty-eight hours concerning those things which he tried honestly to understand, if ever a Christian man tried to understand anything, for years on years of patience, gen- tleness, and prayer. Charles Kingsley was the frankest of Great Britain's great men ; as a true man he said in public what made a true man pay attention to his words. This led Dr. Newman at once to give his whole heart to the world in his Apologia pro Vita Sua. Not everybody agreed with him, but since then everybody respected him. We used to go and hear him preach ; for better English speech, more classical correctness, could nowhere be found in London, and with that there was an indescribable dignity, touch- ing one's heart like a sort of appealing cry from a soul in earnest and a life perfectly pure. He began almost with the century, he has lived almost to its end. He was a marked man in the world of letters, in history, and in ecclesiastical position. 2 i Psalm 63. C. M. Early, my God, without delay, I haste to seek thy face ; My thirsty spirit faints away Without thy cheering grace. 2 I 've seen thy glory and thy power Through all thy temples shine ; My God, repeat that heavenly hour, That vision so divine. 3 Not life itself, with all its joys, Can my best passions move. Or raise so high my cheerful voice, As thy forgiving love. 4 Thus, till my last expiring day, I '11 bless my God and King ; Thus will I lift my hands to pray. And tune my lips to sing. Dr. Isaac Watts gives to this the title, " The Morning of a Lord's Day." It consists of six stanzas, and is his version of Psalm 63, first part, C. M. It used to be sung at what were called " Dawn Meetings " years ago, and it is still employed as a devotional medi- tation by many a child of God, as he rises and remembers that the day has come which in the Lord's house is better than a thousand. " Since I began," says Edward Payson, when he was preparing for the ministry, " to beg God's blessing on my studies, I have done more in one week than in the whole year be- fore." Martin Luther, when most pressed with toils, would never fail to throw himself on his knees the moment he saw the sunrise ; for he felt this in his soul : " I have so much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a day praying." Many of God's best people have attributed their strength and advance- ment, more than to anything else, to the habit of devoting the first moments of the morning to supplication. Havelock rose at four o'clock, if the hour for marching was six, rather than be compelled to lose the precious privilege of i6 OPENING OF SERVICE. communion with God before setting out. Sir Matthew Hale once wrote: " If I omit pray- ing; and n-adinvj (mkI's Word in the niorninj^, nothin.v( ,vjRD, in ihe moriiin); thou shall hear Mv voice asceiiiliiiK hij^h ; To t^ice will I (lii«:it my prayer, To thee hit up mine eye ; — a I'p to the hills, where Christ has gone To plead lor all his saints, PrcsentiuK. at his Father's throne. Our son^s and our complaints. 3 Thou art a God before whose sight The wicked shall not stand ; Sinners shall ne'er be thy delight, Nor dwell at thy right hand. 4 But to thv house will I resort, Te within this sacred place, Anil joy a constant guest ; With hfilv gifts and heavenly grace Re her attendants blest. 5 Mv soul shall prav for Zion still. While life or breatii remains: There mv best friends, my kindred, dwell, 24 There God, my Saviour, reigns- "Going to Church" is the title which Dr. Isaac Watts has affixed to this version of Psalm 122, C. M. One of the six stanzas is omitted. These words have lonyf been asso- ciated with a familiar old tune, which used to be sunx almost invariably in New Knj^land whenever they were )^iven out from the jnilpit or at family i)rayers. One mi^ht close hus eyes and reproduce the whole vision of a con- ference-meeting with just a strain of that tune " Mear." as naturalists are said to draw the picture of a tish the moment they see a sinjjle scale taken from it. Some days there were in this Christian republic wherein the very folk-sonvjs of the people were psalms and hymns from Tioftly sing us That griuid old tune of Mear." Psalm 84. Mv soul, bow lovely is the place To which tt'v (hxI resorts! 'Tis heaven to see his smilini; face, Though in his earthly courts. C. M. OPENING OF SERVICE. 17 2 There the >jreat Monarch of the skies His savins: power displays; And light brtraks in upon our eyes With kind and ijuick^ning rays. 3 With his rich gifts the heavenly Dove Descends and fills the place . While Christ revei s liis wondrous love, And sheds abroad his grace. 4 There, niiglity God, thy words declare The secrets of thy will ; And still we seek thy mercv there, And sing thy praises still. There is a great deal more in this plain liymn of Dr. Isaac Watts than most persons would suspect. Virtually it is a paraphrase rather than a version, although he has given it with nine stanzas as his rendering of Psalm 84, C. M. He has entitled it, " Delight in Ordinances of Worship ; or, God Present in his Churches." The allusion to the Day of Pentecost and the descent of the dove, as well as the reference to the Mount of Trans- figuration, are out of place in any proper translation of one of the songs of the temple ; but they are e.xcellent in suggestion when one is in the mood of catching similitudes of spir- itual life in worship. The use of the means of grace is the condi- tion of receiving what grace the good Lord means to send us. We go to the house of prayer in due performance of routine ; but our Lord does not meet us in such a way. He prepares his surprises unseen ; we come like children expecting what he will be sure to have in his hands for us. It is " the se- crets" of his will that are disclosed. W^e enter the sanctuary with our sight in some way dimmed ; in an e.xalted moment " light breaks in upon our eyes." Doctrines grow plain ; disciplines are illumined ; doubts van- ish. Thus the Lord sends us " help from the sanctuary." 25 Psalm 25 : 14. C. M. Speak to me, Lord, thyself reveal, While here on earth I rove ; Speak to my heart, and let me feel The kindling of thy love. 2 With thee conversing, I forget All time and toil and care; Labor is rest, and pain is sweet, If thou, my God, art here. 3 Thou callest me to seek thy face ; Thy face, O God, I seek, Attend the whispers of thy grace. And hear thee inly speak. 4 Let this my every hour employ, Till I thy glory see, * Enter into my Master's joy. And find my heaven in thee. Rev. Charles Wesley, son of Samuel and Susannah W^esley, was born at Epworth, in England, Dec. 18, 1708. He was the young- REV. CHARLES WESLEY. est of at least eighteen children — some biog- raphers say nineteen — ^of whom, however, nine died in their infancy. The boy was educated first by his own mother, then at Westminster School under his brother Sam- uel, and ultimately received his degree at Oxford. In 1735 he came to America, acting as the secretary of General Oglethorpe while here, but returned to England a year or two afterward. At that time he was not experi- mentally a Christian, though he was ordained, and kept himself busily engaged in mission- ary work among the Indians. His genuine conversion, dating the subsequent year, changed the whole course of his life ; then he became a preacher by profession, but he never was settled in a cure of souls except at St. Mary's in Islington, and that for a short time. He was the rather an itinerant evangelist, serving as the companion or helper of his brother. For many seasons they traveled through England and Ireland, until, in 1749, Charles married Miss Sarah Gwynne, of Garth ; then he settled with his family, first in Bristol for some years, then finally in Great Chesterfield Street, London, acting as resi- dent clergyman to some Methodist societies in that city to the end of his days. He died, aged eighty-one years, March 29, 1788, and his body was interred in the graveyard of Old Marylebone Church, near his residence at the time. These facts, constituting what may be called the data of this remarkable man's life, are all that need to be stated in these annotations. i8 OPENING OF SERVICE. But many striking incidents of his biojfraphy will appear in connection with individual hymns that he wrote durinvj the course of hfty years of literarj* activity. This invorts my mortal frame; My tongue shall sjH-ak his praise ; My sins would rouse his wrath to flame. And yet his wrath delays. 4 Crr.it C,rA, let all my hours be thine. While I rnjov the li|{ht : Thru >hall my sun in smiles decline. And bring a pleasant night. C. M. A fresh instance of the marr^'ing of a hymn and tune so that no man shall put them asun- der. Dr. Isaac Watts' hynui, which is in his own Hook II.. No. 6. where it is entitled " A .Morning Song," and has six stanzas, must always be simg to " Peterboro." That has been the rule for more years than most of modern singers will ever wish to live. How Ixauiiful is the picture of a soul, lov- ing and trustful, erecting it.self to receive I'tly a day which has risen to salute its waking eyes ! And how glad such a soul is when its turn comes to offer its acknowledgments for mercies received in the solemn midnight. IVrhaps it has been a night of heavy and aw- ful experience ; Cod has during all its glooms and horrors supported our mortal frame ; then it is that the Christian soul brings its sweetest return of gratitude. The writer of these lines has in his possession an autograph letter of the explorer Stanley, probably never before brought to light. It was written and sent in 1879 when he had just emerged from his earliest perils. This was before he had grown into the veteran he is now. Hut even then, January, 1879, almost fourteen years ago, he was just as honestly grateful to God as he has ever been since. Tliese are his words : '• That I escaped from it I acknowledge is due only to the goodness of God. He it was who rescued me from the horrors which sur- rounded us many months. He it was who sustained us in our bitter trials. To him be all my gratitude. I earnestly hop>e that what 1 have been permitted to do will redound to the great glory of his name, and that Afri- ca will .send her millions to the fold of Christ." It was a " Dark Continent ;" but the rising day saluted the brave man, and he returned the salute like a knight and a soldier : " Great God. let all my hours be thine ! Once more I tribute pay to him that rules the skies !" 27 " IVorthy the Lamb!" C. M. Sing «e the song of those who stand Around the eternal throne. Ofeverv kiiulred, clime, and land. A multitude unknown. 3 Life's t>oor distinctions vanish here: To-day the young, the old. Our Saviour .-intl his flcKk apiK-ar, One Shepherd and one fold. 3 Toil, trial, sufferings still await _On earth the pilgiim throng ; Vet leain we in our low estatr The I'liurch Tnumphanl's song. 4 "Worthy the Lamb for sinners slain," Cry the reuii^hter of Kev. William Steele, of HroujL^hton, in Hampshire; and it is recorded that he was a cleriifyman of much piety and force, who for si.xty years in succes- sion ministered to a Haptist conjjrejtjation in that villatje, where she was born in 1716, and where she lived all her life. What Isaac Watts was on the one side. Miss Anne Steele was on the other ; differinjj in sex but both unmarried, they sanij the sweetest soni^s of praise and experience for the Christian home, and i^ave to the church of Christ some of the noblest lyrics for divine ser\ices in the sanctu- ar\-. And they lived tranquilly in the south of Enijland, only fifteen miles apart. This devout and spiritually-minded wf)man became a member of her father's church when she was only fourteen years old, and for all the rest of her life she was the faithful associate and worker with him in ever\thinj^ that was for the .ijlory of the Master whom he loved. In her early life she was l)etrothed to a gen- tleman named Kllsworth ; but on the day previous to their exjiected wedding he was suddenly drowned. Her heart was almost broken : she remained true to his memory ; and for all the long subdued years afterwards she spent the little strength she possessed in doing affectionate and generous deeds of goocl among the neighbors with whom .she was thrown. She wrote many hymns, some of which are among the mo.st prized by Cod's people of every name. Her health was al- ways feeble ; her spirit was pensive, but not s.'id ; aspiring, but never excited ; for many .seasons a great sufferer, she sang for the churches some of their most cheering songs ; then in full faith died at the last in 1778, aged sixtv-one. Sincrritv. C. M. LoKi>' when we bend before thy thronci And our cimlessirins pour. Oh, may we feci ihc sins we own, And hate what we re. OPENING OF SERVICE. 2 Our contrite spirits pitying see ; True penitence iiiijiart ; And let a healing ray from thee Beam hope on every heart. 3 When we disclose our wants in prayer, May we our wills resign ; Nor let a thought our bosom share Which is not wholly thine. 4 Let faith each meek petition fill, And waft it to the skies : And teach our heart 'tis goodness still That grants it or denies. When Lord Elgin was appointed as am- bassador to the Sublime Porte in 1 799 he was accompanied by the Rev. Joseph Dacre Car- lyle, the son of George Carlyle. This clergy- man of the Church of England had been Professor of Arabic at Cambridge for five years, and the Vicar of Newcastle-on-Tyne afterward. He was one of the scholars who aided in the purposes of the expedition, spe- cially seeking to ascertain what literar}' treas- ures survived in the public librar)' of Constan- tinople. He was an accomplished man, well fitted for a position of that sort. His journey on the trip was extended to Asia ;\Iinor and the Greek archipelago, and on his travels he seems to have used a portion of his spare time in poetic composition. His fame has never at all rested upon his verses, much less upon his hymns ; for only the one before us has found its way into the common collections or even appeared on this side of the ocean. He was a tall man in figure, thin and dark, wich reserved manners and shy demeanor. The best work he was doing was that of an Orientalist ; he was at the time of his decease editing the Arabic text of the Bible ; but it was cut short very abruptly by his death at the vicarage in Newcastle. He was born at Carlisle June 4, 1758, and he died April 12, 1804. This one hymn was found at the end of a volume called Poems Suggested by Scc7ies in Asia Minor, Syria, and Greece, 1805. It is entitled, " A Hymn Before Public Wor- ship," and has been very much altered since his day. 32 " Light in thy Light." CM. Etkrnal Sun of righteousness, Display thy beams divine, And cause the glory of thy face Upon my heart to shine. 2 Light ill thy light, oh, may I see, Thy grace and mercy prove, Revived, and cheered, ami blest by thee, The God of pardoning love. 3 Lift up thy countenance serene, And let thy happy child Behold, without a cloud between. The Father reconciled. 4 On me thy promised peace bestow, The peace by Jesus given — The joys of holiness below. And then the joys of heaven. Some little trouble has been found by those who have tried to locate and identify this hymn. The fact is, it is made up of two joined together, both of them written by Rev. Charles Wesley; these are taken from his " Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures," 1762. They are founded upon the priestly benediction recorded in Numbers 6:25, 26. Upon the first of these verses he composed one of them, and on the second the other ; the four stanzas are then grouped as one hymn. 33 Psalm 118. C. M. This is the day the Lord hath made ; He calls the hours his own ; Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad, And praise surround the throne. 2 To-day he rose, and left the dead. And Satan's empire fell ; To-. This hymn, by Rev. Samuel Stennett.D. D., was first published, like most of the composi- tions bearing his name, in the collection of Rev. Dr. Rippon. It is a brit(ht soni^ to sinjj for those who are in the mood for meditative worship. " I have in my conijreKation," once said a venerable minister of the yjospcl. " a worthy woman, quite a^ed now, who has for a number of years been so deaf as not to dis- tinguish the loudest sounds ; and yet she is always one of the first in the Sabbath meet- ing. On askini; her the reason of such con- stant attendant e she answered : ' Thf)Uj4h 1 cannot hear your voice I keep cominyj to God's house lx:cause I love it, and because I am lonj^invc to Ik- found in his ways; and he gives me many a sweet thought uj^on the text, when sf)me one has Ixren kind enough to put my finger upon it in the Hible; and then, too, though I have to Ik- quiet, with no part with the rest. I feel that 1 am in the best of com- pany, in the mf)re immediate presence of (iod. and among his saints who are the honorable of the earth. I am not satisfied w ith serving my Maker in private ; it is my dutv and privi- lege to honor him regularly in public' " And, no doubt, the pastor hinist-lf went away from such a parishioner thinking joyously in his heart how fine it was that (iod's love and communion were given to many whom he could not reach in the sanctuary, and so it became to all alike a " charming place." Rev. SanuK-l .sttiiiH-tt. 1 >. I >., was born in Kxeter, England, where his father was pastor of the IJapti.st Church. 1727. When the lad was ten years old his father removed to L(»n- don. and became the minister of the Hapti.st congregation in Little Wild Street. As the youn\; man grew up he assisted his father in the |)astoral care of the parish, and when the [K-ople called him he became his father's suc- ces.sor. and remained in the pastorate till his death. .August 24. 1795. "<^ ^^"^ «*" excel- lent scholar, gaining the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the I'niversity of Aberdeen. possessed of fine literan,' ability, and having great inlUience among those who maintained themselves in usefulness outside of the Church of Kngland. The king seems to have given to him his entire confidence. John Howard w.'is his frequent hearer. Once writing a let- ter from Smyrna, this famous reformer took occasion to speak of the exceeding pleasure he had in reviewing his notes of Stennctt's sermons. 35 Day 0/ Light. S. M. This is the flay of lifrlit: I.c-t there be liK'it to-day ; O D.ivspriiig, rise upon our night. And ch:isc its Rioom away. 2 This is the d.iy of rest: Our failiiiK sin-iicth renew: On weary hrain and tronblcd breast Shed thou thy freshening dew. 3 This is the day of peace: Thv peace our spirits fill ; Bid thou the blasts of discord cease. The wavfS of strife be siill. 4 This is the day of prayer: Let eiirlh to heaven draw fear: Lilt up our heails to seek thee there ; Come down to meet us here. 5 This IS the first o( days: Send forth th\ quickening breath, Anil w.'ikc deaeculiar in that they refer more directly to tne worship in the Lord's house OPENING OF SERVICE. REV. JOHN EI.I.RRTON. upon the Lord's day. The Sabbath has this wonderful power as an institution : those who love it love it dearly. It gathers into itself memories of youth, reminiscences of seasons of grace, family mercies and affections, times of refreshment and days of alleviated sorrow, when God has sent help from the sanctuary. It is, indeed, " the first of days," for it has light and rest in it as well as peace and prayer and love and praise, and an outlook far beyond. 36 Rev. 15:3. S. M. AwAKR, and sing the song Of Moses and the Lamb ; Wake, every heart and every tongue. To praise the Saviour's name. 2 Sing of his dying love ; Sing of his rising power ; Sing how he intercedes above For those whose sins he bore. 3 Ye pilgrims ! on the road To Zion's city, sing ! Rejoice ye in the Lamb of God — In Christ, the eternal King. 4 Soon shall we hear him say — " Ye blessed children, come !" Soon will he call us hence away, And lake his wanderers home. 5 There shall each raptured tongue His endless praise proclaim : And sweeter voices tune the song Of Moses and the Lamb. Rev. William Hammond, who wrote this familiar hymn, was a Calvinist Methodist minister, who afterwards with his friend Cen- nick became a Moravian. He was converted under Whitefield's preaching, and exercised his calling in Bristol and London and other parts of England. The date of his birth is January 6, 1719; he died in London. August 19, 1783, and was buried in the Moravian Cemetery. This hymn was published in his volume called Psaluis, Hyuins, and Spiritttal Songs, 1745. A plain allusion is made in it to Rev. 15:3. The title which the author gave it was : " Before Singing of Hymns, by Way of Introduction." The original contains fourteen stanzas. Martin Madan is said to have altered it much in 1 760, and even to have added one or more of the verses now in use, and suppressed the rest. 37 " IrmnaiiueV s Ground.'" S. M. Come, we who love the Lord, And let our joys be known ; Join in a song of sweet accord, And thus surround the throne. 2 Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God ; But children of the heavenly King May speak their joys abroad. 3 The men of grace have found Glory begun below ; Celestial fruits on earthly ground From faith and hope may grow. 4 The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets Before we reach the heavenly fields, Or walk the golden streets. 5 Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dr}- ; We're marching through Immanuel's ground To fairer worlds on high. This is No. 30 of Dr. Watts' Book II. There it has ten stanzas, and is entitled, " Heavenly Joy on Earth." In the second stanza the author wrote the line " But fav'- rites of the Heavenly King." With a very finical taste for so-called restoration, some of the modern collections have expunged the ex- cellent emendation, cJiildren, and replaced the awkward fav rites. There was once a difficulty in Rev. Dr. Samuel West's congregation in the old New England times. The choir had declined to proceed with the music. So the shrewd cler- gyman introduced the services with this hymn. Having read it slowly through, he looked sig- nificantly up at the performers in the gallery and said : " Please commence at the second verse." It is needless to mention that the choir went on as usual, and sang with the rest: " Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God ; But children of the heavenly King May speak their joys abroad." 38 Psalm 92. S. M. SwF.ET is the work, O Lord, 'i"hy glorious name to sing ; To praise and pray — to hear thy word, And grateful offerings bring. Sweet — at the dawning light, Thy lioiHulless luve to tell ; And when a\)proacli ihe sliades of night. Still on the theme to dwell. OPENING OF SERVICE. 3 Sweet— on llii« day of rest, To join ill heart iiikI \ oiic With thi>»r \k\\o lo\c uiiil S(.rve Ihec best Anil in thv iiaim- rejoice 4 To - ■ I- ami joy Be l-\ • kJIM-ll, That sii ir blest employ hlcriialis 111 liL-.ivcii. This is anotlitT of Miss H.irrict Auber's vcr\' Kt*<^>tJ vtTsions ; that timid sinj^cr has given us no details. This is her rentlcrin.i( of I'sahn 92. S. M. It was pubhshcd in the Spirit of till- Psalms, 1 829. 39 Thf Etftnal Sabbath. S. M. Haii. to the Sabbath day ! The day di\ iiielv kIvcii. When men to (mk{ their liomnge pay, And earth draws near to heaven.' 2 Lord, in this sacred houi , Within thy courts we bend. Ami bifss ihy love, and own thy power, Our F.er 1 2, 1870. He was not known very widely outside of his own denomination, though he was a man of marked ability and force. His best poetr)- was contributed to the hymnal prepared for the Unitarian body. 40 livmn of Praisf. S. M. With loy wc lift our eves 10 thoM- bright realms above. Th»l glorious trniple in the skies, Where dwells eternal I.ove. 7 Before thy throne we bow, O thou almighty King: Here we present the solemn vow, And li>iiins III piaise wc sing. S While 111 lh\ bouse we kneel, With trust and hol\ fear, Thy mercy and thy truth reveal. And lend a gracious ear. 4 Lord, teach our hearts to pray, And tune our lips to sing ; Nor from tiiy presence cast aWay I he sacrifice we bring. Rev. Thomas Jervis was an Enjjli.sh Uni- tarian, and was settled in a conj3frej,jation in Leeiis. This hymn written by him is found in a Lolltrtion of Hymns and Psalms for Pul- lii and I*ri7>ate ll'ors/iif), issued in 1795. The book is notable amonij hymnoloj^ists cs havin>( been one amonij the earliest, if indeed not the first of them all. which sought to attach the names of the authors to their own compositions, and actually placed an index at the beginning by which they could be identi- fied. Of the si.x hundred and ninety pieces twenty-one are credited to this one of four compilers. He made this rather good Sab- bath invocation ; but one feels sad to have to say that there was nothing else worth having, for in faith he was almost a Deist, and never alluded to the Saviour as an object of praise or even of recognition. And yet he was the son of a I'resbyterian minister in Ipswich, England ; was born in 1 748 ; for some years was settled as a preacher in London ; then afterward at Leeds he labored ten years and retired from active senice. He died at Fry- erning, Essex, in the year 1833. His hymn has been much altered since. 4 1 Chrislian Outlook. S. M. Now let our voices join To raise a sacred song : Ye pilgrims ! in Jehovaii's ways, With music pass along. a Sec — flowers o( paradise, In rich profusion soring ; The sun of glory gilus the path, And dear companions sing. 3 See — Salem's golden spires, In beauteous jirospect, rise ; And brighter crowns than mortals wear. Which sparkle through the skies. 4 All lion>'r to his name Will) marks llie shining way. To him w lio leads the pilgi ims on To realms of endless day. It was the habit of Dr. Philip Doddridge, the author of this hymn, to throw the leading thoughts of each of his sermons into the form wc come before thee now, At thy feet we liumhly bow ; Oh. do not our >- strikingly of the same senti- ment and the same meter given in the hymn often quoted from John Newton, it is inter- esting to notice how this picturesque simile has been 1 aught up and swept on over an ex- tensive region in the Kast. Even those erratic bands of Dervishes whose devotions meet the tourist's eye almost everj'where in Eg)'pt have chosen the wrestle as their pattern in worship; for that is what they arc trying to do in their dances ; these w hirling motions arc nothing more or less than prayers. The devotees arc trying intelligently to give physi- cal embodiment to their supplications. Thc-y consider they are |)raying to (itxl in passion of w istful desire when they are putting fonh such hideous dislocations of their limbs, su h grotes(|ueness of grimace, such contortions of person. Never was a worse caricature, (iod does not desire sinewy writhings, or dismal shoutings, or vile defilement of dust and per- spiration. It was not Jacob's athletic struggle that constituted his entreaty; he wept wh'le he was w restling ; and yet it was not the weeping. In the moment of the heaviest and most excited muscular tmrg)- there was a spiritual e.xerci.se quite dii^tinct from it. though figured by it ; and it was in the spiritual feel- ing that the whole prayer resided. 46 Psalm 23. 7->. To thy tiastures fair and large, Heavenly Shepherd, lead thy charge. And iny Couch, with tenderesi care, '.Mid the springing grass prepare. J When I (aint with summer's lieat. Thou shah guide my weary feet To the streams that, still and slow. Through the verdant meadows flow. 3 Safe the dreary vale I tread. By the shades o( death o'erspread, \Villi thy rod and staff supplied. Tins my guard — and that my guide: 4 Constant to my latest end Thou my footsteps slialt attend ; And shalt hid ihv hallowed duaie Yield me an eternal home. Rev. James Merrick was a clerg)man of the Church of England, but his health was insurticient for the labor of the pastoral oflice, and so it is not known that he ever received a charge. He was born January 8, 1720, at Reading, in Herkshire. entered Trinity C< liege in Oxford, where he graduated with credit. Most of his life was devoted to literary pur- suits, and he |)ublishcd some books. tlKologi- cal and classical. In 1765 he issued his work. Till- Psalms Trans/attii or Paraplirascti in Eni^lish I 'i-rsi-. It is in this that the present version of the twenty-third Fsalm is found. The critics have mercilessly ridiculed his at- tempts, both in this directi«)n and in prose, as "tame, llorid. and insipid." Only two or three, and these much altered, of all these laborious lyrics of his have lived to our day. He died at Reading, January 5, 1769. 47 T^tilighl. 7S. Soi Tl.v fades the twilight rav Of the h..lv Sahhath dny ; Genllv ;is lilc's setting sun When the Christian's cour'c is run. OPENING OF SERVICE. 27 2 Peace is on tlie world abroad ; 'T is the holy peace of (iod — Symbol of the peace within When the spirit rests from sin. 3 Still the Spirit lingers near, Where the evening worshiper Seeks communion with tue skies, Pressing onward to the prize. 4 Saviour I may our Sabbaths be Days of joy and peace in thee, Till in heaven our souls repose, Where the Sabbath ne'er shall close. Rh.\ S t. SMI 1 H, D 1) Rev. Samuel Francis Smith, D. D., is a minister of the American Baptist Church. He composed this beautiful hymn in 1832, and published it, with other excellent contri- butions, in the Psabnisi, a denominational collection of wide circulation, of which he was one of the editors, in 1843. The venerable author was born in Boston, Mass., October 21, 1808. He graduated at Har\'ard College in 1829, where he was a classmate of Oliver Wendell Holmes, and at Andover Seminary in 1832. His golden wedding was obser\'ed September 16, 1884, at Newton Center, Mass., where he now resides. He has filled the office of pastor, editor, and professor, and been u.se- ful and honored in every position. So hale and hearty is he still, after having almost crossed the century, that those of us who know and love him hope he may live to see the opening years of another which we are soon to hail as the twentieth. A popular journal has said of him that he has " a full head of hair, with puffs around the ears, a pair of keen gray eyes, and a ring beard that is almost entirely white," a description which his portrait verifies. He had a fair strrt in literary life, for his famous friend. Dr. Holmes, once described him in a class poem — such as he knows how to write — thus : ■' And there 's a fine youngster of excellent pith ; Fate tried to conceal him by naming him Smith." He has made the position honorable by an industrious and faithful life, and now rests on what he has vvon. 48 "First of Days." js. (Jn this day, the first of days, God the Father's name we praise, Who, creation's Fount and Spring, Did the world from darkness brmg. 2 On this day the Eternal Son Over death his triumph won ; On this day the Spirit came With iiis gifts of living flame. 3 Father, who didst fashion me Image of thyself to be, Fill me with thy love divine, Let my every thought be thine. 4 Holy Jesus, may I be Dead and buried here with thee ; And, by love inflamed, arise Unto thee a sacrifice. 5 Thou who dost all gifts impart, Shine, sweet Spirit, in my heart; lltst of gifts, thyself bestow; Make me burn thy love to know. Rev. Sir Henry Williams Baker was an Enf^- lish baronet, and a clergyman of the Church of England. He was born in London, May 27, 1 82 1 ; educated at Trinity College, Cam- bridge, graduating in 1844; becoming the vicar of Alonkland in Herefordshire in 1851. He died at Monkland, February 12, 1877. He was the chairman of the committee that com- piled Hytnns, Aticicnt and Modern, from which this hymn was taken, and for which it was prepared with others ; all of these are of the highest excellence. This is a translation, by some critics thought to be the only one, certainly the first, of the Latin hymn, Die parenfe tcviporuni, found in the Brcinary of Le Mans. 49 Alortiing. Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Clirist, the true, the only light. Sum of Righteousness, arise, Triumph o'er the shades of night ; Dayspring from on high, be near, Daystar, in my heart appear. 2 Dark and cheerless is the morn. If thy light is hid from me; Joyless is the day's return Till thy mercy's beams I see, Till they inward light impart. Warmtii and gladness to my heart. 3 Visit, then, this soul of mine, Pierce the gloom of sin and grief; Fill me, radiant Sun divine! Scatter all my unbelief; More and more thyself display, Shining to the perfect day. 7S, 61. a8 OPENING OF SERVICE. Even the Methodist hymn-book seems to be wrcstlinjj over this hvmn. although it is j^iven on page 24 oi J/ymns ant/ Sturti/ JWms by Rev. Charles Wesley. It was printed for a lon.vj tunc in Toplady's volume as if it had been his ; but some jjood Wes- leyan brt)ther Umnd out that Tciplady was born in 1740. and that was the date of |>ubli- cation on the titlc-paj^c of Wesley's book. And then no less a man than Dr. Morley I'unshon quoted it in one of his sermons, which were printed, ascribinj^ it to Sir Robert llrant. The fact is, there was one stanza, put first in the old hymn-book, and beijin- nin;,f, " Oh. disclose thy lovely face," wliich was not of any special value, but the rather }^ot in the way of the rest of the hymn and blocked the frequent choice of it. Nobody kncnvs who wrote those lines or how they in the first instance found their way into Charles Wesley's poetry. He never wrote them, and when they were discarded at last every true sin_.jer discovered what a fme lyric had come out all at once into jiopularity and use. The three verses will be found full of the sunshine of which they sing. 50 r.iftiiii;:. ^s, 61. Now, from l.ibor and from can*. Evciiiiiv: shades have set mc free ; In the work of praise and prayer, LokI ! I >vouM converse v*iih lliee: Oh, behold me from above, Fill me with a Saviour's love. 3 Sill and sorrow, Ruilt and woe, ^Wither all my earthly joys ; Naught can charm me here below But my Saviour's melting voice: Lord ! forgive — thy grace restore, Make me thine for evermore. 3 For the blessings of this day, For the mercies of this hour. For the gospel's cheering r:iy, For the Spirit's quickening power. Grateful notes to thre I raise ; Oh, accept my song of praise. This is one of the hymns which Dr. Thomas Hastinijs gave to the churches in his S/>tr- itual Sonirs in iS'^i. It is characterized bv the whole spirit of that good man, j^'rateful, meditative, devout. The tune " Halle." to which it is j^enerally set, was arranj^ed by him also from the s;ime air which has proved so useful and pojiular in the modern piece of music in an I'nv;lish hymnal now known as "Hurslcy;" hut this in six lines sevens was published and sunjj all over our country many years iK-fore that. Thomas Hastin),js, Mus. Doc. was born in Washinvjton, Conn., Oetoljcr 15, 1784. Twelve years afterward his parents removed to Central New York in sleighs and ox-sleds, for that region, now famous as the institu- ■f^t^^i DR. THOMAS HASTINGS. tion of Hamilton College can make it, was then an unbroken wilderness. In the winter- time, set free from the labors of farm-life, this courageous boy used to go si.x miles daily to school on foot. While in his earliest child- hood he began to study music. Soon he was in a village choir, then he was teaching music in a school, then he took it up as a profes- sion. In 1 8 16 he compiled, with such help as he could get, his famous Musica Sacra. Then he went to Troy, and by-and-by to Albany, having charge of choirs and congre- gations. Hefore long he became the editor of a religious paper in I'tica, T he Rcioriitr, but he never gave up his music. In 1832 he re- moved to New York city, twelve churches uniting to give him support. There he re- mained all the rest of his life issuing books and composing hymns. He published a little volume of consummate merit for that clay, c.illed Spiritual Soft^s. in 1831, for an old copy of which one has to offer a reward no'tv. He wrote more than six hundred hymns, and in 1836 published his Christian Psalmist. After a while he was associated with William \\. Itradbur)'. and issued several books of tunes and anthems with him. He and his son. the Rev. Thomas S. Il.istings, D. D., now the honored President of I'nion Theo- logical .Seminar)*, compiled a hymnal called Church Mcloiiit's, a manual for congrega- tional singing, with tunes adapted to the hymns printed on the pages, and it was re- ceived widely into use. Thus he lived indus- OPENING OF SERVICE. 29 triously, and the college degree of Doctor of Music came to him unsought, and all of God's people of every name loved and honored him. He had a strange affection of his eyes, which hindered him and gave him trouble ; he was always tryingly near-sighted. But he was cheerful even in his old age, glad in the home that was faithfully furnished him by his son. It was that son, under whose roof his failing years were passed, who said of him : " He was a devout and earnest Christian, a hard student, and a resolute worker, not laying aside his pen until three days before his death, which came to his relief in his eighty-eighth year. May 15, 1872." His monument is his music ; this man made the tune for " Rock of Ages." 5 1 Psalm 42 7s, 61. As tlie hart, with eager looks, Paiitetli for the water-brooks, So my soul, athirst for thee, Pants the living God to see ; When, oh, when, with filial fear, Lord, shall I to tiiee draw near? 2 Why art thou cast down, my soul ? God, thy God, shall make thee whole ; Why art thou disquieted ? God shall lift thy fallen head, And his countenance benign Be the saving health of thine. There are several renderings of Psalm 42 in commo.i use, of which that by Nahum Tate and that by Henry Francis Lyte are perhaps the best known. This of James Montgomery is another of the same tone and nearly in the same language. He has two versions of it, each consisting of four stanzas, found in his Original Hymns. This is No. 96, and is en- titled " Longing for the Courts of the Lord's House." Perhaps no testimony to the grace of our English Bible could be given better than this disclosure, made unconsciously by three poets of the highest class, that the words fall into rhythm and meter almost at once and without effort the moment they undertake to fashion it for musical service. 52 " Mercies New." 7s, 61. Every morning mercies new Fall as fresh as early dew ; Every morning let us pay Tribute with the early day ; For thy mercies, Lord, are sure : Thy compassion doth endure. 2 Still the greatness of thy love Daily doth our sms remove ; Daily, far as east to west, Lifts the burden from the breast ; Gives unbought to those who pray Strength to stand in evil day. 3 Let our prayers each morn prevail, That these gifts may never fail ; And, as we confess the sin And the temiiter's power within, Feed us with the bread of life ; Fit us for our daily strife. 4 As the morning light returns, As the sun with splendor burns. Teach us still to turn to thee, Ever-blessed 'Irinity, With our hands our hearts to raise In unfailing prayer and praise. We have been for many years, and in sev- eral compilations, crediting this hymn to Dr. Horatius Bonar. But the Dictionary of Hymnology states explicitly that it was com- posed by Rev. Greville Phillimore, who was born in 1821, and died January 20, 1884. He graduated at Oxford, 1842, and entered the English Church in 1843, becoming rector of Henley-on-Thames, 1867; and of Ewelme, 1883. The same authority adds that the piece began, " Every morning they are new'," and was published first in The Parish Hymn- Book, 1863. We give this information with a loyal be- lief in its probable accuracy. But we feel un- willing to break up our associations at pres- ent with a hymn so closely allied with a name so much beloved. REV. HORAl lUS BONAR, D. D. Dr. Horatius Bonar was born at Edin- burgh, December 19, 1808. His ancestors for several generations were ministers of the Church of Scotland. He received his early education at the high school and Lhiiversity of Edinburgh. In youth he devoted himself to the service of God, and chose the Christian 30 OPENING OF SERVICE. ministn* to be his life-work. He was fortu- nate in havinvj Dr. Chaliiu-rs for a teacher. The lessons tauj(ht him by tliat chvine were doubly helpful : ihev laid the foundation of the .solid learniniij which advanced with yjrowiny( years, and they filled him with the enthusiasm of a master-mind consecrated to the hiv^hest aims. The value of such a traininij can iiardly be overestimated. It ^ave tone and strenvjth to a life when most susceptible of intluence. In 1837 the student Ix-came a minister. His sphere of labor was the famous old town of Kelso, situated on the banks of the Tweed, and surrounded by a country celebrated in sonij and tale. He gave himself up to his work with untlaxjj'ns assiduity. In the pul- pit he preached with tire and unction ; and in house-to-house visitation he proved him.self the comforter of the sorrowful and the guide of the perplexed. Varied and numerous as were the calls on his time, he managed to spare some hours to edit the Prisbytyrian, a magazine which did yeoman senice for evangelical truth in its day. This was the literary apprenticeship of the skilled writer. He loved to handle the jxjn. but his chief joy lay in preaching. The impulses which he got from his teacher were deepened by his fellowship with the saintly McCheyne, of Dundee. A great revival had sprung up in Dundee. The Spirit of God was poured forth and many souls were saved. A tide of blessing swept through the land. Mr. Bonar entered heartily into the movement and help>ed to spread it. He spared not him- self in his effort to carry the gospel to the perishing. At home and from home he spoke as a dying man to dying men. The result was many conversions. This success did not satisfy him. He wished to do more. He thought his pen could reach those beyond his voice, so he wrote " The Kelso Tracts." His aim was threefold — to warn the careless, to put salvation simply, and to edify saints. These messengers of life entered hundreds of hf)mes and were eagerly read. They were not arrows sent at random, l)ut struck with convincing power. Their circulation in Scot- lanil and Kngland was very large ; and they met with a warm reception in America. Their work is not yet ended, for to this day they are blessed of (icKi. The disruption came, and brought with it stirring changes. S«)me ministers were per- plexed, but .Nlr. Honar was not. He cast in nis lot at once with the Free Church. He had not, like most of his brethren, to leave his church on Icivin^.' th • denomination. It was secured to him and his congregation by some clauses in the title deeds. As the years rolled on it became increasingly a center of light and usefulness. Its pulpit gave forth no un- certain sound, but declared fully the faith de- livered to the saints. Its pK'ople were full of zeal and good works. Fired by their pastor's example, they followed him as he followed the .Master. The years of the Kelso ministry flowed smoothly. They had not much in them of external interest, but they were full of good work well done. In the pulpit, in the study, and at the fireside, the minister showed him- self worthy of his high calling. He did not seek earthly honor, but it came to him. His name g(Jt to be a household word, and his writings won a high place in the devotional literature of the century. Few " poets of the sanctuary " have done more than Dr. Bonar in enriching our hymnal trea.sury with those gems of truth and power which will be the heirlooms of the church until the songs of the earthly Zion are exchanged for the melodies of heaven. There is not a land where the English language is spoken in which Dr. Bonar's hymns are not household words. As his reputation grew efforts were made to lead him to a larger sphere. Such efforts were unsuccessful till, in 1865, a handsome new church was built in that suburb of Kdin- burgh called The (irange. He was asked to fill its pulpit, and he consented. Like-minded men and women flocked around him ; and for twenty-four years he ministered to them. Few visitors to Kdinburgh have missed the opportunity of hearing him preach. They might go out of curiosity to see and listen to the sweet singer, but they were not long in the pew before they forgot the poet in the preacher. The opening prayer lifted them into the presence of (iod, and there they re- mained as the rich voice went on to speak of a love stronger than death, and of the deep experiences of Christian living. A Sabbath at The Orange is, as we have reason to know, a treasured memory to many tourists. Thus he lived on for a splendid score of years. He had at last to secure an assistant, but the people would not let him retire. He- grew to be very old. They celebrated his jubilee when he was fourscore. He died at home in Edinburgh, July 31, 1889. The ser- vices were held in the Chalmers Memorial Church, which was thn)nged. Rev. Mr. Sloan, who was Dr. Bonar's colleague, read the Scriptures, the Rev. (ieorge Wilson of the Established Church (an intimate friend of Bonar) and the venerable Principal Cairns of the United Presbyterian Church offered im- OPENING OF SERVICE. 31 pressive prayers, and Dr. Cuyler, of Brook- lyn, N. Y., pronounced the benediction. No word of eulogy was offered. He was buried there, at the base of Calton Hill, and lies with his kindred near the house of John Knox. 53 Psalm 67. 7s, 61. On thy Church, O Power divine, Cause thy glorious face to shine, Till the nations fiom afar Hail her as their guiding star; Till her sons from zone to zone Make thy great salvation known. 2 Then shall God, with lavish hand, Scatter blessings o'er the land ; Earth shall yield her rich increase. Every breeze shall whisper peace, And the world's remotest bound With the voice of praise resound. Miss Harriet Auber has given these two stanzas as her version of Psalm 67. They were included in The Spirit of the Psalms, and appear never to have tempted any altera- tions, and certainly have never needed any. The best comment upon this hymn would be a simple exposition of the inspired words upon which it is founded. Christ loved the Church, gave himself for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Normally the blessings of the world come through the Church ; when the Church is re- vived and alive the world feels it at once. When God makes his face to shine on the Church, then " earth will yield her rich in- crease." But God sometimes passes by a cold and backslidden church and reaches souls who are perishinj, and converts them with a sovereign love. He thus is found of those who sought him not. 54 The Sabbath. 7S, 61. Lord, it is thy holy day ; Here we meet to praise and pray ; Joining with one heart and mind. Earthly cares we leave behind. On the day which thou hast made Us in our rejoicings aid. 2 Glad as when the glorious shout Of the morning stars rang out. Thee, Creator, will we praise. And our hymns of triumph raise. Sun and moon, your songs unite ; Praise him, all ye stars of light! 3 Louder yet our strains be borne, Mindful of that happy morn When the world's Redeemer rose, Victor from the grave's repose ; Who by death subdued the grave, Mighty he our souls to save. 4 Looking for that rest above, For the Sabbath of thy love, Here to-day by hope we rise To our mansion in the skies: Here by faith and love prepare For our endless Sabbath there. In 1863 Rev. Benjamin Hall Kennedy, D. D.. published in London a volume called Hyinnolo'^ia Christiana. In that this hymn appears, but without any hint as to the au- thorship of it. This compiler is now not liv- ing, and all inquiry in that direction ceases. It needs only to be added, although it does not help much, that for the use in Laiidcs Domini the copy was obtained from 'The .lit- gustine Hymn Book, a hymnal compiled and published in London (with no date affi.xed) by Rev. David Thomas, D. D., the well-known author, and for so many years editor of the Homilist ; this hymnal bears on its title-page the quotation from Augustine : " A hymn must be praise — praise of God — and this in the form of song." 55 " Day of Rest" O DAY of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light, O balm ol care and sadness, Most beautiful, most hriv;ht ; On thee the liigh and lowly, Bending before the throne. Sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, To the Great Three in One. 2 To-day on weary nations The heavenly manna falls ; To holy convocations The silver trumjiet calls. Where gospel light is glowing With pure and radiant beams. And living water flowing With soul-refreshiiig streams 3 New graces ever gaining From this our day of rest. We reach the rest remaining To spirits of the blest. To Holy Ghost be praises. To Father and to Son ; The Church her voice upraises To thee, blest Three in One. 7s, 6s, D. BISHOP WORDSWORTH. Rev. Christopher Wordsworth, D. D., was born in Lambeth, October 30, 1807 ; was 32 OPENING OF SERVICE. graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, in 1830; was ordained to the min- istry in 1835 ; was appointed to the Bishopric of Lincoln in 1869, where he died, March 20, 1885. He was the nephew of William Words- worth, the poet. He was scholarly, as is evi- denced by his Cointiientary Upon the Old TesiiiDicnt, in which he followed the Author- ized Version, and upon the Xe^cv Ti-sfainent in Greek. His writings were patristic to the last degree in spirit and quotation ; at times he was polemic and not always courteous to his brethren of other names. He seems, after he was elevated to an ecclesiastical eminence in the Established Church, to have narrowed in temper and grown bigoted in feeling. He made a deliberate attempt to prevent the Methodist preachers from using the title of *' Reverend." as if this were the exclusive privilege of the Episcopal clerg\-. But he must have had seasons of amiability, for he composed some of the best hymns that have of late been given to the churches at large. This one appears in a collection he published, containing 127 that were his own; that was called The Holy Year ; or. Hymns for Sun- days, Holy Days and of her Occasions Throitgh- out the JVrtr, and was issued in 1862. There this one is found as the first, with six stanzas. 56 Foretastes of Heaven. 7s, 6s, D. The dawn of God's new Sabbath Breaks o'er the earth again, As some sweet summer morning After a night of pain. It comes as cooling showers To clic'jr a thirsting land, As shades of clustered palm-trees 'Mid weary wastes of sand. 2 Lord, we would bring our burden Of sinful thought and deed, In thy pure presence kneeling From bondage to be freed ; Our heart's most bitter sorrow For all our work undone, • So many talents wasted. So few true conquests won. 3 Yet still, O Lord long-suffering. Still grant us in our need Here in thy holy presence The saving name to plead ; And on thy day of blessings, Witbin thy temple walls, To foretaste the pure worship Of Zion's golden halls: — 4 Until in joy and gladness We reach that home at last. When life's short week oTsoirow And sin and strife is past . When angel-hands have gathered The first ripe fruit for thee, O Father, Son, and Spirit, Most Holy Trinity ! Mrs. Ada Cambridge Cross published in 1866 a book of poetry entitled Hymns on the Holy Commiaiion, and, later on, a volume called Hytnns on the Litany. She is the daughter of Henr)' Cambridge, and was born at St. Germains, Norfolkshire, England, No- vember 21, 1844. She was in 1869 married to Rev. George Frederick Cross of Coleraine, \'ictoria, in Australia. Two years later her husband was ordained to the ministry- of the Episcopal Church, and in 1877 became the incumbent of that parish on the other side of the world, where he now resides. For years this hymn bore only her maiden name, by which she was more \\idelv known. 57 Cheerful Dei.'otion. 7S, 6s, D. Thine holy day's returning Our hearts exult to see ; And with devotion burning, Ascend, O God, to thee ! To-day with purest pleasure Our thoughts from earth withdraw; We search for heavenly treasure, We learn thy holy law. 2 W^e join to sing thy praises, Lord of the Sabhath day ; Each voice in gladness raises Its loudest, sweetest lay I Thy richest mercies sharing, Inspire us with thy love. By grace our souls preparing For nobler praise above. '^V^"" ^.l,*!.*'' -^.^. ^t RKV. RAY PALMER, U. L). Dr. Palmer was born at Little Compton, R. I., Nov. 12, 1808, and was graduated from Yale College in 1830; after his theological education was finished he went to Bath, Me., where he had charge of the Central Congre- OPENING OF SERVICE. 33 gational Church for fifteen years. He was pastor of the First Congregational Church in Albany from 1850 to 1865. He then acted as secretary of the American Congregational Union, and resided several years in New York City. Subsequently he was engaged in pastoral work in the Belleville Avenue Church of Newark, N. J., until his death, March 29, 1887. Thus he lived full of honors, labored with unusual success, and went to his rest loved and wept by all. This little hymn has been made to suffer somewhat of late years from its close associa- tion with its popular neighbor, " O day of rest and gladness." These two have been printed together over and over on the same page, and set to the tune " Mendebras," ever since 1865. The compiler of the Songs for the Sanctu- ary found Dr. Wordsworth's piece upon the cover of a religious tract in London, and in- troduced it to the American public in that of his earliest popular collection ; and the page was completed by this of Dr. Ray Palmer, obtained in manuscript. That page has done valiant service in many other books since. 58 Humility. 8s, 7s, 4. While we lowly bow before thee, Wilt tliciu, gracious Saviour, hear? VVe are poor and needy sinners. Full of doubt and full of fear; Gracious Saviour, Make us humble and sincere. 2 Fill us with thy Holy Spirit ; Sanctify us by thy grace; Oh, incline us more to love thee. And in dust our souls abase. Hear us. Saviour, And unvail thy glorious face. 3 None in vain did ever ask thee For the Spirit of thy love ; Hear us, then, dear Saviour, hear us ; Grant an answer from above ; Blessed Saviour, Hear and answer from above. Daniel Clement Colesworthy was a layman in the Congregational Church, a printer by occupation, and for a long time edited the Portland Tribune. He removed to Boston afterwards, and became known to the singers in our American Zion by the publication of a diminutive book of Sabbath-. School Hymns about the year 1 833. This was followed by others, in which real merit was disclosed. He was born in Portland, Me., in 18 10. The present hymn was chosen from Rev. Elias Nason's Collection, published in 1857, to which it may have been contributed. It is a simple, devout, and useful prayer. The author was still living in Boston, 1885. Be thou here in power and love; Grant thy presence, Be it ours thy grace to prove. 2 Nothing have we, Lord, without thee, But thy promise is our stay ; And thy people must not doubt thee ; Saviour, now thy power display ; And let gladness Fill thy people's hearts to-day. Another of Rev. Thomas Kelly's hymns, full of petition and trust in God, characterized by his best peculiarities, pathetic, direct, im- ploring. " And thy people must not doubt thee." The date of it is 1840. 60 " Father, Hear Us." 8s, 7s, 4. God Almighty and All-seeing! Holy One, in whom we all Live, and move, and have our being, Hear us when on thee we call ; Father, hear us As before thy throne we fall. 2 Of all good art thou the Giver; Weak and wandering ones are we ; Then for ever, yea, for ever. In thy presence would we be ; Oh, be near us. That we wander not from thee. Rev. John Pierpont was a Unitarian cler- gyman by profession, well remembered and reputed as one of our established American poets. John Neal, another poet of fame like his own, was at one time his partner in the dry goods business in the city of Baltimore. The author of this hymn was born in Litch- field, Conn., April 6, 1785 ; he was graduated at Yale College in 1804. In 1809 he studied law, in 1 81 2 he was admitted to the bar, and practiced for a while in Newburyport, Mass. Then for a season he went into trade. In 1 8 16 he studied for the ministry, and was pas- tor of the Hollis Street Church in Boston for many years. Subsequently he went to Troy, N. Y., and then to Aledford, Mass., where he preached for ten years more. In 1861 he vol- unteered as chaplain of a regiment recruited in Massachusetts, and was engaged in actual service in the Civil War, although he was then seventy-five years of age. The writer of this notice was happy in making his acquaintance during one of his vacations in the White Mountains. He was then old but active, full of enthusiasm, gentle and amiable, wonderful in conversation and widely familiar with lit- erature, a most attractive gentleman of the old school of manners, winning friends with all who learned to know him. His death oc- curred soon after this, suddenly, at Medford. August 27, 1866. His hymns and his poems were of the first rank in excellence. 59 ' ' Send Blessing. " Saviour, send a blessing to us, Send a blessing from above; All thy truth and mercy show us, 8s, 7s, 4. Q I Glory to God. Glorv be to God the Father, Glory be to God the Son, Glory- be to God, the Spirit. Great Jehovah, Three in One: 8s, 7s, 4. 34 OPENING OF SERVICK. f»lor>-. glor>", While eternal ages run ! 7 Clory be to him who loved us, Waslx ower, iluniiiiion ! Thus Its (iraise i rcation brings: ttlory, glory, Glory to the King; of kings. It is characteristic for many truly devout Christians, like Rev. Dr. Horatius Honar, the author of this hymn, to interrupt the course of their wriiinij or arv^uinjj by a sudden burst of simple praise, jjrowinij up out of the ihouiijhts with which their hearts are distended. To us the interjection seems irrelevant, but to them it is a part of the actual necessities of the po- sition. Here is a hynm that merely utters an ascription of " Glory to God " over and over with a tireless repetition. Poetic and enthu- siastic natures will often do that. John tjives a calm prosaic introduction to the Apocalypse ; but the moment he seems to see the visions he has had, and which he is now ,v(oing to re- cord, his pen rushes into a do.xolov^y of match- less force and beauty ; he cannot be hindered, he must sin)i( : " Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kinjjs and priests unto God and his Feather ; to him be j^dory and domin- ion for ever and ever. Amen." And so Paul, though he is lost in the mysteries of theolojify, breaks into a poem : " Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowl- edj^e of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past findini; out !" We talk of ejaculatory prayer — a habit of lift- ing brief sentences of supplication when we are so situated that we cannot pause for a re- treat to our accustomed closets of devotion. It mi),;ht be to our spiritual advantage to edu- cate ourselves into a similar habit of ejacula- tory adoration, so that we could induljje in an impromptu doxf)lonry as well. 62 " ^^f Tliy Servants //rat." 8s, 7s, 4. In thy name, O Lord ! assembling. We, thy people, now dr.iw near ; Teach us to rejoice with trembling; S|>eak. and Ut thy servants bear- Hear with nie<-kiiess. Hear thy word with godly fear. a While our davs on earth arc lengthened May we give them, l.ord ! to thee : Cheered b\ h"i>e, an t>iic accoril, Lilt up our thcrrlul vi.ice, ami praise llii- Lord ! Lrt us this cvtiiiiiK bless Ins holy Name, Vca, Ut us laud and niaKoil^)' the same. 1 Let uinvers;il nature exir raise A checilul \oice t>> \i\yc him thanks and praise ; Let us and all his saints his K'ory siiiK. Who is our blessed saviour, lx>rd,and King. 3 For by his worl the heaven and earth were made, The earths foundation also firmly laid : All things were done at his divine command. And shall throughout all ages surely stand. 4 Therefore let all in heaven and earth agree To sing his praise in pcrfi-it unity : Yea. let his servants all, with one accord, With joyful hallelujahs praise the Lord. The compiler of Lawits Ihmiini found this hymn in the 'TcmpU- Choral Stfi'ue Book, edited and compiled by E. J. Hopkins, the well-known orv[anist of the Inner and Middle Temple in London. Its author i.s thus far unknown. It seems to be one of those pieces that have become traditional in the ancient psalters, and are kept because of their strange style as monuments of a hymnody lonjj since superseded. Rev. S. W. Duftield reckons it as having been produced in the seventeenth centurj'. It is a version of I'salm 95, and ap- pears also as a Long Meter hymn. 03 Pfnitfnt Prayer. los. Fathkr, again in Jesus' name we meet. And bow in |)eniience beneath thy feet ; Again to thee our feeble voices raise. To sue for mercy, and to sing thy praise. 2 Lord, we would bless thee for thv ceaseless care, And all thv work from day to day declare: Is not our life with early mercies crowned ? Does not thine arm encircle us around ? .t Alas ! unworthy of thy bounilless love. Too oft witli careless feet from thee we love ; But now, encouraged by thy voice, we come. Returning sinners to a Father's home. 4 Oh, by that name in which all fullness dwells. Oh, by that love which every love excels, (Jh, by that blooil so freely shed for sin, Oj)en blest mercy's gate and take us in. The author of this truly excellent hymn was a titled lady in Kngland. Her whole name was Lucy Klizalx-th (leorgiana Whitmore, and she was the wife of W. \V. \Vhitmr)re, living in Dudmaston, in Shropshire. Her father was Orlandf ), the second liaron Bradford; so. like I^tdy Huntingdon she came of a noble line. We are reminded at once of the saying credited to this older authoress of hynms. that she " thanked dod often for the letter M ; for the Scripture did not say not any. but, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." Lady Whitmore was born January 22. 1792, and died March 17. 1840. Her one hymn was found at the close of a small volume of pray- ers for family use which she cumpilcd and published in 1824; it is based on Luke 15:20. 69 Psalm 4J. lus. As pants the wearied hart for cooling springs, That sinks exhaustean(s my S4>ul for thee, great King ol kings. So thirsts to reach thy aacred tlweliing-plaii-. 2 Why throb, my heart? why sink, my saddening soul ? Why droop toearth, with various woes oppressed? My years shall yet in blissful circles roll. And peace be yet an inmate ol this breast. 3 Lord, thy sure mercies, ever in my sight. My hcait shall gladden thiough (he tedious day ; Andniiilst the d.e paid— Unqucslione<>rl fill my breast! When Christ, the Cod of grace, in love tlocends. And kindly holds communion with his friends. 3 Let earth and all its vanities be gone. Move from my sight. atienetrate the skies. And on my Savioui's glories fix mv ryes; Oh. meet iny rising soul, thou Go<( ol love, And wait it to the blissful realms above! Rev. Simon Browne was the honored and useful pastor of an Independent Church in Old Jewry, London. He was born about 1 680 in Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, England. He is said to have In-gun his active work as a preacher when only twenty years of age. In 1 7 16 he left a flourishing charge in Ports- mouth, in order to go up to London. There, with Dr. Watts for his neighbor in Berry Street, he commenced the pastorate which he relin(|uished in 1723; at this time he was afflicted in mind with the notion that he was no longer able to t/itnl-. He thought, he reasoned, he argued, and to his ix-rfcct satis- faction he proved, that he was unable to con- OPENING OF SERVICE. 37 duct any mental operations. So he went into literar}' work ! He made a dictionary, he issued a book on the Trinity, he continued Matthew Henn-'s Commentary by expound- ing the First Epistle to the Corinthians. It was in view of the twenty-three separate pub- licationo this thinkless man prepared that Toplady once remarked that " instead of hav- ing no soul, he wrote and reasoned and praved as if he had two." He issued also a D'fcnse of Christianity, which prompted Dr. Aliibone to say, " If he was crazy, he was at least more than equal to two infidels " — meaning Woolston and Tindal. When his friends pointed to his productions, this singu- lar man replied : " I am doing nothing that requires a reasonable soul." He explained the singularity thus : God had " annihilated in him the thinking substance and utterly di- vested him of consciousness ;" though he re- tained the human shape and the faculty of speaking in a manner that appeared to others rational, he " had all the while no more notion of what he said than a parrot." In this de- lusion, but with the love and respect of those who knew him best, he died in 1732. 7 ( Psabn 84. H. M. Lord of the worlds above ! How pleasant, and how fair, The dwellings of thy love. Thine earthly temples are ! To thine abode my heart aspires. With warm desires to see my God. 2 Oh, happy souls who pray Where God appoints to hear ! Oh, h;ippy men who pay Their constant service there ! They praise thee still ; and happy they Who love the way to Zion's hill. 3 They go from strength to strength, Through this dark vale of tears, Till each arrives at length, Till each in heaven appears ; Oh, glorious seat, when God, our King, Shall thither bring our willing feet ! Dr. Isaac Watts has given this as his ver- sion of Psalm 84, in the meter he calls " P. M.," that which in modern hymnals is marked as " H. M." The HallelitjaJi Meter used to be a Particular Meter. This has in his orig- inal form four stanzas, and is entitled, " Long- ing for the House of God." It suggests the never-failing thought of the royal psalmist of Israel, that of rest on the day of rest. A pleasing incident has been given lately in the public prints ; a Christian minister tells t,he tale. It shows how cogent and how simple is the argument for the Sabbath. " A florist from whom I was in the habit of purchasing plants, and receiving instructions in regard to their culture, came to my house one day with some roses. ' Now,' said I, ' Mr. W., I want you to tell me about watering. I do not think I quite understand about this part of tlie care.' ' Well,' he replied, ' only experience can teach you ; some plants need more water, some less, and you must find out by watching them. Almost all plants n.eed some water given at a regular hour ever}' day, just as much as you need your breakfast. But I do not mean to say ei.>ery day, for I ha\'e learned by experience that they must have one day in the week to rest ; the water stimu- lates the roots, and they need to be left in peace for one day in seven.' ' How beautiful that is,' I replied, ' the day of rest ! It shows the wisdom and necessity of the Sabbath. I have never watered my plants on Sunday, but did not have this reason for it. You, I sup- pose, also leave your greenhouses to rest on Sunday.^' Mr. Vv. was not a Christian, and he looked rather disconcerted ; but he frankly acknowledged that he had never thought of it in that way, and that in fact he spent more time among his plants on Sunday than upon other days. He promised me in future to change his custom. Here is a testimony to the wis- dom and love of the Lord of the Sabbath, by one utterly unprejudiced. He had never given a thought to the keeping holy the Sabbath day, but he had learned by experience its neces- sity." 72 " Light in Thy Light." H. M. O ZiON ! tune thy voice. And raise thy hands on high ; Tell all the earth thy joys. And boast salvation nigh ; Cheerful in God, arise and shine. While rays divine stream all abroad. 2 He gilds thy morning face With beams that cannot fade ; His all-resplendent grace He pours around thy head ; The nations round thy form shall \ iew, With luster new, divinely crowned. 3 In honor to his name Reflect that sacred light ; And loud that grace proclaim Which makes thy darkness bright ; Pursue his praise, till sovereign love, In worlds abo\ e, the glory raise. 4 There, on his holy hill. A brighter sun shall rise. And with his radiance fill Those fairer, purer skies ; While, round his throne, ten thousand st irs, In nobler spheres, his iniliience own. Dr. Philip Doddridge has included this in his volume, where he gave it the title, " The Glon,' of the Church in the Latter Day." It is odd to find him apparently doubtful about a single word he felt it necessan,- to use in the last verse jn order to complete his rhyme ; it is not \^xy perfect after all : " ten thousand stars, in nobler spheres," a critic would say 38 OPENING OF SKRVICE. would pass better without an\* notice taken of it. It seems (juaintly fastidious to discover a foot-note referring to this introduction of a new word. The note says : " Spheres — orbs or paths, in which the stars move." It has not Ix-en needful to continue this now. Hut the poem, as a whole, is really one of the most brilliant of his. Once, when I was on the sea, exactly at noon I s;iw a common sailor approachinij the captain, who was on the bridjje as usual at that time. I watched him as he came up, touched his Scotch cap in salutation, and said with i^ruff respectfulness, " Kitjht bells, sir I" He meant by the announcement to rejiort that he knew by the stars that it was just noon — that is, in sailor parlance, eij^ht bells by the clock. The captain with equal jj^ruffness replied. " Make it eijjht bells I" It struck me rather as an odd assumption for that captain or for that sailor to make it noon. It ivas noon anyway, no matter what they did or what they th'ou,vjht about it. Hut I kept my eye on the seaman ; he went up to the ship's bell a hundred feet away, and struck it with the clapper eight times, so that the sound went through all the ship from engine-room to topmast. The thing was new to me ; I thought instantly of Gods glory — his inhe- rent glory and his declarative glor)-. He says to ever)' man, " Glorify me !" That means, " .Make me glorious I" Hut he is glorious in despite of men. We can neither add to nor take from his glory. Tlun say so. That old sailor could not make it noon ; it was noon. Hut he could make it noon in the ship ; he could go and strike the eight bells, and then even the cook would know it and own it and live as if he felt it was noon overhead and all around him. Men cannot touch God's inhe- rent glory ; they can proclaim his declarative glory, however. Zion cannot make " rays di- vine stream abroad ;" but Zion can tune her voice, and rai.se her hands on high, tell all the earth her joys, and boast salvation nigh ! 73 Psalm 43. H. M. Now to thy sacred house With joy I turn m\ feet, Where s.tints, with morning vows, In full asscmhly ni«frt : Thy power divine shall there Iw shown, And from Ihy throne thy mercy shine. a Oh, send thy li^ht ahroad ; Thy truth with heavenly ray Shall lea- 17. 1874. to accept the district secre- tar\ship of the Hf)me Missionary Society of Ohio and parts adjacent, which position he held with distingui.shed usefulness during seven years. Residuig for a time, without charge, in Cleveland, \n literary and other labor, he then came ba k to Longmeadow, where, in a lK*autiful home erected for his comfort by his children, the closing months of his life were spent. 78 H'rlls 0/ Sahaliou. 1'. .M. CoMK. pure hcuvtft. ill swcrtisi mrnsures • SiiiK "f those who sun-ad Ihe treasures III the hilly (mis|k-N shrined; Blessed tidlllKS ul MuUiition. Peaie '>ii eailli their |>riK'l:«inalioii, Love (rom <".cxl to lost niaiikiiid. 2 See the rivers lour that Kl:>dden With their streams the l>etter Kdcn I'laiited hy our Lord iimst dear; Clirist the luunt.'iiii. these the wat rs ; Drink, () Zion's smis and dauKlilcrs, Drink and find salvation here. 3 Oh, that we. thv truth confessing. And thy holy word possrssinK, jesiis. may thy love adore ; I'lilii thee our voices raising. Thei- with all thy raiisomeosiiig. Kver-hlessed Trinity. George Rawson. the author of this hymn, preferred for a long period to be known only as " A Leeds Layman." He contributed fif- teen acceptable pieces to the I.ti'i/s Hymn- hook-, 1833. .ind twenty-seven to the Psa/ms attt/ Hviitits of f/if lui/ifisf Denomination, 1858. In 1876 he gave a large volume of his compositions to the public with his own name. His home was for many years at Clifton, near Hristol. in I'.ngland. Horn June 5, 1807, he lived to rc.ich an honored old age, and died .March 25, 1889, writing new hymns and re- vising old, not always for the better, clear OPENING OF SERVICE. 41 ^iSi^^'s- GKORGK RAVVSON. down to the time of his decease. He was a solicitor by profession, and a Congrega- tionalist in church connection. His hymns always awaked much curiosity, while he con- cealed himself under his pseudonym, and they have always been welcome for the spirit they breathed and the good they have done. They appear in the hymnals of many of the churches in America. 80 Evening Song. P. M. Upward where the stars are burning, Silent, silent in their turning, Round the never changing pole; Upward where the sky is brightest. Upward where the blue is lightest^ Lift I now my longing soul. 2 Far beyond the arch of gladness. Far beyond these clouds of sadness, Are the many mansions fair: Far from pain and sin and folly, In that palace of the holy — I would find my mansion Ihefe. 3 Where the Lamb on high is seated, By ten thousand voices greeted: Lord of lords, and King ot kings ! Son of man. they crown, they crown him, Son of God, they own, tliey own him, With his name the palace rings. 4 Blessing, honor, without measure. Heavenly riches, earthly treasure, Lay we at his blessed feet: Poor the praise that now we render, Loud shall be our voices yonder, When before his throne we meet. This will be recognized as one of Dr. Ho- ratius Bonar's best and most popular hymns. It was published in 1867. It will find its ex- quisite illustration in a fragment of one of those simple, strong sermons with which the lamented Bishop Simpson used to counsel and comfort God's people in his later years. He says : " I was visiting a friend some years ago who had lately built a new house. It was just finished. It was beautiful, useful. He took me up stairs. It had wardrobes, toilet-glasses, books and paintings. It was furnished grandly. And the father turned to me and said, ' This room is for our daughter. She is in Europe. She does not know we are arranging it. Her mother and I have fixed up everything we could think of for her, and as soon as the house is fully finished we are going to Europe to bring her back, and we are going to bring her up stairs and open the door and say, L)aughter, this is all yours.' And I thought of the joy it would give her, and I thought, ' flow kind these parents are !' Just then I turned away and thought, ' That is what Jesus is doing for me.' He says, ' I am going away. I will come again. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I yp to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.' Then I said, ' This father and mother are rich, but they have not all treasures ; there are a great many things they do n't know how to get. But Jesus, who is furnishing my mansion in glory, has every- thing. He has undertaken to furnish a place for me, and I shall be with him for ever.' " 8 I Sabbath Morning. 7s, 61. Safely through another week God h;is brought us on our way ; Let us now a blessing seek, Waiting in his courts to-day: Day of all the week the best. Emblem of eternal rest. 2 While we seek supplies of grace Tlirough tlie dear Redeemer's name. Show thy reconciling face. Take away our sin and shame ; From our worldly cares set free, May we rest this day in thee. 3 Here we come thy name to praise ; Let us feel thy presence near ; May thy glory meet our eyes While we in thy house appear: Here afford us, Lnrd, a taste Of our everlasting feast. 4 May Ihy gospel's joyful sound Conquer sinners, comfort saints; Make the fruits of grace abound. Bring relief for all complaints: Thus let all our Sabbaths prove, Till we rest in thee above. This familiar and favorite hymn comes from Rev. John Newton's Olncy Hymns, Book II., No. 40. It consists there of five stanzas, and bears the title, " Saturday Eve- 42 OPENING OF SEKVlCt. niiiij. " It was designed as a meditation and jiu,^)i(estion for the close of the week, rather than a lyric for public service on the Lord's day ; and certain chanvjes have been notice- ably made in order to adapt it to its new use. It has always been welcome to Christian peo- ple because of its bright and brave puttinj; aside of the weiyjhts and its puttinj( on of the winiijs of true devotion, and so its cominij up into (iod's presence with a joyous heart. Lonvj ajjjo it was said of Sir William Cecil, some time Lord Treasurer of Knjfland, that, when he went to bed. he would throw off his professional tjown and say : " Lie there. Lord Treasurer," as if biddinjj adieu to all State affairs in order that he mijjht the more quietly repose himself. The quaint old Spencer quotes this exclamation, and then homilizes upon it conceminij one's g^^inj^ to any reli- gious duty, whether hearini( or prayinjf. com- inj( to the Lord's table, enterinjj the sanctu- ary, or even enifaijinij in private devotions ; he thinks one mii(lu say: "Lie by, world; lie by, all secular cares, all household affairs, all pleasures, all traffic, all thought of gain ; lie by, all I adieu, ail I" 82 Thf Holy Day of Rest. js, D. Welcome, sacred day of rest ! Sweet repose from worKlly caie : Day above ;ill days the best, When our souls for heaven |>repaie ; Day when our Redeemer rose, Victor o'er the hosts of hell Thus he vanquished all our Iocs; Let our lips his glory tell. a Gracious Lord ! we love this day. When we hear thy holy worhi< Eire, Love flivine, tin sell impart; Every faintinK soul inspiie; Enter every drooping heart ; 7». D. Every ntuurnful sinner cheer ; Scatter ;dl our Kuilly gloom ; Father! in thy grace appear. To thy human temples come. a Come, in this accepted hour, Brnjg thy he. . Thou canst charm oui" grief r. way. 3 In the gladness of God's worship We will >cek our joy to-dr.\ : It is then we 1 arn the- Inllness Of the K^'T^'e for which wi- pray: When the word of life is givi 11. Like the Saviour's voice from heaven. 4 Let the day with thee be ended, As with thee it has IwRun : And thy blessinR. Lord, be eranted Till earth's days and weeks are done; That at last thy servants may Keep eternal Sabbath day. Another hymn taken from the collection made by the two sisters. Mrs. I"indlater and Mi.ss Uorthwick, Hymns front ///<• Land of Lulhcr. .Miss Jane Borthwick rendered this from that of Rev. Jonathan Krause. who pub- lished it in 1739; he was a native of .Silesia, born in 1701, and in later life pastor in Liei(- nitz. The (ierman piece l)eyjins : .Mhlnja ! shorter Morten. Miss Borthwick was born. April 9. 1813. in Etlinburj^di, where she still resides. She is also the author of many orij,jinal pieces of relivjious poetry of rare merit, gathered in a volume called Thoin^hts for Jhoughlftil Hours, published in 1859. 88 Thf Oali-s of Xion. 8s, ys, 7. Ophn now ihv Kates of livauty, Zi'in, let me etitcr there. Where mv S"m1 in )i« ful diitv Waits for him who answers prayer: v/ Oh, how blessed is this place, Filled with solace, liKht, and grarc J Yes, my Go me ; Where we lind thee and adoi i thee, There a Iwaveii on earth must be To my heart, oh, enter thou, Let it be thy temple now. 3 Thou my faith increase and quicken. Let me keep thy ^ift di\ ine, Hiiwsoe'er temptations thicken ; May thv word still o'er me fhine, As my pole-star through my life. As my comfort in m\' strife. 4 Speak, O GikI, and I will hecr thee. Let thy will be clone indeed ; May I undisturbed draw neai thee W'hilst thon dost thy people feed. Here of life the fountain flows. Here is balm for all out vM>es. Miss Catharine Winkworth was b( rn in London, .September 13, 1829, and died in 1878. She was the dauj^hter of Henrj- Wink- worth of Alderley Edge, near Manchester, England. She published an excellent book in 1869, called L/irisf/an S/nj^t-rs 0/ Gi'rmany, and was also helpful in all the work which has rendered Lyra Germantca so popular among English readers and lovers of song. The hymn now before us was composed by Rev. Benjamin Schmolke. It was first print- ed in 1732, has seven stanzas, and begins, " Thiit nii'r auf die schonc L/or/i- ;" it was intended for a communion hymn. 89 Hallrlujahl S', 78. 7. Unto thee be gloiv given. Wort! incarnate! evernorc; Thee the spirits blest in bc:.vcn. Thee the anj;el choirs adore ; Still their hallelujahs rise Midst the anthems of the skies. a We too, bending low before thee, Lonl of all, blest Trinity! Of thy mercy now implore thee, That throughout eternity In thy kingdom we may raise Hallelujahs to th> praise. These two stanzas are evidently compiled from a hymn beginning, " Heaven with alle- luias ringing," which is found with six stanzas in Barnhv's f/yninaty, where it is numbered 401, and is given without any clew to its au- thorship except an allusion in the general preface. The author is thanked, with speci- fication of the initials " H. M. C." in the in- dex, for having furnished " most valuable aid in translation." and having permitted to the comjiilcr of that collecti(»n the " use of many hymns." It was needed, just as it is, for an invocation, or opening doxolog)". in a peculiar meter, and is excellent for such a purpo.se. But the previous stanzas were not approjiriate for singing in a promiscuous as.sembly like that for which Laudcs Dontini was prepared, and so only ;i part was chosen. The full OPENING OF SERVICE. 45 name of the writer is Mrs. Harriet M. Ches- ter. She is the widow of Harry Chester, at one time an assistant secretary of the Com- mittee of Council of Education ; lie died in 1868. She has translated many German and Latin hymns for the public prints and Hym- nals. 90 " Depa) ting Day." 8s, 4 The radiant morn hatli passed away, And spent too soon her golden store ; The shadows of departing day Creep on once more. 2 Our life is but a fading dawn ; Its glorious noon how quickly past ! Lead us, O Christ, when all is gone. Safe home at last. 3 Oil, by thy soul-inspiring grace Upliit our hearts to realms on high ; Help us to look to that bright place Beyond the sky ;— 4 Where light and life and joy and peace In undivided empire reign, And thronging angels never cease Their deathless strain ; — 5 Where saints are clothed in spotless white, Antl evening shadows never fall : Where thou, eternal Light of light. Art Lord of all ! Rev. Godfrey Thring, the author of this hymn, was born at Alford in England, March 25, 1823. He was educated at Shrewsbury School, and was graduated at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1845. In 1858 he succeeded his father as the rector of Alford, Somersetshire, and became the prebendary of Wells. Forty of his hymns were issued in a volume, 1866. He also compiled the Chitrch of England Hymn-book in 1880. This hymn was found in HyniJis, Ancient and Modern, in the edi- tion of 1868. It is certainly very beautiful in sentiment and rhythm. 91 " We Follow Thee." 83,4. Through good report and evil, Lord, Still guided by thy faithful word — Our staff, our buckler, and our sword — We follow thee. 2 With enemies on every side. We lean on thee, the Crncified ; Forsaking all on earth beside, We follow thee. 3 O Master, point thou out the way, Nor s'lffer thou our steps to stray ; Then in that path thai leads to day We follow thee. 4 Thou hast passed on before our face; Thy footsteps on the way we trace ; Oh, keep us. aid us by thy grace: We follow thee. 5 Whom have we in the heaven above, Whom on this earth, save thee, to love? Still ill thy light we onward move ; We follow thee.. The compiler of Laudes Domz'ni has been heard to say that this hymn of Dr. Horatius Bonar was introduced to his notice in the ordinary service at the Regent's Square Church, in London, in a period of his long- continued illness and depression ; it was sung to the tune as here set, " Sarum," and filled the whole room of worship with glorious sound of human voices and hearts : " And no one knew of the stranger there, nor ever thought how such a song lifted him as never song lifted him before." 92 Sabbath Rest. Ss, 4- Hail, sacred day of earthly rest. From toil secure and trouble free ; Hail, quiet spirit, bringing peace And joy to me. 2 A holy stillness, breathing calm And peace on all the world around. Uplifts my soul, O God, to thee, Where rest is found. 3 No sound of jarring strife is heard. As now the weekly labors cease ; No voice but those that sweetly sing Sweet songs of peace. 4 Accept, O God, my hymn of praise That thou this restful day hast given. Sweet foretaste of that endless day Of rest in heaven. Another of Rev. Godfrey Thring's pieces of poetry, composed evidently under the full inspiration of a Sabbath evening rest. The compiler of Laudes Dommi found this piece in a small fugitive collection of religious poems ; no names were affixed to any of them, and no clew to the sources from which they were obtained was given. He chose this as one of the most attractive hymns he had gained for a long time ; it appeared fairly necessary to the place and adaptation he could assign to it. But one line in each stanza was too long by a word for the music ; it was necessary to find now and then an expletive, and then the gain was secured. Afterward he found out, by what is sometimes called a happy accident, that the poem was composed by the author whose name it now bears. The date of this writer's earliest hymns is 1862. 93 The Hour of Prayer. 8s, 4. My God, is any hour so sweet. From blush of morn to evening star. As that which calls me to thy feet — The hour of prayer ? 2 Then is my strength by thee renewed ; Then are my sins by thee forgiven ; Then dost thou cheer my solitude With hopes of heaven. 3 No words can tell what sweet relief Here for my every want I find : What strength for warfare, balm for grief. What peace of mind ! 4 Hushed is each doubt, gone every fear ; My spirit seems in heaven to stay ; And ev'n the penitential tear Is wiped away. 5 Lord, till I reach yon blissful shore. No privilege so dear shall be As thus my inmost soul to pour In prayer to thee. 46 TRAYEK AND INVOCATION. ^J^^*^^ .■.i;v " MISS CHARLOITK ELLIOTT. Miss Charlotte Klliott was born near Uright- on. in Enj^land, March i8, 1789; she was tlie jjfranddauj^hter of the Rev. Henr}- \'enn, of Hiiddersfield. Her early life was spent at Clapham, but in 1823 she removed to Mrii^hton permanently. She was never robust, and often was feeble, but her mind was clear and her imaj^ination vivid. She loved poetr\', and music was her dclij^ht. This seems to have jjiven to her poems that sense of exquisite finish in rhythm. She offered only about one hundred and fifty hymns to the public; but almost all of these are now in wide and com- mon use. Some time in 1834 she published the Imuilid's Hyiitn-lniok, to which she con- tributed fnrni her own pen 115 pieces, in- cludin)i( this and the other by which she is most widely known, " Just as I am, without one plea." After the death of her father in 1833, and of her mother and two sisters in 1843, their honu- was jjriven up. and in 1845 she went with her sole sun-ivinj^; sister for awhile to dwell upon the Continent. Return- injij, they settled at Torquay, and lived there in peace for fourteen years ; by-and-by they went to Hrij,(hton ai^jaln, where at last, at the great a^je of eij^hty-two years. Miss Klliott passed away. SeptemlKT 22, 1871. in the full hope and triumph of the gospel she had sung so long. 94 i'-i i-ntHg Piahii 78, 5. riiHiK 111 Due, .-iiiil Oiii- in Thre«, Kill- I of tile rarth iiliil st-;i. Hear us. while we lift to tlicir Huly eli.int and |>salm. 2 l-inlit of hKhts, with niiMiiing shiiu ; Lift oil us thy liuht divine ; And let charity benien Hreathe on us Tier balm. \ LiKht of lights, when falls the even. Let it close on sin forgiven. Fold us III the peace ol heaven, hhed a vesjicr calm. 4 Three in One, and One in Three, ParkliiiK here we worship thee; Willi llie saints hereafter we Hope to Itcar the palm. Rev. (iilbert Rorison, IT,. D., made a col- lection of hymns in 1S51 for the use of his own congregation, in which this one appears. The author was born in (ilasgow, Scotland. February 7, 1821. His life was sjK-nt in Scot- land ; educated at (ilasgow I'niversity, he conmienced an excellent and useful ministry in Aberdeenshire, as the incumbent of .St. Peter's Kpiscopal Church in I'eterhead. He ilicd at Hridge of Allan, October 11, 1869. This hvmn is a suflicient monument for any man ; it is full of reverent devotion, so sim- ple, so orthodox, so gentle and unaffected, that it commends itself directly to our sym- pathies and needs. 95 Ji'siis, Have Mercy, 7s, 5. Lord of mercy and of might. Of mankind the life and light, Maker. Teacher, Infinite — Jesus, hear and save ! 2 Strong Creator, Saviour mild. Humbled to a mortal child. Captive, beaten, bound, reviled — Jesus, hear and save! 3 Throned above celestial tliitiKs, Borne aloft on angels' wings, Lord of lords, and King oi kings, Jesus, hear and save! 4 Soon to come to earth again, Judge of angels and of men. Hear us now. and hear us then, Jesus, hear and save! Rev. Reginald Heber, D. D., was born at Malpas, in Cheshire, llngland. April 21, 1783. His father was a clergyman of the Church of Hnglanil, in charge of the parish in which this child, called by his name, lirst saw the light. The boy had line chances for education in mind as well as improvement in taste, and early displayed marked abilities for composi- tion. He is said to have rendered P/urdrus into verse before he was seven vears of age. In 1 800 he entered Hrazcnose College, Oxford; there he took prize after prize during a most brilliant career of literary success. Taking orders in the ministry as his calling in life, he bcg'in preaching at Hodnet in 1807. In 1822 he w.is invited to the important and honor- PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 47 REGIN/AI.D HEBF.R. able pulpit of Lincoln's Inn, London. But the next year he was appointed Bishop of Cal- cutta, and sailed at once for his work as a missionary. But his labor was brief ; he died April 3, 1826. His was an intense life; it has moved the world ; but it was only a few years in length. He died very suddenly ; he had been busy in a confirmation service, be- came heated in that inhospitable climate, and was found dead in an apoplectic fit in the bath to which he had gone. This hymn first appeared in the C/iristian Obser^'er in 181 1. It was usually sung on Ouinquagesima Sunday, when the gospel for the day has the account of Christ's healing of the blind man Bartimeus. Certain allusions in the phrase- ology are easily traced to that source. 96 The Mercy-Seat. L. M. From ever\ stormy wind that blows, From every swelling tide of woes, There is a calm, a sure rt-treat ; 'T is found beneath the mercy-seat. 2 There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of jjladness on our heads — A place than all besides more sweet; It is the blood-bought mercy-seat. 3 There is a scene where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend ; Though sundered far, by faith they meet Around one common mercy-seat. 4 There, there, on eagle wings we soar, And sense and sin molest no more, And heaven comes down our souls to greet. And glory crowns the mercy-stat ! 5 Oh ! let my hand forget her skill. My tongue be silent, cold, and still, This throbbing heart forget to beat, If I forget the mercy-seat. Rev. Hugh Stowell, the author of this, hymn, afterward known as Canon Stowell, of Chester Cathedral, was for awhile the popu- lar and beloved minister of Christ Church, Salford. He was the son of a clergyman, and was born at Douglas, on the Isle of Man, December 3, 1799. A volume of religious poetiy was compiled by him and published at Manchester, in England, 1831, and in this appeared the familiar hymn which has made, his name dear all round the world, with a few others of his. The title of this one was " Peace at the Mercy-Seat." It had been contributed earliest to a periodical, The Win- ter s Wreath, in 1827. The author seems to have enjoyed much favor and success in his career. In 1818 he entered St. Edmund's Hall, Oxford, graduated in 1822, and took orders in 1823. First as a curate in York- shire, then as incumbent of St. Stephen's Church, Salford, he gathered such crowds to hear the plain truths of the gospel that the people cheerfully gave their money to erect the large and elegant structure of Christ Church, Salford, in which delighted thou- sands attended his ministry. In 1845 he was made an Honorary Canon of Chester, and afterward Rural Dean of Salford. He \\2& an enemy to Tractarianism, and a sound Evangelical Churchman. He also wrote the Jubilee Hymn for the British and Foreign Bible Society. He died at Salford, on the Sabbath day, October 8, 1865. To the ques- tion put to him in his very last moments, "Is Jesus with you and precious to you ?" he answered calmly, and without any hesitation, " Yes ; so that he is all in all to me." 97 " The Evil Hour." L. M. Where high the heavenly temple stands, The house of God not made with hands, A great High Priest our nature wears — The Guardian of mankind appears. 2 Though now ascended up on high, He bends on earth a brother's eye; Partaker of the human name, He knows the frailty of our frame. 3 Our Fellow-sufferer yet retains A fellow-feeling of our pains ; And still remembers, in the skies. His tears, his agonies, and cries. 4 In every pang that rends the heart The Man of Sorrows had a part ; He sympathizes with our grief. And to the sufferer sends relief. 5 With boldness, therefore, at the throne, Let us make all our sorrows known ; And ask the aid of heavenly power To help us in the evil hour. Michael Bruce, the author of this hymn. 48 PRAVKk AND INVOCATION. was unfortunate in choosinij his friends, or tlse he was lx*traycd by Kcv. John Lo>jan. a minister in the .Scotch Presbyterian Church of Leith, who had l)een his intimate in college. This plavjiarisi seems to have deliberately set his name to some of l$ruce"s best composi- tions, and so claimed them as his own. A justification of the matter has been effected amonjf literary people in these late years, and it is now admitted everywhere that this, w hich is found in the Parap/irases of Scripturt- per- mitted to l>e used in connection with Rous' version of the I'salms, was the production of Hruce while he was studying- for the ministr\-. He was born at Kinnesswood, in the county of Kinross. Scotland, .March 27. 1746. In early life he herded cattle, and learned his lessons of poctr\- from nature directly. He entered college, a very poor boy, at the age of fifteen, and .soon was on the regular course of study at Edinburgh University. He had to teach school in order to pay expenses ; but salaries were small in the rural neighbor- hoods, living was rough and meager. The young man's constitution was slender, his health suffered ; rooms were damp and com- rades were few. He broke down in spirits and in strength. His chest failed him; con- sumption did its work speedily and relent- lessly. July 5, 1767, he died at Kinnesswood little more than twenty-three years old. His life was sad, his heart was heavy ; but his faith was strong and his hope unfaltering. I'nder the pillow he died u|)on his Bible was f(jund, and the words were marked in Jer. 22:10: "Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him ; but weep sore for him that goeth away : for he shall return no more, nor see his native country." 98 The Afrrcy-Seat. L. M. Jksl's, where'er thy people meet, There they beluOd thv nuTCy-seat ; Where'er they seek thee thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground. 2 For thou, within no walls confined, Inhahitest the humble mind ; Such ever briiiR thee where they come, An.t KoniK, lake thee to their home. T ('.real .Shepherd of thy cluisen few. Thy former mercies here renew ; Mere to our waiting; hearts proclaim The sweetness of thy saving name. 4 Here may we i>rove the |>ower of prayer To streUKlheii faith ami sweeten care, • I o teacli our faint desires to rise. And brinK all heaven before our ryes. When the prayer-meeting at (llncy was re- moved to a larger room. William Cowper wrote this hymn to l)e sung in the opening ser\'icc. The piece was afterward published in the volume of O/nty Hymns, 1779. It is founded upon the familiar promise of the Lord's presence w ith even a few wr>rs!upers. As we sing it. t)ur minds are arrested bv the su- preme th»)ught of the wonderful preciousness and availableness of prayer as an instrument of communication with (lod. What could we poor mortals do without it here on the earth.' In one of the public gatherings not many months ago an old sailor rose to make some remarks. He said : " One of our boats was dashed to pieces at sea ; si.x of the men clung to the fragments ; three days they were without help ; for we in the distant ship could not find them. They told us aftenvard that the most awful and lonely thought they had in those dreadful hours was that they could do nothing to make us hear them ; and that made me think of our prayers to (iod : what if a man was just so cut off that he could not pray ; what if, when we were floating around on this mighty ocean of peril, we had no voice that could be sent over in any way to heaven !" W 1 1 I I \ M There are three portraits of Cowper, by three distinguished painters : Abbot, Rom- ney, and Sir Thomas Lawrence. These were all taken within a short t,ime. That by Ab- bot, an oil painting, was taken in July, 1792, at Weston ; that by Romney, in crayons, in August and Septeml)er of the same year, when the poet was on a visit to Hpyley, at Kartham ; and that by Sir Thomas Lawrence, at Weston, in ()ctol)er, 1793. 'he portrait which is most familiarly known, having been often engraved, and appearing in various edi- tions of the poems, was painted after his death, from the portraits of Abbot and Law- rence, by Jackson. R. A., and is now in the possession of Earl Cowf>er. at Penshanger, PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 49 Hertfordshire. The artist has very successr fully combined the characteristic points of the portraits taken from life, and gives an excel- lent idea of the poet when a littb over sixty years of age. Mr. Jackson, in his picture, retafned the well-known cap, which the poet was accus- tomed to wear in the morning, when at work, either in parlor or garden. When in consul- tation with Dean Stanley as to the portrait to be chosen for the stained glass memorial win- dow in Westminster Abbey (the gift of Mr. G. W. Childs, of Philadelphia), the Dean said, " We must have the cap at all events, for everyone knows him in that better than in the wig." It is is a curious head-dress, but it Avas comfortable, not unbecoming, and it was not the poet's own choosing ; it was the gift of his cousin. Lady Hesketh. The fact is im- mortalized in the lines entitled " Gratitude ": " The cap that so stately appears, with ribbon-bound tassel on high. Which seems, by the crest tliat it rears, ambitious of brushing the sky ; This cap to my cousin I owe — she gave it, and gave me beside. Wreathed in an elegant bow, the ribbon with which it is tied." So we see that Cowper, along with his grateful feeling for the comfortable head-dress, was quite aware of the odd appearance of what he thus humorously describes. Rom- ney and Lawrence both painted him in this cap, and Jackson very wisely adopted it in the posthumous portrait. Over almost the whole life of William Cow- per hangs, as it were, a deep cloud of melan- choly. At the rare intervals when the black- ness of darkness departed, he wrote with sin- gular facility, quite voluminously also, and with an originality and naturalness which opened up a new era in English literature. This distinguished poet was born, Novem- ber 26, 1 73 1, at Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire. He was the son of a c!erg}-man of good fam- ily, his granduncle being Lord Chancellor Cowper. Unfortunately for the happiness of his future youth and manhood, the timid child lost his mother at the age of six. At an early age he was removed from a country school and sent to Westminster School, where he was goaded almost to madness by the usage he received from the rougher and less sensitive boys. This is well reflected in the tone of the Tirociniimi. Speaking of this period, he says himself: " Day and night I was upon the rack ; lying down in horror and rising up in despair." After he left school he was articled to an attorney and spent three years in his ofifice ; after which he entered himself of the 4 Middle Temple. An appointment received by him through the influence of his uncle, as clerk of the Journals of the House of Lords, so wrought upon him from first to last as to drive him actually insane. In the well-man- aged asylum of Dr. Cotton he recovered his health. Returning to Huntingdon, he became acquainted with the family of the LTnwins, who devoted a great deal of care to make his lot tolerable. Regular in all his habits, de- vout, honest, pure, with a conscience void of offence both toward God and man, he had the impression that he was one of those who could not be saved — a morbid belief which never quite forsook him. \\'hen Unwin died Cowper removed with Mrs. Unwin to Olney. Here he formed two lasting friendships — one with the Rev. John Newton and the other with Lady Austen. He died at East Dereham, Norfolk, April 25, 1800. 99 L. M. " What Thou IVilt." And dost thou say, " Ask what thou wilt '7 Lord. I would seize the golden hour: 1 pray to be released from guilt, And freed from sin and Satan's power. 2 More of thy presence. Lord, impart ; More of thine image let me bear: Erect thy throne within my heart. And reign without a rival theie. 3 Give me to read my pardon sealed, And from thy jov to draw my strength: Oh ! be thy boundless love revealed In all its height and breadth and lengtli. 4 Grant these requests — I ask no more, But to thy care the rest resign: Sick, or in health, or rich, or poor, All shall be well if thou art mine. It would seem very easy to find any one of John Newton's poetical pieces, and especially any one of the hymns he gave to the worship of the churches. But this one went for many years without credit to anybody ; and yet there it was all the time in the Olncy Hymns, Book I., No. 32. It appears with eight stan- zas, from which those in use at present are selected. It has a te.Kt from i Kings 3 : 5 annexed to it. J 00 Retirement. CM. 1 LOVE to Steal awhile away From every cumbering care. And spend the hours of setting day In humble, grateful prayer. 2 I love in solitude to shed The penitential tear, And all his promises to plead, Where none but God can hear. 3 I love to tiiink on mercies past, And future good implore. And all my cares and sorrows cast On him whom I adore. 4 I love by faith to take a view Of brighter scenes in heaven ; The prospect doth my strength renew, While here by tempests driven. 50 I'KAVKk AND INVOCATION. $ Thus, when life's toilsome day is o'er, Miiv its di-partiiiK rav Be calm as this inipics-ive hour, And lead tu ciidk-ss (!nv. Mrs. Phoebe Hinsdale Brown was the daugh- ter of Cicorge Hinsdale, and was horn at Canaan, N. Y., May i, 1783. In reply to a question addressed to her by Rev. Elias Na- son, she answered : " As to my history, it is soon told : a sinner saved by grace and sanctified by trials." An orphan at two years of age, she came upon the world in a somj-- what poverty-stricken plight, and had to meet its rough ways as best she could. She did not learn to read until she was eighteen years old, and it is recorded that she never had more than three months' schooling in the whole of her life. Timothy H. Hrown, a house-painter, married the affectionate and faithful creature, and she went to live in El- lington, Tolland County, Conn. She was po- etic by temperament, dreamy, a lover of na- ture, and deeply religious. Her life was hard, her children were fretful, neighbors could not understand her when she went away into an adjacent grove to be by herself and pray, (iossips gave other reasons. Then she some- how composed a poem in nine simple stan- Z.-IS. entitling it " An Apology for my Twilight Rambles, Addressed to a Lady." This bears date of Kllingtoii, August. 1818." This hymn, as it now generally appears, was published in l'i7/iii^t- Hymns, compiled by Nettleton. She afterward told a friend that the piece was kept in a portfolio for a long time, and probably Rev. Lavius Hyde got hold of it. and so it came to Mr. Nettleton, who after- wanl applied to her for some few more of the same sort. She furnished two or three, but they were less valuable than the first one, and neeiled modification. She once wrote that when her spot among the trees was broken up she often "thought Satan had tried his best to prevent |her| from prayer by depriving I her I of a place to pray." \\ hether this was true or not. her later poetr>- did not fulfill the ])romise of this hymn by which she is best known. She lived at .Monson, Mass., subse- (juently, where Nettleton says he formerly found her " in a very humble cottage ;" then removed to Henry, 111., and there she died, October 10, 1 86 1, and was buried at Monson at last. 101 Ptayrr Has Pmcer. CM. Thkrk is an eye thai never sleeps Beneath the wing of tiJKhi ; There is an ear that ne\er shuts When sink the beams of light. 2 There is an arm that never tires When human strength RiM-s way; There is a love thai never fails When earthly loves decay. 3 That eye is fixed on seraph throngs ; That arm upholds the sky; That ear is filled with angel songs; That love is throned on high. 4 But there 's a power which man can wield When mortal aid is vain, That eye, that arm, that love to reach. That listening ear to gain. 5 That power is prayer, which S"ars on high. Through Jesus, to the throne ; And moves the hand which moves the world, To bring salvation down ! Rev. James Cowden Wallace was a Uni- tarian minister, born at Dudley, in England, about the year 1793. He was settled in the pastorate first in Totnes in 1824, and after- wards at W'areham, where he died in 1841. He wrote many poems and other pieces for the Monthly /\tfiost/ory. The name of this author has in se\eral critical volumes been given as John Aikman Wallace, and he has been annoimced as a clerg)nian of the I'res- byterian Free Church in .Scotland ; both of these statements are mistaken. This hynm is suggested by the inspired verse: " Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." It is worthwhile to give a thought like that fi.xed lodgment in our hearts; it is very wonderful. .Sleep is a concession to human weakness and frailty. It is of necessity that things which wear out should have time to recuperate. Hut a fright- ful part of our lives is lost in such a waste of the hours of night after night for three-score years and ten. .Sleep is of the earth, earthy. It is not needed in heaven ; it is not permit- PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 51 ted in hell ; we shall grow happier when we are rid of it. God never has needed anything of that kind ; the inspired singer has told us that twice in one psalm of only eight verses, giving two of them to the reiteration of the sentiment. " The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil : he shall preserve thy soul. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved : he that keep- eth thee will not slumber." 102 " Two or Three." CM. Wherever two or three may meet To worship in thy name. Bending beneath thy mercy-seat, This promise they may claim : — 2 Jesus in love will condescend To bless the hallowed place ; The Saviour will himself attend. And show his smiling face. 3 How bright the assurance ! gracious Lord, Fountain of peace and love, Fulfill to us thy precious word. Thy loving-kindness prove. Thomas Hastings, Mies. Doc, gave this hymn in manuscript to the compiler of Songs for the Sanctuary, in which it was first pub- lished in 1865. It chose its theme from Matt. 18 : 20. Half a score of the sacred poets have taken the same text for their inspiration ; Cowper and Wesley, Fawcett and Kelly, Watts and Carlyle, Newton and Anne Steele, have in turn clung to the verse and pressed the argument contained in it. Matthew Hen- ry once gave the counsel that always ought to be kept in remembrance by devout and affec- tionate souls. " Whatever God gives you in a promise," said he, " be sure to send back to him in a prayer." 103 The Mercy-Seat. CM. Dear Father, to thy mercy-seat My soul for shelter flies ; 'T is here I find a safe retreat When storms and tempests rise. 2 My cheerful hope can never die. If thou, my God, art near ; Thy grace can raise my comforts high, And banish every fear. 3 My great Protector and my Lord, Thy constant aid impart ; Oh, let thy kind, thy gracious word Sustain my trembling heart ! 4 Oh, never let my soul remove From this divine retreat ! Still let me trust thy power and love, And dwell beneath thy feet. This hymn, written by Miss Anne Steele, and included in the volume she published un- der the name of " Theodosia," 1760, is re- markable for the power it wields over our deepest sympathies ; its very simplicity is its charm. Cyprian, the ancient father in the Church, whose name has been held reverently in the memory of Christendom since the day when first he made Africa illustrious nearly sixteen centuries ago, has beautifully de- scribed the benefit and delight which he found in retired prayer and meditation : " That no profane listener may hinder my musings, and no domestic clamor drown them, I withdraw to a recess in the neighboring solitude, where the creeping tendrils of the young vines form a shady arbor. Behold ! there I obtain a feel- ing of truth which learning could not give, and drink in, from the quick impartings of divine grace, stores of heavenly thought which long years of study could never supply." 1 04 " t theory, Heavy Laden" C. M. Approach, my soul! the mercy-seat Where Jesus answers prayer ; There humbly fall before his feet. For none can perish there. 2 Thy promise is my only plea, With this I venture nigh: Thou callest burdened souls to thee, And such, O Lord I am I. 3 Bowed down beneath a load of sin. By Satan sorely pressed ; By war without and fears within, I come to thee for rest. 4 Be thou my shield and hiding-place, That, sheltered near thy side, I may my fierce accuser face. And tell him — thou hast died. 5 Oh, wondrous Love — to bleed and die. To bear the cross and shame. That guilty sinners, such as I, Might plead thy gracious name ! This is by Rev. John Newton, and in the Olney Hymns it is No. 12 of Book HI. The hymn just previous to this in that collection is entitled, " The Effort," and begins with the line, " Cheer up, my soul, there is a mercy- seat." This is entitled " The Effort ; in anoth- er measure." It consists of six stanzas. Some commentators have seemed to find here the evidence of George Herbert's influ- ence upon Newton's composition. It is true that Herbert was a great favorite with both of the Olney poets ; but I cannot connect such a strain of deep penitence and humble pleading for pardon with so quiet and medi- tative a model. To me it appears like one of those cries of this man's soul out of the depths in which it lay during the early years of his experience. There are other hymns, evident- ly composed in much more assured and joy- ful periods of his history. When the story of his association with William Cowper opened, and those dear intimacies began in the Olney parsonage, his song rose to the heights of serene confidence and joy. Most of us who take these matchless lyrics on our lips find we have use for them all in our penitence and in our pardon. 52 PRAYER AND INV()CATI<»N. I05 f'^ .;j:»6- Lord ! I cannot li-t thrv %o Till a bleviini; thou bestow ; 1)<) not turn away tliv lace. Mine 's an urKcnt, pii-ssiiiK case. 1 Once a sinner, near (les|>air, Sought thy mercv-seal by jiraycr ; Mercy lu-ared in every need — This cnilKiUlens me to plead ; After ST) much mercy past, Canst thuu let me sink at last ? 5 No — I must maintain my hold ; T is thy goodness makes me bold; I can no ili-nial take. Since 1 plead lor Jesus' sake. This hymn by Kcv. John Newton may prof- itably be compared with the maifniticent poem of Charles Wesley known as " Wrestling Jacob." Hoth are founded upon the experi- ence of the patriarch at Penuel (lien. 32 : 26). This one in particular pictures to us the matchless mercy of God. We can talk to him in our own plain, artless, unconstrained way. and he takes pleasure in listeninij to us. Here, in the inspired histor), a poor mortal of no hi).jher fame or name than a herdsman had power to prevail in a contest for a bless- ing with the omnipotent God. and received a new name as a princely prevailer with the Highest. There is no hope of advantage in any at- tempt to follow up this mere historic incident as a fact. When the wrestle ends that ends its instruction. IJut this was no ordinary' part of Jacob's biography. It is evident that it was so truly intended to be an emblem of wistful and importunate supplication that the prophet Hosea was inspired, full a thfiusand years afterward, to suggest its interpretation. The Christian Church has taken it up at once ; and now the expression. " wrestling with the angel of the covenant." is as familiar as any of f)ur household words the world over. " Yea. he had power over the angel, and pre- vailed : he wept, and made supplication unto him ; he found him in Hethel. and there he spake with us; even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial." 106 God i::rt\-tchrtf. 7S- TiiKV who seek the throne of jjracc Kind that throne in every place : It \vc live a life <>f prayer, Gwherc. 3 When our earthly comforts fail, When the fo<.-s 01 life prevail, 'T is the time lor earnest prayer; God is present everywhere. 4 Then, my soul, in eve' y strait. To tliy Father come, and wail ; He will answer every prayer: G<«l is present everywhere. (~)livcr Holden. to whom this hymn is now cretlited. was known more widely by his mu- sic than by his poetry. He was a carpenter by trade, but. fond of music, he Ix-came a composer and at last a teacher. With us he has his immortality in the tune Coronation. He issued at least six collections of tunes, and it is claimed that he published a volume of poetr\- containing some of his own hymns ; but the book cannot now Ixr found. Some writers whf) are to be trusted declare that this piece has been altered from a long meter hav- ing six stanzas, commencing : " All those who seek a throne of grace." and marked there, as are a few others, with the initial " W." Oliver Holden was born at Shirley, NL'iss.. Septem- ber 18. 1765. and died at Charlestown. Mass., September 4. 1S44. The hynm suggests a season of quiet and grateful devotion after trouble, when a believer longs to tell his love and gratitude away from all public demon- stration. It makes us think of the incident related long ago of (irant Thorburn. His building had been saved from absolute confla- gration by miracles of daring and patience in hghting with fire. One of the bystanders told that modest man : " Why. my dear sir. you now ought to kneel down here on the pavement and thank God for your deliver- ance I" Hut with his usual diflidence he re- plied, almost in a whisper : " Tut, tut 1 neigh- bor ; such things would be l)etter done after-, ward in one's private chamber, and with the door shut I" 1 07 Quirt CommiiHiiin. 7S. Stivai im; from tin- w. rid away. We arc come to seek thy face ; Kindly meet us. Lord, we pray. (.raiit us thy reviving grace. 2 Yonder stars tliat gild the skv Shine hut with a horiowed lignl ; We. unless thy light he nigh, \\ aiider, wrapt in gloomy night. 3 Sun hymn of Dr. Ray Palmer has l)een popular and useful. It was written in New Haven, in 1834, and the te.xt of Scripture annexed to it PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 53 is Psalm 36 : 9. It resembles in its sentiment, though it scarcely equals it in its strength, another hymn by the same author, " Away from earth my spirit turns." When a New- England man, born in a village, and trained by religious parents as a true son of the soil, reads such a poem as this, the picture is sim- ple and suggestive. Reminiscences of early days render the stanzas in turn as pathetic as they are picturesque. There is in the hymn the indescribable quietness and humility of a prayer-meeting, gathering, according to the ordinary- appointment, " in the vestr\- at early candle-light," as it used to be announced. Then the fathers and mothers and children, one by one, would " steal " forth with their candles and their Village Hymns. Those were grand old days ! Such customs made great men and noble women. That training told in the after years. Some of that genera- tion love to look back for encouragement and strength now. I08 ^ Prayer in JVeed. js. CoMF, my soul, thy suit prepare, Jesus loves to answer prayer ; He himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay. 2 With my burden I begin: Lord! remove this load of sin ; Let thy blood, for sinners spilt. Set my conscience free from guilt. 3 Lord ! I cotpe to thee for rest ; Take possession of my breast ; There thy blood-bought right maintain. And, without a rival, reign. 4 While I am a pilgrim here, Let thy love my spirit cheer ; As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend, Lead me to my journey's end. 5 Show me what I have to do. Every hour my strength renew ; Let me live a life of faith, Let me die thy people's death. This is another of Rev. John Newton's con- tributions to the Olney Hymns. It is No. 31 of Book I. There it has seven stanzas, and is founded upon i Kings 3:5. It owes some- thing of the modern revival of its popularity from the use Rev. C. H. Spurgeon was wont to make of it in divine service. It is said he was long accustomed to have one or more stanzas of it softly chanted just before the principal prayer. In this way many addi- tional thousands of people became familiar with its words, and so learned to love it. It is peculiar in that it fastens a devout man's attention upon preparation for an approach to the mercy-seat, as well as upon the petitions he proposes to offer there. The exercises of one's soul preliminary- to prayer are important, and in a great measure essential to the rever- ence of the devotion. One of the finest inci- dental revelations of character found in all the Bible history is that which is discovered in the narrative of Joseph while in Egypt. Pharaoh suddenly sent for him ; and though this young man must have known now that his fortune was made, and though he longed inexpressibly to get out of the filthy dungeon, he was of too decent a turn of mind to rush into the king's presence without care. He made all the retinue wait for him outside, though they came " hastily "; he would not be hurried into indecorousness of behavior ; he " shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh." We need to pray for better gift at prayer. " It is harder," so remarked the pious Gur- nall, " to get the great bell up than to ring it when raised." Ejaculatory prayer is useful ; but there is need of set seasons likewise. " A large part of my time," wrote McCheyne, " is spent just in getting my heart in tune to pray." The stringing of the bow and the notching of the arrow have much to do with the success of the archer's shot ; and it is not wise to be headlong. 1 09 Redeeming Love. 7s. Sweet the time, exceeding sweet ! When the saints together meet, When the Saviour is the theme, When they joy to sing of him. 2 Sing we then eternal love, Such as did the Father move: He beheld the world undone, Loved the world, and gave his Son. 3 Sing the Son's amazing love — How he left the realms above, Took our nature and our I'lace, Lived and died to save our race. 4 Sing we, too, the Spirit's love ; With our stubborn hearts he strove, Filled our minds with grief and fear. Brought the precious Saviour near. 5 Sweet the place, exceeding sweet. Where the saints in glory meet ; Where the Saviour 's still the theme. Where they see and sing of him. Most ministers, even of modern times, have in their libraries the Village Sertnons of Rev. George Burder. The volume was published in 1794, and has continued to have a prosper- ous sale down to the present day. The au- thor was born in London, June 5, 1752. The early tastes of the child were imaginative and poetic, and he showed skill in drawing ; in- deed, he studied for a while at the Royal Academy, and planned to be an artist. He gave up this ambition, however, at the age of twenty-three, having been converted under the preaching of Whitefield. and became con- nected with the Tabernacle Church. He soon began to preach, and was ordained to the ministr)- of the Congregational body in 1 778. PRWF.R AND INVt)CATI()N. He was an Independent pastor at first at Lan- caster, then at Coventr)- for twenty years, and ultimately at Fetter Lane in London, where he died. May 29, 1832. He was busy with his pen all his life, coniributinij to the religious periodicals and issuing volumes of his own. In 1799 he was with others instrumental in founding the Religious Tract Society. While he was preaching at F"etter Lane he became the secretary of the London Missionar)' So- ciety, and shortly after this he aided in the establishment of the Hritish and Foreign Bi- ble Society. In 1784 he published a Supple- ntettt to \\ \t/fs. which collection went through fifty editions : this contained four hymns of his composition. He was an excellent, indus- trious, and devoted Christian, preaching, half blind and infirm, until three months before his death at eighty years of age. 110 •• Thf Sacrfd Firrr CM. Pkaykr is the breath of God in man. KctiirtiinK whence it came; Love is the sacred fire within. And prayer tlic rising flame. 2 It ^ivi-s the burdened spirit e.ise. And sorithes the troubled breast : Vi«-liis comfort to tlie mi)urning soul. And to the weary rest. 3 When Go- thy great bounty made For those who tollow thee. 3 There, if thy Spirit touch the soul And jjrace her mean aboile, Oh I with what |e^.ce. and jov, and love She then toinmunes with Gotl. 4 Author and Giiaidian of my life! Sweet Souice of light divine. And— all harmonious nnnies in one — My Saviour !— thou art mine! The biography of William Cowper has for its frontispiece a picture consisting of seven small views, describing his life to one's eye as it must have appeared during the period in which this hvmn was written. His health was PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 55 measurably restored. He took a short jour- ney out of his habit ; he was in an intelligent and almost a happy frame of mind. In the village of Huntingdon he found congenial rest. His life was distinctly associated with that of John Newton, his dear friend in whose parish he had spent so much time that the church and the parsonage at Olney seemed almost like his own. He had his hares and his devoted comrades and his writing friends. His correspondence was singularly full ; and his spirits were so cheerful that the letters have entered into English literature. And while resting he waited upon God. He at- tended church for the first time in two years. Before service he found a quiet nook among the trees, and prayed with all the fer^^or of a joyous heart. After he came home he went out to it again. He artlessly relates the story of his experience : " How shall I express what the Lord did for me, except by saying that he made all his goodness to pass before me !" This was the hymn that William Wilberforce tased frequently to repeat to himself in his most exciting histories as a public man, calm- ing himself with the thought of the true •" peace of God." 112 " Behold He Prays:' C. M. Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed ; Tlie motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. 2 Prajer is tiie burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near. 3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try ; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. 4 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air: His watchword at the gates of death — He enters heaven with prayer. 5 Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, Returning from his ways ; While angels in their songs rejoice. And cry — " Behold he prays !" 6 O thou, by whom we come to God — The Life, the Truth, the Wa> — The path of prayer thyself hast trod ; Lord ! teach us how to pray. James Montgomery told his friends, with whom he was sometimes in rare moments of intimacy wont to speak of his own literary productions frankly, that he had received a great many testimonials of approval in respect to this piece of poetry. This fact is the more interesting to us just now, because the cry is raised that the verses are not to be reckoned at all as constituting a lyric song to be sung, but a poetic definition to be read in one's soli- tude as an encouragement to prayer. Yet the author included it among his hymns in the volume bearing the name ; he added, how- ever, the final stanza in order to give it a for- mal address to God, and so fit it to the exi- gencies of public service. It has been ac- cepted without hesitation as not only a valu- able aid to devotion, but as a classic among the treasures of the Church at large. Atten- tion has been often called to the peculiar cir- cumstances of Montgomer)-'s death, as illus- trating the sentiment he expressed when to the utterance of prayer he gave the name of the Christian's " watchword at the gates of death." When the poet was more than four- score years of age, in 1854, he still kept up his practice of family worship, and in person officiated in the supplication. This he did one evening as usual, and it was observed that he was especially fervent in his form of address and directness of expression. It was his last audible prayer ; he went at once to his chamber for sleep, and in the morning was found unconscious upon the floor of the room. He never spoke again ; so this good man passed away ; thus he entered heaven " with prayer." I 1 3 The Evening Hour. ns, lol. Father, by thy love and power Comes again the evening hour: Light has vanished, labors cease, Weary creatures rest in peace ; Thou, whose genial dews distill On the lowliest weed that grows. Father, guard our couch from ill. Grant thy children sweet repose: We to thee ourselves resign, Let our latest thoughts be thine. 2 Saviour, to thy Father bear This our feeble evening prayer: Thou hast seen how oit to-day We like sheep have gone astray ; Worldly thoughts and thoughts of pride, Wishes to tliy cross untrue. Secret faults and undescried, Meet thy spirit-piercing view ; Blessed Saviour, yet through thee Pray that we may pardoned be. 3 Holy Spirit, breath of bnlm. Fall on us in evening's calm; Yet awhile, before we sleep, We with thee will vigils keep. Lead us on our sins to mu'^e. Give us truest penitence : Then the love of God infuse. Breathing humble confidence; Melt our spirits, mould our will. Soften, strengthen, comfort still. 4 Blessed Trinity, be near Through the hours of darkness drear; Then, when shrinks the lonely heart. Thou, O God, most present art. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Watch o'er our defenceless head ; Let thy angels' guardian host Keep all evil from our bed ; Till the flood of morning rays Wake us to a song of praise. Joseph Anstice wasan English Episcopalian, 56 I'RAYER ANU INVOCATION. Professor of Classical Literaturt- at King's Collexe in London, to which hij^h literary po- sition he was appointi-d when only twenty- two years old. He was b<)rn at .Madelcy W(M)d. in Shropshire, in 1808; educated at Westminster School and at Christ Church Collej^e. Oxford, where he was jjfradu.ited with jj^eat distinction. He did j^^kkI work in his classreace, < )n thy name shall call ; When the sinner, seeking life. At thy feet shall fall ; Hear then in love, () Lord, the crv. In heaven, thy dwelliiig-iilacc on r>igh. 2 When the worldling, sick at heart, Lifts his soul above : When the prodigal looks back To his Father's love; When the proud man from his pride Stoops to seek thv face ; When the burdened brings his guilt To thy throne of grace ; Hear then in love, <) Lord, the cr\-. In heaven, thy dwelling-place on high. 3 When the stranger asks a home. All his toils to end; When the liungiy craveth food. And the jMwir a friend ; When the sailor on the wave Hows the fervent knee; When the ldier on the field Lilts his heart to thee; Hear then in love, O Lord, the cr\-, In heaven, thy dwelling-pl.ice on nigh. 4 When the man of toil and care, III the city crowd. When the shepherd on the moor. Names th»' name of God ; When 111 ' ' !,! the high, Iire.i .lie. Upon In ■„t. Name 1 iH 111. s... II .Name; Hear then in love. () Lonl, the cry, III heaven, thv dwelling-place on nigh. This hymn is in the best spirit of Dr. Ho- ratius Honar. and well repres-^'nts his thorough appreciation of Scripture incident and princi- ple. He has caught the entire meaning and spirit of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Tem|)ie, given in the si.xth chapter of Sec- ond Chronicles, and has made the sentiment ser\iceable for one of the grandest hymns of New Testament supplication. ( )ne fx-culiari- ty in the music usually sung with this piece is found in the strain attached to each verse as a refrain. It has a wonderful effect when the brisk and spirited movement of the first eight lines is suddenly succeeded by the slower and march-like advance of the quotation from Mendelssohn, coming on with its suggestion of impassioned imploration and entreaty. I I 5 T^f "Hirotie of Gracf. los, 4. Thkrk is a spot of consecrated ground Where brightest hopes and holiest |oys are found ; 'T is named, and Christians lo\e the well-known sound, The " throne of grace." 2 'T is here a calm retreat is always found; Perpetual sunshine gilds the sacreif ground : Pure airs and heavenly odors breathe around The "throne of grace." \ While on this vantage-ground the Christian stand indeed to b«. And view his face. 5 Here may the comfortless and weary find One who can cure the sickness of the minerplexity to some of the hymnologists. In Songs of GrtXiC and Glory, compiled by Miss Frances Ridley Havergal. and published in London, 1876. the poem is found in full, from the parts of which this hymn is made. It is a.scrilxrd to Mi.ss Charlotte Klliott, and consists of ten stanzas. This is a correct crediting of the authorship, for the whole three parts of the long composition are found in \m:x I/ynins for a I I'll/:, 1839. It is designed to suggest the localization of our thoughts and wishes and ex|XTiences around some favorite spot. The expression "throne of grace" is in Hebrews 4:16: "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is j>assed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of (iod, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of PRAYER AND INVOCATION. 57 our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us there- fore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." It is indeed a great thing to have had admission to the presence of a king like Jehovah, and to have received a token that showed our words had been heard and heeded by the majesty of heaven. The success of just one real prayer of ours ought to be the memory of a lifetime. We might keep saying : I am the man, dust and ashes myself, who once, on such a day and such an hour, asked — and Jehovah answered me ! Nay more, he told me to come again ! Think now of a human being who can honestly say, " I have daily audience for my petitions in heaven!" " I wonder not the eye of man cows lions in their den, Or that a son of genius can sway the minds of men ; I wondvr not t'le conqueror moves nations with his rod; But rather that a little child can move the hand of God!'' 16 " Forsake Me Not.' los, 4. Forsake me not ! O thou, my Lord, my Light ! 1 lift mine eyes unto thy holy height, And trust thee with a child's sweet trust — untaught: Forsake me not ! 2 Forsake me not ! By sorrow oft depressed. On thee alone, Almighty Power, I rest ! Strength faileth me ; be thou my strength — Christ- bought : Forsake me not ! 3 Forsake me not ! Help me to know thy way Let me at last, at closing of my day. Into the light of thy dear face be brought ! Forsake me not ! This exquisite piece of poetry appeared in the Christian Union in 1883. The name ap- pended to it was that of Mrs. John P. Mor- gan • she was then residing in New York, but every effort to procure other information has failed. The translation .is probably from some German hymn. The spirit of the petition it presses is almost passionate in its expression of both need and trust. These covenant-engagements of God — how slight they seem, but what a resident omnipo- tence they possess ! They may not impress the imagination much, but they will wrestle beyond measure ! There they lie in the clear stream of Scripture like the five little stones in the brook of David ; but each one is good for a giant. There they wait in the store- house of God like the five loaves and the two fishes of the unnamed lad of Bethsaida ; they hardly filled his wallet, but they proved quite enougff to feed the five thousand. The sim- ple fact is that in all the engagements- God makes he puts his own truth at stake. " All the promises of God in Christ are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us." Hence when human wrestling lavs hold of a text of Scripture, it is all that a maxim of Plato or Confucius would be, and in addition it is God himself. There was no irreverence — nothing, indeed, but clearest intelligence and firmest faith — in the reply made by a harassed believer to the ribald skeptic who told her that God's covenant might fail at the last, for she had no hold upon him. " Ah, no fear of that," she answered ; " he has more to lose in it than I have !" 1 i 7 " God Pities." S. M. Our heavenh- Father calls. And Christ invites us near ; With both our friendship shall be sweet. And our communion dear. 2 God pities all our griefs: He pardons every day ! Almighty to protect our souls, And wise to guide our way. 3 How large his bounties are! What various stores of good, Diffused from our Redeemer's liand And purchased with his blood! 4 Jesus, our living Head, We bless thy faithful care ; Our Advocate before the throne, And our Forerunner there. 5 Here fix, my roving heart ! Here wait, my warmest love ! Till the communion be complete In nobler scenes above. Here we have another of Dr. Philip Dod- dridge's hymns, numbered 346 in his collec- tion. It is founded upon i John 1:3: " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." It has the same five stanzas, and is entitled, " Communion with God and Christ." One of our modern pastors has related an incident in his own experience ; it serves as an illustration, and we give it in his exact words : " An inquiring friend once asked me, after a public service, When you close your eyes for prayer, and commence as you did this morning — 'Infinitely high and holy God' — what do you see, or what do you seem to see ? What he meant was, what sort of mental conception does any Christian have in his ordinary devotions ? What is the image which rises before him when he ad- dresses what he terms in common conference the throne of grace } " Since then I have passed the question on and around, especially among those of largest experience and rarest gift in public prayer. Various answers are given. One said he seemed to see a vast audience-room, vague angels ranged through it, a throne in the midst — and he never found himself going further ; but toward the ineffable center of Royalty he sent his petition. Another said that on the instant of closing the world out 58 PRAYER AM> IN V< )CA lit )N. from his vision he appeared to himself to be looking straiijht up into a splcntior of li,v;ht. an undefined radiance of k''"")' lliat no man could approach unto. Another told me he saw positively nothing; he felt himself in a Presence ; lie spoke as he would speak to a friend in the next room, out of si.vjht but within hearini(. Another pictured himself as kneelinj,' at the verj' foot of the cross on Calvar)', like the X'irvjin Mar)- and her friends. And another still chose for a like similitude Mar)' at Ik-thany. sittini; at the Savit)ur"s feet. " {)n the whole, the impression I have now is that most believers seem to have a vision of a personal (iod in the form of Jesus Christ — the Redeemer in his human shape more or less rcto^jnizable — and that the ima>je different Christians contemplate will vary accordinj^ to the rtoridness or dullness of their imajjinations, accordini( to the clearness or vajfueness of their intellectual processes, and specially according to their individual temperament." 118 " Thf Thronf of Grace." S. M. Bi:Hoi.Dthe throne of grace! Thf promise calls mc iie;ir ; There Jesus shows a smiling lace, And waits to answer prayer. 3 That rich atoning blood, Which sprinkled round I see, Provides ffir tliose who come to God An all-prevailing plea. 3 My soul ! ask what thou wilt ; Thou canst not be till" hold: Since his own blooil fm thee he spilt, \Vhat else can he withhold? 4 Thine image. Lord bestow, Thy presence and thy love ; I ask to serve thee here below, And rciK" with thee above. 5 Teach me to live by faith ; Conform mv will to thine: Let me victorious be in death, Anii then in ulory shine. Another of those familiar pieces in our conference meetings, given as No. 33 in Rev. John Newton's r>l with joyful voice; l.ct i;\crv I.iikI his name adore: The llritish isLs sliall send the noise Across the oveaii t'aise, Approach with joy his courts unto: Praise, laud, and bless his name always. For it is seemly so to do. 4 For why ? The Lord our GchI is good, His mercy is for ever sure : His truth at all times firmly stood. And shall from age to age tndure. From the ancient copy of Sternhold and Hopkins' version of the Psalms, set to music, the date of which is 1605, I have caused to be photfigraphed and engraved the original tune, with words inserted in the staff, as it fir.st appeared to the Kngli.sh-speaking public Here, then, is the beginning of our " Old Hundred." The quaint black type, the al- r.IiibiIarcDcoomnis tcrripfal. C. #(rt%?Urr^ all a tn Mrrraetiie fto;o isto b«(b aatx b« Mbtornramtotitf couctrof niIf%bkctftop;atfi| ^^^^ 1 people tljat on cnctl) Do DtocII,&ng to tlic^ain tuitl) clKctrefuIl HJ— Ijopce \)\mim\z icitij frarc,l)(0 ptapfe fo ti) tci.come vc befoze tjiiii aiiD rc^apce. 5 Z\]z TIozO?ehnoto(jj ^oDtnDccDctKithoutoiirnttJefjcbiDbflmabc: toe arc Ht3 flccUc Ijc Dorij t)3 fccOcaiiD foi l)is fljcc pc ijeDoilj uat tanc. 4 Q enter tiiett Ijus gr.tejK tx)tttj p^rf ',npp:ocli tottl? loj' W coarto bnto; p^arff .lauDanD blcflc \^iQ name altoaj'cs foi u le fecmelpfoto Doe. 5 jFox tDbWilje)Lo;iD our c^oD i0 gooD,l)i3 nicrcp is fo'. etierrurc: W tr utb at all tiincg firmclp lloDDe.anD fljall from aae to aet enDuw. GENERAL PRAISE. 6l most unintelligible contractions in the words, the funny and inconsistent spelling, the rough phrasing of the poetry, the rugged strength of expression combined with some small touches of wonderful majesty and grace, and, above everything else, the matchless devotion and awful reverence for the majesty and holiness of God — these are the elements of that force which kept the old psalm, with its strain of melody clinging to it, in the hearts of the peo- ple through the centuries past. Rev. William Kethe has been reputed as the author of this composition. He was an exile with Knox at Geneva in 1555 ; chaplain of the English soldiers at Havre in 1 563 ; and subsequently we iind him acting as pastor of a congregation — that of Okeford, in Dorset- shire. Much discussion has been wasted upon this question, and still it remains unset- tled ; meanwhile the traditional credit is given to him as the author. A group of tourists left our shores lately for a trip through Europe and Asia. They trav- eled by way of Egypt. Reaching that coun- try, they determined to see the pyramids. The massive piles of masonry seem familiar enough to thoss who have never been within thou- sands of miles of them. But to the observer they appear magnificent beyond description. The party was largely composed of ministers of the gospel. These gathered around the base of the great pyramid. They looked toward the summit. The stone terraces tow- ered row above row up to a dizzy height. They began the ascent. Their agility, com- bined with rnuch help, brought them to the top-stone. There they sat in amazement and gazed upon the flat country of deserts. Then they drew out their pocket Bibles. The one hundredth Psalm, in long meter, was an- nounced. To the Old Hundred tune it was sung. Upon the winds of the wilderness the sacred melody floated. From this eminent station these singers sang the song of the He- brews, and their strains melted away above the graves of their fathers, where they had lived and died in bondage. A song of praise from the great pyramid ! May it be a prophecy of the good time coming, when Africa shall be filled with the music of worship, and the sweet psalms of Israel shall be heard in all her plains and mountains. Those who help the missions are hastening the day when the in- habitants of that great continent shall be a gos- pel choir singing the high praises of their God. I 25 Doxology. L. M. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, Praise him, all creatures here below ; Praise him above, ye heavenly host ; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This verse, which is found at the close of both the morning and the evening hymn of Bishop Ken, has become the accepted " Te Deum " of the American people. Whenever spontaneous praise rises in a vast body of citizens, it is sure to choose this as a vehicle of swift and satisfactory expression. At camp-meetings, at stately Sabbath services, in times of political exultation, in cathedrals, churches, and schoolhouses, out on the steps of the Custom House in Wall Street, in deep- est shadows of war lit by sudden news of victory — always the popular resort is to these four lines of ascription of praise to the Triune Maker of the universe. With uncovered heads the throngs of living men and women send it aloft to the strains of the Old Hun- dredth Psalm. 1 26 • Doxology. To God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, Threie in One, Be honor, praise, and glory given, By all on earth, and all in heaven. In many portions of New England it has from time immemorial been the custom to use this stanza, which is Dr. Isaac Watts' Third Doxology, L. M., instead of Bishop Ken's verse now sung in the Middle States. It is found in his Hymns, Book III., where it is No. 32. Like the other familiar stanza, it has always been married to the same old tune. And there is not in musical literature a wider grouping of anecdotes of deepest interest than those which are on everybody's lips, and in everybody's heart, about this admirable piece of composition, originally set to the Hun- dredth Psalm and taking its nam.e from it. It has gone all around the world, and will live while any human voice is left to sing it on this side of heaven. Here is an excellent chance to quote some wise, calm sentences once written by old An- drew Fuller. He says : " The criterion of a good tune is not its pleasing a scientific ear, but its being quickly caught by a congrega- tion. It is, I think, by singing as it is by preaching : a fine judge of composition will admire a sermon which yet makes no manner of impression upon the public mind, and there- fore cannot be a good one. That is the best sermon which is adapted to produce the best effects ; and the same may be said of a tune. If it corresponds with the feelings of a pious heart, and aids him in realizing the senti- ments, it will be quickly learnt, and be sung with avidity. Where this effect is not pro- duced, were I a composer I would throw away my performance and try again." 63 GENERAL PRAISE. 127 Psalm 117. From all that y my nobler powers: My days of praise shall ne'er l>c past While life, and thought, and being Inst, Or immortality endures. This is Dr. Isaac Watts* version of Psalm 146. P. M. His title of it is " Praise to God for his Goodness and Truth." John Wesley, in the course of his editing of it for his Psalms and Hymns, 1741, made a number of changes which were not for the Ixnter. and have only served to confu.se the forms in which it ap- pears in various modern hynmals. It was the strain, however, which lingered longest and latest in that good mans mind during the last GENERAL PRAISE. 63 two days of his life on earth. For in his dy- ing moments, so his biographer says, his voice was exhausted : he tried again and again to repeat the stanzas, but he could only man- age to speak the words : " I '11 praise — I '11 praise — " and so he died. f 30 God's Glory. L. M. Come, O my soul ! in sacred lays Attempt thy great Creator's praise: But, oh, what tongue can speak his fame? What mortal verse can reach the theme? 2 Enthroned amid the radiant spheres, He glory like a garment wears ; To form a robe of light divine, Ten thousand suns around him shine. 3 In all our Maker's grand designs Almighty power with wisdom shines; His works through all this wondrous frame Declare the glory of his name. 4 Raised on devotion's lofty wing. Do thou, my soul, his glories sing ; And let his praise employ thy tongue. Till listening worlds shall join the song ! The author of this hymn, Rev. Thomas Blacklock, D. D., was born in Annan, Scot- land, November 10, 1721. When we bear in mind that this poet of the Church lost his eye- sight by smallpox before he was half a year old, and so was absolutely blind for the three- score and ten years he lived, we can better appreciate the wonderful sentiment of an as- cription like this, which dwells upon the glory of God in the stars and " radiant spheres " of the heavens, hidden to all except the spiritual vision of his imaginative faith. He managed to obtain an education which gave him full rank with some of the best scholars of the age in which he lived and preached and wrote voluminously. In 1760 he became pastor of the congregation at Dumfries in connection with the Established Church of Scotland, and was regularly ordained to the ministry. ^ But he had trouble in his parish, and after a stormy period of ecclesiastical litigation he yielded the place and gave up the work. Then he moved into Edinburgh and with his wife's help set up a boarding and day school. He also wrote books, poetry, and prose. To the original edition of the E7icyclopa'dia Britaii- nica he contributed his celebrated paper on the education of the blind. He died in Edin- burgh, of a nervous fever, July 7, 1791. Fol- lowing his rhyming taste, he once wrote a description of himself — which self he had never seen : " Straight is ray person, but of little size ; Lean are my cheeks, and hollow are my eyes ; My youthful down is, like my talent, rare; Politely distant stands each single hair. My voice, too rough to charm a lady's ear. So smooth a child may listen without fear ; Not formed in cadence, soft and warbling lays, To soothe the fair through pleasure's wanton ways. My form so fine, so regular, so new. My port so manly, and so Iresli my hue. Oft, as I meet the crowd, they laughing say: ' See — see Memento Mori cross the way !' " I 3 I Psalm 29. L. M. Give to the Lord, ye sons of fame. Give to the Lord renown and power; Ascribe due honors to his name, And his eternal might adore. 2 The Lord proclaims his power aloud, O'er all the ocean and the land : His voice divides tlie watery cloud, And lightnings blaze at his command. 3 The Lord sits Sovereign on the flood ; The Thunderer reigns for ever King ; But makes his church his blest abode, Where we his awful glories sing. 4 In gentler language, there the Lord The counsels of his grace imparts ; Amid the raging storm his word Speaks peace and courage to our hearts. In his rendering of old temple songs Dr. Isaac Watts offered only this version in long meter of Psalm 29. The title he afh.xed to it well describes the poetry : " Storm and Thun- der." It consists of six stanzas, notable for their fine versification and for the majesty of the sentiment they express. The psalm is remarkable as a description of the oncoming, the progress, and the subsidence of a tempest of wind and rain, with lightning rending the forests and blinding one's eyes as he watches its advance and retreat. McCheyne and An- drew Bonar vied with each other unconsciously in sketching the method of the poem as it ap- pears from the pen of David. The words of the latter in his published comment are worth quoting : " We might, no doubt, apply every clause of it to the Lord's display of his maj- esty in any thunder-storm. An awestruck spectator cries, as the lightning plays and the thunder rolls : ' The God of glory thunder- eth !' (Verse 5). ' The voice of Jehovah is breaking the cedars !' And as the crash is heard, ' The Lord has broken the cedars of Lebanon ! Travelers tell us of the solemnity and terrific force of storms in the East. But the thunders of the Great Day shall, most of all, call forth these strains to the Lord the king." (32 " God is Here." L. M. Lo, God is here ! let us adore ! And own how dreadful is this place! Let all within us feel his power. And, silent, bow before his face. 2 Lo, God is here ! him day and night United choirs of angels sing: To him, enthroned above all height. Let saints their humble worship bring. 3 Lord God of hosts ! oh, may our praise Thy courts with grateful incense fill I Still may we stand before thy face. Still hear and do thy sovereign will. otNtkAL l'kAl>fc.. JOHN WFSLEV. Rev. John Wesley is known to us in the realm of hymnolojjists better by his transla- tions than by his original compositions. In appearance he was below the medium heijjht. beinjij about five feet four inches tall, though admirably proportioned in his physical make- up. In his well-moulded countenance a prominent nose, piercing eye, firm and neatly- cut lips formed striking features, while his energ)- yet dignity of action, his scholarly ability and remarkable culture, overspread as they were by a light of benignant piety, ren- dered him a conspicuous figure wherever he went. He has recorded concerning this piece that he chose it from the hymns of (".erhard Ters- teegen, the Westphalian poet, author of many of the finest of the (ierman songs for worshij). It is the one known as "Gott ist ^egcinuar- h)^," found in The Spiritual Flmoer-Gardtii, published in 1731. and finds its suggestion, of course, in Jacobs words, (ienesis 28: 16, 17. The translation was made during the voyage of the two Wesley brothers to (icorgia. The history of John Wesley is too familiar to all readers of n-Iigious literature to re(|uire anv rehears.'il in sungs of love an<) praise. 3 For life and love, foi rest and food, Fi>r daily helji and niKhtly care, Sinjc to the Lore!, for he is pood. And praise his name, for it is fair. 3 For strength to those who on him wait, His truth t«)j)ro\e, his will to do, Praise ye our God, for he is great. Trust in his name, for it is true: 4 For joys untold that daily move Round those who love his sweet employ, Sing to i.ur (".od, fur he is love, Exalt his name, for it is joy: 5 For life Vh-Iow, with all its bliss, And for that life, more pure and high, That inner life, which over this Shall ever shine, and never die. The facts concerning the Rev. John 5>am- uel Bewley Monsell, LL. D.. are easily a.scer- tained from any one of the manuals of hym- nolog)- ; for his work is of such excellent merit that he has found a place at once in all the collections of sacred songs. He was the son of Archdeacon Monsell, born at St. Ct)- lumb's, Londonderry-, in Ireland, March 2, 181 1, educated at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating in 1832. He entered the Episco- pal ministr)' in 1834, and, after several fields of working, at last in 1870 he became rector of St. Nicholas, Ouildford. Surrey, where he died in consequence of injuries received from a fall off from the roof of his church, .April o, 1875. This hymn was published in his vol- ume entitled Hymns of I.mr and Praise. The text annexed to it is I'salm 145 : i, 2, and it consists of five double stanzas. 134 " Urauty 0/ Holiness." P.M. WdKSHip the Lord in the bi-auty of holiness; Hiiw ilciwii before him, his ^'ory proclaim; With giiltl of obedience and incense of lowliness. Kneel, anti adore him ; the Lord is his name! a Low at his feet lav thy burden of carefulness, High on his heart ne will hear it foi thee; Comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy pra>erfulness. Guiding thy steps as may l>est foi thee be. 3 Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderiicss Of the poor wealth thou wouldst recki>n as thine; Truth in its Ix-autv, and love in its tcmlcrness, These are the otVeriiigs to lay on his shrine. 4 These, though we bring them hi trembling and fear- fulness, He will accept for the name that is dear; .Mornings of joy give lor evenings of tearfulness. Trust lor our trembling, and hopi- for our fear. Another of the fine hymns with which Rev. John SniTiuel Ik-wley Slonsell has enriched the church, and characterized by his almost matchless grace of versification as a lyric GENERAL PRAISE. song. It was originally issued in his Hymns of Loz'e and Praise, 1863, where it appears with the exclamation " Oh " at the beginning of its first line. The exigencies of musical adap- tation render it almost a necessity that this should be dropped, precisely as the author did drop it when he prepared a new version of the poem for his Parish Hymnal, issued ten years later. 135 God's Grace. L. M. Now to the Lord a noble song ! Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue ! Hosanna to the eternal name, And all his boundless love proclaim. 2 See where it shines in Jesus' face, The brightest image of his grace! God, in the person of his Son, Hath all his mightiest works outdone. 3 Grace ! — 't is a sweet, a charming theme : My thoughts rejoice at Jesus' name: Ye angels! dwell upon the sound: Ye heavens ! reflect it to the ground. 4 Oh, may I reach that happy place Wliere he unvails his lovely face. Where all his beauties you behold. And sing his name to harps of gold. In Book II. of Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns this is found as No. 47. It is entitled " Glory and Grace in the Person of Christ," and has six stanzas. It has been remarked of this wonderful man by his candid biographer that he sometimes wandered into the regions of unauthorized speculation, and grappled with knowledge " too wonderful " for a finite in- tellect to embrace in all its height and length and breadth and depth. To err is human, and even-handed justice requires the admission that Watts shared the common lot. His great intellectual infirmity was undue spir- itual curiosity, though it was indulged from the purest motives and with the best inten- tions. Thus he sought to explore the mys- tery of the incomprehensible Jehovah, and vainly beat the bars of the prison-house which here environs ever)' mortal, to the no small disquietude of his spirit. His " solemn ad- dress to the great and ever-blessed God," written with great eloquence and feeling, be- trays the agony of his soul, and his sense of the vanity and danger of attempting to be wiser than what is written. " Happy had it been for him," beautifully remarks Southey, " if he who humbled his mind to the compo- sition of songs and spelling-books for chil- dren had applied to his own case our Sa- viour's words, and in this instance become as a little child himself. Happy had it been, because, during the whole course of his inno- cent and otherwise peaceful life, he seems never to have been assailed by any other temptation than this of the intellect ; never to have been beset with any other troubles than 5 those in which his own subtlety involved him." He would have avoided thereby much mental disturbance and profitless discussion, as well as have had no occasion to pen the self- condemning though thankful acknowledg- ment, " Blessed be the name of my God, that he has not suffered me to abandon the gospel of his Son Jesus." It is full of joy and cheer to us, to whom his name and fame are dear, that he found his absolute peace of mind in the contemplation of God's grace as above every other attribute he possessed. It was of that Jesus' face became " the brightest image." In his later life he was wont to say on retir- ing to rest, as if the thought were habitual to him : " I bless God I can lie down with com- fort at night, not being solicitous whether I wake in this world or another." 136 " TV Detail." L. M. Lord God of Hosts, by all adored ! Thy name we praise with one accord ; The earth and heavens are full of thee, Thy light, thy love, thy majesty. 2 Loud hallelujahs to thy name Angels and seraphim proclaim ; Eternal praise to thee is given By all the powers and thrones in heaven. 3 The apostles join the glorious throng, The prophets aid to swell the song, The noble and triumphant host Of martyrs make of thee their boast. 4 The holy church in every place Throughout the world exalts thy praise ; Both heaven and earth do worship thee. Thou Father of eternity ! 5 From (lay to day, O Lord, do we Highly exalt and honor thee; Thy name we worship and adore World without end for evermore. This piece of poetr}-', continued in Landes Domini as it first appeared in Songs for the Sanctuary, 1865, compiled by the same hand, has puzzled a great many of the critics who exercise themselves in looking for traces of authorship. The simple fact is, the hymn, as it now stands, was aggregated from a half- dozen versions of the Te Deiim by as many translators. The five stanzas grew under the hands of all those who attempted to use it. One part came from Plymouth Collection, and another from the Moraviatt Hymn-Book. Each compiler seems to have added a little touch of his own. And the tune " Ware," with which it has become fixedly associated during the thirty years of use, had a strong influence in shaping the cadences of the lines. Josiah Conder is in it, and Bishop Gambold, and a few others of equal fame. But it might as well be for ever marked Anoft. 137 Psalm 36. L. M. High in the heavens, eternal God ! Thy goodness in full glory shines ; Thy truth shall break through every cloud That vails and darkens thy designs. 66 GENERAL PRAISE. 3 For ever firm Ihy lUsticr stanii*. A« ini>Mnt:iMi« thr'tr t<>iiiid in thrte persons, blessed Trinity ! In the " .Account of First Rank Hymns," issued in the interest of .Anijlican Hvmnolo- jj^", this one, written by Hishop Rt*j,jinald Heber in 1827, is rej^istered as the eleventh upon the list in point of merit and also according to use in the collections. It appeared first in the volume called Hymns Written and Aiii^ptt'd to tht' UWA-/y St-n'/cf of the Year. A reference is made to the j>ortion of Scrip- ture apjxiinted for the Kpistle on Trinity Sun- day, es|)ecially to the words " They rest not day and night, saying. Holy, holy, h(»ly. Lord Owl .Almighty, which was, and is. and is to come." The hymn has had vast popularity for its real merit, for it is as stately and beau- tiful as an anthem ; but the tunc to which it is now invariably sung, " Nic:ea." by Dr. Dykes, has given it a matchless glor)' all over the world. This piece of music was made expressly for this poem, and took its name from the fact that Nicara. in Asia Minor, was the city in which the chief Christian Ecumeni- cal Council held its assemblies in A. D. 325. It w;is on this occasion that the dcntrines of Christ's eternal sonship and his equality with the Father were .settled as the creed of the churches ; then also the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, which the .Arians had attacked, was established. Hence a Trinity hymn, fine as this. iK-came associated with a strain of music iK-aring the name of the ancient town where the Council was held. 139 Psalm 65. C. M. Praisk waits in Zion, Lord ! for thee ; There shall our vows be paid ; Thou hast an ear when sinners pray ; All flesh shall si-ek thine aid. 2 O Lord ! our guilt and fears prevail, But t>ardoiiing grace is thine: And thou wilt grant us power and skill To conquer every sin. 3 Blest are the men whom thou wilt choose To bring thi-ni near thy face ; Give them a dwelling in thy house, To feast iii>on thy grace. 4 In answering what thy church requests, Thy truth and terror shine ; And works of dreadful righteousness Fulfill thy kind design. 5 Thus shall the wonderine nations sre The Lord is gooe(>- ple, or can recall hymns which the majority of the choir, or of the congregation, did not seem to regard as a part of Christian wor- ship, expressing the sincerest convictions of the religious btnly using them. Too often, in .soundly evangelical and orthcKiox churches, a well-paid choir sings hymns or anthems or .sentences in which the congregation can take no part, ff)r the very sufVuient rca,son that the words are utterly indistinguishable. Too GENERAL PRAISE. 67 often a random choice of an inappropriate set of verses jars discordantly upon the fitness of the service or the sanctity of the place. Too often the singers, paid and unpaid, regular and volunteer, give utterance to words, words, words, with never a thought of the meaning. The holiest aspirations of the great Christian lyrists — Watts, Wesley, Montgomery, Top- lady, Faber, and the rest — are thus made vain repetitions. The outpourings of the devout soul are turned into an empty mockery. The words of Scripture itself, at times, are ' ren- dered ' not as by one who says from the heart, ' Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord,' but as one who addresses a divinity who, having ears, hears not." 140 Psalm z-i. C. M. The Lord of glory is my light, And my salvation too ; God is my strength — nor will I fear What all my foes can do. 2 One privilege my heart desires — Oh, grant me an abode Among the churches of thy saints, The temples of my God. 3 There shall I offer my requests, And see thy beauty still ; Shall hear thy messages of love, And there inquire thy will. 4 When troubles rise and storms appear, There may his children hide; God has a strong pavilion, where He makes my soul abide. 5 Now shall my head be lifted high .•\bove my foes around ; And songs of joy and victory Within thy temple sound. Dr. Isaac Watts has given us this as his version of Psalm 27, C. M., First Part. It has five stanzas, and is entitled " The Church is our Delight and Safety." 141 '' The Voice of Praise." CM. Lift up to God the voice of praise. Whose breath our souls inspired ; Loud and more loud the anthem raise, With grateful ardor fired. 2 Lift up to God the voice of praise. Whose goodness, pTSsing thought, Loads every minute, as it flies, With benefits unsought. 3 Lift up to God the \oice of praise, From whom salvation flows. Who sent his Son our souls to save From everlasting woes. 4 Lift up to God the voice of praise For hope's transporting ray, Which lights, through darkest shades of derth, To realms of endless day. Rev. Ralph Wardlaw, D. D., was a Scotch Congregationalist ; in 1803 he was ordained to the ministry and installed as pastor of a church in Glasgow. He must have been pre- cocious in intellect, for he entered on his col- legiate course in Glasgow University at twelve years of age ; he was born at Dalkeith, Mid- lothian, December 22, 1779. In 181 1 he was made Professor of Divinity in Glasgow Theo- logical Academy, in which office he remained until his death, December 17, 1853. He edited a volume of psalms and hymns for the use of Scottish Congregationalists, in which he included several original pieces of his own. This hymn has in it a fine ring of challenge and invitation that is full of fervor and inspi- ration. It calls to praise — praise and the giv- ing of thanks from grateful hearts — as the one hope, duty, and help of the believer. We all remember the old classic stories of the dangerous Sirens which infested a certain island, seducing the pilots as they approached and so destroying the ships. Ulysses tried force in resistance ; he filled the ears of his sailors with wax so that they could not hear the song, and fastened himself to the mast so that he could not yield to it. But the Argo- nauts tried cunning instead ; they took Or- pheus on board with a lyre, and his music so transcended that of the sea-nymphs that they admitted they were beaten with their own in- struments of attack. Let the children of God keep on singing praises to him, and they will be safe. 142 ' Salvation to God.' Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim, And publish abroad his wonderful name ; The name all-victorious of Jesus extol ; His kingdom is glorious, he rules over all. 2 God ruleth on high, almighty to save : And still he is nigh — his presence we have ; The great congregation his triumph shall sing, Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King. 3 Salvation to God who sits on the throne, Let all cry aloud and honor the Son ; The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim, Fall down on their faces and worship the Lamb. 4 Then let us ajore and give him his right, All glory, and power, and wisdom and might, All honor and blessing, with angels above, And thanks never ceasing, and infinite love. This hymn is also from the pen of Rev. Charles Wesley ; it originally received six stanzas, and is entitled " To be sung in a tu- mult." History' tells us that in the year 1744 arose a spirit of fierce persecution against the new people in England called " Methodists." At that time the political aspects of the na- tion were confused ; the country was at war with France ; the house of Stuart was still seeking full restoration; an invasion was daily e.xpected for the purpose of bringing back the exiled representative of that proscribed line, and so dethroning King George II. And, strangely enough, the followers of these evan- gelical leaders were accused of being papists in disguise, actually working for the cause of the Pretender ! Their meetings were broken up by riots, and many of their preachers were 68 GENERAL PRAISE. impressed into the army. Even John and Charles Wesley were broiijjht before the mav;- istrates for a strict and luiiuiliatinj^ examina- tion. In the midst of these conift)rtless dis- turbances from men they sought help from Ciod. They published that pamphlet, con- taining thirty-three pieces, which has come down to us in later days, bearinvj the name of " Hymns for Times o( Trouble and Persecu- tion." The present hymn apf)eared among those in that collection. 143 " H'onhip Ihr King." los, lis. Oh, worship the Kin^, all-glorious above, And Kralrfully siiiK his womlcrful love ; Our Shield aiid Defender, ihe Ancient of days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. J Oh, tell of his might, and siiiv; of his grace, \Vht>se rol>c is the light, whose canopy space : His chariots of wrath tlie deep thunder-clouds form, And dark is his path on the wings of the storm. 3 Thy huuntifnl care what tongue can recite? It hre.-ithes in the air, it shines in the light. It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain. And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail. In thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail ; Thy mercies how tender ! how firm to the end I Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. The somewhat fastidious Am^/itan Hym- nologv numbers among those " lirst-rank " hjTnns which it commends as the best in the language, three of Sir Robert Grant's produc- tions, of which this is one. The author was born in 1785; having studied at .Magdalen College, Cambridge, where he was graduated in 1806, he was admitted to the bar the fol- lowing year. He became a member of Par- liament for Inverness, and continued in pub- lic life till 1831, when he was sworn a prixy- councillor, and so put in the way of promo- tion from the Crown. Three years later, in 1834, he was appointed Governor of Hombay. It w£is during his residence in India that he not only wrote his two books on that coun- try, but also several others, mostly political and literary*. He is best known upon this side of the sea by his hymns ; these are few in numlx;r but e.xcellent in spirit, and have de- served the high popularity they have enjoyed among the various churches. They were written at different periods of his life, and were gathered after his death by his brother Charles, Lord Glenelg, and published in 1839 in a volume entitled Sacred Poems. Sir Robert Grant died in the land which he had governed only four years, and was buried at Dapoorie, in Western India, July 9, 1838. 144 " Tlure RrmatHi-lh a Rfst." I0«. Oh, what the joy and the glory must be. Those endless Sabbaths the blcss<-d ones see, Crowns (or the valiant, to weary- ones rest ; God shall be all, and In all ever nicst! J Truly Jerusalem name we that shore. Vision of |»eace thai brings joy evermore! Wish and tulfilinent can scvere>l be ne'er, Nor the thing prayed for come short of the prayer. 3 There, where no troubles distraction can bring. We the sweet anthems of Zioii shall sing : While for thy grace, Loril, their voices of praise Thy blessed people eternally raise. 4 Tlierc daw ns no Sabbath, no Sabbath is o'er, Those Sabbath-keepers have one evermore ; One and unending is that triunu>h-song Which to the angels and us shall belong. 5 Low before him with our praises we fall. Of whom, anil in whom, and through whom are all ; Of whom, the Father; and in whom, the Son; Through whom, the Spirit, with them ever one. This spirited hymn is a translation of Peter Abelard's O t/itandi qualia sunt ilia sabbata, written in the twelfth century. The render- ing here given is made by John Ma.son Neale, who has enriched our modern hymnology with versions of many of the tine.st treasures of the Greek and Latin Churches; it has been the best service of his life. REV. JOHN M. NKALK, D. D. Rev. John Mason Neale, I). I)., was born in Conduit Street, London, January 24, 1818. In 1836 he entered Trinity College in Cam- bridge, and, taking prizes almost at once in evidence of his superiority in indu.str\' and in- tellectual force, he easily won the distinction of being the be.st man in his class. In 1840 he entered the mini.stry of the Church of Eng- land. .\lthough he was educated, trained, and powerfully moulded by his mother, of whom he once said : " To whom I owe more than I can express ;" and although his mother and his father are reputed to have been " ver)' pronounced evangelists," this son became at GENERAL PRAISE. 69 once one of the most advanced of the Ritual- ists in England. He started sisterhoods, he instituted orders, he made establishments ; he accepted alterations of the ritual in the inter- est of nearer approach to Rome. He went so far in his practices that at last his bishop " inhibited " him for the space of fourteen years ; mobs attacked him, and some of his " houses " were given up. But he went on his way even down to the time of his death, which occurred August 6, 1866. He was then in charge as the Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead. His tastes were bet- ter fitted for a career in the Middle Ages. He loved what was mystic, poetic, legendary ; he luxuriated in reading and relating the stories of the saints ; the visions and so-called mira- cles of the past touched his imagination as if they had been real and actual. Out of this came the incomparable aptitude he possessed and the success he achieved in clothing the old songs of the monks with a rich and beau- tiful English dress for these days of light and sensibility in religious worship. He has taken us into his confidence in one instance, telling us the processes of his mind as he ranged at will through the studies he made in mediaeval literature. " It is a magnificent thing," he says, " to pass along the far-stretching vista of hymns, from the sublime self-contained- ness of St. Ambrose to the more fervid in- spiration of St. Gregory, the exquisite typolo- gy of Venantius Fortunatus, the lovely paint- ing of St. Peter Damiani, the crystal-like sim- plicity of St. Notker, the scriptural calm of Godescalcus, the subjective loveliness of St. Bernard, till all culminate in the full blaze of glory which surrounds Adam of St. Victor, the greatest of them all." 1 45 Glory to the Lamb. los. Blessing and honor and glory and power, Wisdom and riches and strength evermore. Give ye to him who our battle haih won, Whose are the kingdom, the crown, and the throne. 2 Dwelleth the light of the glory with him. Light of a glory that cannot grow dim. Light in its silence and beauty and calm. Light in its gladness and brightness and balm. 3 Ever ascendeth the song and the joy, Ever descendeth the love from on high. Blessing and honor and glory and praise, This is the theme of the hymns that we raise. 4 Life of all life, and true Light of all light, Star of the dawning, unchangingly bright, Sun of the Salem whose lamp is the Lamb, Theme of the ever-new, ever-glad psalm ! 5 Give we the glory and praise to the Lamb, Take we the robe and the harp and the palm. Sing we the song of the Lamb that was slain, Dying in weakness, but rising to reign. Dr. Horatius Bonar added to his many other excellences as a lyric poet that of va- riety in meter. He has in this instance taken quite an unusual measure of difficult rhythm, to which it was not easy to adapt fitting mu- sic ; yet he has given a hymn full of dignity and grandeur, representing the " Song of Moses and the Lamb " in heaven itself. It is interesting to notice that whenever we are shown the pageants of the grand army of God in review, the Scriptures represent the legions as singing. And usually we find re- corded the exact words of their song. Evi- dently more is made of music in heaven than we are wont to make of it here on earth. At any rate, the words are brought into more prominence than modern artists are accus- tomed to give them. A strain of inarticulate sound has power, but the joining of intelli- gent thought to the tones is worth more by far as an act of adoration. Recall some of Faber's lines : " There are sounds like flakes of snow falling In their silent and eddying rings: We tremble — they touch us so lightly. Like the feathers from angels' wings. There are pauses of marvelous silence That are full of significant sound, Like music echoing music Under water, or under ground. O music ! thou surely art worship ; But thou art not liice pmise or prayer; And words make better thanksgiving Than thy sweet melodies are." 146 Cod in Creation. Honor and glory, thanksgiving and praise, Maker of all things, to thee we upraise ; God the Almighty, the Father, the Lord ; God by the angels obeyed and adored. 2 Thou art the Father of heaven and earth ; Worlds uncreated to thee owe their birth ; All the creation, thy voice when it heard, Started to light and to life at thy word. 3 Onward the sun and the moon on their march Span with the rainbow the firmament's arch ; Stars yet unknown, and whose light is to come, Find in creation their place and a home. 4 Earth with the mountain, the river, the plain, Sky with the dew-drop, the wind, and the rain, Beast of the forest, wild bird of the air, All are thy creatures, and all are thy care. 5 Ocean the restless, and waters that swell, "Lightnings that flash over flood, over fell, Own thee the Master Almighty, and call Thee the Creator, the Father of all. 6 Yea, thou art Father of all, and thy love Pity for man that is fallen doth move ; Sharing our nature, though sinless, thy Son Came to redeem us, by Satan undone. 7 God in three Persons ! give ear to our prayer ; Thought, word, and deed in thine image repair; Guide us in life and protect to the last. And at thine advent. Lord, pardon the past. When the Sartun Brtruiary, the Saritm Missal, and the Sarwn Psalter had been published, there seemed to be wanted one more volume in order to complete the peculiar series. This was the Sarum Hymital, and 70 OF.NF.RAI. TRAISK. thort' was just the man close bv for the work. The Kev. Kdward Arthur Dayman, who had Dcen one of the orivjinal compilers of the l)ook, now revised it thorouj^hly and added somewhat to it also, and then it took its place with the rest. His own translations from the ancient soni^js of the church much increased the value of the collection. This one was made for Harnby's Hymtuxry, 1872. and is of the same excellent structure as the others in both meter and sentiment. It is a version of fiibt'Lmus omtus una, one of the sequences to lie found in the Latin Gradual belonijinij to the early part of the twelfth century, now in the British Museum. The translator was born at Padstow in Cornwall, in Knijland, July II, 1807. He j2^raduated at K.xctcr Col- letje, Oxford, of which he was made a Kellow in 1828, and entered the ministry of the Church of Knijland in 1835, becominij the rector of Shillinyjstone, near Blandford, Dor- set, in 1842. in 1849 he was made rural dean, and in 1862 became one of the preben- daries of Salisbury Cathedral. He died at Shillingstone. October 30, 1890. 147 Au.Kfls' ll'orship. Stars of the murninj, so gloriously bright, Fillcil with celestial resplendence and liRht ; These that, where night never followelh day. Raise the " Thrice-holy " song ever and aye ! 3 These are thy counselors: these dost Ihou own, God of Sahaoth ! the nearest tliy throne ; These arc thy ministers ; these dost thou send, (ielp of the helpless ones ! man to defend. 3 When by thy word earth was first poised in space; \Vlien the far planets first sped on their race ; When was completed the si.x days' employ, Then " all the sons of God shouted for joy !" 4 Still let them succor us; still let them fight, Lord of angelic hosts, battling for right ! Till, where their anthems they ceaselessly pour, We with the angels may bow and adore ! Another of Dr. John Mason Neale's trans- lations, included in his Hymns of the Eastern Church. He ^ives to it a name that is pe- culiar to the mystic mood belonjjinjsj to some of the zealous preachers of Anyjlican theol- ogy- and ecclesiolojfv in our modern times : " A Cento from the Canon of the ' Bodiless Ones'; Tuesday in the Week of the Fourth Tone." It is a renderinj^ from one of the hymns of St. Joseph of the Studium, and really gives us a fine vision of the spectacle in heaven when the " Tris;igion " is sung ( Isaiah 6:3); it represents tlie angels in the act of worshiping the grand majesty of the Triune Ciod in the throne. " I can just remember," said a theologian of the last centur)', "that when the women first taught me to siiy my prayers to Ood. I used to have an idea of a venerable oKI man. of a composed and benign countenance, with his own hair, clad in a morning-gown of a grave-colored damask, sitting sedate in an elbow-chair." Such conceptions are interest- ing as a study ; but are they not frequently absurd as an experience } Would it be to edification if a company of religious people, in our modern times, were to compare to- gether the actual sight they seem to see when they close their eyes for the act of prayer.' Scripture pictures of the Divine Being, which are not infrequent, have nothing of this gross- ness. There is an unparalleled dignity and grace in every attitude and gesture when the presence of Jehovah is seen. Hence we expect a vision of grandeur whenever an inspired pen is painting it. Take, for example, that given by the evange- list John in the Apocalypse — the vision he saw in the Spirit on the Lord's day. " And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And lieing turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle ; his head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters ; and he had in his right hand seven stars ; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sv»ord ; and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." It does not seem as if there could be any use in one's tr\ing to understand thoroughly such a spectacle as this ; its vagueness is its glor)'. It is easy to point out the symbols found in the description, however. " Hairs white like wool " must signify venerableness ; " eyes of a flame of fire " must mean omnis- cience ; the " two-edged sword " indicates justice : the " voice as the sound of many waters " might suggest power or authority ; and the " countenance as the sun shining in his strength " certainly intimates the positive purity of holiness. Still, most of us would disdain this form of rhetorical exposition ; the scene loses, rather than gains, by such an analysis of the inspired figures. Anil, on the whole, it distracts the grand swell of praise wlun one begins to demand a direct picture of (iod's person as the object of worship. I 48 Singing to Cod. 7s. D. Si>N(;s o( praise the niigels sang, Heaven with halleluiahs rang, When Jehovah's work begun. When ne sp; ipake. and it w:uxt. It is rather a paraphrase than a rcndcr- ini( ; indeed, it is simply entitled " (ilory to Clod," and has annexed to it the Scriptural reference. Luke 2: 14: "Glory to God in the hiv,fhest. and on earth peace, good-will toward 151 Tlu Ught of the Lord. lis, los. Now, when the dusky shades of iii^ht retreating Bitore tlie sun's red banner swiftly flee; Ni>w, when the terrors oi tlie efore him. Cod is in his temple ; All w ithin keep silence, Prostrate lie with deept si reverence. Him alone Cod we own, Him our Coe Keai us up. Till these eyes for ever (taze on thee, our Saviour. The author of this version of one of the compositions of Gerhard Terstccgen is per- haps best known to us as a translator. The kev. William .Mercer was born at liarnard Castle, Cl blessings down. To cheer the plains below ; He makes the grass the mountains crown, And corn in valleys grow. 3 His steady counsels change the face Of the ileclining year ; He bids the sun cut short his race. And wintry days Jiiipear. His hoary frost, his fleecy snow, Descend and clothe the gii>und ; The liijuid streams forbear to flow. In icy fetters bound- 3 He sends his word and melts the snow, The fields no longer mourn ; He calls the warmer gales to blow And bids the spring return. The I hanging wind, ilie flying cloud. Obey his mighty word: With songs and honors sounding loud. Praise ye the sovereign Lord. This is Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 147, C. M. It consists altogether of eight stanzas, and is entitled, " The Seasons of the Year. " It is one of the very few fitting pieces which we have for use when the spring turns in from the winter, or the autumn drojjs down into the experience of ice and snow. It can l>e niade the theme of profitable comment as illustrating the revelation of many divine at- tributes. We judge of an artist's ta.ste, his intelli- GENERAL PRAISE. 75 gence, his character, by just the paintings which come forth from his pencil. Why not learn our Creator's finest attributes from the forms of wonderful beauty we see in creation ? And if we put nature and the Word together, they will teach us much. Snowtlakes have been caught at the moment of falling ; and while they glistened in unbroken beauty upon a surface of black velvet, the scientists have classified the shapes of the crystals. Ninety- three exquisite forms of star and cross and crown, and what not else, they have put on the catalogue already. There never was a mechanician with so excellent an eyeglass, or so steady a nerve, that he could cut a pattern which would not be rude in outline and rough in surface beside one of these. And then especially the cleanliness of a field thus newly covered is a display of spotless purity inimita- ble and unmistakable. All these white blos- soms of winter falling around us, like fruitful petals from a tree of life, or like feathers from the wing of almighty protection : all this ex- quisite frost-work on the window; all these lodged rainbows in the icicles and these jew- els in the silvery drapery along the eaves ; all this pluming of the gate-posts, like the hel- mets of hussars ; all this crowning of the mountains and this fringing of the streams ; all this is just the clear presenting to us of God in his works, the imaging forth of his character. 158 Psaim 139. C. M. D. Jkhovah God ! thy gracious power On every hand we see ; Oh, may the blessings of each hour Lead all our thoughts to tliee. Thy power is in the ocean deeps, And reaches to the skies ; Thine eye of mercy never sleeps, Thy goodness never dies. 2 From morn till noon, till latest eve, The hand of God we see ; And all the blessings we receive, Ceaseless proceed from thee. In all the varying scenes of time On thee our hopes depend. In every age, in every clime. Our Father and our Friend. This hymn, which manifests the author's spirit of devotion and the sense of God's power in nature, was written by the Rev. John Thom- son, and first appeared in 1810, in Aspland's Collection. Mr. Thomson was a Unitarian minister, but afterwards he became a physician. A treat- ise written by him in 1 809 proves him to be a man of decided opinions, which he had no hesitancy in expressing in a day when they were most needed. He was born in 1783, and received his education at Manchester, in England; and when he died, in 1818, his death was felt by many who had been helped by the life of a man who saw his Creator in all his works. I 59 Alpha and Omega. C. M. D. To H.M that loved the souls of men, And washed us in his blood, To royal honors raise, i our head. And made us priests to God — To him let every tongue be praise, And every heart be love. All gratetul honors paid on earth, And nobler songs above. 2 Behold, on flying clouds he comes ! His saints shall bless the day ; While tliey that pierced him sadly mourn In anguish and dismay. Thou art the First, and tliou the Last ; Time centers all in thee, The Almighty God, who was, and is, And evermore shall be. To give the credit of this piece entirely to Dr. Isaac Watts would be manifestly unfair, since really one line only can be traced to his authorship ; that is, " Behold, on flying clouds he comes !" This appears in the familiar hymn commencing, " Now to the Lord that makes us know." In 1775 the Scotch Gen- eral Assembly commissioned one William Cameron, among others, to revise a collection of hymns, which had been, in 1745, appended without authority to the Psalter in use in the Established Church. It is altogether proba- ble that this hymn was revised and added to by Cameron, but as his authorship of it is un- certain, it is well to give Dr. Watts the bene- fit of the doubt. Rev. William Cameron was born in 1751, at or near Pananich, a hamlet near Ballater, Aberdeenshire. He studied at the University of Aberdeen (Marischal College), from which he was graduated in 1770, with the degree of M. A. He became the parish minister of Kirknewton, Midlothian, Scotland, in 1786, where he died, November 17, 1811. He was the author of many original hymns, but he translated and paraphrased more. I60 " Te7i Thousand Blessings." 8s, 7s. Praise to thee, thou great Creator ! Praise to thee from every tongue ; Join, my soul, with every creature, Join the universal song. 2 Father I source of all compassion ! Pure, unbounded grace is thine: Hail the God of our salvation. Praise him for his love divine ! 3 For ten thousand blessings given. For the hope of future joy, Sound his praise through earth and heaven, ^ound Jehovah's praise on high ! 4 Praise to God, the great Creator, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Praise him, every living creature. Earth and heaven's united host. 5 Joyfully on earth adore him, Till in heaven our song we raise ; Then enraptured fall before him, Lost in wonder, love, and praise I 76 GENERAL PRAISE. RRV. JOHN FAWCETT, D. D. Rev. John Fawcett, 1). D., the author of this hymn, was born at I,id,i(ct (jrecn, near Hrad- ford, Yorkshire, in Enj^land. The date of his birth is confused in the published reckoninj^j, the change from Old Style becoming apparent more conspicuously because of the closeness to the beginning of the year. It is commonly given as January 6. 1739; but that is what we should now consider as January 17. His mother became a widow when this child was eleven years of age : by the death of his father the family of children fell heavily upon her care. The lad in his thirteenth year was appren- ticed to a trader ; he was converted by a ser- mon of Whitetield preached from the te.xt John 3: 14. He saw Christ, as the bitten Israelite saw the brazen serpent of Moses, and turned his entire life upon the look of faith he gave him. Speaking of this inciilent many years afterward, he wrote : "As long as life remains I shall remember both the text and the .sermon." For a while he attended ser\ice in the Church of Hngland, but in 1758 he joined the company which organized the Baptist congregation in Hradforcl. Thence- forward he was identified with the history of that denomination of Christians in Great Hritain, and his name is honored now most highly as that of an earnest and faithful work- er, and as the author of many of their best hymns. He died July 25. 1817. 161 U'isdnm and I.iiTf. 8s, 7s. (r(ii> is love ; his tnprry hriKlitrns All llic |i.ill> in which wc rove, Bliss he wakes .itid woe In- lightens; God is wisdom, (•<>s, and a){cs move; But his mercy wancth never ; (>od is wisdom, God is love. 3 Ev'n (he hour that darkest seenieth Will his chaiiKelcss guodiiess piovc ; From the gloom his brightness streameth ; God is wisdom, God is love. 4 He with earthly cares entwineth Hoi)e and comfort from above ; Everywhere his glory shineth ; tiod is wistlom, God is love. Sir John Howring, LL. D., was born in Exe- ter, England, October 17, 1792. His educa- tion seems to have been confined to the ordi- nary course of the grammar school of More- ton ; and then he was set by his father at work in his own trade, manufacturing wool- len cloths for the market in China and the Spanish peninsula. The lad had a strong liking for the study of languages, and soon mastered at least five of those with which his business associations brought him more or less into contact. This was done before he reached his si.xteenth year. The mercantile life, however, yielded to the literary, and he became a writer of no mean ability, especially upon political subjects. So he was brought forward into a public position, and entered Parliament while still a young man. During this long career he continued writing, and at the same time occupied several prominent official positions, and in 1854 he was knighted by the queen. In 1828 he received from the University of (ironingen the degree of LL. I). As a religious man he has always been reck- oned among the L'nitarians; but his faith was sincere and his life was evangelical. He was a most indefatigable worker and a great- ly useful man. He gave aid to Prison Re- form. He helped distribute the Bible. He was on the siile of ever\thing good and true. He rested for his salvation uj^on an atonement wrought out by the infinite vSon of dod. He died November 23. 1872, and on his tomb- stone is engraved the first line of the hymn by which it is likely he is most widely knt)wn, " In the Cross of' Christ I C.lory." The pres- ent hymn was published in an almost forgot- ten volume, Hytiins hy John JuKcrint;, 1825. This was ;i sort of sec|uel to Matins anJ I 'rs- />irs, London. 1823. in which his religious life is at its best. I 62 DntHf PftffCtions. Ss, 7s. Gon, mv King, thy might confessing, Kver will I bless thy name ; Day by day thy throne addressing, Still will I thy praise proclaim. J Nor shall fail from memory's trensurc Works by love and mercy wroiujlit — Works of love surpassiiiK mrastirc. Works of mercy passinj: thought. CLOSE OF SERVICE. n 3 Full of kindness and compassion, Slow of Hiiger, vast in love, God is good to all creation ; All his works his goodness prove. 4 All thy works, O Lord, shall bless thee. Thee shall all thy saints adore ; King supreme shall they confess thee. And proclaim thy sovereign power. The poet-bishop, Richard Mant, D. D., au- thor of this hymn, was born at Southampton (Dr. Watts' birthplace), February 12, 1776. He was a pupil of Winchester school, and subsequently studied at Trinity College, Ox- ford, graduated B. A. in 1797. and made M. A. in 1799. He was successively fellow of Oriel, college tutor, curate in Southampton, and rector in London. He was created Bishop of Killaloe and Kilfenora, Ireland, in 1820. Of his death Josiah Miller says very sweetly : "After a learned, zealous, and laborious life, he exchanged toil for rest on November 2, 1848." From his earliest years Bishop Mant showed signs of poetic talent. He wrote poems in honor of his father and of his schoolmaster, and he edited the poems of Thomas Warton, the poet laureate. Even the reasons for his choice in marriage were put in verse and sent to the object of his affections. His works are too numerous even to mention. He is best known, however, by the Commentary on the Whole Bible, which he issued in connection with Rev. Dr. D'Oyly, and by the Book of Psalms zn an English Metrical Version, published in 1824. It is from this volume that the hymn in question is taken. 1 63 " Sun of my soul!" L. M. Sun of my soul ! thou Saviour dear, It is not night if thou be near ; Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise To hide thee from thy servant's eyes 1 2 When soft the dews of kindly sleep My weary eyelids gently steep. Be my last thought — how sweet to rest For ever on my Saviour's breast ! 3 Abide with me from morn till eve. For without thee I cannot live ; Abide with me when night is nigh, For without thee I dare not die. 4 Be near to bless me when I wake. Ere through the world my way I take : Abide with me till in thy love I lose myself in heaven above. This popular hymn is compiled from the second poem of Rev. John Keble in the Christian Year. It contains fourteen stan- zas, and the author annexed to it the text in Luke 24 : 29 : "Abide with us ; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." The tune Hursley, which is now generally sung to it, was arranged by W. H. Monk from a Ger- man-Swiss melody, the same as that chosen twenty years before by Dr. Thomas Hastings, and sung here in the United States as Halle in six lines sevens, to the words, " Christ, whose glory fills the skies." 164 Evening Shadows. L. M. Again, as evening's shadow falls. We gather in these hallowed walls ; And evening hymn and evening prayer Rise mingling on the holy air. 2 May struggling hearts that seek release Here find the rest of God's own peace ; And, strengthened here by hymn and prayer. Lay down the burden and the care. 3 O God our Light, to thee we bow ; Within all shadows standest thou : Give deeper calm than night can bring, Give sweeter songs than life can sing. 4 Life's tumult we must meet again. We cannot at the shrine remain ; But in the spirit's secret cell May hymn and prayer for ever dwell. This excellent evening hymn was written by Rev. Samuel Longfellow, a minister of high standing in the Unitarian Church, and a poet of good repute. He was born at Port- land, Me., on June 18, 1819, and was grad- uated at Harvard University in 1839, and at the Harvard Divinity School in 1846. He became the pastor of a church in Fall River, Mass., in 1848, and in 1853 he accepted a call to the Second Unitarian Church of Brooklyn. In 1869 he resigned his charge in Brooklyn and went abroad. On his return he settled at Cambridge, Mass., and though he continued to preach, he had no pastoral charge until 1878, when he became minister of a church at Germantown, Pa. In 1882 he returned to Cambridge. In addition to writing several essays for The Radical (i866-'7i) and many hymns that have a place in other collections than his own, Mr. Longfellow compiled, in association with the Rev. Samuel Johnson, A Book of Hymns, 1846. It is of this volume that the story is told ; it seems that one of the editors made the remark in the presence of a facetious contemporary^ concerning the em- barrassment he felt in finding a name for the new hymnal. " Why," said this helpful friend, remembering the given name of both of the compilers, " you might call it The Sam Book." Mr. Longfellow afterward published for con- gregational use, A Book of Hymns and Tunes, 1859, and a small volume for the vesper ser- vice that he had instituted. In 1853 he and Col. T. W. Higginson edited Thalatta : A Book for the Seaside, a collection of poetr}' that was partly original. He also published the Life of Henry IVads^uorth Longfello^u, 1886, and Final Memorials of H. IV. Long- fellow, 1887. He died at Portland, Me., Oc- tober 3, 1892, and was buried there in the family tomb. 78 CLOSE OK SERVICK. 165 f'vfHiMg Song. L. M. (•i.iiKV lo thcf, my (io ini.-, Kiiii; ofkiiiKs! Beneath ihiiK- t>\tii alinigluy wiiixs. J ForKivc mc I.onl, li>r thy dear Son, The ill which I this day have done : That with the world, myself, and thee, I, ere I sleep, at peace may be. 3 Teach mc to live, that I may dread The grave as little as my bed: Teaih mc to die. that so I may Rise glorious at the judgment-day. 4 Oh. let my soul on thee rejHJse, And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close ! Sleep, which shall me more vigorous make ■ To serve my God when I awake. 5 Praise (Jod, from whom all blessings flow ; Praise liim, all creatures here liclow ; Praise liim above, >e hcHVeiily host ; Praise Father, Son, and Holy (.host t This hymn, upon the authority of Anglican Hymnology, stands among the four which head the list of first-class sonc;s of worship thus far produced in the Enj^lish lanijuajje. havinj^ received equally the sij^jn of popular approval among the hymnals. " I lark ! the herald angels sing," by Charles Wesley, •' Rock of Ages, cleft for me," by Augustus Toplady, " Lo ! He comes with clouds de- scending," also by Charles Wesley — these are the other three in the e.xalted companionship. It is likely that a vote among the American churches of every name might show the same results. Certainly the familiar hymn of liishop Ken would, with " Rock of Ages," stand at the head of the list in the estimate of the people. It is something to follow the course of a gcKxl man. who, amid the strife of parties, is faithful to himself and to hisCiod: who de- sires not high position, yet accepts it when it falls to his lot, and when conscience ffirbids him to retain it, can leave it without a wistful look iK-hind. Such a man was Thdmas Ken. IJishop of Hath and Wells under Charles II. and James II.; under William anti Marv a deprived nonjuror: undi r \nne a reconciled but private member of the Church of Eng- land. The (jueen. at Hishop Hooper's sug- gestion, gave him a |K-nsion of £200 a year from the Treasury. Ken, now old and in feeble health, lo whom Lord Wevmouth had already granted an annuity of j^8o a year, ac- cepted the kindly offer, and the last seven years of his life, after the fourteen years ol trial which had elapsed since his deprivation, were passed in peace and comfort. On March 10, 171 1, he became conscious that death was near, and spent the evening in de- stroying all of his papers which were likely to perpetuate any bitterness. On Mar CLOSE OK SERVICE. ture is jfraceful. There is a fable in the Jew- ish Talmtui which it readily sugj^^^sts. The ancient rabbins used to say two angels, one of good and one of evil, accompany every man when on Sabbath eve he leaves the syna- gogue for his home. If he finds the table spread in his house and the proper lamps lighted, the wife and children being all ready in l>ecoming attire for the sacred day, then the angel of good s<'iys : " .May the next Sab- bath, and may all thy Sabbaths, be like this I Peace unto this dwelling, peace I" And to this blessing even the angel of evil is forced to add, "Amen I" Hut if the house is not ready, and no preparations for the holy day have been made, then the angel of evil speaks : and what he .says is, " May all thy Sabbaths be like this!" And the angel of good is compelled to answer with tears, ".Amen I" 168 Twilight. L. M. Grkat CtctA ! to thee my cveiiiiiK song With humble Kfat'luoe I raise ; Oh, let thy mercy tune mv tonRue, And fill my heart with lively praise. 3 My (lays uncloudefi as they pass, Ami every gentle rolling hour, Are monuments of wondrous grace. And witness to thy love and power. 3 Seal my forgiveness in the blood Of Jesus : his dear name alone 1 plead for pardon, gracious God ! And kinci acceptance at lliy throne. Miss Anne Steele has added here another of her hymns, it offers the suggestion of Sabbath rest and breathes the air of repose. " Theodosia " is tired with the labors of an- other day, and now seeks recuperation in spiritual communion with God. Our devo- tions are often hurried and incomplete, and of course unsatisfactory. The week rushes by and leaves us exhausted. Like the bride in the Song of Songs, we have now and then to confess, " They made me the keeper of the vineyards ; but mine own vineyard have I not kept." Our seniccs are too full of excitement on the Lord's day, too meager of tranquil worship. Then comes the joyous evening, and we sit at the .Master's feet for our twilight hymn. liven physicians and scientists are coming | -jq to the rescue of this f)ne day in seven as a prime necessity for all classes of human be- ings. Dr. lohn W. Dra|>er says : " The con- stitution of the brain is such that it must have its time to repose. Periodicity is stamped upon it. Nor is it enough that it is awake and in action by day, and in the silence of the night obtains rest and reixise ; that same periodicity which Ix-longs to it as a whole belongs to all its constituent parts. One portion of it cannot be called into in- cessant activity without the risk of injury. Its different regions, devoted to different functions, must have their .separate times of rest. The excitement of one part must be coincident with a pause in the action of an- other. The Sabbath is a boon to all classes of men ; for, in whatever position of life we may be placed, it is needful for us to have an opportunity of rest. No man can. for any length of time, pursue one avocation or one train of thought without mental, and there- fore bodily, injury — nay, without insanity." 169 " Perpetual blfssings." L. M. My God, how endless is thy love! Thy gifts are every evenmg new ; And morning mercies from above Gently iiistil, like early dew. 2 Thou sj)read'st the curtains of the night, (ireat (>uardian of my sleeping Imurs ; Thy sovereign word restores the liK'it, And quickens all my drowsy powers. 3 I yield my powers to thy command ; To thee I consecrate my davs ; Perpetual blessings from thy hand Demand perpetual songs of praise. This familiar hymn is found as No. 8i in Dr. Isaac Watts' Book I., where it shows the usual three stanzas entirely unchanged. It is entitled "A Song for Morning or Evening," and has attached to it two texts. The refer- ence to Lamentations 3 : 23 appears in the opening verse : "His compassions fail not ; they are new every morning ;" and that to Isaiah 45 : 7, in the second : " I form the light and create darkness." The sentiment of the whole poem is well indicated in the name of the tune to which for many years it has been generally sung. " Gratitude " is the truest feeling exercised by a sincere child of Ciod when the day is begun and the care of the Highest is remembered, as well as when the day is ended and the same gracious protec- tion has been received again. This song of the heart is welcomed in all the collections on both sides of the sea. Simple as it is, it has been reckoned as one of the Third Rank hymns of the F"uture by the critics of .i.ij^/t- iiin J/ynino/oi^y. Benediction. L. M. 1 MK peace which Gml alone reveals. And bv his word of grace imparls, \\ hii h Midv the believer feels. Direct. .Vnd keep, an«l cheer our hearts! 2 And mav the holv Three in One, The Father, Word, and Comforter, Pour an abundant blessing down On every soul asseiiibled here ! 3 Piaise Goil, from whom all blessings flow: Praise him. all creatures here Iwrlow ; Priiise him above, ye hea\ etilv host ; Pi us. I atliti, S.111, and MoK Ghost. CLOSE OF SERVICE. Si One of Rev. John Newton's exquisite felici- ties in voicing ttie apostle Paul's benediction, joined to the common Doxology, and so fur- nishing a ver)' titting group of stanzas to be used at the close of divine service. The bene- diction is found in Philippians 4:7. "And the peace of God, which passeth all under- standing, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The Doxolog}' is the final verse in Ken's Evening Hymn. 171 Evening. L. M. Thus far the Lord has led me on ; Thus far his power prolongs my days ; And every evening shall make known Some fresh memorial o( his grace. 2 Much of my time has run to waste, And I, perhaps, am near my home ; But he forgives my follies past, And gives me strength for days to come. 3 I lay my body down to sleep ; Peace is the pillow for my head ; While well-appointed angels keep Their watchful stations round my bed. 4 Thus, when the night of death shall come, Mv flish shall rest beneath the ground, And wait thy voice to break my tomb. With sweet salvation in the sound. In Book I. of Dr. Isaac Watts this old folk- song appears with its simple title, "An Eve- ning Hymn." It gives for its foundation ref- erences to parts of Psalms 3 and 4, and con- sists of six stanzas. It is accepted in almost all the modern collections, and is perhaps in this country the best learned and most used in all our family devotions at the close of the day. The music of " Hebron " will alone seem to fit the words. Who can forget it ? " Old tunes are precious to me as old paths In which I wandered as a happy boy ; In truth they are the old paths of the soul. Oft trod, well-worn, familiar, up to God." 1 72 Dismissal. L. M. Dismiss us with thy blessing. Lord ! Help us to feed upon thy word ; All that has been amiss, forgive, And let thy truth within us live. 2 Though we are guilty, thou art good ; Wash all our works in Jesus' blood ; Give every burdened soul release. And bid us all depart in peace. Rev. Joseph Hart, the author of this hymn, was born in London in 171 2. Little is known of his early life, but his education was good, and he was for many years a teacher of lan- guages. As a yotmg man he had many se- rious thoughts, but he led a dissipated life and stifled his better impulses. He even wrote a book in 1741 entitled 'The Unrcason- abloiess of Religion ; but his conscience was aroused by the contemplation of Christ's suf- ferings in the Garden of Gethsemane, and in .1759 he commenced both to preach and to write hymns. Soon after, at the age of forty- eight, he became minister of Jewin Street In- dependent Chapel in London. His after life was not without thorns, but his conviction of the truths of the Gospel was deep and sin- cere, and he died in the ministry. May 24, 1768. In the preface to his book of hymns he speaks of his conversion in language which shows how profound had been his sense of sin, and how great the relief when he acknowledged Christ as his Master. I 73 Fruits of Holiness. S. M. Lord of the hearts of men, Thou hast vouchsafed to bless From age to age thy chosen saints With fruits of hoUness. 2 Here faith and hope and love Reign in sweet bond allied ; There, when this little day is o'er, Shall love alone abide. 3 Oh, love, oh, truth, oh, light ! Light never to decay ! Oh, rest from thousand labors past, Oh, endless Sabbath day ! 4 Here, bearing the good seed, 'Mid cares and tears we come ; There, with rejoicing hearts, we bear Our harvest-burdens home. 5 Oh, give us, mighty Lord, The fruits th\ self dost love : Soon shall thou from thy judgment-seat Crown thine own gifts above. J. R. WOODFORD, D. D. The author of this hymn is the Rev. James Russell Woodford, D. D. He was born at Henley-on-Thames, England, April 30, 1820, and was duly graduated at Pembroke College, Cambridge, in the class of 1842, taking very 6 82 CLOSE OF SERVICE. high honors in mathematics and classics. He entered at once upon the ministr)' in the Established Church, being ordained a deacon in 1843 and a priest in 1^)45. Appointed to the incunilx-ncy of the new district church at St. .Marks, Kaston, near liristol, he remained in this charge until 1855. when he was pre- sented to the vicarage of Kempsford. (ilou- ccstershire ; then he was chosen bv the trus- tees of the parish and vicarage 0/ Leeds to assume sole care of the work in that busy capital of the West Riding. This was an arduous work, but he became popular and useful at once, giving his whole heart and strength to his duties. Hut in 1873 he was appointed the Bishop of Ely. and was conse- crated to the othce on I)eceml)er 14 of that year at Westminster Abbey. There he spent the rest of his life ; twelve years of energetic work concluded his ministr)- ; he died at the palace October 24, 1885. This hymn is translated from the Latin ; the original is found in the Paris Dni'iary, commencing "Supreme Motor cordiutn\' the English rendering of it was contributed by Dr. Woodford to the Parish Hymn Book in 1863. He has composed some good origi- nal hymns also. I 74 The Evening Hour. 8s, 6s. Thk Sabbath day has reached its close, Yet, Saviour, ere I seek repose, Grant me the |>eace thy love bestows: Smile on my evening hour. 2 Weary. I come to thee for rest : Hallow and calm my troubled breast ; Grant me thy Spirit'for my guest: Smile on my evening hour. tLet not the gospel seed remain 'nfniitful, or be sown in vain ; Let heavenly dews descend like rain : Smile on my evening hour. 4 Oh, lesus, Lord, enthroned on hijjh, Thou fiearest the contrite spirit's sigh ; Look down on me with pitying eye: Smile on my evening hour. 5 My only intercessor thou, Mingle thy flagrant iiuciise now Willi every prayer aii' vow : Smile on my evening hour. 6 And, oh. when time's short course shall end. And death's dark shades around impend, My Gorm to the dwelling of her future father-in-law. Of the trip she .savs : " The pass of Dalveen looked so Ix-autifiif in alternate streaks of sn(jw and green sward, that 1 could not tell whether to prefer it so or in the rich glow of summer, ,-is 1 siiw it be- fore. On the way I read Haldanes sermon. ' The Jews (lod's Witnesses,' with much in- terest. Elliott's poetry employed me for miles." Such a record makes one think of the singing pilgrim, far on ahead of him in the valley of the Shadow of Death, whom Christian heard with a cheered heart. I 75 "Precious seed." C. M. Almighty God, thy word is cast Like seed into the ground : Now let the dew of heaven descend, And righteous fruits abound. 2 Let not the foe of Christ or man This holy seed lemove. But give it root in every heart To bring forth fruits of love. 3 Let not the world's deceitful cares The rising plant destroy. But let it vicld a hundred-fold, The fruits of picace and joy. 4 Nor let thy word, so kindly sent To raise us to thy throne, Return to thee and sadly tell That we reject thy Son. Rev. John Cawood was born at Matlock. Derbyshire, England, March i8. 1775. He was graduated at O.xford in 1801, and was ordained to the ministn,' in the Church of England. Then he became a perpetual curate in Hewdley, Worcestershire, remaining there until his death. November 7, 1852. He was the author of many hymns besides this one, some of them of real merit being found in our modern collections ; but they apjx'ar with many changes in the phraseology f^rom his own originals, and have l^een improved much in matters of taste and gracefulness of compt)sition. This one is given in I.vra Bril- annim, and some date it about the year 1815. It is entitled " Hymn after .Sermon." and it is most useful in just th.-ft place. 176 Keep us.' CM. , Anothkr d.iv is past anil gone; ( ) God, we bow to thee ; Again, as nightly shades come on. To thy defence we flee. a Forgive us all the evil done. The good undone. t<>-da> ; And kecji us fmni the Wicked One, Now, Father, ainl lor aye. CLOSE OF SERVICE. 8.3 3 When shall that day of gladness come, Ne'er sinking in the west ; That country and that blessed home, Where none shall break our rest — 4 Where we, O God, preserved beneath The shelter of thy wing, For evermore thy praise shall breathe, And of thy mercy sing ? Rev. Isaac Williams, translator of this hymn, was born at C\\Tncynfelin in Cardigan- shire, Wales, December 12, 1802, but his home was in London, where he received his early education. He gained from his tutor, an English clerg)'man, a great fondness for Latin poetr\-, and became so proficient in that language that he used not only to write, but to think in it, being obliged in writing an English theme to translate his ideas, which were in Latin, into his own language. In 1 82 1 he entered Trinity College, Oxford, and two years later won the University prize for Latin verse. This fact became a turning- point in his career, as it brought him into friendship with John Keble, who exercised a powerful influence over him and greatly en- riched his spiritual life. Keble interested him- self in the young man, and for some years Williams spent his long vacations with him, Robert Wilberforce, then an undergraduate at Oriel College, being sometimes of the party. In 1829 Williams was ordained to the curacy of Windrush, a few miles from Fairford, where Keble was living ; but he did not remain there long, as he competed suc- cessfully for a Trinity Fellowship and re- turned to Oxford the same j-ear as college tutor. Here he met J. H. Newman and was strongly drawn towards him, like most people who knew this great man. He became New- man's curate at St. Mary-'s. Oxford, where he remained until 1842, when he married and rem.oved to Bisley as curate. His life after- ward was uneventful except for one occur- rence. When Keble resigned his Poetr>' Professorship at Oxford he was desirous that Williams should be his successor, as he seemed not only to be in entire sympathy of feeling with him but possessed great poetical merit, his reputation as a sacred poet being only second to that of Keble himself. He was, however, identified with the tractarian writers, as he had actually written Tract 80, which had given great offence to some, and was known as the friend and coadjutor of Newman. Hence vehement opposition to his election arose ; this resulted in his with- drawal from public life and from Oxford. He removed to Stinchcombe in 1848, where he lived in retirement for many years, devo- ting himself to literar)' work, until on May i, 1865, after a long illness, he passed quietly away. His reputation as a devotional writer, both of prose and verse, is very high, and his char- acter was singularly attractive. His three Tracts, So, 86, and 8j, were ver}- valuable to his party at Oxford, and he published many other volumes of sermons and religious medi- tations which are most winning in their tone. The poetical translations that he made from the Latin, although often not a\-ailable for common use on account of the irregularity of the meters he adopted, have inspired others to undertake kindred tasks. With a poetical taste so true and a talent so great, his work set a standard which has made itself felt in hymnody in England. 177 Psalm Zg. CM. Blest are the souls that hear and know The gospel's joyful sound ; Peace shall attend the path they go, And light their steps surround. 2 Their joy shall bear their spirits up Through their Redeemer's name ; His righteousness exalts their hope, Nor Satan dares condemn. 3 The Lord, our glory and defence, Strength and salvation gives ; Israel ! thy King for ever reigns, Thy God for ever lives. This is Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 89, C. M., Third Part. As a hymn to be sung after a sermon it is full of precept and prayer alike. It has a suggestion of warning against dullness in public devotion. " It is dangerous," says pious old Gurnall, " to fall asleep with a candle burning by our side, but more dangerous still to sleep while the candle of the Word is shining so near us." John Wesley, although never neglectful of his min- isterial gravity, had nevertheless a good sense of humor. His sen-ant, Michael Fenwick, complained that his own name was not so much as once mentioned in the good man's published journal. Wesley intimated that he would remember him quite conspicuously be- fore long. Indeed, in the ver)- next number he put in this record : " Left Epworth with great satisfaction, and about one o'clock preached at Clayworth. I think none were unmoved but Michael Fenwick, who fell fast asleep under an adjoining hay-rick." 178 Twilight. C. M. D. The shadows of the evening hours Fall from the darkening sky, Upon the fragrance of the flowers The dews of evening lie ; Before thy throne, O Lord of heaven ! We kneel at close of day ; Look on thy children frotn on high, And hear us while we pray. 84 CLOSE OF SERVICK. a The sorrows of thy servants, Lord, Oh. <)ri not thoii (Iciipisc, But !■ • ' <>i s rolls ; With hes III earthly love and joy. That one hy one depart : Slowly the briKht stars, one by one. Within the heavens shine: Give us, () Lord, fresh hopes in heaven. And trust in things divine. 4 Let peace, O Lord ! thy jK-.Tce, O God ! Upon our souls descend. From midniKht fears and perils thou Our trenililing hearts defend : (iive us a respite from our toil. Calm and sulidue our woes ; Through the long day we sufler. Lord, Oh, give us now repose ! Miss Adelaide Anne Procter, the well-known and well-beloved poet who wrote " The Lost Chord," was the dauj^hter of Bryan Waller Procter, better reroi^nized most likely by his pen-name " Barr>' Cornwall." These two au- thors will stand tojjether for lony( years as having been geniuses of rare taste and like gift, and at the same time loving workers side by side under one roof. The (laughter, who composed the hymn now before us. was born in Bedford Square, London. October 30. 1825, and died Februar)' 2. 1864. Though her life was short, she has been able to secure a place in the hearts of many friends by the singular tenderness and sympathetic tone of most of her writings. She had remarkable gift in the way of bringing comfort, and her poems rank high in English literature. She used to pre- pare pieces and little volumes for specific sale, so as to obtain money for fairs and bazars held in behalf of the suffering creatures of God — men and women and children and ani- mals— so that she was a pf)piilar and profit- able contributor to societies having benevolent O|}erations in hand. In 1851 this lady Ix'came a convert to the faith and practice of the Roman-catholic Church. Her devotion was intense and sincere, outrunning even pru- dence, and e.xhausting her life with too great demands upon her strength and hvT sensi- bility. I 79 /'jcace. This is found as No. 53 of Dr. Philip Dodd- ridge's Hymns, and is entitled. "Joy and Prosperity from the Presence and Bless'ing of C.od." It has four stanzas, and is referred by the author to Psalm 90: 17. it was writ- ten to be sung at the close of the sermon as usual. 180 -Hfcareth. S. M. How gentle God's commands! How kind his precepts are I Come, cast your burdens on the Lord, And trust his constant care. 2 Beneath his watchful eye His saints securely dwell ; That hand which bears creation up Shall guard his children well. 3 Why should tliis anxious load Tress down your weary mind? Haste to your licaveiiK Father's throne. And sweet refreshment find. 4 His goodness stands approved, I'nchanged from day to day : I 'II drop my burden at his feet, And bear a song away. This is No. 340 in the collection of Dr. Philip Doddridge's Hymns. He has entitled it, " (iod's Care a Remedy for Ours." An- nexed to it also is the mention of i Peter 5 : 7 as a text : " Casting all your care uptin him : for he careth for you." There is rather more poetr}' than usual in this hymn ; the author is always didactic, no matter what else he is ; but in the final stanza here he has a very beautiful image in the exchanging of a burden for a song. It makes us think of the laii- gu.ige ICdward (larrott puts into the mouth ni one of his speakers in his story : " When tlu song "s gone out of your life, you can't start another while it "s a-ringing in your ears; it 's best to have a bit of silence, and out o' that, mavbc, a psalm "11 come by-and-by." 181 •• SlilluHh Ihff." Srii.i., still with thee, my (iod, I would e back to care. Each (lav returning to begin With thee, my God. in prayer. 3 With thee when day is done, And evening calms the mind ; The setting, as the rising, sun With thcc my heart would find. S. M CLOSE OF SERVICE. 85 4 With thee, in thee, by faith Abiding I would be ; By day, by night, in life, in death, I would be still with thee. JAMES DRUMMOND BURNS. Rev. James Drummond Burns, the author of this hymn, was one of those poets whose sweetest songs are the result of suffering. Born in Edinburgh, February 18, 1823, he was edu- cated at the High School and University in that city. He received his theological training un- der Thomas Chalmers, the great leader of the Free Church of Scotland, and in 1845 be- came pastor of the Presbyterian congregation at Dunblane. His frame was enfeebled by hard study, and after two years of pastoral work he was obliged to go to Madeira, where in a favorable climate he improved in health, and took charge of the Presbyterian Church at Funchal. After five years spent in this foreign country he thought himself able to return to England. In 1855 he became min- ister of the Presbyterian Church at Hamp- stead, London ; but after nine years of work and worry he was forced to seek a southern clim.ate again and went to Mentone, where he died November 27, 1864. Although a poet, whose hymns rank among the very best for beauty and depth of feeling, he was ready at any moment to turn aside from the world of art to assist the poor and sick, and his preach- ing was full of a spirituality which deeply im- pressed his hearers. It has been said of him, " He was a true Christian and a true poet, too soon called from toil and suffering into rest and triumph." 182 ''Abide with us." S. M. The day, O Lord, is spent ; Abide with us, and rest ; Our hearts' desires are fully bent On making thee our guest. 2 We have not reached that land. That happy land, as yet Where holy angels round tliee stand, Whose sun can never set. 3 Our sun is sinking now, Our day is almost o'er ; O Sun of Righteousness, do thou Shine on us evermore ! 4 The grace of Christ our Lord, The Father's boundlets love, The Spirit's blest communion, too, Be with us from above. This is one of Dr. John Mason Neale's most beautiful original poems, and was pub- lished first in his Hymns for Children, in 1842. Archdeacon Prescott says, "No me- diceval research, no wandering among the strange ordinances and phantasies of the Eastern Church, ever drew John Neale away from the pure, simple faith in his Saviour, Jesus Christ ;" and this hymn is a testimony to it. So perfect was the poem in every word and phrase that not a syllable has been altered since it was first printed, although it was one of his earliest works. 1 83 At Dismission. S. M. Once more, before we part, Oh, bless the Saviour's name ! Let every tongue and every heart Adore and praise the same. 2 Lord, in thy grace we came, That blessing still impart ; We met in Jesus' sacred name. In Jesus' name we part. 3 Still on thy holy word Help us to feed, and grow. Still to go on to know the Lord, And practice what we know. 4 Now, Lord, before we part. Help us to bless thv name : Let every tongue and every heart Adore and praise the same. This hymn is correctly attributed to Rev. Joseph Hart, although some of the stanzas were partially rewritten by Dr. R. Hawker. It appeared in 1762, and has been frequently repeated in later collections on either side of the ocean. 184 Evening-. S. M. The swift declining day. How fast its moments fly ! While evening's broad anc) gloomy shade Gains on the western sky. 86 CLOSE OK SERVICE. a Ye mortals, mark its pace. And use the hours of lijtht : And know us .Maker can command At once eternal niKht. 3 Give glory to the Lord Who rules the whirling sphere; Submissi\e at his fuotslool dow, And seek salvation there. 4 Then shall new luster break Through death's impendine gloom, And lead you to unchanging liglil. In your celestial home. Another selection from the Hymns of Dr. Philip iJixldridjje, where it is entitled " Walk in the Light." .Many changes are to be noted in this piece along the range of years, e\ery one of which has improved the versification. It is now one of the most useful and popular songs for the family altar. It carries with it a breathless rush of tender e.xpostulation in view of human frailty. We happen to belong to that number of prospered persons who were reared on the New England Primer. We have never had much to say abf>ut the poetr>- of that remembered volume, nor do we specially now propose to commend the specimens of uncouth art with which it was illustrated. But two pictures rise in our memory with an accompanying distich, which we are frank to acknowledge have been fac- tors in our life. One represented a boy at his topmost speed, with a tall skeleton running after him, holding an hour-glass in his out- stretched left hand, and in his right a sharp- ened dart, with which last it was intimated he intended to pierce the lad in the back in case he caught him. The legend beneath was this: "Youth forward slips, Death soonest nips." The other cut represented an old man with a scythe swinging it at his full strength. Before him was a feeble tuft of gra.ss : behind him desolation. And the legend in this instance read thus : " Time cuts down all, both great and smalL" Now out of this in some measure we won- der if there has not grown a certain .sense, which is surely recognizable, of tremendous haste with which we have been agitated from time immemorial. We have always seemed to ourselves to lie chased up rather severely by this skeleton. Death, and this scythe-man. Time. Still our immediate neighbors do not appear to have any advantage. The whole world is certainly in an uncomfortable hurry of bustling energ\-. What a curiously differ- ent life that will W- when there is no such thing as late or early. long or short, quick or slow. An unruffled current of experience will just llow on at leisure. It is likely there will be changes and all sorts of variety, but we shall enjoy whatever we have clear up to the crisis upon which the next gift of God's love is to come in. No apprehensions will di.sturb our content. Time will not be standing greedily behind us, ready to swing the scythe. There will Ik- no waste of duration in siniply ])ropeIling wheels to show how it runs on. I'.verything will be ours, for even death w ill be dead. Wc shall never more be hurried w ith the remembrance that if we are belated we shall lose something. There will be some tranquility and restful peace. 185 Home Hymn. S. NL Thk day is past and gone, The eveiiiiiK shades appear : Oh, may we all remember well The night of death draws near ! 2 We l.iy our garments by, I'pon our beds to rest ; So death will soon disrobe us all Of what we here possessed. 3 Lord, keep us safe this night, Secure from all our (ears ; May angels guard us while we sleep, Till morning light appears. 4 And when we early rise, And view the unwearied sun, ^^ay we set out to win the prize. And after glory run. 5 And when our days are past, And we from time remove, Oil may we in thy bosom rest. The bosom of thy love ! The author of this hymn was a noted Bap- tist minister who lived in \'irginia during the years from 1775 to 1790. Almost all we have of his career is contained in his autobiography published in 1845, as an interesting and quaint account of a ver\' remarkable man. This vol- ume contained some of his writings in prose and poetr\' ; among thc^^e can be found the original form of the hymn before us, with other hymns also ; but this one is almost the only one which the churches have kept widely in u.se. It is really ver\- beautiful in its l( fty faith and unaffected simplicity. Many of us in New England sang it for years at the fam- ily altar when Sabbath evening came around, and it speaks memories of other days when we teach our children to sing it now. May it live for ever and ever I The Kev. John Leiand was born in Grafton. Mass., May 14, 1754. Th? de.scription of his person has come down to us, and .some of his ordinan,- traits of character. He was in his later life "tall, muscular, and commanding: age had bent him slightly, but that added to his patriarchal venerableness. He had a noble head. a high, expanded, and somewhat retreat- CLOSE OF SERVICE. 87 ing forehead, a nose a little aquiline, and a bright, beautiful, sparkling blue eye, the ex- pression of which, especially in the pulpit, was electrical ; even eighty-seven years had not dimmed it. In his manners and personal in- tercourse he was plain, courteous, and digni- fied. He was bland and kind to all. No man could approach him with a rude familiarity." It is added also that he vv'as a man of ready wit and almost boundless eccentricity, but devout and solemn in prayer. At one period of his life he appears to have had considerable political influence — enough indeed to have it recorded that he aided in the election of James Madison over Patrick Henry to the Virginia Convention. This excellent man died at North Adams, Mass., January 14, 1841. 186 " Closi7ig Hour." S. M. Lord, at this closing hour. Establish every heart Upon thy word c.f truth and power, To keep us when we part. 2 Peace to our brethren give ; Fill all our hearts with love ; In faith and patience may we live, And seek our rest above. 3 Through changes, bright or drear, We would thy will pursue, And toil to spread thy kingdom here Till we its glory view. 4 I'o God, the only wise. In every age adored, Let glory from the church arise Through Jesus Christ our Lord ! The Rev. Eleazer Thompson Fitch, D. D., was one of the compilers of the hymnal pre- pared by the order of General Association of the Congregational body in Connecticut ; and in that book six of his compositions appeared, of which this was one. He was born at New Haven, Conn., January i, 1791, and was grad- uated at Yale College in the class of 18 10. Then he spent some little time in teaching ; but in 181 2 he became a theological student in Andover Seminary. Dr. Timothy Dwight's death left the chair of Sacred Theology in Yale College vacant, and in 1817 Dr. Fitch was chosen to fill his place. The number of graduates under his instruction grew so rap- idly that, at his suggestion, the corporation founded a theological department, which was organized into what is called a Divinity School in 1822. He became the Professor of Homi- letics, and at the same time was the college preacher and pastor. His theological views were strongly pronounced, and ultimately drew upon him considerable animadversion from those who were more conservative in senti- ment. But he kept his office as lecturer until 1 86 1, and subsequently was retained in the faculty of the Divinity School as emeritus- professor until he died, January 31, 1871, at New Haven. A volume of his sermons was published that same year. He was a man of singular modesty, without any sign of contro- versy in his disposition. 1 87 Sabbath ended. S. M. The day of praise is done, The evening shadows fall ; Yet pass not from us with the sun, True Light that lightenest all ! 2 Around thy throne on high. Where night can never be, The white-robed harpers of the sky Bring ceaseless hymns to thee. 3 Too faint our anthems here ; Too soon of praise we tire ; But oh, the strains how full and clear Of that eternal choir ! 4 Yet, Lord ! to thy dear will If thou attune the heart, We in thine angels' music still May bear our lower part. 5 Shine thou within us, then, A day that knows no end, Till songs of angels and of men In perfect praise shall blend. This is a very beautiful hymn by Rev. John Ellerton. The first line sometimes is written, " Our day of praise is done." It is an admira- ble song for the close of public worship. There is no ser\'ice like that of God, no house more comfortable than his, no peace like that he bestows. In the hurries of our modern church-life much labor is driven into the hours of the day which was meant to be, more fully than it is suffered to be, the " day of rest " for the soul and body too. But, by the grace of God, rests are allowed along the way even when one is passing through the valley of Baca. Shadows of the great rock in the wea- ry land may be discovered even close by the spots where balsam-trees weep tears. Nota- ble seasons of remembrance have we all of halts for refreshment we have already enjoyed. We could tell bright stories about them if we would. Somewhere we have read that a com- pany of travel-worn Indians were fleeing from their foes through a desolate region of our own country in the Southwest. Suddenly they came upon a beautiful spring in the waste. Their chief struck his spear in the sward, cry- ing, " Alabama ! Alabama /" Here let us rest ! let us rest ! Thus could the soul of each believer recount the incidents of his trav- erse, and learn to put new names on the spir- itual map he cherishes. Here he has no con- tinuing city ; he seeks one to come. 88 CLUSE OK SERVICE. 188 Doxolotry. S. M. To (iow aiul cvernioii-. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Hosaiiti.-i lo the Word Wlio Ik. Ill the Kaihi-r came ; Ascrib- viKation to the Lord, And ever bless his name. 3 The urate of Christ our Lonl, The Father's I oundless love, The Spirit's I. lost communion, too, fie with us fiom above. This hymn, in Dr. Isaac W alts" Hook I., No. 51, is called " I'rcscninj^ (Iracc." with a reference to Jude 24. 25. and prepared to be suntj at the close of a sermon on that theme. The piece before us is made up of two stanzas out of the original tivc, with the short meter doxology added. 189 Guard and save.' 7s, 6s, 8s. Thk ilav is past and over ; All (hanks, O Lor.l ! to thee ; We pray thee now that sinless riie hours of dark may l)e ; O Jesus ! keep us in thy siRhl, And save us through the coming night. 2 The ioys of tlay are over ; We lift our hearts to thee. Ami ask thee that oftenceless The hours of dark may be ; U Jesus ! make their darkness hght. And save us through the coming night. 3 The toils of day are over ; We raise our hymn to thee, AikI ask that free fiom peril The hours of dark may he ; () Jesus I keep us in thy sight, And K^ard us through the coming night. 4 Be thou our souls' preserver, O (iixl ! for thou dost know How many are the perils Through wliith we have to go; O loving Jes'is ! hear our call. And guard and save us from them all. This is a translation by Dr. John Mason Neale from .Anatolius, one of the (ireek hymn- writers about whom ver\- little is known, though he is said to have Ix-en a pupil of Theodore of the Studium who lived at the close of the eighth centun.' and beginning of the ninth. More than a hundred of his hymns e.xist,and have been attributed to St. Anato- lius, the Hishop of Con.stantinople, who died in 458; hence as some of them celebrate martyrs who suffered in the si.xth and the early part of the seventh centur\', the claitii is proved erroneous. This piece is a great fa- vorite in the (ireek isles, the melody to which it is there usually Jung being singularly plain- live and so(jthing. I 90 " J»lo thy hands .'" P. M. Thk sun is sinking fast. The daylight dies ; 'Let love awake, and pay Her evening sacrifice. 2 As Christ upon the cross His head inclined. And to his Father's hands His parting soul resigned— 3 So now herself my soul Woulil wholly give Into his S3 1 red charge. In whom all spirits live. 4 Thus would I live; yet now Not I, but he In all his |>ower and love Henceforth alive in me. 5 One sacred Trinity I One Lord divine I May I be ever his. And he for ever mine. The original of this hymn cannot be dis- covered at present, but it is supposed to have been no older than the eighteenth century. Mr. Ktlward Caswall, the translator, found the Latin poem in a foreign collection, a small book f)f devotions, the ver)- name of which has escaped him. The beauty of the English version increases the regret at the loss of the Latin original. The sentiment which is voiced by these stanzas is ven,' subtle and even mystic. The picture of our Lord in the ver)' act of crucifixion is thrown before our imagination. The gesture of Jesus, as he " bowed his head and gave up the ghost," is employed to signify our own surrender of our spirits into the eternal Father's hands. Hence a religious exercise is suggested of the inten- sest kind, a direct proffer of our entire being to our Lord in a union that shall be ever and for ever binding. .So at the close of evening worship a believer once more covenants in the secret reser\es of his inner life, and goes forth to loving duty. 1 9 I F.vrning. Softly now the linht of day Fades upon my sight away ; Fri-e from lare, from lalMir free. Lord, I would commune w ilh thee. a Thou, whose all-i>ervading eye Naught escapes without, within, Parchin each infimiity, 0|ien faott. and secret sin. 3 Soon, ft>r me. the light of day Shall for ever p.iss awny ; Then, from sin anrshi|i while the nijji.i Sets her eveiiiii); lamps alight ThrouKli all tlie sk\ . Cho.— Holy. holy, holy. Lord G(k1 of Ho«ls ! Heaven and earth arc full of thee I Heaven and earth are praising the«, U Lord most high ! 3 Lord of life, beneath the dome Of the I'niversc, thy home. Gather us who seek tliy (ace To the folil of thy embrace. For thou art nigh. — Cho. tj While the deepening sh.-.ilows fall, ■ieart of Love, enfobUng all, Through the glory and tlie grace Of the stars that vail tli\ face Our hearts ascend. — Cho. 4 When for ever from thv sight Pass the .stars, the day, the night. Lord of angels, on our eyes Let eternal morning rise And shadows encj. — C'Ao.] MISS MARY A. LATHBURV. To a Chautauquan the " \'esf>er Ser\ice "' seems incomplete without the singing of this beautiful hymn. It was written at the request of Hishop John H. \'incent in the summer of 1880, and it is frequently sung at the close of the day, when the vast company of gradu- ates, students, and visitors are assembled for evening prayer. No one who has ever lis- tened to the mighty volume of song, as five thousand jx-rsons at a time, gathered around the representatives of the " Literary- and Sci- entific Circle " in the open Hall under the trees, aid to swell the 'strong chords of IVo- fessor .Sherwin's matchless tune. " Evening I 'raise " — no one will forget thereafter the impression he received of the power of such words borne upward by such music. Miss Mary Artemisia Lathbury is now re- siding with her si.ster in New York city. Fellow CLOSE OF SERVICE. 91 artists and writers by profession, these two la- dies occupy one studio, and they make it a wel- come and remembered place to visit, with the evidences around them of taste and thought and poetry. The author of these verses was born in Manchester, Ontario County, N. Y., August 10, 1 841. Her father was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which communion the daughter also remained until two vears ago, 1 890, when she connected her- self with the New Jerusalem Church ; not that she " believed less," but that she " be- lieves more now." She is a well-known wri- ter of hymns, and a contributor to many American religious periodicals. She will be equally remembered, however, as the founder of the " Look-out Legion," which is based upon Rev. Edward Everett Hale's rules : " Look up, and not down ; Look forward, and not back ; Look out, and not in, And lend a hand — In His Name." As to the present condition of this popular hymn, which is now finding its way into the hymnals over the count^\^ it needs to be said that the author has, since its earliest publica- tion, added two stanzas to the original piece. These we have obtained the permission of Dr. Vincent, courteously granted, to print as we have done in brackets,- in connection with the others. The work was finished so recently that we could not introduce them into Laiides Domini without destroying uniformity. 196 Separation. 7S. For a season called to part, Let us now ourselves commend To the gracious eye and heart Of our ever-present Friend. 2 Jesus, hear our humble prayer ; Tender Shepherd of thy sheep ! Let thy mercy and thy care All our souls in safety keep. 3 In thy strength may we be strong ; Sweeten every cross and pain : Give us, if we live, ere long Here to meet in peace again. This hymn contains only the last three stanzas of a piece composed by Rev. John Newton. In Bull's life of the author we find this incident recorded : " In November (1776) Mr. Newton underwent an operation for a tumor in his thigh. He was mercifully brought through it, and was very soon able to resume his ordinary duties. On this occasion he composed Hymn 71. Book II., in the Obity Hymns." This is the hymn referred to above, or rather the latter part of it ; for the original had six stanzas and was entitled " Parting." The first line was, "As the sun's enlivening eye." The hymn is found in a few collec- tions both in Great Britain and America. 1 97 Hymn at Parting. 7s. Thou, from whom we never part, Thou, whose love is everywhere, Thou, who seest every heart, Listen to our evening prayer. 2 Father, fill our hearts with love. Love unfailing, full, and free; Love that no alarm can move, Love that ever rests on thee. 3 Heavenly Father ! through the night Keep us safe from every ill ; Cheerful as the morning light. May we wake to do thy will. The author of this hymn, Mrs. Eliza Lee Pollen, has written extensively for children both in poetry' and prose. It was in one of these books, TJie Lark and the Linnet, pub- lished in 1854, that this piece first appeared. Her hymns and writings for adults have also been widely sung and read. She was the daughter of Samuel Cabot, and was born in Boston, August 15, 1787. In 1828 she mar- ried Prof. Charles FoUen, a teacher of ecclesi- astical histor)-. ethics and German, at Cam- bridge, Mass., who was also the pastor of the Unitarian Society at East Lexington. Prof. Follen came to America in 1825, and was a firm advocate of civil and religious liberty. He met his death on board the " Lexington," which was burned in Long Island Sound, January 13, 1840. His wife died twenty years after, in Brookline, Mass., January 26, i860. 198 '-Ere we go." L. M., 61. Sweet Saviour, bless us ere we go : Thy word into our minds instill : And make our lukewarm hearts to glow With lowly love and fervent will. Ref. — Through life's long day. And death's dark night, O gentle Jesus, be our light. 2 The day is gone, its hours have run, And thou hast taken count of all, The scantv triumphs grace hath won, The broken vow, the frequent fall. — Ref. 3 Grant us, dear Lord, from evil ways True absolution and release ; And bless us more than in past days W'ith purity and inward peace. — Ref. 4 Do more than pardon ; give us joy, Sweet fear, and sober liberty, And simple hearts without alloy That only long to be like thee. — Ref. 5 For all we love, the poor, the sad, The sinful unto thee we call ; Oh, let thy mercy make us glad : Thou art our Jesus and our all. — Ref. Brief mention only is made by the various English hymnologists of Rev. Frederick Wil- liam Faber's beautiful Evening Hymn. It 92 CLOSE OK SERVICE. first appeared in 1852 and was entitled Evf- ninj;^ Hymn at t/u Oratory (of St. Philip. Neri). It has been altered many times, but the author made his final revision of it in 1861. The piece has six stanzas, only five of which ap}x-ar, and it has been deemed worthy a plate anionjij the Second Rank Hymns of the future in .Im^/uan Hymnoli^y. It is in common use. and may be found in many Koman-calholic as well as Protestant collec- tions. Dr. Frederick W. Faber was born at Cal- verley \icara.vje. Yorkshire. June 28. 1814. He was an ardent and impulsive child, eager for study and fond of poetr>". He received his education at Halliol College, O.xford, whence he graduated in 1836. The Univer- sity College made him a Fellow in 1837, after which he became deacon and was ordained as a presbjter. A long tour through Europe followed. On his return to England in 1843 he became rector of Elton, Huntingdon- shire. About this time he wrote several books in defence of the Church of England ; but he was a friend and admirer of Cardinal Newman, whose life and writings attracted him irresistibly, and in 1846 he renounced his allegiance to Protestantism and became a Roman-catholic. He journeyed to the Holy City, returning shortly to Birmingham, where he founded a "Community." In 1S49 he went to London, where he became the head of the •* Oratorians " or " Priests of the Con- gregation of St. Philip. Neri." This Orator)' was afterwards removed to Brompton. He died when but fortv-nine years old, Septem- ber 26, 1863. 1 99 Evening Hvmn. 7S, 5S- HoLV Father, cheer our way With thy love's |)«rj>flual ray ; Grant us, every closmji; day, LJKht at evenifiR time. J Holy Saviour, calm our fears Whiii earth's briRhtness disappears ; Grant us, in our later years, Li^ht at evening time. J Holy Spirit, bo thou ni|{h When in niort;tl pains we lie : Grant us, as we come to die, Lixht .It evening time. 4 Holy. bIcssM Trinity! Darkness is not dark with thee; Thos*- thou kfc]H-st always see Light at evrinng time. Ver\' little was knftwn of this author until recently, he having rcsf)lutely evaded inib- licity ; but a few facts concerning him have come to us which may be considered authen- tic. Rev. Richard Hayes Robinson was born in 1842, and is an Engli.sh clergjman of the Established Church. Educated at King's College, London, he took holy orders and be- came curate of St. Paul's. Penge. in 1871 he was transferred to Octagon Chapel. Bath. Subsequently he was called to the curacy of Weston, and further on he became rector of St. .Michael's, liath. According to present information, he is still living at Sion-Hill Place, Bath. .Mr. Robinson's known works are Sermons on Faith and Duty, and The Creed and the A^e. The hymn now before us was con- tributed to the Church Hymns of the " Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge" in 1871 ; but it was written in 1869 esp>ecially for the congregation of St. Pauls Church, L'piier Norwood. The allusion found in the last line of each stanza, and repeated so as to form a sort of refrain, is to Zechariah 14 : 6. 7 : "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark : but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night : but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light." 200 Constant Devotion. L. M., 61. When, streaming from the eastern skies. Tile morning light salutes mine eyes, O Sun of Righteousness divine, On me with beams of mercy shine! Oil ! chase the clouds of guilt away. And turn my darkness into day. 3 And when to heaven's all-glorious King My niorninK sacrifice I bring, And, mourning o'er my guilt and shame, Ask mercy in my Saviour's name. Then. Jesus, cleanse me with thy blood. And be my Advocate with God. 3 When each day's scenes and labors ilose. And wearied nature seeks repose. With pardoning mercy richly Mest, Guarif me. my Saviour, while I rest : And, as each morning sun shall rise, Oh, lead me onward to the skies ! 4 And at my life's last setting sun, My conflicts o'er, my lalxirs done. Jesus, thy heavenly radiance shed. To cheer aiiser-,'er. It was signed " Probus." and has been at times erroneously attributed to .Sir Rolx-rt Orant. The real author, however, was William Shrubsole, Jr., the eldest son of William Shrubsole, a master mast-maker and lay- preacher, who aftenvards became the regular minister of a small body of Dissenters wor- shiping in Bethel Chapel. CLOSE OF SERVICE. 93 The son was bom at Sheemess, in the Isle of Shepf)ey. Kent, England, November 21, 1759. He followed his father's trade at first, working as a shipwright in Sheemess Dock- yards. Eventually he became a clerk, and was appointed to a position in the Bank of England, where he was gradually advanced to the responsible position of Secretan.' of the Committee of the Treasurv". Though as a young man he was indifferent to the religious influences about him. under the ministry- of his fathers friend Mr. Woodgate. pastor of Jewin Street Chapel, the tenor of his thoughts changed, and in 1787 he received his first communion from the hands of his father at Sheemess. In 1791 he married Miss Morris, who died in 1810. Two years later he went to reside within the walls of the Bank of England, devoting his leisure to literature and to the promotion of the interests of great reli- gious societies. During the last twenty years of his life he was connected with the Con- gregational Church which held its sen-ices in the Hoxton Academy Chapel. He died of apople.xy at Highbur\-, August 23, 1 829. 20 I ■Day is Over. 6s, ss. Now the day is over, Xight is drawing nigh. Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky. 2 Jesus, give the wear>' Calm and sweet repose : With thy tenderest blessing May our eyelids close. 3 Grant to little children Visions bright of thee ; Guard the sailors tossing On the deep blue sea. 4 Throug:h the long night- watches May thine angels spread Their white wings above me. Watching round my bed. 5 \Mien the morning wakens, Then may I arise, Pure and fresh and sinless In thy holy e>'es. Not only as a \\Titer of original h\Tnns, but as a learned mediaevalist. and as a translator, is Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould known to us. He was bom at Exeter. Januar\- 28. 1834., and is the eldest son of Mr. Edward Baring-Gould of Lew Trenchard, Devon. He received his education at Clare College. Cambridge, taking the degree of B. \. in 1854. and that of M. .\. in 1856. After his ordination in 1864 he be- came the curate of Horbur}\ near Wakefield. Here he remained for three years, becoming thereafter incumbent of Dalton. Yorks, 1867; rector of East Mersea. Essex. 1871 ; and rector of Lev Trenchard. Devon, 1881. REV. S. BAKIJCG-GOCLD. The h\Tnn above quoted is known as the " Evening Hymn for Missions," and has been in use for several years at St. John's. Hor- bur)- Bridge. It has a place in many English and American h>-mnals. This author has written and published many volumes, among which may be noted Curious Myths of tlu Middk Ages, 1 866 ; Lives of the Saints. 1 877 ; Church Songs, 1884, He contributed also nine carols to an article which ap}>eared in the Sacristy for November, 1 871, entitled The Noels and Carols of French F/and^rs. Be- sides these he has written a novel in German and translated it into English. 202 Evening blessing. 8s. 7S. D. Saviouk, breathe an evening blessing. Ere repose our spirits seal ; Sin and want we come confessing ; Tbou canst save, and tboa canst heal. Tbongfa destruction walk around us, Thongh the arrow near us fly. Angel guards from thee surround us. We aie safe if thou art nigh. 2 Though the night be dark and drear>% E>arVness cannot hide from thee ; Thou art he who, never wear>-, Watchelh where thy people be. Should swift death this night o'ertake ns, .^nd our couch become onr tomb. May the mom in heaven awake us. Clad in light and deathless bloom. This is another of James Edmeston's hymns, whose sweet words have been sung by thousands of believers. It was first printed in a volume of Sacred Lyrics in 1 820. and for many years it was sung at the close of diAine ser\-ice in the church at Homerton, where its author used to attend. H)Tnnologists say that the idea of this h}Tnn was suggested to the author after he had read SaJt's Travels in 94 CLOSE OF SERVICE. Abyssinia, wherein occur these words: "At ni^ht their short eveninj^ hymn. ' Jt-sus. for- give us,' stole throuj^jh the camp." 203 Thf Pilgrim. U, 7«. D. Genti.v, Lord, oil, Kciitlv lead us, 1 hriiiiuli this lonclv vaic of tears ; Thriiu^li ilic chaiini*" thou '>t di-crced us, Till "Ur last \i\t:.\{. change a|i|K.-ai>. Whi-n ti-niptation's darts assad us, When III licvious jiallis we stray, Let thv kikmIiicss never fail us. Lead us in thy |H:rfect way. i In the hour of pain and anguish, In the hour when deatli draws near. Sutler not otir hcaits to lant;uish, SufTer not our souls to fear. And when mortal life is ended. Bid us in thine arms ti> rest. Till, by an^el bands attended, \Vc awalce among the blest. Most of the information we possess con- cerninj; the life and work of Thomas Hast- inijs. >ius. Doc, the author of this hymn, is derived now from an article published oritjin- ally in the AWi' \'orA- Ei'atti^tlist November 21. 1872, and afterwards reprinted in pamph- let form for private distribution. This gives a sketch of his remarkable career as a music teacher and composer, the materials of which, as we are informed by Mr. A. D. F. Ran- dolph, the author of it, were drawn from some memoranda Dr. Hastings himself made in 1858. In these he offered the .stor)- of his life with the simplicity, modesty, and directness so peculiar to him. The writing of his hymns arose naturally out of the production of his tunes. As he sang the music it actually seemed to phrase words for the fit expression of the notes. Hence the matter aggregated upon his hands. While So/n^s for tlif Su tic f nary was coming into e.xistence. and afterwards as other books issued by the same compiler followed on, the carefully prepared copies in manuscript of several hundred poetical compositions came into his hands for choice, many of which were at that time first introduced to the singing people of (iod. The spirituality and deep de- votion of all of them, and all that Dr. Hastings ever wrr)te, are well illustrated in this hymn now l^efore us. He accepted the guidance provided for him by the mercy and grace of ("fO<|, and on this he rested for life and death alike calmly ; his |>oems breathe the air of heaven. 2 Thus mav we abide in union With eai-^i other and the Li.rd, And |K>ssess. in sweet lommunion, Joys which earth cannot afford. Another of Rev. John Newton's poetic benedictions is here given. It is No. loi of the fV//l the Father's boundless love. With the Holy Spirit's favor. Rest upon ut from aU'v ' 8s, 7s. Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing, Fill our hearts with jov and |>eacc ; Let US each, thy love |>osses»ing, Triumph in redeeming grace : Oh. refresh us. TraveliuK throiiRh this wilderness. CLOSE OF SERVICE. 95 2 Thanks we give, and adoration, For thy gospel's joyful sound, May the iruits of thy salvation In our hearts and lives abound ; May thy presence With us evermore be found. 3 So, whene'er the signal 's given Us from earth to call away, Borne on angels' wings to heaven. Glad to leave our cumbrous clay. May we, ready, Rise and reign in endless day. Much discussion, first and last, has been raised concerning the authorship of this famil- iar hymn. G. J. Stevenson says that its first appearance is traced to A Collection of Hymns for Public Worship, issued by Rev. John Harris of Hull ; this is dated in 1774, and in it the piece is credited to John Fawcett. But the same writer adds that Dr. Fawcett did not include these stanzas in either of the edi- tions of his collected poems ; but there were many others he also omitted. S. W. Duffield seems to have had no hesitation in his ac- ceptance of the name usually attached to the hymn, but Dr. Burrage only remarks slight- ingly, in his Baptist Hymn- Writers and Their Hymns, that it is ascribed to Dr. Faw- cett " by some." Of course every one needs to be asked to discriminate this from another with the same first line, by Dr. Hawker. 207 "-'Keep us safe." 8s, 7s, 4s. Gou of our salvation ! hear us ; Bless, oh, bless us, ere we go ; When we join the world, be near us, Lest we cold and careless grow. Saviour ! keep us ; Keep us safe from every foe. 2 As our steps are drawing nearer To our everlasting home, May our view of heaven grow clearer, Hope more bright of joys to come ; And, when dying, May thy presence cheer the gloom. Rev. Thomas Kelly seems to have had a better practical sense of what was needed in a hymn-book for promiscuous and permanent use than many others of our sacred poets, for he noticeably fills in the places where the lack appears. There come occasions in ordinary public services when a simple and fervid cry unto our heavenly Father is all we wish as we leave the house of prayer. This brief hymn is really one of the most graceful, and even in its littleness one of the strongest, of this author's valuable contributions to spir- itual literature. It is found in the fifth edi- tion of his collection, and has for its title, " Commencing and Concluding Worship." The reference attached to it is Psalm 119: 146 : " I cried unto thee ; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies." There is in these two verses a pathetic expression of human weak- ness, frailty, and exposure ; but there is also a bright utterance of serene hope and trust for the illumination of the gloom. 208 "Lord, keep us." Ss, 7s, 4s. Keep us, Lord, oh, keep us ever: Vain our hope, it left by thee ; We are thine ; oh, leave us never, Till thy glorious face we see ; Then to praise thee Through a bright eternity. 2 Precious is thy word of promise. Precious to thy people here; Never take thy presence from us, Jesus, Saviour, still be near; Living, dying, May thy name our spirits cheer. We have here a companion-piece to the one just before it, from Rev. Thomas Kelly, with the same thoughtful purpose, and conceived in the same strain. It may be found in the edition of his book altered and enlarged in 1820; there it has four stanzas, and purports to have been suggested by Psalm 119:35: " Make me to go in the path of thy command- ments ; for therein do I delight." The main idea of the hymn is that real safety comes only to him who trusts entirely in his God, and to him only who preserves his faith un- waveringly will God give security from all harm. This is Dr. Guthrie's illustration, given in his terse powerful sentences : " Woe to the man, in the old Corinthian games, who allowed his competitor to catch him off his guard. Woe to the man who turned to look on father, mother, wife, or mistress. Woe to the man who lifted his eye but for a moment from the glaring eye of his antagonist ; that moment a ringing blow fells him to the earth — he bites the dust. Not less does our safety depend on constant care and watchfulness." 209 "Lord everlasting." us, 5s. Now God be with us, for the night is closing, The light and darkness are of his disposing : And 'neath his shadow here to rest we yield us ; For he will shield us. 2 Let evil thoughts and spirits flee before us ; Till morning cometh, watch, O Father ! o'er us; In soul and body thou from harm defend us. Thine angels send us. 3 Let pious thoughts be ours when sleep o'ertakes us; Our earliest thoughts be thine when morning wakes us ; All sick and mourners, we to thee commend them ; Do thou befriend them. 4 We have no refuge, none on earth to aid us, But thee, O Father ! who thine own hast made us ; But thy dear presence will not leave them lonely Who seek thee only. Of the translations made by Miss Catharine Winkworth and included in her Choral Book for England, where this is found, no less a critic than James Martineau has written that 96 CLOSE OK SERVICE. they " are invariably faithful, and for the most part both trrse and delicate ; and an admir- able art is applied to the nianavjenient of com- plex and diHicuIt vcrsitication. They have not quite the tire of John Wesley's versions of Moravian hymns, or the wonderful fusion and repnxluction of lhou>;ht which may Ix' found in Cokrid>je. Hut if less tlowinj^. they are more conscientious than either, and attain a result as poetical as severe e.xactitude ad- mits, being only a little short of ' native music' " This hymn is one of the best that Petrus HerlxTt has given to the churches. We are told that it was written probably under the pressure of jjersecution and oppression. The author was ordained as a priest of the Hreth- ren's Unity in 1562. The piece begins with the line : "Die Xaclit komnun ifrin icir rulien solUn." The version before us follows the (ierman meter, and reproduces it very felici- tously in the English. The Christians of the present day, who live so tranquilly in the light of modern advancement and peace, are fortu- nate in being permitted to tone up and strengthen their piety with some of those old songs of faith which bore the warrior souls of Reformation times on through the perils of the martyr days. 2 I O Pray ft ami Praise. i IS, 5s. Father, thy name be praised, thy kinRdoin given ; Thy will be done on enrlh as 'I is in heaven ; Keep us in life; forgive our sins; deliver Us now and ever. 2 Praise be to thee through Jesus our salvation, Goossessing heavenly peace and blessing : This we implore thee, (ailing clown before thee, (ireat King of (Jlory I 3 O Saviour, bear us! Son of Gocl, lie near us I Thine angels send us ; let thy love attend us : He nothing fearetti whom ihy presence cheereth. Light his path clean-th. 3 B* iicwr, relieving all who now arc grieving ; Thy visitation be our ronsolaiion : Uh, hear the sighing of the fain^ and dying ; Lord, hear our crying ! J Thou ever livest ; emllesH life thou givest ; Thou watrh art kc-cpinu <.rr thy faitliliil '•Iceping ; In thy clear shining they are now reclining. All care res gning. 5 O Lord of Ci lory, praiM; wc and adore Ihee — I hce for us givm, our true Rtst from heaven ! Rest, |)cace, and blessing we are now possetsing. Thy name conlessmg. Rev. Arthur Tozer Russell was the son of a Congregational minister. Educated at Cambridge, entering St. John's College in 1S25, he was ordained to the ministry- in the Church of England, becoming the vicar of Ca.\ton in 1830. He must have been a busy man in almost all the fields of religious litera- ture. He wrote critiques with rare skill and acumen, and he published a series of books, little and large, 01 his own which other critics approved, lie seems to have been specially fond of hymnological studies. Some of the volumes he edited contained excellent lyrics which he composed. Indeed, he had fair ex- ample in this particular : for his father issued a hymn-book in 1813. kno\vn as Husscll's Appendix, and in the third edition of this ap- peared the young poet's first piece. From such a start he went forward ver\' success- fully, offering translations and original com- positions all along his history, some of them of eminent merit. In 1852 he left Caxton. and became vicar of Whaddon in Cambridge- shire. In 1866 he removed to a fresh charge in Liverpool. Hy-and-by he took the last church he ser\-ed, as rector of Southwick. There he closed his life after long illness. He was born at Northampton, March 20, 1806, and died November 18, 1874. He left behind him at least a hundred and forty hymns, of which the one now before us must be con- sidered as among the be.st : and it is an- nounced that with his papers al.so remain as yet unpublished a large number of manuscript chants and tunes. 212 Evening Confession. IIS, JS. From the recesses of a lowly spirit Our humble prayer ascends ; () Father, hear it I'psoaring on the wings of awe and meelcness I Forgive its weakness! 2 Wc sec thy baud ; it leads us, it sup|K>rts us! We hear thy voice ; it counsels and it courts us : , And then we turn away ; and still thy kindness F'orgives our blindness. 3 Oh, how long-sufTering. Lord ! but thou de- lightest To win with love the wandering ; thou invitcsl, By smiles of mercy, not by frowns or terrors, Man from his errors. 4 Father and Saviour! plant within each l)osom The seeds of holiness, and bid thim blossom In fragrance and in l)caiity briKbt anil vernal. And spring eternal. 5 Then place them in thine everlasting gardens, \Vhcre angels walk, and seraphs are the wardens ; Where cv'rv flower, escai>cd through death's dark |M>ital, Becomes immortal. CLOSE OF SERVICE. 97 In the exquisite little book of Matins and Vespers, issued in 1821 by Sir John Bowring, is found this hymn entitled, " Prayer of Trust." It is in use on both sides of the sea; formerly it was given out as a chant, but of late it has been met in its somewhat peculiar meter by fitting music, and so the grateful people are taking out of the exclusive posses- sion of the choirs this fine song so appro- priate for a full congregation. The author has long been classed with those holding So- cinian views ; but it starts inquiry and cer- tainly forestalls bitterness of prejudice, even if it does not awake wonder, that such a man as the one who wrote this hymn, and also " Watchman, tell us of the night," and " In the cross of Christ I glory," should not be welcome to even the rigidest of the old-time orthodox. 213 Abiding Trtist. 8s, 7s, 7s. Through the day thy love has spared us ; Now we lay us down to rest. Through the silent watches guard us, Let no foe our peace molest ; Jesus ! thou our Guardian be ; Sweet it is to trust in thee. 2 Pilgrims here on earth, and strangers, Dwelling in the midst of foes, Us and ours preserve from dangers ; In thine arms may we repose, And when life's short day is past Rest with thee in heaven at last. Here we find another of those short eve- ning hymns of Rev. Thomas Kelly. It has no individuality that calls for special notice, but it fits a place for which it was intended, and actually illumines that dull moment when Christians are making ready to leave the house of God. If " Good-bye " really signi- fies " God be with you," as some say, then in- deed this is a beautiful parting song. This author wrote and published hymns for fifty- one years, and left behind him when he died, for all the world to choose from and to sing, no less than seven hundred and sixty -five lyrics, many of which rank among the best in our tongue. 2 I 4 Parting blessing. 8s, 7s, 7s. Saviour, now the day is ending. And the shades of evening fall, Let thy Holy Dove, descending. Bring thy mercy to us all ; Set thy seal on every heart, Jesus, bless us ere we part ! 2 Bless the gospel message spoken. In thine own appointed way ; Give each fainting soul a token Of thy tender love to-day : Set thy seal on every heart, Jesus, bless us ere we part ! 3 Comfort those in pain or sorrow. Watch each sleeping child of thine ; Let us all arise to-morrow Strengthened by thy grace divine ; Set thy heal on every heart, Jesus, bless us ere we part ! 4 Pardon thou each deed unholy; Lord, forgive each sinful lliought; Make us contrite, pure, and lowly, By thy great example taught : Set thy seal on every heart, Jesus, bless us ere we part ! A girl of fifteen, looking through an old tat- tered scrap-book, chanced upon this line be- neath the picture of a mill — " The mill cannot grind with the water that has passed." In- stantly it suggested to her mind a train of thought which resulted in the writing of a poem called " The Lessons of the Water-mill," by which its author. Miss Sarah Doudney, is best known. The hymns bearing this author's name, scattered around in various English hymnals, are of exceptional merit. She is a very vo- luminous writer of fugitive poems and tales for the religious magazines, and in 1880 she published Stepping Stones. But sometimes it is difficult to trace or even recognize her work. Many of her poetical pieces can be found in Psalms of Life, issued in London, 1 87 1. The hymn given above is from the Childrett's Hymn Book, 1881. All the slender facts of her history that have come to the public are these : she was born near Ports- mouth, England, but early removed to a re- mote village in Hampshire. She is still living at Ivy Lodge, Cobham, Hampshire, and is unmarried. 215 Divine Love. 8s, 7S, 7S. Holy Father ! we address thee — Loved in thy beloved Son ; Holy Son of God, we bless thee. Boundless grace hath made us one ; Holy Spirit, aid our songs. This glad work to thee belongs. 2 Wondrous was thy love, O Father ! Wondrous thine, O Son of God ! .Vast the love that bruised and wounded, Vast the love that bore the rod ; Holy Spirit, still reveal How those stripes alone can heal. 3 Gracious Father ! thy good pleasure Is to love us as thy Son, Meting out the self-same measure, Since thou seest us as one. Blessed Jesus, loved are we, As the Father loveth thee. 4 Hallelujah ! we are hasting To our Father's house above ; By the way our souls are tasting Rich and everlasting love ; In Jehovah js our boast. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ! In a collection of religious poems, fifty- eight in number, entitled Hymns Intended to Help the Communion of Saints, is to be found 7 ^ CLOSE OF SERVICE. the piece we quote. The book was issued by Mrs. .Mar>' (Bowly) relers, the wife of Kcv. John .McWilham I'cters. Mrs. I'cters was born in the borouj^h of Cirencester. Enj^land. in 1813. and died at CUfton. July 29, 1856. Her husband was at one lime rector of (^uennin_v;ton. liloucester- shire. but afterwards became the vicar of Lanj^ford, Hcrkshire. Several of her hymns were contributed to the Plymouth Urif/iren's Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Soni^s, pub- lished in London in 1842; but she is per- haps best known by the hymn commencing, " Throuijh the love of (iod, our Saviour." She is also the author of a prose work in seven volumes, The World's History from the Creation to the Accession of Queen Vic- toria. 217 "Go in peace," 216 "// IS i: los, 61. Thk (lay is gently sinking to a close, Fainter and yet more faint the sunlight glows ; O Brightness of thy Father's glory, thou, Eternal Light of light, be with us now ; Where thou art present, iJarkiiess cannot be: Midnight is glorious noon, O Lord, with thee. a Thou, who in darkness walking didst appear I'pon the waves, and thy disciples cheer, Come, Lord, in lonesome days, when storms assail. And earthly hopes and human succors fail: When all is dark, may we behold thee nigh, And hear thy voice, " Fear not, for it is L" 3 The weary world is mouldering to decay, Its glories wane, its pageants fade away; In that last sunset, when the stars shall fall, Mav we arise, awakened by thy call. With thre, O Lord, for ever to abide In that blest day wiiich has no eventide. When Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, now the Hishop of Lincoln in the Ln.^dish Kstab- lished Church, was Canon of Westminster he published a notable collection of sacred po- etry- called The Holy Year. This reached its third and enlarj^ed edition in 1863, which con- tained a hundred and twenty-seven orij,jinal hymns ; amonjf them is found the one now before us. It is a pathetic and ingenious re- production of the scene of Jesus' walking upon the water of the Sea of Calilee. The conception of this spectacle, as the poem f (resents it, is positively artistic. The day alls, and the shadows lie heavily over the in- land lake ; so the night comes on, and dark- ness is closing in. The pcx-t seems to see Jesus advancing, the Light of light, bringing illumination with his own luminous grace. So he prays that the Saviour will be at hand " in lonesome days," and specially at the " last sunset," and brighten the glfM)m when the world's glories wane, and the pageants fade, and the stars fall. SAViot'it, again to thy clear name wc raise With one accord our paiting liyinii of praise ; We rise to bless thee ere our worship cease. And miw, departing, wait lh\ word of peace. 3 C.raiit us thy |>eace upon oui homeward way ; With thee began, wilh t ee shall end the day ; (>uard thou the lips from sin, the hearts hum shame. That in this house have called u|K>n thy name. 3 Grant us thy peace, Lx>rd, through the cominK night : Turn thou fur us its darkness into light ; From harni an.i d.iiiger ke'i> ihv children free. For dark and light are both ;tlike to thee. 4 Grant us thv (leace throughout our earthly life, Our balm in sorrow, and our stay in ftrife ; Then, when thy voice shall bid our conflict cease, Call us, O Lord, to thine eternal peace. This piece was composed for use at a festi- val of parochial choirs in Nantwich, Kngland, by Rev. John Kllerton, and afterwards revised by himself for the Apptndix to Hymns An- cient and Modern, where it was published in 1868. It makes a ver)' interesting and appro- priate close for a service. In the old times there used to be permitted a half-response from the people to the pulpit in the exerci.se of divine worship. The pastor customarily began with the salutation, ■" Peace be to you all." And the audience replied outspokenly with a graceful return of the word, " Peace." In those days the hearers stood, and the speaker sat. Provision was not made for pews, and the pulpit was in structure very rude. Once Augustine is known to have apol- ogized for a sermon longer than usual, and contra.sted his posture with that of his listen- ers ; and then he added, " The les^^n out of the apostles is dark and difticult to-day." and asked them to pray for Cod's help upon him. It is pathetic to think of such artless reciproc- ities; they might perhaps, even in our time, be of hearty cheer and friendly sympathy, and things would be more promising if pews and pulpits knew each other Ix'tter and cared for each other more demonstratively. ( Uir gen- eration, it is certain, is more cool and dec- orous; but that does not make* it tnore reli- gious. 218 " 7>ust, strrnglh, caJmHtss. Father ! in thy mysterious presence kneeling, F'ain would our souls feel all thy kindling love ; For we are weak, and neeil sove. 2 Lord ! we have wandered forth through doubt and sorrow. And thou hast made each step an onward one ; Anil we will ever trust each unKiiown morrow ; Thou will sustain us till its work is done. 3 In the heart's depths a i>eace serene and holy Abides: and, when pain seems to have her will, Or we despair, oh ! may that |>cace rise slowly, Stronger than agony, «nh still, if thou abide with me. 4 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes ; Shine through the nloom, and |)oint me to the skies ; Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shad- ows Are: In life, in death, U Lord, abide with me ! LYTK'S CRAVh. AT NICK. This hymn is only a part of the preceding. The poem was never meant for a piece to be sung in public worship by a promiscuous congregation, ^■et some of us have seen it in a book of songs for children I What work would boys and girls make with such a senti- ment as even this tir.st line proffers for our singing ? The various stanzas needed to be grouf>ed into two hymns, one for the evening of the day, the other for the evening of life. Thus they do admirable .serv'ice without any violation <>f solx-r sense. 221 ' ' A word of BUssins;. ' ' i) l.okii, who by thy presence hast made light The heat and liureak a worower ; On human hearts worn out with toil, thy wora Falls soft and gentle as the cveniiiK shower. 3 Come then. () Lord, anrare, nnd joy. and rest. To give salvation, ami to pardon sin ! 4 Bind up the wounds, assuage the aching smart I.elt in each l>osoin from the day just past, And let us on a Father's loving heart Forget our griefs, and find sweet rest at last. Richard Massie is an Knglish Episcopalian, a gentleman of wealth and leisure, residing at Pulford Hall, in Coddington, Cheshire. Some ver)' fine translations of Spina's, Luther's, and (ierhardt's hymns into I'.nglish have rendered his name familiar on both sides of the ocean. He is the eldest of a family of twenty-two children, and was born June i8, i8oo, in Chester, where his father was for many years the minister over the parish church of .St. Hride. The hymn, of which he has furnished the fine revision now before us, is one of the best that C. J. .Spitta has ever written. It may be found in full in his Psalter ttnd Harft\ entitled " Evening." and commencing, "I/t-rr, lies Taj^es Muhcn und lieschwerden." More than one translation into English has appeared in the various hymnals ; but this, which was published by NIassie in his Lyra Domcstica, i860, is perhaps the most usable of them all, because it does not attempt to fol- low the (ierman meter ver)' closely, and so can be set to music which is singable. 222 "Keep MS, Lord!" P. M. God, that madest earth and heaven, Darkness and light ; Who the day for toil hast given, For rest the night • May thine angel-guards defend us. Slumber sweet thy mercy send us. Holy dreams and hopes attend us. This livelong night. 2 And when morn again shall call us To run life's way. May we still, whate'er befall us, Thv will ol>ey : From the power of evil hide us. In the narrow iiathway guide us, Nor thy smile be e'er denied us. The livelong day. 3 Guard us waking, guard us sleeping, And when we die May we in thv mighty keeping All peaceful lie : When the last dread cull shall w:ike us, Do not thou, our God, forsake us, But to reign in glorx' take us With thee on high. 4 Holv Father, throned in heaven, All-llolv Son, Holv Spirit, freelv given, Hl.st Three in One! Gram thy grace, we now implore thee, Till we cast our crowns before thee. And in worthier strains adore thee. While ages run. This hymn is usually credited to Hishop Reginald Helnr, and yet only one stanza of it was actually written by him. It used to contain only two, but subsequently Rev. Wil- liam Mercer, who wrote the second of those CLOSE OF SERVICE. two, added another, which is now reckoned as the last, 1864. So we have a composite contribution to the hymn - books ; Bishop Heber's verse was issued posthumously in 1827; William Mercer added the second and fourth in 1864; and Archbishop Whately gave the third, i860. 223 Doxology. 8s, 7s. Praise the Lord ! ye heavens, adore him. Praise him, angels in the height ; Sun and moon, rejoice before him ; Praise him, all ye stars of light ! 2 Praise the Lord — for he hath spoken ; Worlds his mighty voice obeyed ; Laws which never shall be broken. For their guidance he hath made. 3 Praise the Lord — for he is glorious ; Never shall his promise fail : God hath made his saints victorious, Sin and death shall not prevail. 4 Praise the God of our salvation. Hosts on high his power proclaim ; Heaven and earth, and all creation. Laud and magnify his name. Who was the author of this fine paraphrase of Psalm 148 — which the prophet of Anglican Hymnology finds worthy a place as a First Rank hymn — is not precisely known. It has been at- tributed to Bishop Mant and to John Kemp- thorne. It was traced to the volume of Hymns for the Foundling Hospital, 1 796, in which a few of Mr. Kempthorne's pieces are found. This much only is known positively : it ap- peared about the year 1796 — hence the "Anon., 1796 " which is generally attached to it. Rev. John Kempthorne, to whom is ascribed its authorship, son of Admiral Kempthorne, was born at Plymouth, June 24, 1775. He studied at St. John's, Cambridge, graduating B. A. in 1796, and B. D. in 1807. After his ordination he becam.e, successively, vicar of Northleach, vicar of Wedmore, rector of St. Michael's, and chaplain of St. Mary de Grace, Gloucester. He was also a Prebendary in Lichfield Cathedral from 1826, and at one time was Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of that diocese. He died at the rectory, Gloucester, November 6, 1838. 224 Evening Prayer. Hear my prayer, O heavenly Father, Ere I lay me down to sleep : Bid thine angels, pure and holy. Round my bed their vigil keep. 2 Great my sins are, but thy mercy Far outweighs them every one ; Down before thy cross I cast them. Trusting in thy help alone. 3 Keep me, through this night of peril, Underneath its boundless shade ; Take me to thy rest, I pray thee. When my pilgrimage is made. 8s, 78. 4 None shall measure out thy patience By the span of human thought ; None shall bound the tender mercies Which thy holy Son has brought. 5 Pardon all my past transgressions; Give nie strength for days to come ; Guide and guard me with thy blessing. Till thine angels bid me home. Some years ago, while Charles Dickens was the editor of the magazine called Household Words, there was issued each season an ex- tra number especially appropriate to Christ- mas and the holidays, filled with stories, often taken up entirely with one of good length and fine skill. In 1856 there was published a tale entitled " The Wreck of the Golden Mary." This was written by a lady who keeps herself in much reserve ; she then lived in York, England, and was known by the literary name of " Holme Lee," but her real name was Har- riet Parr. Now in this story some sh^- wrecked sailors and passengers are floating around, night and day, shelterless, upon the sea in an open boat ; the vessel struck an ice- berg and had already gone down ; no land, no help in sight, no hope. They fall to tell- ing incidents of their previous lives, and one of them, Dick Tarrant by name, a wild youth in his history, breaks out with the question, " What can it be that brings all these old things over my mind .'* There is a child's hymn I and Tom used to sing at my mother's knee when we were little ones, keeps running through my thoughts. It 's the stars, maybe ; there was a little window by my bed that I used to watch them at, a window in my room at home in Cheshire ; and if I were ever afraid, as boys will be after reading a good ghost-story, I would keep on saying it till I fell asleep." Then another took up the con- versation : " That was a good mother of yours, Dick ; could you say that hymn now, do you think.? Some of us might like to hear it." Then the sailor replied, " It is as clear in my mind at this minute as if my mo- ther was here listening to me." And so he repeated this wonderful little poem. It was evidently composed for the story in the maga- zine, for we know of no other religious song by the same writer. But it proved so pa- thetic and beautiful that each reader was touched by it ; and at last it was caught up for real use by the compilers and transferred to their hymn-books. This gifted woman published several works afterwards ; among them were Maude Talbot, 1854; Sylvan Holt's Daughter, 1858; Warp and Woof, 1861 ; Mr. Wynyard's Ward, 1867, and sev- eral other works of fiction. Nothing can be I02 CLOSE OF SERVICE. ascertained concerning her personally further than this, except that she was born at N'ork in 1828. 225 " Turn us, O Lord!" 8s, 7s. Heavenly Father, grant thy blessing l)n Ihc teachiiiK of this day; That our hearts, thy fear possessing. May from sin be turned away. 2 Have we wandered ? oh, forgive us ; Have we wished from truth to rove? Turn, oil, turn us, and receive us, And incline us thee to love. This prayer in music is included in many of the modern hymnals as a sort of grace at closing divine ser\-ice. Although it is widely used and deser\-edly popular, neither the name nor the residence of the author has come to light. The piece is known to have appeared earliest in the Hymns of the London Sunday School Union, 1835. 226 "Thou hear est." 8S, 7s. Lord ! in love and mercy save us, For our trust is all in thee : In that cleansing fountain lave us, Which alone can make us free ! a Weary, life's rough billows breasting Through the long lone dismal night. Grant that calmly, on thee resting, We may wait for morning light. 3 Lord ! we pray, and know thou hearest, For thy promises are true : Grant the heart-wish that is dearest • He who knows can also do ! In his excellent volume, English Hymns, Samuel W. Duffield tells us that he has learned from a work on distinguished Scotch- men of the present day all that has been given to the public concerning the writer of the present hymn, which we copied from Sunjrs of Grace and Glory, at the time when Latuifs Domini was in course of preparation ; it was in 1869, most likely, that the piece was written. Andrew J. Symington was born at Paisley. Scotland, July 27, 1825. His educa- tion was given to him there in one of the Grammar Schools, and then he entered into business with his father. He seems to have possessed decided literar^' tastes and a good deal of ability with his pen. He published Haribell Chimes, 1 848 ; GentTinu-, and other Poems, 1851 ; and The lieauliful in Nature, Art, and Life, 1857. 227 BUsshiji inughl. 8s, 7s. Gracioi'S Saviour, thus Inrfore thee With our varied want and care. For a blessing wc implore thee ; Listen to our evening prayer ! a By thy favor safely living. With a grateful heart we raise Songs of jubilant thanksgiving ; Listen to our evening praise. 3 Through the day, Lord, thou hast given Strength sufficient for our need , Chi-creil us with sweet ho|>es of heaven. Helped and comforte,'lory of God " so widely that -thtre is no sf)eech nor language lohcre their voice is not heard." .Modern scholars .ire talking much about the superfluous, and (.ven injudicious, use of these interpolations in the inspired Book. And the New Revi- sion has hastened to relieve this particular infelicity. It reasserts joyously that " the heavens declare the glor)' of God ;" but it adds that one reason why men are so dull in discovering the intelligence of the testimony may be found in the fact that the stars in the sky cannot speak in articulate words ; " there is no sp)eech nor language ; their voice cannot be heard." This restoration will be found a most valuable help when the second portion of the Psalm is reached in its beautiful an- titliesis. God's law speaks out, and, with the aid of the human tongue, revelation goes closer to the conscience than nature. It is that to which this folk-song refers as the glor)- of the Gospel. 232 Pialm 19. L. M. Great Sun of Righteousness, arise ! Oh, bless the world with heavenly light ! Thy gospel makes the simple wise : Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right. 2 Thy noblest wonders here we view. In souls renewed and sins forgiven : Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew. And make thy word my guide to heaven. This is part of Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 19, L. M. It was a mechanical advan- tage to separate these two stanzas from the rest in order that so long a piece might be sung without mutilation. The phenomenon of a sunrise is always an exquisite surprise to the observer who is unfamiliar with early ri- sing. The Oriental dawn seems ver)- abrupt, for there is really no twilight. It is night — then broad day. Most critics would say that, in construction, the psalm which we are to study here is perfect as a lyric hymn, exquisite in figure, sublime in thought, singularly logi- cal in its form. The ver)' e.xistence of these orbs over our heads proposes the proofs of the divine omnipotence and godhead. It simply stuns our minds to assert that these were withf)Ut any maker ; but whoever creates worlds, he it is that is our God. The unde- vout astronomer is mad. Nature leads us up directly to its own Creator, and points him out : " The heavens declare the glor\- of God ; and the firmament showeth his handiwork." One of the most interesting of historic illus- trations has been given to us in the confes- sions of the great Augustine : " I asked the earth, and it .said, ' I am not He;' and all that is upon it made the same admission. I asked the sea, and the depths, and the creeping things which have life, and they answered, ' We are not thy Ciod ; look thou above us.' I asked the breezes, and the gales; and the whole air with its inhabitants said to me, "Ana-ximenes is in error; I am not God.' I asked the heaven, the sun, the moon, the stars ; • We too,' said they, ' are not the God whom thou seekest.' And I said to all the creatures which surrounded the df)ors of my fleshly senses, ' Ye have declared to me of my God that ye are not he ; tell me somewhat about him.' And with a great voice they exclaimed, ' He made us.' " 233 P^alm 19. L. M. Ai MIGHTY Lord, the sun shall fail, The moon forget her nightly tale. And deepest silence hush on high The radiant chorus of the sky ; — 2 But fixed for everlasting years, I'lmioved, amid the wreck of spheres, Tliy word shall shine in cloudless day When heaven and earth have passed away. This is a hymn brief in measure, but weighty in suggestion. Whoever loves to sing the nineteenth Psalm as one of the most perfect religious odes known to have been written by human pen will prize this couplet of verses as a sort of compendium of the whole of it ; per- haps the author intended it to be a translation. Sir Robert Grant does not seem ever Xo have given the churches more than twelve hymns, and these he left behind him in an imperfect form. This one celebrates the solemn and gracious steadiness of the stars as the sym- bols of God's word ; as they stand " fixed for everlasting years," so stand his promises. Once, as I entered the ob.str\ator\' of Har- vard College, at the do.se of clay, a friend who had led me there asked that I might be shown the new instrument that had just been intro- duced. The professor replied, courteously, " Yes ; I think there may be time enough yet for him to see a star if you will find one." My companion " found one" by looking in a worn little book of astronomical tables lying there on the desk, and replied quietly. " There is one at 5 : 20." So in a hurried instant the covering was stripped off from the great brass tube, and prone upon his back, under the eye- piece, lay the enthusiastic professor. While my friend stood by with what seemed a tack- hammer in his hand. 1 noticed that he kept his eve on a tall chronometer clock near us. Suddenly two sounds broke the impressive stillness; we had been waiting for the stars. ( )ne was the word " there " spoken by the THE SCRIPTURES. 105 professor, the other was the tap of the ham- mer on the stone top of the table by my com- panion. Both occurred at the same instant — the same particle of the instant — they were positively simultaneous. But the man who spoke the word could not see the clock ; he was looking at the star that came swinging along till it touched the spider-web line in his instrument ; and the other man who struck the hammer-stroke could not see the star ; he was looking at the second-hand on the dial- plate. When the index in its simplicity of regular duty marked twenty minutes after five there fell the click on the stone ; and then, too, there came on in the heavens, millions of miles away, one of God's stars, having no speech, but rolling in on time, as he bade it ages ago. Then I was invited to look in and see the world of light and beauty as it swept by the next fiber in the tube. But afterward I went curiously to the book, and found that it had been published ten years before, and that its calculations ran far away into the future, and that it had been based on calculations a thou- sand years old. And God's fidelity to the covenant of nature, here now almost three thousand years after David had made the nineteenth Psalm, had brought the glorious creature of the sky into the field of Harvard College's instrument just as that patient clock reached the second needed for the truth of the ancient prediction. Need I say that those two professors almost wondered (so used to such things were they) at the awestruck devo- tion, the hushed reverence, with which I left the room ? 234 Christian Evidence. L. M. Upon the Gospel's sacred page The gathered beams of ages shine ; And, as it hastens, every age But makes its brightness more divine. 2 On mightier wing, in loftier flight, From year to year does knowledge soar ; And, as it soars, the Gospel light Becomes effulgent more and more. 3 More glorious, still, as centuries roll. New regions blest, new powers unfurled, Expanding with the expanding soul. Its radiance shall o'erfiow the world — 4 Flow to restore, but not destroy ; As when the cloudless lamp of day Pours out its floods of light and joy, And sweeps the lingering mists away. Another of the excellent hymns which Sir John Bowring, the distinguished scholar and diplomat, has given to the churches. It is to be found with five stanzas in his Mafz'ns aiid Vespers, 1823. It has a unique value from the fact that almost all hymn-writers have appeared to find their most welcome themes of song outside of the fields of science. This composition worthily notices the triumphs of the inspired Word over the oppositions of something beside the heathen philosophies. The late Frank Buckland finished his last and most interesting work. The Natural History of British Fisheries, just two days before his death. This was the dead natural- ist's simple creed : " To put matters very straight, 1 steadfastly believe that the Great Creator, as indeed we are directly told, made all things perfect and ' very good ' from the beginning ; perfect and very good every created thing is now found to be, and will so continue to the end of time." It has been said that science is opposed to and in con- flict with revelation. But the history of the former shows that the greater its progress, and the more accurate its investigations and results, the more plainly it is seen not only not to clash with the latter, but in all things to confirm it. The very sciences from which objections have been brought against religion have by their own progress removed those objections, and in the end furnished full con- firmation of the inspired Word of God. There is a species of minor criticisms put forward with harmful ingenuity at the present day, which, though exceedingly trivial, do yet in their results become vexatious. They will pass the notice of a thoroughly intelligent or candid man, for he will not believe them to have been seriously pressed ; but they are the arguments that powerfully move small minds, for they are easily grasped and held with much tenacity. To the educated Bible stu- dent they resemble only insects of little bulk, though of vast activity ; and he hardly deems it needful more than to smite them with the open palm of his hand when they come sing- ing in his ear, only that their sting proves an- noying and sometimes leaves a mean irrita- tion behind it. 235 "Natrire sings." L. M. Now let my soul, eternal King, To thee its grateful tribute bring ; My knee with humble homage bow, My tongue perform its solemn vow. 2 All nature sings thy boundless love, In worlds below and worlds above ; But in thy blessed word I trace Diviner wonders of thy grace. 3 Here Jesus bids my sorrows cease, And gives my laboring conscience peace ; Here lifts my grateful passions high. And points to mansions in the sky. 4 For love like this, oh, let my song, Through endless years, thy praise prolong ; Let distant climes thy name adore, Till time and nature are no more. io6 THE SCRIPTURES. The Rev. Ottiwell HeRinbothom. an Inde- pendent or Conijrej^ational minister settled for a brief while in Sudbury, Kn>;land. was born there in. 1744, and died of consumption in 1768. at the early aj^jt- of twenty-four. He is said to have been remarkable for his amiabil- ity, a quality made quite manifest in the few hyTnns he left to the churches to be cherished and sunvj. These number in all only twenty- tive. and w hile they are characterized by much gentleness and sweetness of spirit, the j^jeneral criticism would be that they are often defi- cient in strcn>(th and sometimes fail in direct- ness. Some of them are hardly original in expression, but are based on others written by Ur. Watts. From the l^eginninjj of his work as pastor the church was rent by dis- putes, and he sank under the pressure of the dissensions he could not heal. 236 Psalm 119. C. M. Thk Spirit bri-.itlics uj>on the word, .Xtid liritiRS the truth to sicht ; Precepts and promises afford A sanctifying light. 2 A glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic, like the sun : It gives a light to every age — ft gives, but borrows none. 3 The hand that gave it still supplies The gracious light and heat ; Its trutns upon the nations rise — They rise, but never set. 4 Let everlasting thanks be thine For such a bright display As makes a world of ort my hope. And there I write thy praise. Dr. Isaac Watts gives us this as his ren- dering of I'salm 119, C. M., Fifth Part. He has entitled his composition. " Delight in Scripture: or. the Word of (iod Dwelling in us." It is evident that this father of Knglish hymnolog)' took his own supreme delight in studying the word of (iod, for his rendering of the inspired temple songs shows often his ver>- best work. The great man became a child in his study of the Scriptures ; they en- gaged his heart, they employed his tongue. A noble monument has been erected to his memor>- by voluntary' subscription in the city of Southampton, where he was born. It rep- resents the poet in ministerial robe, preaching with the H(K)k in his hand. On the north side is a marble tablet with the following in- scription after the name : "An example of the talents of a large and liberal mind, wholly devoted to the promotion of pictv virtue, and literature. A name honored for hi* sacreon my heart ; Nor let fin tongue indulge deceit. Or art the liar's part. 3 Order my footsteps by thy word. And make my heart sincere ; L.et sin have no dominion, Lord 1 But keep my conscience clear. THE SCRIPTURES. 109 4 Make me to walk in thy commands — 'T is a deliglitful road ; Nor Vet my licrtd, or heart, or hands Offend against my God. Dr. I.saac Watts gives us this as his version of Psalm 119, Eleventh Part. The piece has six stanzas in all, and is entitled, " Breathing after Holiness." It well pictures the necessity of some fixed aim of the soul in seeking a closer communion with Christ and a greater achievement of likeness to him ; and it lauds the gracious gift of God's Word as our de- pendence and help. " Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth." Thus our Saviour prayed for his disciples long ago. " You see that buoy, sir, moored in the bay," said the captain of the steamship in which we visited the Orkneys. " Yes," we re- plied, after carefully picking out in the twilight the well-known danger-signal. " Well, there is a reef of rocks that, starting from the shore, runs to a point within ten yards of that buoy. The worst thing about it is that there is no indication of the reef ; even at low tide it is covered with water, and woe be to the ship that should strike upon that dangerous reef. In the dark nights that buoy is an object of deep interest to me ; anxiously do I look out for it, and we steer with care until it is found." As we conversed with the captain we ascer- tained that he knew all this by faith ; that the reef was simply marked in his chart — that he has never proved for himself the fact, he had never been in a boat and sounded the depth, or, better still, dived down to ascertain by personal knowledge that the reef was there. He was a believer, and rested in the testi- mony of his charts, even as we who are be- lievers and Christians trust in the testimony of the word of God. 242 The Church's Gift. 7S, 6s, D. O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky ! We praise thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. 2 The Church from her dear Master Received the gift divine, And still that light she lifteth O'er all the earth to shine. It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored. It is the heaven-drawn picture Of Christ the living Word. 3 Oh, make thy Church, dear Saviour, A lamp of burnished gold, To bear before the nations Thy true light as of old ; Oh, teach thy wandering pilgrims By this their path to trace. Till, clouds and darkness ended, Thev see thee face to face. REV. WILLIAM W. HOW, D. D. Rev. William Walsham How, D. D., be- came Bishop of Bedford by appointment of Queen Victoria in July, 1879. He was born in Shrewsbury, December 13, 1823, and his preparatory studies for college were pursued there ; then he went to Oxford and was grad- uated from Wadham College in 1845. ^^ entered the ministry of the Church of Eng- land at once, being ordained to the priest- hood in 1847. For a while he ser\^ed as curate of St. George's in Kidderminster, but in 1 85 1 he became rector of Whittington, Shropshire, where he was engaged in diligent and faithful parish work for twenty-eight years. Of this period of his life a record has been made which, while accurately true, seems to read like a panegyric ; indeed, the words are his own, spoken in public when he was describing what a real minister of God should be, and every one appears to have been impressed with the fitness with which they described the preacher who uttered them, as he stood there with a heart full of zeal : "A man pure, holy, and spotless in his life ; a man of much prayer ; in character meek, lowly, and infinitely compassionate ; of tenderest love to all ; full of sympathy for every pain and sorrow, and devoting his days and nights to lightening the burdens of hu- manity ; utterly patient of insult and enmity ; utterly fearless in speaking the truth and re- buking sin ; ever ready to answer ever)' call, to go wherever bidden, in order to do good ; wholly without thought of self ; making him- self the ser\'ant of all ; patient, gentle, and untiring in dealing with the souls he would save ; bearing with ignorance, wilfulness. no GOD : — THE FATHER. slowness, cowardice, in those of whom he exiJccts most ; sacriricin^ all. even life itself, if need be, to save sonie." After this extensive service, alonjj the course of which Dr. How discharged many public functions and received many preferments, it was believed that he would be more useful in a \try much larjjer sphere of labor and re- sponsibility. So he was raised to the episco- pate, and was removed to the East End of London ; there he now remains. etTicient and beloved. His composition of hymns is a somewhat late disclosure of an unsuspected gift. \'ery few of his pieces are to be found m the books of worship in use in (ireat Brit- ain. The author of .hti^/nan Hymnology, in givinif his explanation of so straniLje a fact as that only one third-class hymn is included in the hymnals he searched as written by so ex- cellent a poet, says that this is owing to the dates of his work ; the hymnals were made before his poetr\- was published ; and he in- cludes, as sure to be among " the hymns of the future," a goodly number of those now in use in the churches, introduced by collections made in this decade. The beautiful lyric now under our examina- tion finds a fine illustration in the inaugural words of its author as he assumed his office : " I am resolved not to be a Hishop of any party, but while op)enly avowing my own views and preferences, to help and encourage, so far as in me lies, all who are honestly laboring in the great cause and faithfully setting forth to their people the (Gospel of our common Lord and Master." Such was the resolve to which Dr. How committed himself on his first ap- pearance in his diocese ; and to it he has stead- ily adhered. 243 Psalm 19. The heavens declare his (flory, Their Maker's skill the skies ; Each (lav repeats the story. And ni^ht to ni^hl replies. Their silent proclamation Throughout the earth is heard ; The record of creation, The page of nature's word. J So pure, so soul-restoring, Is truth's diviner ray ; A brighter radiance jniurlng; Than all the pomp of day: The wanderer surelv guidinK, It makes the simple wise ; And, evermore ahidinj;, I'nfailinK ioy supplies. 3 Thy worcl is rifher treasure Than lurks within the mine ; And'daintiest f.ire less pleasure Yields than this fiK)d divine. How wise each kind monition I Led l>v thy counsels, I^ord, How safe the saints' conditiort. How KTeal is their reward I This is one of the best of those versions of particular I'salms which Josiah Condcr in- cluded among the hymns lie published in the collection that bears his name. It furnishes a fair and excellent e.vample of the various fe- licities of his composition. The nineteenth Psalm in our Psalter seems to present a day- picture, as the eighth I'salm seems to present a night-picture, both of which must for many years have been familiar to David as he kept his fathers flocks on Hethlehem hills. The Word of Ciod becomes valuable only when it becomes practical. It needs to be put into immediate use. One who gtrts any ben- efit from daylight obtains it by placing himself where it is falling, and then absorbing it. That was John's best lesson from the Apocalypse : "And I saw an angel standing in the sun!" That was what made the angel a seraph. Truth must be worked out into a useful life. In a famous collection of sayings of noted Jewish students and teachers of the law, the Pirke Aboth, or Ethics of the Fathers, it is said that among the frequenters of the house of study four kinds of characters are discerned. Many a one goes thither, but does not conduct him- self according to the instruction he has heard ; this one has at least the merit of having gone thither. Another practises what is taught there, but goes not thither ; this one experi- ences a reward for his deed. Another f^iill frequents the school, and makes what he there learns his whole business ; this one is truly pious. Lastly, there is a class which will neither hear nor do ; these deserve to be called godless. 244 Evrrlasting.—Psa. 90. 7s. ^s. D. O God, the Rock of Ages, Who evermore hast been. What time the tempest rages, 7S, 6s. D. (^)ur dwelling-place serene: Before thy first creations. O Lord, the same as now, To endless generations, The Everlasting thou ! 2 Our years are like the shadows On sunny hills that lie. Or grasses in the meadows Tnat blossom but to die: A sleep, a dream, a story. By strangers quickly told. An unreniaining glory Of things that soon are old. 3 O thou who canst not sluml>er. Whose light grows never pale. Teach us aright to number Our years before thev fail ! On us thv mercy lighten, On us thy giMMlness rest. And let thv Spirit brighten The hearts thyself hast blessed ! The present hymn was composed in 1S62; it has four double stanzas as it appears in the book published by the Rev. Edward Henry ATTRIBUTES. REV. E. H. BICKERSTETH, D. D. Bickersteth, D. D., From Year to Year, 1883. There it is assigned to the first Sunday after Christmas. We recognize it instantly as an exquisite and almost literal rendering of cer- tain verses in Psalm 90, and yet the author added a reference to Isaiah 40 : 8, as having suggested it. Dr. Bickersteth was born in Islington, Lon- don, January 25, 1825. Graduating from Trinity College, Cambridge, 1847, he soon became curate of the church in Banningham, Norfolk, England, and afterward of that in Tunbridge Wells. His next removal made him the rector of Hinton Martell in Dorset, and then in 1855 he received the incumbency of Christ Church, Hampstead. There he wrote most of the hymns which have found their way into use. The contributions to the service of song in the house of God, which this author made, have been varied and val- uable ; and yet his name is not to be found in any one of the three lists of first-class, sec- ond-class, or third-class compositions men- tioned in Anglican Hyninology. From the large majority of the hymnals used in the British Empire his work seems to be con- spicuously absent. In 1885 this author received the degree of Doctor of Divinity by the grace of Cambridge University, and that season also he became Dean of Gloucester Cathedral ; then he was suddenly called to the bishopric of Exeter, to which he was consecrated that same year. Still full of life and poetry and usefulness, he resides at the palace, one of England's most popular and beloved prelates in the Estab- lished Church. 245 Omnipresent. On mountains and in valleys Where'er we go is God ; The cottag:e and the palace Alike are his abode. 7s, 6s. D. With watchful eye abiding Upon us with delight, Our souls, in him confiding, He keeps both day and night. 2 Above me and beside me, My God is ever near To watch, protect, and guide me. Whatever ills appear. Though other friends may fail me ; In sorrow's dark abode. Though death itself assail me, I 'm ever safe with God. This hymn was found in the Collection of the English Presbyterian Church, 1867 ; taken from that into Laudes Domini, it was intro- duced to the American public. Though the name of the author of it is vailed in obscuri- ty, and even that of the translator is unknown, still the song has become familiar with us and is growing welcome in the hymnals of all the churches. It has no data beyond this : " Dutch Hymn." 246 Sovereign Love. 7s, 6s. D. 'T IS not that I did choose thee. For, Lord ! that could not be ; This heart would still refuse thee ; But thou hast chosen me ; Hast, from the sin that stained me, Washed me and set me free. And to this end ordained me, That I should live to thee. 2 'Twas sovereign mercy called me, And taught my opening mind ; The world had else enthralled me, To heavenly glories blind. My heart owns none above thee ; For thy rich grace I thirst ; This knowing- — if I love thee, Thou must have loved me first. This hymn was written by Josiah Conder, and is interesting as showing that one of the most rugged doctrines of the Calvinistic the- ology can be set to music and sung with good rhythm. It is a singular thing to find one in- spired writer calling another " bold." But this is what Paul once wrote : " Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not ; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me." A quotation with approval signifies agreement. John takes up the same theme, and goes a step further ; he asserts that our feeling is the result of God's : " We love him because he first loved us." It requires a positive effort to open our minds to a thought so stupen- dous, namely, that the Almighty is really found sometimes by those who are not ex- perimentally seeking him. That is to say, there is a sovereign love of God which goes out after a human soul before that soul has even so far started out for God as to wish for him. That is the moment in which one can be certainly saved. Procrastination is peril- ous. The old Spanish proverb says, " The 112 god: — THE FATHKR. road of By-and-by leads to the town of Nev- er." 247 Tk,- TttHtty. L. M. Fathkr of heaven, whose love profound A runsum for our souls hath found, Before ihy tlironc \vc sinners bend ; To us thy pardotiinK love extend. 7 Almighty Son — incarnate Word — Our I'rophct, Priest, Redeemer, Lord ! Before thy throne we sinners bend ; To us thy saving grace extend. 3 Eternal Spirit ! by whose breath The soul is raised (rem sin and death, Befbre thy throne we sinners bend ; To us thy quickening power extend. 4 Jehovah !— Father, Spirit, Son ! .Mysterious Godhead ! — Three in One! Before thy throne we sinners bend ; Grace, pardon, life to us extend. The authorship of this hymn is obscure. It is attributed to the Rev. Edward Cooper, a clerg^•man of the Church of England, who died in 1833. He was a Fellow of All Souls College. O.xford. In 1809 he was rector of Yo.xhall. Staffordshire. This faithful minister is better known through his volumes of Prac- tical and Familiar ScrvioHs ; these discourses are characterized by Bickersteth as being " plain, sound, and useful." In the hymn under notice the same qualities are discerned ; for, while it lacks in poetical imagination, it is replete with majestic thought and sober Chris- tian devotion. The earliest known issue of it is found in a book entitled Portions of the Psalms, c/ticj/y selected from the 7'ersions of Merrick and Watts, ivith Occasional Hymns, adapted to the Ser-i'ice of the Church, for ei'cry Sunday in the Year: I'ttoxeter, 1808. There it appears in the form used in Laudes Domini. 248 I'nsrarchablfnrsi. L. M. With dcei>est reverence at thy throne, Jehov.Th, peerless and unknown ! Our feeble spirits strive, in vain, A glimpse of thee, great Cod ! to gain. a Who, by the closest search, can find The eternal, uncreated Mind ? Nor men, nor angels can explore Thy heights of love, thy depths of power. y That f)owcr we trace on every side ; Oh, may thy wisdom be our guide I And while we live, and when we die, May thine almighty love be nigh. The Rev. Edmund Butcher was born at Colchester. Essex, England, in 1757. Me died April 14, 1822. His ancestry belonged to the Engli.sh Establishment, but this son appears to have accepted Socinian doctrines, and thus become all'iliated all his life with Unitarian charges. He was a man of feeble constitution, but possessed of prodigious ca- pabilities for religious work of a literar>' kind. to which by education and natural tastes he was admirably adapted. While a boy he was ajjprenticed to a linen-draper in Lond(jn ; even then and there at the age of fourteen he contributed articles of real merit to various periodicals, and by the prc^eeds from them assisted in the support of his sister and his mother. Educated at Daventr)- as a dissent- ing minister, he was settled successively at Sowerby in Yorkshire, at London, at Sidbury \'ale in Devonshire, and at Bath. While at Sidbury he issued a volume of his London sermons, adding to each discourse a " suita- ble hymn " of his own composition, with the suggestion that it be sung after the exposition had been read aloud in the family. Then followed all sorts of useful and devotional works, including a Family Bible, edited on an original plan. His lyric compositions number over one hundred ; of these the ore now before us is singularly felicitous in both thought and expression, combining in the most charming poetical form the sublimest conception of the unsearchableness of God with the tenderest emotion of love towards him and faith in his wisdom and power. 249 Long- sufff ring. L. M. (lOD of my life, to thee belong The grateful heart, the jovful song ; Toucned by thy love, each tunt ful chord Resounds the goodness of the Lord. a \'et why, dear Lord, this tender care? Why doth thy hand so kindly rear A useless ciimberer of the ground. On which so little fruit is found ? 3 Still let the barren fig-tree stand Upheld and fostered by thy hand : And let its fruit and verdure be A grateful tribute. Lord, to thee. In the librar)- of Yale College there are to be found, among others, four old manu- scripts, which contain the original hymns of Mi.ss Elizabeth Scott, the author of the piece now before us. She was the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Scott, an independent min- ister at Norwich, England, in which town she was born, about the year 1708. In 1751 she married Col. Elisha \\'illiams, who was Pres- ident of Yale College, and after his death she became the wife of the Hon. William Smith, of New York. She died at Wethersticld. Connecticut. June 13. 1776. A better knowl- edge of this writer's life and character is to be obtained from her epitaph than from the writings of contemporaneous biographers, 'or it .savs of her that she was " a lady of great reading and knowledge, extensive accjiiaint- ance, a penetrating mind, and good judg- ATTRIBUTES. 113 ment ; of abounding charity, and unaffected piety and devotion, adorned with every rec- ommending excellency. Few lived more esteemed and loved or died more lamented." This hymn was first published in Ash and Evan's Collection of Hymns, 1 769, and was entitled " On Recovery from Sickness." But few of Miss Scott's lyrics are in common use now, although she wrote more than a hun- dred. 250 Mystery. L. M. Wait, O my soul ! thy Maker's will ; Tumultuous passions, all be still ! Nor let a murmuring thouglit arise ; His ways are just, his counsels wise. 2 He in the thickest darkness dwells. Performs his work, the cause conceals ; But, though his methods are unknown, Judgment and truth support his throne. 3 In heaven, and earth, and air, and seas. He executes his firm decrees ; And by his saints it stands confessed That what he does is ever best. 4 Wait, then, my soul ! submissive wait, Prostrate before his awful seat ; And, 'mid the terrors of his rod. Trust in a wise and gracious God. This is another of the hymns of Rev. Ben- jamin Beddome, taken from his Hymns Adapted to Public Worship or Family De- votion, 1818. It will find an illustration in the poetical simile of Jean Paul Richter : " The earth is every day overspread with the vail of night, for the same reason that the cages of birds are darkened ; so that we may more readily apprehend the higher harmonies of thought in the hush and stillness of dark- 251 L. M. Omniscience. — Psa. 139. ToRD ! thou hast searched and seen me through ; Thine eye commands, with piercing view. My rising and my resting hours, My heart and flesh, with all their powers. 2 My thoughts, before they are my own, Are to my God distinctly known ; He knows the words I mean to speak Ere from my opening lips they break. 3 Within thy circling power I stand ; On every side I find thy hand ; Awake, asleep, at home, abroad, I am surrounded still with God. 4 Amazing knowledge, vast and great ! What large extent ! what lofty height ! My soul, with all the powers I boast. Is in the boundless prospect lost. 5 Oh, may these thoughts possess my breast, Where'er I rove, where'er I rest ; Nor let my weaker passions dare Consent to sin, for God is there. Dr. Isaac Watts has given this as his ver- sion of Psalm 139, L. M., First Part. As a whole it has thirteen stanzas, out of which these five are usually chosen to be sung. The point of admonition in this inspired poem is well enforced by the last stanza of our version. God sees every sin ; therefore let not men dare to consent to sin. I hon- estly and sorrowfully believe there is no per- son in any intelligent community, informed enough to understand how searchingly the law of God lays hold upon motives and pur- poses, and all the hidden movements of the mind, who cannot even now recall the day and the hour when his will crossed God's will in an actual experience of speech or of deed, and he determined to have his own way — did have it — and knows now, this very moment, that in that decision and behavior he deliberately sinned against the God of heaven. To many of us there are faces on earth, living somewhere, near or distant, which we desire never to behold again ; faces, for example, which seen in our business haunts or social circles, and likely to claim old acquaintance with us, would mantle our cheeks with shame. There are tongues which could speak in some ears only a few words of recollection and recall that we would give the world rather than have whis- pered in the presence of those friends who respect us and trust us to-day. Do you sup- pose King David was the only man that ever lived who could pray, or has prayed, in an abashed wonder at his own disclosed history : " Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions : according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord " } 252 Faithfulness. L. M. Oh, for a strong, ,a lasting faith To credit what the Almighty saith ! To embrace the message of his Son ! And call the joys of heaven our own ! 2 Then should the earth's old pillars shake, And all the wheels of nature break, Our steady souls should fear no more Than solid rocks when billows roar. This brief little hymn is taken from Dr. Isaac Watts' Book II., where it is No. 60. It consists of eight somewhat " ruinable " stan- zas, commencing with the line, " Praise, ever- lasting praise, be paid ;" these which are chosen here are the sixth and seventh, and the best. The title affixed to the whole is : " The Truth of God the Promiser ; or. The Promises are our Security." When the great traveler. Baron Humboldt, was journeying in South America, there came one day a sudden stillness in the air which seemed like a hush over all nature. But this was followed by a fearful convulsion of the 114 GOD : — T H E F A 1 H K K . earth which made all hearts quake ; and Humboldt tells us th.it the earthquake within his st)ul was as j,'real as that in the world without. All his old views of the safety of the earth were destroyed in a moment. Should he Hy to the hills for safety.' The mountains were reelinjj like drunken men, the houses were no refuj^e, for they were crum- blin.v( and faliiiivj. and the trees were over- thrown. Then his thou.t(hts turned to the sea ; but. lo I it had lied. Ships which just before were tloatinj^j securely on its surface were now left rockini; in the sands. Thus, at his wit's end. he tells us he " looked up, and observed that the heavens were calm and unshaken." How (grateful to the fearful and trembling heart is it to know that, " though the moun- tains be removed and carried into the midst of the sea," there are some things which can- not be moved I These are some of the things which cannot be shaken : " Even from ever- lasting to everlasting thou art Ciod." " Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." " The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting." 253 i'nsfarchableness. L. M. What finite power, with ceaseless toil, Can fathom the eternal Mind ? Or who the alniiKhly Three in One, By searchinR, lo perfection find? 2 Angels and men in vain may raise Harmonious their adoring songs ; The laboring thought sinks down opprest. And praises die upon their tongues. 3 Yet would 1 lift my trembling voice A portion of his ways to sing; Ante|i and his cheer; Now, face to face, we greit him, standing here llpon tile lovely summit of Fourscore. Welcome to us, o'er whom the lenKthened day Is closing, and the shadows deeper grow, His genial presence, like an afterglow Following the one just vanishing away. I,ong be it ere the Table shall be set For the last Breakfast of the Autocrat, And Love repeat, with smiles and tears thereat. His own sweet sodrs, that lime shall not forget : Waiting with him the call to come up higher. Life is not less, the heavens are only niglicr !' " There is a third clipping that looks rather fresh on the whole ; and it says for it.self that it came from the C/'/h/i.v' MaH. Like the other two it omits the somewhat interesting fact that this great, good, little man is the son of a Congregational clerg)-man .settled in the first parish of Cambridge, where he was born. It tiates, however, twelve months further along, and gives .some more particulars of tht poet's way of living, which may be of use to growing people in times vet to come. "Oliver Wendell llolmcs thinks that he owes his good health and the retention of his mental vigor, in ATTRIBUTES. 117 his eighty-first year, to the extreme care he has long taken of himself. Never robust, he was still \vir\' in his earlier and maturer life ; but since he reached eighty his hygienic vig- ilance is unceasing. The rooms that he daily occupies are equipped with barometers, ther- mometers, aerometers, all kinds of instru- ments, in short, to prevent his incurring the slightest risk of taking cold. He knows that pneumonia is the most formidable foe of old age, and he is determined to keep it at a dis- tance, if possible. He never gets up until he knows the exact temperature, during winter, or takes his bath without having the water accurately tested. He lives by rule, and the rule is inflexible. His time is scrupulously divided — so much allotted to reading, so much to writing, so much to exercise, so much to recreation. His meals are studies of prudence and digestion. He understands the specific qualities of all ordinary foods, and never de- parts from the severest discretion in eating. One might think that it would be a serious in- fliction to keep up existence by such precise, unvarying methods. But the little doctor en- joys them, having settled firmly in these habits years ago. Philosophic as he is about death, he has an eager curiosity to see how long he can live by following the laws he has vigor- ously prescribed for himself. He has long had various theories on the subject of health and longevity, and he relishes experimenting upon himself. He thinks sometimes that he may attain one hundred, which he would dearly like, if he could retain, as he has re- tained thus far, the full possession of all his faculties." 257 Providence. L. M. Lord, how mysterious are thy ways ! How blind are we, how mean our praise ! Thy steps no mortal eyes e.xplore ; 'T is ours to wonder and adore. 2 Great God ! I do not ask to see What in futurity shall be ; Let light and bliss attend my days, And then my future hours be praise. 3 Are darkness and distress my share? Give me to trust thy guardian care ; Enough for me, if love divine At length through every cloud shall shine. 4 Yet this my soul desires to know, Be this my only wish below ; That Christ is mine ! — this great request, Grant, bounteous God, and I am blest ! This is one of the best of Miss Anne Steele's hymns. It is as usual from Poems by Theodosia, 1760. It suggests a single re- mark once made by Rev. Frederick W. Faber, D. D., when preaching ; he was commenting upon the petulance and dissatisfaction which were likely to follow the constant straining after information concerning the purposes and plans and foreordinations and decrees of our Maker, and this was his very wise conclusion for himself and his recommendation to others : " The surest method of arriving at a knowl- edge of God's eternal purposes about us is to be found in the right use of the present mo- ment. Each hour comes with some little fagot of God's will fastened upon its back." 258 Sovereignty. L.M. Lord, my weak thought in vain would climb To searcii the starry vault profound ; In vain would wing her flight sublime To find creation's outmost bound. 2 But weaker yet that thought must prove To search thy great eternal plan — Thy sovereign counsels, born of love Long ages ere the world began. 3 When my dim reason would demand Why that, or this, thou dost ordain, By some vast deep I seem to stand. Whose secrets I must ask in vain. 4 When doubts disturb my troubled breast. And all is dark as night to me, Here, as on solid rock, I rest ; That so it seemeth good to thee. 5 Be this my joy, that evermore Thou rulest all things at thy will : Thy sovereign wisdom I adore. And calmly, sweetly, trust thee still. This hymn of Dr. Ray Palmer is based upon Romans 11 : 33 : "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !" It was com- posed in 1850, when he was in the midst of an experience of great personal suffering from ill health, which rendered him a helpless in- valid for a season. It appeared first in the Sabbath Hymn and Tune Book, 1858. In it the writer's trust in God's sovereignty is beau- tifully expressed ; but he admits that in some phases of its manifestation he finds inscrutable mysteries. One becomes wearied with the exercise of his reason, and settles down only upon an unswerving faith. Here, as on solid rock, he rests. Such a hymn is worthy of the author of " My faith looks up to thee." 259 Providence. C M. D. While thee I seek, protecting Power ! Be my vain wishes stilled ; And may this consecrated hour With better hopes be filled ; Thy love the power of thought bestowed ; To thee my thoughts would soar: Thy mercy o'er my life has flowed ; That mercy I adore. 2 In each event of life how clear Thy ruling hand I see ! Each blessing to my soul more dear Because conferred by thee. Il8 god: — THE KAI UKR. In cvcr>' joy •''** crowns my days, III cvciA- pain I bear. Mv heart shall fiiul ode, Mv soiiKs a<>stles' Rlorious company. And prophets crowned with liKht. Willi all the martyrs' noble host. Thy constant praise recite. 5 The holy church throughout the world. O Lord, confesses thee. That thou the eternal Father art. Of boundless majesty. This version of the ancient Te Diuiii has plavcd fast and loose amonij the various com- . mentators, tossed about between Bishop Pat- rick and Nahuni Tate, (ienerally at present it is suffered trancjuilly to remain as having been written by llie latter. Born in Dublin in 1652, Nahum Tate was the son of Faithful Teate, D. D.. an Irish cler- j^-man. He received his education at Trinity College. With Drjden's help, he wrote nearly all of Absalom and Achitophel, and he succeeded .Shadwell as Poet Laureate. After an intemperate and improvident life, he died in London August 12, 171 5. Once in the American Chapel, in the city of Paris, the somewhat fastidious leader asked, concerning this piece, whether the te.xt of it in the hymn- book there used was the same as in the Bible, or as in the psalter of the prayer book. It is hardly necessar)* to say to well-informed peo- ple that this is not one of David's psalms. It was composed full a thousand years before the version of King James was made or the English Book of Prayer compiled. We can- not be certain that Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, was the author of it ; but it has by many of the best authorities been credited to him ; and there is no doubt of its having been written in the fourth century. Some will be interested in reading a paragraph from Chris- tian Li/c in Sonj^'-, by Mrs. Charles. She says 270 of the Ti' Dtuin : " It is at once a hymn, a creed, and a prayer ; or rather it is a creed taking wing and soaring heavenward. It is faith seized with a sudden joy as she counts her treasures, and laying them at the feet of Jesus in a song. It is the incense of prayer rising so near the rainbow roimd the throne as to catch its light and become radiant, as well as fragrant — a cloud of incense illumined with a cloud of glory." So famous has this canticle grown to be in histor\-, that, for cen- turies, when high days of success have sum- moned the Church at large to praise, the language of prelate and emperor and king has been the .same : " Let the Tr Ihum be sung." The anthem of Ambrose has become the Jubilee of Christendom. Providence. C. M. Keep silence, all created things ! And wait your Maker's nod ; My soul stanils trembling, whde she sinps The honors of her God. a Life, death, and hell, and worlds unknown. Hang on his firm decree; He sits on no precarious throne. Nor borrows leave to be. 3 His providence unfolds the book, And makes his counsels shine : Each opening leaf, and every stroke. Fultills some deep design. 4 My God ! I would not long to see My fate with curious eyes — What gloomy lines are writ for me. Or what bright scenes may rise. 5 In thy fair book of life and grace, Oh, may 1 find my name Recorded in some humble place, Beneath my Lord, the Lamb. Dr. Isaac Watts entitled this h>Tnn, " God's Dominion and Decrees," and it is to be found in his HoriT Lyficcr, 1706-9. It is one of the noblest and grandest of his productions. Some years ago, when the compiler of this collection was making one of his earlier books, he was accosted by Rev. Thornton A. Mills, D. D., who at that period was at the height of his fame and influence. He had just been given by the Presbyterian Church its loftiest honor as the Moderator of its su- preme judicatory. " So you are getting up a new hymn-book," said he quietly. " What do you find to fill it ?" Of course, the great man received a somewhat miscellaneous reply as to authors, concluding with the statement that the most and the best would come from Watts and Wesley. He bent his eyes keenly upon the young man, as he said, " See to it you put in ' Keep silence, all created things :' is there anything on earth that can surpass such a hymn as that .'" Power. CM. The Lord, our God, is full of might, The winds obey his will ; He speaks, and, m his heavenly height. The rolling sun stands still. 2 Rebel, ye waves, and o'er the land With threatening aspect roar ; The Lord upliAs his awful hand. And chains you to the shore. 3 Howl, winds of night, your force combine ; Without his high behest Ye shall not, in the mountain pine, Disturb the sparrow's nest. 4 His voice sublime is heard afar. In distant peals it dies ; He yokes the whirlwind to his car, And sweeps the howling skies. 5 Ye nations, bend— in reverence bend ; Ye monarchs, wait his nod, And bid the choral song ascend To celebrate voiir Gof the orijjin which Tlu- CotttpUtt- Psaltt-r had. Kdiiion after edition of it was issued, as the need demanded, and so these versions of the Psalms satisfied the Hnvjlish-speakinjij world for more than a hundred years. There lies before me as I write an old octavo volume, lately sent me from abroad by the generosity and thoui^ht- fulness of one of my best friends. It is a curiosity in itself ; for it is absolutely unbro- ken, almost unstained, without any binding left, and yet untorn and perfect in every leaf. It has on its title-page the record : " London. Printed for the Companie of Stationers, 1609." The entire inscription is worth copying, and reads : " The Whole Booke of Psalmes. Col- lected into Knglish Meeter by Thomas .Stern- hold, lohn Hopkins and others, conferred with the Hebrewe. with apt Notes to Sing them with all. .Set forth and allowed to be Sung in all Churches, of all the people together, and after Morning and Kuening prayer, as also before and after Sermons : and moreouer in priuate Houses, for their godly solace and comfort, laving apart all vngodly Songs and Ballads, which tend onely to the nourishing of vice, and corrupting of Yovth. Colossians III. Let the word of God dwell plenteously in you in all wisedome. teaching and exhorting one another in I'salmes. Hymnes. and spiritual Songs, and Sing to the Lord in your hearts. lames. \'. If any be afflicted, let him Pray, if any be merrie, let him sing Psalmes." This book contains the tunes likewi.se for the con- gregation, each set to its appropriate psalm m monotone. Only the one strong sober melody is given, and no harmony is at- tempted. With this most interesting gift to me came also two other books, of the same size, but printed in the old black-letter. These, un- fortunately, are injured in the lapse of ages, and are incomplete : but they bear the date four years earlier. 1605, and are pathetically marked by the handwriting of some one who used them centuries ago. How strange it seems to think of that unknown owner, and to tr)' to imagine where he is singing now in the rest that remaineth I 272 M\ Father. C. M. D. 0 God, thy i>owtT in wonclcrful, Thv plory p.issinK briRlit ; Tliy wi-idom, witli its rli-t-p on deep, A ra|itiir<- to the siijlit. 1 see thi-c iti ilu- ftiTtiHl years In el'Tv .ill alone. Err roiin.l tliiiic iiiirrcatcd fires Created I jjltt had nhone. 2 I sec thee walk in Eden's shade, I See thee all through lime ; Thy (latiencc and compassion seem New attributes sublime. I See thee when the tltHHii is o'er, And outworn time is iiiuls of glory sing. 2 God reigns on high ; hut ne'er confines His giNxlness to the skies : Through the whole earth his bounty shines And every want supplies. 3 With longing eves thv creatures wait On thee (iir daily food ; Thy libeial hand provides their meat, And fills tlK-ir mouth with gootl. 4 How kind arc thy compassions, Lord I How slow thine anger moves ! But soon he sends his pardoning word To cheer the souls he loves. Here we have Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 145, the Second Part, C. M. It has five stanzas, and is entitled : " The Goodness of God." This has always been a favorite sonjtj among the churches because of its lively call to grateful reminiscences out of a pros- pered past. There used to be twenty years ago a tract, put into circulation by one of the great Societies, having on its cover the best motto possible for a genuine Christian : *' Count up your mercies." It is wise to take cheerful views of divine things. One of our most thoughtful modern preachers has given us much good sense in his counsel, as well as a beautiful figure for its utterance, when he says: "Dwell on your mercies; be sure to look at the bright as well as the dark side. Do not cherish gloomy forebodings. Melan- choly is no friend to devotion ; it greatly hin- ders the usefulness of many. It falls upon the contented life like a drop of ink on white paper, which is not the less a stain because it carries no meaning with it." 276 In .\alurr. CM. LoRt>, when my raptured thought surveys Creation's hcauties o'er. All nature joins to teach thy praise, And bid my soul ailore. 2 Where'er I turn my gazing eyes, Thy radiant footsteps shine ; Ten thousand pleasing wonders rise And speak their source divine. 3 On me thy proviilcnce has shone With gentle smiling rays ; Oh, let my lips atidness and thy praise. 4 All-bounteous Lord, thy grace impart ! Oh, teach nie to improve Thy gilts with liunitilc, grateful heart. And crown them with thy love. Miss .\nne .Steele's e.xperience is all the more welcome tu such as love her hymns be- cause of the rarity of her e.xhibition of it. In connection with this piece, which reallv con- sists of fourteen stanzits, as it appeared under her name of " Theodosia" in 1760, enti'ded •' .Meditating on Creation and Providence," her words are often quoted : " I enjoy a calm evening on the terrace-walk, and I wish, though in vain, for numbers sweet as the lovely prospect and gentle as the vernal breeze to describe the beauties of charming spring ; but the reflection how soon these blooming pleasures will vanish spreads a melancholy gloom, till the mind rises by a delightful transition to the celestial Eden — the scenes of undecaying pleasure and im- mutable perfection." And this at once turns us away to a strain of holy feeling ver)- simi- lar, only given us from a mind and heart almost world-wide in its separation from a woman like that tremulous creature who wrote the hymn ; this is what the great meta- physician, Jonathan Edwards, said of his meditation on the same theme : "As I was walking and looking up at the sky and clouds there came into my mind so sweet a sense of the glorious majesty and grace of God that I knew not how to express it. I seemed to see them both in a sweet conjunction — majesty and meekness joined together ; it was a sweet and gentle and holy majesty, and also a ma- jestic sweetness, an awful sweetness ; a high and great and holy gentleness, (iod's e.\cel- lency, his wisdom, his purity and love, seemed to appear in everything : in the sun and moon and stars ; in the clouds and blue sky ; in the grass, flowers, trees ; in the water and in all nature, which used greatly to fix my mind. I often used to sit and view the moon for continuance; and in the day spent much time in viewing the clouds and sky to behold the sweet glory of God in the.se things, in the meantime singing forth with a low voice my contemplations of the Creator and Re- deemer." 277 Faith/ulness. C. M. Begin, my tongue, sonic heavenly theme, And s|>cak some Iwundless thing : The mighty works or migl.tier name Of our eternal King. a Tell of his wondrous faithfulness, And sound Ins jMiwer abroad ; Sing the sweet promise of his grace, •And the performing God. ATTRIBUTE.- 127 3 His very word of grace is strong As that which built the skies ; The voice that rolls tlie stars alotig Speaks all the promises. 4 Oh, might I hear thy heavenly tongue But whisper, " Thou art mine !" Those gentle words should raise my song To notes almost divine. Dr. Isaac Watts has given us this hymn in his Book II., where it is No. 69. It consists of nine stanzas, and is entitled, " The Faith- fulness of God in his Promises." It finds an interesting illustration in an incident of Mar- tin Luther's life, of which the great reformer furnishes the account in his Table-Talk : "At one time I was sorely vexed and tried by my own sinfulness," he says, " by the wickedness of the world, and by the dangers that beset the Church. One morning I saw my wife dressed in mourning. Surprised, I asked her who had died. ' Do you not know ?' she re- plied; 'God in heaven is dead.' I said, ' How can you talk such nonsense, Katie .'' How can God die ? He is immortal, and will live through all eternity.' Then she asked, ' Is that really true ?' ' True, of course,' I said, still not perceiving what she was aiming at ; ' how can you doubt it ? As surely as there is a God in heaven, so sure is it that he can never die !' 'And yet,' she went on, ' though you do not doubt that, yet you are so hopeless and discouraged.' Then I ob- served what a wise woman my wife was, and mastered my sadness." 278 Omniscience. — Psa. 139. C. M. Lord ! where shall guilty souls retire, Forgotten and unknown ? In hell they meet thy dreadful fire — In heaven thy glorious throne. 2 If winged with beams of morning light, I fly beyond the west, Thy hand, which must support my flight, Would soon betray my rest. 3 If, o'er my sins, I think to draw The curtains of the night, Those flaming eyes, that guard thy law, Would turn the shades to light. 4 The beams of noon, the midnight hour, Are both alike to thee : Oh, may I ne'er provoke that power, From which I cannot flee. This is the remainder of Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 139, of which the first part before the " pause " is given in our No. 266. 279 Holiness. Holy and reverend is the name Of our eternal King, Thrice holy Lord ! the angels cry ; Thrice holy ! let us sing. 2 The deepest reverence of the mind, Pay, O my soul ! to God ; Lift with thy hands a holy heart To his sublime abode. CM. 3 With sacred awe pronounce his name. Whom words nor thoughts can reach ; A broken heart shall please him more Than the best forms of speech. 4 Thou holy God ! preserve our souls From all pollution free : The pure in heart are thy delight, And they thy face shall see. Very little is known to us about Rev. John Needham, the writer of this hymn, even the date of his birth being uncertain. He was the son of a Baptist clergyman in Hertford- shire, England, who had a reputation a*s a learned man and probably attended to the education of the boy. In 1750 John Need- ham became co-pastor with Rev. John Bed- dome of a Baptist church in Bristol ; but two years later, on the retirement of his senior associate, a dispute arose in the congregation regarding the co-pastorate. Needham and his followers removed to a Baptist meeting- house in Callowhill St., which they shared with another congregation and pastor. For a time the two societies existed independently, but in 1755 they were united with a double pastorate, which arrangement is known to have continued up to 1774. The exact date of Needham 's death is not known ; it was probably about 1786. In 1768 he published a collection of two hundred and sixty-three hymns, many of which have proved valuable in the church, about fifteen of them being still in common use. 280 Providence. C. M, God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. 2 Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill He treasures up his bright de'^igns, And works his sovereign will. 3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take I The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and will break 111 blessings on your head. 4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. 5 His purposes will ripen fast. Unfolding every hour ; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. 6 Blind unbelief is sure to err. And scan his work in vain ; God is his own interpreter, And he will make it plain. W^illiam Cowper, the bard of Olney (1731- i8oo), joint author with his friend the Rev. John Newton of the 0/ney Hymns, wrote the foregoing exquisite lines, says Montgomery, " in the twilight of departing reason." " It is ?JS OOD: — THE FATHKR. '■:.'■':. .ri JOHN NKWTON'S ViCARACE AT OLNKV. said that on one occasion Cowper thought it was the divine will he should ^o to a particu- lar part of the river Ouse and drown himself; but the driver of the postchaise missed his way, and on the poets return he wrote this hymn." Another account is that it was writ- ten when Cowper was. with too jjood reason, apprehendincf the return of lunacv. just be- fore his final attack. Full of thi.s presenti- ment, he went ff)r a solitar)- walk in the fields. and composed the verses, " as if to express the faith and love which he retained so long as he possessed himself." In the Olney collection this hymn is No. 15 of the Third Hook. 1779. It was Cowper's last contribution to the Hymns. Such details may h*t difficult of verification ; but it is cer- tain that it was composed when the eclipsing cloud had lifted its shadow from his reason, rather than at any time when he was insane. There is an unusual delicacy of sentiment in the pwtry. and a ring of joyous Christian confidence. The kev. Chas. H. Spurgeon once preached in Kssex. and while there availed himself of the opportunity of visiting the .scenes of his boyhoel he would have that hymn sung. Mr. Spurgeon in course of time preached both in Surrey chajx-l and in Rowland Hill's church at Wootton-under-Kdge. and on each occa- sion the hymn selected bv the missionar)' was sung. 281 Ttavflrr'i Hymn. CM. H.-\v ,Tre Ihy servants blest, Ct Lord ! H<^\v sure is their defence ! Eternal wisdom is tlieir guide, Their help, omnipotence. a In ToreiKn realms, and lands remote, Supporti-d hy thy care. Through burninK i limes they pass unhurt. And breathe in tainted air. 3 When by the dreadful tempest borne Higli on the broken wave. They know thou art not slow to hear. Nor impotent to save. 4 The storm is laid, the winds retire. Obedient to thy will ; The sea, that roars at thv command, At thy command is stilt. 5 In midst of dangers, (ears, and deaths Thy goodiR-ss we adore ; We praise thee for thy mercies past. And humbly hope for more. 6 Our life, whilst thou preservest life, A sacrifice shall be ; And death, when death shall be our lot, Shall join our souls to ihee. In 1700 Joseph Addison embarked at Mar- seilles for a tour abroad. When he came back from his travels he composed this hymn. It is said to have been suggested by a storm which he encountered upon the Mediterranean Sea. The story runs that the captain gave uj> all as lost at one time, and went to confess his sins to a Capuchin friar. I )espair was in ever)' heart, but the poet was calm, and com- forted himself with the thoughts which hi afterward put into verse. The original poem consists of ten stanzas, many of them descrip- tive and less appropriate as a piece to be sum.; in promiscuous congregations. Indeed, tin whole of the composition has been altered in many forms of expression. It was first pub- lished in the Sfiatator, No. 489. in 1712. in connection with a spirited and interesting es- say entitled " The Sea." Of late years it has come to be called the "Traveler's Hymn." 282 " Thf Tttnityy lloi.v Father, hear my cry ; Holv Saviour, la-nd thine car ; Holy spirit, come thou nigh: K.ither, Saviour, Spirit, near! Father, save me from my sin ; Saviour. I thy inrrcy crave; Grai lows Spirit, make me clean: F'ather, Son, and Spirit, save I 7».D. ATTRIBUTES. 129 2 Father, let me taste thy love ; Saviour, fill my soul with peace ; Spirit, come my heart to move: Father, Son, and Spirit, bless ! Father, Son, and Spirit — thou Onejeliovah, shed abroad All thy grace within me now ; Be my Father and my God ! This excellent hymn is quite a characteristic illustration of one of Dr. Horatius Bonar's practices in religious composition. He seems to love to choose a theme of meditation, and then follow it with a consideration of each of the Persons of the Trinity, as they stand re- lated to it in near or remote agency. It is entitled by him "A Child's Prayer: Proverbs 8 : 17." " I love them that love me ; and those that seek me early shall find me." It first appeared in 1843, in a volume of Songs for the Wilderness. He afterwards incorporated it in his Hymns of Faith and Hope : Series I.. 1857. 283 "Holy, holy, holy." 7S, D. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts! when heaven and earth, Out of darkness, at thy word Issued into glorious birth. All thy works before thee stood, And thine eye beheld them good, While they sung with sweet accord, Holy, holy, holy Lord ! 2 Holy, holy, holy ! thee, One Jehovah evermore. Father, Son, and Spirit ! we. Dust and ashes, would adore ; Lightly by the world esteemed. From that world by thee redeemed, Sing we here with glad accord. Holy, holy, holy Lord ! 3 Holy, holy, holy! all Heaven's triumphant choir shall sing, While the ransomed nations fall At the footstool of their King : Then shall saints and seraphim, Harps and voices, swell one hymn, Blending in sublime accord. Holy, holy, holy Lord ! James Montgomery has included this in his Original Hymns, 1853 ; indeed, he commences the book with it as his first offering of reverent and adoring praise. It is entitled " Thrice Holy !" and attached to it for a Scripture ref- erence is Isaiah 6:3. It strikes the keynote of this poet's religious life. Unaffected sin- cerity in worship is nowhere better taught than in the hymns of Montgomery. He calls upon even the instruments to be as honest as the singers ; the " harps and voices " must " swell one hymn." Such a lesson may well be learned in our time. In our travels some of us have seen the old organ in a remote village of Germany, on the case of which are carved in the ruggedness of Teutonic characters three mottoes. If they could be rendered from their terse poetrA^ into English they would do valiant service in our times for all the singers and players together. Across the top of the key-board is this : " Thou playest here not for thyself, thou playest for the congregation ; so the playing should elevate the heart, should be simple, earnest, and pure." Across above the right-hand row of stops is this : " The organ- tone must ever be adapted to the subject of the song ; it is for thee, therefore, to read the hymn entirely through, so as to catch its true spirit." Across above the left-hand stops is this: "In order that thy playing shall not bring the singing into confusion, it is becom- ing that thou listen sometimes, and as thou hearest thou wilt be likelier to play as God's people sing." 284 " Divitie Presence " 7S. D. Lord of earth ! thy forming hand Well tliis beauteous frame hath planned ; Woods that wave, and hills that tower, Ocean rolling in his power : Yet, amid this scene so fair. Should I cease thy smile to share, What were all its joys to me? Whom have I on earth but thee? 2 Lord of heaven ! beyond our sight Shines a world of purer light ; There in love's unclouded reign Parted hands shall meet again: Oh, that world is passing fair ! Yet, if thou wert absent there. What were all its joys to me? Whom have I in heaven but thee? Another of Sir Robert Grant's twelve ex- cellent hymns, collected after his decease by his brother. Only two stanzas, out of the large number of which the original poem consists, have been chosen for singing. The theme is furnished by the verse of Psalm 73, which appears as the refrain closing each quatrain of lines : " Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." 285 Bounteous Care. P. M. Now thank we all our God, With heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, In whom the world rejoices ; Who from our mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love. And still is ours to-day. 2 Oh, mav this bounteous God Through all our life be near us. With everjovful hearts And blessed peace to cheer us ; To keep us in his grace, And guide us wlien perplexed. And free us from all ills In this world and the next. This short hymn is aptly called the Te Deuni of Germany. It has in it more history than any other, unless, perhaps, we except the great Ein Feste Burg. It dates far back to the times of the Thirty Years' War. It was written — " Nitn danket alle Gott " — by 9 I30 cod:— THE FATHER. Martin Kinkart, somewhere between 1644 and 1648. Miss Catharine Wink worth, who Kave to our Knj^lish tonvjue this translation. tixes the earlier year in her Christian Sini^ers of Cur many. Kev. Martin Kinkart was \mx\\ at i:ilenbur>j. April 23. 1 586. and died there, December 8. 1649. Me was pastor (later, archdeacon I almost all his life in his native town. The chord of his straij^fht career sub- tended the arc of that tempestuous period in which the demons of battle seemed m the air over all the continent of Kurojie. in siejje and pestilence and famine this brave soldier of Ciod and of his nati\e land came repeated- ly to the front. Men called him familiarly "The Saviour of his Country." He lives in the hymn he made the year before the war ended. The sentiment is based upon the bot)k of Ecclesiasticus. written by Jesus, the Son of Sirach, and now included in the Apoc- rypha. The verses (chapter 1 : 22-24) wrought into the texture of the poem were chosen for his text by the chaplain who preached the sermon upon that historic New Year's Day. 1647, when a jfreat thanksv^ivincf senice was held celebrating the establish- ment of peace. 286 Etftnily. y. M. O THof essential WortJ, Who wMst from everlasting With God, for thou wast Cod ; On thee our burden casting, O Saviour of our race, Welcome indeed thou art. Redeemer, Fount of Grace. To this my longinR heart. 2 Come, self-existent Word, And speak thou in niv spirit ; The soul where thou art heard Doth endless peace inherit. Thou I.iKht that lightenest all, Abide through faith in me. Nor let me from thee fall. Nor seek a guide but thee. Miss Catharine Winkworth's translation, which is here given, is found in lyra Inr- ntanica, 1855, the first series. The (ierman original, " Dti 'Wfsrnf/ichfs If 'or/," was pub- lished by its author, Laurentius I.aurenti. in a volume of one hiuidred and fr>rtv-eight poems, which he called /CTani^t/Aa Mtloa'ia, 1700. It was composed for a Christmas Day cele- bration, and is founded upon John i : 1-14. The author was a precentor, and was cm- Kloyed in the cathedral at Bremen. He was orn at Husum. in Holstein, June 8, 1660. and clirrj at Hrrmen, May 29, 1722. 287 lUnfficence. To tl»<- ( ) Cod. we raise Our volte in i horni singing ; We come with pravrr and praise. Our hearts' oblations bringinK ; Thou art our fathers' God, And ever shalt be ours ; Our lips and lives shall laud 1 hy name, with all our |>owcrs. 3 Thy goodness, like the dew On Hermon's hill descending. Is every morning new, AikI tells of love unending. We Mess thy tender care That led our wayward feet. Past every fatal snare. To streams and pastures sweet. i We bless thy Son, who boie The cross, for sinners d\ ing ; Tliv Spirit we adore. The precious blood applying. I^et work and worship send Their incensr unto thee : Till song and service blend. Beside the co'stal sea. ^X P. M. t)K. AKIIfl K 7 AI'PAN rilKSON. Rev. Arthur Tappan Pierson, I). I),, the author of this hymn, published in Hvmns and Som^s of Prais(\ 1874. was born in the city of New ^'ork, March 6, 1837. Me was reg- ularly graduated in the class of 1857 .tt Ham- ilton College, Me came into professional life as the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hinghamton, N. Y.. where he began his pul)- lic ministry' in i860. From that charge he was dismissed to take the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church in Walerford, N. Y. In 1869 he removed to Detroit, Michigan, and became the pastor of the Fort Street Presby- terian Church, There occurred the incident which he has himself given to the public with a welcome frankness ; this experience changed his life. " In January. 1876. I found myself pastor, already for seven years, of a large, wealthy church (in Detroit 1. with one of the finest and most elegant church buildings in the whole ATTRIBUTES. 131 land ; with everything to gratify carnal ambi- tion, worldly ease, and desire for human ap- plause. I had been led by a most singular searching of heart to see that I had been more or less making an idol of literary cul- ture, intellectual accomplishment, and world- ly position; and, a few months before, I had solemnly renounced all these things, that I might be a holier and more useful man. I saw that I was not largely blessed as a winner of souls. " For the first time in my life I had no conscious idol in my heart ; but for the first time I had also a blessed consciousness of real communion with God in prayer. I was especially led to ask, with peculiar impor- tunity, that I might in some way be enabled to reach the multitudes of unsaved souls who were around us, but outside of the churches. The clear and positive conviction absolutely possessed me that this prayer had been in- spired of God, and would be answered in a marked way that would show the hand of God. This solemn persuasion was com- municated to my wife, but to her alone ; and we joyfully and trustingly waited for God's full time to come for him to fulfill this desire and prayer." The result of this experience was that the congregation were almost at once brought to acquiesce in their pastor's purpose. They began to open the edifice free for a series of evening services. But in the strange provi- dence of God, the building took fire in the midst of a prayer-meeting and was consumed. Still the same serious purpose in the hearts of the people reigned, and evangelical work went on. That organization remains to this day faithful and energetic as before. But Dr. Pierson resigned the care of it, went to a mission congregation in Philadel- phia, the Bethany Presbyterian Church, where with zeal and success he remained some years. At last he left the office of a fixed pastor al- together, became an evangelist, a missionary lecturer, an author of pamphlets and books, giving himself wholly to Gospel work wher- ever his services could be most useful. He is now (1892) going to London in order to become the minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, so long under the care of Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon. It is singular for an American Presbyterian to be pastor of an English Baptist Church. He has led an unusual life in these late years ; but he is wonderfully blessed in all his varied labors, and he has the entire and affectionate confi- dence of those who most intimately know him. 288 Divine Provideiice. L. M. God of the world ! thy glories shine Through earth and heaven with rays divine ; Thy smile gives beauty to the flower, Thine anger to the tempest power. 2 God of our lives ! the throbbing heart Doth at thy beck its action start ; Throbs on, obedient to thy will, Or ceases at thy fatal chill. 3 God of eternal life ! thy love Doth every stain of sin remove ; The cross, the cross, its hallowed light Shall drive from earth her cheerless night. 4 God of all goodness ! to the skies Our hearts in grateful anthems rise ; And to thy service shall he given The rest of life, the whole of heaven. Rev. Dr. Sewall Sylvester Cutting was born January 19, 181 3, at Windsor, Vt. While he was still very young his parents removed across Lake Champlain to Westport, N. Y. The lad became a professing Christian in 1827, and united with the Baptist church in that town. Very soon after this he began the study of the law, but turned aside from his purpose under the conviction that it was his duty to preach the Gospel as a chosen vocation. He therefore entered Waterville College for the higher course of education, and after a year changed his class for one in the University of Vermont, where he was graduated in 1835. His public ministry com- menced as the pastor of the Baptist church at West Boylston, Mass., March 31, 1836. Subsequent to this he spent eight of his best years at Southbridge, and then left pastoral work for the editorial chair. He was on the staff of The Recorder, the Watchman and Reflector, and the Christian Review ; after this he aided in establishing The Examiner. In 1855 he was appointed to the chair of Rhetoric and History in the University of Rochester, and he remained in charge of these duties until 1868. The Baptist Church now made demands upon this distinguished man for denominational services. He became the Secretary of the Educational Commission, and in 1876 the Secretary of the Baptist Home Mission Society; this latter office he held for three industrious seasons, and then went abroad for special study. At the table, January 16, 1882, he was struck with paraly- sis, and died February 7, after a long, useful, and honored life as a servant of God. These particulars are given in his biography. We have no special account of the occasion of his writing this hymn, but its subject com- mends it to our notice. God is in nature, in science, in providence, and in grace. It has been said that the operations of the spider suggested the arts of spinning and 132 cod:— THK KAIHK.k. weaving to man. That may be doubtful, but it is quite certam that to a hint from an insert was due the invention of a marhine instru- mental in accomplishinyj one of the most stu- pendous works of modern times — the excava- tion of the Thames tunnel. Mark Isambard Hrunel. the j^reat enj^ineer, was standinif one day, about three-cjuarters ui a century a>jo, in .i shipyard, watchinij the movements of an animal known as the Teredo .Wt-iuiits — in Kniijlish. the naval wo(k1 - w«)rm — when a brilliant thou.vjht suddenly occurred to him. He siiw that this creature bored its way into the piece «)f wo(xl upon which it was o|)erat- inj; by means of a very extraordinary me- chanical apparatus. Lookinj^ at the animal attentively through a microscope, he found that it was covered in front with a pair of valvular shells ; that, with its foot as a pur- chase, it communicated a rotary motion and a forward impul.se to the valves, which, act- ing upon the wood like a j(imlet, i)enetrated its substance ; and that, as the particles of wood were loosened, they passed throuj^h a fissure in the foot, and thence ihrouvjh the body of the borer to its mouth, where they were expelled. " Here," said Hrunel to him- self, " is the .sort of thing I want. Can I pro- duce it in an artificial form ?" He forthwith set to work, and the final result of his labors, after many failures, was the famous boring shield with which the Thames tunnel was excavated. This story was told by Mrunel himself, and there is no reason to doubt its truth. The keen observer can draw useful lessons from the humblest of the works of Cod. 289 Thf Trinity. I- M- O Hoi.v, holv, luilv Lord I Bright in thy iliols ,nnrimev.il patriarchs, cre- ateil bv the first .Manu, to determine the point. He undertook to put all three gods to a se- vere test, and went first to Brahma, on ap- proaching whom he purposely omitted an obeisance. I'pon this the gods anger blazed terribly forth ; but, restraining it, he was at length pacified. Next he repaired to the abode of Siva, in Kailas, and omitted to re- turn the god's salutation. The vindictive deity w.is enraged, his eyes flashed tire, and he raised his trident to destroy the .sage ; but the god's wife. Barv.iti. fell .it his feet and by her intercession ai^peased him. Lastly, he rejiaired to X'aikuntha, the heaven of X'ishnu, whom he found .isleeji. with his he.id on his ATTRIBUTES. 133 consort Lakshmi's lap. To make a trial of his forbearance, he boldly gave the god a kick on his breast, which awoke him. In- stead of showing anger, however, Vishnu arose, and, on seeing Bhrigu, asked his par- don for not having greeted him on his first arrival. Ne.xt he expressed himself highly honored by the sage's blow (which he de- clared had imprinted an indelible mark of good fortune on his breast), and then inquired tenderly whether his foot was hurt, and pro- ceeded to rub it gently. " This," said Bhrigu, " is the mightiest god. He overpowers by the most potent of all the weapons — gentle- ness and generosity." 29 I God our Light. L. M. All holy, ever-living One ! With uncreated splendor bright ! Darkness may blot from heaven the sun, Thou art my everlasting light. 2 Let every star withhold its ray ; Clouds hide the earth and sky from sight ; Fearless I still pursue my way Toward thee, my everlasting light. 3 Thou art the only source of day ; Forgetting thee alone is night ; All things for which we hope and pray Flow from thine everlasting light. 4 Still nearer thee my soul would rise ; Thus she attains her highest flight, And, as the eagle sunward flies, Seeks thee, her everlasting light. The Rev. Thomas Hill, D. D.. LL. D., the author of several hundred hymns — many ori- ginal, others translated — was of English pa- rentage, but born at New Brunswick, N. J., January 7, 1818. He was placed in an apoth- ecary's shop, but left it at the age of twenty to begin the study of Greek and Latin. In 1843 he graduated at Harvard College, and at the Cambridge Divinity School in 1845. He was for fourteen years the pastor of the Uni- tarian Church in Waltham, Mass., which he left to become President of Antioch College, Ohio, in 1859. The success of Dr. Hill in this position was so great, and his learning and talents so eminently adapted to such work, that at the close of the Civil War he was chosen President of Harvard College. He retained this office for six years. In 1873 he became pastor of the " First Parish in Portland, Maine," and died in 1891. Dr. Hill was not only a theologian, but a scientific man as well. He first suggested the idea of reporting in the daily papers the weather predictions taken from the telegraphic accounts. He is also said to have invented an instrument for the mechanical calculation of eclipses and occultations for any latitude and longitude. 292 The Trinity. L. M. Blest Trinity ! from mortal sight Vailed in thine own eternal light ! We thee confess, in thee believe ; To thee with loving hearts we cleave. 2 O Father ! thou most holy One I O God of God ! Eternal Son ! O Holy Ghost ! thou Love Divine ! To join them both is ever thine. 3 The Father is in God the Son, And with the Father he is one ; In both the Spirit doth abide, And with them both is glorified. 4 Eternal Father ! thee we praise ; To thee, O Son ! our hymns we raise ; O Holy Ghost ! we thee adore ! One mighty God for evermore. This is another of Rev. Sir Henry Wil- liams Baker's translations found in Hymns. Ancient and Modern, 1861. It is an easy and felicitous rendering of the "O luce qucs tua lates," so well known in the Paris Bre- viary. It affords a singularly interesting example of the way in which natural science sometimes unconsciously parallels the deep- est mysteries of spiritual revelation, and after- ward appears almost to explain them. Just now my eye has been caught by a quotation from Gregory Nazianzen, which is floating around in the religious newspapers : " When I endeavor to contemplate the One Eternal Glory, it resolves into Three ; when I would gaze upon the Three, they blend into One." These words have arrested my mind the more, I presume, because of a most inter- esting experiment which it was my fortune lately to witness, and I cannot quite forget the amusing bewilderment into which my mind was thrown. We were all told, years ago, that if the three primary colors in the spectrum were mingled into one in proper proportion they would form a perfect white ; and it is likely we believed it. But a some- what per\^erse mood seized my imagination, and I found myself insisting that even yellow was darker than white, and red (and of course blue) would only darken yellow down ; what would be the result I could not say, but it did appear most unphilosophical to state that three paints of three hues or three liquids, blue and red and yellow, would make plain white. The optician put before us a broad disk of thin metal on which he had painted segments of color in due measure, the proportion of surface running from circumference to center, and ending at the axis in a point. This he placed in a holder geared with wheels and began to whirl rapidly around ; to my simple amazement the three colors disappeared, and the metal shone like a silver shield ; it was a most brilliant white. I went up close along- '34 i;<»i»:— rm km ukr. side to watch the process of chanvjc ; at my sujijjijt^stion he patiently turned the crank with more or less briskness while 1 kejit my eyes fixed eagerly on the disk. The whiteness came and went, the colors appeared and dis- ap|>eared, till my mind was bewilderetl ; now it was three, now they were one. And while I continually saw the chanj^jes arrive and van- i.sh. the lecturer quietly went on to say that the red ijives off all the heat in the ordinary ray of the sun. the yelU)W spreads all the illumination, and the blue effects in livinvj or- j^anisms the chemical changes needed for pros|)erous e.xistence. He mentioned that we read by the yellow ray, but we should shiver without the red. and all of us would wither without the blue. The colors were necessan', one by one, and the beautiful sun- light was necessary as a whole. And all the time he was talking, there 1 sat looking at that mysterious wheel of metal ; and I soberly declare that if I had had the quotation of old .St. (iregor)- by me, I would in that most scientific presence have asked leave to say : " When I endea\or to contem- plate the one glor)- of this sunbeam of white- ness from the disk, it resolves into three ; when I would gaze upon the three, they blend into one." 293 Psalm 93. L. M. Jkhov AH rciKiis : his throne is high : His rohes are liKJit and majesty ; His ({lory shines witli beams so bright, No mortal can sustain the sin'it. 2 His terrors keep the worlil in awe ; His iustJCe guards l)is holy law ; Yet love reveals a smiling face. And truth and promise seal the grace. 3 And will this glorious I-ord descend To be mv Father and my Friend ? Then let my songs with angels' join ; Heaven is secure, if r,o/ CiotL Since then I have certainly not abandoned science, but I have assigned to it another place in my life." 294 Holinfss. Ps -s 1). Lord, thy glory fills the heaven ; Earth is with its fullness stored : I'nto thee be glor^ given. Holy, hol\, holy l.or.ll Heaven is still with anthems ringing ; Earth lakes up the angels' cry. Holy, holv. holy, singing, Lord of hosts, thou l,orii most high. 3 Ever thus in God's high praises. Brethren, let our tongues unite. While our thoughts his greatness raises, And our love liis gilts excite : With his seraph tram before him. With his holy church Ih-Iow, Thus unite we to adore him, Bid we thus our anthem flow. 3 Lord, thy plory fills the heaven ; Earth is with its fullness stored ; Unto thee be glorv- given. Holy, holy, holy I,ord ! Thus thv glorious name confessing, We adopt the angels' cr>-, Holv, holy, holy, blessing Tfiee, the I,ord our God most high ! This is No. 100 of IJishop Richard Mant's Ancif-nl }{yinns, page 216, 1837. It com- mences there. " Hright the vision that de- lighted," and is entitled, " Hymn commem- orative of the Thrice-Holy." In illustration of the sentiment here, it is worth while to ad- duce the following, related by a correspond- ent of one of the religious newspapers, and offering evidence from a new directi«)n. " Some thirty years ago I had a son at Har- vard, who attended I'rof. Agassiz's lectures and took pretty full notes. On reading these notes I was impressed with the reverential allusions of the great naturalist to the Creator. 1 have Ix-fore me a slip which I think I copied from one of the pages of my son's note- book, where, in treating of the different or- ders of animal life, the professor is repre- sented to have siiid : ' Have we not here the manifestations of a mind as powerful as pro- lific .•* the .icts of an intelligence as sublime as provident? the marks of goiwlness as infi- nite as wise ? the most palpable demonstra- tion of the existence of ;« |>ersonal (ie revealing. Bade the blood-stained cross appear. 3 Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling Vainly would my lips express : Low before thy footstool kneeling, Deign thy suppliant's prayer to bless ; Let thy grace, my soul's chief treasure. Love's pure flame within me raise ; And, since vv'ords can never measure. Let my life show forth thy praise. The author of this hymn, Francis Scott Key, was born in Frederick County, Mary- land, August I, 1779, and educated at St. John's College, Annapolis. He became a lawyer in the city of Washington, and was for many years before his death United States District Attorney. Although he has written many poems he is most widely known as the author of the " Star Spangled Banner," which he composed in 18 14. He was a devout and earnest man, and som.e of his hymns are in use in churches of many different denomina- tions, the one here given being among the most popular. He died in Washington, Jan- uary II, 1 843. This hymn was first pub- lished in Dr. Muhlenberg's Church Poetry, 296 God's Welcome. 8s, 7s, D. There's a wideness in God's mercy Like the wideness of the sea ; There 's a kindness in his justice Which is more than liberty. There is welcome for the sinner. And more graces for the good ; There is mercy with the Saviour; There is healing in his blood. 2 There is no place where earth's sorrows Are more felt than up in heaven ; There is no place where earth's failings Have such kindly judgment given. There is plentiful redemption In the blood that has been shed ; There is joy lor all the members In the sorrows of tlie Head. 3 For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man's mind ; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind. If our love were but more simple. We should take liim at his word ; And our lives would be all sunshine In the sweetness of our Lord. The poem of Rev. Frederick William Fa- ber, D. D. (an English priest of the Roman F. \V. FABER, D. D. Catholic Church), from which this hymn is taken, consists of thirteen stanzas, and is en- titled " Come to Jesus." Indeed, Rev. New- man Hall's tract with the familiar heading would make fitting comment on this marvel- ous song characterized by so much spiritual intelligence and evangelical faith. The force of the poetry turns upon the idea of the Cre- ator of the universe which it suggests. How do men obtain the notion of God by which their whole system of theology is moulded ? " An Ethiop's god hatli Ethiop's lips, black cheek, and woolly hair ; But the Grecian god hath a Grecian face, as keen- eyed and as fair." We must remember that the Bible teaches us to reverse the usual process by which un- regenerate men seek to reach the idea of the Supreme Being. The so-called philosophers and " advanced thinkers " of this world are wont to construct their own deities. They project the attributes of their common nature into infinity, and then group them together, calling them Jove or Jehovah as it pleases themselves. That is to say, they conceive power, which in a measure human beings possess, to become unlimited ; that makes omnipotence. Then they conceive wisdom, which sages exhibit, to advance into omni- science. So they gather the qualities of the supremely best human nature, augment them and refine them and exalt them until they may suddenly be hurried into personality — and the personage is God. Unfortunately, 136 <;<)n : — thk kaiukk. the result of this process is unequal to the need of one's soul, because it is the simple creation of one's soul ; the fountain »annt»t rise higher than the sprinj^. A conception thus originated partakes of the entire man ♦hat starts it. and so universally the produc- nn will vary as the men do. 297 " Hftfim u Lovf." C. M. NU (ioil, liow woiulerful tliou art, riiv nmii-slv how briKlit ! Iltiw kIdmous is thy nu-nv-scat. In licpths of buriiitig light ! 2 How ilrcad arc thine eternal years, () everlasting l,<)rest, tenderest liars, Antl worship thee with trembling hope And penitential tears ! 4 Yet I mav love thee too, O Lord, Almighty as thou art. For thou hast stoe the prayers, and heroic soldiers will figure as demi-gods. Not unlikely human victims will smoke upon the altars, and bl«M)dy trophies will be hung upon the walls of the temples. Men alw.iys be- come like that which they willingly worship. This one idea of (iml controls the entire race, giving shape to every- form of development. •• Think of lUiddha," say the Chinese priests. " and you will grow to resemble Bud- dha." So they picture heaven as consisting of a series of tremendous |K-riods of time, di- vided according to the portions of Buddha's person. So many years are to be passed in thinking of Buddha's feet ; so many years in thinking of Buddha's knees ; so many years in thinking of Buddha's waist, and of his shoulders, and of his chin, and so on. Their idea of Ciod fashions the whole religion they cherish and the devotional life they live. 298 Psalm 90. C. M. D. OfR (',»«^ Shfpkftd.—Psa. aj. .Mv SInpherd will supi'ly my need, lrh<>\ah is his name : III paMiiics (renh he makes me feed Beside the living stream. C. M. D. ATTRIBUTES. 137 He brings my wandering spirit back, When I forsake liis ways ; And leads me, tor his mercy's sake, In paths of truth and grace. 2 When I walk through the shades of death, Thy presence is my stay ; A worci of thy supporting breath Drives all my fears away. Thy hand, in sight of all my foes, Doth still my table spread ; My cup with blessings overflows. Thine oil anoints my head. 3 Tlie sure provisions of my God Attend me all my days ; Oh, may thy house be mine abode. And all my works be praise : There would I find a settled rest. While others go and come — No more a stranger, or a guest. But like a child at home. This will be recognized as Dr. Isaac Watts' version of Psalm 23, C. M. It is preserved without change, and indeed it seems almost perfect as a translation and a lyric poem. It must have been a favorite meditation in his own experience. His biographer says that he beheld his approaching dissolution _\\jj:h a mind perfectly composed, without^ tTfe least dismay or shadow of doubt as t'o his future eternal happiness. He said to a friend that he remembered an aged minister once saying that the most learned and knowing Chris- tians, when they come to die, have only the same plain promises of the Gospel for their support as the common and unlearned of the people of God ; " and so," said he, " I find it. Thev are the plain promises of the Gospel which are my support, and I bless God that thev are plain promises which do not require labor or pains to understand them ; for I can do nothing now but look into my Bible for some promise to support me, and live upon that." At another time he said, " I should be glad to read more, yet not in order to be more confirmed in the truth of the Christian religion, or in the truth of its promises, for I believe them enough to venture an eternity upon them." Such an unfaltering trust makes us quote the lines afresh : " When I walk through the shades of death. Thy presence is my stay ; A word of thy supporting breath Drives all my fears away." 300 Our Father.— Psa. 31. C. M. D. Mv God, my Father !— blissful name! Oh, may I call thee mine? May I, with sweet assurance, claim A portion so divine ? This only c;in my fears control. And bid my sorrows fly ! What harm can ever reach my soul Beneath my Father's eye ? 2 Whate'er thy providence denies, 1 calmly would resign ; For thou art just, and good, and wise ; Oh, bend my will to thine. Whate'er thy sacred will ordains, Oh, give me strength to bear ; And let me know my Father reigns, And trust his tender care. 3 If pain and sickness rend this frame. And life almost depart. Is not thy mercy still the same To cheer my drooping heart ? My God, my Father ! be thy name My solace and my stay ; Oh, wilt thou seal my humble claim. And drive my fears away? This hymn, like the rest of Miss Anne Steele's compositions, comes from Poems by T/ieodosui, published in 1760. It has eight stanzas, and is entitled " Humble Reliance." It is wonderful to reflect upon the relations in which the Almighty and Everlasting God represents himself as coming near to a hu- man soul. " Thou art near, O Lord." The highest and the closest companionship is found in his Fatherhood. 301 Eternal Loi'e. H. M. Oh, for a shout of joy Worthy the theme we sing ; To this divine employ Our hearts and voices bring ; Sound, sound through all the earth abroad The love, the eternal love of God. 2 Unnumbered myriads stand, Of seraphs bright and fair, Or bow at thy right hand. And pay their liomage there; But strive in vain with loudest chord To sound thy wondrous love, O Lord. 3 Yet sinners saved by grace. In songs of lower key. In every age and place. Have sung the mystery — Have told in strains of sv>eet accord. Thy love, thy sovereign love, O Lord. 4 Though earth and hell assail. And doubts and fears arise. The weakest shall prevail, And grasp the heavenly prize. And through an endless age record Thy love, thy changeless love, O Lord. Two very spirited songs for public worship were included in the American collection called the Baptist Church Psahnist, both bearing the name of " J. Young." Of these this is the best. But of the author no partic- ulars can be now ascertained, although that well-known Hymnal was published as late as 1843. The hymn celebrates the love of God, eternal, changeless, but wondrous and myste- riously sovereign. It is almost mystic in its spirit, and it is so skillfully constructed that, even while it treats of the most awful of all doctrines, it offers to each devout heart the notion of our Maker in his kindliest aspect as the object of our praise. At the head of one of the chapters of Dan- iel Deronda stands this motto : " The begin- ning of an acquaintance, whether with per- >38 THK KAIHF.K. s<}ns or thinRS, is to ^et a definite outline for our ijjnoranre." It is Ix-tter that we spend our efforts in usinjj what we already under- stand of the Ahiuj^hty IJeinvj who made us, rather than in exhaustinj; ourselves with ru- rious inquiries after his mysteries. The cel- ebrated surj^eon MorjLjaijni onee let fall his scalpel in tl»e midst of a dissection, and ex- claimed. ■' Oh. that I could simply love (iod as well as I know him !" 302 ^o«'"J 7>«/A. H. M. Thf promises I sing Wliicli sovcrcixn love hatti s|>oke; Nor will the Ktcrnal King His wokIs of graci- revoke : They st.-itut set'iiri- and steadfast still ; Not Zion's hill abiiles so sure. 2 The nioiiiitaiiis melt away ' When once the Jmlge apiKiars, And sun and moon dec.iv , That measure mortal years ; But still the same, in railiant lines The promise shines through all the flame. ,1 Their harmony shall sound Through my attentive ears. When thunders cleave the ground And dissipate the spheres ; Midst all the shock of thwt dread scene, I stand serene, thy word my rock. This is No. 316 of Dr. Philip Doddridjje's Hymns. 1755. and is entitled " (iod's Fidelity to his I'romises." It consists of three stanzas only, and annexed to it is the text. Hebrews 10 : 23 : " He is faithful that promised." There is, so scientific people tell us. one point, even in a whirlinjj wheel, which is at rest. One line of atoms at the axis, around which all the others revf)lve, is still. When we conceive of providence, intricate and con- fused as it is. well typed by the prophet as " a wheel in the middle of a wheel." we are always to rememlier that (iod himself is sitting un- moved at the center of the universe, the Fa- ther of lij^hts, from whom cometh down every jjood and every perfect j^ift. and with whom there is no vari.ibleness, neither shadow of turning. And there is relief and <-omfort in this. Shocked and shifted as we are in this life. our minds become impressed with a sense of insecurity. We are aijitated with a thousand disfjuiets. No lot in the world is safe. .Af- fairs fluctuate. Individual experience flits and plays with the phases of the moon. Institu- tions arc not fixed. F.ven the perpetual hills do Ih)w. and the eternal seas do chanvje their bounds. Stability seems but an empty fiction or a dream, \'crsatilities m(K-k our expecta- tion ; vicissitude is the rule of earthly exist- ence. Over all sits (iod calmlv. His throne never moves. His eye never sleeps. His patience never wearies. He wills and waits at his own pleasure. We look up and find him watch- mvj ; we kntiw where to find him always. .\nd the beauty and ijlory and welcome of this th<)u.v;ht is centered in upon the one revela- tion that the (icxl whom we see is the Saviour whom we love: "Jesus Christ, the same yes- terday, and to-day, and for ever.' 303 Smrtfignty. W .\I. To him that chose us first, Before the world began ; To him th.tt horc the curse Tcllious man : To him that formed our hearts anew, Is endless praise and glory due. 2 The Father's love shall run Through our immortal songs; We bring in Cod the Son Hosannas on our tongues ; Our lips address the Spirit's name With etpial praise and zeal the same. 3 Let every s,-iint al>ove. And angel round the throne. For ever bless and love The sacred Three in One ; Thus heaven shall raise his honors high. When earth and time grow old ancf die. Just at the close of his Hymns, constituting a little STTf'^P "^ praises to the Trinity, Dr. Isaac Watts has added several brief poems of great lyric strength and beauty. He refers this one among them to Psalm 148 as its sug- gestion. It celebrates the wonderful sover- eignty of divine love. " In this was manifest- ed the love of (iod toward us. because that (iod sent his onlv-liegotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved (iod. but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." And all our love simply grows out of his : " We love him becau.se he first loved us." Hut why did he first love us } There was nothing in fallen man to attract admira- tion. We love what is lovely ; we believe (iod does the same. Put we are all in ruins. Jonathan loved David because he was so brave and noble as he told about (ioliath. Nor was this love of (iod drawn out towarh"s daughter heard the cr)- of a babe in the bulrushes ; she whispered contemptu- ouslv of it. " It is only one of the Hebrews' children I" Put when the attendant stooped down to pick it up. she saw it was " a goodly child," and something might Ix" made of it if only she would give it a little fairer chance. Put we never had any hojH' of iH-ttcrment by ourselves. Nor even was this divine love drawn out towards us by any affection that we still retained for him. He knows how we naturallv feel towards him. " The carnal ATTRIBUTES. 139 mind is enmity against God." The love we live upon is the sovereign, unconstrained gift of God. " For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the un- godly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die : yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. Bui God com- mendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 304 The Trinity. H. M. We give immortal praise For God the Father's love. For all our comforts here, And better hopes above : He sent his own eternal Son To die for sins that we had done. 2 To God the Son belongs Immortal glory too, Who bought us with his blood From everlasting woe : And now he lives, and now he reigns. And sees tlie fruit of all his pains. 3 To God the Spirit's name Immortal worship give, Whose new-creating power Makes the dead sinner live : His work completes the great design, And fills the soul with joy divine. 4 Almighty God ! to thee Be endless honors done. The undivided Three, The great and glorious One: Where reason fails, with all her powers. There faith prevails and love adores. This is another of that small, but very sig- nificant, group of doxologies under the gen- eral head of "A Song of Praise to the Blessed Trinity," with which Dr. Isaac Watts closes Book III. of his Hymns, 1707. The inscrip- tion, with which he introduces this particular division of the Book, ought for ever to settle the question of his religious faith. He says : " I cannot persuade myself to put a full period to these Divine Hymns till I have ad- dressed a special song of glory to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Though the Latin name of it, Gloria Patri, be retained in our nation from the Roman Church ; and though there may be some excesses of super- stitious honor paid to the words of it, which may have wrought some unhappy prejudices in weaker Christians, yet I believe it still to be one of the noblest parts of Christian wor- ship. The subject of it is the doctrine of the Trinity, which is that peculiar glory of the divine nature that our Lord Jesus Christ has so clearly revealed unto men, and is so necessary to true Christianity. The action is praise, which is one of the most complete and exalted parts of heavenly worship. I have cast the song into a variety of forms, and have fitted it by a plain version, or a larger paraphrase, to be sung either alone or at the conclusion of another hymn. I have added also a few hosannas, or ascriptions of salvation to Christ, in the same manner, and for the same end." 305 Psalm 93. H. M. The Lord Jehovah reigns ; His throne is built on high ; The garments he assumes Are light and majesty ; His glories shine with beams so bright No mortal eye can bear the sight. 2 The thunders of his hand Keep the wide world in awe ; His wrath and justice stand To guard his holy law ; And where his love resolves to bless. His truth confirms and seals the grace. 3 And can this mighty King Of glory condescend. And will he write his name, My Father and my Friend ? I love his name, I love his word : Join, all my powers, and praise the Lord ! Some few changes have been made in the phraseology of this very familiar song of praise. It can be found entire as No. 169 of Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns, Book II. It is not claimed as a version, but it is evidently sug- gested by Psalm 148. Four stanzas are given, and the title is affixed, " The Divine Perfec- tions." It marks with a most skillful progress of poetic transition the passing of Christian thought over from God's almost insufferable glory and grandeur and majesty to his grace and love and fatherhood, as if one were en- tering and emerging from a thunder-cloud and suddenly saw the iris overhead in the sky. The ancient Hebrews had one doxology which it was prescribed for every one to use whose heart devoutly desired to praise the Almighty on the departure of a storm. Each worshiper must sing on the instant the rain- bow appeared along the surface of the re- treating cloud : " Blessed be thou, Jehovah our God, King of eternity, ever mindful of thy covenant, faithful in thy promise, firm in thy word." How much more fitting is such an ascription when we see the rainbow in these gospel days ! We need never more be alarmed when we think of the omnipotent Dei- ty of earth and heaven ; all the power we dread is engaged on our side, and remains pledged for our safety and salvation. It becomes the sign of a covenant indeed ; a gauge of unal- terable affection. 306 The Living God. H. M. The Lord Jehovah lives. And blessed be my Rock ! Though earth her bosom heaves And mountains feel the shock, Though oceans rage and torrents roar, He is the same for evermore. I40 con :— IHF. KATHER. 1 The l.oril Jclinvah lives, The ■ : s FriftnJ ; How t! VCH Thf : 'itcnil ! He wii'< s ttu )>< iiiU'iitiat tear. Bids failli ami hope the spirit cheer. J! The Lord Ji-hovah hves To hear .iiul answer prayer ; Whoe'er in him bt'lieves And trusts his ^nardian care, A Kathtr's tender love sliall know. Whence hving streams ul comfort flow. This hymn, written by Dr. Thomas Hast- ings, and sujJKcsted by a passage in Psalm 1 8, was originally composed of four stanzas of six lines each, and entitled " The Liv- ing Ciod." It appeared in the Additional Hvmns of the Reformed Dutch collection in 1846. \\'hile we are writing, up in the high re- gions over this vast city of living men and women, verv close to the torrents and flashes and roars of' a storm in the spaces still higher overhead, the thought forces itself upon sense and imagination alike that all this tremendous power, the display of which tills the soul with awe and hushes earthly emotion into a sub- dued reverence, is on our side and pledged to a believer's positive protection. For it is our Father who is doing this in the air at noon- day I " Canst thf)U send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee. Here we are .'" It is said that the German peasants, with a fine, sweet sense of (iod's grand care mingled with infinite majesty, speak of das lithe ('n"ii.'itttr — " the dear thunder." They must have some secret of the Lord which is deep and abiding in their hearts. There is a word that aston- ishes the man who tries to appreciate it in the midst of a cold rush of a winter tempest for the first time ; it is the Almighty himself, talking out of a whirlwind, who asks the question in the Hook of Job: "Hast thr)u entered into the treasures of the snow.-* or ha.st thou seen the treasures of the hail ?" Think of that ! " the treasures — the treas- ures " — twice in the same sentence I And then the sjime voice adds. " which I have re- served against the time of trouble I" Let us remember that Sweden's greatest king, (ius- tavus .■\dr)lphus. when he was warned not to risk his life in battle, answered with a calm- ness which silenced all objection, " (jod, the Almighty, liveth I" 307 Thiff in OHf. C.HKAT Creator ! who this day From thv perfect work diilst rest, Bv the onils set free, Rise from sin, and live to thee. 3 Blessi-d Spirit ! Comforter ! Sent this dav from Christ on high, Lord, on me tny gifts confer. Cleanse, illumine, sanctif\ ; All thine influence shed abroad ; Lead nu- to the truth uf ('>od. Mrs. Julia .Ann Elliott was the daughter of John Marshall, a gentleman residing at Hall- steads, I'lleswater, in Kngland. The date of her birth does not apjiear in the various no- tices of her life. lUit the somewhat romantic incident is recorded that al)out the year 1827 she was invited by her father to accompany him on a visit to Hrighton. While there she attended upon the mini.stn,- of Rev. Henry \'enn Flliott, the brother of .Miss Charlotte Elliott, whose admirable hymns were becom- ing known. An acquaintance sprang up which ripened into a sincere affection, and. October 31, 1833, Miss Marshall became the wife of the preacher she had heard. For the parish life she entered she was eminently fitted ; she was devout, imaginative, affection- ate-hearted, gentle, and charming. In 1835 her husband issued Psalms and Hymns for Public , Pri-i^ate. and Social Worship. To this his wife contributed a few pieces without giving her name. Hut when the third edition of the book was reached, and as its success was assured, her initials were added to each hymn. Thus she became associated closely with her husband's sister, and sang, quite fitly, with the singer who gave the church, " Just as I am, without one plea." Mrs. El- liott died, deeply lament<(I. Xovemlier 3, 1841. 308 "One in Thtrer Comb, thou Almighty King, Help us thy name to sing. Help us to praise ; Father ! all-glorious, O'er all victorious. Come, and reign over us. Ancient of Days! 2 Come, thou incarnate Word, Gird on thy mightv sword ; Our pra\er attend ; Come, anil th> people hiess. Anil give thy word success ; Spirit of holiness ! On us descend. \ Come, holy Comforter I Thy sacred witness t>cur, In this gl.id hour : Thou, who almightv art, Now rule in everv heart. And ne'er from iis depart. Spirit of power ! 6s, 4S. ATTRIBUTES. 141 4 To the great One in Three The highest praises be, Hence evermore ! His sovereign majesty May we in glory see, And to eternity Love and adore. It seems odd that the question is never to be laid concerning so famous and so excellent a hymn as this. It was found printed on a little leaflet somewhere in 1757, and there are alongside of it two others which are surely the composition of Charles Wesley ; hence by most compilers it is ascribed to that author. He never claimed it, however, nor has any one else ever claimed it for himself or for any- body else. It is one of the brightest hymns in our language ; for over a hundred years it has stood credited to Charles Wesley. It was published in an old collection by Rev. Martin Madan in 1763, and he seems once to have told Walter Shirley he might use it. But nobody can say how Madan had author- ity over it if Wesley composed it, nor why Wesley did not issue it and own it after he had written it, if he did write it. It was not in John Wesley's collection in 1779. But if nobody ever comes up from histor)^ to stand as sponsor for this waif, and the world has got into the habit of giving the glory of it to Charles Wesley, it is only putting another crown on the Epworth forehead, and we are satisfied. 309 "The blessed Trinity." 75. 61. HoLV, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts, eternal King, By the heavens and earth adored ; Angels and archangels sing, Chanting everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 2 Thousands, tens of thousands, stand, Spirits blest, before the throne, Speeding thence at tliy command. And, when thy commands are done. Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 3 Cherubim and seraphim Vail their faces with their wings ; Eyes of angels are too dim f To l)ehold the King of kings, While they sing eternally To the blessed Trinity. 4 Thee apostles, prophets thee. Thee the noble martyr band, Praise with solemn jubilee, Thee, the church in every land ; Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 5 Hallelujah ! Lord, to thee. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Godhead one, and Persons three ; Join us with the heavenly host, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. Evidently, although reckoned fitly enough among the original compositions of Bishop Christopher Wordsworth, this hymn is a close following of the ancient Te Deion, and it might be considered a version, or at least a paraphrase, of that great anthem of Ambrose. It was first published in The Holy Year : or, HyniJis for Sundays and Holy -days, and Other Occasions : 1862. There it is entitled " Holy Trinity," and has eight stanzas. 3 10 Nahire's Kifig. 7s. 61. Oh, give thanks to him who made IViorning light and evening shade ; Source and giver of all good. Nightly sleep and daily food ; Quickener of our wearied powers ; Guard of our unconscious hours. 2 Oh, give thanks to nature's King, Who made every breathing thing : His, our warm and sentient frame, His, the mind's immortal flame. Oh, how- close the lies that bind Spirits to the Eternal Mind ! 3 Oh, give thanks with heart and lip. For we are his workmanship : And all creatures are his care : Not a bird that cleaves the air Falls unnoticed ; but who can Speak the Father's love to man ? 4 Oh, give thanks to him who came In a mortal, suffering frame — Temple of the Deity — Came, for rebel man to die ; In the path himself hath trod Leading back his saints to God. From The Congregational Hymn Book, 1836, this ascription of devout acknowledg- ment has been chosen as worthy of every collection made for the use of the singing children of God. It bears the name of Josiah Conder who compiled and edited that book. The popularity of this author may be inferred from the fact that his contributions to the real service of the sanctuary, accepted on both sides of the sea, rank next in number and value to those of Watts and Wesley and Doddridge. The one now before us is feli- citously entitled, " Thanksgiving for Daily Mercies." 311 The Babe 0/ Bethlehem. As with gladness men of oid Did the guiding star behold. As with joy they hailed its light. Leading onward, beaming bright : So, most gracious Lord, may we Evermore be led to thee. 2 As with joyful steps they sped, Saviour, to thy manger bed, There to bend the knee before Thee whom heaven and earth adore : So may we with willing feet Ever seek the mercy-seat. 3 As they oflfered gifts most rare At thy cradle rude and bare, So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from siii's alloy. 7S. 61. «43 I hi; lord jksus chrisi All our rofttlicftt Ircasurrs briii((, CjiriM, to thcc our heavenly King. 4 Holy Jesus, every day Kerl> u-« III llu- ii.it r>>w «.i\ . And. whrn KriiiK OUT ' Whore 111. Wbcie no i lowU ihy i;l"r> lu.lt. .Mr. William Chattcrton I)i.\, tht- author of this fxccllcnt hymn, is the son of John Di.x, a surt»;t'on in Hrislol, Knyjland ; he was born June 14, 1837. His poems appear in the l.yra Eiu hart Stic a, 1 864; l.yra Missianha, 1864; and the ///ustrafiul /uh>k of Ptu-ius, 1867. He also wrote for .sV. Rafiliat-l's Hyinti-Hook in 1861. This hymn first appeared in Hymns, Ancient and Modern, and was written in i860. It has attained and certainly merited an unbounded popularity ; for it is found even in the Free L'/iurc/i Hyntn-lioolc, and in all the new hymnals on this side of the ocean. It is placed amon>( the 325 " standard hymns of the hij.jhest merit according to the verdict of the whole An.v^lican Church " in F.nijland, and in the first rank ; it is included al.so in the li.st of " the best one hundred hymns in the Enj^lish lantjuage," chosen out of 3,400 lists sent at its invitation to the Sunday at Home, in London. The writer is not a cler- jifyman, but a layman in the Church of Knvj- land. educated at Bristol Grammar School, and trained for mercantile pursuits. It pro- fesses to be an Kpiphany hymn founded upon the pas.sajje in .Matthew 2:1,2. In these verses is jfiven an account of the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. We have no authentic record of the number and the social position of these Maiji. They must have l>een persons of wealth and rank, travelin)^ with a considerable retinue. That they were (ientiles appears from the whole tenor of the narrative. The Ie)^'ends concern- ing them are numerous and curious. Their three gifts led to the fancy that they were three in numlier, which was supposed to correspond to the three divisions of the earth as then known, and to the Trinity. They were three kings — representatives of the three great families of .Shem. Ham. and Japhet ; and hence one was regarded as an I'.thiopian and painted black. Sometimes they are spoken «if as fifteen, and sometimes as twelve, to correspond with the apostles, and their names given, and the special gifts they pre- sented. Their kingdoms also are mentioned, and their very ,iges. which are made to reji- resent. youth. manhooefore thee bow ; A virein's artrs contain thee now ; Angels, who did ill thee rejoice. Now listen for thine infant voice. 3 A little child, thou art our ku^s'- That weary ones in thee may rest ; Forlorn and lowly is thy birth, That we may rise to heaven from earth. 4 Thou coniesl in the darksome night To make us children of the light ; To make us, in the realms divine, Like thine own angels round thee shine. 3 All this for us thy love hath done: By this to thee our love is won ; I"or this We tune our cheerful lays. And shout our thanks in ceaseless praise. Music was the charm of Martin Luther's life. He played the flute beautifully. He composed excellent tunes, and translated psalms and wrote hymns to suit the meters. " The whole people is singing itself into this Lutheran doctrine ;" so said one of his op- posers, growing afraid of the (iosjH-l he wove into his lyrical strains. He published a col- lection of them in i 524. This one, made for children, is found in the Sahhatli Hymn-Hook, compiled in Andover, Mass., and issued in 1858. It is there given as a translation, but without name attached to it. Mr. S. W. Durtield s.tys that the C.er- man hymn of \A\\.hvT," GeMet seist Du, /esns C/irist," was itself " a free rendering probably from the Latin of Notker Halbulus, of St. (iall. composed in the ninth century: ' iirates nunc omnes rcddamus.' " The particulars of Martin Luther's life and career are found anywhere, and only the most me.'iger recit.il of them is needetl here. He was born in the village of Kisleben in 1483. entered the university at Krfurt in 1501. was graduated with honor, receiving the degree of Doctor of I'hiKisophy. He was received into an .\iiv;ti^iiiii.'m mon.isterv in I'rfurt as a INCARNATION AND BIRTH. 143 MARTIN LUTHER. priest in 1507, and by all the authorities is credited with a sincere and conscientious fidelity to all the regulations of the order. A remark of his is often quoted as bearing his own testimony to the religiousness of his life during this period : " If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I was determined to get there." His attainments in scholarship were so no- ticeable that in the next year he was called to the chair of philosophy in the University of Wittenberg, and in 1 5 1 2 he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Theology. He had some misgivings in the course of these years, yet he believed they would vanish if only he could once visit Rome as the center of the Church. He succeeded at last in making the pilgrimage, and crawled up Pilate's Staircase on his bare knees, as true a devotee as ever the Roman Catholic Church knew. But the corruption and scandal he saw among the ecclesiastics startled him yet more seriously. When he returned home he was shocked by the public sale of indulgences by Tetzel, authorized by Leo X., who was then the pope. Against this venal wickedness his soul rose in opposition. On October 31, 1 517, he posted at midday his ninety-five Theses against the merit of Indulgences on the door of the church in Wittenberg. That act began the great Reformation. From this his progress was direct and rapid. He was excommunicated, but at once burnt the pope's bull. This was in 1520. He kindled the fire which illuminated the world. As the years passed on he advanced to the very front of the movement. He translated the'New Testament in 1522, and so gave the Gospel to the common people of Germany. He issued tracts voluminously. Of course he was pursued, denounced, and condemned. Through a hundred perils he yet lived to a good old age, and died in 1 546 in his own home. His last words, three times repeated, were these : " Father, into thy hands I com- mend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, thou faithful God." 3 I 3 Incarnation. L. M. Before the heavens were spread abroad From everlasting was the Word ; With God he was, the Word was God ! And must divinely be adored. 2 Ere sin was born, or Satan fell, He led the host of morning stars : His generation who can tell, Or count the number of his years? 3 But lo, he leaves those heavenly forms : The Word descends and dwells in clay, That he may converse hold with worms, Dressed in such feeble flesh as thej'. 4 Mortals with joy behold his face. The eternal Father's only Son : How full of truth, how full of grace, When in his eyes the Godhead shone ! 5 Archangels leave their high abode, To learn new mysteries here, and tell The love of our descending God, The glories of Immanuel. In Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns this stands as No. 2 of Book I., with the title, " The Deity and Humanity of Christ." To many it m.ust always seem a dull piece of poetry ; but it helps when one wishes to sing solid doctrine for an exercise ; and it will always be availa- ble as a masterful rejoinder when critics be- gin again to insist, as they used to, that the famous Congregational hymn-maker was at heart a Unitarian. Here he sings like a po- lemic ; and he marshals his proof-texts as he proceeds: John i : 13, 14; Colossians i : 16 ; Ephesians 3:9, 10. 3 i 4 " God with me." L. M. Eternal Father, when to thee, Beyond all worlds, by faith I soar. Before thy boundless majesty I stand in silence and adore. 2 But, Saviour, thou art by my side ; Thy voice I hear, thy face I see ; Thou art my friend, my daily guide; God over all, yet God with me ! 3 And thou, Great Spirit, in my heart Dost make thy temple day by day ; The Holy Ghost of God thou art, Yet dwellest in this house of clay. ■44 THE I.OKI) JJ-:SL'S CHKIsr, 4 Blest Trinitv, in whom alone All tliinKS I rcalcil nu»ve or rest. High in the heavens thou liast liiy throne, Thou hast thy throne within my hreast. ^^^^^>!^ V DR. H. D. CANSK. While thf pt-n was writinj^ the lines of this notice of his hyiiiii, the news came that Kev. Her\ey Doddridjjje (ianse, D. IX, had died suddenly at his home on IJelden Avenue, Chicajjo, 111., from paralysis of the lieart. Only a week before, he had (with much mod- est protestation) sent his photograph for the likeness which accompanies the annotation. He was born in Fishkill, N. V., February 27, 1822. In 1S39 he j^raduated at Columbia College, and at New Brunswick ( Reformed Dutch) Theological Seminary- in 1843. He was first installed as the pastor of the church of Freehold, N. J., whence he was called in 1856 to the Twenty-third Street Reformed Church of New York city, afterward called the Madison Avenue Church. In 1876 he transferred his ecclesiastical connection to the Presbyterian bmly, and became the pastor of the First I'resbyterian Church of St. Louis. I'pon the organization of the I'resbyterian Hoard of Aid for Colleges and Academies in 1883, Dr. (ianse was elected its secretary, and removed to Chicago to enter up<»n the duties of the office, continuing therein until his death. In every position which he tilled Dr. C.anse displayed abilities of the highest order, combined with unusual consecration to duty. The In-autiful Iniilding now erous l)enevolent agencies in the Presbyterii.n Church. Dr. (ianse was the composer of numerous hynms among church collections, and sung by Presbyterians universally. He was a man of positive c«)nvictions, decisive utterance, but always courteous, gentle, and generous. He died September 8. 1891. 315 Tkfv saw Ihf Slat. \.. M. I) 1'h!>' I>estu(l the sky. One star uloiic, of ull the train, C;in lix the sinner's wandering eye. Hark ! hark ! to Cod the chorus breaks From i-vi ry host, from every gem ; But one ;doiie the Saviour s|H.-aks — It is the Star of Bethlehem. a Once on the raKiiig seas I rode, The storm was loud, the night was dark, The ocean vawned. and rudely hlowed The win<{ that tosseif mv loundering bark. Deep horror then ni\ vitals froze ; DeHth-struck, I ceased the tide tu stem ; When sulayccace ; rioop/rnie true, then it would not be surprisini^ if the moment of such vast discover)', such unparalleled and immense acquisitions of knowledj^e, should jjive birth to a .sonj? transcendintj every strain they had ever previously chanted, filling the earth and the heavens alike with melody ; and this would certainly give us a new force, if not a new meaning, to the old verse that to so many re.iders seems such a puzzle : " When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith. Let all the angels of God worship him." 32 I " The Christ of God." IfH has come! the Christ of God 1 ' ti tor us his clad alxxlf ; ^' I'liiK from his throne of blisa I '. tills (l.irksonu- wilderness. He li.-is come I the Prince of Peace; Come to l>id our sorrows ce.ise ; Come to sc.Ttter with his Itcht All the shadows of our nignt. 7S. U. J IT tin- mighty KinK has come ! poor earth his home )ur sin's sad load ' Soil of CfMj 1 !■ '; SI- nameofjjracc ■ to •>iir race ; I . I .iNMle; Soil o| .Mar> , Son of God ! J I'nto us a child is horn ! Ne'er has earth beheld a morn. AniouK all the moruN of time, Half so glorious in iis |irintc. Llnlo us a Son is n'veii ! He has come from (iixl's own heaven, HrinicinK with him from above Holy |>cace and holy love. This is one of the l)est of the lyrical pieces which Dr. Horatius Honar has given to the singers in the churches. The author has en- titled it "A Hethlehem H)'mn." It may be found, in its entirety of six .stanzas, in the first series of Hymns of Failh and Ilofte, 1857. He has al.so anne.xed to it the (]uotation from Augustine : Munduni hnplins, in prusfpio Jmrns. It is wonderfully effective as an in- carnation anthem, recognizing so fully as it does the humanity and divinity of our Lord Jesus. Those who are so apt at saying bright things about the Madonna and her child — and those who are so ff)olish as to talk con- cerning the Church and her Christ — might, if they would, take notice that the Scriptures, when they speak, mention the child first, (^ne can easily imagine that the shepherds, when they entered the presence of " the young child and his mother," were satisfied to know they had something to tell, as well as some- thing to listen to. And our curiosity almost runs riot as we think of the conversation there at the side of the manger. How the quiet Mar)-'s eyes would gli.sten.as she heard about the song of angels on the hill ! Indeed, Jo- seph and Mary might well welcome the.se homely men ; for there was in their plain words of congratulation that which rejoiced their souls far more than tho.se gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh which the Magi brought them afterward. Good words are always more valuable than rich otTerings, which have less heart in them ; they are liKC " apples of gold in pictures of silver." 322 Psalm 98. C. M. Joy to the world ; the Lord is come ! Let earth receive her King ; Let every heart prepare him room. And heaven and nature sing. 2 Joy to the earth ; the Saviour reigns ; Let nun their sours emplov ; While fields and noo-. With the cross of the L.ord before us, With Ins lo\ing eye looking down froni the sky, And his holy arm spread o'er us. I Wh tome in the miKht of the Lord of I. ^ht, With .irnior hriRhl to meet him. And uc i>ut to (light the arniirs of night That tnc sons of the ilay may greet h m.- Cho. a Our sword is the Spirit of Go\ Our watchword— the Incarnation. — Cho. 3 And the choir of aL^e's with song awaits Our march to the golden Zion • For our Captain has broken the brazen gates, Anil burst the bars of iron. — Cho. The tune which carries these words has made the piece more popular than it is useful. It is what is called a " processional," and for that purpt)se it is well desiji;^ned. It was first published in Tht- Church Tinus (P'nvjlish), Aufi^ust 19. 1865. From the Kpiscopai de- nomination it has been transferred, throuifh its employment in the Sunday-schools, to a place in the cone^ei^ations of*^ other names. The tune, called " Incarnation " by some, and " ("ireatheart " by others, was composed by Joseph Harnby. and is spirited, bright, and characteristic ; the hymn is full of rhythm, beating time for itself with ever)' stroke of a heel on a stone aisle. Rev. Cerard Moultrie, the author of the stanzas, was born at Rugby. England, where his father was rector of the parish church. September 16. 1829. His education was re- ceived at Oxford ; he was graduated from Exeter College, 1851. Taking orders in the Church of England, he filled many important positions, ecclesiastical and educational. In 1869 he became \'icar of Sf)uthleigh. where he was appointed the Warden of .St. James' College. 1873. He died April 25. 1885. 326 Thf Clad Tidings. lis, los. Cho.— Shout the glad tidings, exultinglv sing ; Jerusalem triumphs, .Messiah is King. ZiON, the ir, ■ I V l)e telling. The "-on I. how lowly his birth ; The blight' in glory exrellini:. He stoops to i..|. .Ill (her, he reignt upon earth. Cmo.— Shout the glad tidings, etc. Cmo.— Shout the glad tidings, etc. 3 Tell how he comcth ; fmm nation to nation. The hesrt-rhccring news let the earth echo round ; How ftcc to the faithful he offers ulvaiiou ! How his people with jo\ evei luiiting arccrowiicd * Cho.— shout the glad tidings, etc. Cmo.— Shout t' = ' • ' -• 3 Mortals, your honi.. And sweet let the y Ye angels, the full hain i.n < -.m ..n- . One chorus resound througli the earth and the skies. Cho.— Shout the giad tidings, etc. RhV. WILLIAM AUCCSTl'S Ml'HI.FNBKRC, D. D. The Rev. William .Augustus Muhlenberg, I). D., was born in Philadelphia. .Septem- ber 16. 1796: he was grailuated at the I'ni- versitv of Pennsylvania in 1814, and ulti- mately was ordained to the ministr)- in the I'rotestant Episcopal Church in 1820. After a successful career as the rector of St. James' Church in Lancaster, I'a., and then as princi- pal of .St. Paul's College at Flushing. L. L. he became rector of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in .New N'ork city, for which an edifice had been erected by his sister. His most notable public work was the founding of St. Luke's Hospital in 1859. During the five long and serious years of waiting and working needed for the estab- lishment anil endowment of that institutioti. INCARNATION AND CIRTH. 151 it was the zeal of Dr. Muhlenberg which kept the project alive ; and at the opening of the building he took the whole interests in hand. He was ics firct pastor- and superintendent, and he held the offices until his death, April 8, Sometimes this piece is made to begin with the first line of the opening stanza : " Zion, the marvelous story be telling ;" but it prop- erly introduces its sentiment with the chorus, which is repeated with the verses in turn at the commencement and the close. It resem- bles Thomas Moore's lyric, " Sound the loud timbrel o'er Egypt's dark sea," which long ago used to be sung to much the same music. Dr. William A. Muhlenberg permitted it to be appended to the American Episcopal Book of Common Prayer in 1 826. It answers well for a Christmas anthem. 327 " The child Jesus." 8s, 7s, 7s. Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle shed. Where a mother laid her Baby, In a manger for his bed : Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child. 2 He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all, And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall ; With the lowly, poor, and mean, Lived on earth our Saviour then. 3 And, through all his wondrous childhood. He would honor and obey. Love, and watch the lowly maiden In whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as he. 4 Oh, our eyes at last shall see him, Through his own redeeming love, For that child so dear and gentle Is our God in heaven above ; And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone. 5 Not in that poor lowly stable. With the oxen standing by. We shall see him ; but in heaven, Set at God's right hand on high ; When like stars his children crowned All in white shall wait around. Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander is the wife of Rev. Dr. William Alexander, the present Bishop of Derry, Ireland. She was born in 1823; her father was Major Humphries, of Strabane. Her Hymns for Little Chtldreii, published in 1848, endeared her to many hearts ; this hymn is to be found in that vol- ume, where it appears with six verses. It does an excellent work wherever it goes, and is welcome to mature as well as to infantile minds. All of her pieces are characterized by a winning simplicity equaled by no writer since the days of Watts and Jane Taylor. The picture of the nativity of Jesus oiTered in this hymn is one of the highest tenderness and beauty. For once the mother of our Lord comes into notice. The traditions re- 1 specting Mary are numerous. She is said to have been the daughter of Joachim, a pros- perous owner of sheep and cattle, and of An- na, a daughter of the priest Matthan (men- tioned in Matthew i : 15), the grandfather of Joseph and Mary ; born when both her pa- rents were old, and baptized by Peter and John. It is also stated that she lived with John till her death at the age of fifty-nine (in the fifth year of Claudius), at Ephesus, whith- er she had followed her guardian. Her ap- pearance and character are thus described: " She was more given to prayer than any round her, brighter in the knowledge of God's laws, and perfectly humble ; delighted to sing the psalms of David with a melodious voice, and all loved her for her kindness and modes- ty. She was in all things earnest ; spoke little and only what was to the purpose ; was very gentle, and showed respect and honor to all. She was of middle height, though some say she was rather above it. She spoke to all with a prudent frankness, soberly, without confusion, and always pleasantly. She had a fair complexion, blonde hair, and bright hazel eyes. Her eyebrows were arched and dark, her nose well-proportioned, her lips ruddy, and full of kindness when she spoke. Her face was long rather than round, and her hands and fingers were finely shaped. She had no pride, but was simple and wholly free from deceit. Without effeminacy, she was far from forwardness. In her clothes, which she herself made, she was content with the natural colors." The Romish dogma of her immaculate conception is contrary to both reason and Scripture. If immaculate, it must must have been by special miracle. Her re- ply to the angel (Luke i : 34) shows that she was aware of her own natural lineage, and that she expected offspring in no other way than that common to Adam's race. Her words : " My spirit doth rejoice in God my , Saviour," are decisive. Only sinners need a Saviour ; Mary proclaimed herself a sinner. Our Lord on various occasions rebuked her indiscreet zeal. Slowness to believe, and her imperfect conceptions, prove that she was on- ly on a level with his other disciples. A most highly favored child of God, chosen to be the mother of the world's Redeemer, blessed in herself, and the means of blessing to myriads ; yet like other human beings, and subject to the same conditions and laws ; ever to be honored, but never to be adored. The 152 MK LORD JKSUS CHRIST. Church of Rome in worshiping; Mar\- is guilty of rank idolatry-. " 'I'hoii shall wor- ship the Lord thy Cod and him only." 328 " Iflfsted Lord!" 8s, 78, 7s. Shoi't, () earth ! from silence waking. Tunc with toy thy varied ttint;uc ; Shout ! as whcti from chaos breaking Sweetly floweil thy natal s<»iik : Shout ! (or thy Creator's love Sends reouiities drop around ; Rebels cv'n arc richlv gifted, Pardon, peace, an<( joy abound ! Shout, f) earth ! and let thy song Ring the vaulted heavens along. 4 Call him blessed I on thy mountains, In thy wild and citied plains ; Call him blcssfd ! where thy fountains Speak in softly murmuring strains. Let thy captives, let thy kings Join the lyre of thousand strings. 5 Blessed Lord, and Lord of blessing ! Pour thy quickening gifts abroad : Raptured tongues, thy love confessing, Shall extol the living (iod. Blessfd, blessfd, blessed Lord ! Heaven shall chant no other word. Rev. William Henr\- Havergal was born at High Wycombe, Ruckinjj^hamshire, England, in 1793. '*"*J educated at O.xford. He entered the ministr)' after his graduation and became rectf)r of Astlcy. Worcestershire, in 1829, re- maining there until 1842, when he took charge of a church at Worcester. In i860 he was appointed rector of Shareshill, near Wolverhampton. From 1845 he was hon- orar)' canon of Worcester cathedral. He wrote nearly one hundred hymns, many of them designed for special ser\ices and printed singly as leaflets. These are of value ; but their author will be also remembered for his musical attainments, having composed, be- sides many tunes and chants, several anthems and an entire service. This hymn was first published in 1849 in the Worcester Psalms and Hymns. Canon Havergal was the father of Frances Ridley Havergal. whose pf>ems are endeared to so many Christians both in Europe and America. He died at Leaming- ton, April 18. 1870. 329 " Thf nru'-bom A'in^." 8s, 7», 4s. An<.ki_s, from the realms of glory. Wing your (liKhl o'er all the earth ; Ye who sane creation's story. Now procHiim .Messiah's birth: Come anil worship — Worship Christ, the new-born Kmg. J Shepherds in the field abiding, Watching o'er your flocks by night, God with man is now residing ; Yonder shines the infant light: Come and worshii>— Worship Christ, the ntw-bonj King. 3 Sages, leave your contemplations- Brighter visions beam alur : Seek the great Desire of nations: Vc have seen his natal star: Come and worfhip — Worship Christ, the new-born k ing. 4 Saints, before the altar bending. Watching long in hope and fear. Suddenly the Lord, - ^' to God ; but they exclaimed, Glory /.v to God in the high- est, in the highest ! And then they rush rap- idly into an enumeration of particulars ; the connection of thought is close. Glory to God is in the highest, because peace has come on the earth, and good-will has already gone out toward men. These angels are making pro- clamation that the relx-IJious race is for ever- more subdued. Men should be redeemed ; sin should be positively checked ; all the ills of a worn-out and wretched existence should Iw banished ; poverty should be removed, sickness and death find a ma.ster; Satan INCARNATION AND BIRTH. 153 should be foiled by Immanuel in person. Hence the vision which flashed on their awakened intelligence and started their song was reversive and revolutionary. The earth seemed to rouse itself to a new being. Cursed for human sin, it saw its deliverance coming. The day had arrived when streams and lakes of crystal should gleam in the sun- shine, when the valleys should smile and laugh and sing, when flowers should bloom and stars should glitter — all to the glory of God in the highest ! 330 Christ's coming. 8s, 7s, 4s. Jesus came, the heavens adoring. Came with peace from realms on high ; Jesus came for man's redemption, Lowly came on earth to die ; Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Came in deep humility. 2 Jesus comes again in mercy. When our hearts are bowed with care ; Jesus comes again in answer To an earnest heartfelt prayer ; Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Comes to save us from despair. 3 Jesus comes to hearts rejoicing, Bringing news of sins forgiven ; ■ Jesus comes in sounds of gladness, Leading souls redeemed to heaven ; Hallelujah ! Hallelujah ! Now the gate of death is riven. 4 Jesus comes in joy and sorrow, Shares alike our hopes and fears ; Jesus comes, whate'er befalls us, Glads our hearts, and dries our tears; Hallelujah ! Hallelujah ! Cheering ev'n our failing years. 5 Jesus comes on clouds triumphant. When the heavens shall pass away ; Jesus comes again in glory ; Let us then our homage pay. Hallelujah! ever singing, Till the dawn of endless day. This hymn was written by the Rev. God- frey Thring in 1862. Its purpose seems to be to show how many ways there may be for interpreting what the Scriptures say concern- ing the second coming of our Lord. Jesus came at Bethlehem ; he comes now to his people when they pray to him, by a genuine answer of help ; he comes in revival times with pardon for sins and news of advance ; he comes spiritually to the believer in all his moods and exposures ; he is going to come finally in the clouds of heaven when the end- less day shall dawn. As one of the speakers at a great meeting in London said on the platform : " Jesus has been coming all the time ever since he went away !" 33 1 Adeste, Fideles. P. M. Oh, come, all ye faithful. Joyfully triumphant. To Bethlehem hasten now with glad accord ; Lo ! in a manger Lies the King of angels ; Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. 2 Raise, raise, choirs of angels, Songs of loudest triumph, Through heaven's high arches be your praises poured : Now to our God be Glory in the highest ; Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. 3 Amen ! Lord, we bless thee, Born for our salvation, O Jesus ! for ever be thy name adored ; Word of the Father, Late in flesh appearing ; Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. This version of the Adeste, fideles, attrib- uted to the seventeenth or eighteenth century, is usually given to Rev. William Mercer. But a careful criticism, following it around through the various hymnals now in use, would reach the conclusion that it was the work of many hands. Very likely Mercer found an old form of rendering and changed it with per- fect freedom, and then with equal frankness others altered his, and so the present compo- sition grew apace. Rev. Frederick Oakeley stands as the next in the line of competition ; and then certain very essential changes were made by the compilers of Hyjjins, Ancient and Modern. Even our most industrious and indefatigable friend, Rev. Samuel Wil- loughby Duflield, does not seem to have found out who made the Latin hymn ; he goes no further than to say that " the original is sometimes ascribed to Bonaventura." Concerning the tune with which this com- position is for ever associated it is worth while to give a bit of information. Many years ago the writer of these annotations received from Brazil a printed card on which was published the following statement, which he has since tried to verify, and which he has every reason now to regard as true. This " Portuguese hymn " was the musical compo- sition of a chapel-master of the King of Por- tugal. His name was Marcas Portugal, and he died at Rio Janeiro early in the present century. The piece was originally played in the service as an offertory. The American missionary. Dr. Fletcher, who has interested himself much in fixing the authorship of it, gives the date of Marcas Portugal's death as 1834. 332 The Glad Song. Ss, 7s. Hark, the hosts of heaven are singing Praises to their new-born Lord, Strains of sweetest music flinging. Not a note or word unheard. 2 On this night, all nights excelling, God's high praises sounded forth, While the angels' songs were telling Of the Lord's mysterious birth. 3 Through the darkness, strangely splendid. Flashed the light on shepherds' eyes ; As their lowly flocks they tended. Came new tidings from the skies. '54 IHK LORD JESUS CHRIST. 4 All the hosts of heaven arc rhanting SofiKs with |M>wer to stir and thrill, And the universe is paritine Joy's deep longiiiKS to fulfill. 5 0t. L. Lci . II throuKh creation • liMuii riiiR out ; nrc.it sahation, \v 'ti ,..:ii; ami shout. DK. E. H. PLUMPTRE. Rfv. Edward Hayes Plumptre. D. D., au- thor f)f many excelient hymns, was born in London. .•\u)i,'ust 6, 1821. and educated at Kinv;'s College. London, and University Col- lejjje. O.xford. He ijraduated with hij^li hon- ors, and soon after his entrance into clerical life in iSj'^ he rose to eminence both as preacher .nnd theolojjian. He was called to fill many ven,' important positions, having been Dean of (Queen's Collejije, Oxford; I'rcbendan.' in .St. Paul's Cathedral. London; member of the committee appointed to revise the Old Testament; rector of I'luckley ; and vicar of Bickley, until in 1S81 he became Dean of Path and Wells. Dr. Plumptre 's literan,' productions have covered a wide range, including the classics. histor\*. biblical criticism, biography, and pnelry. He made translations from /Eschylus, Sophocles, and Dante. As a hymn-writer he ranks very high, his works being elegant in style and full of fenid sincerity. Many of his pieces arc widelv used, and deal especially with the church lif'e of the present day. He died at the Deanery. Wells. Februar)- i, 1891. 333 T/if U'ordmadf/lfsk. P.M. f'MRlST l« horn . tell forth his fame ! Christ from heaven ; his love procl.nini ; Christ on earth : rxalt his name I Sinjt to the I.oril, O world, with exultation ; Break forth in jfl.Trl ihaiiksrivini;. every nation : For he hath triumphed Klnriously I i Man in God's own ima^e made, Man. hy Satun's wiles l>cirayed, Man, on whom corruption preyed, Shut out from ho|>c ol lite and of salvation, Tu-day Christ makcth hin) a new creation ; Fur he hath triumphed gloriously ! 3 He, the Wisdom, Word, and Might! GcMJ, anil Son, and l.i|{li( ol Light ; Undiscovered hy the sight Of earthly monarch or infernal spirit, Incarnate was that we should heaven inherit: For he hath triumphed gloriously I The original of this hymn was composed by St. Cosmas, one of the principal Orcek ecclesiastical poets, who died about 760, A. D. It is the first, and the best known, of eight odes or hymns intended for the service on Christmas day, and was translated into Kng- lish by Dr. John Ma.sf)n Neale for his Jfyinns of till- East trn Chut ill, 1862. Since then it has been included in many collections, and different versions of it have been made, al- though the one here quoted is regarded as the best. 334 "Those holy \'oicfi." Ss. 7s. Mark ! what mean those holy voices, Sweetly warhlitiR in the skies? Sure, the auRelic liost rejoices — Loudest hallelujahs rise. a Listen to the wondrous story Which lliex- chant in hvmns of joy — " Glory in the highest, glorv : Glory he to God most high ! 3 " Peace on earth, gooefore him. Glory be to GchI most high !" The original of this hvmn, the most popular and perhaps the best of all the compositions of Rev. John Cawood, can be tound in Lyra liri't a fin till, where it appears with six stanzas. It was first published in Cotterill's Sticttton, 1819. In the account which the listening shep- herds gave concerning the matchless music they heard on that eventful night, they men- tioned only the words; one might l>e par- doned for wishing they had brought also the score I We all know how an interesting strain of melody will fix itself in our mem- ories; sometimes we can hardly keep from humming it over, repeating snatches of it wc have caught, and rehearsing to others the way it went, so as to give an idea. It may be that the shepherds remembered parts of INCARNATION AND BIRTH. 155 this ; but if so, we have no means of ascer- taining it. Only the words reach us ; but they are well worth the study of the world. The startling abruptness with which this se- raphic anthem fell on the ears of the herdsmen that first Christmas night adds greatly to the dramatic effect of the scene. Hardly linger- ing for their leader to end his communication, that choir of singers " suddenly " burst forth in one loud volume of exquisite harmony, celebrating the praises of Jehovah, whom they saw in a fresh field of splendid display. There was a vast number of singers — " a host ;" that is to say, an army, " an army cel- ebrating a peace." Surely there was enough to inspire their music ; and great armies of voices sing to- gether quite often with immense power of rich and voluminous harmony. It was an exaggeration, no doubt, but ancient history gravely records that, when the invader of Macedon was finally expelled, the victorious Greeks who heard the news, and so learned that freedom had come and fighting was over and home was near, raised along the military lines and throughout the camip such a shout of Soter ! Soter ! — a Saviour ! a Saviour ! — that birds on the wing dropped down. It may even have been so ; but what was that little peninsula of Greece as compared with this entire race redeemed from Satan unto God! 335 ''Star of the East. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning ! Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ; Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 2 Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining ; Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall: Angels adore him, in slumber reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all! 3 Say shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom and offerings divine ? Gems of the mountains, and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine? 4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation. Vainly with gold would his favor secure: Richer, by far, is the heart's adoration ; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. 5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morning ! Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ; Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. Another of the fine anthem-pieces con- tributed to the services of praise of all the churches by Reginald Heber, the English Bishop of Calcutta. He wrote it, however, before he had reached his preferment, when he was the rector of Hodnet, in 1811. It appeared in the Christiaii Observer in a series designed for the Sundays and principal holy days of the year, connected in some degree with their particular collects and gos- pels, and intended to be sung between the Nicene Creed and the sermon. It is inter- esting to learn from the poet's own words that in these pieces " no fulsome or indecor- ous language has been knowingly adopted; no erotic addresses to him whom no unclean lips can approach ; no allegory, ill-understood and worse applied." And it is recorded in his biography that after he had reached India he spent one Christmas, that of 1824, at Meerut, where on December 19 he dedicated a church ; and then he had the satisfaction of hearing this hymn, which was designed for Epiphany, and another designed for St. Stephen's Day, " sung better than he ever heard them before." Its title is " Star of the East." Dr. Cunningham Geikie says some things worth recalling in one of his comments upon the passage of Scripture to which it refers : " The stars were supposed then, as they have been till recent times, to exercise supreme influence over human life and the course of nature, and from this belief a vast system of imaginary results was elaborated. The posi- tion of the stars at a child's birth was held to determine its future fate or fortune, and hence to cast nativities early became one of the most important functions of astrologers. It was universally believed that extraordinary events, especially the birth and death of great men, were heralded by appearances of stars, and still more by comets, or by conjunctions of the heavenly bodies. Thus Suetonius tells us that at the death of Csesar ' a hairy star shone continuously for seven days, rising about the eleventh hour ;' and Josephus re- lates that for a whole year before the fall of Jerusalem a star, in the shape of a sword, hung over the doomed city. A hundred and thirty years after Christ's birth a false Mes- siah, in Hadrian's reign, assumed the title of Bar-Cocheba — ' the son of the star ' — in allusion to the star to come out of Jacob. The Jews had already, long before Christ's day, dabbled in astrology and the various forms of magic which became connected with it." 336 " Daughter of Zion !" lis, lOS. Daughter of Zion ! awake from thy sadness: Awake, for thy foes shall oppress thee no more ; Bright o'er thy hills dawns the day-star of gladness; Arise ! for tfie night of thy sorrow is o'er. 2 Strong were thy foes, but the arm that subdued them, And scattered their legions, was mightier far ; They fled like the chaff from the scourge that pursued them ; For vain were their steeds and their chariots of warl 156 IHE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 3 Daughter of Zion ! the I'owt-r that halh savcur Lord appearing. When stich a gift Omi gave for thee, When such a brother true is he. Why still, my soul, be fearing? Choose him, know him. greatest, dearest. Best, and nearest, tes who may offend thee. 4 To him who conquered death and hell, To him let joyous anthems swell Thr«>ughout heaven's great for ever. Praise to the Lamb that once was slain, GUiry to him who bore our pain. Flow on. an endless river! Earth aiirl heaven — creatures lowly. Angels holv— join your voices. Till the world with praise rejoices. 5 Rejoice, ye heavens; thou, earth, reply: With praise, ye sinners, fill the sky. For this, his incarnation. Incarnate GimI, put forth thy power, Ride fu. ride on, great Con<|Ucror, Till all know thv s,Tlvation. Amen, amen: halleluiah! Hallelujah! praise be given Evermore by earth and hi-aven I Rev. John Morrison Sloan. M. A., son of a Scotch farmer, was born in Ayrshire, May 19. 1835, and studied at the universities of (ilas- yjt)w, Kdinbur),jh, and Krlanijen, Ciermany, ),jraduatin)»,' at Kdinbur^h in 1859. Five vears later he Ix-came collegiate minister o{ the Free Church in Dalkeith, and afterward was settled over Free Churches in Aberdeen and (ilasyow; he is at present a pastor in Ldin- burijh. He has made several translations from the (lerman, the most \»idcly known bcinyj the one ^iven above. This was pub- lished in Wilson's Si^rriit- of Praisf, 1865. It is a version of the (ierman hymn begin- ning, " If'if herrlich strahlt dcr Mori^en- stt-rn." The original was rtrst j^iven to the public in 1766. and was entitled. " Lonj,jing After Union with Jesus, on the Model of the old \\\mn, ' ll'ii- sihon Uuchtil dcr Mort^cn- stirn. " This last is the well-known compo- sition of I'hilipp Nicolai. Dr. Johann .Adolf Schlegel. authf)r of the (ierman original of the poem before us. was born at Meissen in Saxony. September 17, 1721. In 1754 he became chief pastor of the Holy Trinity Church at Zerbst. He died at Hannover, September 16. 1793. 338 " Hailthe Slar." P.M. .\LI. my bt.-art this night rejoices. As I hear, far and near. Sweetest angel voices ; "Christ is born I" their choirs are singing, Till the air ever>-where Now with joy is ringing. 2 For it dawns, the proniisctl morrow Of his birth, who the earth Rescues from her sorrow. God to wear our form descendeth; Of his grace to our race Here his Son he lendeth. 3 Hark ! a voice from yonder manger Soft and sweet doth entreat — Flee from woe and danger ; Brethren, come; from all that grieves you \'oii are freed ; all you need Here your Saviour gives you. 4 Come, then, let us hasten yonder; Here let all, great and small. Kneel in awe and wonder. Love him who with love is yeaniing; Hail the Star that from far Bright with hope is burning. This hymn was originally written by Rev. Paul C.erhardt in 1633. It begins : " ll'iirum split' iih iniih denn i^rixmcn f" Miss Cath- erine Winkworth gave it its English dress, and it was published in Lyra German ii a, 1858. It is always difiicult to say which should be credited with a new hvmn. the author or the translator, for generally a good version needs and exhibits as much genius as a good poem ; and there remains the fact that the first draft would never have seen the light in another language without the aid of one who could paraphrase it there in fitting form for public u.se. So we. having done jus- tice to Miss Winkworth in another connec- tion, choose to give here some account of Paul C.erliardt, several of whose very best INCARNATION AND BIRTH. '57 REV. PAUL GERHARDT. hymns have found their way into American hymnals. Rev. Paul Gerhardt was born in GrSfen- haynchen, Saxony, March 12, 1607. He studied at Wittenberg, and when quite on in middle life was chosen as a preacher to the congregation in Mittenwalde. Six years later he was transferred to the Church of St. Nico- las in Berlin, but a refusal to subscribe to certain edicts which he considered as attempts to unite the Lutheran and Reformed parties caused his dismissal in 1666. He was made Archdeacon of Liibben in 1668. He was the best of all the hymn-makers of Germany, the most spiritual and the most popular in the age in which he lived. He managed in his songs to keep the doctrinal force of evan- gelical truth without harshness ; his rhyth- mical power was great, and common people understood his verses easily, singing them with a heartfelt enthusiasm. He died at Liib- ben, June 7, 1676. 339 ' God Incarnated los. 61. Christians, awake, salute the happy morn Whereon the Saviour of the world was born ; Rise to adore the mystery' of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above ; With them the joyful tidings first begun Of God incarnate and the virgin's Son. 2 With burst of music the celestial choir In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire; The praises of redeeming love they sang, And heaven's whole arch with hallelujahs rang: God's highest glory was their anthem still, Peace upon earth, and unto men good-will. 3 Oh, may we keep and ponder in our mind God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind, Trace we the babe, who hath retrieved our loss, From his poor manger to his bitter cross; Treading his steps, assisted by his grace. Till man's first heavenly state again takes place. 4 Then may we hope, the angelic thrones among, To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song; He, that was born upon this joyful day, Around us all his glory shall display ; Saved by his love, incessant we shall sing Eternal praise to heaven's Almighty King. This is found in the second volume of John Byrom's Miscellaneous Poems, 1773, where it is entitled " A Hymn for Christmas Day." The author was the son of a linen- draper, and was born near Manchester, Eng- land, in a small town called Kersall, some time in 1691. He was educated at Trinity College, where he afterwards became a Fel- low. He began study for the medical profes- sion, but gave up the plan ; then set himself up as a teacher of a system of shorthand. He tried to marry his cousin Elizabeth, but his wealthy relatives objected to the match, and so for some years he had to work hard for a subsistence. By-and-by, however, he suc- ceeded to the family estate at Kersall, and there he died, September 28, 1763, with the kind regards of all who knew him. Throughout his life this author was asso- ciated with the Wesleys, though the intense earnestness of the lives and beliefs of the Methodist preachers scarcely accorded with the philosophy of him whose rule was " to be quiet and happy and let the world go." His early religious convictions separated him from the sympathy and companionship of the cler- gy of his day ; so he resigned his fellowship, and with it his prospects for church honors and advancement. He entered upon a liter- ary life, writing for The Spectator, and trans- lating pieces from the French and German mystics. For his recreation he wrote hymns also, in a smooth and flowing style ; one of the best of them being this one before us, which is a favorite and in almost universal use throughout England. Some of his epigrams have reached down even to our day. For he is the man who wrote those funny lines con- cerning Handel and Bononcini : " Strange all this difference should be 'Twixt tweedledum and tweedledee." He was, no doubt, a queer man, but he must have been a good one. He was asso- ciated with good people, and helped wher- ever he could. He taught Charles Wesley to use stenography in writing his sermons and hymns. When these founders of Methodism brought out their book of sacred songs, By- kS THE LORD JESUS CHRIS I. rom's judicious criticism and kindly advice jjrt-atly aidtrd them in the work. The per- sonal appearanie of this man is worth record- ing, lie is said to have been extremely tali; he carried a stick with a crooked top. and he wore ■' a curious low - polled, slouchetl hat, from under the lonij-peaked front brim of which his l>eni);nant face bent forward a cautiously inquisitive sort of look, as if he were in the habit of prj'inij intt) everything, without caring to let ever)"thing enter deeply into liiin." 340 The Birth at BftkUkem. P. M. Hoi.Y iiiKht I ucaccful nixht ! Through the iiarkiicss bi-anis a X\e\\\ Yonder, where they sweet vigils keep O'er the Babe, who, in silent sleep, * Rests in heavenly peace. 2 Silent niKht ! holiest nijchl ! Darkness nies and all is li^ht ! Shepherds hear the anjjels sing — "Halleluiah! hail the kImk! Jesus Christ is here!" 3 Silent night ! holiest nixht ! CiuidinK Star, oh, lend thy lisht ! See the eastern wise men briiiK Gifts and homage to our King ! Jesus Christ is here! 4 Silent night ! holiest night I Wondrous Star! oh, lenu thy light ! With the angels let us sing Halleluiah to our King ! Jesus Christ is here! It does not seem to be known anywhere as yet who wrote this version in English of the (ierman hymn of Jo.seph Mohr : Stillt- .Wicht, htil'i^c \aiht, a favorite carol for Christmas in the (ierman Fatherland ; the date of the original composition is i8i8. The commen- tator. Lange, has taken up a question interest- ing to many students of the inspired Word : "If it lie asked how Providence would em- ploy such a deceptive art for the purpose of guiding the Magi to the truth, we reply that there is a vast difference between earlier and later a.strology. Just as chemistry sprung from alchemy, so ancient pagan astrology' was the parent of our m>riiiK |)niisc In liini. Tlitir Maktr aiiv should I be ! Oh. had 1 nut an annel's voice, I would priK-laim so loud — Jesus, the kiior.' Raphael Aben-Ezra, the old Jew in Hypatui is made by Charles Kingsley to say : " I waiu a faith past argument ; one which, whether I can prove it c)r not to the satisfaction of the lawyers, I believe to my own satisfaction, and act on as undoubtingly and unrea.soningly as I do upon my «)wn personal identity. I do n'l want to possess a faith, I want a faith which will possess me." Most of us undersU'ind very well the feeling which the apostle I'aul expresses in his last letter to Timothy : " I know whom I have believed, and I am per- suaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." And when one knows a thing of such vast reach and value, he wishes to say and to sing it. This is the sentiment which Dr. Frederick William Faber has voiced in the noble hymn before us. There nevrr was a period when such a ringing lyric was demanded more or more needed than now. The day is not so ver)' far ahead as some imagine in which to speak one little word for the absolute (iod- head of our Lord may be worth a thousand years of life. 345 UflhUhfm Slat. C. M. I). As shadows cast by cloud and sun Flit o'er the summer Kiass, So, in thy si^ht, .MmiKhly One, Earth's generations |»ass. And as the ye:irs, an endli-ss host. Come swiftly pressing on. The briKhlest names that earth »-an boast Just Kli^teii and are Kone. a Vet doth the star of Bethlehen) shed A luster pure ami sweet ; And still it leads, as oiu:e it led, To the Messiah's fi-et. O Father, may that holy star Grow every year more bright, And send its glorious lurams afar To fill the wr of th,- Floik, 1838. It aiforcls a jj'i And K've thenhnil to see? Jesus, ifiou Son of David, hear — Have mercy, too, on me. 3 And didst thou pity mortal woe, .\nd si^ht and hi-alth restore? Then J>ity, I-oril, and save my soul, Whith neetls thy mercy more. 4 Didst thou reKard thy servant's cry, When sinking in the wave? I |Mrish, I.ort jHraceful in the midst of strife. Forgiving and forgiven. Oh, may we l«id the iiilgrim's life. And follow thee to lieavon! The Rev. John Hamp' locks with mountain vapors wet. To save us from despair? 3 Gethsemanc can we forget — Thy struggling agony When night lay dark on Olivet, And none to watch with thee? 4 Our sorrows and our sins were laid On thee, alone on thee; Thy precious blood our ransom |)aid — thine all the glory be! 5 Life's brightest joys we may forget — Our kindrcnl cease to love; But he yvho paid our hopeless debt. Our constancy shall prove. This hymn was taken from the Christian Lyre, an old collection edited by the Rev. Joshua Leavitt, I). I)., 1S30, where it first aji- peared with the quaint title, " Can we for- get ?" and was set to a tune called " Grateful NIemor)'." It has six stanzas with a chorus, credited to " \V. M." The author. Rev. William Mitchell, was born December 9, 1793. ^'^ Chester, Conn. Having graduated from Yale College in 1818. he studied theology- at Andover Seminar)*, and entered the ministry of the Congrega- tional Church. He was ordained October 20. 1824, becoming the pastor of the congrega- tion at Newton, Conn. ; in 1833 he removed to Rutland, \'t., where he remained settled until 1847 ; then for several earnest and profit- LIFE AND CHARACTER. 165 able years he supplied the pulpit in Walling- ford, Vt. In 1853 he took up the work of deporting the slaves and freedmen back to Africa, as represented by the Colonization Society. This scheme of solving some of the vexed questions concerning slavery as a sys- tem was very popular in those days among conservative and benevolent men. One of the direct results of it was to establish the nation of Liberia on the coast of the Dark Continent. Mr. Mitchell was the agent of the Vermont State Society, then of the New York, then of the New Jersey State Societies, in each of which he was industriotts and suc- cessful. Later in his life he went to Corpus Christi, Texas, to reside. For a busy period of four years he was the acting pastor of the Presbyterian church of Casa Blanca, but in 1866 he went home to Corpus Christi, and there he died August i, 1867. 355 His free ways. C. M. D. Oh, see how Jesus trusts himself Unto our childish love ! As though by his free ways with us Our earnestness to prove. His sacred name a common word On earth he loves to hear; There is no majesty in him Which love may not come near. 2 The light of love is round his feet, His paths are never dim ; And he comes nigh to us when we Dare not come nigh to him. Let us be simple with him then, Not backward, stiff, nor cold, As though our Bethlehem could be What Sinai was of old. These two double stanzas are taken from a poem called "True Love " written by Dr. Frederick William Faber. There are twenty- three verses in the piece, but these are all one would care to sing. It is an exceedingly significant fact for us to mark that nowhere have even those who were wont for a period of years to move nearest to our Lord Jesus Christ when he was on the earth, attempted any description of his appearance as a man. His figure, his com- plexion, his stature, his dress, not even an evangelist's pen has ever essayed to depict. The wildest and weakest idolatry has, there- fore, no authentic image to fashion into a crucifix or erect at a shrine. One pensive face there is, indeed, repeated always among the ancient masters, and to this day held as the single model form of features which Christian art loves to reproduce on canvas gentle, winning, sad, but marvelously full of force and feeling as you look at it. This face, tradition says, was really that of Jesus of Na- zareth ; but inspiration seems to be sternly silent. 356 The name " Jesiis." C. M. D. The Saviour ! oh, what endless charms Dwell in the blissful sound ! Its influence every fear disarms. And spreads sweet comfort round. The almighty Former of the skies Stooped to our vile abode; While angels viewed with wondering eyes And hailed the incarnate God. 2 Oh, the rich depths of love divine ! Of bliss a boundless store ! Dear Saviour, let me call thee mine ; I cannot wish for more. On thee alone my hope relies. Beneath thy cross I fall ; My Lord, my Life, my Sacrifice, My Saviour, and my All ! This hymn, every part of which is full of beauty and power, is chosen out of a wilder- ness of stanzas written in a poem lauding the character and works of the Lord Jesus Christ, by Miss Anne Steele. It is the one by which she will be remembered the longest and the most widely. It has been the pride and joy of a thousand prayer-meetings. The mem- ories of it have become so dear that to a great many of God's people it suggests revival sea- sons, social gatherings, family prayers, camp- meetings, with the old faces shining and the old voices ringing in the air. There were never better days in the history of this re- public than those in which stalwart men and thoughtful women believed in the incarnation and the atonement, and sang their faith aloud. 357 The Words ofjestis. C. M. D. I HEARD the voice of Jesus say, " Come unto me and rest ; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon my breast 1" I came to Jesus as I was. Weary, and worn, and sad; 1 found in him a resting-place. And he hath made me glad. 2 I heard the voice of Jesus say, " Behold, I freely g;ive The living water; thirsty one. Stoop down, and drink, and live!" I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream ; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in him. 3 I heard the voice of Jesus say, " I am this dark world's light ; Look unto me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright !" I looked to jesus, and I found In him my Star, mv Sun ; And in that light of life I '11 walk Till all my journey 's done. We are glad to return once more to the hymns of Dr. Horatius Bonar. This is en- titled " The Voice from Galilee," and comes from Hymns of Faith and Hope, Series I., 1857. The two secrets of its wonderful popu- larity are found in the fact that it introduces the words of our Lord in a picturesque way, as if one's ear had happened to catch them i66 THK LORD JKSLS CUKISI. on the air. and then his voice made an im- mediate resjx)nse by " coming " towards the words of invitation and promise; and then tliat it employs f>osscssive pronouns for its l)hrascol(nj>'. and so individualizes the be- liever. Christ says. " Come to /«<•." and the Christian s;iys. "•/ came." Christ says. "/ s'ive the living water;" and the listener an- swers. " My thirst was quenched." Christ says. "/ am light :" and the child of God re- plies. •' I found in him my Star, my Sun I" 358 Thf PfT/fct Pallrrn. C. M. D. I.KT worldly minils the world pursue. It has no iharnis for iiic: Oiui- I adniiritl its triflt-s too. But Krai*" has set nw free. As by the lixht of (>|K-iiiiiK day The stars are all i-oiiceiiled, So eiirthly pU-.isures fade away When Jesus is revealed. 2 Cri-alures no niore divide my choice. I bid them all de|Kirt : His name, and love, and gracious voice. Have fixe- without foundation, but none the less disastrous in its consequence upon his victim. The Afri- can wife of his master also conceived a hatred of him which vented itself in all sorts of indignities and even in ijerson.il violence. He seemed deserted of heaven and earth, and accepted it with savage sullenness. One can scarce conceive of a more pitiable condition. All he pftssessed of clothing was that upon his person, and this was in such a condition that he says of it : " Had you seen me, sir, then go by. so pensive and solitar)". in the dead of night, to wash my one shirt upon the rocks, and afterwartl put ii on wet. that it might dr)' upon my back while I slept ; had you seen me so poor a figure that when a ship's boat came to the island, shame often constrained me to hide myself in the wo ue Tfst. C. M. Wk may not climb the heavenly steeps To briiiK the Loril Christ ilown ; In vain we search the lowest deei«, Fur him no depths can drown. 1 But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is he ; And faith has yet its Olivet, And love its (ialilee. 3 The healiiiK of the seamless dress Is by our be;lad service, which he would enter upon at once. Not a moment was lost. 361 • ' .^ It ag ft her Lovely. " CM. M\)KSTU- swofliioss sits enthroned t'|M>ii thf Savii'iirS Imiw ; His head with ladiaiit ({'"ries crowiietl, His \i\i^ with urace o'eilUiw. i Nn mortal can with him compare, /VmimK the sotis of men ; Fairer is he than all the fair That fdl the hi-avenly train. • ,•? He saw me plun^wl in - fi-et ; Shows me the glories of my God, And makes my joy complete. 6 Since from his bountv I receive Such prf>ofs of love divine. Had I a thousand hearts to jfive. Lord ! they should all be thine. Rev. Samuel Stennett contributed this familiar hymn to Rippon'x Sr/trfion, pub- lished in 1787. It consisted at first of nine stanzas, all of which are jjood, but the piece has had to be shortened in the later compila- tions for convenience in sinijin)^. The author jjave to it as a title " Chief among Ten Thousand : or, the Excellencies of Christ," and annexed to it as a Scripture reference "Canticles 5:10-16." For many years it has been married to the tune of Ortotn'i7/e- in this countr)-. The music was composed by the venerated Thomas Hastings for children's use, but it was a failure as a Sundav-school piece, and reached its popularity in the pray- er-meeting, where it was always welcome. 362 The Name of Jesus C. M. Tiiim- is a name I love to hear; I lii\ V to sing its wr>rth ; It miiiimK like music in mine ear — The sweet<-st name on earth. 2 It tells nil- of a Saviour's love Who di«-ailtii ; and Glianings from Scrip- ture. The hvmn we quote was written in 1855. 363 Thf entry into Jerusalem. L. M. RiDK on ! ride on in maiestv ! In lowly pomp ride on to d(e : () Christ, thy triumphs now begin O'er captive death ank down witli sad and wondering eyes To see the approaching sacrifice. 3 Ride on ! ride on in maiesty ! The last and fiercest strife is nigh : The Father on liis s.ipphire throne Awaits his own anointed Son. 4 Ride on ! ride on in maiesty ! In lowly pomp ride nn to die; How thy meet head to mortal jwin ; Then take. O CiimI, thy |Miwer, and reiffti. The name of Rev. Henry Hart Milman. D. I)., is as well known to literature as to theology. He is one of the few men whose talents have l>een recognized and rewarded justly in this life, as the various high posi- tions he occupied in the Church of England amply testify. He was the youngest son of Sir Francis Milman. Court Physician to (ieorge III., and was born Febru.ir\- 10, 1 791. He began his educition at Dr. Bur- ney's school in (ireenwirli, and continued it at Eton. After a brilliant career at Oxford, he was appointed l'' I'rofessor of his /l/m Mastkk, let nic walk with thee In liiwly paths of sers'iic free; Tell me tliy secret ; help nie bear The strain of toil, the fret i>f lare. 2 Help me the slow of heart to move By some any, In worlc that keeps faith sweet an|>ethat sends a shiniiiK ray Far down the future's broa-a/s and Choir Studies, a com- pilation of hymns by Richard S. Willis. Al- though for some time Mr. Willis' name has been affixed to this poem, he has lately dis- claimed all literary connection with it, and says he does not know the name of the real translator, nor where he obtained it for his boo':. Richard Storrs Willis is a brother of the poet N. P. Willis, and was born in Boston, Mass., 1819. He resides in Detroit, Mich., and has been well known as a musician and as a writer on musical art for many years. The secret of the Crusaders' successes in all that wild conflict with the Saracens which resulted in the capture of Jerusalem, is found in the passionate, individual, personified ideal they had of Jesus Christ as the rightful King of the world, the Glory of the race, the Head of the Church. They seemed to see him as they prayed ; they had visions of him in the air ; they thought of him and spoke of him as with the fondness of a lover. And after- wards, when the returning knights covered the continent, they left their impress on all the traditions and faiths of the people. Out of this grew much of that deeply reverent and exquisitely artistic conception of the Ober- ammergau Passion Play which arrests the admiration of the world. Joseph Mayr's per- sonification of Jesus may be no portrait of the Master, but those who look upon that marvelous countenance in the agony may be pardoned for saying it made them think more than ever before of the Saviour of men. 368 The Great Teacher. L. M. How sweetly flowed the gospel sound From lips of gentleness and grace, When listening thousands gathered round, And joy and gladness filled the place! 2 From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke, To heaven he led his followers' way ; Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, Unvailing an immortal day. 3 "Come, wanderers, to my Father's home, Come, all ye weary ones, and rest." Yes, sacred Teacher, we will come, Obey thee, love thee, and be blest ! 4 Decay then, tenements of dust ; Pillars of earthly pride, decay : A nobler mansion waits the just, And Jesus has prepared the way. Onei of Sir John Bowring's most popular hymns, in wide use through all the churches. It celebrates the fame of that Great Teacher who spake as never man spake, and whom the common people always heard gladly. We have at the present day too much of harangue and speculation in the pulpit, too much that goes out in the air over the heads of the listeners who want to hear the Master saying, " Come, all ye weary ones, and rest." A friend of the poet - clergyman, William Bowles, tells how he spent a Saturday even- ing at Bremhill rectory, where Dr. Croly was also a guest, having come to preach the fol- lowing day. Dr. Croly was remarkable for his powerful eloquence, while Mr. Bowles' style was characterized by simplicity. Lord Lansdowne was the most distinguished mem- ber of the village congregation. In the course of the conversation the good rector suddenly exclaimed to the narrator, " I hope your friend will not preach to the marquis to- morrow, but to the peasantry." The hint was not lost, as the eloquent preacher deliv- ered a most pastoral and beautiful discourse, alike instructive to peer and plowman. 369 "Holy, harmless." L. M. How beauteous were the marks divine That in thy meekness used to shine, That lit thy lonely pathway, trod In wondrous love, O Son of God ! 2 Oh, who like thee, so calm, so bright. So pure, so made to live in light ? Oh, who like thee did ever go So patient through a world of woe? 3 Oh, who like thee so humbly bore The scorn, the scoffs of men, before? So meek, forgiving, godlike, high. So glorious in humility? 4 Even death, which sets the prisoner free. Was pang, and scoff, and scorn to thee: Yet love through all thy torture glowed. And mercy with thy life-blood flowed. 5 Oh, in thy light be mine to go, Illuming all my way of woe! And give me ever on the road To trace thy footsteps. Son of God. Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe, D. D., LL. D., published this hymn in his Christian Ballads, 1840. It consists there of seven double stanzas, and from these the ones are chosen which seemed fittest for singing in the ordi- nary services of the house of God. The now venerable author was born in Mendham, N. J., May 10, 1 8 18, where his father, the Rev. Sam- uel Hanson Cox, D. D., was settled as the pastor of the Presbyterian church in the days before his great fame had brought him forward into the celebrity he attained after- ward as one of the leaders of the denomina- tion. Between this father and this son there were always differences of opinion that gave rise to anecdotes without number which have grown trite with repetition — differences which were much more serious than badinage could cover. When the old man eloquent was pas- tor of the First Presbyterian Church of Brook- lyn, where probably his best work was done '72 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. REV. ARTHUR CLEVELAND COXE, D. D. and his hiv(hest reputation reached, this son made public profession of relijjion, and his name stands still upon the roll of the mem- bers. In 1838 Arthur Cleveland Coxe jj^raduated from the University of New York, chanjjjed his name and his church affiliation, and was thereafter reckoned as an Episcopalian. He was admitted to the diaconate in that de- nomination in St. Paul's Chapel, New York, June 27, 1 841 ; to the priesthood. September 25, 1842. His first charije seems to have lieen that of .St. Ann's Church in Morrisania, but shortly afterward he became the rector of St. John's Church in Hartford. Conn., and then in 1854 he removed to Maryland, and was the rector of (irace Church in Baltimore. Nine years of faithful and brilliant scrx'ice there brought him to the rectorship of Cal- vary Church in New York city. While thus settled he w.is elected to the office of Bishop of the Diocese of Western New York. He was consecrated to the Episcopate at Geneva, N. Y., Januar)- 4. 1865. since which he has resided in Buffalo, and exercised his office with vcreat vij^f)r and wide popularity among the churches. 370 "//<• hfalfd thfrn.' Whkn. like a stranRcr on our sphere, The lowly JesuH wandered here, Where'er he went, affliclion flefreat Deliverer came: (<'er the cold j{rave he b«jwcd his head. He spake the word, and raised the dead. 4 DespairinK madness, dark and wild, In his inspiriiiK pri-seiu e smiled ; The storm of horror ceased to roll, .\nd reason liKhtened throuKh the soul. 5 Throufjh paths of loving-kindness led. Where Jesus triuniphe- that excelleth, O Son of God, is thine; — Cho. 4 Oh, grant the consummation Of this our song above, In endless adoration And everlasting love; Cho. — We worship thee, we bless thee, To thee alone we sing ; We praise thee and confess thee, Our gracious Lord and King. FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL. The name of Frances Ridley Havergal has become to thousands of Christians in all parts of the world a household word. Born Decem- ber 14, 1836, she was the youngest daughter of the Rev. W. H. Havergal, then rector of Astley, Worcestershire, afterward of St. Nicholas, Worcester, England. She was a singularly bright, clever child, early giving promise of the gifts so fully developed in later years. The little book in which she wrote her childish hymns and rhymes begins with verses written at the age of seven ; from nine years old upward she wrote long and amus- ingly-descriptive letters in perfect rhyme and rhythm. Miss Havergal was never married. She lived a happy, peaceful, and useful life, en- gaged in writing books of prose and poetry. Her health was precarious, and at times she suffered painfully from disease. But her Christian trust was supreme over every trial. 174 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. She had an intense love for music and a rare and excellent j^ift in the composition of tunes. While I was in Lcaminijion once a friend pointed out to me the very piano on which she used to play familiarly irom memory the most glorious of Handel's strains as well as those of Heethovcn and Mendelssohn. Her voice was wonderfully expressive and sweet, thouj^'h never ver\- stroni(. So she lived alonv; with a rich jjrowth of divine jjrace derived from her sorrows every day. Hy and by she died at Caswall Hay. near Swansea in Wales. June 3, 1879. Jt is impossible to epitomize a life that seems so full of coura.v(e, faith, sympathy for others, forgetfulness of self, in- dustn,- and intense devotion, as this of that minister's daujifhter seems to us who judije it as a whole. She wrote so many books, and sent so many letters : it was marvelous. And God blessed everythinij she did. Tbis hymn was written at Leamington in 1870. and published in a volume of .Miss Havergal's poems. L'tuitr the Surf aci\ 1S74. with the title. "Our King.— Psalm 45:11." It has four stanzas and a chorus. 374 "ll'ith Palms." 7S, 6s. D. Am. jjlorj', laud, and honor To thcc, Rcticfmer, King! Til whom Ihc hps of children Madf sweet liosannas ring. Tlimi art the KiiiR of Israel, Thou David's royal Son, Who in the Lord's name comest, The ICiiiK and blesstd One. 2 The company of angels .Are praising thee on high, .•\ii(l mortal men, and all things C're:itet the prayers we bring. Who in all good delightest. Thou gcKMl and gracious King. In the ninth centur\-, very near its begin- ning, for the author died in 821 .A. I)., the f)ld Latin hymn b<-ginning, "Gloria, laiis, it honor y was compo.sed by Theodolphus, the Bishop of Orleans. The translation of it into English was made by Rev. Dr. John Mason Neale, and will be found now in his Mt({i\r- -•ixl Hymns. At one time in his history this excellent bishop was accused by his enemies of aiding a conspiracy against the reigning monarch. He was thrown into prison at Anjou. and it is said by some authorities that it was during this jxrriod of confinement that he WTote the fine poem which bears hi.i name. At all events it is a historic fact that he chanted it him.self on one I 'aim Sunday from the grated window 0/ his cell. It com- memorated the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, when the people of the Hebrews with palms before him went, and when the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring. 375 "(t'oti, our Saviour." 7.*, 6s. D. To thee, nu (;' With all thy siiints above, And tell the jnytui story Of thy re-. And I will give you rest." Oh, blessed voice of Jesus, Which comes to hearts opprest ; It tells of benediction, Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that hath no ending. Of love which cannot cease. 2 "Come unto me, dear children. And I will give you light." Oh, loving voice of Jesus, Which comes to cheer the night : Our hearts were filled with sadness. And we had lost our way. But morning brings us gladness. And songs the break of day. 3 "Come unto me, ye fainting, And I will give you life." Oh, peaceful voice of Jesus, Which comes to end our strife: The foe is stern and easier. The fight is fierce and long ; But thou hast made me mighty, And stronger than the strong. 4 "And whosoever cometh I will not cast him out." Oh, patient love of Jesus, Which drives away our doubt : Which calls us — very sinners, Unworthy though we be Of love so free and boundless — To come, dear Lord, to thee. This is another of the excellent hymns of the surgeon — " the beloved physician" he might well be called — William Chatterton Dix. It was published first in the People's Hymnal (English), 1867. Its plaintive senti- ment (like that of " Lead, kindly Light," by Newman) owes much to the matchless music of Dr. Dykes, to which it is usually sung. Vox Jesu is a worthy sister to Lux Benig7ia in the circle of seraphic tunes on earth. The dramatic force of the piece comes from its simpleness. The compiler of Laudes Domini would like to record one memory which is full of longing for a chance of acknowledgment. Broken in health almost to hopelessness, he went over the ocean in 1881 for rest. At St. Pancras' Protestant Episcopal Church in Lon- don, he was privileged to listen to a purely gospel sermon, preached by Rev. Canon Spence. It was one of the plainest, the strongest, the gentlest, of all discourses he ever heard from a Christian pulpit ; the most truly evangelical in doctrine and tender in invitation. And now as he sits here writing, he humbly hopes some chance wind or bird may take his thanks to that preacher for the help he brought him in his sore weakness and heavy trouble. Then one male voice broke the silence after prayer with two lines of song — slowly and intelligibly spoken, as Jesus may have spoken them — " Come unto me, ye weary, and I will give you rest." A short pause of an instant, and the arches rang with the full choir : " Oh, blessed voice of Jesus !" After service I waited, found out where tune and hymn came from, and gave them my highest place of honor as the best I shall ever hear this side of heaven. 378 Heaven begun below. 7s, 6s. D. I BUILD on this foundation — That Jesus and his blood Alone are my salvation, The true eternal good. To mine his Spirit speaketh Sweet words of soothing power. How God, to him that seeketh For rest, hath rest in store. 176 TMK LORD JESUS CHRIST. a My mem liiiirt is siirin^inK. And knows not how to pine. 'T is full of !<•> aiul siiiKinK. And ri chctT nic Is I ilonu: To h. < '.s ni-ar nic Is h' l>cKun. Richard Massie is an English Episcopalian. a gentleman of wealth and leisure, resiciinjij at I'ulford Hall, in Coddinj^ton. Cheshire. Some very fine translations of Spitta's. Luther's, and (ierhardts hymns into Knj^lish have rendered his name familiar on both sides of the ocean. He is the eldest of a family of twenty-two children, and was born June i8. 1800. in Chester, where his father was for many years the minister over the parish of St. Hride. This hymn was rendered by him from the one of Rev. Paul Gerhardt beginning. " /s/ Golt fur inich, so trele." 379 "Fear no more." 7s, 6s. D. Oh, how shall I receive thee, How meet thee on thy \va> ; Blest hope of ever>' nation, .My soul's delight and stay? O lesus, Jesus, jjive nie S'ow by thine own pure lisht. To know whate'er is ple:isiiiK And welcome in thy sight. a Thy Zion palms is strcwinp, And branches fresh and fair ; My soul, in praise awaking, Her anthem shall prejiare. Perpetual thanks and praises Forth from my heart shall spring; And to thy name the service Of all my powers I bring. 3 Ye, who with guilty terror Arc trembling, fear no more: With love and grace the Saviour Shall you to hope restore. He comes, who contrite sinners Will with the children place, The children of his Father, The heirs of life and grace. Rev. Arthur Tozer Russell translated this from Rev. Paul Gerhardt's hymn, "If'/'r soil kit lilt It enipfatn^cn." 1653. The |)iece was published in his Psalms anil Hymns, 1851. The reference evidently is to the songs of the children in the temple when they bade a wel- come to Jesus as he made his royal entr)- into Jerusalem just before his crucifl.xion. It con- stitutes a fitting piece for what is celebrated in many of the churches as I'alm Sunday in the Christian year. 380 Hehrru'i l.V la- ys. 6s. D. Mv Saviour, I would own thee Amid the world's proud scorn. The world that mm keart w ith tliee Outside the camp, where only Thv lH-:iuty I niav see: Far from the world's loud turmoil, Far from its busy din. Far from its praise and honor. Its uiilH-lief and sin. 3 Oh, keep my heart at leisure From all the world beside, In close conimuiiion, ever Thus w ith thee to abide — So all thy whis|K'recar. Mrs. Rebekah Hope Taylor, daughter of Hon. Samuel Morley. M. P., was the wife of Herbert \V. Taylor, and l)elonged to the reli- gious body known as the Plymouth Brethren. In the Enlar^id London Hymn Book, 1873, there are to be found four of her poems, the one given here being the favorite. Mrs. Tay- lor died November 8, 1877, and in the follow- ing year her Letters were published. This hymn is u.seful in that it presents one passage of Scripture which illustrates one phase of our Lord's life ; it gives voice in song to Hebrews 13:11-13: "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary- by the high-priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, sufTered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." 381 " I- 1 tend of Sinner i." 8s, 7s, 7s. ON1-. there is above all others. Well deserves the name of Friend ; His is love beyond a brother's, Costly, free, and knows no end: Thev who cmce his kindness prove Find it everlasting love. 2 Which of all our friends, to save us Could or wiHild have she often What a I''rient ! those tears arc over, Hut his h«ran is still the sanu- : Kinsman, Krieiut, and elder Brnthcr, Is his everlasttiiK name. Saviour, who can love like thee, (iracious One ol Bethany ? 1 When the pan({S of trial seize us, When the waves of sorrow roll, 1 will lay my head on Jesus, l'ilU>w of the trouhleil soul. Surely, none laii feel like thee, WeepiiiK One of Bethany ! 3 Jesus wept ! and still in xlory He can mark each niourner's tear; LiviiiK to retrace the story Of the hearts he solaced here. Lord, when I am called to die, Let me think of Bethany. 4 Jesus wept ! that tear of sorrow Is a legacy of love; Yesterday, to-dav, to-morrow. He the same cfoth ever prove. Thou art all in all to me, Living One of Uethaiiy ! Rev. John Ross Macduff, 1). D., was born at Bonhard, near Perth, in Scotland, May 23, 1818, and studied at the University of Edin- burgh. In 1842 he became parish minister of Kettins, Forfarshire, where he remained until 1849. when he took charj(e of St. Ma- does in Perthshire. In 1855 he was settled over a church in (ilasyow, his last pastorate, as he retired from the ministry in 1871, and went to live at Chislehurst, Kent. Dr. Mac- duff has written about forty hymns, some of which have kept a place in popular love. One of the best known is jriven here ; its re- frain leads us back to the story in the elev- enth chapter of John. Although Bethany has vanished from the maps, it will never be for- gotten by Christians. To them the little vil- fage over the hill, a couple of miles from Jeru- salem, will always recall the Saviour's sympa- thy with human sorrow. That shows how an idea can last longer than a monument. Uesus, may thy love constrain us, at from sin we may refrain us. In thy Krii'f'' niay deeply grieve: Thee our best allections H'^'"K. To thy Kl"r>' ever livine. May we in thy glor>" live. 384 "AVar the Cross" Nrar the cross was Mary weepinjj. There her mournful station keeping:, CiaziuK on her dyiriK Son : There in s|Kfchless anicuish K'roaniiiK, YearninK, trcmblinic. sishinK. moaninR, Throujch her soul the sword had Ronel 7 But we have no nee<-s he wrouulu our hcalinK. By+iis death, our life revealing. He for us the ransom paid. P. M. THK ClBKRAMMBRGAC .VIARN'. The author of Fni^/is/i Hvmns tells us that the ancient Latin poem of which this is a translation was the work of one of the queer- est and quaintest of the ancient singers. His name is a nickname ; Jiuoponus means " Silly James." He is more dignifiedly known as Jacobus de Benedictis. liut the Dictionary of Ifytnno/oi^y does not accept such a con- clusion. It bewilders us with the mention of many claimants besides, and in the end seems to favor Pope Innocent III. as having a su- preme place in the composition. It came into popular use in the fourteenth century by the Flagellants' singing of it on their way from town to town ; but it was composed a hundred years before that. The music of Ro.ssini has rendered the S/ii/' it Mater Polorosa famous in modem times. But no Protestant could ever sing suih ;i thing: it is sinipK a gush of worship SUFFERINGS AND DEATH. 179 of the Virgin Mary, a passionate prayer to a dead woman to be one's intercessor. It re- quired the exquisite taste and perfect feeling of Dr. James Waddell Alexander to catch and preserve the matchless meaning of the human sentiment and yet avoid the mariol- atry. He seems with the delicacy of genius to have instinctively separated the pathos from the passion, and so brought us a true hymn which the Church may easily receive, giving all the loving tenderness of pity to the loving mother, and all the supreme gratitude of praise to the divine Jesus — where it be- longed. The piece may be found in his Breaking Crucible and Other Translations, 1 86 1. The portrait added above is taken from a photograph of rare excellence, and well represents the personified Virgin of the Passion Play. 335 Gethsemane. L. M. 'T IS midnight ; and on Olive's brow The star is dimmed that lately shone . 'T is midnight ; in the garden, now The suffering Saviour prays alone. 2 'T is midnight ; and from all removed, The Saviour wrestles lone with fears ; Ev'n that disciple whom he loved Heeds not his Master's grief and tears. 3 'T is midnight ; and for others' guilt The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood ; Yet he that hath in anguish knelt Is not forsaken by his God. 4 'T is midnight ; and from ether-plains Is borne the song that angels know ; Unheard by mortals ^re the strains That sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe. This author. Rev. William Bingham Tap- pan, was born October 29, 1794, at Beverly, Mass. He became in 1805 an apprentice in Boston ; he removed to Philadelphia in 181 5, where, after a short time spent in teaching at Somerville, N. J., he entered the service of the American Sunday School Union, 1826. As the representative of this society for the four succeeding years he resided in Cincin- nati, Ohio, returning to Boston in 1837. Though still remaining in the service of the Union even down to the date of his death, he began preaching in 1841 ; at the outset he acted as an evangelist, but soon connected himself with the Congregational body. He died at West Needham, Mass., June 18, 1849. Mr. Tappan early showed a marked fond- ness for books and study, although in the beginning of his career he had few advan- tages for the gratification of his taste. He was not a man of powerful genius, but the many books he published afford sufficient proof that his artistic ability as a writer was one of his strongest characteristics. Neiu Etigland and Other Poems was the first work he issued from the press; this was in 1819, and several volumes followed this in turn. The hymn before us is found in his volume of Poems, 1822; it has four stanzas and is entitled " Gethsemane." 386 '"Tis finished!" L. M. " 'T IS finished !" — so the Saviour cried. And meekly bowed his head and died : " 'T is finished !" — yes, the race is run, The battle fought, the victory won. 2 'T is finished ! — all that heaven foretold By prophets in the days of old ; And truths are opened to our view That kings and prophets never knew. 3 'Tis finished! — Son of God, thy power ■ Hath triumphed in this awful hour; And yet our eyes with sorrow see That life to us was death to thee. 4 'T is finished ! — let the joyful sound Be heard through all the nations round • 'T is finished — let the triumph rise, And swell the chorus of the skies. Dr. Samuel Stennett's works, entitled. On Personal ReligioJt, were published in three volumes in 1824. These included a memoir, and with them at the end were given thirty- four of his hymns. Five others, and among" them this one, were found in Rippons Selec- tion, 1787. It is related in this good man's biography that during his last sickness he was compelled to use a gargle with vinegar among the ingredients of it for a relief to his throat. Once while taking this he quoted the words used in Psalm 69:21 : "And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." Then he added : " When I reflect upon the suffer- ings of Christ I am ready to ask. What have I been thinking of all my life ? What he did and suffered are now my only support." The connection of this sentiment with the refrain of the hymn is very close, for the record reads thus : " When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said. It is fin- ished." The poetry, however, was written long before this conversation occurred. The one word in the Greek, which in our English version we take three words to ren- der, is " Tetelestai /" It is a single verb with- out so much as a nominative. What was it that was finished .'' For one thing, certainly the personal suffering of Jesus Christ in the crucifixion was finished. He was dying now. We cannot pretend to define in what the an- guish of Christ on the cross consisted : but whatever it was, he had now at last come to the end of it. We recollect also that Jesus had begun to show a measure of inexplicable dread as he neared the time of his death. i8o HE LORD JESUS CHRIST. He kept talkinjf concerninij a mysterious "hour." and seemed filled with solicitude about what it was to discharj^e on him. " Father, save me from this hour," was his f)€tition. In this explosive utterance on the cross he has touched the supreme degree of his satisfaction. The fright is all over ; the forced calmness disappears ; and this cry is an outburst of self-congratulation that his terri- ble cup has been entirely drained. He knows now that all physical pains and all spiritual horrors are exhausted. And so he sends out before an anxious universe this " loud voice " like a bulletin from a field of battle. He is all through the charge, right, safe, at rest. 337 " Thf wondrous Cross." L. M. Whkn I sur\-cy the wondrous cross, On which the Prime of nlory died, My richest K^in I count but loss. And pour contempt on all my pride. 2 Forbid it, Lord! that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ, my God ; All the vain thinjcs that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. 3 See, from his head, his hands, his feet. Sorrow and love flow minglea down ; Did e'er such love and sorrow meet. Or thorns compose so rich a crown? 4 His dying crimson, like a robe. Spreads o'er his body on the tree; Then I am dead to all the elobe, And all the globe is deaato me. 5 Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small ; Love .so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. This was made for Ur. Isaac Watts' Hymns and Spiritual Sont^s, where it appears as No. 7 in Book HI. ; he gives to it as usual a title and text : " Crucifixion to the world by the cross of Christ: (lal. 6:14." A few years ago one of the religious magazines in London invited its readers to vote upon the hymns in use among the churches by .sending in lists containing the best hundred of them all. A prize was offered for that one which should most nearly represent the general verdict. Almost four thou.sand papers were received ; fifty-five different authors were included in the approval ; Toplady.with his incomparable " Rock of Ages," stood confessedly the first. But Charles \\'esley. with seven hymns, and Isa^ic Watts, with seven also, followed next. Every one said Wesley's " Jesus, lover of my soul " was his best ; and every one said Watts' best was " When I survey the wondrous cross." 388 "/■'or »«<•." L. M. jKSts. vvhuni .ingfl hosts adore, Hf< :inie a man of griefs for nie; III \<<\r. though rich, bt-cominv poor. That I through him cnrichra might be. 3 Though Lord of all, above, below. He went to Olivet lor nic ; There drank my cup of wrath and woe, When bleetling in (iethscmaiie. 3 The cver-bli-ss<-{ Sacrifice, 1 clinK by tailh to thee! We find this hymn accredited to Sir Henry Williams Haker, but little notice seems to have been taken of it in the British hymnals. It tits a niche in real serviceableness, and is of itself full of significance. The author con- tributed it to the revised edition of Hymns Atuit-nt iinii MoiU-rn, 1875. When Jesus Christ died he cried out, " It is finished I" It was the boast of those who spoke Greek, that, such were the capabilities of their compact and beautiful tongue, they could give " a sea of matter in a drop of language." Only one word did our Lord use, but " the world itself could not contain " all its significance. The instant his final breath was drawn, the vail of the temple was rended from the top to the bottom ; the sacred secrets of that ancient mystery in the Holy of Holies were thrown open to the world. The day of the temple had passed ; the downfall of Jerusalem was near. So we see that in the utterance of this cry on the cross Jesus Christ announced that his human biography was complete. And now this would have to be perpetuated in a book. Within less than a hundred years there would not be on the earth any one of the people who ever saw him or heard him speak. He must fashion his entire career — its actions, its sayings, it purposes, its gifts, its fer\'ors. its prayers — all into one such en- tirety as that it could be pictured with words which should live for ever. The book was finished when Jesus lifted this loud cry. That was his shout of exultation. We have in literature a fine chapter which details the thoughts and emotions of the historian ('rib- bon on the evening of his completing that great work which bears his name. Hut how feeble a figure is this by which even to at- tempt to describe the joy and satisfaction with which this Son of Nlan. who was the Son of (^od, wrote his final line in the volume that contained his life. So perfect is this, that infidels and fierce unbelievers, who deny h-m full divinity, are .still con.strained to ac- credit to him the unquestioned position as the Primus Homo~\\\c chief Man of men. the unchallenged Head of his race. 392 The tuo Looks. C. M. 1 SAW One har.KinK on a tree, In a(;oriv anilblood ; Who lijic! This hymn, which used to be printed with another stanza as the first, beginning " In evil long I took delight," is the more interesting to Christian hearts because it purports to be the religious experience pictured truly which the author, Rev. John Newton, wished to give as his testimony to the saving grace of Jesus. He contributed it to the OZ/uy Hymns, \TJ% It affords a very forcible suggestion to be made to any penitent sinner seeking salvation. It places the doctrine of justification by faith at the front as being the genuine help of one's .soul rather than the mystic doctrine of regen- eration by the Holy Ghost, or the more mys- terious doctrine of election by God the Father. This penitent pirate, this " wretched worm." as he often called himself, seemed to see the Saviour on the cross, in the \tT\ act and ar- ticle of crucifi.xion. Jesus was looking at him ; the " languid eyes," weak with pain, and dull with death so close at hand, were " fixed " upon him. Newton felt that he was respon- sible for that awful spectacle at which the uni- verse was shuddering. The Christ said noth- ing— only he gave one long look. Then the sinner cried out in deep response of remorse and shame and pity, and tried to hide himself from the condemning eyes, so pitiful, so re- proachful, so tender. While he watched, how- ever, Jesus looked again. There was explana- tion in the gaze, there was love in it, there was help in it — that is. there were justification and free grace in it, and John Newton's soul was saved. That which showed him his guilt and helplessness showed him also his pardon and hope. 393 '• O Christ of God • • C. M. O iF.St'S, swccl the Irani I she', Nor let his saints forget. At the close of one of his letters, lately brought to light. Dr. Isaac Watts, to whom have been by some attributed sentiments almost Socinian in doctrine, referring to the common belief as to the Trinity of the God- head, says : " All the explications I have yet seen do still leave great darkness upon it, which I expect will be cleared up when Christ's kingdom breaks forth in its power ; for I believe it was in the apostles' days a much plainer and easier doctrine than all ages ever since have made it, since there were no controversies about it in their time." The present hymn is taken from Book III. of Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns, and is entitled " Christ's Dying Love ; or. Our Pardon Bought at a Dear Price." It has eight stanzas, and was wTitten in 1707. 395 " Grace unknown." C. M. Alas ! and did my Saviour bleed. And did my Sovereign die? Would he devote that sacred head For such a worm as I ? 2 Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazmg pity ! grace unknown ! And love beyond degree ! 3 Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut his glories in. When Christ, the great Creator, died For man, the creature's sin. 4 Thus might I hide my blushing face While his dear cross appears ; Dissolve my heart in thankfulness. And melt my eyes to tears. 5 But drops of grief can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe ; Here, Lord, I give mvself away, 'T is all that I can do. It is likely that more conversions have been credited, in the wide round of Christian biog- raphy, to this hymn of Dr. Isaac Watts than to any other in the English language. It is No. 9 of Book II. in his Hymns on Divine Subjects, where it bears the title, " Godly Sorrow Arising from the Sufferings of Christ." In the third stanza there has always been one line which the Christians on both sides of the ocean, and of every denomination, have been reluctant to receive. Dr. Watts wrote it thus : " When God, the Mighty Maker, dy'd." Now, when we remember that this revered author has been violently accused of being so Unitarian in sentiment that Scottish Pres- byterians cannot sing his versions of Psalms, even at Pan-Presbyterian Councils, it is re- freshing to hear him assert such doctrinal ex- travagance in his zeal to be orthodox. But still, although there is a certain meas- ure of metaphysical truth in the statement, most sensibilities recoil from saying baldly that " God died." Moreover, the Scriptures represent Christ as the Creator of the world (John I : 3). Hence in one collection the line |84 IHK l.<»KI) JESUS CHRIST. reads : " When Christ, the Lord of glory, died." And another : " When Christ, the great Redeemer, died." And another : " When Christ, the Mij^hty Maker, died." And one. which in the small antithesis be- tween '• Creator " and " creature " seemed really quite felicitous, reads: " When Christ. the great Creator, died." This was chosen by the compiler of LauiU-s Domini as on the whole the snuK)thesl. He did not make the change : he accepted it. 39Q Sufffrfd for sin. CM. (")n, if my soul wvxv formi-d for woe. How would I viTU niv sIkIih! Repviitaiicc should like ri\ its flow From bolh my slreamiiiK eyes, a *T was for my sins my dearest I,ord HuiiK on Ihe cursfd tree, And KroaiictI away a dyinK life For thee, my soul I for thee. 3 Oh, how I hate these lusts of mine That crucified my Lord ; Those sins that pierced and nailed his flesh Fast to the fatal wood ! 4 Yes, my Redeemer — the\' shall die ; My heart has so decreen ; Nor will I snare the K.uilty things That macfe my Saviour bleeil. 5 While with a nieltinv;, broken heart. My murileretl Lord I view, I '11 raise revenue against my sins, And slay the murderers too. From Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns, Rook II., No io6. It is given there with five stanzas, and is entitled, " Repentance at the Cross." The piece is remarkable for the introduction into Its sentiment of a passionate exaspera- tion of feeling and an implacable determina- tion to destroy utterly the wickednesses — " the guilty things that made the .Saviour bleed.' It makes us think of the commenda- tion which the apostle bestowed on some of his converts (II. Cf)rinthians 7:11): here is the " indignation," as well as the " fear ;" the " vehement desire," as well as the " zeal ;" and specially the " revenge." When the regiment of Highlanders, at the crisis of the Sepoy Rebellion, arrived with the means of rescue too late, and drew up from the well at Cawnpore the mutilated remains of a young Englishwoman, it was no time for parley ; the leader drew his sword and cut off one long tress from the locks of their countr\- woman ; this he divided among the soldiers. Then they all uncovered their heads in pitiful silence and swore that a life should suffer in retribution for ever)' filament in the braid of that maiden's hair. 397 "Cponlhe Ctois." 7s, 6». D. < » IK-St's, we aw our h««rts In-fore lhc«; Thy tenacious Name we sinx: That Name hath brouKht salvation. That Name, in life our slay ; Our iH-sice, our consolation Wneti life shall fade away. i Vet doth the world disdain the«. Still pressinK hy ihy cross: Lord, n>ay our hearts retain thee: All else we count lull !•-- The ef'ef thy soul eiicli; Who can that erief il' Thv jKiins have tnus as>..ii.i That thou thy foes wilt spare. 3 Ah, Lord, our sins arraiKncd thee. And naileeriod of years, without any recognition as to author- ship. In one instance it was actually ascribed to Charles Wesley. It was written by Rev. Arthur Tozer Russell in 1831, as a song for Good Friday. It fitly voices the I'assion Chorale of Johann Sebastian Bach. 398 The Lamb of God. 7s, 6s. D. O Lamb of God! still keep me Near to thy wounded side; 'T is only there in safety And peace I can abide! What foes and snares suiround me. What doubts and fears within ! The grace that sought and found me. Alone can keep me clean. 2 'T is only in thee hiding I know my life secure — Onlv in thee abiding. The conflict can endure; Thine arm the victor\- gaineth O'er every hateful foe: Thy love my heart sustaineth In all its care and woe. 3 Soon shall my eyes behold thee With rapture, face to face; One half hath not been told me Of all thy |M>wer and grace; Thv beauty. Lord, and glon,-, "fhe wonders of thy love. Shall be the endless story Of all the sjiints above. This hymn, entitled by its author, " Christ's Presence Desired," was written by Rev. James (ieorge Deck, and was published first in Psalms and Hvmns, in two Parts, 1842. 399 At thf Ctoss. 7s, (A. D. O SACRF.n Head, now wounded. With grief and shame weighed down. Now scornfullv surroundeain ; SUFFERINGS AND DEATH. i8s Lo, here I fall, my Saviour ! 'T is I deserved thy place ; Look on me with thy favor, Vouchsafe to me thy grace. 3 What language shall I borrow, To thank thee, dearest Friend, For this, thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end ? Lord, make me thine for ever, Nor let me faithless prove: Oh let me never, never. Abuse such dying love. 4 Be near when I am dying. Oh, show thy cross to me ! And for my succor flying, Come, Lord, and set me free ! These eyes, new faith receiving. From Jesus shall not move; For he who dies believing, Dies safely — through thy love. Paul Gerhardt is usually credited with the authorship of this hymn. But we have been told lately that his poem was after all only a version of one written long before by Bernard of Clairvaux. The German translation, O Haiipt voll Bhit und Wundeti, brought the ancient lyric within reach of the common people, and it became very popular at once. Bernard wrote his verses five hundred years before this; he died in 1153, and Gerhardt gave his to the world in 1656. The Latin hymn is entitled Ad faciem Christi in cruce pendentis ; and the first line of the five stanzas, each consisting of ten lines, reads thus : Salve, caput cruentahim. Dr. Alexander composed his translation in 1829, but does not appear to have printed it until, twenty years after, he contributed it to the Deutsche Kirchenfreund, then under the care of Dr. Philip Schaff. Since then it has had a fixed and notable place in all the collections. Rev. James Waddell Alexander, D. D., was born at Hopewell, near Gordonsville, Louisa County, Va., March 13, 1804. He died at the Red Sweet Springs, Va., July 31, 1859. He received his academical training at Philadel- phia, was graduated at Princeton in 1820, and studied theology in Princeton Seminary. In 1824 he was appointed a tutor, and during the same year he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, N. J. Dur- ing 1 825-1 828 he was in charge of a church in Charlotte County, Va., and from 1828 to 1830 was pastor of the first Presbyterian church in Trenton, N. J. His health failing, he resigned this charge and became editor of The Presbyterian, in Philadelphia. He was professor of rhetoric and belles- lettres in Princeton College from 1833 till 1844, when he assumed charge of the Duane Street Church in New York city. From 1844 to 185 1 he was professor of ecclesiastical his- tory and church government in Princeton Theological Seminary, and in 1851 he was REV. JAMES W. ALE.XANDER, D. D. called to the pastorate of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, where he remained un- til his death. Among his published works are : Consola- tion; Thoughts on Preaching ; Plain Words to a Young Commtmicant ; a series of essays entitled The American Mechanic and Work- ingtnatt ; Discourses on Christiati Faith and Practice; Gift to the Afflicted; a biogra- phy of Dr. Archibald Alexander, and more than thirty volumes for the American Sunday School Union. He was also a frequent con- tributor to the Princeton Rroieiv and the Bib- ilcal Repertory. Forty Years' Familiar Let- ters of James W. Alexatider was published by the surviving correspondent. Rev. John Hall,D. D., of Trenton, N. J. These simple facts are necessary in any ordinary sketch of Dr. Alexander's career; but they seem very dry and unsatisfactory as a description of such a man's life in the gen- eration of which he was a notable part. He was always prominent, always influential, al- ways beloved. The people of his charge in his various pastorates honored and revered him with an affection and trust which will abide as long as Christian confidence endures. His later years, especially during the period when his health was failing, took on an ap- pearance of gentleness and quiet, full of pa- thetic interest. Brilliant in intellect, studious and scholarly in habit and attainment, he com- manded respect in every position he was sum- moned to fill. The vast and powerful congre- gation in New York, of which he was so long the useful pastor, has hardly yet ceased to be i86 THE I.ORI) JESUS CHRIST. called by his name. It is now more powerful than ever and more prosperous ; but ft)r some decades of remembcrcil histor)' those were its stronj^csl men who were tauijht and trained under his minisir)". 400 ' All-I'o>/rn'i-g /■■ 7s, 6s. D. 1 111 I'lthc world I I hail thcc; M.ul, Jt-sus, Saviour dear ! I ti« thv iross i-oulil yield me, MiK^t I t» Ou-r Ih: iii-;ir. Thysolf. in all thy fullness, M> Lord, lo me im|>an : To thee I lomc as with me, Vea, find thee in my heart. a Look on me, All-Forgiving! Low at thy feet I bow. Oh, all-divine thou seemest, As I behold thee now ! I clasp with tender |>assion Thy feet, so pierced for us. The cruel wounds deep graven, O'crwhelmed to set: thee thus! 3 While here with thee I linger. Take me, dear Saviour mine I Oh, draw me to thee closer. And make me wholly thine; Say, ■• Be thou saved, O sinnerl' .•\ne Afundi salutare ;" to this he gave the title : "A rhyth- mical praver to any one (whatever one you please) of' the members of Christ, suffering and hanging on the cross." Parts of this in order were addressed to his feet, his knees, his hands, his side, his breast, his heart, his face. Dr. Ray Palmer published in the Christian Union, .\\)x\\ 13, 1881, a translation of that portion addressed to Christ's feet ; and three stanzas of this have been chosen for the hvmn before us. 40 I The bUfding Lamh. Jescs, Lamb of God. for mc Thou, the Lord of life, didst die; Whither— whither, but to ihet. Can a trembling sinner fly I Death's dark waters o'er me roll, Save, oh, save my sinking itoul. 3 \rver bowed a martyr's head Weighe*! with e ,..w.. > ,,,... . ..^,,1 di>th reign!" Descended from a family of Revolutionary heroes, when Kcv. John Sloultrie undertook to write a hymn, what more apt than that he should describe Christ's victor)- over death ? This author was born in London. England, December 31, 1799, and was educated at Trinity College. His first and only charge was tile rectorship of Rugby, which he ob- uined in 1828. Here he lived and labored until his death, which occurred December 26, 1874. He published a volume of poems in 1843, entitled My Brother's Gra-'e and other Pottns : but the piece we quote did not appear until 1858. It cannot be called strictly a hymn ; but it meets a want which sometimes occurs when one wishes to sing concerning the burial of our Lord, and when night-ser\ices are held in connection with (".()o(! Friday. 406 " The Debt of Love." H. M. C«iMK, even,- pious heart, That loves the Saviour's iiaine. Your noblest |Hiwers exert To celebrate his fame; Tell all above, and all below. The debt of love to him you owe. 2 He left his starry- crown, And laid his robes aside. On wings of love came down, And wept, and blc(»;// i't-tir to War, 1883. in connection with the Sunday next to Ascension Day. The piece has one more double stanza than the three here chosen, and it is declared to have been b.-ised upon John 15 : 26. It is interesting to find how wide is the use which might be made of it. It fits the sentiment of I, John 2 : i, for it presents our Lord as having ascended in order to be our .Advocate. It also suggests the touching picture of the disciples as " gazing up into heaven." Acts i : 11. And it offers the assurance that Jesus is our High Priest, for ever. Exodus 28 : 29. 4 I I H' livfs again. 7s. Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day, Sons of men, and angels, say ; Raise your joys and triumphs high ! Sing, ye heavens ! and, earth, reply I 3 Love's redccminij work is done, Fought the fight, tne battle won ; Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er ; Lo, he sets in blood no more. 3 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal; Christ hath burst the gates of hell ; Death in vain forbids his rise; Christ hath opened Paradise. ^ Lives again our glorious King; Where, 7) Death, is now thy sting?" Once he die- stones would sing: What a debt we owe to the*-, Thee our Saviour, thee our King I 3 Joyful are we now to own, Knplure thrills us as we trace All the deeds thy love hath done. All the riches of thy grace. 4 'Tis thv gniie alone can save; KverN- bU-Hsiiit < onu-s from thee — All we have, and hojie to have, All we are, and hi>|ie to be. 78. 5 Thjne the Name to sinners de«r I Thine the Name all names before! Blessf il here and evcr>w here ; Bless6lorious, to his native skies ! Christ, awhile to mortals given. Enters now the gates of heaven. 2 There the glorious triumph waits; Lift your heads, eternal gales! Christ hath vanquished death and sin; Take the King of glory in. T, See, the heaven its Lord receives 1 Vet he loves the earth he leaves ; Though returning to his throne. Still he calls maiikind his own. 4 Still for us he interci- people see The crown of glor>- worn by thee, And worthy thee priK'laim. 2 Head of the church : thou sitlest there, Thv bride shall .nil thy glor>- share — Th> fullness. Lord, is ours: Our life thou art— thy grace sustains. Thy strength in us the victory gains ()'er sin and Satan's |«)wcrs. 1 Soon shall the day of glory come. Thy bride shall reach the Father's home. And all thy beauty see ; And, oh, what joy to see thee shine. To lu-ar thee own us, Lord, as thine, And ever dwell with thee! RESURRECTION AND REIGN. 193 The spirit of Psalm 45 is in this exhilarat- ing song. It was composed by Rev. James George Deck, and was published in the Psalms and Hyiivis in Two Parts, London, 1842. The picture of the Church, a King's Daughter, the Prince's Bride, standing by the side of her Groom, is very beautiful. " The king's daughter is all glorious within ;" but the Lamb is fairer even than his wife ; for " God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." 420 "Complete in hivi." C. P. M. Come join, ye saints, with heart and voice, Alone in Jesus to rejoice, And worship at his feet ; Come, take his praises on your tongues, And raise to him your thankful songs, " In him ye are complete !" 2 In him, who all our praise excels, The fullness of the Godhead dwells, And all perfections meet : The head of all celestial powers. Divinely theirs, divinely ours— " In him ye are complete !" 3 Still onward urge your heavenly way, Dependent on him day by day. His presence still entreat ; His precious name for ever bless, Your glor>-, strength, and righteousness — " In him ye are complete!" The hymns of Rev. Samuel Medley were habitually printed as leaflets in the first in- stance, and these he used in his services for distribution as early as 1786. Seventy-seven of them were gathered, 1789, into a small volume, and a larger book was made up, 1794. In 1800, after his death, a collection was is- sued containing two hundred and twenty hymns ; this bore the title : Hymns — The Public Worship and Private Devotions of True Christians, Assisted in some Thoughts and Verse ; Principally drawn from Select passages of the Word of God. In this is to be found the hymn now before us ; it is a very fine illustration and an interesting reiteration of the inspired declaration (Colossians 2:20): " For in him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily : and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." 421 "The first-fruits." 8s, 7.s. D. Hallelujah ! hallelujah ! Hearts to heaven and voices raise; Sing to God a hymn of gladness, S'ng to God a hymn of praise; He, who on the cross a victim For the world's salvation bled, Jesus Christ, the King of glory. Now is risen from the dead. 2 Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits Of the holy har\est-field, Which will all its full abundance At his second coming yield. When the golden ears of harvest Will their heads before him wave. Ripened by his glorious sunshine. From the furrows of the grave. 3 Christ is risen ; we are risen ; Shed upon us heavenly grace. Rain and dew and gleams of glor\' From the brightness of thy face. That we, with our hearts in heaven, Here on earth may fruitful be. And by angel-hands be gathered. And be ever. Lord, with thee. 4 Hallelujah ! hallelujah ! Glory be to God on high ; Hallelujah ! to the Saviour, Who has gained the victory; Hallelujah! to the Spirit, Fount of love and sanctity; Hallelujah ! hallelujah ! To the Triune Majesty. In each Russian city, on Easter morning, one old friend meets another and says, " The Lord is risen !" And the other responds, " The Lord is risen indeed !" We like that. " Then were the disciples ^^/a^ when they saw the Lord." On the weary eyes of weeping people everywhere what radiant revelations of the future are flashed ! " Christ rose, and I shall surely rise !" So it is well to keep sing- ing. The day which commemorates a su- preme event like this might well be the supreme day on earth. It was at least a pardonable extravagance when one high in the true faith exclaimed, " Easter is the Amen of God and the Hallelujah of humanity !" This hymn is one of the few imitations of the ancient Hallelujahs which have been suc- cessful. It takes place instantly among the high-rank compositions of the language. Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, the present Bishop of Lincoln, in England, is its author ; he pub- lished it first in his Holy Year, 1862. 422 The Paschal Lamb. 8s, 7s. D. Hail, thou once despised Jesus! Hail, thou Galilean King! Thou didst suffer to release us ; Thou didst free salvation bring. Hail, thou agonizing Saviour, Bearer of our sin and shame! By thy merits we find favor; Life is given through thy name. 2 Paschal Lamb, by God appointed. All our sins on thee were laid ; By .Almighty Love anointed, Thou hast full atonement made : All thy people are forgiven Through the virtue of thy blood ; Opened in the gate of heaven. Peace is made 'twixt man and God. Upon a tomb in the churchyard behind the City Road Chapel, London, is this inscrip- tion : " Sacred to the memory of John Bake- well, of Greenwich, who departed this life March 18, 18 19, aged ninety-eight. He adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour 19* THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. ei)jhiy years, and preached his glorious gos- pel about seventy years." This venerable man was one of the earliest of .Mr. Wesley's lay preachers. He was bom at Hrailsford. Derbyshire. Kngland, in 1721. At about eighteen years of age his mind be- gan to turn to things religious, and from that time onward he lx;came a most earnest evan- gelist. He first began to preach in 1744. He was a friend of Wesley, Madan, Toplady.and other good men, and for some years conduct- ed the Greenwich Royal Park Academy. Finally he gave his academical work into the hands of his son-in-law. Dr. James Egan, and then devoted his time to local preaching for the Wesleyans. Hakewell wrote several well-known hynms, but the piece before us is considered the best. A part of it appeared in 1757, and .Madan publi.shed an abridgment of it in his collection, 1760. liut the entire poem was given to Topladv by the author ; and he. after altering it to suit his own strong Caivinistic views, published it in 1776. 423 "Enthroned in glory." 8s, 7s. D. Jksi's, hail, enllironifl in Klor>', There for ever tt> abide : All the heavenly hosts adore the«, Sealetl at thy Father's side. There for sinners thou art pleadinR; There thou dr>st our place prei»are ; Ever for us interceiiinR Till in k''"^' we appear. 2 Worship, honor, i>o\ver, and blessinjt. Thou art worthy to receive; Loudest praisi-s. without ceasing. Meet it is for us to Rive. Help, ye briRht atixelic spirits, Bring your sweetest, noblest lays; Help to sing our Saviour's merits. Help to chant Immanuel's praise. This is a part of the preceding hymn by Rev. John Hakewell, and is simply divided for the sake of convenience in the .setting. 424 " Thf Hood that sfifakflk." 8s, 7s. U. FatheBj hear the bloraviil u|»on the tree; Still I..- 1,1, ....1 . ru-s out. " Fiirgivc them; .\' A ere laid on me." Stil' 'ii- in iH-.iven I'l.. , ..1-. I r on eiirth begiio — "Father, show their sins forgiven; Father, glorify thy Son!" The Mfthodisl Hymnal credits this to Rev. Charles Wesley. It is ffnind in Hymns on (hi- Lord's Supper, prepared by the two l)rothers while yet they signed themselves " I'resbytcrs of the Church of England:" Bristol, 1745. Allusion is directly made to the passage m Hebrews 1 2 : 24 : " .And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprink- ling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." The significance of this contrast sends us back to the old storj' of the world's first awful crime: (ienesis 4: 9, 10: "And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother } And he said. I know not : Am I my brother's keeper } And he said. What hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." Abel's blood cried for justice ; Christ's blood cries for mercy ; Abel's speaks of retribution. Christ's of pardon ; Abel's of wrath unspeakable, Christ's of peace everlasting and secure. 425 -Shall sfr hii/acf.'' Ss, 78. D. " \Vk shall see Him," in our nature, Scateil on his lofty throne, Livvetl, adoreii the cross. But our C.o' train ! All creation, find a voice : He o'er all shall reign." Christ is risen ! Christ is risen ! He hath burst his bonds in twain ; Christ is risen ! Christ is risen ! O'er the universe to reign. REV. ARCHER T. GURNEY. The author of this hymn, Rev. Archer Thompson Gurney, was born in 1820, and received an education as a lawyer. He was called to the Bar in the Middle Temple, but decided to enter the ministry, and took holy orders in 1849. He held the curacy of Buck- ingham from 1854 to 1858, when he became, in Paris, France, the incumbent of an Epis- copal Chapel located upon a " court," where he remained until 1871. He died at Bath, March 21, 1887. Mr. Gurney published sev- eral poetical works, and contributed one hun- dred and forty-seven hynms to the Book of Praise, 1862; but he is best known by this familiar and beautiful Easter hymn, which has been adopted by the churches on both sides of the sea. 427 The Ascended Lord. O Lord most high, eternal King, By thee redeemed thy praise we sing : The bonds of death are burst by thee, And grace has won the victor>-. L. M. 2 Ascending to the Father's throne Thou claim'st the kingdom as thine own ; Thy days of mortal weakness o'er. All power is thine for evermore. 3 To thee the whole creation now Shall, in its threefold order, bow, Of things on earth, and things on high. And things that underneath us lie. 4 Be thou our joy, O mighty Lord, As thou wilt be our great reward ; Let all our glor\- be in thee Both now and through eternity. St. Ambrose of Milan wrote the fine old hymn, ^'Eterne Rex altissinie, and Rev. Dr. John Mason Neale translated it into English : it was published in the Hymnal Noted, 1852. But the compilers of Hymns, Ancient and Modern, either with his permission or with- out, made such alterations in the version they found, that some critics have half-credited the work to them. However, it is with the consent of all concerned that Dr. Neale's name remains as the responsible author. 428 Christ, our Advocate. L. M. He lives ! the great Redeemer lives ! What joy the blest assurance gives ! And now, before his Father, God, Pleads the full merits of his blood. 2 Repeated crimes awake our fears. And justice armed with frowns appears ; But in the Saviour's lovely face Sweet mercy smiles, and all is peace. 3 In every dark, distressful hour. When sin and Satan join their power, Let this dear hope repel the dart, That Jesus bears us on his heart. 4 Great Advocate, almighty Friend ! On him our humble hopes depend ; Our cause can never, never fail. For Jesus pleads, and must prevail. Miss Anne Steele i^ generally rated as a quiet writer; but this hymn shows that she could rise to e.xcited praise whenever the theme was full of inspiration. It is found as usual in the Poems by Theodosia, 1760. She sees in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and in his ascension to heaven, the establish- ment of his supreme official work. Hence the text is added, Hebrews 7 : 24, 25 : " But this m.an, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." 429 ' ' Behold the Way .'" Jesl's, my .All, to heaven is gone. He whom I fix my hopes upon ; His track I see, and I '11 pursue The narrow way till him I view. 2 The way the holy prophets went. The road that leads from banishment. The King's highway of holiness, I '11 go, for all his paths are peace. L. M. 196 THE LORD JKSLS CHRIS I. 3 This is the w ■^ I l.iu- li;i"> ' ''•"' ''<^" Boi-ausc I urn; - ii"ni sin. 4 The more I strove atniinst ils power, I siiiiiett and stunihles his name — He Kuides our wanderiiiK feet to heaven. 7 'T was his own purfHwe that tief(an To rt-siiie relK-ls d(M>med to die: III- K'A\ (• us Krare in Christ, his Son. lUlon- he spread the starry sky. 3 Jesus, the Last. And hrinjo immortal hlessiii({> R> thai ni ill every meadtjw, Leaves on every liou^h. Speak his sorrow ended. Hail his triumph now. — Ref. 3 Months in due succession, Days of lenKtheiiiiiK liKht, Hours and passiiiK moments. Praise thee in their Hixht ; Brinhtness of the morning, Sky and fields and sea, Van<|ui>her of darkness. Bring their praise to thee.— REF. 4 Maker and Re-da\ is vaiujuished, Hea\en is won tixtlay ! Lol the dead is living, Lord fiir evermore! Him, their true Creator, All his works adore! Rev. John Kllerton has given us this in his f/vmns, 1SS8, in full. It was contribute He who bled and died, Now is crowned with gladness At his Father's side. Never more to suffer, Never more to die, Jesus, King of glon.-, Is gone up on high. — Ref. 3 Praying for his children In that blessed place. Calling them to glor>-, Sending them his grace ; His bright home preparing, Little ones, for you ; Jesus ever liveth, Ever loveth too. — Ref. This hymn is found in almost all of the books, little and large, which have been made up of selections from the Poems of Miss Frances Ridley Havergal. Its title is "Ascension Song," and she has affixed to it a reference to Ephesians 4:8: " Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." It was written at Perry Barr in 1871. She was visiting there, and on one occasion walked to the boys' schoolroom. Being ver)' tired, she leaned against the wall of the playground. Mr. Snepp, who edited Songs of Grace afid Glory in 1872, was with her at the time : but when she was resting a little, he went in. Returning in ten minutes, he found her " scribbling on an old envelope." At his request she gave him the piece she had just penciled, which was this. She was a composer of music as well, and she subse- quently made the tune " Hermas " to which her words are usually sung. This was the strain she sang when she was dying. Then her sister adds, in the story of her departure : " Now she looked up steadfastly, as if she saw the Lord ; and surely nothing less heav- enly could have reflected such a glorious radiance upon her face. For ten minutes we watched that almost visible meeting with her King, and her countenance was so glad, as if she were already talking to Him I Then she tried to sing ; but after one sweet, high note her voice failed, and as her brother com- mended her soul into the Redeemer's hand, she passed away." 6s 5s. 433 Captivity led captive. P.M. The strife is o'er, the battle done : The victory of Life is won : The song of triumph has begun — Hallelujah ! 2 The powers of death have done their worst. But Christ their legions hath dispersed ; Let shout of holv jov outburst — Hallelujah ! 3 The three sad days have quickly sped ; He rises glorious from the dead; All glor\- to our risen Head ! Hallelujah ! 4 He brake the age-bound chains of hell : The bars from heaven's high portals fell ; Let hvmns of praise his triumph tell ! 'Hallelujah ! 5 Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee, From death's dread sting thy ser\'ants free, That we mav live and sing to thee, Hallelujah ! The ancient Latin hymn, '^' Fi'nila Jam sunt prcelia'' is a puzzle to the hymn critics ; it stands without the name of any author and without the date of any origin affixed to it. The translation of it here printed was made in 1859 by Rev. Francis Pott, and published two years after in his Hymns Fitted to the Order of Common Prayer. It was ver)^ much altered when it was introduced into Hymns, Ancient and Modern, and the changes were not welcome, and have not been accepted. 434 "He is risen." P. M. Morn's roseate hues have decked the sky ; The Lord has risen with victorj- : Let earth be glad, and raise the cr%-. Hallelujah ! 2 The Prince of Life with death has striven, To cleanse the earth his blood has given; Has rent the vail, and opened heaven : Hallelujah ! 3 Our bodies, mouldering to decay, Are sown to rise to hea\enly day; For he bv rising burst the way : Hallelujah ! 4 And he, dear Lord, that with thee dies. And fleshly passions crucifies, In bodv. like to thine, shall rise: Hallelujah ! 5 Oh, grant us, then, with thee to die, To spurn earth's fleeting vanity, And love the things above the sky : Hallelujah ! The translator of this hymn. Rev. William Cooke, M. A., was born near Manchester, ■ 98 THK LORD JKSIS CHRIST. Kngland. in 1821. studied at Cambridge, and took his dcjjfrcc at Trinity Hall. He was or- dained in 1S44, and after having served as assistant in several chiinhes. he was appointed in 1848 to the charge of St. John's. London. Two years later he became vicar of .St. Ste- phens. Shepherd's Hush, and in 1834 was made Honorary Canon of Che.ster. Mr. Cooke has held several other positions of honor and influence and was editor or joint editor of three collections of hymns. He translated for these books some of the Latin poems, the one given above being perhaps the most popular. This translation was writ- ten for the llymitarw 1872. The original is to be found in the Paris Bra'iary, 1736. where it was appointed to be sung the Sun- day after Easter Day. 435 Ancifnt Hymn. P. M. Vk sous and daujchtiTS of the I,orcl ! The Kinjj of Cilon-, KCiiiij adoritl, This day himself from death restoreil. 2 f)n Sunday morn, at break of day, The faithful women went their way, To see the tomb where Jesus lay. \ Then straiRhtway one in white thev see, who saith. '■ Ye seek the Lord ; but he Is risen, and Ri>ne to Galilee." 4 That ni({ht the aiK>stles met in fear. But Christ did in their midst ap|>ear— " My peace," he said, " be on all here !" 5 When Thomas first these tidings heard, He doubtetl if it were the Lord, l"ntil he came and spake this word : 6 " Behold my side, O Thomas! see My hands, my feet, I show to thee; Nor faithless, but believiiiK be." 7 When Thomas saw that wounded side. The truth no lonRer he , With his bliHKl the Lord has boueht them ; When they knew him not, he souRlit them. And from all their wanderinKS brought them ; His the prai.se alone. 4 Ji-sus is the name that charms us ; lie for conflict fits and arms us; NothinK movi-s, and nothing harms us. When we trust in him. 5 Trust in him, ye saints, for ever; \\v is faithful, changinK never, Neither force nor guile can 9e\er Those he loves from him. This bright hymn, looking upward and catching a glimpse of the glorified Saviour at the side of the Father, bursts into a song of adoration and love. It is found in Rev. Thomas Kelly's //rw«.f <'// Various Passages of Script lire, 1806, entitled simply, " Praise of Jesus." 437 "Risen indeed." S. M. U. " Thk Lord is risen ineheld the Saviour bleere. 2 "The Lord is risen indeed!" Then is his work perfornK'<1 ; The mighty Caplixe now is free<1, And death, our foe, disarmetl. " The Lord is risen indee* with as much appropriateness and zeal as any other. RESURRECTION AND REIGN. 199 And it certainly is not papal, for, historically, it had its place and its celebration long before the corruptions of the Roman hierarchy had defiled the primitive faith. It followed the day of the ancient Passover very like the em- blematic feast of the Lord's Supper, perpet- uating all there was valuable in it, and then transcending it with a special value of its own. We trace the observance distinctly back to the earliest ages of the Christian era, those trustworthy times when Polycarp suffered and Ignatius wrote. Indeed, Easter is not a church festival at all so much as it is a mere religious memorial. Quite possibly a recognition of Easter Sabbath as a recurring date might sometimes be rendered of essential service in keeping the facts of our Lord's resurrection vividly in mind. 438 " Lead us to thee r S. M. D. Thou art gone up on hi^h To mansions in the sliies, And round thy throne unceasingly The songs of praise arise. But we are lingering here With sin and care oppressed : Lord ! send thy promised Comforter, And lead us to thy rest ! 2 Thou art gone up on high : But thou didst first come down, Through earth's most bitter misery To pass unto thy crown. And girt with griefs and fears Our onward course must be; But only let that path of tears Lead us at last to thee ! 3 Thou art gone up on high : But thou shalt come again With all the bright ones of the sky Attendant in thy train. Oh, by thy saving power So make us live and die That we may stand in that dread hour At thy right hand on high ! Although the writer of many pleasing hymns, Mrs. Emma Leslie Toke has never published any. Her hymns written in 1851 were given at the request of a friend to aid the Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Know- ledge, when they were compiling their Hymn- Book, and these were sent anonymously. Mrs. Toke was the daughter of Rev. John Leslie, D. D., Bishop of Kilmore, and was born, August 9, 181 2, at Holywood, Belfast, Ireland. In 1837 she married Rev. Nicholas Toke, of Codington Park, Ashford, Kent, England. She died in 1872. 439 " Many Crowns." S. M. D. Crown him with many crowns, The Lamb upon his throne; Hark ! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own ! Awake, my soul, and sing Of him who died for thee; And hail him as thy matchless King Through all eternity. 2 Crown him the Lord of love ! Behold his hands and side. Those wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorined ; No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight, But downward bends his wondering eye At mysteries so bright. 3 Crown him the Lord of heaven ! One with the Father known, And the blest Spirit through him given From yonder Triune throne ! All hail. Redeemer, hail! For thou hast died for me : Thy praise and glor\- shall not fail Throughout eternity. Matthew Bridges, writer of many excellent hymns, was born in Essex, July 14, 1800, and educated in the Church of England, although in 1848 he became a Roman Catholic. His earliest poems were published in 1825, and were followed at the time of his change of faith by Hynuis of tJic Heart, 1848, which in- clude many of his finest songs; and in 1852 by The Passion of Jesus. In the last book is to be found this hymn, entitled, " Third Sor- rowful Mystery, Song of the Seraphs." It ranks as one of his most spiritual and beauti- ful poems, and has been widely used by churches both in England and America. Mr. Bridges removed to Canada, and of late years has resided in the Province of Quebec. 440 ' The ivork is done.' S. M. D. Beyond the starr>- skies, Far as the eternal hills. There in the boundless world of light Our great Redeemer dwells. Around him angels fair In 'countless armies shine ; And ever, in exalted lays, They offer songs divine. 2 " Hail, Prince of Life!" they cr>-, "Whose unexampled love Moved thee to quit these glorious realms And royalties above." And when he stooped to earth, And suffered rude disdain. They cast their honors at his feet, And waited in his train. 3 They saw him on the cross, While darkness vailed the skies, And when he burst the gates of death. They saw the conqueror rise. They thronged his chariot wheels, And bore him to his throne; Then swept their golden harps and sung — " The glorious work is done." The original form of this hymn is probably, '• Beyond the glittering, starry globes." Rev. James Fanch, who is supposed to have been joint author with Rev. Dr. Daniel Turner, was bom in 1704, and died December 12, 1767. He was for many years a Baptist min- ister at Romsey, England, and in Hants, though little is known of his life. The hymn appeared in Dr. Turner's Saered and Moral Poems, 1794, and in that book it has more lOO IHK I.OKl) JESUS CHRIST. than twenty stanzas. It has been very much altered in every collection which has printed it. 44 1 ^' AicrmsioH. 7S. D. II' •- ' -I riouci oftlKht 1 ' ' limi (rum our sijjhl ; ! 'U, whi-rc CM- of nK-ii I . : . nor aiiKi'ls ken ; ^li (III- \. Ills of tiiiK- and space, I into till- liolii-st place ; A-. :..!. loll, the s«jrrow lione, Alt llie battle fuutcht and won. -• lie is kjone — tuwarils their jfoal W • ■! .Hill ihunh must onward roll : I • liind wi- leave the past ; I ; u .inl are our glances i-ast : Slill his wortis l>elore us niiijje ThroUKli the a^i-s as the\ i halite: Wheri-soe'er the truth shall lead, He will Kive whate'er we ncc' bel- ter through his printed volumes, his lectures on tile Jfu'ish L'hurih and on the Eastern Church, than by his hymns. He was famed as a preacher in his later years also. It was our glad privilege on one rememlwred occa- sion to listen to the voice of I )ean Stanley in his own pulpit. \N'e saw the notice of a ser- vice on a stormy Sunday, and assumed that one more in the audience would not be un- welcome. It was raining as only (ireat i5rit- ain knows how to rain in winter. London streets were fearful. \'et great crowds of people stood just outside of Westminster Ab- bey, as did we, for near an hour, waiting till the door should be opened. Then that va.st nave was thronged as far back from the pul- pit as it was possible to hear any living voice. The stone pavement was wet from the drip- ping garments, and the chill day was unutter- ably cheerless. Hut when the speaker began his discourse, every discouragement was for- gotten. .And we bore away with us a mcm- or)', that now shines out through the years, of a thoughtful man and a sincere Christian. The jiresent hynui was written in 1859 for the use of a private family, and was first pub- lished in .\facmillan's Mai^azhic, June, 1862. 442 " Pralh ts dfad." 7s. D. SiNi., 0 heavens! <) earth! rejoice, .XiiKcl har]i and human voice! Kound him, as he risi-s, raise Voiir asceiidiiiK Sa\ ioiir's praise! Bruised is the serpent's head; Hell is vani|uisheanf| human voice! Kound him, in his kI'Tv, raise Your ascended Saviour's praise. RESURRECTION AND REICxN. In Rev. Dr. John S. B. Monsell's Hyvuis of Lcn'c and Praise, 1863, this is found in five stanzas from which the two double-stanza verses here given are compiled. It has an- nexed to it the reference, Psalm 47 : 5, 6 : " God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises : sing praises unto our King, sing praises." He calls it a " Hymn for Ascension Dav." tuted in the form of an anniversary. It is encouraging to note that the American peo- ple are working toward this rapidly. 443 The Risen Redeemer. ^s. Christ, the Lord, is risen to day, Our triumphant holy-day : He endured the cross and grave. Sinners to redeem and save. 2 Lo ! he rises, mighty King! Where, O Death ! is now thy sting? Lo ! he claims his native sky ! Grave ! Where is thy victor\- ? 3 Sinners, see your ransom paid. Peace with God for ever made ; With your risen Saviour rise ; Claim with him the purchased skies. 4 Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day. Our triumphant holy-day, Loud the song of victory raise; Shout the great Redeemer's praise. This anonymous composition is found in Lyra Da^'idica, 1708; afterwards it appeared in Evans' Collection, 1786, entitled " The Resurrection Hymn." It seems too good to remain nameless. Christians at large have already had, and through all time cherished, one excellent aid in remembering that " Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead." The institution of the first day of the week as the Sabbath is a permanent memorial. We all understand that a primary and important otfice of the remarkable alteration of the day, noticeable between the Old Testament and the New, even the change in name which now calls it the " Lord's Day," was just to perpet- uate the august fact of Jesus' rising from the tomb. We have no healthful or happy associations with Saturday. It was the day in which wickedness triumphed and death held rule. Sunday, the first day of the week, opened with 445 a new light, and all our memories of it are joyous. In religious matters it is often quite as necessary to prompt recollection as it is to instruct intelligence. We need to be reminded quite as much as we need to be taught. Men are profited frequently by a rehearsal of old truth as well as by the revelation of new. And we cannot help thinking that Easter makes an excellent annual Lord's Day. In most countries where the Gospel has made its way a yearly recognition is likewise insti- The ResMrreclion. 7s. Angels ! roll the rock away ; Death ! yield up thy mighty prey ; See ! the Saviour leaves the tomb. Glowing with immortal bloom. 2 Hark ! the wondering angels raise Louder notes of joyful praise ; Let the earth's remotest bound Echo with the blissful sound. ■ 3 Saints on earth, lift up your eyes — Now to glorj' see him rise In long triumph through the sky, L'p to waiting worlds on high. 4 Heaven unfolds its portals wide! Mighty Conqueror! through them ride; King of glory! mount thy throne, Boundless empire is thine own. Rev. Thomas Scott, the writer of this hymn, was born in Norwich, England, in 1705, and was the son of a Dissenting minister. As a young man he taught in a school in Norfolk, and preached once a month at Harleston. In 1733 he was settled as a pastor at Lowestoft ; but, as the climate proved too severe for his delicate health, he removed a year later to Ipswich, where he was co-pastor with Mr. Baxter, minister of the Presbyterian congre- gation. On the death of Mr. Baxter in 1740 he succeeded to the full charge ; this he held for many years, but in 1774 his health failed, and he was compelled to resign his office, although he still preached at Hapton in Nor- folk, whither he had retired on leaving Ip- swich. He died there in 1775. Mr. Scott was the author of several poetical works, in- cluding The Book of Job. in Etiglish J^erse ; translated from the original ftebre-d.', with Remarks Historical, Critical, and Explana- tory. He wrote a number of hymns which appear in old Presbyterian collections and in some Unitarian books. The hymn quoted above consisted originally of nine stanzas, and has been much altered ; it is supposed to have been written in 1769. "Lion of Judak." Rise, glorious Conqueror, rise; Into thy native skies — Assume thy right ; And where in many a fold The clouds are backward rolled — Pass through those gates of gold. And reign in light ! 2 Victor o'er death and hell ! Cherubic legions swell Thy radiant train : Praises all heaven inspire ; Each angel sweeps his lyre. And waves his wings of fire — Thou Lamb once slain ! 6s, 4s. 303 THE LORD JKSVS CHRIST. % F.iitcr, inraniatr «'iod ' No twl but thmr li.ivc trod The >criK-iil . Mow ' 4 l.ion ofjuduh — Hail! Ami lit tfiv iinmc prevail Im .^c; I.ortl \«.-ars, flaini ^ II tlic spheres, l-'or tlitiii h.i^i li.mi^ht with tears Thy heritage! This hymn by Matthew Hridjjes cin be found in full in the /.yra Catholica ; it first appeared in his Hymns of t/u- Iharl, 1S48, where it had seven stanzas, and was entitled "Asiension." Most of the compositions of this author, once an Kpiscopalian, but now a Roman Catholic, were introduced into the hymnals in the Protestant churches through the Plytnoulh ColU-clion of Henry Ward Beecher, 1835. Mr. Bridges was born in 1800, and of late has been residing in the neighborhood of Quebec ; he must be \tr\ old, if living at the present time. 446 "Jfsus is A'lug." 6s, 4S. Lkt us awake our joys, Strike up with iheerf'ul voice. Each creature, siug — AiiKels, beKiii the song, Mi>rtals, the strain prolong. In accents sweet anent with the ancient Congregational Church, Above Bar, in Southampton : and here he died peacefully. February 18, 1818. 447 " " otthv th^ l.atnh'- Globv loC.xl on high ! Let heaven and i-arth reply, "l't.,1..- %. Ins „..ln.."' H. .,re. Wh ...re; Sin. ,., " Wurthy the L^mh!'' 6s, 4s. 3 While they arounrthy the Laml> "' Rev. James Allen, preacher and hymn- writer, was born at (iayle in Yorkshire. Kng- land. June 24, 1734. As the lx)y grew up he was intended at first to lie a clergyman of the K.stablished Church, but during his study ye.irs he became interested in the teaching of Benja- min Ingham, the founder of the sect which bore his name. They were Independents in church discipline, but had some peculiarities of doctrine and practice; Mr. Allen joined their number, becoming a zealous itinerant preacher. On one occasion he was saved fnim a mob only by the fortunate arrival of an old friend, who was a local magistrate. In 1761 he went to Scotland to investigate the char- acter of the churches which had been founded by the preachers (ilas and Sandeman, and was so much impressed by his observations that he retired from the Inghamitesand joined the Sandemanians. He afterwards left the new sect, and built a chapel in his own estate at Gayle, where he ministered until his death, October 31, 1804. Mr. Allen was the editor and principal contributor to the KiiiJal Hymn Hook, 1757. Nearly a hundred of his compo- sitions have appeared in different books since, but few are in common use at present. 448 ChmtfotlhfUofhi. 6s, 4s. Cukist for the world we sing ; Tiu- World to fhrist we bring. With loving zeal : The piM>r, and them that mourn, The faint anil overlxirne, Sill-silk and sorrow-woni. Whom Christ doth heal. 3 Christ for the world we sing; The world to C"hrist we bring. With lei-\cnt pniyer ; The waywaid and the lost, Kv restli-ss (ussions ti>s.sed, Kedi-emitl at countless cost I'rom e and praise. To Christ belong. RESURRECTION AND REIGN. 203 Rev. Samuel Wolcott, D. D., the author of this hymn, has given an account of the sug- gestion which first brought it into existence. Some time in the year 1869 the Young Men's Associations of Ohio met in one of the churches of Cleveland. Over the pulpit in evergreen letters they placed their motto : " Christ for the World, and the World for Christ." On the way home from the first service, walking by himself in the road in a spirit of meditation, he " put together these four stanzas " as they now appear. He had himself been a faithful missionary for many years in Syria, and his heart was aflame when such a sentiment kin- dled it. This author began to compose hymns only in his later life. Behind him have been left more than two hundred in number, of varying excellence, which it is hoped will some day find their way into the modern hymnals for use. He wrote these words in 1883, less than three years previous to his somewhat sudden decease : " I have the feeling that I can write a better hymn than I have yet writ- ten ; and, having leisure now, am turning my attention that way. But after all, a good hymn can be written only as it is given of God ; and it usually comes, if at all, at some unconscious moment. And after it is written, it can soar only as some suitable tune may furnish it with wings." This hymn was ap- propriately sung at the funeral of its author in the various churches he served. 449 The Angels' praise. 6s, 4s. Sing, sing his lofty praise, Whom angels can not raise, But whom they sing; Jesus who reigns above, Object of angels' love, Jesus, whose grace we prove, Jesus, our King. 2 Rich is the grace we sing. Poor is the praise we bring. Not as we ought ; But when we see his face, In yonder glorious place, Then shall we sing his grace. Sing without fault. This hymn of Rev. Thomas Kelly, found in the fifth edition of his book, 1820, has six stanzas, from which the two here in use have been selected. It has annexed to it a refer- ence to Psalm 145 : 1,2. 450 The Return to Heaven. 8s, 7s, 7s. Jesus conies, his conflict over, Conies to claim his great reward ; Angels round the Victor hover, Crowding to behold their Lord ; Haste, ye saints ! your tribute bring, Crown him, everlasting King. 2 Yonder throne for him erected. Now becomes the Victor's seat ; Lo, the Man on earth rejected ! Angels worship at his feet : Haste, ye saints ! your tribute bring, Crown him, everlasting King. 3 Day and night they cry before him, " Holy, holy, holy Lord !" All the powers of heaven adore him, All obey his sovereign word ; Haste, ye saints ! your tribute bring, Crown him, e\erlasting King. Rev. Thomas Kelly gives us this in addi- tion to the many other excellent helps in our singing. It was written or first published in 1806, and was suggested by I. Corinthians 1 5 : 54. In the stanza usually omitted the line began, " Hark, ten thousand voices cry." The piece is valuable because of the rareness with which our poets seem to choose for their song that majestic moment chosen here — the mo- ment when Immanuel returns to his Father's side. A passage in the book of Revelation reaches the absolute height of sublimity as it rehearses the incidents of that spectacle, and it records the vast ascription of honors to Christ : " Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." This seems to in- clude everything that mind can conceive of supreme ownership and control. They lay the universe down at his feet. The special reason they suggest for their applause is significant. It is as the " Lamb that was slain " that they exalt him to the eminence. These angels had no part in the atonement, but they knew just where Christ's greatest exploits had been done. They had for ages " desired earnestly to look into " this mystery of his humiliation ; now they understood what it meant. Just before Jesus left the bosom of the Father, on his way to suffering and death, while even the lowliest garments of his humiliation were on him, they had been challenged to pay him the usual adoration : " And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith. And let all the angels of God worship him." As if the Almighty would say, " You shall not even now despise my Son ! though he is bearing sin and shame and contumely, give him every honor as the chief in the realm !" Now they saw him coming to his old place and glory again ; and they knew that the Lamb of God had brought fresh honor to his adorable name. " And the four living creatures said. Amen !" Here was an anthem in one word. And " Amen !" is the same in all human languages. Here was the universal endorsement of the themes of all the songs at once. For " Aincji /" means, "So be it." Hence, it was the acquiescence of all creation. Here, then, was the last dox- ology^ of a satisfied realm that the Lamb of God was going hereafter to rule. It was the calm rejoicing of a universe which had reached good government at last. There is rest for 204 THK LORD JESUS CHKl.M. the tired heart in th.it sweet j^lad Anicn I There is peace for all the sin^in^j soldiers of (iod in that Amen I There is solace ft)r the disturbed foreljodinj^ mind in that Amen I Oh. there is infinite satisfaction for the uni- verse in that Amen. It makes one feel like falling; dow n. as the elders did. and worship- in){ him " that liveth for ever and ever." 451 /jaiaA65:i. &s, 7s, 7s. Who is this lh.it comes from F.dom, M\ his mimt-iit staiiicil with bliKKl ; To the slave proflaiminR freetlom; BriiiKiXK aixl iH-NiowiiiK K<>od: (■lorious III the K'.^t\> lie wears. Glorious ill the s|Miils he l>ears? 2 'T is the Saviour, now victorious, TraveliiiK onward in his miKht ; 'Tis the Saviour, 'siis is l:i.iic up on high : .. Ill meet their King ; ;li;iiil lend the sky. \'. \ n ti>ts praise they sinjj : "Opiii \\"\\, \e heavenly |{atcs! T IS the King ol glor> walls." : -.' . . ■ I . . . , nthroned. 7s. 61. Oh. for hoins and tonics to sing — "Glory, glory to our king!" Once more we choose from Rev. Thomas Kelly's Hymns on I 'arious Passa^ts. This was publisheil in 1804, and is founded upon Tsalm 47:5. 6: "(kkI is jjone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sin>; praises to (iod, sinjj praises : sing praises unto our King, sing praises." 453 "Jfsus tfigns." Ss, 7s, 7s. IIakk \ ten thousand harps and voices Sound the note <»f praise al^ive; Jesus reigns, and heaven rejoice*; Jesus reigns, the Gcxl of love; See, he sits on ycmder throne; Jesus rules the world alone. 2 King of glory! reign for ever— Thine an everlasting crown; Nothing, from thy love, shall sever Those whom thou hast made thine own — Happy obiects of thy gnice, Di-slined to iK-hold thy face. 3 Saviour! hasten thine apjK-aring; Bring, oh. bring the glorious day, When, the awful summons hearing. Heaven anil i-artli shall jKiss away — Then, with golden har^is, we 'II sing— •• Glory , glory to our King !" These words, sung to the tune " Harwell." are familiar in all the American churches. Rev. Thomas Kelly wrote them for the sec- ond edition of his Hymns, 1806. and Lowell Ma.son gave us the music, and added the Halltlujali at the end in order to complete the strain. 454 \l > live in Him. &s, 7s. D. Si:i:, the Conqueror mounts in triumph! See the King in royal state. Riding on the clouds, his chariot. To his heavenly jKilace gate! Hark I the choirs of angel vry ; He. who on the cross did suffer. He, who from the grave ari>se. He has vanipiishetl sin anil Satan, He by death has s|Miile stand; Ji-^iis reigns, adoied by angels; Man with <".<«l is on the ihnine: Mightv Lord! in thine ascension We by failh lKhi>ld our own. 4 Lift us up from earth to heaven, (iive us wings of failh and love. Gales of liolv aspirations. Wafting us to lealnis al»ove ; That, with hearts and minds uplifted. We with Christ our Lord may dwell, Where be sits eiithroiuil in glory, III the heavenly citadel. RESURRECTION AND REIGN. 205 5 So at last, when he appeareth, We from out our graves may spring, With our youth renewed Hke eagles'. Flocking round our heavenly King, Caught up on the clouds of heaven. And may meet him in the air — Rise to realms where he is reigning, And may reign for ever there. Bishop Christopher Wordsworth has given us this song in his Holy Year, 1862, but of such length that it sometimes appears in two portions. It is confessedly the finest and no- blest of his compositions, and many of the best critics have pronounced it the " nearest approach in style and treatment to a Greek ode known to us in the English language." It rehearses facts, it presents gospel truths, it introduces celestial symbols, it swells out into an anthem of intense jubilation. Our hearts are kindled with the hopes it pictures of our " youth renewed like eagles'," of our " being caught up on the clouds of heaven," meeting Jesus " in the air." Oh, this is a good faith to live in ! A better faith to die in ! Somewhere I have read that Ary Schef- fer fell dead at the foot of a picture he was painting; he surrendered his breath in the ver\- act of drawing on the canvas the rolling away of the stone from the sepulcher of the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely no theme of con- templation could be more fitting for one just entering the great New World ! 455 Easter Anthem. 8s, 7S. D. Sing with all the sons of glon.-. Sing the resurrection song! Death and sorrow, earth's dark stor>-. To the former days belong : All around the clouds are breaking, Soon the storms of time shall cease. In God's likeness, man, awaking. Knows the everlasting peace. 2 Oh, what glory, far exceeding All that eye has yet perceived ! Holiest hearts for ages pleading. Never that full joy conceived. God has promised, Christ prepares it, There on high our welcome waits ; Ever>- humble spirit shares it, Christ has passed the eternal gates. 3 Life eternal ! heaven rejoices, ; Jesus lives who once was dead ; Join, O man, the deathless voices. Child of God, lift up thy head ! Patriarchs from the distant ages. Saints all longing for their heaven. Prophets, psalmists, seers and sages, All await the glorj- given. 4 Life eternal ! oh, what wonders Crowd on faith ; what joy unknown. When, amidst earth's closing thunders. Saints shall stand before the throne ! Oh, to enter that bright portal, See that glowing firmament. Know, with thee, O God immortal, "Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent !" The best English rendering of the '"Dies Irce" was made by the Rev. XVilliam Josiah Irons, D. D., the composer of this hymn. He ■was a son of Joseph Irons, an Independent preacher, and was born September 12, 181 2, at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, England. Graduating from (Queen's College, Oxford, in 1833, he became in 1835 curate of St. Mary's, Newington, and vicar, successively, of St. Peter's, Walworth, 1837; Barkway, Hertford- shire, 1838; Brompton, London, 1842. Sub- sequently, he became Prebendar}' of St. Paul's, London, and rector of St. Mar\'-Woolnoth. Throughout his life Dr. Irons was noted for his devotion to the Church of England and his extreme High Church views. He began to write and to translate hymns during his curacy at St. Mary's, Newington, and con- tinued it until his death, which took place June 18, 1883. His hymns are said to be especially fine. According to Julian, their " variety of subjects and meters, intense ear- nestness and almost faultless rhythm, must commend them to the notice of hymn-book compilers." 456 "Lamb of God!" 8s, 7s. D. Lamb of God ! thou now art seated High upon thy Father's throne; All thy gracious work completed, All thy mighty victor.- won : Every knee in heaven is bending To the Lamb for sinners slain ; Everj- voice and harp is swelling — "Worthy is the Lamb to reign." 2 Lord ! in all thy power and glory. Still thy thoughts and eyes are here. Watching o'er thy ransomed people, To thy gracious heart so dear. Thou for us art interceding; Everlasting is thy love; And a blessed rest preparing. In our Father's house above. 3 Lamb of God ! thou soon in glor\- Wilt to this sad earth return ; All thy foes shall quake before thee. All that now despise thee mourn : Then thy saints too shall attend thee, With thee in thy kingdom reign ; Thine the praise, and thine the glor>' Lamb of God, for sinners slain ! Rev. James George Deck has included this in his Appendix to the Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1841. It is remarkable for the ease and gracefulness with which it connects the grand evangelical truths of the gospel ■with the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus to the right hand of the throne of God. The praises of the redeemed ones are made the vehicle of a gracious invitation to sinners ; the promise of Christ's return to the earth as he left it is swiftly led away into an expostulation with those who continue unrepentant in view of such matchless grace. So let us bear in mind that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is more than a fact ; it is a 306 THE LORD JF.SIS CHRIST. doctrine. And once admitted, it will surely lake all the other Christian doctrines in its train. Just let me know that Jesus himself ftdded that napkin, burst those stony barriers of the sepukhcr. anil led captivity captive, and then I know that the atonement is per- fected. Man may rind his way unhindered in returning unto (iotl.and throuj^h penitence and faith sin may be checked, Satan con- quered, and heaven set open for ever I With such a tiospel. why does any one wait .' Kven the Turks say in a proverb, '• Hold thy mantle wide open when heaven is rainiujL^ j^old I' Here is offered it) our blind and helpless race a full disclosure of the future so longed for and needed. " Christ rose, and I shall surely rise." Is it the work of wise men to reject a hope so res|ilendent ? But that hope, like the doctrine, does not go or come alone; it carries a train after it. ■' If only in this life we ha\'e hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." If only in that life we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most mean and most selfish. It would be a strange thing to see in the Fa- ther's house one who never served the Father here, nor ever loved his Son ! 457 REV. ROBF.RT ROBINSON'. Christ IS God. Mh.htv (iod ! while aiifccls bless lhe«, Ma> a mortal lisi> Ihv iiamr? L<>ri.! Sot .iTnl awful praiHe. 2 For the ifrTin'l«-ur of thy nature — s, 7S. D. (•ran wrought V •rns Wi... Bk-.-... ... in\ le domain, irrow ;— i:. ,it,, ,. ii;,,. ,; For thy rirh. thv free redemntimi. Bright . th. ' ■ ■ l..ng, TIioukIiI i> 1 \Vh..,;,|, Hii^lilin--. ..•■'. 1 ,; : . • . . ••\ ■ ^1 .: '.I ^ !•! .;., uiuill. M-.l ilr? l:i. ..i-. i;^'. ;..!.^;i. ' .11. h i;iiiln silence, MiiK tlu- i.iiui who lanu- to (iic : — 4 From the hijthest throne of ((lory To the iross of nf>o riuit/ttus," \\a)> composed in the st-venteenth century by Jean liaptiste de Santeiiil, better known as Santolius \'ic- torinus. He was born May 12, 1630, and died August 5. 1697. His reputation was that of an excellent scholar, a devout man, and a meritorious poet. The Latin te.xt of the piece may be found in the Paris lirti'ia- ry. The translation into English, which here forms our hymn, was made by Rev. John Chandler, and published in 1837. There is an allusion in the whole sentiment to the words of the Lord Jesus, " I go to prepare a place for you," John 14:2. 462 " Lord of hfavfn." L. M. O Christ, the Lord of heaven ! to thee. C"lolhed with all majesty divine. Eternal |>o\vcr and Rlory be ! Eternal praise, of rijclit. is thine. 2 ReiK". Prince of life ! that oticc thy brow Didst vieid to wear the wounding thorn; ReiKn, throned beside the l'"alhcr iiosx , Adored the Son of (j(mI tirsl-born. 3 From anRel hosts that round thee stand. With forms more pure than spotless snow, From the brifjht burninK seraph band. Let praise in loftiest numbers flow. 4 To thee, the Lamb, our mortal songs, Born of deep fer%enl love, shall rise ; All honor to ihv name beloiiKS, Our li|>s would sound it to the skies. 5 "Jesus !" — all earth shall speak the word ; "Jesus!" — all heaven resound it still ; Immanuel, Saviour. Conqueror, Lord ! Thy pniise the universe shall fill Dr. Ray Palmer is reported to have said of this hymn that it " .satisfied " him better than any other of thfise he composed. It was writ- ten in New York City, 1867. suggested by the name applied to Jesus in Revelation 19: 16, *' King of kings, and Lord of lords." He pub- lished it first in his J/ytins of my Holv Hours, issued that same year. It was no affectation on the part of Dr. I'almer to use such language as he does here concerning his songs, " born of deep, fervent love." He had always the most vivid sense of his Lord's nearness to the believer. It was like a dear presence to his own soul. We all understand that there is such a thing as iK-auty of investiture. That is, we are accustomed to love them to whom we give our whole willing hearts and on whom we (x-'Stow the caresses of our |>urest affec- tion, quite often more for the excellences with which we invest them than for those they ex- hibit in shape, form, or fact. We love our homes for something far worthier than their architecture. We move in a world of ideals. We fondly accredit to one who is kind to us everything that is included in gratitude and reverence, and we picture him as positively perfect. Just so a spiritual Christian loves Christ ; he is positively perfect, and so our entire being goes out towards him. " L'nto you which believe he is precious." 463 Our High Priesl, \. \\. Bkfork the throne of God above I have a stroiiK, a perfei t plea — A Rreiit Hi^h I'riest, whose name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me. 2 My name is graven on his hands. My name is written on his heart : I know that while in heaven he stanils. No tongue ran bid me thence depart. 3 When Satan tempts me to despair, .•\nd tells me of tlie guilt within, L'pward I look, and see him there Who made an end of all my sin. 4 Because the sinless Saviour died. My sinful soul is counted free; For GimI. the Just, is satisfieii To look on him, and pardon me. 5 One with himself. I cannot die, Mv soul is purchased by his blood ; My life is hid with Christ on high. \Nith Christ, my Saviour andmy God. It is when we sing such hymns as this that the thought comes to us again of our indebt- edness to our .Mediator, for he not only car- ries the weight of our guilt, taking it upon his own sinless soul, but he offers his suffer- ing to atone for it. He unites men with God. " A mediator is not a mediator of one." Our names are " written on his heart " and " graven on his hands." What a power of meaning is condensed, then, into the words — " even as God,/<'r Chrisl's saki\ hath forgiven you." It is this thought that Mrs. Charitie Lees Han- croft has brought out in the hymn quoted. She was the daughter of Rev. Sidney Smith, an K|)iscopalian clergyman, and was born at Hloomfield, .Merrion, County Dublin. Ireland, June 21. 1S41. In 1869 she married Arthur K. Hancroft. Her hymns are well known both in Lngland and Ireland, and are to be found in Lyra Sacra Hilurnica, Kyle's Spiritual Sontrs, Lyra liritannica, and Times of Rc' freshitt}!;. 464 The iilonnig l^ifst. Now lo the Lord, who makes us know Tin- wonilers of his living love, Ik- luiinblc honors paid below, And strains of nobler praise above. 2 "T was he who cleansed our foulest sins. Anil washetl us in his precious bliHHl ; 'T is he who makes us priests and kings, .\nil brings us rebels near to God. 3 To Jesus, our atoning Priest, To Jesus, iiui otrrnal King. Be everlasting power confessed I Let rvcry tongtie his glor>' sing. I. M. RESURRECTION AND REIGN. :o9 4 Behold ! on flying clouds he comes, And every eye shall see him move; Though with our sins we pierced him once, He now displays his pardoning love. 5 The unbelieving world shall wail, While we rejoice to see the day ; Come, Lord ! nor let thy promise fail, Nor let thy chariot long delay. Dr. Isaac Watts has made this his No. 6i of Book I., in his Hymns. He composed it to follow a sermon on Revelation i : 5-7, and gave it the double title : " Christ our High Priest aid King, and Christ Coming to Judgment." 4.55 " The Song of Songs." L. M. Come, let us sing the song of songs — The saints in heaven began the strain— The homage which to Christ belongs : " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain !" 2 Slain to redeem us by his blood, To cleanse from every sinful stain. And make us kings and priests to God — " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain !" 3 To him, enthroned by filial right, All power in heaven and eartli proclaim. Honor, and majesty, and might : " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain !" 4 Long as we live, and when we die, And while in heaven with him we reign : This song our song of songs shall be : " Worthy the Lamb, for he was slain !" This may be found in James Montgomery's Original Hymns, 1853. It takes the title, " The Song of Songs," and has seven stanzas. Its theme is the gospel of substitution that is offered for the redemption of men. Jesus Christ, as a redeemer and surety, comes and assumes the sinner's exposures and liabilities. This is the picture so often presented by the apostle Paul in more than one of his re- markable chapters ; he appears never to be tired of it. Vividly seeming to see the cruci- fixion scene, that in which Jesus on the cross is the central figure, he explains its mystery by declaring that this perfectly holy Being was suffering not for any sins of his own, but for the sins of another. Jesus was making an atonement for men. Hence a substitution was effected for all that would accept him by faith. It is the mere plainness of this action which renders Paul's language so dramatic and picturesque. He can behold nothing more nor less than a Redeemer bearing men's guilt, and giving them his merit. So his de- scriptions swell with strong feeling and fairly tremble with grateful acknowledgment. " For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die : yet perad- venture for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Higher than this it does not seem possible for even an inspired preacher to go. But Paul does go one step higher. He grows more and more earnest as he continues to exhort his dear friends in Philippi, more and more fervid with each reiteration of his words of counsel. And now at last, as if he well un- derstood the inveteracy of their besetting sin. he suddenly makes a new appeal of tremen- dous power, grounding the stress of it upon the very essence of their piety, springing out before them the example of their Master him- self, and challenging their instant admiration and imitation : " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Where- fore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name : that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 466 "King, Creator, Lord." L. M. O Christ ! our King, Creator, Lord ! Saviour of all who trust thy word ! To them who seek thee ever near. Now to our praises bend thine ear. 2 In thy dear cross a grace is found- It flows from every streaming wound — Whose power our inbred sin controls. Breaks the firm bond, and frees our souls. 3 Thou didst create the stars of night; Yet thou hast vailed in flesh thy light, Hast deigned a mortal form to wear, A mortal's painful lot to bear. 4 When thou didst hang upon the tree, The quaking earth acknowledged thee ; When thou didst there yield up thy breath. The world grew dark as shades of death. 5 Now in the Father's glory high, Great Conqueror ! never more to die. Us by thy mighty power defend, And reign through ages without end. Dr. Ray Palmer gave to the Sabbath Hvmn-Book in 1858 four translations of emi- nent merit, adding so much to the highest spiritual wealth of the churches. Of these, that here offered was one. It is a close and beautiful rendering from the ancient hymn of Gregory the Great, Rex Christe, Factor om- niiim. This man was born in A. D. 541 at Rome, became a Bishop in that great center and capital of imperial influence, and in 590 was chosen and installed as Pope. He was 14 3IO IMt LORD JESUS CHRIST. a patron »;f letters and t>( art ; sent missions ; circulated the Scriptures ; loved music, and made chants: rather a harmless pontitf for those times, till the patriarch of Constantino- ple claimed to be L'niversal liishop ; this made (IrejjKry jealous and roused his tem- per. His lanj^uaj^e was peremptor\' ; he called such a thinij •' proud, heretical, blasphemous, antichristian. and diabolical ;" which is very like what most of us think of the I'ope of Rome now, who claims the same title ; and we ou^ht to be j^jrateful to know that such objuryjations are canonical, for I'opes are re- puted to be infallible in their ollicial utter- ances. 467 Pialm 14. L. .M. U. OcR Lord IS risen from I he d«ine up on hiRh : The iMiwers of hell are captive led, DniK^ed til tlie |K>rtals ars of massy liffht. And wide unfolil the ethcre:il scene ! He claims these mansions as his right ; Receive the Kinn of glory in. Who is this KCing of glory — who! The L«>res o'crcame ; Who sin, and death, and hell o'erthrew I And Jesus is the conqueror's name. 3 Lo! his triumphal chariot waits. And angels chant the solemn lay — " Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates! Ve everlasting doors! give way." Who is this King of glory — who ? The Lord of bounciless power possessed : The King of saints and angels, too, God over all, for ever blessed. One of the finest and noblest of all Rev. Charles Wesley's versions from the Psalter. It is found in A Collect ion of Psalms and Hymns, 1743. The renderinyj is beautifully rhythmical, ami yet so close to the prose of our Bible that it seems almo.st a transcription of some of the phrases. 468 Smding the Spnil. L. M. D. W'v. are not left to walk alone, The Spirit ofourt^nl hath come, For ever w ith us to ahide, Our Teacher, I'omforter, ami C'.uidr; Thus, with his gracious presence hlest, Wr press mi toward our heavenly rest ; Hasting the dreary desert through, With our eternal home in view. a Jesus, the Father's otdv Son, Jesus, his own In-lovf d < )ne, Jesus, now se-.ited at his side, 'lath ilaiiiii-d us for his own, his hridc. Of him .\\\i\ Ins the Spirit tells, f|»on his liive lie s»n^ly dwells; Aiitl while we listen to his voice. We wonder, worship, and rejoice. 3 He teaches us \\> Reveals to us tlir And dr>th to all < i The glory it is oui^ ■ race, Our every sorrow be forgot. The ioyk of earth l>e heeded not ; The Comforter is come, and we Shall soon with our Beluv6d be. When we learn that the lady who wrote this hymn was the sister of Rev. James Gcorjije Deck, to whom we are indebted for a numl)er i)f our best son),js of praise, we realize that the spirit «)f poetry did not re.side entirely in one member of the family. Mrs. Mary Jane Walk- er is the dauj^hter <4 John Deck, ksq.,of Hury St. Kdmunds, Knj^land ; she was married in 1848 to Rev. Dr. Kdward Walker, rector of Cheltenham. A few of her pcx-ms were is- sued as leaflets, but most of them were con- tributed to Psalms and f/ymnsfor Puhlic and Social Worship, 1855, a collection of lyrics which was compiled by her husband. It is evident that the sentiment of this hymn was suggested by the promise of our I-ord in John 16:6, 7: " Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth ; it is expedi- ent for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto vou ; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. ' 439 " Cxnvnfd with H0H01 ." CM. Thh head that once was crowned with thorns Is crowned with glo.-^- now ; A royal diadem adorns The mighty \'ictor's brow. 2 The highest place that hfaven affords Is his by sovereign right ; The King of kings, aiul Lord of lords. He reigns in glory bright ; — 3 The jov of all who dwell above, The joy of all below, To whom he manifests his love. And grants his name to know. 4 To them the cross with all its shame. With all its grace, is given ; Their name-— an everlasting name. Their joy— the joy of heaven. Found in Rev. Thomas Kelly's Hymns oh Various /'assaj^ts of Scripture, 1S20. It is entitled, " Perfect through Sufferings :" Hebrews 2 : 10. Fhe point of the th«)ught e.xpressed in the.se five stanzas is this: Ik- patient in all your trials ; remember that life IS short and heaven is close at hand ; Jesus suffered, and now reigns. The reat.h of this exhortation transcends all analysis. We should l«)se the va.st force of it by picking it to pieces for details of dintrinc. Be like Christ: he was Cod; he l)ecame man ; could anv one ever have been more worthily e.xali- etl? could any one ever have been more deeply htimiliated ? so he received his rec- ompense of reward. Just as some orator, skilfully addressing a company of soldiers en the eve of battle, be- EXALTATION AND OFFICES. 211 gins with an admonition and ends with a pic- ture ; just as he would appeal to their man- hood, their consistency, their honor, and their courage, as he would play upon their fear of disgrace and their contempt of poltroonery ; just as he would follow up each motive with another and a more elevated one, until, at the last, he would invoke their patriotism and their love for their leader, alike and together, by unfurling the national ensign and showing them how he had caused to be painted across the folds the likeness of the face they knew ; so here the apostle seeks to arouse Christian enthusiasm by quickly exhibiting the very image of the Captain of our salvation, and bidding us follow him alone. 470 " l-Vorthy the Lanib." C. M. Come, let us join our cheerful songs With angels round the throne; Ten thousand thousand are their tongues, But all their joys are one. 2 "Worthy the Lamb that died," they cry, " To be exalted thus !" " Worthy the Lamb !" our lips reply, " For he was slain for us." 3 Jesus is worthy to receive Honor and power divine ; And blessings more than we can give. Be, Lord, for ever thine ! 4 Let all that dwell above the sky. And air, and earth, and seas. Conspire to lift thy glories high. And speak thine endless praise. 5 The whole creation join in one To bless the sacred name Of him who sits upon the throne. And to adore the Lamb ! This hymn by Dr. Isaac Watts was written in 1709, and bore the title "Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God worshiped by all the Creation." It is No. 62 of Book I. Not only from the tongues of angels should songs of praise ascend to God ; mankind has the same duty, and even the brute creation shares in the uni- versal chorus of love and gratitude towards its Maker. On Corpus Christi day the poor Indians of Paraguay used to raise triumphal arches of the most beautiful flowers and fruits, in the adorning of which they took the greatest de- light, sometimes contriving means to draw wild and savage nature into the sphere of homage, so that leopards and lions w'ould be seen ranged on each side of the procession- way, while birds of the most exquisite plu- mage would appear flying from branch to branch, displaying their variegated wings; thus they showed how they desired to have all creation united in praising Jehovah. 471 " Lord of all r CM. All hail the power of Jesus' name ! Let angels prostrate fall ; Bring forth the royal diadem. And crown him Lord of all. 2 Crown him, ye martyrs of our God, Who from his altar call : E.xtol the stem of Jesse's rod, And crown him Lord of all. 3 Ye chosen seed of Israel's race. Ye ransomed from the fall ; Hail him, who saves you by his grace, And crown him Lord of all. 4 Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget The wormwood and the gall. Go, spread your trophies at his feet. And crown him Lord of all, 5 Let every kindred, every tribe. On this terrestrial ball, To him all majesty ascribe. And crown him Lord of all. 6 Oh, that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall ; We '11 join the everlasting song. And crown him Lord of all. When this remarkable composition was offered to the Christian public, it was refused a place in the Methodist collection. The Wesleys at that time had a singular antipathy against the author, in common with the cler- gy of the Established Church. They believed the Establishment to be Laodicean, filled with worldliness and formality. Dr. Belcher relates this incident : " Mr. Wesley had long been desirous of hearing Edward Perronet preach ; and Mr. Perronet, aware of it, was as resolutely de- termined he should not, and therefore studied to avoid every occasion that would lead to it. Mr. Wesley was preaching in London one evening, and, seeing Mr. Perronet in the chap- el, published, without asking his consent, that he would preach there the next morning at five o'clock. Mr. Perronet had too much respect for the congregation to disturb their peace by a public remonstrance, and too much regard for Mr. Wesley entirely to resist his bidding. The night passed over. Mr. Perronet ascended the pulpit under the im- pression that Mr. Wesley would be secreted in some corner of the chapel, if he did not show himself publicly, and, after singing and prayer, informed the congregation that he appeared before them contrary to his owa wish ; that he had never been once asked, much less his consent gained, to preach ; that he had done violence to his feelings to show his respect for Mr. Wesley ; and, now that he had been compelled to occupy the place in which he stood, w-eak and inadequate as he was for the work assigned him, he would pledge himself to furnish them with the best 313 THK LORD JESUS CHRIST. sermon that had ever been delivered. Open- ing the Hiblc. he procct-ded to read <»ur Lord's Scmion on the .Mount, which he roncluded without a single word of his own by way of note or comment. He closed the service with singing and prayer. No imitator has been able to priniuce equal effect. "" Concerning the author of this now famous hymn, almost nothing can be told. He print- ed it in a rare volume entitled: ihiasional Vtrses, Moral ami Sacrtd, I'ubits/ifif for the Inst nut ion ami Amuscttit'tit of tlu CaiuiiiHy Serious ant/" Kfli't^ious. London, 1783. It is said that there is a copy of this in the Hrit- i.sh .Museum, and another in the Librarx' of the Drew Seminary, .Madison. N. J. Rev. Edward Terronet. born in 1726, was the son of Rev. \"incenl Perronet, who was the vicar of Shoreham, in Kent, Kngland. He became very intimate with the Wesleys. At one lime he had a charge in Lady Huntingdon's con- nection. He drifted among the denomina- tions until at last he ended his days in Can- terbury, January 2, 1792. as the minister of a Dissenting congregation. His last words were: "(ilory to (iod in the height of his divinity I (ilory to God in the depth of his humanity I Glory to God in his all-sufluien- cy I .And into his hands I commend my spirit I" 472 Children's Hosannas. C. M. D. HosANNA ; raise the pealiiiK hymn To n.ivid's Son antl Korii ; With cherubim atirl seraphim Kxalt the incarnate Word. Hosaniia ! Lord, our feehle tonffue No lofty strains can raise: But thou wilt not dc-spise the young, Who meekly chant thy praise. a Hosanna! SovereiRti, Prophet, Priest; How vast thy (cifts, how free! Thv bloo-s. Aloud will I rejoice. 'T is he aul be found. He tcjok the robe the Saviour wrought, .\nd cast it all around. How far the heavenly robe cxce..- grace ; But Jesus spent his lii'e to work The robe of righteousness. Strangely, my soul, art thou arrayed By tlie great sacre- is my own. 2 The heart of God flows forth in love, A deep eternal stream ; Through that beloved Son it flows To me as unto him. .•\nd, looking on his face, I know — Weak, worthless, though I be — How deep, how measureless, how sweet, That love of God to me. 3 The Lord who sits upon the throne With them his joy will share. And there the sprinkled blood appears That he may set them there. From drear dark places of the earth, From depths of sin and shame, He takes the vessels for his grace, A people for his name. This hymn, written by Dr. Horatius Bonar, was first published in the third edition of the Praise Book edited by Dr. William Reid, 1872. It affords an illustration of the match- less felicity which this eminent writer pos- sessed of urging theological doctrine into the songs of the house of God, without making them stiff or didactically dry. Here the en- tire work of Jesus Christ as Mediator is brought into three musical stanzas ; it is astonishing how simile and type, dogma and duty, faith, hope, and zeal, are introduced into the easy and rhythmical sentences of each verse. Man dares not come directly to God, and he could accomplish nothing if he did. Three things repel him : God's holiness, God's justice, and God's power. He becomes ashamed, afraid, alarmed, all at once. Job exclaimed : " If I speak of strength, Jo, he is strong ; and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead ? He is not a man that I should answer him." The patriarch felt the need of some one as a go-between : " Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both." To this Old Testament outcry of a desolate soul the New Testament makes immediate reply : " There is one God, and one Mediator be- tween God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Thus there is offered " a better covenant," and our Saviour is the mediator of it — divine, so that we might trust him ; human, so that we might approach him. The Son of God becomes the Son of Mary. 475 " A thoughtless tongue.^' C. M. D. Oh ! for a shout of sacred ioy To God, the sovereign King: Let all the lands their tongues employ, And hymns of triumph sing. Jesus, our God, ascends on high ; His heavenly guards around Attend him rising through the sky, With trumpets' joyful sound. 2 While angels shout and praise their King, Let mortals learn their strains ; Let all the earth his honor sing — O'er all the earth he reigns. Rehearse his praise, with awe profound ; Let knowledge lead the song ; Nor mock him with a solemn sound Upon a thoughtless tongue. ■ This is the version of Psalm 47 which Dr. Isaac Watts has made his only representative of that ancient song " For the sons of Korah." It is more like a paraphrase than a translation. He entitled it, " Christ, Ascending and Reign- ing," and tried to inject into it a New Testa- ment sentiment, and to draw a practical les- son out of it for what he calls " these British isles." 476 Reconciliation. C. M. D. Come, let us lift our joyful eyes L'P to the courts above, And smile to see our Father there L'pon a throne of love. Now we may bow before his feet. And venture near the Lord : No fiery cherub guards his seat. Nor double flaming sword. 2 The peaceful gates of heavenly bliss Are opened by the Son ; High let us raise our notes of praise. And reach the almighty throne. To thee ten thousand thanks we bring. Great Advocate on high. And glory to the eternal King, Who lays his anger by. Dr. Isaac Watts has given us this in his Hyjiiiis and Spiritual Songs, 1707, as No. 108 of Book II. It has six stanzas, and is enti- tled, " Access to the throne of grace by a Me- diator." The whole thought of Jesus Christ as an Advocate is full of parado.xes to one whose heart is not enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The image of a court, with its judge and its lawyers, is very helpful if it were not for some peculiar seeming contradictions to our sense of ordinary justice. Here is a cul- prit arraigned, at the bar; he secures an advo- cate to plead his cause. But this Advocate is the Son of the Father who is on the bench to decide guilt and give sentence of judgment. Moreover, the Judge says he agrees with everything the Advocate does, and is well pleased with him. Then, too, the Advocate proceeds with all his power to force the con- viction of his client. He exhibits his awful guilt relentlessly, act after act of measureless and daring rebellion against the Law. He dashes away every species or semblance of defence. Then, too, this strange Advocate seems to have a perfect horror of the man he defends, and yet declares he loves him enough to lay down his own life in his behalf. He calls on his Father to bid his client kneel for the sentence of awful doom. And then the 214 THK LORD JESUS CHRIS1 client rises with a jjold cr(»\vn on his head, a roll of jKirdon in his hand, a robe of white righteousness on his person. Hke that of the Advt)cate. The Son opens the gates of heav- enly bliss, and the culprit, now saved and safe, enters the halls of eternity with songs of welcome in the celestial air. Such para- doxes need the other doctrine of atonement made on the cross of Calvary, and then they are perfectly clear and iK-autiful. 477 Our Joy and Rru a) J CM. O Christ ! our Iioih.-. our h«irt's desire, Rcdfnn>tion"s oniv spring ! Creator of the worlri art thou. Its Saviour ami Its King. 3 How vast the tiiorcy ami the love Whiih laid our sins on thcc, Anme before thy throne And I'md acceptance there ! 5 O Christ ! be thou our present joy, Our future great reward ! Our only glory may it l)e To glor>- in the Lord. There was a hymn, composed by some ancient and anonymous believer in the mys- terious period between the seventh and tenth centur), beginning : "Jtsu tiostra ridcmplio ;" this has proved to have force enough to live down to our time. The manuscript of it may be found to this day in the British Museum, as well as in two or three other places on the Continent. The present translation is given as an .Ascension hymn by Rev. John Chandler ; it dates in 1837, and is included in his Hymns of the Primt'ttTt- Church. 478 Ckrtsl'i rrlurn to Hfavrn. C M Thk gohk-n gates are lifted up, The iliM.rs are opene«l wide. The kill); of glory is gone in fnto his l-'alher's side. 3 Thou art gone up before u«. Lord, To make !<>r uk a place. That we may Ik- where now thou art, And llc u(K>n (lod's face. 3 And ever on thine earthly jwith A gleam of glory lie»; A light Rtill breaks l>chind the (loud That vailed thee from our eye*. 4 Lift up our hrart.H, lift up our minds. Let Ihy cli-ar grace be given. That while \vc tarry here Ik-Iow, Our treasure Ik- in henven I 5 That where thou art. at Cod's right hand. Our hoj»c, our lo\«' may be: Dwell thou in us. that wc may dwell For evermore in the« ! This piece is sometimes missed in the in- dexes because of the ab.sence «jf what was originally its first line : " The etemal gates lift up their heads." 'I'hat stanza was left off in the revised form which Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, the author, published in 1858 in her //)'/////j IhSitipih'e ami lhi>otiimal. Allu- sion IS made in the opening verse to Psalm 24 : 7-10. The poetry of the composition lies in the conception of " a gleam of glory " flung on Jesus' "earthly path" by the light which " still breaks behind the cloud " beyond which the rising Lord has gone. 479 y./* 19:25- t -M. 1 KNOW that my Redeemer lives, And ever pra>s for me: A token of his love he gives, A pledge of liberty. 2 I find him lifting up my head ; He brings salvation near: His presence makes tne free indeed, And he will scmiu ap|>ear. 3 He wills that I should holy be : What can withstaiiil his will ? The counsel of his grace in me He surely shall fulfill. 4 Jesus, I hang upon thy word : I steadfastly believe Thou wilt return, and claim me. Lord, And to thyself receive. There are twenty-three stanzas in this piece as it appears in \.\\i: Hymns and Sacred Poeiits, 1742, of Rev. Charles Wesley. It is entitled " Rejoicing in Hope," and has annexed to it the reference, Romans 12:12. It has often been said in theological dis- cussions that men will l>e quick to preach Arminianism. but will l>ecome the rigidest of Calvinists the moment they start to sing or pray. Surely it would be difficult to find in all the round of hymnological literature a more direct acknowledgment of the divine sovereignty at its supreme exercise than is here given by the historic Asaph of the Methodi.st Church. And while some in modern times are seeking to reject many of the old formulas of belief as to election and perseverance, it may be refreshing to remem- lx;r that enthusiasm with which the followers of the Wesleys still sing these lines : " He wills that I should holv be : What can willistand his will? The counsel of his grace in me He surely shall fulfill." 480 Christ, oHt Prirsl. t'oMK, let us join our songs of praiic To our ascended Priest ; He enterecars Ix-fore the throne. And pleads our cause with God. C. M. EXALTATION AND OFFICES. 215 3 Clothed with our nature still, he knows The weakness of our frame, And how to shield us from the foes Which he himself o'ercanie. 4 Nor time, nor distance, e'er shall quench The fervor of his love ; For us he died in kindness here. For us he lives above. 5 Oh ! may we ne'er forget his grace, Nor blush to bear his name ; Still may our hearts hold fast his faith — Our lips his praise proclaim. The author of this hymn, Rev. Alexander Pirie, was a Scotch clergA'man who was con- nected for some time with the Antiburgher Synod of the Presbyterian Church of Scot- land. He came to America in 1760, having been appointed an instructor of the Philo- sophical Class in the Theological Seminary, New York City. Soon afterward, however, he displeased his denomination, and on a technical charge was formally dismissed from the church. He then returned to Scot- land, joined the society of the Burghers, and undertook the pastorate of a church in Abernethy. His views again brought him into difficulty with his fellow- workers, and in 1769 he left the Secession Church, with which he had been connected, and allied himself with the Independents, finally becom- ing the minister of a congregation at New- burgh, Fifeshire ; in which place he died in 1804. The hymn quoted first appeared in 1777, in Psalms, or Hymjts founded on some import- ant Passages of Scripture. Allusion is here made to the high-priest's ephod, as described in Exodus 28 : 9-12. 48 I Names on his heart. C. M. Now let our cheerful eyes survey Our great Hi§;h-Priest above; And celebrate his constant care And sympathetic love. 2 Though raised to a superior throne. Where angels bow around. And high o'er all the shining train, With matchless honors crowned : 3 The names of all his saints he bears Deep graven on his heart ; Nor shall the meanest Christian say That he hath lost his part. 4 Those characters shall fair abide Our everlasting trust, When gems, and monuments, and crowns. Are mouldered down to dust. 5 So, gracious Saviour ! on my breast May thy dear name be worn, A sacred ornament and g^ard, >iO'a To endless ages borne. 4o3 Dr. Philip Doddridge has entitled this hymn, " Christ's Intercession Typified by Aaron's Breastplate." It appears in his Hymns as No. 8, and has the usual five stan- zas. Allusion is made to the record in Ex- odus 28:28, 29: "And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod. And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually." 482 Christ in Heaven. 8s, 7s. Christ, above all glory seated ! King eternal, strong to save ! To thee. Death, by death defeated. Triumph high and glory gave. 2 Thou art gone where now is given What no mortal might could gain, On the eternal throne of heaven. In thy Father's power to reign. 3 There thy kingdoms all adore thee. Heaven above and earth below, While the depths of hell before thee Trembling and defeated bow. 4 We, O Lord ! with hearts adoring. Follow thee above the sky : Hear our prayers thy grace imploring, Lift our souls to thee on high. 5 So when thou again in glory On the clouds o( heaven shalt shine. We thy flock shall stand before thee. Owned for evermore as thine. Church Hymns, the English collection edit- ed by Sir Arthur Sullivan for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, credits this excellent hjonn to William John Copeland as a translation from the Latin. This author is reported as the rector of Farnham, Essex, and rural dean. He was graduated at Oxford, 1829, and entered the ministry of the Church of England in 1840. His death occurred Au- gust 25, 1885. But the Dictio7iary of Hym- nology, 1892, gives the piece as a version of the ancient Latin hymn " ^-Etertie Rex aliissi- me, Redemptor," an anonymous canticle of the fourteenth century, or thereabouts — some even say the fifth century — and credits the translation to Rev. James Russell Woodford, D. D., the late Bishop of Ely. And Rev. Samuel W. Duffield, our best authority upon such a subject, says that it resembles " faint- ly " the Ambrosian piece, " Christe, rex cceli domitie ;" also, that it has "a trifling like- ness " to the Paris Breviary hymn, " Christe, qui sedes Olympo." " The Bridegroom cometh." Wake, awake ! for night is flying ; The watchmen on the heights are crying. Awake, Jerusalem, at last ! Midnight hears the welcome voices. And at the thrilling cr>- rejoices ; Come forth, ye virgins, night is past ! P.M. ;i6 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. The BridcKroom comes ; awake. Vour laniiM with kUkIiicss take ; Ifallrluiali ! And for hi-" niarri.iKr ftiisl prepare, l-or ye must k" t>* meet him there. J Zion hears the watchmen sinKinK. And .ill h«-r heart with joy is sprin>;inK: S' ' - - 'u* rises from her ^loom ; For 1 •<•> down all-Klorious ; Thf ' c, in trutli victorious: 11>. ...... .^ ii^on, her LiKht iscumei Ah, lome, thou hless^-d One, God's own iH-lovfnl Son ; Halleluiah ! We follow till the halls we see Where thou hast hid us sup with thee. 3 Now let all the heavens adore thee, .•\nd nu-n and angels sinx before thee With harp and cynihars clearest lone; Of one pearl each shining jM>rtal, Where we are with the choir immortal Ol angels round thy dazzling throne; Nor eye hath seen, nor ear Hath yet attained to hear, What there is ours; But we rejoice, and sine to thee Our hymn of joy eternally. From the ricrman of Philipp Nicolai, Miss Catharine Winkworth translated this hymn. It is to be found in her Lyra Gfrnuinna.'^tc- ond Series. 1858, where it is entitled "The Final Joy." Mendelssohn used the chorale to which it is usually sung in his " St. I'aul," and the words, also, after a few slight changes had been made in them. The piece has been translated into many languages. Rev. I'hilipp Nicolai, D. I)., was born at Mengeringhausen, in Waldeck, (iermany, Au- gust 10, 1556. He began to study at the University of Erfurt in 1575, and a year later went to Wittenberg; after his graduation in 1579 he lived in a town near his birthplace, and sometimes preached for his father. He received the appointment of the Lutheran pastorate at Flerdecke in 1 583 ; but as the authorities were all Roman-catholics he had a difhcult time to get along, and in 1586 he re- signed. After laboring in various fields for two years, he became court preacher to Coun- tess Margaretha of Waldeck. and tutor to her young son. He took an acti\^ interest in the theological controversies of tne day, and his E artisan spirit led him into many difficulties ; ut when a fearful pestilence came upon the land in 1 597, and .struck down thousands, Nicolai's earnest piety shone forth, and his zeal for the relief of his suffering people was untiring. It was during this lime that he \vrf)tc his " H',tc/it-l auf, rufi iins die Stini- nie\" the Knglish rendering of which is before us. When the .Sp.miarils invaded the roun- tr\' in 1 59^5 he w,-is forced to flee ; but he returned again, and in 1601 became the chief minister ol. St. Katherine's Church, at Ham- burg, which charge he retained until his death, Octo^nrr 2(>. \(1ake safe the wav that leads on high, And close the |>ath to misery. — Ref. 4 Draw nijjh, draw iiiRh, O Lord of might. Who once, from Sinai's flaming height Didst give the trembling tribes thy Taw, In cloud, and majesty, and awe. — Rkf. This is one of Dr. John Mason Neale's translations. It is offered as the rendering of an anonymous and almost dateless produc- tion of the twelfth century, as some conjec- ture : " /'<•///, 7'»7//, Jmiiux»ut-l." It is not very valuable. C.ounod's music brings to it a mea- sure of popularity as a carol, and it has been of service in missionary fields w here the gos- pel comes in contact with Israelites. The fact is, Inmianuel hixs come; he came almost nineteen hundred years ago, whether the Jews believe it or not. Hut all can join heartily in the petition and promise that he may yet ef- fectually come to (iod s ancient people. 485 Thf Judgment. 8s, 78. D. Hh is coming, he is coming, Not as once he came before. Wailing infant, born in weakness On a lowly stable floor : Kut upon his cloud of glory, In tne crimson-tinted sky, Where we see the golden sunrise In the rosy distance lie. 3 He is coming, he is coming. Not in pain, and shame, and woe. With the thorn-crown on iiis forehead, And the bloii him, And the scepter in his hand, And the dead all rangeil before him. Raised from death, hell, sea, and land. 3 He is coming, he is coming, Not as om e he waiidere<>stles Sitting crown6d at his feet. 4 He is coming, he is coming; Let his lowlv fir»t estate. And his tender love so teat h us That in (ailh and Iioih- we wait, Tiil in glory eastwaid burning Our ledemptioii dia»etli near; And we see tne s\v.\\ in heaven Of our Judge and Saviour dear. This hymn was found in Harnby's Hytnna- ry, 187;. credited to Mrs. Cecil Frances .Alex- ander, and was copied into I. aiidts Domini i& COMING AGAIN. 217 one of its most welcome and valuable acquisi- tions. Why other collections have not taken it up it is not easy to see. Our old friend, Rev. .Samuel Willoughby Duffield, has not men- tioned it, neither is it named in Julian's great Dictionary, yet it will arrest attention by the beauty of its diction, the melody of its rhythm, and the Scripturalness of its sentiment. 486' "Desire of the Nations." 8s, 7s. D. Come, thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free ; From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in thee : Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope of all the saints thou art ; Dear Desire of every' nation, Joy of every longing heart. 2 Born, thy people to deliver ; Born a child, and yet a King ; Born to reign in us for ever, Now thy precious kingdom bring: By thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone; By thine all-sufficient merit Raise us to thy glorious throne. This is found in Rev. Charles Wesley's Hymns for the Nativity of our Lord, 1 744. It celebrates the first advent of Jesus, and it looks forward to the second. Christ has al- ways been "the Desire of all nations," Hag- gai 2 : 7. He was the unconscious prophecy of the prophets and seers through many a clouded century. They were restless ; they did not know what they wanted ; but they longed for him as the needle longs for the star. And the world still longs for him to re- turn and be here again. When we look back to the time of John the Baptist we find heathen historians declaring that even heathen nations were expecting Somebody to come. Then, just after that, he did come. How different the record ! Everybody is singing. Mary is giving us the Magnificat, and Zacharias is composing the Benedictus ; Simeon is chant- ing the Nunc Dimittis, and the whole world is listening to the Gloria in Excehis which the angels had been singing over Bethlehem hills. 487 " Brother, King !" Ss, 7s. Friend of sinners! Lord of glory ! Lowly, mighty ! Brother, King I Musing o'er thy wondrous story. Fain, would I thy praises sing. 2 Friend to help us, comfort, save us. In whom power and pity blend. Praise we must the ^race which gave us Jesus Christ, the sinner's Friend. 3 Friend who never fails nor gjrieves us, Faithful, tender, constant, kind ! Friend who at all times receives us. Friend who came the lost to find ! 4 Sorrow soothing, joys enhancing, Loving until life shall end, Then conferring bliss entrancing, Still in heaven the sinner's Friend. 5 Oh, to love and serve thee better ! From all evil set us free ; Break, Lord, every sinful fetter, Be each thought conformed to thee. ^^.^. ^^ ■''■^ THE REV. NEWMAN HALL, LL. B. In the Neiv Laudcs Domini an additional verse is found, omitted in this version for me- chanical reasons ; that shows why the hymn was placed among those reckoned as belong- ing to the second coming of our Lord. Rev. Christopher Newman Hall, LL. B., the well-known Congregational minister of Surrey Chapel in Southwark, London (afterwards re- named Christ-Church, Westminster), is the fourth child of that eminent servant of Jesus, John Vine Hall, the author of the Sintier's Friend. He was born at Maidstone, May 22, 1816. Strongly tempted to enter the profes- sion of law, he entered the ministry simply and solely " to persuade men to Jesus." This is the key-note of his whole life-labor. His theology is the theology of Calvary. Himself a nominal Congregationalist, he uses the Church of England liturgy in his Sabbath service ; he has a Presbyterian board of elders ; he assimilates with Methodists in many of his modes of labor ; he is equally at home with Episcopalians like Bickersteth or with Qua- kers like Bevan Braithwaite. He is now retired from the active ministry, his great age unfitting him for outside care. But, close down to the day of his resignation, this is the record written of him : " After preaching in the church edifice it is Mr. Hall's frequent habit to go out and address the peo- 3i8 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. pie in the street. ThouRh now almost sev- enty-four years old, he stands erect in nui;- niticent strenyjth. nearly six feet in heij^ht ; he hiis the muscle and endurance of an athlete, can climb a mountain like a member of the Alpine Club, and (»ften walks a dozen miles on Sunday to and from his church. He has the element of humor in him, can enjoy a merry romp with children, and brims ovir with life in every direction. His church num- bers nearly two thousand members, and amonv; them are several scores of convcrtctl inebriates. He is a zealous teetotaler and makes the temperance reform prominent, no less than live meetinijs for the promotion of total abstinence beinj^ held ever)' month I His church maintains thirteen Sunday- schools, seventeen lodijinj^-houses, a Chris- tian Instruction Society, and holds about fony sen-ices for the poor every week I" From 1842 to 1854 this most evangelic and zealous preacher was pastor over the Albion Church in Hull. While settled there he went out one evening from a dinner-party to preach to a throng who had gathered in the street. A primitive Methodist was sing- ing to the crowd that familiar ditty, " Come to Jesus just now." Mr. Hall caught up the words and extemporized a powerful exhorta- tion on the spot. He repeated it to his own congregation. Soon afterward, being con- fined to his room by a long illness, he recalled the discourse and determined to turn it into a short practical treatise for inquirers after salvation. He wrote it out in the fewest and simplest words possible, and his brother, Mr. Warren Hall, printed two thousand copies for distribution. Such was the origin of that wonderful tract, " Come to Jesus," which has already been circulated in thirty different lan- guages, to the numl>er of three million five hundred thousand copies ! In 1858 .Mr. Hall published a volume called Hymns Composed at liolton Abbey , and Other Rhymes. The present hymn appeared first in that book. Another collection of his poetic pieces has been issued since, 1870, entitled Pili^rim Son^^s in Sunshine and Shade ; and a third has followed that, Soni^s of Earth and Heaven. His hymns have proved ver\" ac- ceptable among non-conformists in Britain : Mr. Spurgeon has some in his collectirm, and so have other compilers ; but not many have found their wav across the sea. 488 Thf l^xHcf 0/ Pfacf. »», 7S. D. .^rv '1w«41inK ■111 Thou of hmven and earth CraUor, In Kur dmi>cst ilarkncHS rise, ScallcriiiK ■!■! ilic iiiKtil uf nature, i'uurinK day upon our eves. J Still we wail I' • ■ iiinR; Lilc 4nd 10V 111 . ,rt. Cha.siiiK all out . , ling Every \'- Come and - To the i.r . i;icc; Come, thou i^liiiiuu.s iJo-, wanderinK spirit Guide into thy perfect pe;»ce. In 1744 Rev. Charles Wesley published a small book. like a tract in size, called J/ymns for the A'atr-iity 0/ our Iu>rd. It was printed anonymously, without date, and contained only sixteen hymns, of which this was one. Singular it is that such a cherished treasure of the churches should have had so humble an origin — such a modest introduction into the world I Worth tells in the end. These poems forced their way into cordial recogni- tion as among the best the Epwcjrth poet ever made. 489 "f^'i-K 0/ kings.' 8s, 78, 4s. L.00K, vc saints, the siRhl is glorious, See the Ntaii of Sorrows now : From the fiRhl returni'wn him: Spread abroad the N'ictor s fam«. 4 Hark, those bursts of acclamation I Hark, those louil triuiiiphant chords! Jesus taki-s the highest station; t)h, what joy the sIkIU alVords: Crown him. crown him; KinK o| kiiiKs and Lord of lords." This great coronation song is taken from Rev. Thomas Kelly's Hymns eople home! 'T is this ho|>c, our spirits cheering. COMING AGAIN. 219 While we in the desert roam, Makes thy people Strangers here till thou shalt come. 2 Lord ! how long shall the creation Groan and travail sore in pain ; Waiting for its sure salvation, When thou shalt in glory- reign, And like Eden, This sad earth shall bloom again? 3 Reign, oh, reign ! almighty Saviour! Heaven and earth in one unite; Make it known that in thy favor Thare alone is life and light. When we see thee. We shall have unmixed delight. This was written by Rev. James George Deck, and published in his Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1838. It is entitled, " Sec- ond Advent Desired." The first line there reads thus : " Saviour, haste ; our souls are waitinT^." This took the form now in use Avhen the hymn was copied for Walker's Psalms and Hvmns for Public and Social Worship, 1855.' 49 I " Thou art worthy." 8s, 7s, 4s. Holy Saviour ! we adore thee, Seated on the throne of God ; While the heavenly hosts before thee Gladly sing thy praise aloud. " Thou art worthy ! We are ransomed by thy blood." 2 Saviour ! though the world despised thee, Though thou here wast crucified. Yet the Father's glory raised thee. Lord of all creation wide ; " Thou art worthy ! We shall live, for thou hast died." 3 Haste the day of thy returning With thy ransomed church to reign: Then shall end our days of mourning, We shall sing with rapture then, " Thou art worthy ! Come, Lord Jesus, come, Amen." This was originally published in Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1838, edited by Rev. James G. Deck, and for a long time bore his name as the author. In the edition of 1 88 1 it appeared, however, with the ascrip- tion of Rev. Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, LL. D. Of him, now recognized as a hymn-writer of real excellence, the story is easily told. He was the son of a Quaker, the editor of a Greek Testament, a scholar of much emi- nence, and an invalid who bore his miseries bravely. He was born at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, Cornwall in England, January 20, 1 8 1.3. There he was educated, and became a teacher. His great book made slow progress, for it was hindered by two attacks of paraly- sis which he suffered in 1861 and 1870. Still, he kept courageously on as best he could. The New Testament began in 1844, and was issued in instalments ; Part VI. came out in 1872. He was compelled to receive literar)' help at the last, and the volume appeared as a whole in 1879. He was appreciated, cheered, and helped ; but his disabilities hedged his way. The Government gave him an honorable pension ; he was put on the historic Revision Committee ; but he had no health for the active work. He made some excellent hymns, and did some small service among the Plymouth Brethren, with whom he was affiliated. But nature finally failed ; he died at Plymouth, April 24, 1875. 492 "Christ IS coming .'" 8s, 7s, 4s. Christ is coming! let creation Bid her groans and travail cease ; Let the glorious proclamation Hope restore and faith increase ; Christ is coming! Come, thou blessed Prince of peace! 2 Earth can now but tell the story Of thy bitter cross and pain ; She shall yet behold thy glory When thou comest back to reign ; Christ is coming! Let each heart repeat the strain. 3 Long thy exiles have been pining. Far from rest, and home, and thee ; But,. in heavenly vesture shining. Soon they shall thy glory see ; Christ is coming! Haste the joyous jubilee. 4 With that "blessed hope" before us. Let no harp remain unstrung; Let the mighty advent chorus Onward roll from tongue to tongue; Christ is coming ! Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come. This hymn was composed by Rev. Dr. John Ross Macduff, known widely to the American world as the author of Morning and Night Watches, The Faithful Prom- iser, and other devotional books republished upon this side of the water. He is a strong advocate of what are called pre-millennial views ; ranking with Spurgeon and Guthrie, Bonar, McCheyne, and Duff. Most of his hymns were published in his Gates of Praise, 1875, but a few were first issued in Altar Stones, 1853. The one before us is founded upon Titus 2:11-13. This in the Revision reads thus : " For the grace of God hath ap- peared, bringing salvation to all men, instruct- ing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world ; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glor)^ of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." 493 iVait, watch, pray, praise. Hark ! 't is the watchman's cry- Wake, brethren, wake ! Jesus our Lord is nigh ; Wake, brethren, wake! P. M. 320 THK LORD JESUS CHRIST. Sletrp is for sons of niicht : N'c arc children of the iitcht ; \ ours is Ihc jrlorN brithl — Walcc. brclhri-ii, wake ! 3 Call to each wakiiiK hand, Watch, hrrthren, watch! ("lor is our Lord's command, W .(ti li, lircthrtMi, watch. I'.r %«• .IS tlii-v tliat wait .\lwa\s at the HrideKriKim's gate; K\ 'ii thoueli lie tarr> late. Watch, brethren, watch I 3 Hear we the Saviour's voice, Tray, brethren, pray! Would ye liis heart rejoice? I'ray. brethren, pray. Sin calls lor constant fear; Weakni-ss neeciety. makin)^ all human rule impossible, and demonstratintj the necessity for the arrival of Him who is to end all these overturninjijs, and to introduce the kinj,(dom of peace, the rei.ijnof everlasting; order. " Dr. lionar was not a pessimist, but his spiritual vision was clear, and he saw the powerful influence that the world has over the Church lo-dav. 494 " Thf Lambs H'tf" Kxii'i ..I III. I C. M. D. I. awake, awake! • .w now ? hrist, is thine. Thy spirit, through the lonely night, From earthly joy a|Kirt, Hath siglutl for one that 's far away— The Bridegroom of thy heart. 2 But see! the night is waning fast. The breaking morn is near; And Jesus conu-s, with voice of lo\ e. Thy drpiiig heart to cheer. Then wi-ep no more; 't is all thine own, His crown, his joy divine ; And, sweeter far than all beside. He, he himself is thine I Sir Edward Denny hereapf>cars in his most thorou>;hly characteristic lij;ht. In most of the collections, used by those who cherish the hof)e and faith that our Lord will return per- sonally to reiv^n on the earth previous to the millennium, his contributions appear. But he is always the happiest, the most spirited and most poetic, when he is sinj.jin.v( of the advent of Jesus. We find this piece in his Hymns for the Poor of t/if l-'lock, \ 837-8 ; there he has jjiven to it the title. " The Church Cheered with the Hope of her Lord's Return." and the reference to Solomon's Sonjj 2:14 for a mot- to-te.xt. Duflield repeats the author's quota- tion from Lady I'owcrcourt's Letters : " Sent of Jesus, even as he was sent of the Father, and while seekinj^ to be worthy of the name put upon her. may she remember that it is not of herself the Bride is to speak, but her object, her subject, her deli).jht. her hope, her only restinjj^-place. is her Beloved — the Bridc- grt)om of her heart. " 495 •' lifholJ. I conif quickly" C. M. D. Sir. And noble mart> r band. As brethren dear they welcome US, And li-iid us to the throne. Where angels bow their vail6d heads Before the Three in One ! — 3 Where we. with all the saints of God, .■\ wbiti'-robed mullitiide. Shall praise the asceiuled Lord, who deigns To bear our lU-sh and bUxnl ! I iiir li>l shall be for aye to share His reign of peace alwvc: And drink, with unexhauslc- weeping eye ; And pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears, And death itself shall die !" 6 How long, dear Saviour! oh, how long Shall this bright hour delay ? Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time! And bring the welcome day. One of the oldest and best of our Second Advent hymns. It is No. 21 of Dr. Isaac Watts' Book I., 1707. It has remained un- altered all these years with its grand memo- ries of the past and its beautiful prospect of the future. Sung to old " Northfield," the verses have filled the prayer-meetings and monthly concerts with enthusiasm for many generations here in the LTnited States. It was entitled at the beginning : "A vision of the Kingdom of Christ Among Men," and there was added to it the reference. Revela- tion 21 : 1-4: " And I saw a new heaven and a new earth : for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, nei- ther sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away." 498 Messiah's Reign. CM. Behold, the mountain of the Lord In latter days shall rise On mountain tops, above the hills, And draw the wondering eyes. 2 The beam that shines from Zion's hill Shall lighten every land : The King who reigns in Salem's towers Shall all the world command. 3 No strife shall vex Messiah's reign, Or mar the peaceful years ; To ploughshares men shall beat their swords, To pruning-hooks their spears. 322 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Another of the pieces of the young theo- lojjpcal student. .Michael Bruce, whose early death put an end to the promise of usefulness which his ho|H'ful heart had cherished and his plucky courav;e had sought during patient and laborious years to fulfill. It was included among the selected paraphra.ses of the Scotch collections, and it was for many generations credited to his false friend Logan, who ap- firopriated his work and took his fame, it is ounded upon Is;iiah 2:1-5; indeed it is al- most a transcription of that inspired pas.sage. e.xceedingly well done. 499 " Comf. Hfssni Lord .'• C. M. I,i<;nT of thi: loiR-ly pilgrims heart ! Star oltlif roiniiiK ' • ' ■ ' • Anil -t t A fii How Iwi,^ = , ; i,...l. Mvepr forlorn : We Laid them but to ri|>en there. Till the last gUirious nuirn. 3 We long to hear thy voice, To see thee face to face. To share thy crown and glor>' then. As now we share thy grace. Come, Lord, ami wiiK- away The curse, the sin, the stain. And make this blighted worla of ours Thine own fair world again. Another of Dr. Horatius Bonar's Hymns of Faith atiii If opt-. It was written in 1844. President Woolsey's comment upon Mark 13 : 32 is worth studying : " ' Hut of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.' This is not in Luke; but in Mat- thew, in the te.xt followed by the Authorized X'ersion, it stood 'knoweth no man (that is, no one), no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only,' where nor the Son was wanting in the manu.scripts used. In the Revised \'ersion, however, neither the Son is added by the oldest manuscripts, as it always stood in Mark. — ' Hut of that day or that hour.' la Matthew, ' that day and hour ;' that is, the precise time when it shall come to pass. — ' Neither the Son, but the Father.' Here there is a gradation from the angels upward to the Son, and from him to the Father. F>om his nature and intimate union with the Father, he might be expected to know when that day should arrive ; but he denies the knowledge, and that for the purpose, it would .seem, of showing to them that, if he does not know, much more ought they not to expect to kmrv. He knew the events, and when they would happen, but not the exact date. This pa.s- sage .has had to bear a great variety of inter- pretations to bring it into formulas of theolo- g\". Many of them are .scarcely honest. It IS better to say that, when the Word emptied himself, and took upon him the form of a .ser- vant, he subjected him.self to limitations ; he was tempted ; he prayed to the Father ; he learned by experience; he cried, " If it be pos- sible, let this cup pass from me,' as if the Father were the judge of the possibility ; his C(jmpassion was aroused by what he siiw, and so had a change of feelings. ,\nd yet he knew men, not by his sag.'uity only, but by the wisdom of his higher nature, and had every power and knowledge beyond human proportions, when it was neces.sar)' for the discharge of his great oflice. And the very fact that he hail such a nature forbids wise Christians to try to explain it minutely." COMING AGAIN. 235 501 " Thy kingdom come !' Come, kin§:dom of our God, Sweet reign of light and love ! Shed peace and hope and joy abroad, And wisdom from above. Over our spirits first Extend thy healing reign ; There raise and quench the sacred thirst That never pains again. 2 Come, kingdom of our God ! And make the broad earth thine ; Stretch o'er her lands and isles the rod That flowers with grace divine. Soon may all tribes be blest With fruit from life's glad tree ; And in its shade like brothers rest, Sons of one family. In 1837 this piece was contributed to Beard's Collection of Unitarian hymns, pub- Hshed in Manchester, England, where it was made up of five stanzas of four lines each, and was entitled, " Prayer for the Kingdom of God." It is to be found also in many other collections both in Great Britain and Amer- ica. Rev. John Johns, who composed it, was born at Plymouth, England, March 17, 1801. He received his education partly at the gram- mar school and partly from the Unitarian minister in the town, and then spent two years in Edinburgh. His first charge was that of the old Presbyterian Chapel at Credi- ton. Here he remained from 1820 to 1836, when he went to Liverpool as Minister to the Poor. He labored untiringly among his peo- ple, and died of a fever, June 23, 1847. He wrote three volumes of poetry, and was a con- tributor to a number of religious periodicals. 502 Philippians 2 : lo, ii. S. M. D. O THOU whom we adore ! To bless our earth again, Assume thine own almighty power, And o'er the nations reign. The world's Desire and Hope, All power to thee is given ; Now set the last great empire up, Eternal Lord of heaven ! 2 A gracious Saviour, thou Wilt all thy creatures bless ; And every knee to thee shall bow, And every tongue confess. According to thy word, Now be thy grace revealed ; And with the knowledge of the Lord Let all the earth be filled. There is in existence a small pamphlet of less than fifty pages written by Rev. Charles Wesley in 1782, and yet not specified or de- scribed in his biography. It was entitled, Hyrmis for the Nation. It seems likely that it contained some patriotic songs for the British people, who were then in the stress of conflict with the American colonies, and wanting solace. In this little collection the present hymn was found, with the motto at the head of it, " On the American War." S. M. D. 503 " Come, Lord Jesus." S. M. Come, Lord, and tarry not ! Bring the long-looked-for day ; Oh, why these years of waiting here. These ages of delay? 2 Come, for thy saints still wait ; Daily ascends their sigh ; The Spirit and the Bride say. Come! Dost thou not hear the cr>? 3 Come, for creation groans. Impatient of thy stay, Worn out with these long years of ill, These ages of delay. 4 Come, and make all things new, Build up this ruined earth. Restore our faded paradise — Creation's second birth. 5 Come, and begin thy reign Of everlasting peace; Come, take the kingdom to thyself. Great King of Righteousness ! In the first series of Hymns of Faith and Hope, 1857, by Rev. Horatius Bonar, D. D., there is a poem with fourteen stanzas, bearing the motto, " Sennit mundus : Augustine." From this the verses of the present hymn have been chosen. Dr. William C. Prime re- lates an interesting personal reminiscence of Dr. Bonar : "One dark night in the year 1856, in the earthly city Jerusalem, I wandered into a lighted mission-room on Mount Zion, where a small com.pany of men and women of various nationalities and complexions were gathered. In the desk was a man of impressive counte- nance, whose voice seemed to me remarkably forcible, though low and musical. Musical to me at least, because in my childhood I was surrounded by Scotch people, and in my fa- ther's house was always familiar with the voices of mighty men of the Scotch Church in America, such men as Bullions and Proudfit and — why name them ? Are not their names recorded in the rolls of the saints, who after the war have had honor and refreshment and rest in the times of eternal peace ! Very me- lodious in my ears are the tones of any voices,, however harsh to some ears, which remind me of those gentle yet stalwart champions of the faith. " The preacher, as I learned later, was Dr. Horatius Bonar. Learned and eloquent, there was a wonderful charm in what he said that night, because he had strong convictions on that subject of much speculation, the second coming of the Lord. He believed in his per- sonal coming, to reign on the earth. And his faith, seconded by his rich poetic imagina- tion and fervor, all quickened by the fact that we were in Jerusalem, the city of the Passion, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the city on 234 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. which every morning the dawn broke over the mountain of the Ascension — these jjave to his words a winning power which you may imaj^^ine. but which 1 cannot describe. He had no idea of any specitic time for the ad- vent. He did not argue, nor was there a controversial word in all that he said. He only gave himself up. and gave us up too, to the scene which shall be sooner or later, when the King shall come again to walk in the streets of his abasement, when the efful- gence of the light that will darken the sun- light shall attend him from the ('.arden of Ciethsemane to the judgment seats of Herod and Pilate, and along the I '/a Dolorosa to Calvary and the rock-hewn tomb. " To hear such a man in Jerusalem, having a firm belief in the personal coming and reign of Chri.st, thus communicate to others freely his confident hopes and imaginings, was a memorable event. In the course of the ne.xt few days I was happy in making the personal acquaintance of Dr. lionar, and from day to day was led to admire and honor — I had almost said revere — him." 504 Tlf hiiUtfn I. iff. S. M. OiR lift- is hid with Christ, With Christ in C.od ab shall be reveale- like his own. 3 He livcth, and we live! His life for us prevails : His fullness fdls our mighty void, His strength for us avails. 4 Life workcth in us now, Life is for us in store : So death is swallowet\ Third Series, 1867. with the title "Life in Christ." It is filled with a joyous anticipa- tion of the second appearing of our Lord, and the resurrection imto life eternal, which will give back to us those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. In a notable series of verses, ad- dre.ssed to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul takes pains to meet a manifest anxiety on this head. " Hut I would not have you to l)e ignf>rant. brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no ho|H\ For if we Ih-- licVC that JeSWi diid .iiid rosi- .ii'tin i-xcn so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." There is great significance in this : for we must remember that the first Kpistle to the Thessiilonians is the oldest thing in the New Testament. Kvidently the earliest matter of discussion among the im- mediate followers of the risen Redeemer was concerning the state and future faring of the pious dead. Why not study up all we can know upon this subject } Paul says he would not have those people ignorant. It is folly and wilfulness to insist that all disquisitions in this direction end in extravagance. When one is simply invited to notice that all the Scripture writers appear to look upon the Saviour's advent as very near, even in their time, it does not .seem either fair or relevant to begin laughing at those who have spent their time trying to find out what " man " six hundred and sixty-six was the " number" of. Prophecy is a different thing from eschatol- 505 rhf final Judgmfnt. S. M. A.vD will the Judge descend, And must the dead arise. And not a single soul escape His all-discerning eyes? 2 How will my heart endure The terrors of that day. When earth and heaven before his face Astonished shrink away? 3 But, ere the trumpet shakes The mansions of the dead, Hark, from the CiosikjI's ch«"ering sound What joyful tidings spread ! 4 Vc sinners! seek his grace Whose wrath ye cannot bear; Fly to the shelter of his cross. And find salvation there. "The Final Sentence and Misery of the Wicked :" this was the title which Dr. Philip Doddridge gave to his hymn. He added also as a reference the text Matthew 25:41. The appeal is verj' solemn as he urges it in the final verse. The instinctive tendency of the human heart is to procra.stinate in the per- formance of religious work. So, when the reckoning is demanded, souls are surprised. If all the good resolutions that have been made by members of the church of (iod had l>een executed in their due time, the millen- nial glory would long ago have gleamed on every hill and shone in even." valley. Time glides mysteriously on with no reference to (laring delay. The grave, like the horse- leech's daui;hter. cries, (iive ( Prov. 30:15, 16), and (l.inuiation slumbereth not (2 Peter 2:31, but men sleep clear up to the edge of divine judgment. They did in Noah's time, .111(1 in lot's, when a less catastrophe was at COMING AGAIN. 22 iC hand ; and so it will be when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 18 : 26-30). Christians ought to hold in memory the repeated ad- monitions they have received. Walter Scott wrote on his dial-plate the two Greek words which mean " the night cometh," so that he might keep eternity in mind whenever he saw the hours of time flitting by. Evidently the apostle Paul feels that he has the right to press peculiarly pertinent and solemn appeals upon those who had enjoyed the advantage of such long instruction (I. Thessalonians 5 : 1-7). There is no second chance offered after the first is lost. 506 The Tribunal. C. P. M. When thou, my righteous Judge, shall come To take thy ransomed people home, Shall I among them stand ? Shall such a worthless worm as I, Who sometimes am afraid to die, Be found at thy right hand ? 2 I love to meet thy people now, Before thy feet with them to bow, Though vilest of them all ; But, can I bear the piercing thought, What if my name should be left out, When thou for them shalt call? 3 O Lord, prevent it by thy grace, Be thou my only hiding-place, In this the accepted day ; Thy pardoning voice, oh, let me hear, To still my unbelieving fear, Nor let me fall, I pray. 4 j^mong thy saints let me be found, Whene'er the archangel's trump shall sound, To see thy smiling face ; Then loudest of the throng I '11 sing, While heaven's resounding mansions ring With shouts of sovereign grace. Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, was born on August 24, 1707, being the second daugh- ter of Washington Shirley, Earl Ferrers. This ancient family traced its pedigree up to the reign of Edward the Confessor, and had been allied to the royal family of England by marriage. As a very young child the little Selina was very thoughtful, and accustomed herself to pray over every difficulty and worry. At nine years of age she was much impressed by the spectacle of a child's funeral, and, fall- ing on her knees, she offered up an earnest supplication that her last hour might be a happy one. This serious spirit distinguished her during all those early years of girlhood and young womanhood. Lady Selina Shirley was married to The- ophilus. Earl of Huntingdon, in June, 1728, and still exemplified in her changed position the same serious habits. She attended to the wants of the poor on her husband's estates, statedly performed her religious duties in private, and constantly attended on public worship. She was presented at court and took some part in the fashionable amuse- ments of the day. but never with any real relish. She always felt too deeply the re- sponsibilities of existence to do this, and strove to work out her own salvation thus. " with fear and trembling." But the light of evangelical truth was to dawn on her heart and life. The preaching of Whitefield and the Wesleys became mat- ter of public notoriety and wonder, and the ladies of the house of Hastings, the Countess' sisters-in-law, hastened to listen to the new doctrines. Lady Margaret Hastings first re- ceived the truth " in the love of it," and hesi- tated not to use her influence with Lady Huntingdon to lead her in the same path. In conversation, one day, the former lady remarked that, " since she had known and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for life and salvation she had been as happy as an angel." The Countess pondered over this continually, and, feeling more and more her sinful and lost condition before God, strove to effect a reconciliation to him by her own works and self-denying austerities. She practiced these for some time, seeking justification by them ; but the more she strove the more she felt how sinful and unworthy she was before the eyes of him who reads the secrets of all hearts. Shortly after this she fell dangerously ill, and was brought to the brink of the grave. Death became a terror to her, and the moral- ity and good works upon which she had hitherto relied now presented themselves to her mind as "sandy foundations." "Her best righteousness," says her biographer, " now appeared to be but ' filthy rags,' which, so far from justifying her before God, in- creased her condemnation. The remorse which before attended conscience on account of sin, respected only the outward actions of her life ; but now she saw that her heart was ' deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,' that 'all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,' and that ' the thoughts of man's heart are only evil continually.' When upon the point of perishing the words of Lady Margaret came again to mind, and she felt an earnest desire, renouncing every other hope, to cast herself wholly upon Christ for life and salvation. From her bed she lifted up her heart to the Saviour with this prayer, and immediately all her distress and fears were removed, and she was filled with joy and peace in believing." With the dawn of new peace and marvel- ous blessedness came a sense of new respon- sibilities and important duties. Lady Hunt- ingdon never dreamed of being ashamed of 15 336 THK LORD JESUS CHRIST. her Lord and Master, or of hidinjj under a bushel the j^ift she had received. She de- termined to become more self-denyinjj, more charitable, more constant in j^ood works, and more earnest for the siilvation of others. As soon as she rose from her bed of sickness she sent a mcs.saije to the Wesleys, a-ssurinj^ them of her sympathy with them, and of her desire to ccHiperate with them in the j^iorious work of savinj; sinners. She also attended closely on Whitefield's ministry-. In 1764 a collection was published for use in the chapels which had been founded by the Countess of Huntinijdon. Several hymns com- posed by this lady were contained in this, but unfortunately the list of them does nf)t now e.xist. Almost the only one of her authorship which still is kept in use is that just now un- der our eyes. It does not appear in the earli- est editions of the hymn-book she apjiroved. It is found in one edition, but that is without date. In the various issues alonvj the years sometimes the editor put it in, and .sometimes the next editor left it out. And once or twice it is credited to some other writer. Hut now hymnologists accept it as hers. In November, 1 790, when the Countess had passed her eijj;hty- third birthday, she broke a blood-vessel, and was in imminent danj^er of speedy death. Hut she was quite patient, collected, and happy. " .All is well — well for ever," she .said to her friends, who collected in alarm round her. She was then residing at Spafields, London, and. although reduced to very feeble health, she employed herself much in planning mi.s- sionarv' undertakings to the heathen, as well as in her ministerial engagements at home. She recovered somewhat from this attack, lived through the winter, but died June 17, 1 791. and was interred at Ashby-de-la-Zouch. 507 Isaiah 52:1. 7s, 6s. D. .AwAKH, awake, () Zioii, Put on thy strfiiffth tlivine, Thv KarnK-iits bright in Insiuty, "fht bridal dri-ss bt- thine : Jerusalem the holy, To purity ri-stored : Meek Briile all fair and lowly, ("•o forth to mei-t thy Lord. 2 Fnini henicforth pure and spotless, All KloriiiUH within, I'reiMiri-fl to meet the BrideKrrKim, And rleiinsed from every sin ; With love and wonder Mniltvii, And t>oweii thy heiirt lie written The new mysterious name. 3 The I.amb who lK>re our sorrows Comes down to earth aicain ; No sufferer now, but victor, For evermore to reiKH : To reltcu "' every nation. To rule III every /one. Oh, world-wide eoronation, In rvcr)' heart a throne. 4 .Vwake. nwakc. O Zion, Thv bn.l .1 ■! -v .Iniws nitfh. The n hii;h. The sun .., . . . . .>ly, Htii keepili\ wuIlIi and ward : Fair Hride. all pure and l»>wly, (io forth to meet thy Lord. Benjamin (iough was born in Southborough. Kent. Kngland, in 1805, and entered business life early. For many years he was a merchant in London. Belonging to the Weslcyan com- munion, it was considered proper for him to be a layman and yet exercise the ofhce of a lay preacher. He wrote a number of hymns, of more or less merit, which he gathered to- gether and published in 1865 in a volume en- titled Lyra SiiNhifnti. In this the piece now before us was imludcd ; it had for its theme, ■■ The Coming Millennium." After he retired from business, Mr. C.ough resided for some years in Kaversham, where he died, November 28, 1877. 506 " Voiii lamps Irimmed." 7s, te. D. Rkjoick, reioiie, believers ! .Xnd let your li){hls ap|K-ar: The shades of eve are thickening, .'\nd darker iiiKht is near : The Briilenroom is advancing; Kach hour he draws more iiiRh ; I'p ! wall li and pray, nor slumner ; .•\t midnight comes the cry. 2 See that your lamps are buniliiK. Your vessels filled with oil ; Wait calmly your deliverance From earthly jKiiii and toil: The watchers on the mountains PrtHiaini the BritleKrixmi near; Go, meet him, as he conielh, With halleluiahs clear. 3 Our hope and exjiectation, () Jesus, now ap|>car ! .\rise, thou sun so l l.ord, to see The day of our rnlemption. Ami ever be with thee. Another of the translations from the Ger- man gi\en us in Hymns from the iMtid of I.uthtr. First Series, 1854. In this instance U seems to he understood that Mrs. Sarah Find- later did the litenirv work, and indeed it is well (lone. The original hymn begins. Er- inunlttt fUi/t, ihr I'ronniittt. and it is by Laurcntius Laurcnti. It is founded, of course, upon the parable of the Ten \irgins { Matthew 25: 1-13), and it pictures with unusual vigor and measure of detail that scene described so vividlv bv our Lord. 509 I'hf Lamb's Undal. 7s, 6s. D. iiarriaKe feast is ready, >l (he I. ami), Till- I The inarriaKe oi (lie i.aii He I alls the faithful children Of faithful Abraham: COMING AGAIN. !27 Now from the golden portals The sounds of triumph ring; The triumph of the Victor, The marriage of the King. 2 Nor sigh nor sorrow enter Where Jesus leads them in ; Nor death may cross the threshold, Nor pain, nor fear, nor sin : Now shades of night and darkness Are past and fled away, Before the radiant brightness Of everlasting day. 3 No tear-drops stain that threshold, No weeping eyes are there ; For God hath wiped all tear-drops. And God hath stilled all care : The sunlight of the Presence, The bright Shechinah-flame, Lights up the bridal banquet Of God and of the Lamb. This hymn was written by Rev. Gerard Moultrie, and was published in The Primer set forth at large for the iise of the Faithful, 1864. It is a most cheerful and exhilarating song of hope. The sentiment is designed to offset the horror of some people in view of the judgment. It argues a low state of piety for one to grow shocked and alarmed at the thought of Christ's second advent. It might clear an inquirer's experience to think of this coming of Jesus. Does one love to " watch " for him ? In the autobiography of Frances Ridley Havergal we are told of the years during which she sought sadly for peace at the cross. At last one of her teachers put this question to her : " Why cannot you trust yourself to your Saviour at once ? Supposing that now, at this moment, Christ were to come in the clouds of heaven, and take up his redeemed, could you not trust him ? Would not his call, his promise, be enough for you } Could you not commit your soul to him, to your Saviour, Jesus.''" This lifted the cloud; she tells the story herself : " Then came a flash of hope across me which made me feel literally breathless. I remember how my heart beat. ' I could ^wxtXy^ was my response ; and I left her suddenly and ran away up stairs to think it out. I flung myself on my knees in my room and strove to realize the sudden hope. I was very happy at last. I could commit my soul to Jesus. I did not, and need not, fear his coming. I could trust him with my all for eternity. It was so utterly new to have any bright thoughts about reli- gion that I could hardly believe it could be so, that I had really gained such a step. Then and there I committed my soul to the Saviour, I do not mean to say without any tregibling or fear, but I did — and earth and heaven seemed bright from that moment — / did trust the Lord Jesus." 5 I O Isaiah 21:11. 7s. D. Watchman, tell us of the night, What its signs of promise are. Traveler, o'er yon mountain's height, See that gloiy-beaming star! Watchman, does its beauteous ray Aught of joy or hope foretell ? Traveler, yes : it brings the day. Promised day of Israel. 2 Watchman, tell us of the night : Higher yet that star ascends. Traveler, blessedness and light, Peace and truth, its course portends. Watchman, will its beams alone Gild the spot that gave them birth? Traveler, ages are its own ; See ! it bursts o'er all the earth ! 3 Watchman, tell us of the night, For the morning seems to dawn. Traveler, darkness takes its flight, Doubt and terror are withdrawn. Watchman, let thy wanderings cease; Hie thee to thy quiet home. Traveler, lo! the Prince of Peace, Lo I the Son of God is come ! Perhaps no piece can be found which is more familiar to the American churches than this of Sir John Bowring, included in his Hymns, 1825. Every man seems to think he understands it, and gives a force to its chal- lenge in the direction of missionary effort at once. The brief prediction in Isaiah 21 : II, 12, is, however, one of the most obscure in the Bible. The entire prophecy is con- tained in two verses of the chapter, and ap- pears to bear no relation to what goes before it or what follows. But the image it pre- sents is singularly dramatic and picturesque. The scene is laid in the midst of the Baby- lonish captivity. A lonely watchman is rep- resented as standing on the ramparts of some tower along the defences of the citadel. He seems to be anxiously looking for the issues of the siege leveled against it. The time is midnight. Calamity is over the land. The people are afflicted. Their enemies are press- ing them hard. That solitary sentinel sadly remains at his post, peering into the unlit gloom, trying to discern signs of deliverance. But the heavens are starless and the impene- trable clouds keep rolling on. Suddenly an unknown voice pierces the air. Whether in wailing sorrow or in bitter taunt, is not evi- dent ; but out from the stillness already grown oppressive breaks the question with repetitious pertinacity — " Watchman, what of the night ? Watchman, what of the night }" The sentinel waits through a moment of sur- prised meditation, and then tranquilly an- swers : " The morning cometh, and also the night : if ye will inquire, inquire ye : return, come." Then the dialogue lapses into si- lence again, and the night gathers its un- broken shadows deeper than ever. 228 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 51 I ■' Titf Lord God Tftfcnftk." HaKK! the souk oljubllw, l.uuci a> tiiiKlits tliiiiidiTs roar Orth. \\ II lU li. I! ■'■ -^■> ..t the si-.i. il.> u|K>ii the shore: ■ ihtl...rcl I nit s\va\\ reiKii ! .Ill hi the wiird roiiiul the earth and main. '■ ■ ti.irk, the sound, ;'th> unto the skies, \\ l.oiii'.itli, around. All i I. .1 ■- harmonies ! Seeji-hovah s lianners furlele, With illlmitahle sway; He shall rein". « hen like a scroll N'onder heavens have i>asse' ilime. Shall the Rospel's call obey. Minhtii-st kinjjs his jMiwer shall own, Heiilheii tribes his name adore; Satan and his host, o'crthrown. Bound m chains, shall hurt no more. 2 Then shall wars and tumults cease, Then be batiished K^ief and pain : RiKhti-ousm-ss and iny and peace l'ndisturbe<»wer and wrath he came : Before his feet the clouds were riven, Half ' sainteth deriveWi, A ndover, 1858. It is admirably done, and the stanzas, in their quaint meter, stand as a memorial of his jjenius and taste. 5 1 9 '■/..'/ Ihfrf bf Liiihl." 6s, 4s. Thoi' ! whose aliiiiKhtv word Chaos .tiid (l.trkiirss hi-ard. .And liM.k Ihiir (liKhl. Hear us, wc hunihly pniy. And, where the ^I'siwl's ;race. And in eiirth's tlarkesl place, "Let there be light! " 4 Blessfd and holy Three, AU-Rlorious Trinitv — Wisdom, I.ove, Mieht ! Boundless as oce.Tn's tine KollinK in fullest nride. Through the world, far and wide-- " Let there be liKht!" '■.And <«od said. Let there be li.e^ht ; and there was light," (Genesis i : 3, is evidently the te.Nt upon which this hymn is based. 'Ihe author, Rev. John Marriott, was born at Cottesbach, near Lutterworth, Knj^land, in 1780, and .studied at Runby and at Christ Church, Oxford. He ijraduated with honors, and then spent about two years as private tutor in the family of the Duke of Huccleuch, whf) afterwards secured to him the livinjj of Church Lawford. Warwickshire. This he kept to the end of his life, althoucjh his wife's ill-health compelled him to relin(|uish his du- ties for a time, and necessitated his residence in Devonshire. Here he became successive- ly curate of St. Lawrence, and of Hroad Clyst, near K.xeter, where he died, March 31, 1825. The hymn before us was written about 181 3, and appeared in Dr. Rafales* Collirtiim in 1816; but was afterwards reprinted from the author's manuscript in Lyra Ihitannica, 1M67. 520 l''nyet for Rtacf. r.RAClors Spirit, ilwell with mc — I myself would eraiious be; And, with worclx that help and heal, WouM thy life in mine ie\cal ; And, with actions Imld atid meek. Would for Christ, my Saviour, speak. 7S. 61. J Truthful Spirit, ell w-oulil tr\ithful In:: .\nirit. liwell with mc — \ myself would lender Ik-; Shut my heart up like a flower .'\t temptation's darksome hour; <)^>en it, when shines the sun, And bis love by fragrance own. 4 Mighty Spirit, dwell with me — I myself would iniKhty be; Minhtv so as to prevail, Wlu-u- unaiilek ! how we grovel here below, I'ond of these trilling toys I Our souls can neither fly nor go To reach eternal joys. THE HOLY SPIRIT, 231 3 In vain we tune our formal songs ; In vain we strive to rise ; Hosannas languish on our tongues, And our devotion dies. 4 Dear Lord, and shall we ever live At this poor dying rate — Our love so faint, so cold to thee, And thine to us so great ? 5 Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove ! With all thy quickening powers ; Come, shed abroad a Saviour's love, And that shall kindle ours. In Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns and Sph-zfita/ Songs, 1707, this poem originally appeared with the title, " Breathing after the Holy Spirit ; or Fervency of Devotion Desired ;" and it has been republished by John Wesley in his collection with some alterations. It never seems kind or charitable to charge insincerity upon any of the children of God as a wilful sin. But the fact stands — per- haps carelessness will account for it — that a vast majority of prayers are mere mechanical performances. Believers fall into platitudes, and run in ruts of expression. The most formal petition one hears is quite likely to be cast into this most preposterous utterance, " Oh, make us all wrestling Jacobs and pre- vailing Israels !" Travelers in Eastern lands tell us they find among some of the nations a custom of using praying-machines. Blocks of wood are constructed in the shape of wheels upon a spindle. On these petitions are inscribed ; and then the pious devotee sits patiently beneath, whirling them with a string. We have no such contrivances in our times. But there are certain stiff formu- las of vain repetition which would fit them. We certainly are too vague and diffusive in our devotions. Wisely has an ancient writer remarked, " Generalities are the death of prayer." And when we are rambling the world over, sometimes the providence of God says almost audibly in our ears, " Let me go !" Back on ourselves this is the signal for us to turn, and quicken our faith by concentrating its force and fervor, and arouse our zeal into the condition of being wide awake. 522 The Comforter's love. C. M. O HoLV Ghost, the Comforter, How is thy love despised. While the heart longs for s>mpathy And friends are idolized. 2 O Spirit of the living God, Brooding with dove-like wings Over the helpless and the weak Among created things ! 3 Where should our feebleness find strength, Our helplessness a stay, Didst thou not bring us hope and help, And comfort day by day ? 4 Great are thy consolations. Lord, And mighty is thy power, In sickness and in solitude, In sorrow's darkest hour. 5 Oh, if the souls that now despise And grieve thee, heavenly Dove, Would seek thee, and would welcome thee, How would they prize thy love ! The rather plaintive undertone one notices in Mrs. Jane Euphemia Sa.xby's compositions was perhaps due to the fact that they were written during a very long illness, when she believed herself to be, as she says, " in the 'Border Land.'" This piece was published in 1849 in T/ie Dox'c on the Cross. Mrs. Saxby is the daughter of William Browne, of Tallantire Hall, Cumberland, England. She was born January 27, 1811, and in 1862 mar- ried Rev. Stephen Henry Saxby, rector of East Clevedon, Somerset. A few of her pieces appeared in a compilation entitled Hymns and Thoughts for the Sick and Lonely, and she has also published a book for children. The peculiarity of this poem is found in the implication it makes that the " love " of the Comforter is " despised " by thoughtless and wilful men. If the expression found in Romans 15:30, "the love of the Spirit," means the love which the Holy Spirit feels towards penitent believers, rather than the love which believers feel towards him, or the love which the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of believers towards each other, then it is indeed the only really disinterested love mentioned in the Bible. For the Father loves the creatures of his own hand, and enjoys the prospect of their redemption which will re- dound to his glory. And the Son loves sin- ners because he loves his Father, and always does what will please him. But if the Holy Spirit truly loves men he is not permitted to tell them so. He cannot make professions of his affection in his own behalf : he is not even to " speak of himself ;" he is to " glorifv " Jesus Christ, and bring to men's remem- brance all that Jesus said ; he is to " testify " of Jesus, and " witness " to Jesus ; so he is not to bring himself forward at all in winning affectionate return. Hence his " love " is ab- solutely disinterested. This passage in Ro- mans is very valuable and very welcome, if it means to tell us that the Holy Ghost loves us, but that he is too loyal to jesus to try to win our hearts to himself away from Jesus. And surely, surely, such love as his should never be " despised " or "grieved." It can- not even be understood, much less " prized," until it is both " sought " and " welcomed." THK Hol.Y SlMKir 523 Hfoventy Love. 7s, 5s. r.RAClul'S Spirit, Holy iihost, TauKlil l>v tn«x, wc covet most t)f thy Ki<\^ i>l I'liitwost, Holy, heavenly love. 2 Faith, that ninuntains could remove, ToiiKiie> <'l iiirth or heaven almve. Know IcdKe— all things — empty prove, Without hi-:uenly love. \ Love is kind, and sutlers long; Love is meek, and thinks no wrong ; Love, than death itself more strong : i;ive us heavenly love. 4 Propheiy will fade away, Melting in the light of day ; Love will ever with us stay : (five us heavenly love. ^ Faith will vanish into sight ; Hope he emptied in delight ; Love in heaven will shine more bright : Give us heavenly love. 6 Faith and hope and love we see Joining hank, 1853, where it a|>pears with nine stanzas. This is one of the best enumerations of the various ofTices of the I 'araelete, as Jesus promised he would pray the Father to send him, to be found in the Knj^hsh lanijuage. He illumi- nates and cleanses, strenijihens and restores : he brings peace and guidance ; he subdues our waywardness antl opens the things of Jesus Christ to our understanding ; he aids in our prayers with " groan ings that cannot be uttered ;" he is " the earnest of our inherit- ance " and the "seal of immortality " in our hearts, so that we cry " Abba, I'ather." just as Jesus Christ did ; he brings all things to our remembrance, and searches for us the deep things of (iod. 525 The Comforter. S. M. Blkst C'omforter divine ! Let rays of hi-avenly love Amid our gloom and darkness shine, And guide our souls above. 2 Turn us, with gentle voice. From every sinful way. And bid the mourning saint rejoice, Though earthly joys decay. 3 Bv thine inspiring breath Make every cloud of care. And ev'n the gloomy vail of death, ,\ smile of glory wear. 4 Oh ! fill thou every heart With love to all our race; Great Comforter, to us impart These blessings of thy grace. H. SIGOCRNir*'. This hymn Mrs. Lydia Huntley Sigourney contributed to the / 'MiX'' Hy>nns, a collec- tion of songs for prayer-meetings issued in 1824 by the revivalist Rev. Asahel Nettleton. and long very ])()pular in New Kngland. This remarkable woman is .said to have been able to read intelligently in her third year, and to write in a sort of rhyme when she reached the age of seven. Her contributions to this col- lection were marked by the initial " H." only, and seem to have been her earliest efforts in THE HOLY SPIRIT. 233 the direction of lyric poetry. She attained no very high rank in this class of literature, but her productions were useful on account of her choosing as her themes such subjects as met the real want of singing worshipers. Mrs. Lydia Huntley Sigourney was the daughter of Ezekiel Huntley, a soldier of the Revolution. She was born in Norwich, Conn., September, 1791. Educated at the best of schools, and endowed with fine powers of mind, she early gave promise of the great success she achieved as a teacher and writer. She had a class of young ladies under her charge in Hartford for five years, and in 181 5 published her first book ; this was entitled Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse. Others followed on in course, and each secured a rapid sale, until the number of them reached forty-six distinct volumes in all, besides more than two thousand articles contributed to more than three hundred periodicals. Some of her work went across the sea, and was highly ap- preciated. She received from the queen of the French a handsome diamond bracelet as a token of that sovereign's esteem. In 1819 she became the wife of Charles Sigourney, a mer- chant in Hartford of literary and artistic tastes. In all the years of her industry and fame she never neglected home duties for the sake of her books. She was neither a strong thinker nor a vigorous writer generally ; but she was true and good, pure and womanly always, clear and honest. Her whole life was one of active and earnest philanthropy ; graceful and generous, thoughtful and kind, she was one of the decorous ladies of that olden time who gave New England a good measure of her glory. She died in Hartford, June 10, 1865. A memorial tablet has been placed in Christ Church, in that city, above the pew long occu- pied by her. It bears some lines by John Green- leaf Whittier, who says : " I knew Mrs. Sigour- ney well when, as a boy, I came to Hartford. Her kindness to the young rustic stranger I shall never forget." The lines are as follows : " She sang alone, ere womanhood had known The gift of song which fills the air to-day : Tender and sweet, a music all her own May fitly linger where she knelt to pray." 526 "May we be sanctified.'" Lord God, the Holy Ghost, In this accepted hour. As on the day of Pentecost, Descend in all thy power ! 2 We meet with one accord In our appointed place, And wait the promise of our Lord, The Spirit of all grace. 3 Like mighty rushing wind Upon the waves beneath, Move"with one impulse every mind. One soul, one feeling breathe. S. M. 4 The young, the old, inspire With wisaom from above, And give us hearts and tongues of fire To pray, and praise, and love. 5 Spirit of light, explore And chase our gloom away. With luster shining more and more Unto the perfect day. 6 Spirit of truth, be thou In life and death our guide : O Spirit of adoption, now May we be sanctified ! James Montgomery included this in his Original Hymns, 1853, entitling it, " The De- scent of the Spirit." It is founded upon the story of Pentecost, Acts 2 : 1-4. 527 Grieving the Spirit. S. M. The Comforter has come, We feel his presence here, Our hearts would now no longer roam. But bow in filial fear 2 This tenderness of love. This hush of solemn power, 'T is heaven descending from above, To fill this favored hour. 3 Earth's darkness all has fled. Heaven's light serenely shines. And every heart, divinely led. To holy thought inclines. 4 No more let sin deceive. Nor earthly cares betray, Oh, let us never, never grieve The Comforter away ! This hymn was first published anonymously in Dr. Hastings' Church Melodies, 1858, and the authorship is still uncertain. Its title, " Grieving the Spirit," expresses the sentiment of the poem, a recognition of the divine power which attracts the heart and leads it to re- pentance. No man can be an inquirer except under the influence of the Holy Ghost. No man can come to Christ " except the Father draw him." If he comes asking, that proves that he comes drawn. Hence the folly of those who profess to be waiting for the Spirit in order to believe. They haite the Spirit; they are resisting him, instead of waiting for him, at this very moment. And hence the correction, also, of all false views of those who deem it perilous to urge on every soul the duty of immediate and believing surrender to Christ : that is the Spirit's work, it is admit- ted ; but this is the man's duty. He is tinder the pou>er of the Spirit from the moment he asks the 7vav. And we are bound to bid him believe and be saved. If he cannot under- stand it we must explain it. 528 Giver of Grace. S. M. Come, Holy Spirit, come! Let thy bright beams arise; Dispel the sorrow from our minds, The darkness from our eyes. 'U IHK HOLY SIM KM. 1 Conv 111' riui. And (< Thci: \v rrt'cal .1. i Revive our liruoping faith. Our (iuuUs and lean remove. And kiiiille III our brcasl.s tin- lUimc Ol iicwr-dying love ' 4 'T is thine to cleaiuse the heart, To s;ini ttiv the soiit, To jMUir lie>li lile in every |>art, And new -create the whole. 5 Come, H«>ly Spirit, lome! Our niinils from txMidaKe free; Then shall we know, and praise, and love, riie Father, Son, and thee. Kcv. Joseph Hart, whose best and most famihar piece, taken from his Hymns Com- posed cm I'lirious Su/>ji\fs, 1759, we have now before us, was frank enoii);h and penitent enough, as he reviewed the discourajjinvf rec- ord of his early years, to put in as a line in one of the poems he published this confes- sion : •' With swine a beastly life 1 led." Here in this touchinvj prayer of his soul we discover the secret of his rescue. The home- ward steps of a redeemed man are traced in one of these stanzas. The Holy .Spirit tirst convinces of sin ; then the same Divine Ai{enl leads to Jesus' blood. The result is always revolutionary ; the nature is changed utterly. The convert receives a new and vast suqirise. For the mercies of our God are suddenly revealed to his view, and he looks up •■ wondering." 529 Jfsus' partitu: Gi/i. S. M. The Holy Ghost is here. Where saints in pniyer agree; As Jesus' iKirtinK jjift — is near kach pleading company. a Not far away is he, To be by prayer lirmiKht iiiRh, But here in present inaji-sty As in his courts on IiikIi. 3 He dwells within our soul. An ever welcome Kue«»t ; He reigns with absolute control, As monarch in the breast. 4 Our IxMlies are his shrine, .And he the indwelliiiK Lord ; All hail, thou Comforter divine, Be evermore awii ; The work to be performed is ours, The strciiKth is all his own. 3 SupportctI by his fjracc Wc slill pursue our way ; Anil hiipf at last to reach the prize, S«x'urc in endless day. 3 'T is he that works to will, 'T is he that works to wer by wliich we act, His be the Klory too. Another of the familiar songs of Rev. Benjamin IJeddome, contained in his Hymns Aiiiiptiii to Public Worship, 1817. where it begins with the Une, " That we might walk with God." This was changed in Bicker- steth's Christian Psahnody, 1833, to the present form, and in the modern collections the alteration has been accepted. The orig- inal title was " Leadings of the Spirit," and evidently allusion is made to the passage in I'aul's epistle, Bhilippians 2:12. 13. 534 AU-dn-tHf. 7s. Hoi.v r.HosT ! with liRht divine. Shine uix>n this heart of mine; Chase the shades of ni^ht away, Turn my darkness into day. J Holy r.host ! with power divine, Cleanse this Kuilty heart of mine; LonK hath sin, without control. Held dominion o'er my soul. ■S Holy Ghost ! with joy divine, Chit-r this sadcleiied hi-art of mine; Birl my many wfi» alone. Rev. Andrew Reed, I). I)., is best known, and will be most gratefully rememlK-red by the world, as founder of five benevolent in- stitutions, all situated in London, the re- sult of his energy and wide charity, and designed for orphans, idiots, and incurables. He was born in London, November 27, 1787, and studied for the Congregational ministry at Hackney College. His first charge was the New Road Chapel. .St. (ieorge's-in-the- Kast : from there the congregation went to Wycliffe Chapel, which was built in 1830 through his exertions. He continued in this pa.Morate for fifty years, the only interruption of his labors Ix-ing a visit to America in 1834. This was at the time of a great religious re- vival, and immediately after his return a sim- ilar e.xperiencc r. Watts' Psalms ami Hymns and Other Authors, with some Or^^inals, 1842. This included the one now before us with twenty more of his own compositions. This is still in use by some churches in England and the colonies. He died February 23. 1862. 535 "The ThiMgi 0/ Chnsl." 7». lloi.v Spirit ! Ki'"tly come. Raise us from our fallen state; Fix thy i-verlaslinK home In the hearts thou didst create. 3 Now thy quickening influence bring, On our spirits sweetly move ! Open every mouth to sinj; Jesus' everlasting love. 3 Take the thiuKS of Christ, and show What our Lord for us hath done; May we (iixi the Father know ThroUKh his well-belovtd Son. Rev. William Hammond wrote this piece for his Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Sont^s, 1745. It is included in the Dictionary of Hymnoloi^y among the translations of the ' I'eni, Creator Spiritus." Hut it is surely more like a paraphrase than like a version. Allusion is made at the close to John 14 : 26; and 16:15. 536 The GiJIs besloufd. 7s. Hi>l-V Spirit, in my breast (■.rant that lively faith may rest. And subilue each rebel ihouKht To believe what thou hast taught. 2 Faith, and hope, and charily. Comforter, di-sceiid from thee; Thou the anointing Spirit art. These thy gifts to us iniiian — 3 Till our faith be lost in sicht, Hope l>e swallowf mi-. Lord/" ('•RACKH's Spirit, Love divine! Let thy light within me shine; All my guilty fcnnt remove. Fill me with thy heavenly love. 1 S|H-ak thv iKtrdiiiiiiiK K^ace to me, Set the biirdeiiiil miiikt free; l.c.id me to the l.aiiib of C.ihI ; WaNh me in his previous blood. 78. THE HOLY SPIRIT. ^37 3 Life and peace to me impart, Seal salvation on my heart ; Breathe thyself into my breast — Earnest of immortal rest. 4 Let me never from thee stray, Keep me in the narrow way ; Fill my soul with joy divine, Keep me. Lord ! for ever thine. Very little is known concerning John Stocker, the author of this hymn, beyond the bare facts of his life as found in an article of the Herzog EncyclopcEdia. From this we learn that he was born in Honiton, Devon- shire, England ; that most likely he was an acquaintance, possibly an intimate friend, of Toplady, whose home was for several seasons not far away from Honiton. This man, with the scant biography, during the years before and after 1777, contributed to the Gospel Magazine nine hymns ; these were issued again by Daniel Sedgwick in 1861. Among this early group the present hymn was in- cluded ; it has been in many of the hymnals since, and has enjoyed great favor with the churches. 538 "Inward Teachm^sy L. M. Eternal Spirit, we confess And sing the wonders of thy grace ; Thy power conveys our blessings down From God the Father and the Son. 2 Enlightened by thy heavenly ray, Our shades and darkness turn to day ; Thine inward teachings make us know Our danger and our refuge too. 3 Thy power and glory work within. And break the chains of reigning sin; All our imperious lusts subdue. And form our wretched hearts anew. Dr. Isaac Watts gives this as No. 133 of his Book II. He entitles it very simply, " The Operations of the Holy Spirit." The theme appears uninviting because of the tameness of a mere enumeration ; but the hymn has always been popular in the United States for use in conference-meetings. 539 " Vent, Creator !" L. M. Come, O Creator Spirit blest ! And in our souls take up thy rest ; Come, with thy grace, and heavenly aid, To fill the hearts which thou hast made. 2 Great Comforter! to thee we cry; O highest gift of God most high ! O fount of life ! O fire of love ! Send sweet anointing from above ! 3 Kindle our senses from above, And make our hearts o'erflow with love; With patience firm, and virtue high. The W'Cakness of our flesh supply. 4 Far from us drive the foe we dread, And grant us thy true peace instead ; So shall we not, with thee for guide. Turn from the path of life aside. The favor with which the ancient Latin hymn, " Vein', Creator Spi'rzttts," has been received into the hearts of God's people all through the ages, is evidenced, if by nothing else, by the eagerness with which the singers of sacred song have hastened to translate it into convenient meter for modern use. Ed- ward Caswall is the author of the version here before us ; it was printed in Lyra Ca- tliolica, 1849. 540 " The book ttnfold." L. M. Come, blessed Spirit ! source of light ! Whose power and grace are unconfined. Dispel the gloomy shades of night — The thicker darkness of the mind. 2 To mine illumined eyes display The glorious truths thy word reveals ; Cause me to run the heavenly way, Thy book unfold, and loose the seals. 3 Thine inward teachings make me know The mysteries of redeeming love. The vanity of things below, And excellence of things above. 4 While through this dubious maze I stray, Spread, like the sun, thy beams abroad, To show the dangers of the way. And guide my feeble steps to God. We find the piece here quoted in Rev. Benjamin Beddome's Serjno7ts, 18 16; and also in his Hymns, which were published posthumously in 181 7. There it has four stanzas of four lines each. In some of our hymn-books the first line is given as " Come, Spirit! source of light;" but in the version before us it appears as it was originally. 54 I Spirit of Grace. L. M. Come, sacred Spirit, from above. And fill the coldest heart with love : Oh, turn to flesh the flinty stone. And let thy sovereign power be known. 2 Speak thou, and from the haughtiest eyes Shall floods of contrite sorrow rise ; While all their glowing souls are borne To seek that grace which now they scorn. 3 Oh, let a holy flock await In crowds around thy temple-gate Each pressing^ on with zeal to be A living sacrifice to thee. In the original hymn, which Dr. Philip Doddridge wrote in 1740, two other stanzas appear, but neither of them helps in common use. The piece commences, " Hear, gracious Sovereign, from above." As it now stands, it fitly represents the words of our Lord : " The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." Really, it would appear from this that it is not at all worth while to consider any question whatever concerning a place of prayer. Jeremiah could be heard from the dungeon, Daniel from the lions' den ; Paul gained an answer on shipboard, and Jonah sent an excellent petition from under the waves of the sea ; Nathanael was 23« THK HOLV SPIRIT. not unheeded standing beneath the fig-tree, nor was Israel turned away when he wrestled in the mountain oi (iiUad. Kaili prayer, fer- vent in spirit and effectual in reward, encour- aj{ed the saint which lifted it to say. no mat- ter where he happened to be at the time. ■• This place is none other but tlie house of (iod. and this is the gate of heaven I" 542 /MvocalioH. L. M CoMK, Krni'ious Spiril. iK-avriily Dove, With liK'it ami comfort from alxive: Be thou ourKuanlian. thou our Kuidc! O'lT cvi'r>- thoUKht and sti-p preside. 3 To us tlio li>;ht of tnith display, And niaki- us know and choose thy way; Plant holy fear in every heart. That we Iron) CikI may ne'er dejiart. .t Lead us to holiness— the roa' peculiar. At the time when his mind first began to wander he lost his wife and his son, both of whom he tenderly loved. But the e.xplanation of his deepe.st distress has generally been found in the re- sult of an attack made upon him by a high- way roblx-r. As the villain, according to the custom in all ages, presented the pi.stol and demanded his money, this muscular Congre- gationalist. Ix-ing of a large and sinewy build. seized him suddenly by the throat, disarmed him. and flung him down, while he sent a friend opportunely with him for assistance. When hcin came it was evident at the first look that the clergyman's grip had strangled his antagonist to death. This incident wTi>ught painfully upon the good man's mind. He often wished to destroy himself; sometimes his conscience upbraided him as if he had been a second Lamech. and ought to cry out : " I have slain a man to my wounil- ing. and a young man to my hurt." Such experiences give a pathetic meaning to his longing to be led by the Holy Spirit into complete sanctification and to the heaven of rest. 543 / V-wi, Creator . L. M. Crkatok Spirit, bv whose aiK%UliN. " O happy youth, who had Homer to be the herald of your virtues I" So cried .Mexan- der the (ireat as he stood upon the tomb of Achilles and thought of the fame of the///Vi'where he left his mark as an industrious worker, a brilliant preacher, an influential and public-spirited citizen. He wrote constantly for tlie press, contribulint^ both in poetPiand prose. The five hymns he gave to Latulis Domini, 1884, were among the most welcome and excellent it contained. I lis main works were Ettirlis/i Hymns : tluir Authors and History. 1 886 ; and Latin Hvmn- W'r iters and tluir Hvmns (edited posthu- mously by Dr. R. E. Thompson), 1889. The first of these was the best of all the books of annotations up to the time of its issue, show- ing great research, brilliancy, and accurate scholarship. The other one was more to his taste, and was full of erudition and quaint discourse concerning the ancient treasures of the church. His people loved him tenderly, and on the silver plate of his coffin placed the word, " Di- lectissimus." 546 Lord of Light. 7s, 3I. D. lloLV spirit, Lord of LiKhl, Krom the ilcar, cck-stial fieiRht Thy pure bcamiiiK radianct- (five. Come, thou Father of the poor. Come with treasures whicn endure; Cr>me, thou Linht of all that live. 2 Thou, of all consolers best, Thou, the sfiul's deliRhtsome RUest, Dost refri-shiiiK peace bestow. Thou in toil art comfort sweet. Pleasant cixdncss in the heat. Solace in the midst of woe. ■? LiKht immortal, I.iRht Divine, Visit thou these hearts of thine. And our inmost beitiK fill. If thou take thv urace away, Nothini; pure in man will stav, /Ml his kur dryness |M>ur thy dew ; Wash the stains of ^uilt away. Bend the sluhlxirn heart and will ; Melt the frozen, warm the chill ; (iuide the stejm that k" astray. 5 Thou Thee.. I more •<•, In tfv . end : V.v. ■ .It w lit 11 Ihi-v clie Ci .4 ith thee I'li liiKh ; 1 . .\s that never end. spirit US," found in LyraCatholiia. 1849. In media-val times the original hymn was so much admired that it was often called the •■(iolden .Sequence." it is a fer\'cnt prayer for the indwelling of the Spirit, from whom alone can come a new growth. Mere e.\- ternal efforts at .self-reform do not amount to much. The heart needs warming by the Holy C.host that the life may throw the world- linessoff. (io forth in the winter morning, and mark a little cottage half buried in the snow. Cireat ranks of icicles are pendent from its eaves. Smokeless, the chimney stands crowned with a snowy tuft on its summit, like the white plume of a hussar. The trees in the yard arch the roof, and burden it, as they bend un- der the load of sleet and drift. How cold and cheerless — you wonder if any one ever lived in it — you shiver as you look at it — what will you do .' ( )f course you would never do any good by mounting the gable and toiling away with the shovel. No : dig in to the door if you can. Once inside, kindle a roaring fire on the hearth, pile on the wood, send the brisk hot flames wreathing up the frosty chimney. And ere long you will see the shingles steam- ing at the ridge, the window-panes clearing up, the icicles dropping off one by one ; and at last, with one great plunge, that rights up the trees and shakes the burdened building free, the cataract of snow slides off the roof, and home begins again where winter was en- throned. 547 C. p. .M. This is one of Rev. Edward Caswall's fine transl.itions from the Latin. " Wni, Satute Thf' Solacf in all II Ws. CoMK, Holy Spirit, from alMive, .•\nd fronj the realms of liKht and love Thine own brinht rays im|>art. Cf)n>c, Father of the fatherless. Come, tiiver of all happint-ss. Come, Lamp of e\er> heart. 2 O thou, of comforters the best, O thou, the soul's most welcome RUest, () thou, our sweet repose. Our restiiiK-place from life's loriR care. Our shadow from the world's fierce glare, Our solace in all we needless for the uses of a congregation. But they represent different meters, and are presented therefore with new music; and they are memorials of men who have won highest favor in the churches. Here, for example, we have the work of Dean .Arthur Penrhyn Stan- ley, published first in Macmillan's Afa^asim, THE HOLY SPIRIT. 241 June, 1873 '• '^^'ho would be willing to be with- out his fresh song ? It affords a keen critical interest to compare the various versions of this old hymn as they invite our admiration, like so many flowers in an antholog}', or like so many high-born maidens in the drawing- room of a queen. 548 Giver of Truth. C. P. M. O HoLV Ghost, thou Fount of light, Thy blessed radiance puts to flight The darkness of the mind ; The pure are only pure through thee; And thou the prisoner dost set free, .■\nd cheer with light the blind. 2 Thy grace eternal truth instills. The ignorant with knowledge fills, Awakens those who sleep, Inspires the tongue, informs the eye. Expands the heart with charity. And comforts all who weep. 3 Teach us to aim at heaven's high prize, And for its glory to despise The world and all below ; Cleanse us from sin, direct us right. Illume us with thy heavenly light. Thy peace on us bestow. 4 Lord of all sanctity and might. Eternal thou and infinite, The life of earth and heaven ; To thee the High and Holy One, To thee, with Father, and with Son, Be praise and glory given. The hymn of Adam of St. Victor, " Qui procedis ab idroque'' is found in the Limoges Seqitentiary of the twelfth century. Of this Edward Caswall has offered the present translation ; it was published in his Hymns and Poems, 1873. It so happens that we are just now in the midst of a series of " sequen- ces," and the versions are multiplied. A se- quence, as the old monks phrased it, was a peculiar sort of strain with long notes to it, which " followed " the Alleluia that came be- tween the Epistle and the Gospel in the reg- ular service of the Roman Church. The deacon who officiated had some little space to traverse in crossing to the reading-desk, and the choir used to prolong the last sylla- ble— ia — to cover the break. They slurred it, and rolled it, and kept it up droningly till ever\'body grew tired. Mabillon defines a sequence as " a rhythmical prayer." It was in- vented in order to cover this awkward inter- minableness of the close of the Alleluia, and bridge over the slow procession of the min- ister, and give him a breathing-space before he began to read again. For a while the novelty made poor substitution, for it so clung to the long notes of music that it was com- pared to the wailing and droning of a slow mill-wheel doing its work under a lack of oil at the axle. But the matter advanced into perfection. And we have to be glad that the " Sancti Spiritus adsit," and the grand old " Veni, Creahv Spi}-i/us," and the " Rex om- nipotens," and the inimitable "C/iorus Nova Hierusalem " were all " sequences " that came out of the dire necessity of stopping a mill- wheel droning in church. 549 The Valley 0/ dry Bones. C. P. M. Descend from heaven, celestial Dove, With flames of pure seraphic love Our ravished breasts inspire. O Fount of joy, blest Paraclete, Warm our cold hearts with heavenly heat. And set our souls on fire. 2 Breathe on these bones, so dr>- and dead ; Thy sweetest, softest influence shed In all our hearts abroad. Point out the place where grace abounds: Direct us to the bleeding wounds Ofour incarnate God. 3 Conduct, blest Guide, thy sinner-train To Calvary-, where the Lamb was slain, And with us there abide. Let us our loved Redeemer meet. Weep o'er his pierced hands and feet. And view his wounded side. Rev. Joseph Hart composed this hymn ; it would strike some close critics that he had designated it for his version of the same old " Veni, Sancte Spiritus'' in his Hymns, 1759. It has touches of resemblance, but it is no proper translation. The piece is useful, if for nothing else, because of its allusion to the figure of the ancient seer in Ezekiel 37 : i-io. 550 "Shed thine influence." los. Hail, Holy Spirit, bright immortal Dove! Great spring of light, of purity and love : Proceeding from the Father and the Son, Distinct from both, and yet with both but one. 2 O Lord, from thee one kind and quickening ray Will pierce the gloom and re-enkindle day ; Will warm the frozen heart with love divine. And with its Maker's image make it shine. 3 Oh, shed thine influence, and thy power exert ; Clear my dark mind, and thaw my icy heart; Pour on my drowsy soul celestial day. And heavenly life to all its powers convey. This hymn by the half-insane preacher of Old Jewr\% in London, the Rev. Simon Browne, appears with the others in his little book. Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1720. It is compiled from a poem twelve stanzas long. It well illustrates the didactic character of this author's poetry. It is valuable as show- ing the ruggedly orthodox faith of the man who has sometimes been accused of being of a wavering confidence in the great doctrine of the Triune Nature of the Godhead. He here preaches as he prays, and professes his creed as he sings. The personality of the Spirit of divine grace is distinctly acknowl- edged ; the poet warms his " frozen heart with love divine." Some religious people say " it " if thev have occasion to speak of the Holy 16 24:: THE HOLY SPIRII (ihost ; the Hible invariably is sure lo say •* hf " and " him " when it reveals his aeency and divinity. Again in this hymn, as in the others of his we sing, we are reminded of the awful experiences of this g once appeiireil in humblest Ruise below, Sin to rebuke, to break the captive's chain, And call thy brethren forth from want and woe! 2 We look to thee: thy Spirit Rives the linht Which guides the nations, gropinR on their way, Stumbling and fallinR in disastrous night, Yet hopitig ever for the perfect day. 3 Yes: thou art still the Life; thou art the Way The holii-st know — Light, Life, anest prav. Toil by the light, life, way, which thou hast given. V '4,- THEODORE PARKER. Most of those who sing this song of praise to our Lord Jesus Christ, the " Light, Life, and Way of heaven," would be surprised to be told for the first time that it was composed by Kev. Theodore Parker, M. A., one of the most prominent, pronoimced, and extreme of all the ministers f)f the Unitarian Church in America. He was conspicuous for the length to which he suffered tne expression of his individual opinions to go. He denied the Trinity of the Oxlhead and utterly rejected the Deity of the Saviour, and yet he here de- clares that Jesus is •• the Way the holiest know." He asserts that the Spirit of Jesus, •• who once appeared in humblest guise be- low," guides the nations. He says that " they who dearest hope and deepest pray " toil by the light, life, and way which he has given. Hence the hymn, which is in its structure a sonnet, possesses an unusual pathos as we remember the great generous- hearted man who wrote it. We are prepared to believe the statement that, during all his theological wanderings, '• hoping ever for the perfect day," yet confessedly " stumbling and falling in disastrous night." like the rest of our lost race, he kept a bust of Jesus Christ constant- ly upon the desk where he studied. Theodore I'arker never came into notice specially as a poet. I know of no other hymn than this which has had circulation. This one appears in Lyrii .Uni-ricana, and I have seen it in two collections for church use be- sides Lauiits Domini. It is printed also in his biography by Rev. O. B. Frothingham. The facts of his career are easily accessible and measurably familiar. He was born in Lex- ington, ^L■l.ss., August 24, 1810, the youngest of eleven children in the same household. His native village is historic. In that first bat- tle of the Revolution his grandfather com- manded a company, and his ancestors fought all through the war of Independence. .At the age of twenty he was examined and received into Harvard College. liut he did not grad- uate ; he only received the honorary degree of Master of .Arts in 1840. He taught school for a while, and was ordained to the ministry in 1S37 at West Roxbun", Mass. .A new .so- ciety was formed for hmi in Hoston, and to this he went as minister in 1846. P"rom that time forward he was recognized as outside of every regular communion, with beliefs and disbeliefs of his own. He was a patriot, an intense antislavery champion, a prodigious worker, a well-read scholar. His health broke in 1S59; he went abroad for relief, but died in Italy, .May 10. i860. He was buried in the I'rote.stant cemetery in P'lorence. Just now we read in the papers that a new head- stone has been erected over his grave, and unvailed in the presence of many American and Knglish residents. The expense was paid by the subscriptions of a large number of friends and admirers of the Boston preacher. 552 " Thv loving Spirit." Tkai M me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; Thnu art my (hmI, mi thee I li\e and move; Oh, In thv loving Spirit lead me forth Iiit<» the land of righteousncNs and love. MAN'S LOST CONDITION. 243 2 Thv love the law and impulse of my soul, Thy righteousness its fitness and it's plea, Thy loving Spirit mercy's sweet control To make me liker, draw me nearer thee. 3 Mv higliest hope to be where, Lord, thou art, To lose myself in thee my richest gain. To do thy will the habit of my heart. To grieve the Spirit my severest pain. 4 Thy smile my sunshine, all my peace from thence, From self alone what could that peace destroy? Thy joy my sorrow at the least offence, My sorrow that I am not more thy joy. This comes from Rev. Dr. John Samuel Bewley Monsell's Hymns of Lcroe and Praise, 1863, where it is entitled, " Divine Teaching," has four stanzas, and makes reference to Psalm 143:10: "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God : thy Spirit is good ; lead me into the land of uprightness." 553 The Fullness of Grace. O Holy Spirit ! now descend on me As showers of rain upon the thirsty ground : Cause me to flourish as a spreading tree; May all thy precious fruits in me be found. 2 Be thou my guide into all truth divine ; Give me increasing knowledge of my God ; Show me the glories that in Jesus shine. And make my heart the place of his abode. 3 Be thou my quickener — in me revive Each drooping grace so prone to fade and die; Help me on Jesus day by day to live, And loosen more and more each earthly tie. 4 Blest Spirit ! I would yield myselfto thee, Do for me more than I can ask or think ; Let me thy holy habitation be, And daily deeper from thy fullness drink. Through long years of illness the brave pa- tience and uncomplaining spirit of Miss Chris- tina Forsyth rendered her peculiarly dear to her many friends, for whom she was always thoughtful and unselfish. She wrote a num- ber of poems, most of which were published posthumously as Hymns by C. F., 1861, and whence the piece quoted was taken ; but her life was a more powerful influence for good than anything she has written. She was born at Liverpool, England, in 1825, and died at Hastings, March 16, 1859. 554 The heart on the altar. los. Spirit of God ! descend upon my heart ; Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move; Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art. And make me love thee as I ought to love. 2 Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh ; Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear; To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh ; Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. 3 Teach me to love thee as thine angels love. One holy passion filling all my frame ; The baptism of the heaven-descended Dove, My heart an altar, and thy love the flame ! " If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit," is the text appended to the orig- inal of this hymn, which had five stanzas, and was published in 1854 in a volume entitled, Fsa/ms and Hymns for Public Worship. Its author was Rev. George Croly, LL. D., who has been successful in other departments of literature besides hymn-writing. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, August 17, 1780, and studied at Trinity College in that city, grad- uating in 1804. After his ordination as a minister of the Established Church he spent a few years in the north of Ireland, but in 1 810 removed to London and applied himself to literary work. Finally he was appointed to the united livings of St. Stephen's, Wal- brook, London, and St. Benet, Sherehog. These he retained until his death, which took place suddenly while he was walking in the street in Holborn, London, November 24, i860. 555 " No other Name." S. M. Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain Could give the guilty conscience peace. Or wash away the stain. 2 But Christ the heavenly Lamb Takes all our sins away, A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they. 3 My faith would lay her hand On that dear head of thine, While like a penitent I stand. And there confess my sin. 4 My soul looks back to see The burdens thou didst bear. When hanging on the cursed tree. And hopes her guilt was there. 5 Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice. And sing his dying love. Taken from Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns, where it is No. 142 of Book II.. and is en- titled, " Faith in Christ our Sacrifice." For those who are so apt and swift in condemna- tion of hymns that attempt to " sing doc- trine," it only remains for us to call attention to the fact that this one in particular has the whole Gospel of divine grace in a succession of stanzas, presented in a most remarkable way, and still the versification is graceful, flowing, and beautiful. It begins with the lost state of man, utterly hopeless in his ruin, deeply in pain, guilty before the law, broken and sad : verse i. The picture is melancholy and full of shame. Every attempt at self-justification is fruitless. Not only Jewish sacrifices on the altar, but Hindoo self-tortures in personal mutilation ; Luther's creeping up Pilate's Staircase on his bare knees ; Madame Guyon's foolish expe- dient of putting peas in tier shoes for a pen- --;4 THE COSPKL: — AloNKMKNT NKKDID. aiKc; hermits' poverty, devotees' tiagellation with whips — all arc nf no use ; they cannot cleanse the pollution, nor allay the sufferinjj, nor stay the cknuu of the fallen soul of man. •' Hut Christ the heavenly Lamb takes all our sins away : " 7-trst 2. When Henr)- Obookiah. the heathen boy. who was brought across from the Sandwich Islands to be educated, asked how it could be that Jesus, being only one person, could make an atonement for ever)' one — men, women, and children, being so many — his teacher informs us that she bowed her head in silent prayer for aid in an attempt to answer his question ; then she loosed from the fringe of her dress some small worthless beads in the trimming — quite a quantity, a little pile — and laid these in one of his hands ; then she suddenly drew off her jeweled wedding-ring and placed it in the palm of the other, and bade him decide which was most valuable. The bright lad caught the illustration in an instant of delight ; Jesus was " nobler " than a whole race of sin- ful men ; for atonement does not go by measure of numbers, but by measure of worth ; Christ was a prince of the " blood." in the kingdom of heaven. So, when he died, his death was sufficient for all of us, for all who ever lived on the earth, if they would believe on him and lovingly serve him. Only we must receive the advantage of it by faith, and on condition of immediate repent- ance : -rersf J. I'nder the laws of Moses, most of us will remember, the guilty or " un- clean " man must bring his lamb to be slain at the altar ; but as he passed it to the priest he must lay his hand on the head of the ani- mal to show that it was his own offering, and that he wished to transfer his sins to it as his sacrifice. So, when it was slain, it was as if he himself had been slain. Thus Jesus is the " Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." A penitent sinner seems to lay his hand upon Christ's head. It is in this way that he is " crucified with Christ " when Christ dies : 7vr.f<- 4. Often we close our eyes as if in meditation ; and, recalling the sorrowful scene at Calvar)', we seem to see the .Saviour dying on the cross ; we remember the verse in Isaiah's prophecy which declares that " the Lf)rd hath laid on him the inirjuify of us all ;" and we trust that the sin for which he is making atonement in- cludes ours — our own — all of the sins we ever committed. Then when he says, " It is finished," we know we arc justified ; there is no more curse ; the " handwriting against us " is for ever taken away ; it w.xs " nailed to his cross " to show it was completely atoned for and paid ; and, oh, how fuli (nir souls ..n with joy I verse j. 556 Deut. 1' 1 i ^. M < »H, where shall r«.-»t Ik- found— Rest for ihe weary soul ? 'T Were vain the (Xean dcpih* lo sound, Or pierce to either pole. 3 The world can never ^\\c The hiiss for whii h wo sifh : 'T is not the whole of life to live. Nor all of death to die. 3 Beyond this vale of tears There is a life alx»vc, l'nmeasurean({ ( )utla>ts the tieetiiiK hre.ith : Oh, what eternal horrors han^ Around the sj-cond death ! 5 Lord God oftnith and Rracc ! Teach us that death t" shun: Lest we he haiiished from thy face And evermore undone. James Montgomery published this in 1819, but corrected and changed some expressions in it before he included it in its finished form in Orii^inn/ Hymns, 1853. It was entitled. " The Issues of Life and Death," and refer- ence was made to Hebrews 4:9-11. He com- posed the piece for the anniversar)- of the Red Hill Wesleyan Sunday-School in Sheffield; it was printed for use on a broad sheet in six stanzas of four lines. 557 A Physician wanUd. S. M. Ani> wilt thou hear, O Lord, Thy kuppliatit |)e<>ple's cry ? And |>ardoii, thi>u>{h thy bk record Our crimes of crimson dye ? 2 So deep are they ctiKravcd, So terrihle their fear : The rinhteous scarcely shall he saved, And where shall we ap|K-ar ? 3 Let us make all thin^^ known To him who all Ihinns sees : That so his hlo- of the Lord. This was originally entitled, " The Unright- eous excluded from Heaven," and published in the Hymns adapted to Public Worship and Private Devotio7i, 1817, of Rev. Benjamin Beddome. It is a type of the " revival melo- dies " of former years in New England, when singing expostulations to sinners was much more in vogue than it is now. The allusion in the closing stanza is to Matthew 5 : 8. 559 "All downward.'' S. M. Like sheep we went astrav. And broke the fold of God- Each wandering in a different way. But all the downward road. 2 How dreadful was the hour When God our wanderings laid, And did at once his vengeance pour Upon the Shepherd's head ! 3 How glorious was the grace When Christ sustained the stroke! His life and blood the Shepherd pays, A ransom for the flock. 4 But God shall raise his head O'er all the sons of men, And make him see a numerous seed, To recompense his pain. In Book I. of Dr. Isaac VJaXts' Hymns this is numbered as 142 ; it consists of six stanzas, and was composed to be sung after a sermon upon Isaiah 53:6-12. It is entitled, "The Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ." It is interesting to ask and answer the question, in the serene light of such a hymn, whether this great poet of the Church merited the accusa- tion of having cherished Socinian sentiments secretly in the later years of his life. No tes- timony could be more complete than this con- cerning his faith in the divinity and atoning power of the Saviour who died for the sins of :46 rHE GOSPEL :— ATONEMENT NEEDED. men. and rose into glor)' everlasting there- ..fter. It so happens that a dian." kept by this re- markable man has been found since his death, from which we have actually photoj^raphcd a |X)rtion in his own hand. The artlessness of the commonplace record is in every particular more strikinv; because it .so minvjies the ma- terial with the spiritual facts of his experience. This book is now in the hands of a jfentUman in Lnijland. whose jijrandfather was chaplain and tinally one of the e.xecutors of Elizabeth Abney, the dau;(hter of Sir Thomas Abney, with whose family and under whose roof the poet found his home for thirty-si.x years. It tells thestor\- of his first findinjj the Lord. 560 "Jesus only." S. M- Not what these h.'iiicis have done Can save this >;uiltv soul : Not what this toilin/j flesh has borne Can make my spirit whole. 3 Not what I feel or do Can (five me peace with God ; Not all my prayers, and sighs, and tears, Can bear my awful load. 3 Thy work alone, O Christ, Can ease this weight of sin • Th^- blood alone, O Lamb of God, Can give me peace within. In the form of a poem of twelve stanzas havint; four lines each, this piece first appeared in Dr. Horatius Bonar's Hymns of Faith and Hope, 1864. It is not used in its orijijinal shape, but has been much abbreviated, and the most popular cento is probably the one here j^iven. It is a recognition of the impos- sibility of man's atoning for his own sins, and of the necessity of Christ's personal interposi- tion as the Redeemer, in order to effect a permanent reconciliation between the Creator and his rebellious creatures. A reach so e.xtensive as this (lings over the whole transaction a spirit of profound solem- nity. The parties to the covenant are not man and man, but man and God. The wit- nesses who stand around are the world, the church, angels — and devils. The thing can- not be done in a corner. The ratification of the contract has been already provided. It is brought to us, engrossed, as it were, on stam[)ed paper. The Jews used to consider the oath—" by Abel's blood"— the most un- utterably solemn and irrevocable human lips could ever repeat. Our parchment comes to us for the cr>ntract. .so to speak, sprinkled with the blfKHl of the only-begotten .Son of C.fHl. '• which s|K-akcth better things than that of AIk'I." The s;inctions of the covenant are ine.xpressibly s.uTed and awful. All the good and evil of this life, all the blessings and the curses of the life to come, hang upon the question of our fidelity in keeping the faith we have pledged. 561 ProhalwM. S. M. have. \ CHAKOK to ke«> A C,m\ to K'"rify, A ncver-dviuK soul to save, .\nd fit it tor the sky. 2 To -Serve the present age, .My calling to fulfill; Oh, may it all my powers engage To do my Master's will. 3 Arm me with jealous care. As in thy sinlit In live ; Ami i>h, thy si-r\ant, Lord, prc|>are A strict account to give. 4 Help me to watch and pray, Ana on thyself rely. Assured, if I my trust betray, I shall for ever die. This is a well-known and favorite hymn of Rev. Charles Wesley's composition, and was first published in S/iort Hymns on Select Pas- sages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. It was founded upon Leviticus 8 : 35. Thomas Car- lyle left behind him these thoughtful words, written in his old age : " The older I grow — and now I stand upon the brink of eternity — the more comes back to me the sentence in the catechism which I learned when a child, and the fuller and deeper its meaning be- comes, ' What is the chief end of man } To glorify (lod and enjoy him for ever.' " 562 ntfr H,lf>lessnfss. CM. Not all the outward forms on earth. Nor rites that (lod has given. Nor will of mail, nor blood, nor birth. Can raise a soul to heaven. a The sovereign will of God alone Creates us heirs of grace ; Born in the image of his Son. A new, peculiar race. 3 The Spirit, like some heavenly wind, Breathes on the sons of flesh, Ncw-miMlels all the carnal mind, And forms the man afresh. 4 Our i)uickene' a Ev'n iitiw by faith I claim him mine, The risen Sun of (iixl : Reli<>n by his death I find. And (.leansinK thruuKh the blitod. — Ref. 3 Love brings the glorious fullness in, And to his saints makes known The blessed rest from inbred sin, Through faith in Christ alone.— Ref. 4 Believing Souls, rei<>iiin>; Ro; There shall ti> you Ik- Kiven A Klorious foretaste, here below. Of endless life in heaven.— Rkf. 5 Of vii-tory now o'er Satan's jKjwer Let all the ransomed sine. And triumph in the dyinK hour Throujfh Christ the Lord our King. — Ref. Mrs. Martha Matilda (Ikustar) .Stockton, who wrote the hymn before us in 1871. was the wife of Rev. W. C. Stockton, of Ocean City, Cape May County, New Jersey. She was born June 11, 1821, and died October iS. 1885. Nothinjj further can be learned of her personal history ; but the poem which bear>- her name is a general favorite both in tht churches and in the .Sunday-Schools, and ow- inj>j to its adoption by many compilers of hymn- b^ve he sniileeen an- nounced that Charles Stanlev. a merchant in Sheffield, England, was the author of the composition. He was one of the Plymouth Brethren, born about 1821. He published a volume called Wild T A vmc-. and in this the hymn we have here is found. This informa- tion comes from the Dictionary of Hytn- nolo^y, 1892, and we have nothing l)eyond it. The legal or commercial phase of the senti- ment has not altogether pleased the Ameri- can churches, and in the Xnv Laiuies Dom- ini, 1892, it has been dropp>ed. NKWTON S CHfRCH AT OLNEV. 567 "Amazing Gtacf." C M. Amazing grace! how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I cmce was lost, hut now am found — Was blind, but now I see. J "T was grace that taught mv heart to fear. And grace my fe;«rs relievi-ssess. within the vail, A life o'' joy and peace. .S The earth shall soon dissolve like snow. The sun fortn-ar to shine ; But <".fMl. wbocalletl me here below. Will be for ever mine. THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 249 The keynote of Rev. John Newton's whole life is sounded in this hymn — his profound conviction of his own unvvorthiness. He never sought to go beyond this utterance. In his sermons as well as in all his hymns he keeps this fact before his own mind. His theology is not at all somber, but the rather bright and cheerful ; for it never sinks below the foundation on which it rests. It is satis- fied with the abounding mercy of God shown toward the chief of sinners. The piece is found in the OIney Hymns, 1779, entitled, " Faith's Review, and Expectation." There can hardly be found in human biog- raphy a more startling contrast than our im- agination furnishes the moment we think of those awful experiences of this man as a slaver and a pirate, and then think of the si.xteen years of the ministry he spent in the little town of Olney, quiet, zealous, useful, with Cowper for his comrade and the Chris- tian world for his friend. The tourist who in modern times visits this spot, sacred to the memory of our two poets, will pass out into Cowper's garden, and a little way beyond look across the Ouse, and see shining white among the beautiful elms the steeple of the church where Newton preached. The land- scape is lovely, but the suggestion of the life that was passed there is full of spiritual won- derment. The song to be sung beside that stream is that now before us, "Amazing grace ! how sweet the sound." 568 Zech.\j,:\. CM. There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins; And sinners, plungred beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. 2 The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day; And there may 1, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away. 3 Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood Shall never lose its power Till all the ransomed church of God Be saved to sin no more. 4 E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme. And shall be, till I die. 5 Then in a nobler, sweeter song I 'II sing thy power to save, When this poor lisping, stammering tongue Lies silent in the grave. This is one of the contributions of William Cowper to the Olney Hynms, i77g. It seems likely that it was composed eight years before. The heading of it is, "Praises for the fountain opened," and it has for a text, Zechariah 13:1: " In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." The incidents which might be related concerning the usefulness of these five simple stanzas would make us think of the Evangelist's affec- tionate extravagance : " And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." Biographies are full of them ; tracts are made out of them ; every minister of the gospel has his memory crowded with them. Literary critics find great fault with some of its expressions, and declare that people of taste do not know what they are singing about when they speak of a " foun- tain filled," and filled with "blood," the blood drawn from the veins of one man that another man might be " washed" in it. Still the spirit- ually-taught children of God go on singing the lines undisturbed. They know what the hymn means ; they may not be able to tell others exactly ; but they go on singing, and they expect to go on singing this, and " Rock of Ages " with it, till their tongues lie silent in the grave. 569 "Salvation." CM. Salvation !— oh, the jovful sound ! 'T is pleasure to our ears ; A sovereign balm for every wound, A cordial for our fears. 2 Buried in sorrow and in sin. At hell's dark door we lay; But we arise by grace divine. To see a heavenly day. 3 Salvation !— let the echo flv The spacious earth arounti ; While all the armies of the sky Conspire to raise the sound. 4 Salvation ! O thou bleeding Lamb ! To thee the praise belongs : Salvation shall inspire our hearts, And dwell upon our tongues. In Book II., of Dr. Isaac Watts' Hymns this is No. 88. It is entitled, " Salvation," and appears with only three stanzas. The fourth, which for many years has been added in most of the compilations, is said to be the work of Rev. Walter Shirley in 1774. Cssar Malan used to say that his conver- sion to the Lord Jesus might with propriety be compared to a mother rousing an infant with a kiss. He was spared the doubts, ter- rors, and perplexities through which so many souls have passed ere they tasted the joy and peace in believing. His own account of his experience is given in these words : " One af- ternoon, while I was reading the New Testa- ment at my desk, while my pupils were pre- paring their ne.xt lesson, I turned to the sec- ond chapter of Ephesians ; when I came to 250 IHK (lOSl'EL : — AIONEMKNT I'R( )VII)KIi. the words, ' Hy j,jra<^e are ye saved through faith, and that ixn of yourselves, it is the ^iil of tlod," the i>assage seemed to shine out Ixrfore my eyes. I was so deeply moved by it that I was compt^llcd to leave the room and t.'ike a turn in the court-yard, where 1 walked up and down exchiiming with intense feeling, ' I an) saved, I am saved, I am saved I' " The passage of Captain l\. X'lcars through the d(K»r was equally an act of simple faith with- out any terrifying experience. This is what Mi.ss Niarsh tells us : " It was in the month of November, 1851, that while awaiting the re- turn of a brother orticer to his room he idly turned over the leaves of a Hible which lay on his table. The words caught his eye. ' The l)Iood of Jesus Christ his .Son cleanseth us from all sin.' Closing the book, he said : ' If this be true for me, henceforth I will live, by the grace of Ciod, as a man should live who has l>een washed in the blood of Jesus Christ." That night he scarcely slept, pondering in his heart whether it were presumptuous or not to claim an interest in these words. During those wakeful hours he was watched, we can- not doubt, with deep and loving interest by One who never slumbereth nor sleepeth, and it was said of him in heaven, ' Heboid, he pray- eth.' " In answer to those prayers he was enabled to believe, as he rose in the morning, that the message of peace " was for him." The past, then, he said, is blotted out. *' What I have to do is to go forward. I cannot re- turn to the sins from which my Saviour has cleansed me with his own blood." From this time forth Hedley \'icars was known as a soldier of the Heavenly King. 570 "Jfsus difd/or Me." C. M. (•RKAT God, when I approach thy throne, And all thy k'^O' set-, This is my stav, and this alone, That Jesus died for nic. 3 How ran a soul condemned to die Ks<-a[>c the just decree? Helplcrss, anti full ofsiii am I, But Jesus died for me. 3 Burdened with sin's oppressive chain, Oh, how can I K^t free? No peai 1- < an all my efforts Ksin, But Jesus died for me. 4 Anil, I.ord, when I behold thy Cice, This must J>c all my plea ; Save me by thy almighty Rracc, For Jesus died for mc. This is found in the Psalms and Hymns of Rev. William Hiley Hathurst, 1831. 'it is entitled very simply. " Redemption." The re- frain with which each verse closes has a char- acteristic attractivene.ss for the American mind, and sf) this hynm is ven' popular. The storj- is told of a merchant whose life was saved at the price of another man's once in case of a shipwreck. He was aided, as the waves tossed him helpless and exhausted up against a cliff, by the outstretched hand of a longshoreman; but, even while he sank down on the nxk where he was saved, he had the uns|K-akablc horror of l)eholding his rescuer swept off the foothold and instantly drowned l)efore his eyes. He could never get over the shock ; he was not crazed, he was as strong and bright as ever. But whenever he had finished liis business errand, he would go up to the sales- man of whom he bought his gocxls, and. tak- ing his hand, would say gently, " A man died for me I" He never omitted this act; some thought him cjueer, but he always came liack to remove his hat, put out his hand, and al- most wliis])er, "A man died for me." His eyes would be moist, his tones would be tremulous, but he was not crazy — only rever- ent and grateful — as he said his quiet little sentence, " A man died for me !" 57 I Dtvinf compassion. C. M. Jkscs — and didst thou leave the sky, To bear our griefs and woes ? And didst thou bleed, and groan, and die. For thy rebellious foes ? 3 Well might the heavens with wonder view A love so straiigc as thine I No thought of angels ever knew Compassion so divine I 3 Is there a heart that will not bend To thy divine control ? Descend, <) sovereign love, descend. And melt that stuhbom soul. 4 Oh! may our willing hearts confess Thy sweet, thv gentle sway ; Glad captives oCthv matchless grace. Thy righteous ruW obey. In the Poems by Theodosia, 1760, Miss Anne .Steele included one of nine stanzas, commencing, " Jesus, in thy transporting name," from which this hymn was com- piled. 572 LoftHg-kindtiea. L. M. AwAKK, mv soul, to joyful lays, And sing tliy grejit kest estate: His loving-kindness, oh, how great I 3 Though numerous hosts of mighty foea, Though earth and hell my way op|M)se, He safeU trails my soul along : His loving-kindness, oh, how strong! 4 Wlirii trouble, like a gliwiniy cloud. Has gathered thick and thuiidereil loud, He near mv soul has always stiMKi : His loving-kindness, oh. how gcMxl ! The hymns of that faithful Haptist pastor. Rev. Samuel Medley, were originally printed THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 251 on what in those times were called " broad- sheets " or " broadsides," such as, we call " slips " now ; this was for easy and cheap distribution among large audiences. By and by some of these were gathered together and put in a book. This one appeared earliest in the Collection of Hymns for use in Lady Huntingdon's Chapel, in Cumberland St., Shoreditch, 1782. The popularity it has in America is owing much to the refrain which closes every stanza, and the odd old melody to which it has been sung in a thousand camp - meetings. East and West, over the land for unreckoned years. 573 Our Surety. H. M. Arise, my soul, arise! Shake off thy guilty fears ; The bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears ; Before the throne my Surety stands : My name is written on his hands. 2 He ever lives above. For me to intercede. His all-redeeming love, His precious blood to plead ; His blood atoned for all our race, And sprinkles now the throne of grace. 3 My God is reconciled ; His pardoning voice I hear ; He owns me for his child ; I can no longer fear ; With confidence I now draw nigh. And Father, Abba, Father, cry. The Hymns and Sacred Poems of Rev. Charles Wesley, pubhshed in 1739, contain this piece in its original form of five stanzas. It has since been included in many hymnals of various denominations, and has been translated into several languages. The poem expresses the confidence in God's willingness to pardon sin, which a repentant believer has a right to feel in view of the atonement Christ has made for us. " I have blotted out as a cloud thy trans- gressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins." (Isaiah 44 : 22). When God accuses his peo- ple, he says, " But your iniquities have sepa- rated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you." Here the cloud is between the Lord and his children, hiding his face and bringing darkness upon them, clouding their hearts and glooming their minds. But in forgiveness the sky is swept of clouds, the sun shines once more undimmed; God's hand sweeping through the heavens has cleared it and in so doing has cleared the soul of its gloom. 574 Vear of Jubilee. H. M. Blow ye the trumpet, blow — The gladly solemn sound ; Let all the nations know, To earth's remotest bound. The year of jubilee is come : Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 2 Jesus, our great High Priest, Hath full atonement made ; Ye weary spirits, rest ; Ye mournful souls, be glad : The year of jubilee is come : Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 3 Extol the Lamb of God, The all-atoning Lamb ; Redemption in his blood Throughout the world proclaim : The year of jubilee is come : Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 4 The gospel trumpet hear, The news of heavenly grace ; And, saved from earth, appear Before your Saviour's face : The year of jubilee is come! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. In Rev. Charles Wesley's Hymns for New Year's Day, 1750, this poem first ap- peared. It was suggested by the passage in the twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus, describ- ing the proclamation of the jubilee every fif- tieth year by a sound of trumpets throughout the land. As that message was carried on the winds every man returned to his own family to celebrate the feast, and liberty was proclaimed to all who were in bondage. We have no feast of jubilee, as such, in our time, but there is a jubilee of the heart and of the nation and of the church and of the world. Peace blows trumpets of joy. A tragedy of the old Greek poet ^schylus relates that when Agamemnon sailed for Troy with the other Greeks, he arranged to convey quick intelligence of the capture of the city to his wife, Clytemnestra, by means of a chain of signal-fires. Ten long years passed, during all which Clytemnestra's watchman had kept vigil on her palace roof — learning the nightly assemblies of the stars, and their risings and settings. At last Troy fell, and the beacon- light flashed from mountain-top to mountain- top, with the good news to all Greeks, which should waken many an assembly and dance in Argos. The enemy had been vanquished, and the victors could return to their homes in peace. When the first settlers at Plymouth, in Massachusetts, were reduced to considerable straits, and had sent out small expeditions in search of such sustenance and support as might be had, and when great doubt was entertained as to the feeling of the savage tribes towards themselves, the camp was one day surprised by the approach of a savage who addressed them in English with the words, " Welcome, Englishmen !" Peace and good-will was the burden of that glad message of good news. asi IHE GOSPEL:— ATONEMENT PROVIDED. 575 •' Thf Cross alone." I!. M \ ' MMK. un.l. . liiliK. I ill I iiih .till I li.-.i\t II ti->(>und ; The triuinplis n( the cross wc sinjf; Awalcf, >«.- saints, each joyful string. 3 The cross, the cross alone, Suhtlucd the powers of hell ; Like lixhtninK from his throne The prince of ass;i^{e to the skies ; The triumphs of the cross we sing; Awake, ye saints, each joyful striiig. ReVi Dr. .Xiulrew Reed, who received his dejjree from \aleCollet;e. while he was pastor in I.ondon, published this hymn of his own composition in a SitppUintnt to Watts' Psalms ami Hymns, 1817. It was entitled, "Praise of the Cross." 576 The iactifici- offftfd. H. M. TnK atoning work is done, The Victim's blood is shed, .Viid Ji-sus now is gone His i>eople's cause to plead : He stands in heaven their Rfeat High Priest, And bears their names upon his breast. a He sprinkled w ith his blood The mercv-seat above ; For justice had withstood The purposes of love; But justice now withstands no more, And mercy yields her boundless store. 3 No temple made with hands His place of ser\ ice is ; In heaven itself he stands, A heavenly priesthfw)d his : In him the shadows of the law Are all fulfillem set ; My Surely paid the dresidful debt. 3 Nty fcreat and glorious Lord, My Conijueror and my King. Thv scet)ter and thy sword. Thy reigning grace I sing. Thine (s the power; behold I sit In willing bonds beneath thy feet. This poem by Rev. Dr. Isaac Watts is made up of portions of two kmyer ones which first appeared in his Hymns and Sacred Songs, 1709. It has been much altered and abbrevi- ated, but is revjarded as one of its author's finest works, and is extensively used. The leading idea of the hymn is the absolute suffi- ciency of Christ's sacrifice as an atonement for mankind. " Yox thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back " (Isaiah 38 : 17). David, in his penitence, cried out, " Thou hast set my iniquities before thee, my secret sins in the light of thy countenance." We see, at once, what a change forgiveness effects. Our sins are behind (iod now, instead of before him. He is between us and our sins, instead of our sins being between us and him. He thus hides us from our transgressions, instead of our transgressions hiding us from him. 578 Thine, not mine. H. .M. Thv works, not mine, O Christ, Speak gladness to tliis heart ; They tell me all is done; They bid my fear depart : To whom, save thee, who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee? 3 Thy tears, not mine, () Christ, Have wept my guilt away, And turiuHl this night of mine Into the hless6d day : To whom, save thee, who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee? 3 Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ, Can heal my bruis<-d soul ; Thv stripes, not mine, contain The balm that makes me whole ; To whom, sjive thif. who canst alone For sin atone. Lord, shall I flee? 4 Tin death, not mine, O Christ. Has paid the ransom due; Ten thousand deaths like mine Would have been all too few : To whom, save thee, who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall 1 flee? Talk about the " folly of singing didactic theology in hymns !" When did Dr. Horatius Bonar ever sing anything else? This piece THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 253 before us is one of the best, the most singa- ble, the most popular, he ever wrote ; and yet it is the embodiment of the grand old doctrine of substitution of God's only-begotten Son for the sinner in the process of redemption. And the refrain at the end of each stanza is what the churches in America especially like. It is found in the First Series of Hymns of Faith and Hopc\ 1857, entitled, "The Sinbearer," and associated with the text, Isaiah 53:5: " But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities : the chas- tisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed." 579 The Father. C. M. 5I. Eternal Light ! eternal Light ! How pure the soul must be, When, placed within thy searching sight, It shrinks not, but with calm delight Can live, and look on thee ! 2 The spirits that surround thy throne May bear the burning bliss ; But that is surely theirs alone, Since they have never, never known A fallen world like this. 3 There is a way for man to rise To that sublime abode — An offering and a sacrifice, A Holy Spirit's energies, An advocate with God. 4 These, these prepare us for the sight Of holiness above : The sons of ignorance and night May dwell in the eternal Light, Through the eternal Love ! The pastor of the " King's Weigh-House Chapel " in London, Rev. Thomas Binney, D. D., LL. D., was a conspicuous figure in British history for more than forty years of honest servnce as a preacher, a controversialist, and a writer at the very center of influence and power. A man of splendid natural gifts, thor- ough independence of character, accepted at once into leadership as a pattern of grace and courage, the model of unselfish consideration of others and yet the gentlest of men in his al- most obstinate resistance to what he considered error, he had the testimony of all who knew him to his spirituality and force. What the ordi- nary annals of his time have to say any one can read ; the life he lived was all open. He was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, in April, 1798. Seven years of his youth were spent in his native town in the employ of a bookseller, and there he began his literar)- career by the pub- lishing of a poem in one of the local journals. His academic education was received in the north of England, and he was prepared for the ministry- at Wymondley College in Herts. His first conspicuous pastoral charge was in St. James' Church, or Chapel as some called it, THOMAS BINNEV, D. D. of the Congregational order, in Newport, on the Isle of Wight. Here, the stor)- runs, he composed the hymn now before us, having been thrown into a mood of poetic reflection by the con- templation of a night brilliant with stars shi- ning like the eyes of God overhead. The poem lay for a long time in the obscurity of a lady's album. This was in 1826 ; he went to Newport in 1824, and five years afterward he moved to London to assume his life-work in one of the oldest of the Nonconformist congrega- tions in Britain. He made the Weigh-House Chapel one of the sources of strength of all those who did not favor the Church of Eng- land. He wrote books upon such themes as these ; " Dissent not Schism ;" " The Chris- tian Ministr}^ not a Priesthood ;" " Are Dis- senters to have a Liturgy .?" and " Conscien- tious Clerical Nonconformity." The hymn was finally published in the English Baptist Psalms and Hymns, 1858, and swiftly after- W'ards taken into all the collections. Thus his long life was passed in the midst of solid and enduring work. He was most popular with young men. His loveliness of spirit, his gentlemanly manners as one of the old school of natural courtliness, his very look of benignity combined with the majesty of his prodigious frame, made him the marked 2S4 THE f.OS^EL -.—ATONEMENT I'KoVlbElJ. man in whatever presence he stood. He traveled much, visitin^j the United States and Canada in 1S45, and Austraha in 1S57. Yet he came home to die ; so intimi at the last as to be compelled to preach sitting in the pulpit. He closed his labors and went home to his rest, February 24. 1874. The University of Aberdeen gave him his degree of D. U.. and that of LL. D. he received from .America. His honors, like his fame, were cosmopolitan. 590 The Son. C. M. 5I. O Saviour, where shall guilty man Find rest except in thee? Thine was the warfare with his foe. The cross of pain, the cup of woe, And thine the victory. 2 How came the everlasting Son, The Lord of life, to die? Why didst thou meet the tempter's power, Why, Jesus, in thy dying hour, Endure such agony? 3 To save us by thy precious blood. To make us one in thee, That ours might be thy perfect life. Thy thorny crown, thy cross, thy strife, .■\nd ours the victory. 4 Oh. make us worthy, gracious Lord, Of all thy love to be; To thy blest will our wills incline, That unto death we may be thine, And ever live in thee. It is from Dr. P. Maurice's Choral Hymn- Book, published in London, in 1861, that this piece is taken. But it is ver>- difticult to place " C. E. May," whose name is there ap- pended to it. It is probable that the con- tributor to Ur. Maurice's volume of lyrics was the wife of Rev. George May, M. A., who was the vicar of Liddington, Wilts, England, in 1861. 581 The Holy Ghost. C. M. 5I. CoMK, thou who dost the soul endue With sevenfold eifts of grace; Come, thou who arkles near the eternal throne, Oh, sing the praise of God I 4 Sing of the Lamb that once was slam That man might be forgiven ; Sing how he broke - streaming wound Flows rich atoning blood : That blood can cleanse thy deepest stain, Bid frowning justice smile again. And seal thy peace with God. 4 Go — at that cross thy heart subdued, With thankful love shall glow ; By wondrous grace thy soul set free, Eternal life from Christ to thee A vital stream shall flow ! The hymns which have been inspired by the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ are among the noblest of the church's songs. From the early Greek and Latin writers until the time in which we live that theme has called out the poet's highest powers. Among the many valuable hymns by Dr. Ray Palmer is the one quoted here, which was written in 1864, and entitled " Good Friday." It ap- peared first in Songs for the Sanctuary, 1865. When Munkacsy's famous painting was on exhibition in Hamilton, Canada, there came walking up a rough rude man, evidently a sailor from one of the lake boats. " Is Christ inhere?" he asked roughly. The attendant was so taken back by the rude, blunt ques- tion that she was speechless for a moment. "How much to see Christ?" he demanded. She told him that the admission fee was a quarter. " Well, I guess I '11 have to pay it," he growled, and putting down a piece of sil- ver, he brushed past her. He sat down in front of the great picture and studied it for a moment or two ; then, by and by, off came his hat. He studied it a little longer, and then, leaning down, he picked up the descrip- tive catalogue which he had let fall as he took his seat. He read it over, studied the paint- ing anew, dropping his face in his hands at intervals. And so he stayed there for a full hour. When he came out there were tears in his eyes, and in a voice full of sobs he said to the attendant, " Madam, I came to see Christ because my mother asked me to. I am a rough man sailing on the lakes, and before I went on this cruise my mother wanted me to see this picture, and I came in to please her. I never believed in any such thing, but the man who could paint a picture like that, he must have believed in it. There is something in it that makes me believe it, too. Madam, God helping me, I am a changed man from to-day." Herein is the fulfilment of one of our Lord's best promises : "And I, if I be lift- ed up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12 : 32. 584 "O holy Lamb .'" C. M. 5I. O Saviour, lend a listening ear, And answer my request ! Forgive, and wipe the falling tear. Now with thy love my spirit cheer, And set my heart at rest. 2 I mourn the hidings of thy face ; The absence of that smile Which led me to a throne of grace, And gave my soul a restingj-place From earthly care and toil. 3 'T is sin that separates from thee This poor benighted soul : My folly and my guilt I see, And now upon the bended knee I yield to thy control. 4 Up to the place of thine abode I lift my waiting eve; To thee, O holy Lanib of God ! Whose blood for me so freely flowed, I raise my ardent cr>-. Another of Dr. Thomas Hastings' excellent hymns in the same meter as the other just before, and equally welcome among the churches. This first appeared in the Addi- tional Hymns of the Reformed Dutch Collec- tioft, 1846. Pious Wickliffe used to pray : " O good Lord, save me gratis!" And Christ does save gratis, if he saves at all. Sinners must be content to owe everj'thing they receive to the recognized grace which shines on Jesus' forehead and warms in his heart. 585 "Lamb 0/ God!" 8s, 7s, 7s. Let us love and sing and wonder, Let us praise the Saviour's name ! He has hushed the law's loud thunder, He has quenched Mount Sinai's flame. He has washed us in his blood, He has brought us nigh to God. 2 Let us love the Lord who bought us. Pitied us when enemies ; Called us by his grace, and taught us, Healed the blindness of our eyes: He has washed us in his blood. He presents our souls to God. 3 Let us sing, though fierce temptation Threaten hard to bear us down ! For the Lord, our strong salvation, Holds in view the conqueror's crown : He, who washed us in his blood, Soon will bring us home to God. 4 Let us praise, and join the chorus Of the saints enthroned on high ; Here they trusted him before us, Now their praises fill the sky : " Thou hast washed us in thy blood. Thou art worthy. Lamb of God !" Rev. John Newton published this piece in his Twenty-six Letters on Religious Stibjects, by Oniicron, 1774. There it was entitled, " Praise for Redeeming Love." It was print- ed also, the same year, in the Gospel Maga- zine for May ; and by and by it was included in the Olney Hymns, 1779. It is one of the most joyous anthems of exhilaration and hope 25r. THE GOSPEL:— ATONEMENT OFFERED. known to our languaj^e. The law is hushed, Sinai is oucnchcd. Salan is defeated, heaven is ojx'ned. the crown is shininij. home is near. ■■ Thou art worthy, Lamb of Ciod !" 586 T*/- Atonrm^Ml. 8s, 7s, 7s. Hk. who once ill rixhteuus vcuKcance WlicliiKil the worKI Ixriicath the flood, Once aK'.iin in merc\ cleunsetl it Willi liis own nioNt preciims bUxxl ; Coming iriini his throne on hi^h, On (he painful cross to die. i Oh, the wisdom of the Etcnial! Oh, the depth of love divine! Oh. tile sweetness of that mercy Which ill Jesus Christ did shine! For the ((uilty, d(M>med to die, Jesus (Kiid the |>eiialty. 3 When hcfore the judRc we tremhie. Conscious of his orokeii laws. May the MikkI of his atonement Cry aloud, and plead our cause ; Bid our RU'l'y terrors cease ; Be our pardon and our peace. In the Lyra Catholica, 1849. this transla- tion by Rev. Edward Caswall first appeared. The orivjinal, "Ira justa Condiloris" is a Latin hymn which commemorates the savinij jwwer of Christ's blood and its suflkiency as an atonement. Our sins and iniquities are to l>e remembered no more. Forgetfulness is the jj^eatest boon to a sinner. The ancients dreamed of Lethe, the river of forijetfulness. into which the soul should plunge at death. There is but one such stream — the fountain that cleanses us blots our sins from memory. God can fori^et — blessed assurance to the sin-ridden, conscience-stung soul ! " The true penitent," says Newman, " never forgives himself." (iod forgives, we say. and God forgets, and he invites us to lose the ver\' memor)' of our sins in the sweet oblivion of his grace. 987 "Mercy and truth arr mrt /" 8s, 7s, 7s. CoMK, behold a great expedient, Cod reveale T "T !>- till- . I..'.', tli.ii y,\\<^ lis i,-.|, Makes us safe, and makes us blest. Some jjcople have written to the compiler of I^UKtfs Porriini that this hymn of Rev. Thomas Kelly was not as acceptable as some others of his, and was possessed of an ap- parently incommensurate popularity. It is found in the author's Hymns, i8oy, beginning with the line, " Death is sin's tremendous wages." On the whole, the words " contri- vance " and " expedient " may be unfortunate, but the hymn is certainly orthodox — unusual- ly so. Just now. within a little while, some one has said — and it surely is the more wise- ly said because he who said it spent some in- valuable years in denying it beforehand : " I'nless the apostolic language does trans- gress not only every rule of literal construc- tion, but all parallels in the latitude of meta- phor, it certainly declares Jesus to be a Re- deemer in some sense which no notion of instruction, or of exemplar)- character, satis- fies." To be sure it does : and that sense is very clear to one who is willing just to re- ceive it. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer not by setting examples of human greatness be- fore our eyes, but by bearing our sins upon the cross, and becoming our substitute before the divine law. 588 " Hrrr Speaks the Comforter." lis, los. CoMK, ye t heal. 2 Joy of the comfortless, light of the straying. Hoik* of the penitent, fadeless and pure ; Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying — Kartti hath no sorrow that heaven cannot cure. 3 Here sec the Bread of Life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of God, pure from above; Come to the fea.st of love: come, ever knowing Elarth hath no sorrow but heaven can remove. Thomas Moore was born in Dublin, May 28, 1779. and educated at Trinity College in that city. He read for the Bar, afterwards held a Government post in Hermuda for a short time, and dieul)lished in various church col- lections. The well-known one nuotcd here is entitled " Relief in Prayer." It nas proved a message of consolation to many a despairing soul, which has foimd at the mercy-scat help in time of trouble. In the southern waters of the Atlantic was sailing a ship, wearing hea\-y .signals of utter- most distress. The mariners upon another vessel hurried nearer for immediate help, and shouted, "What do you need.'" " W'atiT, 'watt-r," came back the hail ; " we arc dying INVITATIONS AND WARNINGS. = 57 for water !" Quick, indeed, was the answer which went flyin<^ over the crests, in a tone of half-vexed surprise, " Dip it up, then, in the first bucket you can find !" For r.ie fact was they were at the very moment in the mouth of the Amazon River, where the stream ran fresh wat;r a hundred and fifty miles wide all around them ! It does seem a folly that men would grow maniac with thirst when tossed on an ocean of relief. Alas ! there are men who will die of soul-thirst when salvation rolls full and free beneath them ! 589 A Fountain Opened. 8s, ys, ys. Come to Calvar\'s holy mountain, Sinners, ruined by the fall ! Here a pure and healing fountain Flows to you, to me, to all — In a full, perpetual tide. Opened when our Saviour died. 2 Come, in sorrow and contrition. Wounded, impotent, and blind ! Here the guilty, free remission, Here the troubled, peace may find ; Health this fountain will restore ; He that drinks shall thirst no more — 3 He that drinks shall live for ever; 'T is a soul-renewing flood : God is faithful ; God will never Break his covenant in blood. Signed when our Redeemer died, Sealed when he was glorified. This is found in James Montgomery's Original Hymns. It appeared in Cotterill's Selection in 1819, bearing the title, "A Foun- tain opened for Sin and Uncleanness." Ref- erence seems to be made to Zechariah 13:1. The fountain was opened when Jesus died on Calvary. All our need now is to wash and be clean. It is very striking, and often pathetic, to notice how the views of the common peo- ple seize upon and really enjoy the forms of speech in which this personal Saviour of ours preached the gospel. The English critic, Ruskin, tells us in the Modern Painters, that once, when he was coming down from the rocks in the neighborhood of Montreux -in Switzerland, both weary and thirsty, he found at the turn of the path a spring, con- ducted as usual by the herdsmen into a hol- lowed pine-trunk. He stooped to it, and drank deeply ; and then as he raised his head, drawing his breath heavily with a sigh of full satisfaction, some one behind him, unseen hitherto, spoke in the words of the beautiful French version of John's Gospel : " Celui qui boira de cctte eaie-ci, aura encore soif ;" — " Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again." He says that at first he did not comprehend the meaning of the singular sentence ; he looked up, and saw the friendly countenance of a plain, frank mountaineer, who without the least embarrassment went on with the verse : " Mais cclui qui boira de lean que je lici donnerai, n aura jamais soif ;" — " But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst." 590 ^^ Return, return /" C. M. Return, O wanderer, to thy home. Thy Father calls for thee ; No longer now an exile roam In guilt and miser>- : Return, return. 2 Return, O wanderer, to thy home, 'T is Jesus calls for thee ; The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come," Oh, now for refuge flee : Return, return. 3 Return, O wanderer, to thy home, 'T is madness to delay ; There are no pardons in the tomb, And brief is mercy's day : Return, return. Dr. Thomas Hastings' account of the origin of this hymn is singularly interesting. He said that he wrote it just after listening to a stirring sermon delivered in a Presbyterian Church in Utica in 1830. The theme of the preacher was found in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Two hundred converts were present ; and, at the close of the discourse, at the very height of his peroration, the minister exclaimed, " Sinner, come home ! come home ! come home !" Under the inspiration of such an appeal he wrote the stanzas, and published them in his Spiritual Songs, 1 83 1 . 591 Ezekiel zi:ii. 7S, D. Sinners, turn, why will ye die? God, your Maker, asks you — Why? God, who did your being give. Made you with himself to live; He the fatal cause demands. Asks the work of his own hands. Why, ye thankless creatures, why Will ye cross his love, and die? 2 Sinners, turn, why will ye die ? God, your Saviour, asks you — Why? He who did your souls retrieve, Died himself that ye might live. Will ye let him die in vain ? Crucify your Lord again ? Why, ye ransomed sinners, why Will ye slight his grace, and die? 3 Sinners, turn, why will ye die? God, the Spirit, asks you — Why? He, who all your lives hath strove, Urged you to embrace his love : Will ye not his grace receive? Will ye still refuse to live ? Why, ye long-sought sinners ! why, Will ye grieve your God, and die ? Rev. Charles Wesley published in Hymns on God's Everlasti7ig Loi.>e, 1741, a long poem of sixteen stanzas. From this the lines for these years in common use have been chosen. It is entitled, " Why will ye die .''" and refer- ence is made to Ezekiel 18:31. This hymn 17 858 THE GOSPEL : — ATONEMENT OFFERED. was a ^real favorite with Rev. Dr. N. S. S. Heman ; he continually k^vc it out durinyj his whole ministn,-. reading the verses most im- pressively before the sinjifinyj. It has done a j^reat deal of ^(hk! in its day. but it In-lonj^s to the era o( church projjress and growth when Christians sanj^ at the unconverted more than ihcy do now. 592 'r'"' --ii^cfpud Time. S. M. Now is Ihc accepted lime, Now is the day of j{™i'«^ : O sinners! come, without delay, And seek the Saviour's face. 2 Now is the acceiitem. 4 Lord, draw reluctant souls, .\nd feast thcni with thy love: Then will the ariKels spmid their wings .■\nd bear the news above. The volume which is quoted usually as Dobell's Collfction has a somewhat e.xterisive title : A Xiiu SiUction of sti>en Inniiircd E't'iini^tlinil Hymns for Private, Fmnilw and Public W'lyrship, {many orit^tna/,) from tnort- than two /lundred of the btst authors in Kni^/and, Scot/and, Ireland, and Amer- ica : arranjt^ed in alphabetical order, in- tended as a Supplement to Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns. It was published in i8o6. The second edition was enlarj^ed, and more orijjinal pieces were added. This vol- ume is valuable from the fact that it is the earliest, perhaps the very hr.st, book of the kind to jjive the names of the authors in con- nection with their work. Three American editions have appeared, published at .Morris- town. N. J., in i8io, 1815, and 1822, and then another was issued in l'hiladcl|)liia, 1823. John Dobell was born in I'oole, Dorsetshire, Ilnj^land, in 1757. He was for some time kept in the position as port-),;au),jer under the Hoard f»f Excise ; and the duties of his ofTice not beinj( very severe, he enjoyed consider- able leisure which he employed in literar)' work. Amonj,j the books of which he was the author there was one entitled Haptism, and another which was entitled Humanity. His labor ils a contributor to the hymnoloj^jy of the pcri>' t'lt-' remark of an invalid in Cornwall whom he visited, who said to him : " I wish I could see before I die a hymn-lKM)k full of Christ and his (iospel, and without any mixture of freewill or merit." How deeply into his mind iliis si-rticncc fell can be seen in the titles he affixed to his vol- umes of poetry ; the first he called The Christian's Golden Treasure ; or, Ciospel Comfort for Ihrnbtim^ Minds ; and the sec- ond. The Christian's Companion in his Jour- ney to Hea-, en. He has been reckoned as a Conj^rej,jationalist, and for years he was a revjular attendant upon the ser\'ices of the .Skinner Street Cha|Kl in P(K)le; there he died in his eiv(hty-fourth year, and was buried June I, 1840. Tlwre is no record of his hav- inji; been a member of the communion, thouvjh his wife was on the roll ; he was cjuaint and eccentric, tall and conspicuous in tivjure, much respected and affectionately be- loved. 593 •• Sinner, Come !" S M. Thk Spirit, in our hearts. Is wnis|K:ring, "Sinner, come;" The bride, the Church of Christ, proclaims. To all his children, " Come !" 2 Let him that heareth say To all about him, " Come I" Let him that thirsts for righteousness, To Christ, the fountain, come ! 3 Vea, whosoever will. Oh, let him freely come. And freely drink the stream of life; 'T isjesus bids him come. 4 Lo ! Jesus, who invites, Declarc-s, •' I quickly come ;" Lord, even so; we wait thine hour; O blest Rtnleemer, come I Rev. Henry I'Stic Onderdonk, D. D., was born in New York, March 16, 1789. and stud- ied at Columbia Collej^e. .After taking; holy orders he was for some time rector of St. .Ann's Church in Brooklyn, until in 1827 he was con- secrated at Philadelphia, and became .Assist- ant Bishop of that (liocese. On the death of Bishop White in 1836 he entered upon the full charj^e. He died in I'hiladelphia. Decem- ber 6, 1858. His ser\ices to the hymnody of the church were j^reat.and many of his poems are in jreneral use. The one quoted here was suijj^ested by the pa-ssajje in the twenty-second chapter of Revelation, where the .Spirit and the Bride are represented as invitinj^ the sin- ner to come to Christ ; it is found in the Epis- copal Prayer InH^k Selection, 1826. The work of rejj^eneration is wrouijht by the Holy .Spirit ; and no mortal can tell how he does it, nor even precisely what he does. There is sovc- reiijnty in the act ; but it is exercised in an- swer to the simplicity of prayer. "Create in me a clean heart. O (iod. and renew a ri^hl spirit within me." Prometheus brouj^ht tire from heaven to earth. Sot rates broti)^lu phi- loso|ihy from heaven to earth. But (iod him- self had to send this i^nft of his grace, by a new rcvclatiiHi Ami he has y^iven us to un- INVITATIONS AND WARNINGS. 259 derstand that there shall never be a lack, even till the last son of his love shall be brought into glory. You may light a taper with a lens, concentrating sunshine on it. And taper after taper may thus shine to illumine human dark- ness, without the sun's ever feeling wearied or growing in the slightest measure exhausted. So of the Sun of Righteousness ; there is an absolutely inexhaustible fullness in the Light of the World. 594 Weepuig for Sinners. S. M. Did Christ o'er sinners weep. And shall our cheeks be dry? Let floods of penitential grief *' Burst forth from every eye. 2 The Son of God in tears Angels with wonder see ; Be thou astonished, O my soul ! He shed those tears for thee. 3 He wept that we might weep; Each sin demands a tear : In heaven alone no sin is found, And there 's no weeping there. This little hymn has been singularly useful in the American churches for scores of years. It was written by Rev. Benjamin Beddome for the first edition of Dr. Rippon's Selection, 1787. It was, according to the author's title, to be sung " Before Sermon." The Scripture reference may have been to Luke 19 141 . 595 The Call of Love. S. M. And canst thou, sinner! slight The call of love divine? Shall God, with tenderness, invite, And gain no thought of thine? 2 Wilt thou not cease to grieve The Spirit from thy breast, Till he thy wretched soul shall leave With all thy sins oppressed? 3 To-day a pardoning God Will hear the suppliant pray ; To-day a Saviour's cleansing biood Will wash thy guilt away. Mrs. Abby Bradley Hyde was born at Stockbridge, Mass., September 28, 1799, ^r^d married to Rev. Lavius Hyde, of Salisbury, Mass., in 181 8. Her death occurred at An- dover, April 7, 1872. She wrote about fifty hymns, some of which are in use both in Great Britain and America. The one given here is perhaps the favorite. It appeared first in Nettleton's Village Hymns, 1824, with the title, " Grieve not the Spirit," and contained an additional stanza. Mrs. Hyde's writings are simple and unaffected in style, and some of her hymns for children are very touching. 596 "At the door." L. M. Behold a Stranger at the door ! He gently knocks, has knocked before, Has waited long, is waiting still ; You treat no other friend so ill. 2 Oh, lovely attitude ! he stands With melting heart and laden hands ; Oh, matchless kindness ! and he shows This matchless kindness to his foes. 3 But will he prove a friend indeed? He will, the very friend you need — The Friend of sinners; yes, 'tis he, With garments dyed on Calvary. 4 Rise, touched with gratitude divine. Turn out his enemy and thine. That soul-destroying monster, sin, And let the heavenly Stranger in. The genius of Rev. Joseph Grigg mani- fested itself at an early age, one of his best- Known poems having been written while he was still a mere child. He was born about the year 1728, though the date cannot be fixed positively. He began life as a me- chanic ; but his natural inclination being to- wards the ministry, he abandoned his trade, and in 1743 became assistant pastor with Rev. Thomas Bures, of the Presbyterian Church, Silver Street, London. In this field he labored until the death of his associate, 1747, when he retired from the ministry. About this time he married the widow of Col. Drew, a lady who possessed considerable property, and went to live in St. Albans. Here he took up his literary work and wrote a number of hymns. He died at Waltham- stow, Essex, October 29, 1768. The poem we quote was tirst published in a pamphlet in 1765, with others, " on divine subjects." 597 "God Calling Yet." L. M. God calling yet ! shall I not hear? Earth's pleasures shall I still hold dear? Shall life's swift passing years all fly. And still my soul in slumber lie ? 2 God calling yet? shall I not rise? Can I his loving voice despise, And basely his kind care repay ? He calls me still : can I delay? 3 God calling yet ! and shall I give No heed, but still in bondage live? I wait, but he does not forsake; He calls me still : my heart, awake! 4 God ca'.iiig yet ! I cannot stay; My heart I yield without delay ; Vain world, farewell ! from thee I part ; The voice of God hath reached my heart. Another of the pieces taken from Hymns from the Land of Luther, issued by the Scotch sisters in the year 1854. This one is under- stood to have been translated by Mrs. Findla- ter from Gerhard Tersteegen's "Gott ricfet nock; sollt ich nicht endlich horen?" The author was born at Mors, in Westphalia, No- vember 25, 1697. His religious experience is one of the stories that belong to the history of mysticism. It began with a spasmodic fit, at the end of which, frightened and subdued, he solemnly dedicated himself to God's ser\-ice. At the age of twenty-seven he wrote out a 26o THE gospel:— ATONEMENT OFFERED. covenant between the Saviour and his soul, usinvj his own IjIcmkI for the transcription and the sij^nature. He was a member of no sect, joined no churrh, lived a cehbate and an as- cetic. He died on April 3, 1769. He wrote 1 1 1 hymns of varvinj; merit, but many of them have been translated into Knvjlish and are good. •• In one of the public inclosures of Phila- delphia the fountain was recently left to play all nivjht. Durinj^ the hours of darkness a sharp frost set in ; and those who passed by ne.\t morniniLj found the water, still i)layinK indeed, but playini; over a mass of vjleaminjLj icicles. But that was not all. The wind had been blowinjj steadily in one direction throuj^h all these hours, and the spray had been car- ried on airy win^js to the grass which fringed the pool in which the fountain stood. On each blade of grass the spray had fallen so gently as hardly to bend it. descending softly and silently the whole night long. 15y slow and almost imperceptible processes each blade became coated with a thin layer of ice : by the same noiseless processes each layer grew thicker, until in the morning, what be- lore had been a little patch of swaying grass, was a miniature battle-ground of upright, cr\-.stal spears, each holding within it, as its nucleus, a single blade of grass, now cold, rigid, and dead. " In human life, in like manner, it may seem a light thing to leave a young heart outside of Christ's fold, and exposed to the ' cold winds of the world's great unbelief.' There is no violent transformation of the character in such a case. Yet silentlv and surely the world's frost settles upon the flowers of the heart, covering them with the chill spray of doubt, binding them with soft bonds which harden into chains of ice, incasing them in a coat of cr)-stal mail, polished, colti,and impenetrable. You have met jiersons in whose heart this freezing process has been accomplished, ^'ou have seen l)eneath the icy surfaus.sioii s|>:trcs, \yiiili-, in Uk- various raii^c of thought. The line IhiiiK iiittllul ik lorKol ? 2 Shall fiiMl invite you from above? Shall Ji-siis urge his dyiiif; love? Shall troubliHl conscience rivc you pain? And all thc-se jilcas unite in vain? ,^ Not so \our e>es will alwaxs view Those obieits which you now |)un.uc; Not so will heaven and hell apitear, When death's deiisive hour is near. 4 .Mniighly CiikI ! thy grace imfiart ; Fix di-ej) conviction on each heart : Nor let us waste on trifliriK cares That life which thy cum{>assion spares. This poem by Dr. Philip Doddridge was pub- lished in a posthumous edition of his //vw/m. 1755, but is supposed to have been written twenty years earlier. It is an earnest plea ad- dressed to unbelievers w ho urge that the plea- sures of the Christian life are few, its prohibi- tions innumerable and fixed. In opposition to all this petulance and mistake is the truth, that the system of faith and practice which Jesus Christ came to proclaim admits no such moroseness or severity. It offers restoration and indulgence to all the powers of man, on the simple condition of penitence, trust, and love ; and then, in addition, it proposes to bring in as its own free gift a new and in- creased ex|x.'rience of every kind that renders life valuable and worthy. Hence, when — in reply to the persistent call of divine grace, urging a Saviour's claim upon each individ- ual's conscience, pressing him to come for .salvation to the cross — any one says, " Oh, I want to see more of life first !" the Cospel, as if anticipating the impatient cavil, or remon- strating with one who utters it, answers kindly, " \'ery well ; the Redeemer came that you might have life, and that you might have it yet more abundantly." In other words, this is the doctrine of the New Testament : the true Christian life is a fuller, freer life, brighter, more welcome, more joyous, than any other life whatsoever. 599 Why Hot To-night f" \.. M. Oil. do not let the word ileiMrt, .■\nd ilose thine eves aKn'nsI the light ; I'lMir sinner, harden not lh> heart : Thou wouldst be saved ; whv not to-night ? INVITATIONS AND WARNINGS. 261 2 To-morrow's sun may never rise To bless thy long-deluded sight ; This is the time ; oh, then be wise! Thou wouldst be saved ; why not to-night ? 3 Our God in pity lingers still ; And wilt thou thus his love requite? Renounce at length thy stubborn will : Thou wouldst be saved ; why not to-night ? 4 Our blessed Lord refuses none Who would to him their souls unite ; Then be the work of grace begun : Thou wouldst be saved ; why not to-night ? The wife of a clergyman, and the mother of seven children, it is safe to conclude that the life of Mrs. Elizabeth Reed was far from being an idle one. Household worries, how- ever, do not seem to have so engrossed her time and attention that she could not sym- pathize with and aid her husband in his work. She is said to have taken a deep interest in his wide charities. Besides this, when his Wych'ffe Chapel Supplevient was republished in 1872, twenty of her poems appeared in it, among which is to be found the hymn we quote, bearing date, 1825. She wrote also a book of tales for children, and a manual to aid their mothers. Mrs. Reed was born in London, March 4, 1794; became the wife of Rev. Andrew Reed, D. D., in 181 6, and died July 4, 1867. 600 " Why will ye die?" Oh, turn ye, oh, turn ye, for why will ye die. When God in great mercy is coming so nigh ? Now Jesus invites you, the Spirit says. Come, And angels are waiting to welcome you home. 2 And now Christ is ready your souls to receive. Oh, how can you question, if you will believe? If sin is your burden, w^hy will you not come? 'T is you he bids welcome ; he bids you come home. This hymn has six stanzas in Dr. Leavitt's Chrz'stiatt Lyre, Vol. I., 1830, whence it is taken. Allusion is made to Ezekiel 33:11. Its author was Rev. Josiah Hopkins, D. D., who was born at Pittsford, Vermont, April 18, 1786. He studied at Middlebury College and at Auburn Theological Seminary. His first charge was that of a Congregational Church at New Haven, Vermont, where he remained until 1830; then he became the minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Auburn, New York. He published the Christian Instructor in 1847, and while in Auburn edited a volume of Conference Hymns. He died at Geneva, New York, July 27, 1862. 601 Procrastination. lis. Delay not, delay not ; O sinner, draw near, The waters of life are now flowing for thee; No price is demanded ; the Saviour is here ; Redemption is purchased, salvation is free. 2 Delay not, delay not ; the Spirit of grace, Long grieved and resisted, may take his sad flight. And leave thee in darkness to finish thy race, To sink in the gloom of eternity's night. 3 Delay not, delay not ; the hour is at hand ; The earth shall dissolve, and the heavens shall fade. The dead, small and great, in the judgment shall stand ; What helper, then, sinner, shall lend thee his aid? Under the title " Exhortation to Repent- ance," this hymn by Dr. Thomas Hastings appeared in his Spiritual Songs, 1831, and has since been republished in many import- ant collections. It urges the immediate ne- cessity of accepting the offer of atonement. Over the unrecorded death and grave of one of Franklin's arctic explorers, found on the ice-bound shore of Beechy Island, were found these words : " Choose you this day whom you will serve." They told of one who, in the Polar zone of death and night, had found the entrance to an eternal summer in the Para- dise of God. Looking over an endless sea of ice, the dying man saw that his eternity would be according to the choice which he had made. There can be no intermediate choice ; for if one neither loves nor hates the service of his Creator, he has never chosen him, and there should be no halting between two opinions. 602 Job 22 : 21. Acquaint thyself quickly, O sinner, with God, And joy, like the sunshine, shall beam on thy road ; And peace, like the dewdrop, shall fall on thy head, And sleep, like an angel, shall visit thy bed. 2 Acquaint thyself quickly, O sinner, with God, And he shall be with thee when fears are abroad ; Thy Safeguard in danger that threatens thy path ; Thy Joy in the valley and shadow of death. The spirit of poetry running through the nature of William Knox seems to have devel- oped itself only after adversity. The story of his life is briefly this : He was born at Firth, Lilliesleaf, Roxburgh, Scotland, August 17, 1789; and studied at the grammar school at Musselburgh. He tried farming at Wrae ; but irregular living soon began to make inroads upon his fortune ; things went from bad to worse, and finally his venture ended in bank- ruptcy. It was just at this time that he began to write for the Edinburgh journals, following his efforts in prose composition by several volumes of poetry, notably The Lonely Hearth, 1 81 8; Songs of Israel, 1824; The Harp of Zion, 1825. He died in Edinburgh, November 12. 1825. The hymn we quote is from the Harp of Zion, where it is entitled " Heavenly Wis- THE GOSPEL:— ATONEMENT ACLEITED. dom." and annexed to it is the reference Job 22 : 21, 27-28. 003 Thf rrnitenli P!,-a. P. M. jKSi'S, hixi\ me, lost and dying, I'lito thctr for shelter HviiiK, Hear, oh. hear, my heart's sore crying: Hceil me, or I die ! 2 All ni> sill aiul sorrow reeliiif;, Come I. as the leper. knceliiiK ; Conn- to ihee lor help and healing, ileal me, or I die! J Naiiifht have I to plead of merit, Nauxht but curse do I inherit ; By thy Kracious, cjuickenin); Spirit Save me, or I die ! 4 Not my tears of deep contrition Can secure one sin's remission, Helpless. hoiH-less my condition : Help me, or I die ! 5 Far away my dead works flinging. Nothing owniiiK, nothiiiK bringing, Only to thy mercy clinging: Bless me, or I die ! 6 By thy cross, where hope is beaming, Bv Its crimson fountain streaming. Flowing for the world's redeeming: Cleanse me, or I die ! 7 So my soul shall praise thee ever For the love which changes never. From which not ev'n death can sever: Saved no more to die. This h\Tnn appeared in the Xi-iL' ]'ork Ob- seri't-r, Januan,- 23. 1883. It is the work of Rev. Robert M. Offnrd, a member of the edi- torial staff of that paper. It has been sliyjhtly altered and abridj^ed for use in iMittfts Doin/ni. Mr. Offord was born at St. Austell. Corn- wall. Kncfland, September 17, 1846, and came to America in 1870. He joined the Methodist Church at first : but aftenvards he associated himself with the Reformed Dutch Church in 1878. For six years he labored as the pastor of a conj^rejjation in Lodi, N. J. ; but his liter- ary' work occupied so much of his time th.it eventually he was obliged to resiijn his charvje, and devote himself entirely to his duties as an editor. He has contributed a number of excel- lent poems to the Ohser7>cr ; but not many of them have come into use in our hymnals as yet. 004 " Thf/ootstfps of Ihf flock." iHSfH, Shcj>herd of the sheep, Who thy Father'H fl(Mk dost keep. Safe we wake atid safe we sleej), Guarde( out Arianism from the lYesbyterian churches and collejijes of Ireland, has been ably written by Dr. Por- ter, and it needs but few words to call to mind the ser\ice he rendered to his countr)- at the time of a ifreat reliijious peril. Rev. Henry Cooke. I). D., LL. D., was born at (irillai^h, near Maijhera, County Lon- donderry, Ireland, May 11, 1788, and was a descendant of an Knjjiish family who had come from Devonshire. He received his edu- cation at (ilasjjow I'niversity, and in 1808, after his ordination, became pastor of Dun- cane Presbyterian Church. After two years of work in this held, he removed to Donejjore in 1811; and went thence to Killyleanjh in 1818, and to Helfast in 1829, where he re- mained until his death, December 13. 1868. The times in which Dr. Cooke lived and labored were irreliijious and lax. Men were inclined towards infidelity, and there was ur- gent need of just such piety, tact, earnestness, and eloquence as characterized this reformer's work. For years he fought untiringly the heresy which had invaded Ireland's colleges, synods, and congregations; conquering final- ly without a single defeat to mar the glory of his victory, and lifting the church to a higher and more (iod-like plane of thought and ac- tion. He was three times elected .Mcxlerator of the C.eneral Assembly; degrees were con- ferred upon him by universities .it home and abroad, and he was offered the professorship of .Sacred Rhetoric in the Assembly's College at Helfast. Net with all these honors show- ered upon him, he retained his simple, gentle manners, and died thoroughly beloved and revered. His hymn is found in the Cii/tit- dian Presbyterian Hvinnal, 1881. 605 Takf Me." I). Takk me, O my Father, take me! Take nie, save me, through th\ Son : That which thou uouUlsl have me, make me. Let thy will ill nie be done. Long from thee my fmitsteps straying. Thorny ptove«l the way 1 trrnl; W«iry come I now, and praving — Take me to thy love, my (tocH 1 Fniitless years with grief recalling, Kiimblv I confess mv sin : At Ihv fitt, O l"atlur, falling. To thy household take me in. REPENTANCE UNTO LIP^E. 263 Freely now to thee I proffer This relenting heart of mine ; Freely life and soul I offer — Gift unworthy love like thine. 3 Once the world's Redeemer, dying, Bare our sins upon the tree; On that sacrifice relying, Now I look in hope to thee; Father, take me ! all forgiving. Fold me to thy loving breast ; In thy love for ever livmg, I must be for ever blest ! We have always been proud and glad that this hymn of Dr. Ray Palmer's composition, which has proved so welcome and useful since, was given to the public in Songs for the Sanctuary in 1865. It was based upon the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and both in sentiment and versification it has proved its force and value. Dr. Palmer often used to hear messages of gratitude and cheer from those who were comforted and helped by these verses. 606 Clinging to Christ. 8s, 6s. 0 HoLV Saviour! Friend unseen, Since on thine arm thou bid'st me lean. Help me throughout life's changing scene, By faith to clin% to thee ! 2 Without a murmur I dismiss My former dreams of earthly bliss ; My joy, my recompense, be this, Each hour to cling to thee! 3 What though the world deceitful prove, And earthly friends and hopes remove; With patient, uncomplaining love, Still would I cling to thee. 4 Though oft I seem to tread alone Life's dreary waste, with thorns o'ergrown, Thy voice of love, in gentlest tone. Still whispers, "Cling to me!" 5 Though faith and hope are often tried, 1 ask not, need not, aught beside; So safe, so calm, so satisfied, The soul that clings to thee ! Another of Miss Charlotte Elliott's excel- lent hymns, found lately in most of the hym- nals, with the date affixed. 1834. As her father died in 1833, it is likely that the mourning experience of that trying season found its way into her compositions. Through that period it is known that she de- rived much comfort by the constant use of her pen ; it is evidenced by the wonderful spirituality of her communion with Jesus Christ. She published her pieces without her name in various periodicals. Most of these appear in the Livalid's Hymti-Book, and many of them are recognized by the un- usual meter she seems to have preferred. There comes a time in the history of most suffering believers when the best comfort is derived from a mere resting upon God, as he has been pleased to manifest himself in the Saviour. Simple clinging to Christ is the ex- ercise : " So safe, so calm, so satisfied," is the result. 607 " Pleads forme." 8s, 6s. O THOU, the contrite sinner's Friend, Who, loving, lov'st them to the end, On this alone my hopes depend, That thou wilt plead for me. ' 2 When weary in the Christian race, Far oft" appears my resting-place, And, fainting, I mistrust thy grace. Then, Saviour, plead for me. 3 When I have erred and gone astray, Afar from thine and wisdom's way. And see no glimmering, guiding ray Still, Saviour, plead for me. 4 When Satan, by my sins made bold, Strives from thy cross to loose my hold, Then with thy pitying arms enfold, And plead, oh, plead for me! 5 And when my dying hour draws near, Darkened with anguish, guilt, and fear. Then to my fainting sight appear. Pleading in heaven for me. This hymn, by Miss Charlotte Elliott, is so like the preceding one that we might almost think it was fashioned by the same experi- ence and meant to be its mate. It takes up the counterpart of the other in its refrain. The believer clings and the Saviour inter- cedes. The poem was given to the public in a collection issued by Rev. Henry Venn, and bears the date 1835, showing that it rep- resents the same period of depression and sorrow. Whether it was the intention to break through her custom of anonymous composition or not, we have no means of knowing ; but the singular fact remains tKat, by a printer's mistake, the piece was attrib- uted to Wesley. Under that error it took its chances with a world that never takes care to be accurate, and for years went its way as an Epworth foundling. Only lately has it been restored. 608 " A will resigned." Ss, 6s. 1 ASK not now for gold to gild, With mocking shine, an aching frame; The yearning of the mind is stilled — I ask not now for fame. 2 But, bowed in lowliness of mind, I make my humble wishes known ; I only ask a will resigned, O Father, to thine own. 3 In vain I task my aching brain, In vain the sage's thoughts I scan ; I only feel how weak I am. How poor and blind is man. 4 And now my spirit sighs for home. And longs for light whereby to see; And, like a weary child, would come, O Father, unto thee. The Quaker poet, John G. Whittier, wrote in 1848 a piece entitled " The Wish of To- day," from which the verses constituting this 264 THE r.OSPKL : — ATONEMKNT ACCF.PTEU. hymn arc chosen. His wishes were nioclerate then, so it appears, and that was a Kreat while aj^o. There conu-s a time to every true man when the world has very insij^nituant honors to offer ; he is jx-rfectly content to rest ; he •• has done enough," as Schumann said of SchiilxTt when he retired from life. Whittier died Sejitember 7, 1892. The wish has been j^ranted and the rest has come. He knows far more now concerning such thinjjs than he ever did l)cfore. Some notion of this poet's religious convictions can be gained from what he once said to a minister whom he knew : " 1 think ever>- child should cling to the faith of its parents until it learns of .something better. The heathen until they know .something better should cling to the faith of their parents. I can conceive of their being in such a state of mind that they would gladly receive the truth of Christ if it came to them, and (iod will give them credit for that. In fact. I don't know but that the Hindus swinging on their flesh hooks, and others like them, are dr)ing the best they know. They know that thev have done wrong and they want to atone for it some way, and this is the only way they know anything about. I don't know but Ciod will give them credit for their good intentions. They want to get rid of their sins in some way." 609 " Lamb of God." 8s, 6s. Ii ST as I am, without one pica, But that thv hlixxl was shwl for me. And that thou hiardon, dean.se, relieve; Because thv promise I iH-lieve, (J I^mk of Cod, I come! J Just as I am — thy love unknown Hath broken every liorrier down; Now, to lie thine, yea, thine alone, () I^mb of (joid, I cornel The stor>' has been tf)ld over and over, and . « t it will never appear old. of the way in which this hymn of Miss Charlotte Klliott came to be written. In 1822 Dr. Casar Ma- Ian, of (icneva. was visiting at the house of this young woman's father. One evening, as they sat conversing, he asked her if she thought herself to Ik- an experimental Chri.s- tian. Her health was failing then rapidly, and she was harassed often with pain ; the (luestion made her iH-tulant for the moment. She resented his searching, and told him that religion was a matter which she did not wish to di.scuss. iJr. Malan replied, with his usual sweetness of manner, that he would not pur- sue the subject then if it displeased her. but he would pray that she might "give her heart to Chri.st. and become a useful worker for him." Several days afterward the young lady apologized -for her abrupt treatment of the minister, and confessed that his question and his parting remark had troubled her. " Hut I do not know how to tind Christ," she said ; " I want you to help me." " Come to him just as you art'," said Dr. Malan. He little thought that one day that simple reply would be repeated in song by the whole Christian world. P'urther advice resulted in opening the young lady's mind to spiritual light, and her life of devout activity and faith began. She possessed literarv gifts, and having a.s- sumed the charge of T/te Vrariv Remem- hranct-r on the death of its editor, she insert- ed several original poems (without her name) in making up her first number. One of the poems was " Ju.st as I am," 1836. The words of pastor Malan, realized in her own expe- rience, were, of course, the writer's inspira- tion. Beginning thus its public history- in the columns of an unpretending religious mag- azine, the little anonymous hymn, with its sweet counsel to troubled minds, found its way into devout persons' scrap-books, then into religious circles and chapel a.ssemblies. and finally into the hymnals of the " Church universal." Some time after its publication a philanthropic lady, struck by its beauty and spiritual value, had it printed on a leatltt and sent for circulation through "the cities and towns of the kingdom, and in connectitm with this an incident at an Knglish watering-place seems to have first revealed its authorship to the world. Miss Klliott, being in feeble health, was staying at Torquay, in Devon- shire, under the care of an eminent physician. One day the doctor, who was an earnest Christian man, placed one of those floating leaflets in his patient's hands, saying he felt sure she would like it. The surjirise and pleasure were mutual when she recognized her own hymn and he discovered that she was its author. 6 I O "!** merciful, O God." \\nii broken heart and contrite siRh, A IrrmblinK Mniicr. Lord, I cr)- ; Thv pardiminK Kracr i*. rich and free: 0 Genefices which have been proposed for his acceptance. He is a " High Churchman," thf)Ugh it is said he is not a ritualist ; still, some of his stanzas have had to be altered in ■ rder to fit them to the taste and use of the ' hurches at large. This one now before us is taken from Lyra Fititliutn, 1865. It was based upon the Article in the Creed of the Church of England entitled, " The Forgive- ness of Sins," and was originally composed to })e sung at the ser\iccs'of apanxhial mission. Joined to the tune " Langran," with which it is usually sung, it becomes one of the tender- est and most effective of penitential hymns. 6(3 " Thinr all the mrrtl." los. < I Jksis CiimsT Xhv righteous ! live in mc, I hit wli. II Ml k-l'TV I tliy fad- shall sec. \\ itliiii 111.' l-.itli. IS limisr, niv Klorious dress M.i> l.v tin- K^iiiiKiit of ihy riKlitcouHiicss. 3 Then thou wilt welcome me, O riRhleous Lord, Thine all the merit, mine the Kreat reward : Mine the life won. and thine the life laid down. Thine the thcin)-plaite«i, mine the riKhte<)U»cro^^•n. This is the latter part of the previous hymn by Kev. Samuel John St«)ne, altered slightly in order to fit it more appropriately for inde- pendent use. The whole piece apjiears with eight stanziis in most of the Knglish hymnals. It is one of the finest in our language, as an eager and wistful imploration of pardon for one's iniquities in the sight (jf a merciful (iod. The imager)* is e.\(|uisite and pathetically simple and Scriptural ; and the tune " Lan- gran " carries the sentiment well. 614 "Jfsus died." 1.1 )Ki). I am conic ! thy promise is my plea, Wilhoul thy word I durst not venture nieh ! Bui thou hast called the hurdenc- charge, with — "Jesus died." This group of three stanzas in the meter of tens seems to have a mysterious histon,' as to its belonging and recognition in the minds of some. It is found in the Ohttv Hymns, 1779. where it is credited to Rev. John Newion. Somehow it is associated with the other fa- miliar hymn, ".Approach, my soul, the mercy- seat." Indeed, these two pieces are con- nected under a common title. " The Effort ;" the first of which begins. " Cheer up, my soul, there is a mercy-seat." In the present form this opening verse is left off. The simi- larity in sentiment between the two poems, with the difference in meter, has apparently created an impression in the minds of a few critics that some unknown compiler has made a new composition out of the original, and liked it so much that he credited the whole to the real author. lUit there, in all the edi- tions of O/uiy Jfvinns from the very first, stand the two pieces quite unconscious of .inv odditv. 615 The dying thief. ''I, for all I owe: lH*stow ; 11 prove, 111% love. " I^RD. when thy kingdom comes, remember me;" Thus s|>ake the dying lii»s to dviiig ear> ; Oh, faith, which in that darkest hour could see The promised glory of the far-ofl years I 3 No kingly sign de»lar«-> that glor\- now. No rav of li(>|K- lights uii that awful hour : A thornv crown surrounds the bUtiliiig brow. The hands are stretchetl in wcaknevt, not in [Miwer. 3 Vet he-ar the word the dying Saviour saith, " Thou tiHi shalt rest in Paradise tivdax ;" Oh. words of love to answer words ol faith ! Oh, Words nf hi>|K- for those «ho live to pray I REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. 267 yfrv REV. W. D. MACLAGAN, D. D. The Rev. William Dalrymple Maclagan, D. D., has just lately, 1891, been elevated to the Archbishopric of York. He was born in Edinburgh, June 18, 1826, was graduated at St. Peter's College in Cambridge, 1856, was ordained to the ministry in 1856, becoming the curate of St. Saviour's, Paddington, and afterward of St. Stephen's, Marylebone, both in London. In 1869 he was placed as rector of St. Mary's, Newington. In 1878 he was made the Bishop of Lichrield, and in the be- ginning of 1 891 was chosen to the station he now occupies. He has published some few sermons and written some hymns, but no very conspicuous mark has been made by him in the line of literary achievement. The piece now before us was contributed to the edition of Hymns, Aticzent and Modern, issued in 1875. One of the late newspapers has given us these interesting particulars of his history : "Archbishop Maclagan is affection- ately remembered at Newington Butts, where he found a deserted church and a parish over- run with and dominated by the outposts of Mr. Spurgeon's Tabernacle, and left behind him one of the largest congregation^ in Lon- don. Dr. Maclagan always maintained the most amicable relations with Mr. Spurgeon, who has now become a consistent Unionist; and the new Archbishop of York would find as much pleasure as the Archbishop of Can- terbury in taking tea with the most eminent member of the Baptist persuasion. The only complaints alleged against him are that he has overorganized his diocese and is too much of a gentleman for the Black Country. It is impossible to consider the elevation of the Bishop of Lichfield without considering what a helpmate he has in Mrs. Maclagan, the sister of Lord Barrington, who is practically a suffragan. She has exceptional intellectual endowments, while she is an excellent speaker, never forgetting that she is a woman, and an admirable organizer." Q|g "■ Remember me." los. Lord, when with dying lips my prayer is said, Grant that in faitli thy kingdom I may see; And, thinking on thy cross and bleeding head. May breathe my parting words, " Remember me." 2 Remember me, but not my shame or sin ; Thy cleansing blood hath washed them all away ; Thy precious death for me did pardon win ; Thy blood redeemed me in that awful day. 3 Remember me ; yet how canst thou forget What pain and anguish 1 have caused to thee, The cross, the agony, the bloody sweat, And all the sorrow thou didst bear for me? 4 Remember me ; and, ere I pass away, Speak thou the assuring word that sets us free, And make thy promise to my heart, " To-day Thou too shalt rest in Paradise with me." This is a part of the same poem as the one just before it, and of course by the same au- thor. Both are founded upon the story of the thief upon the cross, as related in Luke 23:42, 43: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him. Verily, I say unto thee. To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." 617 ' Lord, I believe.^ Yes, I do feel, my God, that I am thine; Thou art my joy — myself, mine only grief; Hear my complaint, low bending at thy shrine — "Lord, I believe, help thou mme unbelief" 2 Unworthy even to approach so near, My soul lies trembling like a summer's leaf ; Yet, oh, forgive! I douljt not, though I fear; " Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief" 3 True, I am weak, ah ! very weak ; but then I know the source whence I can draw relief; And, though repulsed, I still can plead again— " Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief" 4 Oh, draw me nearer ; for, too far away, The beamings of thy brightness are too brief; While faith, though fainting, still has strength to pray — " Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief" This is selected from Rev. Dr. John Samuel Bewley Monsell's Hymns and Miscellaneous Poems, Dublin, 1837. It is entitled, " Assur- ance." And yet there is conflict mingled with the strong expressions of confidence. The refrain at the close of each stanza endears this composition to the American heart. Refer- ence is made, of course, to Mark 9 : 24 ; the :68 THK (.OSI'Kl. :— AIONK.MKNT ACCEPTKI>. stor)- in the passage is an excellent illustration of the sentiment of the hymn. 618 • Jfius. out Sa/t'aiioM." 7s, 6s. I). 1 ) iKsvs, our salvation, Low at thy cross we lie; I.tircl. ill Ihv Krcat conijiassioii, Hciir our tx-'wailiriK cry. We lonu- to thee with niourniiiR, We lonie to thee in woe ; With contrite hearts reluniiiiK, And tears that overflow. 2 O Kracious Intercessor. () Priest within the vail, rieail lor each lost transgressor The hliHHl that cannot lail. We spreitil our sins hefore thee, We tell llieni one by t>ne ; Oh, lor thy name's ureat Klory, Forgive all we have done. 3 Oh, by thy cross and passion. Thy tears and atony, .-\n- < riiwinil thy head ! And L throuKh death and auKuish, Must be to K'ory led. \cry welcome to us all the appearance of Miss Charlotte Klliott's name once more as the author of the hymn Inrfore us. It is not one of her conspicuous compositions, for we fail to find a mention of it in either En^liih I/ymns, or Dictionary of Hymnoloi;y ; but we have been printing it and using it as a very evangelical and comforting help for many years. It was published in The In- 7'aliiVs Hymn- Hook in 1834. The simplicity with which this devoted woman, herstif racked and tried with pain, urged her way straight towards the cross of her sufi'ering Redeemer, there to find her rest, is remarka- ble. 620 AtthfDoot. 7s, 6s. D. O Jescs. thou art staiidiiiK Outside tlie liii.t-closetl door, In lowly patience waiting To pass the threshold o'er: We bear the name of Christians, His name and sign we bear: Oh, shame, thrice shame upon us! To keep him standing there. 2 O Jesus, thou art kiKK'kinK : And lo! that hand is scarred. And thorns thy brow encircle, And tears thy face ha\ e marred : Oh, love that passeth knowledge. So patieiitlv to wait ! Oh, sin that iiath no equal. So fast to bar the Kate I 3 O Jesus, thou art pleading In accents meek and low — " I dic-d for you, my children, .And will ye treat me so?" O Lord, with shame and sorrow We open now the door: Dear Saviour, enter, enter. And leave us nevermore ! Bishop William Walsham How first pub- lished this, the most popular and perhaps the most useful of all his excellent compositions, in the SuppUnunt lo Psalms anif Hvmns is- sued 1867. It refers to Revelation 3:20: " Behold. I stand at the door and knock : if anv man hear my voice, and open the door. 1 will come in to him. and will sup with him, and he with me." One of the best paintings of our time has been given to the world of art by Holman Hunt, entitled " The Light of the World." It represents the scene which the hvmn portrays with a fidelity as pathetic as it IS forceful. Some of the incidental forms of ( )riental im.igery seem likewise to have been taken by the artist from the similar scene sug- gested \^- tile Bride's words concerning her Lord in Canticles 5:2: "I sleep, but my heart waketh : it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying. Open to me, my sister, mv love, my dove, my undertled : for my head is filled with dew. and my locks with the drops of the night." The Figure stands as if in the act of waiting and listening. He is in the garden. REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. 269 THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." for the vines trail across the door still shut to him ; he is under the shadows of night, for he bears a lantern which flings its beams upon the fruit that lies in the path by his feet. The story is told with a delicacy that rivals de- scription ; the painting is an exquisite illus- tration of the spirit of the hymn. 62 I "Give Us Pardon" 7s, 6s. D- We stand in deep repentance Before thy throne of love; O God of grace, forgive us ; The stain of guilt remove; Behold us while with weeping We lift our eyes to thee ; And all our sins subduing, Our Father, set us free ! 2 Oh, shouldst thou from us fallen Withhold thy grace to guide. For ever we should wander From thee, and peace, aside; But thou to spirits contrite Dost light and life impart, Tnat man may learn to serve thee With thankful, joyous heart. 3 Our souls — on thee we cast them, Our only refuge thou ! Thy cheering words revive us, VVhen pressed with grief we bow. Thou bearest the trusting spirit Upon thy loving breast. And givest all thy ransomed A sweet, unending rest. Dr. Ray Palmer said once concerning this hymn that he wrote it a long while ago, so far back as in 1834 some time; and that he was under the impression of having made it as a translation of a German piece, the name and place of which he had forgotten. He was not a fluent scholar in that language then, and the volume he was reading did not otherwise attract his attention. The curiosity of some hymnologists, familiar with the religious po- etry of the Fatherland, has been e.xercised in the matter ; but the work of Dr. Palmer is too thoroughly original to represent any poem they can tind. It was first published in the Presbyteria7i Parish Hynuis, 1843. 622 The Contrite heart. 8s, 4s. There is a holy sacrifice. Which God in heaven will not despise, Yea, which is precious in his eyes — The contrite heart. 2 That lofty One, before whose throne The countless hosts of heaven bow down, Another dwelling-place will own — The contrite heart. 3 The holy One, the Son of God, His pardoning love will shed abroad. And consecrate as his abode The contrite heart. 4 The Holy Spirit from on high Will listen to its faintest sigh. And cheer, and bless, and purify The contrite heart. 5 Saviour, I cast my hopes on thee ; Such as thou art I fain would be ; In mercy. Lord, bestow on me The contrite heart. Miss Charlotte Elliott included this hymn in htr Hours of Sorrotu, 1836, entitling it, as it appears here, " The Contrite Heart." The word which makes the burden of the quaint little refrain at the end of each stanza in this pathetic prayer is possessed of a very sug- gestive meaning as one traces it out etymo- logically. It signifies bruised, rubbed, as grain is beaten or threshed from its chaff and ground down into meal. Spiritually, it refers to a certain brokenness of heart, peculiar to an experience of penitence for sin and shame because of wrong-doing. Good old Bishop Atterbury says : " Contrition is an holy grief, excited by a lively sense, not only of the pun- !70 THE gospel: — ATONEMKNT ACCEFlhD. ishment due to our j^uilt (that the schools call attrition) but likewise of the infinite j^oodness of God. ajjainst which we have ollended." Hence comes the old answer in the Cate- chism : •' Rep>entance unto life is a siivinj^ grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with j^rief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full pur- pose of, and endeavor after, new obedience." 623 Ss, 45. Tkf Hratl SuttfHdfrfd. God of my li(c ! thv bouiullcss Knice Chosv, pardoiicinc: there, in all the abasement and abandonment of his shame. had no need to thank even the seraph with the coal of fire in his hands. The coal came from the Kinj;. The altar was the Kinj,''s. The seraphim were only the Kinij's messen- gers. Kver)- step in the scheme of human salvation, from its earliest beijinnini,' at the new birth, to its latest triumph in the new son)^'. is God's. "Salvation belonyjeth unto the Lord." When the redeemed in heaven sing their highest songs of ascription, they can say no mf)re. no less, than this. John tells us in the Revelation what he heard behind the vail : " .After this I l>eheld.and. lo. a great multitude, which no man could number, fif all nations, and kindreds, and |)eople.and tongues, stood iK'forc the throne, and Ix-fore the Lamb, clothed with while rol>cs. and palms in their hands ; and cried with a loud voice, siiying. Salvation to our G(k1 which sittcth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." 624 " O Lamb qf God." bs, 4s. 0 I.AMH of (••m1! that tak'st away ( lur sin, and liid'st our sorrow ceiisc, Turn thou, oh, turn this niKbt tu da), draiit us thy peace! 2 The troubleain must wake us. Puree our dross: Help us to lay our load of guilt Beneath thy cross. The author of the hymn before us is Mrs. Alessie Bond Faussett. She was born at Hallee Rector)-. County Down. Ireland. Janu- arv- 8. 1841 ; and was married to the Rev. Henry F"aussett. curate of Kdenderry.Omagh, in 1875. She has contributed a few songs to I.yra Ilibfrtiica and to the Church Hymnal, which was issued in Dublin in 1881. The piece here given was written in 1865. but was not published until 1870, when it appeared in a volume entitled The TriMiitph of Faith. 625 " Thou att my all." Ss, 4s. Ji:srs, my Saviour! look on me, l-'or I am weary bimI <>|»}»re»l ; I come to cast myself on thee; Thou art my Rest. .' I,k down on me, for I am weak. 1 feel the toilsome journey's length; Thine aiil omnipotent I si-ek : Thou art my Strength. 1, J am bewiliilionary of Hym- REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. 271 nology, 1892, that it is found in Miss Charlotte Elliott's Thoughts in Verse on Sacred Sub- jects, 1869. She entitled it, "Christ, All in All." This modest lady kept her reserve so very closely at times that her religious wri- tings were difficult to recognize. 626 Leaning on Christ. 8s, 4s. Leaning on thee, my guide and friend. My gracious Saviour, I am blest : Though weary thou dost condescend To be my rest. 2 Leaning on thee, with childhke faith, To thee the future I confide; Each step of life's untrodden path Thy love will guide. 3 Leaning on thee, I breathe no moan, Thougii faint with languor, parched with heat : Thy will has now become my own — That will is sweet. 4 Leaning on thee, though faint and weak. Too weak another voice to hear, Thy heavenly accents comfort speak, " Be of good cheer." Once more we choose our song of trust from Miss Charlotte Elliott's hymns. It is taken from her Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted, 1836. It bears a title that might suggest a renewed season of illness in her fragile life, " Death Anticipated." She uses again that pleasing meter in her verse which has become to us now almost her character- istic sign. The great theologian, Tholuck; once said to an American tourist : " Your people in the United States have in your lan- guage one expression which we do not have in the German. You speak of ' a subdued spirit.' It is very beautiful." 627 Help from above. 8s, 4s. Mv heart lies dead ; and no increase Doth my dull husbandry improve: Oh, let thy graces, without cease, Drop from above. 2 Thy dew doth every morning fall : And shall the dew outstrip thy Dove? The dew for which earth cannot call. Drop from above ! 3 The world is tempting still my heart Unto a hardness void of love ; Let heavenly grace, to cross its art, Drop from above ! 4 Oh, come ; for thou dost know the way ! Or if to me thou wilt not move. Remove me where I need not say, "Drop from above!" Rev. George Herbert, M. A., was born at his father's home, Montgomery Castle, April 3, 1593, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 161 1. His pros- pects in life seemed brilliant, as he was an in- timate friend of Lord Bacon, Bishop An- drewes, and other influential men, and was favored by James the First ; but the death of the king and of the Duke of Richmond de- stroyed his hopes of Court preferment. He withdrew to Kent, where he decided to enter the Church ; and in 1626 he was appointed to the living of Leighton Bromswold, Hunts. He remained there only three years when his health gave way, and he removed to Dantsey in Wiltshire, after a short stay at his brother's house at Woodford, Essex. In 1630 he was appointed rector at Bemerton, but his work there was brief, his death occurring in Febru- ary, 1632. Mr. Herbert published a number of works both in prose and poetry, and many of the latter have become endeared to Chris- tians everywhere ; but the quaintness of his lyrics and the peculiarity of their meters have rendered most of them unavailable for con- gregational uses. The poem here quoted ap- peared in his posthumous work, The Temple, 1633, and is full of sweetness and pathos. It is a fervent prayer for divine grace to renew and inspire a heart which is sore tried by the coldness and worldliness which threaten to overwhelm it. 628 ''Even me !" 8s, 7s, 3. Lord, I hear of showers of blessing Thou art scattering full and free : Showers the thirsty land refreshing; Let some droppings fall on me — Even me. 2 Pass me not, O gracious Father ; Sinful though my heart may be; Thou mightst leave me, but the rather , Let thy mercy light on me — Even me. 3 Pass me not, O gracious Saviour; Let me love and cling to thee; I am longing for thy favor. Whilst thou'rt calling, oh, call me — Even me. 4 Pass me not, O mighty Spirit ; Thou canst make the blind to see ; Witnesser of Jesus' merit. Speak the word of power tome — Even me. 5 Have I long in sin been sleeping — Long been slighting, grieving thee ? Has the world my heart been keeping? Oh, forgive and rescue me — Even me. 6 Love of God, so pure and changeless ; Blood of Christ, so rich and free; Grace of God, so strong and boundless, Magnify it all in me — Even me. 7 Pass me not, but, pardon bringing, Bind my heart, O Lord, to thee ; Whilst the streams of life are springing. Blessing others, oh, bless me — Even me. Brought into being by the pews of a great revival in Ireland in 1860-61, this hymn has always been connected with seasons of reli- gious awakening. Its author, Mrs. Elizabeth Codner, published it as a leaflet in 1861, and it has been in constant use ever since. She is the wife of a clergyman of Islington, London, and has been identified with the Mildmay Mission in that city for a number of years. It 272 THE GOSPEL:— ATONEMENT ACCEPTED. is known that she has published two volumes — The liihlf- in the Kitilun, and 'I'/it- Mission- ary SJiip : but very few facts concerning her personal history can be obtained. Ke.vjardinj; the jKK-ni itself, its author says that it was written for the Ix-netit of a few of her younyj friends who had Ixen deeply interested in the account of a v,'reat revival. She says: " 1 longed t«) press u|)on them an earnest indi- vidual ap|K-al. Without effort words seemed to be ijiven me. and they t(K)k the form of a hymn. I had no thought of sendinij it l)eyond the limit of my own circle ; but, passiiiJLj it on to one and another, it became a word of power, and I then published it." 629 ^^9^ iS^- / ^\ mrv. ISAAC WILLIAMS. "God he mfrciful." I-oRi>, ill 111 - '!'^ On our kii' ■'■ i"'^ 3 Holy Jcsuft, ({rani us tears, Fill MS with hcart-st-an hiiiK fears, Kre the hour of doom !ip|H-:irs. \ l-eIo%»-, I-et us not thv love forego. 6 Ju(i|{e and Saviour of our rmce, Ciraiil us, when we »ee thy bee, With thy raiwumed ones a place. In 1844 Kev. Isaac Williams, the tracta- rian preacher and writer, published a volume which he called T/u- Jiaptislery ; or, the Way of Elt-rnal Lift. In this book there is one ptK-m, consisting of a hundred and five stanzas of three lines each, and Ix-arinii; the title. "The Day of Days; or. The (ireat Manifestation." Of one portion of this, called " Image the Twentieth," our present hymn is a part ; it is entitled, " Lent : — a Metrical Litany," It is really a gcMxi peni- tential prayer in musical dress, when we get at it under its mystical dress of verbiage, plain and useful for Christian ser\ice in con- ference-meetinv; or in the sanctuary ; and it \vis had wide introduction into the hymnals at home and abroad. 630 /-"-«' Mundi. 6s, 61, Thv life was jjivt-n for me. Thy WimmI, O Lord, was shed. That I niixht ransomed be, .And i|iii('keiicent for me; Have I s|K.Mit one mr thee? 3 Thy Father's home of liKht, Thy raiiilxiw-eircleii throne. Were left for earthly night, • For wanderiiiKS sad and lone; Yea, all was left for me; H.-ive I leA auKhl for thee? 4 Thou, I.ord, hast borne for me More than my tongue con tell Of liitlt rt-st aKonv, To resi ue nie tl-om hell : Thou sulVere«lst all for me; What have I borne for thee? 5 .\nd lliou hast brouRht to me Down Iriiin thy home above Salvation lull and free. Tin |.ai(li>Ti and th\ love; 71 ,) CriMl i;ifts thou hrouKlitest me; Wh.il have 1 hrouxht to thee? 6 Oh, let my life be K'ven, Mv v«irs for thee be s|>cnt ; World-fettors all U- iiveii, .\iid |i>s with MifVeriiij; blent; Thixi Kuve.sl ihvself for me, I Kive mv self to thee. Miss Frances Ridley Havergals composi- tion, printed on a leaflet in 1X39, and in Gooii U'on/s, February, i860. The structure of these stanzas has l)cen changed in the Knglish collections. As Miss Havergal com- posed it it began— as if the Saviour in |>erson were speaking—" I gave my life for thee." No Christian congregation could sing back to REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. Jesus Christ his own words in so unseemly a way as that. The author was at school in Uusseldorf ; she must have often seen the Ecce Homo pic- ture in the famous gallery. Count von Zin- zendorf. the Moravian, saw it there, read its motto, and was converted by the sight. It was a Christ crowned with thorns, and the words were set above it, "All this have I done for thee. What doest thou for me }" Miss Havergal surely would hear the storj'. In- deed, she records that she was moved by such a painting with such a legend. The poem represents a fresh phase of her experi- ence, therefore. She becomes a true child of God under the vivid conception of Jesus dy- ing on the cross for her. In 1873 ^ little book, entitled All for Jesus, by Rev. J. T. Renford, Newport. Mon., came under Miss Havergal's notice, telling of a full- ness of blessing beyond anything she had yet attained. It met a felt need, and soon she herself could say, " I have the blessing," the Spirit powerfully applying this word to her soul : " The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." From this time her life was full of sunshine ; some ex- pression of it is found in the beautiful hymns, " Without Carefulness," and " From Glory unto Glory." 63 I The true Physician. 7s, 3I. He.al me, O my Saviour, heal ; Heal me, as I suppliant kneel ; Heal nie, and my pardon seal. 2 Fresh the wounds that sin hath made ; Hear the prayers I oft have prayed. And in mercy send me aid. 3 Thou the true Physician art ; Thou, O Christ, canst health impart, Binding up the bleeding heart. 4 Other comforters are gone ; Thou canst heal, and thou alone, Thou for all my sin atone. Rev. Godfrey Thring published this in his Hymns Coiigregafwna/ and Ot/iers, 1866. It is a tender and useful hymn in times of sick- ness or debility. It fits discourses upon Christ as a Physician of Souls: Jeremiah 8:22: "Is there no balm in Gilead ; is there no physician there ? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered .''" One of the brightest predictions of the Lord Jesus Christ is found in the promise that " the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings." Malachi 4:2. The Israelites have a saying which has almost become a proverb : " As the sun arises, in- firmities decrease." One of the most ancient names of God recorded in the Bible is Je/io- vah-ropht ; and this is said to mean in Eng- lish words, " 1 am the Lord that healeth thee." Exodus 1 5 : 26. The best things in all this world for health and vigor, for exhilaration and comfort, are plenty of warm bright sun- shine and the refreshment of clear pure air driv- ing away fog. Flowers open when the day- star comes up over the hills. Invalids wake with new hope when the night is gone and the birds begin their matins. It was Simon Peter, an old tisherman on the Sea of Galilee, who understood very well what he was talking about when he said : " We have also a more sure word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." Every morning, all over Judfea, even to this time, there blows a sweet fresh wind at sunrise, which the natives call " the doctor ;" for it pu- rifies the infected air and clears away the mists ; and then from the tops of the hills, oh, how far away one sees ! It makes one think of the prophet's promise : " Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty : they shall behold the land that is very far off." 632 " Come and welcome." 7s, 61. From the cross uplifted high. Where the Saviour deigns to die. What melodious sounds we hear. Bursting on the ravished ear!— " Love's redeeming work is done — Come and welcome, sinner, come ! 2 "Spread for thee, the festal board See with richest bounty stored ; To thy Father's bosom pressed, Thou shalt be a child confessed, Never from his house to roam ; Come and welcome, sinner, come! 3 " Soon the days of life shall end — Lo, I come — your Saviour, Friend! Safe your spirit to convey To the realms of endless day, Lip to my eternal home — Come and welcome, sinner, come!" This hymn by Rev. Thomas Haweis was first published in his Carmina Christo, 1792, and contained an additional stanza. Its re- frain suggests the fullness of Christ's atoning sacrifice, which was great enough to include all mankind, although it was the death of only one person. It is a significant fact that none among all the disciples of our Lord, not one of all the adherents who followed him, was permitted to die with him. He was condemned as a rebel ; yet not a single man or woman who succored him or sustained him in that so-called insurrection suffered for it. A few of his friends talked about it ; one of them said outright on a conspicuous occa- sion, " Let us go and die with him ;" but none 274 im. tiosiM 1. A lOMMKN I Arc KIM 111. of ihem ever did. 1 he nicaninj; of this is ver)' plain. It was an infinitely wise precau- tion against mistake. It would, without a doubt, havf misled some feeble minds, if by any accidental confusion another name had been coupled with his in the dying hour on the cross. It was just as well that all those disciples forsook him anil tied. One Priest, one Lamb, was all that was needed. IiR. GEORGE DCFFIBLD, JR. 633 " Only thtf.-' 7S. 61. Hi ksskd Saviour ! thtf I love All my olluT joys alM>vi- ; .Ml niv h ill llui- aliido, Thou my Iio|h-, ami iiauKht beside; Kvrr let my Kl"ry he, Only, only, only thcc. .■ Oil, r .ikjaiii hrsidr the cross, I ■ ouiit hut loss ; urc^ failr away — in- that htiU- mv clay ; Hi II. I. \,iiii shallows! let me sec Jrsus rrucificfl for mc. '" ' ■ ' '\ iour, thine atii I, ami Ihiiie to ilie : ' lilh, or earthly [Knver 'If mv Saviour miirc; I Klory \vc ' Illy thei-. This hymn was written by Rev. (ieorRC DufTield. Jr., I). I)., the son of Rev. Cieorgc Dufficld. I). I)., for so many u.seful years a pastor in Detroit. Mu h., aiul iiu- latiicr of Kcv. .Samuel \V. Dullield. author of Ent^lish Hymns. This family seems likely to txrconie as famous in hymnology as the Stennett fam- ily of old. The hymn now Ixrforc us w.»s lontributetl to the 7 implc Mt/oti/is, issued by Rev. D.K.Jones in 1851. Dr. DufTield, the author of it. lived a varied, forceful, and useful life. He was born at Carlisle, I'a., .September 12, 1818, graduated at Yale Col- lege, and studied for the ministry in I'nion Theological Seminar)*, New York. He Inrgan his ministrations as a pastor in Hnwiklyn, N. Y.. 1840, and was there for seven years; then he renmved to the village of Bloomlield. N. J., and at that point the historj" of the fam- ily connection with that town commences. Three generations in turn have aided in ma- king the parishes conspicuous. .After a while. Dr. Durtield took up other work elsewhere, at Philadelphia. .Adrian, .Mich., lialesburg. 111., and in iSfiy was pastor at .Ann .Arbor. .Mich. There he remained till the intirmities of age warned him to retire from so serious a field of labor. While his son. Samuel \V. Duflield, was in the pastorate in Hloomheld. the father returned to his old home, and the beautiful years began in which the father and son walked together in Christian faith and love and hope. The reverence on the one side and the pride upon the other were worthy of the Land of Heulah in which the old man waited for his summons to go over the river. As a matter of fact, the son went swiftly across first ; the father followed him fourteen months after. He died in Hloomlield. July 6. 1888, and was borne away to be buried in Detroit in the family cemetery. 634 "I am IhiHf." 7«, 61. Jkscs, Master, \vho.se 1 am, l*uriliase;ly Cor ine ; Let my hesirt he all thine own, Let me live to thee alone. 2 Other lords have long held sway; Now thy nante alone to iK-ar, Thy dear voiie alone ohoy, Is mv ilaily, hourly pniver. Whom have I in heaven hut thee? Nothing else my joy can be. ,t Ji-sus, Master, I am thine; Ke mc faithful, keep me near; Let thv presence in me shine All mv homeward wav to cheer. Jesus, at thv icv\ I fall, Oh, t>e thou my All in all. Miss Frances Ridley Havergal wrote this hymn for her nephew. J. H. .Shaw, in Decem- Ikt. 1865, and it was printed as a leaflet for distribution. She never included it in her REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE. 275 published hymnals for promiscuous singing, but it appears in her Mi)iistry of Song, 1869. It was entitled, " Servant of Christ," and was meant to be suitable for public or private con- secration of one's self to God. Reference is made to Paul's words in Acts 27 : 23 : " Whose I am, and whom I serve." 635 "Hearer of prayer." 7s, 61. O THOU God who hearest prayer Every hour and everywhere ! For his sake, whose blood I plead. Hear me in my hour of need : Only hide not now thy face, God of all-sufficient grace! 2 Leave me not, my strength, my trust; Oh, remember I am dust ; Leave me not again to stray; Leave me not the tempter's prey : Fix my heart on things above; Make me happy in thy love. 3 Hear and save me, gracious Lord ! For my trust is in thy word ; Wash me from the stain of sin, That thy peace may rule within : May I know myself thy child, Ransomed, pardoned, reconciled. We have to thank what men would call an accident for this hymn, dated 1820, and print- ed in the Star in the East, 1824. Josiah Conder fell from his horse in riding, and was compelled to take his bed for a serious sea- son. He was not only suffering from pain, but there was peril in his prospect. He feared becoming a permanent cripple. And just then his affairs were in a condition that re- quired his utmost activity of effort and vig- ilance in watching. The confinement sum- moned all his fortitude and led him to con- stant supplication. One who reads the wrest- ling and plaintive lines now seems to see the brave-hearted preacher at his best, bold, ear- nest, importunate. And yet Conder is the man who has been quoted as insisting that histories of sacred songs have little or no value in awaking interest : " On reading a hymn nobody inquires why it was written, or attributes the feelings it depicts to the poet's actual, or, at any rate, present, experience." His own hymn proves how much he was mis- taken. 636 Look and live. 7s, 61. Surely Christ thy griefs hath borne, Weeping soul, no longer mourn : View him bleeding on the tree, Pouring out his life for thee : There thy every sin he bore ; Weeping soul, lament no more. 2 Weary^ sinner, keep thine eyes On the atoning sacrifice : There the incarnate Deity Numbered with transgressors see; There his Father's absence mourns, Nailed, and bruised, and crowned with thorns. 3 Cast thy guilty soul on him, Find him mighty to redeem ; At his feet thy burden lay. Look thy doubts and cares away ; Now by faith the Son embrace. Plead his promise, trust his grace. AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY. Everything that was ever written by the man who composed what is now admitted to be the first hymn of the first rank in our lan- guage is of serious interest. Rev. Augustus Montague Toplady wrote " Rock of Ages," and he also wTOte the excellent hymn in the same meter now before us. He was born at Farnham, in Surrey, England, November 4, 1 740. His father, Major Richard Toplady, died at the siege of Carthagena, while the child was yet an infant. But his mother seems to have been a good and thrifty woman of character and force. The young lad grew up bright and promising, and we soon hear of his conversion. He attended a meeting at Codymain, Ireland, an assemblage held in a barn ; a layman named James Morris preached the sermon from the text he found in Ephe- sians 2:13. Toplady, some years subsequent to this, wrote an account of the incident. " By the grace of God," says he, " under the ministry of that dear messenger and under that sermon, I was, I trust, brought nigh by the blood of Christ, in August, 1756. Strange that I, who had so long sat under the means 27(i 1 M » ( .< >MKI. :— A I ONKMKNT Aft KPTKI>. of grace in F.nj^land. should be brought near lo (mkI in an obscure pun of Ireland, amidst a handful of ("hkIs people, met to){elher \n a barn, and under the ministn,' of one who could hardly spell his name. The excellency of such pire