This Book is the Property of § | REV. A. L. SHALKOP. | Volume, No.J>.£?\o L"If you borrow, please return." \ » Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/hymnstudiesillusOOnutt_0 HYMN STUDIES; AN ILLUSTRATED AND ANNOTATED EDITION OF THE HYMNAL OF THE ^VLeTHODIST jiPISCOPAL jChURCH. BY REV. CHARLES S. NUTTER, D.D. FOURTH EDITION. NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS. CINCINNATI: JENNINGS & PYE. 1900. Copyright 1884, by PHILLIPS & HUN 805 Broadway, New York. GRATEFULLY DEDICATED TO THE MINISTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE fflETHODISHT GPISGOPAL @HU^6H, BY THE AUTHOR. MOTE. The publishers of this book have informed me that it has been placed in the Preachers' Course of Study, and at their request I have again revised the work, making a few corrections and additions. I hope my brother ministers will enjoy this study and find it helpful. District Parsonage, C. S. N. St. Albans, Vt. t August, 1900. PREFACE. This Hymnal is intended for the home, the pastor's study, and the layman's center-table. I have undertaken to give : First. A biographical sketch of each author and translator — of whom there are more than three hundred. Second. The origin and history of the hymn, with such reliable matters of interest concerning it as could be gathered. Third. The original title and text, where the hymn has been altered. Fourth. The passage of Scripture upon which the hymn is based. Fifth. The book, paper, or magazine in which the hymn first appeared, with the date of its publication. Information has been chiefly derived from original sources by reference to the published works of the authors, many of which are rare and difficult to find; and by correspondence with writers who are still living. Where in- formation has been obtained from other sources, the author or book relied upon has received due credit. The authorship of a few of the "unknown " hymns has not been discovered. The personal history of some hymn- writers is very meager, indeed, and doubtless some interesting historic facts have wholly escaped the editor's notice. I dare not say that there are no mistakes in this work, but neither care nor labor has been spared to avoid them. Hundreds of books have been exam- ined, and much time has been spent in its preparation. The lover of devotional poetry is in the most delightful company. Val- uable hymns are the product of genius, piety, and learning. It is safe to say that no good hymn was ever written by an author who did not possess at least one of these talents. Many writers are favored with two of them, and some with all three. The student of hymns is, therefore, cultivating head, heart, and tongue at the same time. It is to be feared that this most valuable * HYMN STUDIES. 5 study is too much neglected, and, if this book shall stimulate to greater ap- preciation and love for this department of literature, one great object of the work will be accomplished. I desire to express my great obligation to the many editors and authors who have so kindly replied to my letters of inquiry ; and especially to Mr. David Creamer, of Baltimore; and Professor F. M. Bird, of Lehigh Univer- sity ; also to the Rev. James Martineau, D.D., George J. Stevenson, M.A., and Mr. W. T. Brooke, of London, for valuable assistance. I wish also to mention the name of a man no longer living, but whose work remains, and will always be a help to the student of hymnology, Mr. Daniel Sedgwick, of London. I trust that this work will be of some service to the cause of God among men. CHARLES S. NUTTER. Tilton, N. H., Feb. 15, 1884. The author has received many letters from scholarly and devout men testifying to their high appreciation of Hymn Studies. The gratitude of pious hearts is indeed precious. The work has been carefully revised, and a brief but important History of the Official Hymn Book appended. See page 476. C. S. N. Haverhill, Mass., July, 1888. PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION. It is gratifying to witness the revival of interest in the grand old hymns of the Church. This book has been one of the means to that end. It has been thoroughly revised once more, brought up to date, and again sent forth with the hope that by its use the hymns may be better understood and the men who wrote them better appreciated. u Sing ye praises with understanding." — Psalm xlvii, 7. C. S. K St. Albans, Vt., April, 1897. CONTENTS. WORSHIP. Hymns General Hymns 1-71 Sabbath 72-92 Morning and Evening. 93-117 GOD. Being and Attributes 118-153 Providence 154-180 CHRIST. Incarnation and Birth 181-195 Life and Character 196-203 Sufferings and Death 204-224 Resurrection, Priesthood, and Reign 225-261 THE HOLY SPIRIT 262-287 THE SCRIPTURES 288-301 THE SINNER. Lost Condition 302-311 Provisions of the Gospel 312-334 Warning and Inviting 335-376 Repentance 377-417 THE CHRISTIAN. Justification, Regeneration, Adoption 418-455 Consecration 456-475 Entire Sanctiflcation and Christian Growth. .476-545 Unfaithfulness and Backsliding Lamented. . .546-562 Christian Activity 563-609 Trial, Suffering, and Submission 610-683 Prayer, Praise, and Communion with God. . .684-762 THE CHURCH. General Hymns 763-779 Fellowship and Unity 780-807 The Ministry 808-825 Ordinances— Hymns Baptism 826-832 The Lord's Supper 833-855 Church Work— Erection of Churches 856-871 Children and Youth 872-889 Charities and Reforms 890-907 Missions 908-944 TIME AND ETERNITY. Watch Night and New Year 945-950 Brevity and Uncertainty of Life 957-966 Death and Resurrection 967-1012 Judgment and Retribution 1013-1029 Heaven 1030-1079 MISCELLANEOUS. The Seasons 1080-1088 National Occasions 1089-1105 Marriage 1106-1107 Mariners 1108-1115 [Last Hymns of C. Wesley] 1116-1117 Pages DOXOLOGIES 431-433 INDEXES. Of First Lines of Hymns 435-445 Of Authors 446-451 Of Scripture Texts 452-455 Of Subjects 455-162 Of Hymns for Social Worship 462 Of First Lines of Stanzas 463-468 RITUAL. Baptism 469-472 Reception of Members 472-473 The Lord's Supper 473-475 HYMN STUDIES. 1 Exultant praise to the Redeemer. CM. OFOR a thousand tongues, to sing My great Redeemer's praise ; The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace ! 2 My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim, To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of thy name. 3 Jesus ! the name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease ; 'Tis music in the sinner's ears, 'Tis life, and health, and peace. 4 He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free ; His blood can make the foulest clean ; His blood availed for me. 5 He speaks, and, listening to his voice, New life the dead receive ; The mournful, broken hearts rejoice; The humble poor believe. 6 Hear him, ye deaf ; his praise, ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ, Ye blind, behold your Saviour come; And leap, ye lame, for joy. CHARLES WESLEY. The author's title was : For the Anniversary Day of One's Conversion. It was written in 1739 to celebrate the first anniversary of his spiritual birth, and was published in Hymns and /Sacred Poems, 1740. One word only has been changed. Wesley wrote the second line, " My dear Kedeemer's praise." The hymn is part of a poem of eighteen stanzas which is here given ^ it was taken out bodily where the asterisks are inserted. The rapture of the first verse, " O for a thousand tongues to sing," is explained by what goes before, especially verses two and five. 1 Glory to God, and praise and love, Be ever, ever given ; By saints below and saints above, The Church ii; earth find heaven, 2 On this glad day the glorious Sun Of righteousness arose, On my benighted soul he shone, And filled it with repose. 3 Sudden expired the legal strife ; 'Twas then I ceased to grieve. My second, real, living life, I then began to live. 4 Then with my heart I first believed, Believed with faith divine ; Power with the Holy Ghost received To call the Saviour mine. 5 I felt my Lord's atoning blood Close to my soul applied ; Me, me he loved — the Son of God For me, for me he died ! 6 I found ? and owned his promise true, Ascertained of my part, My pardon passed in heaven I knew, When written on my heart. 13 Look unto him, ye nations; own Your God, ye fallen race ; Look, and be saved through faith alone, Be justified by grace. 14 See all your sins on Jesus laid : The Lamb of God was slain ; His soul was once an offering made For every soul of man. 15 Harlots, and publicans, and thieves, In holy triumph join ! Saved is the sinner that believes, From crimes as great as mine. 16 Murderers, and all ye hellish crew, Ye sons of lust and pride, Believe the Saviour died for you ; For me the Saviour died. 17 A wake from guilty nature's sleep, And Christ shall give you light ; Cast all your sins into the deep, And wash the Ethiop white. 18 With me, your chief, ye then shall know, Shall feel your sins forgiven ; Anticipate your heaven below, And own that love is heaven. The Eev. Charles Wesley, A.M., the poet or Methodism, was born at the Ep worth parsonage 3 HYMN STUDIES. in 1707. He was piously and studiously trained, and took Lis first degree at Oxford in 1728, when twenty-one years of a^e. It was while a student at Christ Church College that Wesley and a few friends, by strict attention to duty and correct de- portment, won the derisive epithet of" Methodist." In 1735 he was ordained, and accompanied his brother John to Georgia as a missionary. Soon afterward he returned to England. In 1738 he and his brother became acquainted with Peter Bolder, a Moravian preacher, who " expounded unto them the way of God more perfectly." It was on Whitsunday, May 21, 1738, that Charles Wesley believed to the saving of his soul, and received the witness ot par- don and adoption. He was an earnest and success- ful itinerant minister for more than twenty years, after which his labors were chiefly confined to London and its vicinity. He died in 1788. As a hymnist Charles Wesley has few equals and no superiors. The exact number of his hymns cannot be ascertained, for the reason that several volumes of poems were published conjointly by himself and his brother John, and in many cases it is impossible to say positively which was the author ot a particular hymn. The Wesleyan Conference published the Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesleij— 1868-1872— in thirteen volumes. In such a mass of writing the wonder is not that all is not excellent, but that so much is val- uable. The poets of the eighteenth century did not rewrite and refine their works as those of the nine- teenth have done. Wesley partook of the charac- teristic of the age, and instead of correcting and polishing what he had written, wrote more. Noth- ing but a consummate genius saved him from the perdition of voluminous authors. 2 Worshiping the Lamb. C. M. (^OME, let us join our cheerful songs J 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 hearts 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, forever thine. 4 The whole creation join in one, To bless the sacred name Of him that sits upon the throne, And to adore the Lamb. ISAAC WATTS. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book i, 1707. The author's title was : Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, worshiped by all the Crea tion. The scriptural basis of this favorite hvmn is Eev. v, 11-13 : "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders : and the number of them was ten thou- sand times ten thousand, and thousands of thou- sands ; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wis- dom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and bless- ing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Bless- ing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Watts wrote " lips" instead of ''hearts" in the third line of the second stanza. The following stanza has been omitted ; its place is between the thiid and fourth verses of the hymn : " Let all that dwell above the sky, And air, and earth, and seas, Conspire to lift thy glories high, And speak thine endless praise." The Eev. Isaac Watts, D.D., was born in South- ampton, in 1674; he was a precocious child, very quiet and studious ; and was sent, in 1690, to an academy in London, where he remained three years. The next few years were spent in study and in writing. Watts preached his first sermon in 1698, and in 1702 he became pastor of an Independent church in London, a position which he held until the time of his death, in 1748. Dr. Watts was small of stature and of feeble health. Much of the act- ual work of his parish was performed by an as- sistant. Many writers have compared the hymns of Watts with those of Wesley, and have discussed their rel- ative merits ; some giving preference to one, and some to the other, author. Such work is useless. The two differ so widely as to be scarcely capable of comparison. Watts excels Wesley and all oth- ers in grandeur and sublimity. Wesley exceeds all others in expressing the power of love and the joy of salvation. He is, par excellence, the sweet singer of Israel. These two writers grandly supplement each other. They are both princes, ay, kings of song ; but each in his own realm. The poetical works of Dr. Watts are : Horce Lyr- ical, London, 1706; Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in three books, 1707 ; The Psalms of David, Im- itated in the Language of the JS 7 ew Testament, 1719 ; and Divine and Moral Songs for Children, 1720. 3 The universal King. S. M. OME, sound his praise abroad, J And hymns of glory sing : Jehovah is the sovereign God, The universal King. 2 He formed the deeps unknown ; He gave the seas their bound; The watery worlds are all his own, And all the solid ground. HYMN STUDIES. 3 Come, worship at his throne, Come, bow before the Lord ; We are his works, and not our own ; He formed us by his word. 4 To-day attend his voice, Nor dare provoke his rod ; Come, like the people of his choice, And own your gracious God. ISAAC WATTS. The original contains two additional stanzas. Ti- tle : A Psalm before Sermon. Date, 1719. The hymn is an excellent paraphrase of part of Psalm xcv : " 0 come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great Kin^ above all gods: In his hand are the deep places of the earth : the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it : and his hands formed the dry land. 0 come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our maker." The poet Montgomery says, that " Dr. Watts may almost be called the inventor of hymns in our lan- guage." It is said that young Watts found fault with the hymns of his day in the hearing of some of the leading members .of his father's church, at Southampton ; the reply was, " Young man, give us something better." He did give something better, and became the father of modern hymn writers. 4: Song of Moses and the Lamb. S. M. AWAKE, 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 Sing on your heavenly way, Ye ransomed sinners, sing; Sing on, rejoicing every day In Christ, the eternal King. 4 Soon shall we hear him say, " Ye blessed children, come ! " Soon will he call us hence away, To our eternal home. 5 There shall each raptured tongue His endless praise proclaim ; And sweeter voices tune the song Of Moses and the Lamb. WILLIAM HAMMOND, ALT. The auth or's title was : Before singing of Hymns, by Way of Introduction. The hymn was evidently founded on Eev. xv, 3 : " And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." The original contains fourteen verses, and is quaint and good. It was altered by Martin Madan in 1760. Only one word is changed in the first stanza. Hammond wrote, " Tune every heart," etc. The second stanza is not changed ; the third and fifth are entirely new / the fourth is evidently sug- gested by the author's last stanza : " Sing till you hear Christ say, Your sins are all forgiven ; Go on rejoicing all the way, And sing your souls to heaven." From Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. By William Hammond, A.B., late of St. John's Col- lege, Cambridge, London, 1745. Eev. William Hammond was a Moravian Method- ist. Little is known of his personal history. He pub- lished an original volume of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, in 1745. Two of them, at least, are still popular. The date of his birth is Jan- uary 6, 1719. He died in 1783. 0 Praise and thanksgiving. S. M. STAND up, and bless the Lord, Ye people of his choice ; Stand up, and bless the Lord your God, With heart, and soul, and voice. 2 Though high above all praise, Above all blessing high, "Who would not fear his holy name, And laud, and magnify ? 3 O for the living flame From his own altar brought, To touch our lips, our souls inspire, And wing to heaven our thought ! 4 God is our strength and song, And his salvation ours ; Then be his love in Christ proclaimed With all our ransomed powers. 5 Stand up, and bless the Lord ; The Lord your God adore ; Stand up, and bless his glorious name, Henceforth, for evermore. JAMES MONTGOMERY. From the author's Christian Psalmist, 1825. The first part of this hymn is evidently founded upon Neh. ix, 5 : ■ " Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever : and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." 10 HYMN STUDIES. Original title : Exhortation to Praise and Thanks- giving. The author wrote " minds" instead of "souls" in the third stanza. The hymn has been improved by the omission of one inferior stanza, the fourth, of the original, which is not equal to its fellows : 4 " There with benign regard, Our hymns He deigns to hear ; Though unrevealed to mortal sense, The spirit feels Him near." James Montgomery holds an enviable place among English hymnists. He was the son of a Moravian minister ; was born in Scotland in 1771 ; was religiously instructed at home, and while at- tending a Moravian school, at Fulneck, Eng., made a public profession of religion by uniting with the Moravian Church. As he grew up, however, the pleasures of the world led him astray. The influence of early education preserved him from gross sins, but he was not at peace with God. After many years of doubt and dissatisfaction, he was led to look to the Saviour of his youth, and found rest. At his own request he was re-admitted into the Moravian congregation at Fulneck, when forty-three years of age. He expressed his feelings at the time in the following lines : " People of the living God, I have sought the world around, Paths of sin and sorrow trod, Peace and comfort nowhere found. Now to you my spirit turns — Turns a fugitive unblest ; Brethren, where your altar burns, 0 receive me into rest." Montgomery was an editor by profession ; and, for publishing what were then called libelous arti- cles, was twice fined and imprisoned in the Castle of York : once, in 1795, for three months, and once, in the following year, for six months. While im- prisoned he wrote his first book of poems, entitled Prison Amusements. In addition to several poetical works, he published three volumes of hymns : Songs of Zion: being Imitations of Psalms, 1822 ; The Chris- tian Psalmist, 1825 ; Ortginal Hymns for Public, Private, and Social Devotion, 1853. He died in 1854. 6 Invocation of the Trinity. 6, 4. COME, 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 mighty sword, Our prayer attend ; Come, and thy people bless, And give thy word success : Spirit of holiness, On us descend ! 3 Come, holy Comforter, Thy sacred witness bear In this glad hour : Thou who almighty art, Now rule in every heart, And ne'er from us depart, Spirit of power! 4 To thee, great One and Three, Eternal praises be Hence, evermore: Thy sovereign majesty May we in glory see, And to eternity Love and adore ! CHARLES WESLEY. One stanza, the second, has been omitted : " Jesus, our Lord, arise, Scatter our enemies, And make them fall ; Let thine almighty aid Our sure defense be made ; Our souls on thee be stayed ; Lord, hear our call." It is somewhat doubtful that W esley wrote this hymn. It is found printed on a leaflet, dated about 1757, together with two hymns that are un- doubtedly Charles Wesley's. Therefore this is supposed to be his also. If his, however, it is strange that he never claimed it, and never pub- lished it in any of his poetical works. The Eev. Martin Madan published it in his collection, third edition, 1763 ; and, it is said, gave Walter Shirley permission to use it. Now, if it was Wesley's, how was it that Madan claimed it ; and, if it was Madan's, how happened it that Wesley printed it six years previously ? It probably belongs to nei- ther of them. It is an imitation of the English national anthem, "God save the King;" author unknown. / Met in His name. S. M. JESUS, we look to thee, Thy promised presence claim ; Thou in the midst of us shalt be, Assembled in thy name. 2 Thy name salvation is, Which here we come to prove; Thy name is life, and health, and peace, And everlasting love. 3 Not in the name of pride Or selfishness we meet ; From nature's paths we turn aside, And worldly thoughts forget. HYMN STUDIES. 11 4 We meet the grace to take, Which thou hast freely given ; We meet on earth for thy dear sake, That we may meet in heaven. 5 Present we know thou art, But O thyself reveal ! Now, Lord, let every bounding heart The mighty comfort feel. 6 O may thy quickening voice The death of sin remove ; And bid our inmost souls rejoice, In hope of perfect love. CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, vol. ii, 1749. Title: At Meeting of Friends. Wesley wrote "joy" instead of "health" in the second stanza; and " 0/ might" instead of "O may" in the sixth verse. The closing double stanza is omitted : " Thou wilt to us make known Thy Nature and thy Name, Us, who our Utmost Saviour own From every Touch of Blame, From every Word and Deed, From every Thought unclean, Our Jesus till our Souls are freed From all Remains of Sin." 8 General invitation to praise God. L. M. FROM all that dwell below the skies, Let the Creator's praise arise ; Let the Redeemer's name be sung, Through every land, by every tongue. 2 Eternal are thy mercies, Lord ; Eternal truth attends thy word : Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, Till suns shall rise and set no more. 3 Your lofty themes, ye mortals, bring; In songs of praise divinely sing; The great salvation loud proclaim, And shout for joy the Saviour's name. 4 In every land begin the song ; To every land the strains belong : In cheerful sounds all voices raise, And fill the world with loudest praise. isaac watts, (in part.) This hymn is found entire in the York Pocket Hymro Book, sixth edition, 1786. The first two stanzas are founded on Psalm cxvii : " O praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, nil ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us : and the truth of the Lord endureth for- ever. Praise ye the Lord." The last two stanzas were not written by Watts ; the author is not known. He has, however, suc- ceeded wonderfully in imitating Watts's style, and has thus completed one of the finest hymns in the English language. 9 Reverential adoration. L. M. BEFORE Jehovah's awful throne, Ye nations bow with sacred joy; Know that the Lord is God alone, He can create, and he destroy. 2 His sovereign power, without our aid, Made us of clay, and formed us men ; And when like wandering sheep we strayed, He brought us to his fold again. 8 We'll crowd thy gates with thankful songs, High as the heavens our voices raise ; And earth, with her ten thousand tongues, Shall fill thy courts with sounding praise. 4 Wide as the world is thy command ; Vast as eternity thy love ; Firm as a rock thy truth shall stand, When rolling years shall cease to move. ISAAC WATTS, ALT. BY J. WESLEY. A paraphrase of Psalm c : " Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God : it is he that hath made us, and not we our- selves ; we are his people, and the sheep of his pas- ture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good ; his mercy is everlasting ; and his truth endureth to all generations." Instead of the first couplet Watts wrote : " Nations attend before his throne With solemn fear, with sacred joy." The first and fourth stanzas of the original are omitted : 1 " Sing to the Lord with joyful voice ; Let every land his name adore ; The British isles shall send the noise Across the ocean to the shore. 4 " We are his people, we his care, Our souls and all our mortal frame : What lasting honors shall we rear, Almighty Maker ! to thy name ? ■* It was published in 1719. 12 HYMN STUDIES. 1 0 Universal adoration. L. M. OHOLY, holy, holy Lord ! Thou God of hosts, by all adored ; The earth and heavens are full of thee, Thy light, thy power, thy majesty. 2 Loud hallelujahs to thy name, Angels and seraphim proclaim : By all the powers and thrones in heaven, Eternal praise to thee is given. 3 Apostles join the glorious throng, And swell the loud triumphant song : Prophets and martyrs hear the sound, And spread the hallelujah round. 4 Glory to thee, O God most high ! Father, we praise thy majesty ! The Son, the Spirit, we adore! One Godhead, blest for evermore. UNKNOWN. A metrical translation of apart of Te Deum laud- amus. Many editions of the Hymnal attribute it to Josiak Coucler, but the translator is not known. 1 1 Invitation to worship. — Psalm c. L. M. ALL people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice : Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell, Come ye before him, and rejoice. 2 The Lord, ye know, is God indeed, Without our aid he did us make ; We are his flock, he doth us feed, And for his sheep he doth us take. 3 O enter then his gates with praise, 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 God is good, His mercy is forever sure ; His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure. WILLIAM KETHE. A translation of Psalm c. It gave the name of "Old Hundred" to the tune in which it was always sung. William Kethe was a Scotch clergyman of the sixteenth century. There is some doubt whether he was the author of this hymn. In the oldest edition, 1561, of the Old Version — Sternhold and Hopkins — now extant, it is marked T. S., that is, Thomas Sternhold. In most editions of the seven- teenth century it is marked 1. H., that is, John Hopkins. In the Scotch Psalter, 1564, it is marked W. K. 1 3 Praise to the Saviour. L. M. JESUS, thou everlasting King, Accept the tribute which we bring ; Accept thy well-deserved renown, And wear our praises as thy crown. 2 Let every act of worship be Like our espousals, Lord, to thee ; Like the blest hour when from above We first received the pledge of love. 3 The gladness of that happy day, O may it ever, ever stay ! Nor let our faith forsake its hold, Nor hope decline, nor love grow cold. 4 Let every moment, as it flies, Increase thy praise, improve our joys, Till we are raised to sing thy name, At the great supper of the Lamb. ISAAC WATTS, ALT. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book i, 1707. Author's title : The Coronation of Christ, and Espousals of the Church. "I will seek him whom my soul loveth." Sol. Song, 'in, 2. The first and last stanzas of the original are omitted : 1 ".Daughters of Zion, come, behold The crown of honor and of gold Which the glad Church with joys unknown Placed on the head of Solomon. 6 "O that the months would roll away And bring that coronation day ! The King of grace shall fill the throne With all his Father's glories on." The author wrote u t7ie well- deserved " instead of "thy "in the first verse, and " dear" hour in the second verse instead of " blest." In the second line of the third verse the author wrote " Our hearts would wish it long to stay," and in the last line, "Nor comfort sink," instead of " hope decline." The first line of the fourth verse was originally, " Each following minute as it flies." These changes may be improvement, but the hymn ought not to be credited to the author with- out being marked "altered." X 3 The. prosperity of the saints. L. M. 0 RENDER thanks to God above, The fountain of eternal love, Whose mercy firm through ages past Hath stood, and shall forever last. 2 Who can his mighty deeds express, Not only vast, but numberless? What mortal eloquence can raise His tribute of immortal praise? HYMN STUDIES. 13 3 Extend to me that favor, Lord, Thou to thy chosen dost afford ; When thou return'st to set them free, Let thy salvation visit me. 4 O may I worthy prove to see Thy saints in full prosperity, That I the joyful choir may join, And count thy people's triumph mine ! TATE AND BRADY. Founded on Psalm cvi. The whole hymn con- tains eleven stanzas. This is composed of verses one, two, four, and five. The third stanza is so true and quaint, withal, that we must quote it : 3 " Happy are they and only they, Who from thy judgments never stray : Who know what's right, nor only so, But always practice what they know." The original has" Has " stood, instead of " Hath," in the first stanza. Tate and Brady were the joint authors of A New Version, of the Psalms, which was authorized for use in the churches by an order of William and Mary, in 1696. Nahum Tate was poet laureate from 1690 to 1715. See No. 120. The Rev. Nicholas Brady, D.D., was a native of Ireland, and was born in 1659. He attended W est- minster School, and then entered Christ Church, Oxford, but was graduated at Trinity College, Dub- lin. Brady was a radical Protestant, and took an active part in promoting the revolution in 1688-9. He afterward settled in London, where he obtained various preferments, and died in 1726. He published some sermons and poetical works, but his reputa- tion was made by the JVew Version. 14 Welcome to the King of glory. L. M. LIFT up your heads, ye mighty gates ! Behold, the King of glory waits ; The King of kings is drawing near, The Saviour of the world is here. 2 The Lord is just, a helper tried ; Mercy is ever at his side ; His kingly crown is holiness ; His scepter, pity in distress. 3 O blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed ! O happy hearts and happy homes To whom this King of triumph comes ! 4 Fling wide the portals of your heart ; Make it a temple, set apart From earthly use for heaven's employ, Adorned with prayer, and love, and joy. 5 Redeemer, come ! I open wide My heart to thee : here, Lord, abide ! Let me thy inner presence feel, Thy grace and love in me reveal ! 6 So come, my Sovereign ! enter in, Let new and nobler life begin ; Thy Holy Spirit guide us on, Until the glorious crown be won ! GEOE.Gr WEISSEL. This beautiful hymn was written in German, about 1630. The first stanza, indeed, the whole hymn, is founded on Psalm xxiv, 7 : " Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors ; and the King of glory shall come in." The translation, as found in Lyra Germanica, First Series, 1855, was made by Miss Catharine Winkworth, and consists of five eight-lined stanzas. The original, verse 6, line 1, read : " So shall your Sovereign enter in ; " Line 2 : " And new and nobler life begin." The Christian Church is greatly indebted to Miss Winkworth for valuable translations. She lived from 1829 until 1878. The Eev. Georg Weissel was born in Prussia in 1590. In 1623 he was appointed to a charge in Ko- nigsberg, where he died in 1635. 1 5 Longings for the house of God. 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 O happy souls that pray Where God appoints to hear ! O happy men that pay Their constant service there ! They praise thee still ; and happy they That 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 : O glorious seat ! thou, God, our King, Shalt thither bring our willing feet. ISAAC WATTS. These are the first, third, and fourth verses, unal- tered, of a hymn of seven stanzas, founded on Psalm lxxxiv. The author's title was : Longing for the House of God. Date of publication, i.719. 14 HYMN STUDIES. 1 Q The universal King. H. M. YOUNG men and maidens, raise Your tuneful voices high; Old men and children, praise The Lord of earth and sky ; Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 2 The universal King Let all the world proclaim ; Let every creature sing His attributes and name; Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 3 In his great name alone All excellences meet, Who sits upon the throne, And shall forever sit; Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. 4 Glory to God belongs ; Glory to God be given, Above the noblest songs Of all in earth and heaven; Him Three in One, and One in Three, Extol to all eternity. CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns for Children, 1763. Unaltered and entire. It is evidently founded upon Psalm cxlviii, 12, 13 : " Young men, and maidens; old men, and chil- dren : let them praise the name of the Lord ; for his name alone is excellent ; his glory is above the earth and heaven." f 17 TJie glory of His grace. C. P. M. LET all on earth their voices raise, To sing the great Jehovah's praise, And bless his holy name : His glory let the heathen know, His wonders to the nations show, His saving grace proclaim. 2 He framed the globe ; he built the sky ; He made the shining worlds on high, And reigns in glory there : His beams are majesty and light ; His beauties, how divinely bright ! His dwelling-place, how fair! 3 Come the great day, the glorious hour, When earth shall feel his saving power, All nations fear his name : Then shall the race of men confess The beauty of his holiness, His saving grace proclaim. ISAAC WATTS, ALT. This grand hymn is founded on Psalm xcvi. The second stanza is omitted, and the others are altered to change the meter. Date, 1719. Oeiginal. The God of the Gentiles. 1 " Let all the earth their voices raise To sing the choicest psalm of praise ; To sing and bless Jehovah? s name ; His glory let the Heathens know, His wonders to the nations show, And all his saving worJcs proclaim. 2 " The Heathens know thy glory, Lord ! The wond'ring nations read thy word. In Britain is Jehovah known ; Our worship shall no more be paid, To gods which mortal hands have made ; Our Maker is our God alone. B "He framed the globe, he built the sky, He made the shining worlds on high, And reigns complete in glory there ; His beams are majesty and light, His beauties, how divinely bright! His temple, how divinely fair ! 4 " Come the great day, the glorious hour, When earth shall feel his saving power, And barbarous nations fear his name : Then shall the race of man confess The beauty of his holiness, And in his courts his grace proclaim." 1 8 God's glorious presence. C. P. M. THOU God of power, thou God of love, Whose glory fills the realms above, Whose praise archangels sing, And veil their faces while they cry, a thrice holy," to their God most high, "Thrice holy," to their King; 2 Thee as our God we too would claim, And bless the Saviour's precious name, Through whom this grace is given : He bore the curse to sinners due, He forms their ruined souls anew, And makes them heirs of heaven. HYMN STUDIES. 15 3 The veil that hides thy glory rend, And here in saving power descend, And fix thy blest abode ; Here to our hearts thyself reveal, And let each waiting spirit feel The presence of our God. JOHN WALKER. This is a genuine hymn ; it was composed for the opening of Bethesda Chapel, Dublin, June 22, 1794. It was subsequently edited and appeared in A Se- lection of Hymns used in Bethesda Chapel, Dublin, 1814. A few slight changes have since been made. The Eev. John Walker (1767-1833) was an Irish clergyman, educated at Trinity College, Dublin. About the year 1800 he originated a new sect called the Church of God. but commonly known as " Walkerites." 1 9 The praise of Jesus. C. P. M. JESUS, thou soul of all our joys, For whom we now lift up our voice, And all our strength exert, Vouchsafe the grace we humbly claim ; Compose into a thankful frame, And tune thy people's heart. 2 While in the heavenly work we join, Thy glory be our whole design, Thy glory, not our own : Still let us keep this end in view, And still the pleasing task pursue, To please our God alone. 3 Thee let us praise, our common Lord, And sweetly join, with one accord, Thy goodness to proclaim : Jesus, thyself in us reveal, And all our faculties shall feel Thy harmonizing name. 4 With calmly reverential joy, O let us all our lives employ In setting forth thy love ; And raise in death our triumph higher, And sing, with all the heavenly choir, That endless song above. CHARLES WESLEY. Author's title : The True Use of Music. " I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." 1 Cor. xiv, 15. This hymn is composed of the first two and last two verses of a poem of eight stanzas. Original. Verse four, line two : " We then shall all our lives employ." From Hymns and Sacred Poems, vol. ii, 1749. /O U Humble adoration. 7. HEAVENLY Father, sovereign Lord, Be thy glorious name adored ! Lord, thy mercies never fail ; Hail, celestial Goodness, hail ! 2 Though unworthy of thine ear, Deign our humble songs to hear ; Purer praise we hope to bring When around thy throne we sing. 3 While on earth ordained to stay, Guide our footsteps in thy way, Till we come to dwell with thee, Till we all thy glory see. 4 Then, with angel-harps again, We will wake a noble strain; There, in joyful songs of praise, Our triumphant voices raise. BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, ALT. Praise and Thanksgiving. This is found in a Unitarian Collection, Salis- bury, 1778, where it begins : " Holy, holy, holy Lord." Seven lines have been altered, and two stanzas omitted. It is without name, but English hymnol- ogists ascribe it to the Rev. Benj. Williams, min- ister of a Presbyterian congregation at Salisbury. & X Blessings implored. 7. LORD, we come before thee now, At thy feet we humbly bow ; O do not our suit disdain ; Shall we seek thee, Lord, in vain? 2 Lord, on thee our souls depend ; In compassion now descend ; Fill our hearts with thy rich grace, Tune our lips to sing thy praise. 3 In thine own appointed way. Now we seek thee, here we stay ; Lord, we know not how to go, Till a blessing thou bestow. 4 Send some message from thy word, That may joy and peace afford ; Let thy Spirit now impart Full salvation to each heart. 5 Comfort those who weep and mourn ; Let the time of joy return ; Those that are cast down lift up ; Make them strong in faith and hope, 16 HYMN STUDIES. 6 Grant that all may seek and find Thee, a gracious God and kind : Heal the sick, the captive free ; Let us all rejoice in thee. WILLIAM HAMMOND. Author's title: A Hymn to be Sung at Public Worship. The original contains eight double stanzas. It first appeared in the author's Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 1745. Lyra Britannica, London, 1866, aiso gives the original. Hammond wrote the last line of the fifth verse : " Strong in faith, in love, and hope ; ' and in the first couplet of verse six : " Grant that those who seek may find, Thee a God sincere and kind." For biographical sketch, see No. 4. & a Tribute of praise at parting. 7. CHRISTIANS, brethren, ere we part, Every voice and every heart Join, and to our Father raise One last hymn of grateful praise. 2 Though we here should meet no more, Yet there is a brighter shore ; There, released from toil and pain, There we all may meet again. 3 Now to thee, thou God of heaven, Be eternal glory given : Grateful for thy love divine, May our hearts be ever thine. H. KIRKE WHITE, ALT. Original. " Christians ! brethren ! ere we part, Join every voice and every heart ; One solemn hymn to God we raise, One final song of grateful praise. " Christians ! we here may meet no more, But there is yet a happier shore ; And there, released from toil and pain, Brethren, ive shall meet again. "Now to God, the three in One, Be eternal glory done ; Raise, ye saints, the sound again : Ye nations, join the loud Amen." It was first published in Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original. Edited by William B. Coll- yer, D.D., London, 1812. Ilenry Kirke White was born in humble circum- stances at Nottingham, England, in 1785. When fourteen years old, he was apprenticed to a stock- ing weaver. Leaving this occupation, he began the study of law. After experiencing religion, he resolved to enter the Church, but died before he had completed his studies, at the early age of twenty years. His religious awakening was some- what remarkable. An intimate friend became a Christian, and— knowing that White was a skeptic, and that he ridiculed religion — avoided his society. On being asked the reason, he frankly told the skeptic of his conversion, and purpose to lead a new life. This cut White to the heart, and the result was that he, too, became a Chris- tian. He died October 19, 1806. 23 Concluding prayer and thanksgiving. 7. NOW may He who from the dead Brought the Shepherd of the sheep, Jesus Christ, our King and Head, All our souls in safety keep. 2 May he teach us to fulfill What is pleasing in his sight; Make us perfect in his will, And preserve us day and night. 3 To that great Redeemer's praise, Who the covenant sealed with blood, Let our hearts and voices raise Loud thanksgivings to our God. JOHN NEWTON. From the Olney Hymns } 1779. A metrical ver- sion of the familiar benediction, unaltered : "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well- pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Heb. xiii, 20, 21. John Newton was a native of London, born in 1725. His father was a seaman, and John, for many years, followed the same calling. He was a wild and wicked youth ; and, after having been flogged and expelled from the navy for desertion, shipped in a merchantman. At length he entered the serv- ice of an English slave-trader, and became ex- ceedingly degraded, profane, and profligate. In 1748, on a voyage home from Africa, during a ter- rific storm, he became truly awakened, and was ever afterward a changed man. In 1758 he began to preach, and after six years of study entered the ministry of the Church of England. He was the author of some prose works, and, in connection with the poet Cowper, published the Olney Hymns } 1779. Many of his hymns are very tame and ordinary ; some of them, however, are excellent, and are founa in all popular collections. He died in 1807. HYMN STUDIES. 17 24: Saints and angels praising God. 7. SONGS of praise the angels sang, Heaven with hallelujahs rang, When Jehovah's work begun, When he spake and it was done. 2 Songs of praise awoke the morn, When the Prince of peace was born : Songs of praise arose, when he Captive led captivity. 3 Saints below, with heart and voice, Still in songs of praise rejoice ; Learning here, by faith and love, Songs of praise to sing above. 4 Borne upon their latest breath, Songs of praise shall conquer death; Then amid eternal joy, Songs of praise their powers employ. JAMES MONTGOMERY. Unaltered from the Christian Psalmist, 1825. Title : Glory to God in the Highest. Luke ii, 14. Two stanzas are omitted : 3 " Heaven and earth must pass away, Songs of praise shall crown that day : God will make new heavens and earth, Songs of praise shall hail their birth. 4 " And will man alone be dumb, Till that glorious morning come ? No ; the Chui-ch delights to raise Psalms, and hymns, and songs of praise." 2 5 Let all the people praise Him. 7. THANK and praise Jehovah's name ; For his mercies, firm and sure, From eternity the same, To eternity endure. 2 Let the ransomed thus rejoice, Gathered out of every land, As the people of his choice, Plucked from the destroyer's hand. 3 Let the elders praise the Lord, Him let all the people praise, When they meet with one accord, In his courts on holy days. 4 Praise him, ye who know his love ; Praise him from the depths beneath ; Praise him in the heights above ; Praise your Maker, all that breathe. 2 5 For his truth and mercy stand, Past, and present, and to be, Like the years of his right hand, Like his own eternity. JAMES MONTGOMERY. This hymn is made up of two or three fragments : the first two verses are from the author's version of Psahn cvii ; the last two are a part of Psalm cxvii. The third stanza was written on Psalm cvii, 32. From Songs of Zion, 1822. For sketch of author, see No. 5. 2 6 Praise and prayer. 7. GLORY be to God on high, God, whose glory fills the sky ! Peace on earth to man forgiven, Man, the well-beloved of Heaven. 2 Sovereign Father, heavenly King, Thee we now presume to sing ; Thee with thankful hearts we prove God of power, and God of love. 3 Christ our Lord and God we own, Christ, the Father's only Son, Lamb of God for sinners slain, Saviour of offending man. 4 Bow thine ear, in mercy bow, Hear, the world's atonement, thou! Jesus, in thy name we pray, Take, O take our sins away. CHARLES WESLEY. Unaltered from Hymns and Sacred Poems, by John and Charles Wesley, 1739. Written upon Luke ii, 14: "Glory to God,' 1 etc. Part of a hymn of seven stanzas. Omitted from verses two and three : " Glad Thine attributes confess, Glorious all and numberless." " Hail ! by all Thy works adored, Hail ! the everlasting Lord ! " 6 " Powerful Advocate with God, Justify us by Thy blood ! Bow thine ear in mercy bow, Hear the World's Atonement, Thou. 7 " Hear for Thou, O Christ, alone With Thy glorious Sire art One ! One the Holy Ghost with Thee, One supreme Eternal Three." 18 HYMN STUDIES. Praise the Lord. 27 PRAISE the Lord, his glories show, Saints within his courts below, Angels round his throne above, All that see and share his love. 2 Earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, Tell his wonders, sing his worth ; Age to age, and shore to shore, Praise him, praise him, evermore ! 3 Praise the Lord, his mercies trace ; Praise his providence and grace ; All that he for man hath done ; All he sends us through his Son. 4 Strings and voices, hands and hearts, In the concert bear your parts ; All that breathe, your Lord adore, Praise him. praise him, evermore ! HENRY F. LYTE, ALT. Founded upon Psalm cl. From the author's Spirit of the Psalms, London, 1834. The first three stanzas have been altered. The last line of the first verse read : w Praise Him all that share His love." The first couplet of second verse : " Earth to heaven exalt the strain, Send it, heaven, to earth again." The third verse read : " Praise the Lord, His goodness trace ; All the wonders of His grace ; All that Ho hath borne and done," etc. The fourth stanza would not have been admitted into any hymn book by the early Methodists. Instruments of music in the church, and especially those with " strings," were an abomination to them. Dr. Adam Clarke said : " Music as a science I admire ; but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor." John Wesley said : ** I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen." The Eev. Henry Francis Lyte lived from 1793 to 1847 ; was educated at Trinity College, Dublin ; en- tered the ministry while yet unconverted ; but, in visiting a dying brother clergymen and searching the Scriptures together, they both found the way of salvation by faith. Some of this author's hymns are deservedly great favorites. 28 The heavenly Guest. C. M. COME, let us who in Christ believe, Our common Saviour praise : To him with joyful voices give The glory of his grace. 2 He now stands knocking at the door Of every sinner's heart: The worst need keep him out no more, Nor force him to depart. 3 Through grace we hearken to thy voice, Yield to be saved from sin ; In sure and certain hope rejoice, That thou wilt enter in. 4 Come quickly in, thou heavenly Guest, Nor ever hence remove ; But sup with us, and let the feast Be everlasting love. CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns on God^s Everlasting Love, 1741. This is made of the first and last three verses, unaltered, of a poem of fourteen stanzas. In the Calvinistic controversy, that was so hotly waged between the Wesleys, on the one hand, and Whitefield, Cennick, and others, on the other, the hymns with the above title were circulated as tracts, and proved very effectual weapons of war- fare. A glance at the hymn will show how un- palatable it must have been to a strict Calvinist. The stanzas omitted were still more so. 29 Blessing on worshipers. C. M. ONCE more we come before our God; Once more his blessing ask : O may not duty seem a load, Nor worship prove a task. 2 Father, thy quickening Spirit send From heaven, in Jesus' name, And bid our waiting minds attend, And put our souls in frame. 3 May we receive the word we hear, Each in an honest heart ; And keep the precious treasure there, And never with it part. 4 To seek thee, all our hearts dispose ; To each thy blessing suit ; And let the seed thy servant sows Produce abundant fruit. JOSEPH HART. Title : Before Preaching. From the Supplement of Hymns Composed on Various Subjects. By J. Hart, 1762. In the third verse the author wrote " Hoard up," instead of " And keep ; " in the fourth verse he wrote " a copious," instead of "abundant." The original has two additional stanzas : "Bid the refreshing north wind wake, Say to the south wind, blow ; Let every plant the power partake, And all the garden grow. HYMN STUDIES. 19 " Revive the parched with heavenly showers, The cold with warmth divine ; And as the benefit is ours, Be all the glory thine." The Eev. Joseph Hart was born in London in 1712 ; was liberally educated, and in early manhood led a life of prayer. He afterward became notori ously skeptical and wicked ; but God's Spirit fol- lowed him, and at length he became a new man and a minister of the Gospel. Some of his hymns are great favorites. He died May 24, 1768. 30 Expecting the blessing. C. M. SEE, Jesus, thy disciples see, The promised blessing give ; Met in thy name, we look to thee, Expecting to receive. 2 Thee we expect, our faithful Lord, Who in thy name are joined ; We wait, according to thy word, Thee in the midst to find. 3 With us thou art assembled here, But O thyself reveal ; Son of the living God, appear ! Let us thy presence feel. 4 Breathe on us, Lord, in this our day, And these dry bones shall live ; Speak peace into our hearts, and say, "The Holy Ghost receive." CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. Un- altered. Title : At Meeting of Friends. There are four additional stanzas : 5 " Whom now we seek, O may we meet ! Jesus the Crucified. Show us thy bleeding hands and feet, Thou who for us hast died. 6 " Cause us the record to receive ; Speak, and the tokens show : 0 be not faithless, but believe In me who died for you. 7 " Lord, I believe for me, even me, Thy wounds were opened wide ; 1 see the prints, I more than see Thy feet, thy hands, thy side. 8 "I cannot fear, I cannot doubt, 1 feel the sprinkled blood ; Let every soul with me cry out, ' Thou art my Lord, my God.' " 3 1 Infinite grace. C. M. INFINITE excellence is thine, Thou glorious Prince of Grace ! Thy uncreated beauties shine With never-fading rays. 2 Sinners, from earth's remotest end, Come bending at thy feet ; To thee their prayers and songs ascend, In thee their wishes meet. 3 Millions of happy spirits live On thy exhaustless store; From thee they all their bliss-receive, And still thou givest more. 4 Thou art their triumph and their joy ; They find their all in thee ; Thy glories will their tongues employ Through all eternity. JOHN FAWCETT. Title : Jesus the Desire of all Nations. The original contains twelve stanzas. These are verses one, five, eight, and nine. The author wrote "lovely" instead of " glorious " in verse one, line two, and "vows" instead of "songs" in verse two, line three. From the author's hymn book, containing one hundred and sixty-six pieces, entitled, Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, 1782. The Rev. John Fawcett was awakened by the preaching of George Whitefield ; joined the Baptist Church at Bradford in 1758 ; after much prayer de- cided to follow the advice of his friends and became a preacher; was ordained minister of a Baptist Church at Wainsgate, Eng., in 1765, and continued in the work of the ministry for more than fifty years. He died in Christian triumph, in 1817, at the age of seventy-eight years. 3 2 The great and effectual door. C. M. JESUS, thou all- redeeming Lord, Thy blessing we implore; Open the door to preach thy word. The great, effectual door. 2 Gather the outcasts in, and save From sin and Satan's power; And let them now acceptance have, And know their gracious hour. 3 Lover of souls ! thou know'st to prize What thou hast bought so dear : Come, then, and in thy people's eyes With all thy wounds appear. 20 HYMN S TTTDIES. ihe hardness of our hearts remove, Thou who for all hast died ; Show us the tokens of thy love, Thy feet, thy hands, thy side. 5 Ready thou art the blood to apply, And prove the record true ; And all thy wounds to sinners cry, " I suffered this for you." CHARLES WESLEY. Prom Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. The author's title is : Before Treadling to the Colliers in Leicestershire. This is composed of verses one, two, six, and nine, of a hymn of eighteen stanzas. No. 867 is a Dart of the same hymn. The author wrote "stony" instead of "hard- ness " in verse four. Among the omitted stanzas are the following, which contain great beauties and great defects : " Thy feet were nailed to yonder tree To trample down their sin ; Thy hands they all stretched out may see, To take the murderers in. " Thy side an open fountain is, Where all may freely go, And drink the living streams of bliss, And wash them white as snow.'' 33 God, the only object of ivorship. 0. M. OGOD, our strength, to thee our song With grateful hearts we raise; To thee, and thee alone, belong All worship, love, and praise. 2 In trouble's dark and stormy hour Thine ear hath heard our prayer ; And graciously thine arm of power Hath saved us from despair. 3 And thou, O ever gracious Lord, Wilt keep thy promise still, If, meekly hearkening to thy word, We seek to do thy will. 4 Led by the light thy grace imparts, Ne'er may we bow the knee To idols, which our wayward hearts Set up instead of thee. 5 So shall thy choicest gifts, O Lord, Thy faithful people bless ; For them shall earth its stores afford, And heaven its happiness. HARRIET AUBER. Founded upon passages of Psalm lxxxi. It is a fine hymn, unaltered and complete. Miss Harriet Auber lived to be eighty-nine years old, (1773-1862. ) She led a quiet and contented life ; writing much, but publishing otdy one volume. The full title of this book was : The Spirit of the Tsalms ; A Compressed Version of Select Tortions of the Tsalms of David. It was published anony- mously in 1829. It is not entirely original ; some pieces were selected from well-known writers. 34 Vying with the angels. C. M. A THOUSAND oracles divine Their common beams unite, That sinners may with angels join, To worship God aright. 2 Triumphant host ! they never cease To laud and magnify The Triune God of holiness, Whose glory fills the sky. 3 By faith the upper choir we meet, And challenge them to sing Jehovah on his shining seat, Our Maker and our King. 4 But God made flesh is wholly ours, And asks our noblest strain ; The Father of celestial powers, The Friend of earthborn man ! CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns on the Trinity, 1767. Only half of the hymn is given here. The thought of the last line is beautifully expressed by Edward Young in his Night Thong /its: " 0 how Omnipotence Is lost in love ! thou great Philanthropist, Father of angels, but the friend of man." Verse three, line four, the author wrote : "Our Maker, God, and King." The third verse of the hymn is a grand one. The following omitted stanza is equally remark- able : " Ye seraphs nearest to the throng With rapturous amaze On us poor ransomed worms look down, For h leaven's superior praise." The thought is beautiful, yet it is not new, nor original with Wesley, that redeemed men can and ought to excel the angels in praise to God. HYMN STUDIES. 21 35 Grace, pardon, and life. L. M. FATHER of heaven, whose love profound A ransom for our souls hath found, Before thy throne we sinners bend ; To us thy pardoning love extend. 2 Almighty Son, incarnate Word, Our Prophet, 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 from sin and death, Before 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. EDWARD COOPER. This hymn is unaltered and entire, as found in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, Adapted to the Services of the Church of England. By the Rev. T. Cotterill, A.M., Eighth Edition, considerably enlarged. Sheffield, 1819. It first appeared in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, Uttoxeter, A805. It was so well written that it has escaped the attention of the hymn menders and appears here in its original form. Eev. Edward Cooper was a Church of England clergyman born in 1770. He died in 1833. 3 6 True worship every-where accepted. L. M. OTHOU to whom, in ancient time, The lyre of Hebrew bards was strung, Whom kings adored in song sublime, And prophets praised with glowing tongue ; 2 Not now on Zion's height alone The favored worshiper may dwell, Nor where, at sultry noon, thy Son Sat weary by the patriarch's well. 3 From every place below the skies, The grateful song, the fervent prayer, The incense of the heart may rise To heaven, and find acceptance there. 4 O thou to whom, in ancient time, The holy prophet's harp was strung, To thee at last in every clime, Shall temples rise and praise be sung. JOHN PIERPONT. Author's title : Universal Worship. From Airs of Palestine and Other Poems. Bos- ton, 1841. It was written for the opening of the Inde- pendent Congregational Church in Salem, Mass., 1824. Verses two and three contain an elegant refer- ence to the words of Christ to the woman of Sama- ria, John iv, 21-23. Two unimportant stanzas are omitted. In the second line of the last stanza Pierpont wrote : " The lyre of prophet bards was strung." John Pierpont was born in Litchfield, Conn., in 1785; was graduated at Yale College in 1804; spent several years as teacher, lawyer, and merchant ; and in 1818 began to study for the ministry. Soon after that he was installed pastor of the Hollis Street Unitarian Church, in Boston, where he re- mained for twenty-five years. At the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, although seventy-five years old, he could not be contented to remain at home, and Governor Andrew appointed him chap- lain of a regiment. His failing strength was not equal to the duties of his position, and he resigned. He was then appointed to a clerkship in Washing- ton, and remained in the service of the govern- ment until the time of his death, in 1866. Pierpont was a scholar, orator, and poet, a radical temper- ance advocate, and a bold antislavery leader. Two of his hymns, both valuable, are found in this collection. 3 7 Trembling aspiration. L. M. OTHOU, whom all thy saints adore, We now with all thy saints agree, And bow our inmost souls before Thy glorious, awful Majesty. 2 We come, great God, to seek thy face, And for thy loving-kindness wait ; And O how dreadful is this place ! 'Tis God's own house, 'tis heaven's gate. 3 Tremble our hearts to find thee nigh ; To thee our trembling hearts aspire ; And lo ! we see descend from high The pillar and the flame of fire. 4 Still let it on the assembly stay, And all the house with glory fill ; To Canaan's bounds point out the way, And lead us to thy holy hill. 5 There let us all with Jesus stand, And join the general Church above, And take our seats at thy right hand, And sing thine everlasting love. CHARLES WESLEY. 22 HYMN STUDIES. Title: Entering into the Congregation. Two stanzas, the second and seventh, are omitted : " Thee, King of nations, we proclaim : Who would not our great Sovereign fear? "We long to experience all Thy name, And now we come to meet Thee here. " Come, Lord, our souls are on the wing, Now on Thy great white throne appear, And let my eyes behold my King, And let me see my Saviour there." Taken unaltered from Hymns and Sawed Poems. By John and Charles Wesley, 1742. Solemn adoration. L. M. 38 ETERNAL Power, whose high abode Becomes the grandeur of a God, infinite lengths beyond the bounds Where stars revolve their little rounds ! 2 Thee while the first archangel sings, He hides his face behind his wings, And ranks of shining thrones around Fall worshiping, and spread the ground. 3 Lord, what shall earth and ashes do? We would adore our Maker' too ; From sin and dust to thee we cry, The Great, the Holy, and the High. 4 Earth, from afar, hath heard thy fame, And worms have learned to lisp thy name: But O ! the glories of thy mind Leave all our soaring thoughts behind. 5 God is in heaven, and men below: Be short our tunes ; our words be few : A solemn reverence checks our songs, And praise sits silent on our tongues. ISAAC WATTS. From Horce Lyricce, 1709. Author's title: The Conclusion — God Exalted, above all Praise. The second stanza is omitted : " The lowest step beneath thy feet, Eises too high for Gabriel's feet ; In vain the tall archangel tries To reach thine height with wondering eyes." This stanza is extravagant, but it is poetic, and characteristic of its author. The first line of the next stanza has been altered. Watts wrote : " Thy dazzling beauties whilst he sings." 39 Living bread. L. M. THY presence, gracious God, afford; Prepare us to receive thy word: Now let thy voice engage our ear. And faith be mixed with what we hear. 2 Distracting thoughts and cares remove, And fix our hearts and hopes above : With food divine may we be fed, And satisfied with living bread. 3 To us the sacred word apply With sovereign power and energy ; And may we, in thy faith and fear, Reduce to practice what we hear. 4 Father, in us thy Son reveal ; Teach us to know and do thy will: Thy saving power and love displajr, And guide us to the realms of day. JOHN FAWCETT. Title : Before Sermon. The text of this hymn remains the same as it read a century ago; except that the chorus has been dropped : Cho. " Thus, Lord, thy waiting servants bless, And crown thy Gospel with success." From Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion. By John Fawcett, Leeds, 1782. See No. 31. 40 God revealed to faith. L. M. NOT here, as to the prophet's eye, The Lord upon his throne appears ; Nor seraphim responsive cry, ' ' Holy ! thrice holy ! " in our ears : 2 Yet God is present in this place, Veiled in serener majesty; So full of glory, truth, and grace, That faith alone such light can see. 3 Nor, as he in the temple taught, Is Christ within these walls revealed, When blind, and deaf, and dumb were brought, Lepers and lame, and all were healed : 4 Yet here, when two or three shall meet, Or thronging multitudes are found, All may sit down at Jesus' feet, And hear from him the joyful sound. HYMN STUDIES. 23 5 Send forth the seraphim, O Lord, To touch thy servants' lips with fire ; Saviour, give them thy faithful word ; Come, Holy Ghost, their hearts inspire. JAMES MONTGOMERY. Title : For the Opening of a Place of Worship. In the second line of the third stanza the author- ized text is : " Is Christ beneath this roof revealed." From Sacred Poems and Hymns for Public and Private Devotion, 1853. This book the author calls " the most serious work" of his long life. It was edited the year previous to his death. See No. 5. 41 Glory begun below. S. M. COME, ye that love the Lord, And let your joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, While ye surround his throne. f 2 Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God, But servants of the heavenly King May speak their joys abroad. 3 The God that rules on high, That all the earth surveys, That rides upon the stormy sky, And calms the roaring seas ; 4 This awful God is ours, Our Father and our Love ; He will send down his heavenly powers, To carry us above. 5 There we shall see his face, And never, never sin; There, from the rivers of his grace, Drink endless pleasures in : 6 Yea, and before we rise To that immortal state, The thoughts of such amazing bliss Should constant joys create. 7 The men of grace have found Glory begun below ; Celestial fruit on earthly ground From faith and hope may grow : 8 Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry ; We're marching through Immanuel's ground, To fairer worlds on high. ISAAC WATTS, ALT. BY J. WESLEY. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, booh ii, 1707. Title: Heavenly Joy on Earth. Stanzas two and nine are omitted : 2 " The sorrows of the mind Be banished from the place ! Keligion never was designed To make our pleasures less. 9 " The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets. Before we reach the heavenly fields, Or walk the golden streets." The first stanza has been altered, yet some still prefer it as Watts wrote it : " Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known, Join in a song with sweet accord, And thus surround the throne." In the second verse of the hymn we have "servants." Watts wrote " fa v' rites." Better than either of these would be children. The third verse has been greatly improved by the changes made. Watts wrote : " The God that rules on high, And thunders when he please, That rides upon the stormy sky, And manages the seas." It is no wonder that the author put this stanza in brackets. 43 Creating love and redeeming grace. S. M. FATHER, in whom we live, In whom we are, and move, The glory, power, and praise receive Of thy creating love. 2 Let all the angel throng Give thanks to God on high, While earth repeats the joyful song, And echoes to the sky. 3 Incarnate Deity, Let all the ransomed race Render in thanks their lives to thee, For thy redeeming grace. 4 The grace to sinners showed, Ye heavenly choirs proclaim, And cry, ' ' Salvation to our God, Salvation to the Lamb ! " CHARLES WESLEY. Title : To the Trinity. From Hymns for Those that Seek, and Those that ■Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. London, 1747. Long titles were fashionable in those days. The book was usually called Redemp- tion Hymns, and was very popular. This is the first half of the original poem, unaltered. 24 HYMN STUDIES. 4:3 The sacrifice of praise TT7ITH joy we lift our eyes, S. M. W To those bright realms above, That glorious temple in the skies, Where dwells eternal Love. 2 Before thy throne we bow, O thou almighty King ; Here we present the solemn vow, And hymns of praise we sing. 3 While in thy house we kneel, With trust and holy 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 thy presence cast away The sacrifice we bring. THOMAS JEItVIS, ALT. The author's title was : Homage and Devotion. It has been changed from common to short meter, Original of altered lines : Verse one, line one : " With sacred joy we lift our eyes." Verse two, line one : " Before the awful throne we bow." Verse two, line two : " Of heaven's almighty King." Verse three, line one : " While in thy house of prayer we kneel." Verse four, line one : " With fervor teach our hearts to pray." One stanza—the third — is omitted : " Thee we adore ; and, Lord, to thee Our filial duty pay ; Thy service, unconstrained and free, Conducts to endless day." From A Collection of Hymns and Psalms for Public and Private Worship. A new edition, 1819. (First edition, 1795.) The Rev. Thomas Jervis (1748-1833) was an English Unitarian minister. 44 The great Shepherd with his flock. L. M. JESUS, where'er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat ; Where'er they seek thee, thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground. 2 For thou, within no walls confined, Dost dwell with those of humble mind ; Such ever bring thee where they come, And, going, take thee to their home. 3 Great Shepherd of thy chosen few, Thy former mercies here renew ; Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim The sweetness of thy saving name. 4 Here may we prove the power of prayer To strengthen faith and sweeten care ; To teach our faint desires to rise, And bring all heaven before our eyes. WILLIAM COWPER. Title : On opening a place for Social Prayer. From Olney Hymns, 1779. The author wrote : Verse two, line two : u Inhabitest the humble mind." Verse three, line one : " Dear Shepherd of the chosen few." There are two additional stanzas : "Behold, at thy commanding word, We stretch the curtain and the cord ; Come thou, and fill this wider space, And bless us with a large increase. " Lord, we are few, but thou art near ; Nor short thine arm, nor deaf thine ear; v Oh rend the heavens, come quickly down, And make a thousand hearts thine own." William Cowper was the most distinguished poet in the last half of the eighteenth century. His father was a clergyman, and chaplain to George II. Cowper was born in Hertfordshire in 1731 ; educated at Westminster School ; read law in London, and was admitted to the bar, but always preferred literature to law. He won fame by writing the " Task," which was published in 1785. Cowper was endowed with poetic genius, and afflicted by tendency to insanity. The latter increased as he advanced in years until his mind was overshadowed by the deepest gloom. Death brought relief in his seven- tieth year, 1800. 4:5 Blest hour of prayer. L. M. BLEST hour, when mortal man retires To hold communion with his God ; To send to Heaven his warm desires, And listen to the sacred word. 2 Blest hour, when God himself draws nigh, Well pleased his people's voice to hear ; To hush the penitential sigh, And wipe away the mourner's tear. HYMN STUDIES. 25 3 Blest hour, for, where the Lord resorts, Foretastes of future bliss are given ; And mortals find his earthly courts The house of God, the gate of heaven. 4 Hail, peaceful hour ! supremely blest Amid the hours of worldly care; The hour that yields the spirit rest, That sacred hour, the hour of prayer. 5 And when my hours of prayer are past, And this frail tenement decays, Then may I spend in heaven at last A never-ending hour of praise. THOMAS RAFFLES. It is said thai this hymn was contributed to TJie Amulet, 1828. I have not seen the original. The Kev. Thomas Eaffles, D.D., an English Inde- pendent divine and celebrated pulpit orator, was born at London in 1788 ; studied theology at Homer- ton College ; in 1812 was called to the pastorate of a Congregational church in Liverpool, held it until 1860, and died in 1863. He was the author of some excellent prose works, and wrote a number of hymns. 46 For Ziori's peace. L. M. OTHOU, our Saviour, Brother, Friend, Behold a cloud of incense rise ; The prayers of saints to heaven ascend, Grateful, accepted sacrifice. 2 Regard our prayers for Zion's peace ; Shed in our hearts thy love abroad ; Thy gifts abundantly increase ; Enlarge, and fill us all with God. 3 Before thy sheep, great Shepherd, go, And guide into thy perfect will ; Cause us thy hallowed name to know ; The work of faith in us fulfill. 4 Help us to make our calling sure ; O let us all be saints indeed, And pure, as thou thyself art pure, Conformed in all things to our Head. 5 Take the dear purchase of thy blood : Thy blood shall wash us white as snow : Present us sanctified to God, And perfected in love below. CHARLES WESLEY. Title: Hymn of Intercession. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. Some verbal changes have been made. In the first verse Wesley wrote u Husband" instead of "Saviour," and "unceasing" for "accepted" in the last line of the third verse : " The work of faith with power fulfill ; " and in the third line of the fourth verse : " And pure as God Himself 'is pure." There are four additional stanzas, but they are of no particular value. 47 Lo ! God is here. L. M. 6 1. 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 ; Who know his power, his grace who prove, Serve him with awe, with reverence love. 2 Lo ! God is here ! him day and night United choirs of angels sing: To him, enthroned above all height, Heaven's host their noblest praises bring ; Disdain not, Lord, our meaner song, Who praise thee with a stammering tongue. 3 Being of beings, may our praise Thy courts with grateful fragrance fill ; Still may we stand before thy face, Still hear and do thy sovereign will ; To thee may all our thoughts arise, Ceaseless, accepted sacrifice. GERHARD TERSTEEOEN. TR. BY J. WESLEY. Title: Public Worship. The first, second, and third stanzas, unaltered, of a translation found in Hymns and Sacred Poems. By John and Charles Wesley, 1739. The hymn was evidently suggested by the words of Jacob, Gen. xxviii, 16, 17 : "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place • and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place ! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Gerhard Tersteegen, the writer of this solemn lyric, was born in humble life, in the town of Mors, West- phalia, in 1697. He experienced religion in early years, and some time afterward consecrated him- self entirely to the Lord and lived in intimate and precious communion with God. It was doubtless the author's reputation for saintliness that attracted the attention of Wesley to his hymns. He was, in fact, a mystic of lofty and pure type. He devoted himself to doing good, in a humble way, by private conversation, and by holding meetings and making addresses. In 1731 he published a volume, called The Spiritual Flower-garden, which contained one hundred and eleven hymns. Altogether, he was a remarkable man, and a great religious poet. Died 26 HYMN STUDIES. 4:8 Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of SaboatJi. L.M.61. INFINITE God, to thee we raise Our hearts in solemn songs of praise : By all thy works on earth adored, We worship thee, the common Lord ; The everlasting Father own, And bow our souls before thy throne. 2 Thee all the choir of angels sings, The Lord of hosts, the King of kings ; Cherubs proclaim thy praise aloud, And seraphs shout the Triune God ; And "Holy, holy, holy," cry, " Thy glory fills both earth and sky." 3 Father of endless majesty, All might and love we render thee ; Thy true and only Son adore, The same in dignity and power; And God the Holy Ghost declare, The saints' eternal Comforter. CHARLES WESLEY. Verses one, two, and five of a metrical paraphrase of the Te Deum Laudamus. The poem comprises fourteen stanzas. The author wrote " the " instead of " thy" in the last line of the first verse. From Hymns for those that Seek and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Lon- don, 1747. 49 Lift up our hearts to Tliee. L. M. 0 CHRIST, who hast prepared a place For us around thy throne of grace, We pray thee, lift our hearts above, And draw them with the cords of love. 2 Source of all good, thou, gracious Lord, Art our exceeding great reward ; How transient is our present pain, How boundless our eternal gain ! 3 With open face and joyful heart, We then shall see thee as thou art : Our love shall never cease to glow, Our praise shall never cease to flow. 4 Thy never-failing grace to prove, A surety of thine endless love, Send down thy Holy Ghost, to be The raiser of our souls to thee. SANTOLIUS VICTORINUS. TR. BY J. CHANDLER. Author's title : Nobis Olympo redditus. Santolius Victorinus, whose French name was Jean Baptiste Santeul, born in 1630, was a celebrat- ed scholar and poet. He died in 1697. The Eev. John Chandler (1806-1876) was a clergyman of the Church of England, and the translator and editor of Hymns of the Primitive Church. London, 1837. This translation is from that valuable work, unaltered. The doxology, verse five, is : 5 " 0 future Judge, Eternal Lord, Thy name be hallowed and adored ; To God the Father, King of heaven, And Holy Ghost, like praise be given. Amen." Show mercy. 7, 6. OGOD, to show us mercy, And bless us in thy grace ; Cause thou to shine upon us The brightness of thy face : 2 That so throughout all nations Thy way may be well known, And unto every people Thy saving health be shown. 3 O God, let people praise thee, Let all the people praise ; O let the nations joyful Their songs of gladness raise: 4 For thou shalt judge the people In truth and righteousness; And on the earth all nations Shall thy just rule confess. 5 O God, let people praise thee ; Thy praises let them sing ; And then in rich abundance The earth her fruit shall bring : 6 The Lord our God shall bless us, God shall his blessing send; And people all shall fear him To earth's remotest end. JOHN HOPKINS AND OTHERS. This is a beautiful metrical version of Psalm lxvii. We may safely say that this grand hymn was never written ; it grew, and it has grown, at length, to be nearly perfect. The basis of the hymn is the version of the Eev. John Hopkins, who, with Thomas Sternhold and others, edited The Whole Booh of Psalms, col- lected into English Metre, 1562. It was slightly altered by Francis Eous for his first edition of The Book of Psalmes in English Meeter, 1641. It was again altered and improved by the editors of the version approved by the Church of Scotland. Since then it has come into its present shape. It was inspired of God, and will live forever. HYMN STUD IE 8. 27 5 1 Thanksgiving for infinite love. 10, 11. YE servants of God, your Master proclaim, And publish abroad his wonderful name ; The name all-victorious of Jesus extol ; His kingdom is glorious, and 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 salvo.tion 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 adore, and give him his right, All glory and power, all wisdom and might, All honor and blessing, with angels above, And thanks never ceasing for infinite love. CHARLES WESLEY. Title : To he Sung in a Tumult. Two stanzas, the second and third of the original, are omitted : , " The waves of the sea Have lift up their voice, Sore troubled that we In Jesus rejoice ; The floods they are roaring, But Jesus is here, While we are adoring He always is near. " "When devils engage, The billows arise, And horribly rage, And threaten the skies : Their fury shall never Our steadfastness shock, The weakest believer Is built on a rock." Verse three, line three, the author wrote : " Our Jesus' s praises ," etc. The year 1744 was a time of great opposition to, and persecution of, the Methodists in England. The country was at war with Prance. An invasion for the purpose of dethroning George II. and crowning the exiled representative of the House of Stuart was expected. The Methodists were represented as Papists in disguise, working for the Pretender. Their meetings were broken up by mobs, and many of their preachers were impressed into the army. Even the Wesley s were brought before the magis- trates for examination. In the midst of these per- secutions they published a pamphlet, containing thirty-three pieces, and entitled Hymns for Times of Trouble and Persecution, 1744. This hymn was first published in that pamphlet. 52 For the fullness of peace and joy. 8, 7, 4. LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing, Fill our hearts with joy and peace ; Let us each, thy love possessing, Triumph in redeeming grace ; O refresh us, Traveling through this wilderness. 2 Thanks we give, and adoration, For thy gospel's joyful sound; May the fruits of thy salvation In our hearts and lives abound ; May thy presence With us evermore be found. 3 So, when'er the signal's given Us from earth to call away, Borne on angels' wings to heaven, Glad the summons to obey, May we ever Reign with Christ in endless day. WALTER SHIRLEY. (?) A very appropriate and widely used closing hymn. _ It is found in the Eev. John Harris's Collection of Hymns for Public Worship, 1774. There it has the name of John Fawcett. It is not among his original hymns, 1782. The hymn is the same as it is found in Lady Hunting- don's Collection, edited by Walter Shirley, with the exception of one line. The fifth line of verse three reads : " We shall surely.'''' English hymnologists now attribute this hymn to Fawcett, instead of Shirley. The Hon. and Eev. Walter Shirley was born in 1725, of a noble family ; was brother to Earl Fer- rars, and cousin of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. He was a very useful and successful clergyman of the Church of England. He died in 1786. ID'S Tlie apostolic benediction. 8, 7. MAY the grace of Christ our Saviour, And the Father's boundless love, With the Holy Spirit's favor, Rest upon us from above : Thus may we abide in union With each other and the Lord ; And possess, in sweet communion, Joys which earth cannot afford. JOHN NEWTON. From Olney Hymns, 1779. A metrical version of the apostolic benediction, unaltered : " The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii, 14. 28 HYMN STUDIES. 54 Heavenly joy anticipated. 8, 7, 4. IN thy name, O Lord, assembling, We, thy people, now draw near: Teach us to rejoice with trembling; Speak, and let thy servants hear : Hear with meekness, Hear thy word w T ith godly fear. 2 While our days on earth are lengthened, May we give them, Lord, to thee : Cheered by hope, and daily strengthened, May we run, nor weary be, Till thy glory Without cloud in heaven we see. 3 There, in worship purer, sweeter, All thy people shall adore ; Sharing then in rapture greater Than they could conceive before : Full enjoyment, Full and pure, for evermore. THOMAS KELLY. " Speak ; for thy servant heareth." 1 Sam. iii, 10. The last stanza is somewhat altered. Thomas Kelly, son of the Eight Hon. Baron Kelly, was born at Dublin in 1769. After gradu- ating at Dublin University he studied law ; but gave up law for theology, and was ordained a clergyman of the Established Church in 1793. He was subsequently an Independent minister, a wealthy and learned man, and a very popular and useful preacher. He labored in the city of Dublin more than sixty years. In 1804 he published a small volume containing ninety six original hymns. This volume increased in successive editions until it numbered seven hun- dred and sixty-five hymns. This was entitled Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture. Dublin, 1853. Many of them are of little value ; but some, like this, are deservedly popular. This hymn ap- peared in 1815. Mr. Kelly died in 1854. 55 For a blessing on the ivord. 8, 7, 4 COME, thou soul-transforming Spirit, Bless the sower and the seed ; Let each heart thy grace inherit ; Raise the weak, the hungry feed ; From the gospel Now supply thy people's need. 2 O may all enjoy the blessing Which thy word's designed to give; Let us all, thy love possessing, Joyfully the truth receive, And forever To thy praise and glory live. JONATHAN EVANS. Title : A Blessing Requested. It is found in George Burder's Collection of Hymns. 1784. It is unaltered and entire. The Bev. Jonathan Evans was born in 1749. In early life he was very wicked ; but, when about thirty years of age, became a Christian and a mem- ber of the Congregational Church. He subsequently became pastor of a church at Foleshill, England, and died in 1809. 56 Isaiah? s vision. 8. 7. ROUND the Lord, in glory seated, Cherubim and seraphim Filled his temple, and repeated Each to each the alternate hymn : 2 ' ' Lord, thy glory fills the heaven ; Earth is with its fullness stored ; Unto thee be glory given, Holy, holy, holy Lord." 8 Heaven is still with glory ringing ; Earth takes up the angels' cry, "Holy, holy, holy," singing, "Lord of host, Lord God most high." 4 With his seraph train before him, With his holy Church below, Thus unite we to adore him : Bid we thus our anthem flow : 5 ' 1 Lord, thy glory tills the heaven ; Earth is with its fullness stored ; Unto thee be glory given, Holy, holy, holy Lord." RICHARD MANT. Title : Hymn Commemorative of the TJirice Holy. The original has eight stanzas ; the first, fifth, and eighth are omitted. Only one word has been changed ; the author wrote, verse four, line three : " Thus conspire we to adore Him." From the Author's Original Hymns added to Ancient Hymns from the Roman Breviary, 1837. The Bev. Bictiard Mant, D.D., was born at South- ampton in 1776 ; was graduated at Oxford in 1797 ; and was appointed curate in 1802. In 1816 he was made Sector of St. Botolph's, London, and was consecrated Bishop in 1820. He died in 1848. He published several prose works, and was the author of many hymns and translations. 5 7 Exhortation to praise God. 8, 7. PRAISE the Lord ! ye heavens, adore him ; Praise him, angels, in his height ; Sun and moon, rejoice before him; Praise him, all ye stars of light. HYMN STUDIES. 29 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. UNKNOWN. A successful rendering of the first three verses of Psalm cxlviii : " Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens : praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon : praise ye him, all ye stars of light." It was attributed to the Rev. John Kempthorne, (1775-1838,) an English clergyman, on the author- ity of Daniel Sedgwick. Kempthorne published it, with others, in Select Portions of Psalms and Hymns, 1810, but he made no claim to the author- ship. The hymn is taken, unaltered and entire, from Psalms, Hymns, and Anthems For the Foundling Chapel. London, 1796. It must be marked Un- known. 58 Glory to the Lamb. 8, 7. HARK ! the notes of angels, singing, " Glory, glory to the Lamb ! " All in heaven their tribute bringing, Raising high the Saviour's name. 2 Ye for whom his life was given, Sacred themes to you belong: Come, assist the choir of heaven ; Join the everlasting song. 3 See ! the angelic host have crowned him, Jesus fills the throne on high ; Countless myriads, hovering round him, With his praises rend the sky. 4 Filled with holy emulation, Let us vie with those above : Sweet the theme, a free salvation, Fruit of everlasting love. 5 Endless life in him possessing, Let us praise his precious name ; Glory, honor, power, and blessing, Be forever to the Lamb. THOMAS KELLY. Taken unaltered from the Author's Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, 180G. The passage prefixed to this hymn is, " Worthy is the Lamb." Rev. v, 12. One stanza, the third of the original, has been left out : " Saints and angels thus united, Songs imperfect still must raise; Though despised on earth and slighted Jesus is above all praise." The subject of this hymn is a common one with hymn writers. The author has put it into a new and pleasing form. For a brief sketch of the Bev. Thomas Kelly, see No. 54. 5 9 Dismission. 8, 7. LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing, Bid us now depart in peace ; Still on heavenly manna feeding, Let our faith and love increase : Fill each breast with consolation ; Up to thee our hearts we raise : When we reach our blissful station, Then we'll give thee nobler praise. ROBERT HAWKER. The original text of this short closing hymn can- not be ascertained ; nor can the authorship be pos- itively settled. Some collections attribute it to Edwin Smythe, some to Walter Shirley, some to Burder, some to Bobert Hawker. The last is probably correct; although it is not certain that he wrote it. The Bev. Bobert Hawker (1753-1828) was a Church of England clergyman, noted for his extreme Calvinism. He was the au- thor of numerous sermons, and of a commentary on the Bible. 6 0 Confession, prayer, and praise. C. M. LORD, when we bend before thy throne, And our confessions pour, O may we feel the sins we own, And hate what we deplore. 2 Our contrite spirits pitying see ; True penitence impart ; And let a healiDg ray from thee Beam peace into each heart. 3 When we disclose our wants in prayer, May we our wills resign ; And not a thought our bosom share Which is not wholly thine. 4 And when, with heart and voice, we strive Our grateful hymns to raise, Let love divine within us live, And fill our souls with praise. 30 HYMN STUDIES. 5 Then, on thy glories while we dwell, Tlry mercies we'll review; "With love divine transported, tell— Thou, God, art Father too ! JOSEPH D. CARLYLE, ALT. This hymn is so altered that we give the original from Poems Suggested Chiefly by Scenes in Asia Minor, 1805. Title : A Hymn Before Public Worship : 1 The first stanza is copied verbatim. 2 "Our broken spirits pitying see, And penitence impart — Then let a kindling glance from thee, Beam HOPE upon the heart. 3 " When our responsive tongues essay, Their grateful hymns to raise ; Grant that our souls may join the lay, And mount to Thee in praise. 4 " Then, on thy glories while we dwell, Thy mercies we'll renew, Till LOVE divine transported tell, Our God's our Father too." 5 Same as third verse of hymn. 6 "Let FAITH each weak petition fill, And waft it to the skies; And teach our hearts 'tis goodness still, That grants it or denies." The Rev. Joseph Dacre Carlyle was the son of an English physician ; was born at Carlisle in 1759, and died in 1804. He was graduated at Cambridge in 1779, and in 1794 was appointed Professor of Arabic in the same university. He made a special study of Oriental literature. D 1 Divine guidance, and rest. C. M. BEFORE thy mercy-seat, O Lord, Behold thy servants stand, To ask the knowledge of thy word, The guidance of thy hand. 2 Let thy eternal truths, we pray, Dwell richly in each heart ; That from the safe and narrow way We never may depart. 3 Lord, from thy word remove the seal, Unfold its hidden store; And, as we read, O may we feel Its value more and more. 4 Help us to see the Saviour's love Beaming from every page ; And let the thoughts of joys above Our inmost souls engage. 5 Thus while thy word our footsteps guides, Shall we be truly blest ; And safe arrive where love provides An everlasting rest. WILLIAM H. BATHURST. From Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use. London, 1831. Title : For an Understanding of the Scriptures. Text : Col. iii, 16 : " Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." In the third line of third stanza the author wrote : " And teach us as we read to feel / " and in the last three lines of the last stanza : " 0 may we safely go To those fair realms where love provides A final rest from woe." The Rev. William Hiley Bathurst, an English clergyman and poet, was born in 1796 ; was grad- uated at Christ Church College, Oxford, and took holy orders in 1819. He is the author of two vol- umes of hymns — the one given above, and Metrical Thoughts in Verse, 1849. He died Nov. 25, 1877. Q/O For a benediction on the truth. C. M. OGOD, by whom the seed is given, By whom the harvest blest ; Whose word, like manna showered from heaven, Is planted in our breast ; 2 Preserve it from the passing feet, And plunderers of the air, The sultry sun's intenser heat, And weeds of worldly care. 3 Though buried deep, or thinly strown, Do thou thy grace supply : The hope in earthly furrows sown Shall ripen in the sky. REGINALD HEBER. From Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church {Service of the Year, 1827. Notice the scriptural allusions to the parable of the sower, Matt. xiii. It has not been altered. Bishop Reginald Heber was born at Malpas, Cheshire, in 1783 ; was educated at Brazenose Col- lege, Oxford, and ordained in 1807. In 1823 he was appointed Bishop of Calcutta, and received the degree of D.D. from Oxford just before sailing for India. Bishop Heber was a man of learning, piety, and energy ; and a voluminous author. His fame rests mainly upon his hymns. He died in 1826. BTMN STUDIES. 31 63 The glories of the King, C. M. COME, ye that love the Saviour's name, And joy to make it known, The Sovereign of your hearts proclaim, And bow before his throne. 2 Behold your Lord, your Master, crowned With glories all divine ; And tell the wondering nations round How bright those glories shine. 3 When, in his earthly courts, we view The glories of our King, We long to love as angels do, And wish like them to sing. 4 And shall w T e long and wish in vain? Lord, teach our songs to rise : Thy love can animate the strain, And bid it reach the skies. ANNE STEELE. Title : The King of Saints. From Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose. London, 1780. The original has eight stanzas. The author wrote, verse two, line one : "Behold your King your Saviour crown' d." Miss Anne Steele (1717-1778) was the daughter of the Eev. William Steele, a Baptist minister in Hampshire, England. She was a very talented lady ; although a permanent invalid and a great suf- ferer, her life was useful and happy. Her published hymns are found in nearly all collections, and have been a blessing to many people. Many of them are good, and a few deserve the highest praise. The following appropriate lines are inscribed upon her tomb : " Silent the lyre, and dumb the tuneful tongue, That sung on earth her great Redeemer's praise ; But now in heaven she joins the angelic song, In more harmonious, more exalted lays." 64 The Desire of all nations. C. M. C^OME, thou Desire of all thy saints, J Our humble strains attend, While, with our praises and complaints, Low at thy feet we bend. 2 How should our songs, like those above, With warm devotion rise ! How should our souls, on wings of love, Mount upward to the skies ! 3 Come, Lord, thy love alone can raise In us the heavenly flame ; Then shall our lips resound thy praise, Our hearts adore thy name. 4 Now, Saviour, let thy glory shine, And fill thy dwellings here, Till life, and love, and joy divine, A heaven on earth appear. 5 Then shall our hearts, enraptured, say, 1 1 Come, great Redeemer, come, And bring the bright, the glorious day, That calls thy children home." ANNE STEELE. Title : Entreating the Presence of Christ in his Church. " The Desire of all nations shall come." Hag. ii, 7. One word only has been altered. The author wrote, verse four, line one : " Pear Saviour, let thy glory shine." The original has seven stanzas. From the author's Poems on Subjects Chiefly De- votional. London, 1760. Miss Steele published two volumes in 1760, under the assumed name of " Theodosia." A third vol- ume was published in 1780, soon after her death, by her friend. Dr. Caleb Evans, of Bristol. In the Boston edition, 1808, the three books were pub- lished in two volumes. See No. 63. O O Invoking divine blessings. C. M. WITHIN thy house, O Lord our God, In majesty appear; Make this a place of thine abode, And shed thy blessings here. 2 As we thy mercy-seat surround, Thy Spirit, Lord, impart ; And let thy gospel's joyous sound, With power reach every heart. 3 Here let the blind their sight obtain ; Here give the mourner rest ; Let Jesus here triumphant reign, Enthroned in every breast. 4 Here let the voice of sacred joy And fervent prayer arise, Till higher strains our tongues employ, In realms beyond the skies. UNKNOWN. This anonymous hymn has been traced to Hymns Adapted to the Public Worship of the Christian Church, Princeton, N. J., 1829, where it is a long meter hymn. It was rewritten about 1830, and has found its way into many collections. HYMN 8 TUB IE 8. Q Q Jesus reigns. L. M. COME, let us tune our loftiest song. And raise to Christ our joyful strain ; Worship and thanks to him belong, Who reigns, and shall forever reign. 2 His sovereign power our bodies made ; Our souls are his immortal breath; And when his creatures sinned, he bled, To save us from eternal death. 3 Burn every breast with Jesus' love ; Bound every heart with rapturous joy ; And saints on earth, with saints above, Your voices in his praise employ. ' 4 Extol the Lamb with loftiest song, Ascend for him our cheerful strain ; Worship and thanks to him belong, Who reigns, and shall forever reign. ROBERT A. WEST. Robert Athow West, an editor and author, was born in England in 1809 ; came to America in 1843 ; was the official reporter of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1844; and published the debates of that famous session. Mr. West was one of a Committee of seven men, ap- pointed by the General Conference of 1844, to pre- pare a standard edition of the Methodist Hymn Book. This excellent hymn was contributed to that edition, 1849. He died in Georgetown, D. C, February 1, 1865. 67 The bond of love. L. M. PRAISE waits in Zion, Lord, for thee: Thy saints adore thy holy name; Thy creatures bend the obedient knee, And humbly now thy presence claim. 2 Eternal Source of truth and light, To thee we look, on thee we call; Lord, we are nothing in thy sight, But thou to us art all in all. 3 Still may thy children in thy word Their common trust and refuge see ; O bind us to each other, Lord, By one great bond, — the love of thee. 4 Here at the portal of thy house, We leave our mortal hopes and fears ; Accept our prayers, and bless our vows, And dry our penitential tears. 5 So shall our sun of hope arise With brighter still and brighter ray, Till thou shaft bless our longing eyes With beams of everlasting day. SIR J. E. SMITIT. Written for Hymns for Public Worship, Selected for the Use of the Congregation Assembling in the Octagon Chapel, Norwich, 1814. In verse one, line four, the original is : " And humbly thy protection claim." In verse three, line four, the author wrote "tie" instead of " bond." The second stanza is omitted : " Thy hand has raised us from the dust: The breath of life thy Spirit gave : Where but in thee can mortals trust? Who but our God has power to save ? " Sir James Edward Smith, M.D., was born at Norwich, England, in 1759 ; was graduated at a medical school in Leyden ; was a great lover and student of botany, one of the founders of the Linnsean Society, London, and its first president; and was knighted by the Prince Regent in 1814. He was a member and officer in the Unitarian Church, Norwich. He died in 1828. O O The praises of Jehovah. L. M. SERVANTS of God, in joyful lays, Sing ye the Lord Jehovah's praise ; His glorious name let all adore, From age to age, for evermore. 2 Blest be that name, supremely blest, From the sun's rising to its rest ; Above the heavens his power is known, Through all the earth his goodness shown. 3 Who is like God ? so great, so high, He bows himself to view the skv; And yet, with condescending grace, Looks down upon the human race. 4 He hears the uncomplaining moan Of those who sit and weep alone ; He lifts the mourner from the dust ; In him the poor may safely trust. 5 O then, aloud, in joyful lays, Sing to the Lord Jehovah's praise ; His saving name let all adore, From age to age, for evermore. JAMES MONTGOMERY. An exhortation to praise God for his excellency, and his mercy. A fine metrical version of Psalm cxiii : "Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising: of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the HYMN STUDIES. 33 Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who hum- bleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth ! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill ; that he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He maketh the barren wom- an to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of chil- dren. Praise ye the Lord." Verse four, line four, the author wrote : " And saves the poor in him that trust." The first two lines of the fifth. stanza were the same as the first. It is interesting to trace the resemblance of this hymn to the psalm upon which it is founded. From Songs of Zion, 1822. 6 9 Joy of public worship. L. M. REAT God, attend, while Zion sings X The joy that from thy presence springs ; To spend one day with thee on earth Exceeds a thousand days of mirth. 2 Might I enjoy the meanest place Within thy house, O God of grace, Not tents of ease, nor thrones of power, Should tempt my feet to leave thy door. 3 God is our sun, he makes our day; God is our shield, he guards our way From all assaults of hell and sin, From foes without, and foes within. 4 All needful grace will God bestow, And crown that grace with glory too ; He gives us all things, and withholds No real good from upright souls. 5 O God, our King, whose sovereign sway The glorious hosts of heaven obey, And devils at thy presence flee ; Blest is the man that trusts in thee. ISAAC WATTS. The original title to this grand old hymn is : God and Bis Church ; or, Grace and Glory. It is founded on the last part of Psalm lxxxiv : " 0 Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer : give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield : the Lord will give grace and glory : no good thing will he with- hold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." "Date, 1719. 3 It is unaltered and complete. 70 The eternal God exalted. L. M. ETERNAL God, celestial King, Exalted be thy glorious name ; Let hosts in heaven thy praises sing, And saints on earth thy love proclaim. 2 My heart is fixed on thee, my God; I rest my hope on thee alone ; I'll spread thy sacred truths abroad, To all mankind thy love make known. 3 Awake, my tongue ; awake, my lyre ; With morning's earliest dawn arise ; To songs of joy my soul inspire, And swell your music to the skies. 4 With those who in thy grace abound, To thee I'll raise my thankful voice ; Till every land, the earth around, Shall hear, and in thy name rejoice. WILLIAM WRANGHAMo The four stanzas of this hymn were suggested by Psalm lvii, 5, 7, 8, 9 : " Be thou exalted, 0 God, above the heavens ; let thy glory be above all the earth. My heart is fixed, 0 God, my heart is fixed : 1 will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory ; awake, psaltery and harp : I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people : I will sing unto thee among the nations." From A New Metrical Version of the Psalms, Adapted to Devotional Purposes. London, 1829. Miller, in his Singers and Songs of the Church, says that Wrangham was an Englishman, and by trade, a jeweler. Verse two, line two, the author wrote : " And rests its hope on Thee alone." 7 1 Hosanna to the living Lord. L. M. "OSANNA to the living Lord! H' Hosanna to the incarnate Word ! To Christ, Creator, Saviour, King, Let earth, let heaven, hosanna sing. 2 "Hosanna, Lord! " thine angels cry, ''Hosanna, Lord! " thy saints reply; Above, beneath us, and around, The dead and living swell the sound. 3 O Saviour, with protecting care, Return to this, thy house of prayer. Assembled in thy sacred name, Where we thy parting promise claim. 34 HYMN STUDIES. 4 But chiefest in our cleansed breast, Eternal, bid thy Spirit rest, And make our secret soul to be A temple pure, and worthy thee. 5 So, in the last and dreadful day, When earth and heaven shall melt away, Thy flock, redeemed from sinful stain, Shall swell the sound of praise again. REGINALD HEBER. Title : Advent Sunday. This is the first compo- sition in the author's Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year, 1827. In that book each stanza closes with this refrain : " Hosanna ! Lord ! Hosanna in the highest ! " Otherwise it is not altered. It was first published in the Christian Observer, 1811. See No. 62. 72 Day of rest and gladness. 7, 6. ODAY of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light, O balm of care and sadness, Most beautiful, most bright: On thee, the high and lowly, Through ages joined in tune, Sing "Holy, holy, holy," To the great God Triune. 2 On thee, at the creation, The light first had its birth; On thee, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth ; On thee, our Lord, victorious, The Spirit sent from heaven ; And thus on thee, most glorious, A triple light was given. 3 To-day on weary nations The heavenly manna falls ; To holy convocations The silver trumpet calls, Where gospel light is glowing With pure and radiant beams, And living water flowing With soul-refreshing streams. 4 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. CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH. Title : Sunday. From the author's book, The Holy Year • or, Hymns for Sundays and Holy days, 1862. Each stanza of this hymn is very fine. The two omitted are even more poetical than those given. They are too good to be left out : 3 " Thou art a port, protected From storms that round us rise ; A garden, intersected With streams of Paradise ; Thou art a cooling fountain, In life's dry, dreary sand, From thee, like Pisgah's mountain, We view the promised land. 4 " Thou art a holy ladder, Where Angels go and come ; Each Sunday finds us gladder, Nearer to Heaven, our home. A day of sweet reflection Thou art, a day of love, A day of Resurrection From earth to things above." It is unaltered. Christopher "Wordsworth was born in 1807 ; was graduated at 'Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1830 ; was ordained in 1835, and made Bishop of Lincoln in 1868. He is a nephew of William Wordsworth, the poet. He died March 20, 1885. 7' 3 Joyful homage. H. M. AWAKE, ye saints, awake! And hail this sacred day : In loftiest songs of praise Your joyful homage pay : Come, bless the day that God hath blest, The type of heaven's eternal rest. 2 On this auspicious morn The Lord of life arose ; He burst the bars of death, And vanquished all our foes ; And now he pleads our cause above, And reaps the fruit of all his love. 3 All hail, triumphant Lord ! Heaven with hosannas rings, And earth, in humbler strains, Thy praise responsive sings : Worthy the Lamb, that once was slain, Through endless years to live and reign. ELIZABETH SCOTT. ALT. BY T. COTTERILL. The original hymn, six stanzas, is found in the author's manuscript volume of poems, which has been preserved for more than a hundred years in the Library of Yale College. HYMN STUDIES. 35 This hymn is made by changes in the first three verses. Here is the manuscript copy. The author's title is : A Hymn for a Lord's Day Morning. 1 Awake our drowsy Souls ; Shake off earth's slothful Band : The wonders of this Day Our Noblest Songs demand. Auspicious Morn ! Thy blissful Eays Harmonious songs Of Seraphs grace. 2 At thy approaching Dawn, Eeluctant Death resign' d The Glorious Prince of Life His dark Domains confin'd. The Angelick Host Around him bends : Amidst their shouts The God ascends. 3 All Hail, triumphant Lord ! Heav'n with Hosannas rings : While Earth in humbler strains, Thy Praise Eesponsive Sings : Worthy art Thou, Who Once was Slain, Thro' Endless years To Live and Eeign. It was altered by the Eev. Thomas Cotterill for his Sheffield Collection. Miss Elizabeth Scott, daughter of a Dissenting minister, was born at Norwich, England, in 1708. The Eev. Elisha Williams, president of Yale College from 1726 to 1739, while traveling in England, was introduced to Miss Scott by Dr. Doddridge. They were married in 1751, and the year following came to America. Three years later Mr. Williams died, and in 1761 Mrs. Williams married the Hon. Will- iam Smith, of New York. He died in 1769, and his widow returned to Connecticut to live among the friends of her first husband. She died at Wethersfield, Conn., in 1776. Her epitaph cele- brates her as "a lady of great reading and knowl- edge, extensive acquaintance, a penetrating mind, and good judgment ; of abounding charity, and un- affected piety and devotion, adorned with every recommending excellency. Few lived more es- teemed and loved or died more lamented." 74 Sabbath and sanctuary joys. C. M. WITH joy we hail the sacred day, Which God has called his own ; With joy the summons we obey To worship at his throne. 2 Thy chosen temple, Lord, how fair ! As here thy servants throng To breathe the humble, fervent prayer, And pour the grateful song. 3 Spirit of grace ! O deign to dwell Within thy Church below ; Make her in holiness excel, With pure devotion glow. 4 Let peace within her walls be found ; Let all her sons unite, To spread with holy zeal around His clear and shining light. 5 Great God, we hail the sacred day, Which thou hast called thine own; With joy the summons we obey To worship at thy throne. HARRIET AUBER. Psalm cxxii : " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord," etc. Three lines have been altered. Origixal. Verse two, line two : " Where willing votaries throng." Verse two, line four : " And pour the choral song." Verse four, line three : " To spread with grateful zeal around.' From The Spirit of the Psalms, 1829. See No. 33. 75 Easter Sunday. CM. THE Lord of Sabbath let us praise, In concert with the blest, Who, joyful, in harmonious lays Employ an endless rest. 2 Thus, Lord, while we remember thee, We blest and pious grow; By hymns of praise we learn to be Triumphant here below. 3 On this glad day a brighter scene Of glory was displayed By the eternal Word, than when This universe was made. 4 He rises, who mankind has bought With grief and pain extreme : 'Twas great to speak the world from naught ; 'Twas greater to redeem. SAMUEL WESLEY, JR. Title : On the SoMath Day. Published by John Wesley in his Collection of Psalms and Hymns, 1741. It was probably first published in the Author's volume of poems in 1736. It is unaltered and en- tire. 36 HYMN STUDIES. Samuel Wesley, Jr., was an elder brother of John Wesley. In 1704, when fourteen years of age, he was sent to the famous Westminster School. In 1711 he entered Christ Church, Ox- ford. After taking the degree of A.M. he was ap- pointed usher in his old school at Westminster. While in this school he was ordained, but contin- ued to teach. In 1732 he was elected Head Master of a Free Grammar School in Tiverton, a position which he held successfully until his sudden death in 1739. In 1736 he published a volume of poems, of which a second edition was issued in 1743. 76 We will rejoice , and be glad in it. C. M. THIS is the day the Lord hath made: O earth, rejoice and sing; Let songs of triumph hail the morn ; Hosanna to our King ! 2 The Stone the builders set at naught, That Stone has now become The sure foundation and the strength Of Zion's heavenly dome. 3 Christ is that Stone, rejected once, And numbered with the slain ; Now raised in glory, o'er his Church Eternally to reign. 4 This is the day the Lord hath made : O earth, rejoice and sing; With songs of triumph hail the morn; Hosanna to our King ! HARRIET AUBER. Copied verbatim and entire from the Author's Spirit of the Psalms, 1829. The basis of the hymn is Psalm exviii, 24, 22 : " This is the day which the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice and be glad in it." " The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." For biographical sketch of the author, see No. 33. 77 Sabbath light. CM. AGAIN the Lord of life and light Awakes the kindling ray, Dispels the darkness of the night, And pours increasing day. 2 O what a night was that which wrapt A guilty world in gloom ! O what a sun, which broke this day Triumphant from the tomb ! 3 This day be grateful homage paid, And loud hosannas sung ; Let gladness dwell in every heart, And praise on every tongue. 4 Ten thousand thousand lips shall join To hail this happy morn, Which scatters blessings from its wings On nations yet unborn. MRS. ANNA L. BARBAULD, ALT. These are the first four verses of a hymn of eleven stanzas, entitled For Faster Sunday, found in the author's first volume of Poems. London, 1773. Five lines have been altered. Original Form. Verse one, line three : " Unseals the eyelids of the morn?'' Verse two, line two : " The heathen world in gloom." Verse four, line one : " Ten thousand differing lips shall join." Verse four, line two : " To hail this welcome morn." Verse four, line four : " To nations yet unborn." Anna Letitia Barbauld was a daughter of the Eev. John Aikin, D.D., an English Dissenting minister. Miss Aikin was born in 1743, and early in life gave evidence of poetic talent. She had a great desire for a classical education, to which her father strongly objected. At length she prevailed in some measure, and was permitted to read Latin and Greek. She published her first volume of poems in 1773. In 1774 she married the Eev. Eochemont Barbauld, a young man of French de- scent, who attended a school at Warrington, where Miss Aikins's father was a classical instructor. Mr. Barbauld had charge of a Dissenting congregation at Palgrave. They also opened a boarding school, which they carried on successfully for eleven years. Mr. Barbauld afterward held other pastoral rela- tions, and died in 1808. Mrs. Barbauld occupied her time and mind in literary pursuits, editing various works, and contributing to the press. She died in 1825. 7 8 Ardent hope of heavenly rest. L. M. LORD of the Sabbath, hear our vows, On this thy day, in this thy house ; And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from thy servants rise. 2 Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love; But there's a nobler rest above ; To that our laboring souls aspire With ardent hope and strong desire. HYMN STUDIES. 37 3 No more fatigue, no more distress, Nor sin nor hell, shall reach the place ; No sighs shall mingle with the songs, Which warble from immortal tongues. 4 No rude alarms of raging foes, No cares to break the long repose ; No midnight shade, no clouded sun, But sacred, high, eternal noon. 5 O long-expected day, begin ! Dawn on these realms of woe and sin : Fain would we leave this weary road, And sleep in death, to rest with God. PHILIP DODDRIDGE. Title : TJie Eternal Sabbath. Written to be sung at the close of a sermon preached June 2, 1736. Text : " There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." Heb. iv, 9. It is found in Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures. By P. Doddridge, edited by Job Orton, 1755. A few verbal changes have been made. In the last line of the first stanza the author wrote : " The songs which from the Desert rise." In the last line of the second stanza we have, in the original : " With ardent Pangs of strong Desire." The third line of the third stanza originally read : " No Groans to mingle with the Sonors." The Eev. Philip Doddridge was born in London in 1702 ; he was piously brought up, and well edu- cated, and in 1729 he became pastor of a Congrega- tional church in Northampton. In the same year he was elected head of an institution for educating youn of praise. ISAAC WATTS. A Song for Morning and Evening, from Hymns and SpiHtual Songs, book i, 1707. The Scripture text of the first stanza is the same as that of hymn No. 103 ; that of the second stanza is Isaiah xlv, 7 : "I form the light and create darkness." It is unaltered and entire. 105 Evening hymn. L. M. GLORY to thee, my God, this night, For all the blessings of the light: Keep me, O keep me, King of kings, Beneath the shadow of thy wings. HYMN STUDIES. 47 2 Forgive me. Lord, for 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 me to live, that I may dread The grave as little as my bed ; Teach me to die, that so I may Rise glorious at the judgment-day. 4 O let my soul on thee repose, And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close ; Sleep, which shall me more vigorous make, To serve my God, when I awake. 5 Lord, let my soul forever share The bliss of thy paternal care : 'Tis heaven on earth, 'tis heaven above, To see thy face, and sing thy love. THOMAS KEN. This is a part of Bishop Ken's famous Evening Hymn; the original, including the doxology, con- tained twelve stanzas. Several lines have been altered : Verse one, line four : " Under Thy own Almighty Wings." Verse three, line four : " Triumphing rise at the last day." Verse four, line one : " 0 may my soul on Thee repose." Verse four, line two : " And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close." Verse four, line three : " Sleep that may me more vigorous make." From the author's Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College, edition of 1700. A few of the above changes were made by Bishop Ken himself for the edition of 1709. The last verse of the hymn was not written by Ken, but was added by some editor, who attempted to sum up the poem in a single stanza, and suc- ceeded as well as could be expected. Thomas Ken was born in 1637 ; was educated at Oxford, and ordained about 1666. In 1684 he was appointed chaplain to Charles II. and Bishop of Bath and Wells in the same year. It is said that the Bishop was faithful to the king, and that the "merry monarch" had good sense enough to re- spect and appreciate a chaplain who dared to tell him his faults. He died in 1710. Three of this writer's hymns, Morning, Evening, and Midnight, were first published in 1697 in an Appendix to the author's Manual of Prayers for the Winchester Scholars. The familiar and grand long meter doxology first appeared at the close of each of these hymns. 106 Morning hymn. L. M. AWAKE, my soul, and with the sun Thy daily stage of duty run ; Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise To pay thy morning sacrifice. 2 Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart, And with the angels bear thy part, Who all night long unwearied sing High praises to the eternal King. 3 All praise to thee, who safe hast kept, And hath refreshed me while I slept : Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless life partake. 4 Lord, I my vows to thee renew: Disperse my sins as morning dew. Guard my first springs of thought and will. And with thyself my spirit fill. 5 Direct, control, suggest, this day, All I design, or do, or say ; That all my powers, with all their might, In thy sole glory may unite. THOMAS KEN. A fine lyric made up of verses one, five, nine, twelve, and thirteen of Bishop Ken's Morning Hymn. The original has fourteen stanzas, including the doxology. This is slightly altered from the edition of 1700, but it agrees with the edition of 1709. 107 Morning prayer. L. M. NOW doth the sun ascend the sky, And wake creation with its ray; Keep us from sin, O Lord most high, Through all the actions of the day. 2 Curb thou for us the unruly tongue ; Teach us the way of peace to prize ; And close our eyes against the throng Of earth's absorbing vanities, 3 O may our hearts be pure within ; No cherished madness vex the soul : May abstinence the flesh restrain And its rebellious pride control. 4 So when the evening stars appear, And in their train the darkness bring, May we, O Lord, with conscience clear, Our praise to thy pure glory sing. AMBROSE OP MILAN. TR. BY E. CASWALL. The translation is found in Caswall's Hymns and Poems, Original and Translated. London. Sec- ond edition, 1873, and in Lyra Oatholica, 1848. 48 HYMN STUDIES. Saint Ambrose was born about 340, and died in 397. In 374 he was unexpectedly chosen Bishop of Milan by a unanimous vote of the people ; although he was only a layman and unbaptized. He accepted the position and served in it with zeal and dignity. The Eev. Edward Caswall was born in England in 1S14 ; educated at Brazenose College, Oxford ; ordained in the Established Church in 1839 ; and in 1847 became a Bomanist. He died in 1878. 108 Evening meditations. L. M. THUS far the Lord hath led me on, Thus far his power prolongs my days ; And every evening shall make known Some fresh memorial of 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, My flesh shall rest beneath the ground, And wait thy voice to rouse my tomb, With sweet salvation in the sound. ISAAC WATTS. Title : An Evening Hymn, from Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book i, 1707. Unaltered. Two stanzas, the fourth and fifth, are left out: 4 " In vain the sons of earth and hell Tell me a thousand frightful things; My God in safety makes me dwell Beneath the shadow of his wings. 5 " Faith in his name forbids my fear, O may thy presence ne'er depart ! And in the morning make me hear The love and kindness of thy heart." 109 Evening prayer. L. M. AGAIN as evening's shadow falls, We gather in these hallowed walls : And vesper hymn and vesper 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 burdens 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 lips 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 forever dwell. SAMUEL LONGFELLOW. Title : Vesper Hymn, unaltered and entire. Written for the author's Vespers, published in 1859. It is a beautiful hymn. " Spirit's," in the last stanza should begin with a small letter. It means, of course, the soul of the worshiper. The Eev. Samuel Longfellow is a Unitarian min- ister, and brother of the poet, Henry W. Longfel- low. He was born in 1819, was graduated at Har- vard in the class of 1839. He died in Portland, Me., October 3, 1892. In connection with the Eev. Samuel Johnson, he edited A Booh of Hymns, 1846, and Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. 'To both of these he made valuable original contributions. 110 The souVs Advocate. L. M. 61. WHEN, streaming from the eastern skies, The morning light salutes mine eyes, O Sun of righteousness divine ! On me with beams of mercy shine ; O chase the clouds of guilt away, And turn my darkness into day. 2 And when to heaven's all-glorious King, My morning 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 close, And wearied nature seeks repose, With pardoning mercy richly blest, Guard me, my Saviour, while I rest ; And, as each morning sun shall rise, O lead me onward to the skies. 4 And at my life's last setting sun, My conflicts o'er, my labors done, Jesus, thy heavenly radiance shed, To cheer and bless my dying bed ; And, from death's gloom my spirit raise, To see thy face, and sing thy praise. WILLIAM SHRTJBSOLE, JR. The original poem of eight stanzaSj entitled Daily Duties, first appeared in the Chrishan Observer in 1813. This hymn is composed of the first two and last two stanzas of the poem. One line, the first in the second verse, has been changed ; the author wrote it: " When to heaven's great and glorious King." William Shrubsole, Jr., was born in Sheerness, England, in 1759. He was a business man, and for many years a clerk and secretary in the Bank of HYMN STUDIES. 49 England. He was also deeply interested in philan- thropic movements, and wrote both in prose and verse for the publications of the Religious Tract Society. He died in 1829. Ill The Day-star. S. M. WE lift our hearts to thee, O Day-star from on high ! The sun itself is but thy shade, Yet cheers both earth and sky. 2 O let thy rising beams The night of sin disperse, — The mists of error and of vice Which shade the universe. 3 How beauteous nature now ! How dark and sad before ! With joy we view the pleasing change, And nature's God adore. 4 O may no gloomy crime Pollute the rising day ; Or Jesus' blood, like evening dew, Wash all the stains away. 5 May we this life improve, To mourn for errors past ; And live this short, revolving day As if it were our last. JOHN WESLEY. Title : A Morning Hymn, from A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, published by John Wesley, 1741. This is one of the few original hymns ascribed to John Wesley. One reason why it is thought to be his, rather than Charles Wesley's, is that it is only half-rhymed. Not a single known stanza of Charles Wesley has that peculiarity. The sublime thought expressed in the third line of the first stanza is bor- rowed from Plato : " Lumen est umbra Dei." Dox- ology No. 4 was appended to this hymn. The orig- inal has " orient " instead of "rising " in the sec- ond stanza. There is some doubt about the author- ship of this hymn. The name of John Wesley is known and hon- ored throughout the world. He was born in the rec- tory of Epworth, in 1703, and was piously instructed by his parents. In 1714 he was placed at the Char- ter-house School, where he was a diligent and suc- cessful student. In 1720, when seventeen years old, he was removed to Christ Church, Oxford. Here he became an accomplished classical scholar. In 1725 he was ordained deacon, and in the follow- ing year was elected to a Fellowship in Lincoln Col- lege. He received the degree of Master of Arts in 1727, and in 1728 was ordained a priest in the Church of England. In 1729 a few students at Ox- ford banded together to attend the sacrament reg- ularly every week, and to observe the method of study prescribed by the university. This conduct brought upon them the sneers of their fellow-stu- dents, and the honorable name of " Methodists." The band was organized by Charles Wesley, in the absence of his brother; but, when John Wesley returned, he became its acknowledged leader, and its membership soon increased. In 1735 John Wesley and his brother Charles came to Georgia, as ministers to the colonists, and missionaries to the natives ; but, after nearly two years of unsatisfac- tory labor, returned to England. At this time Wesley knew not the power of experimental relig- ion. He said : "I went to America to convert the Indians ; but, 0 ! who shall convert me ? Who is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of un- belief? " He dated his spiritual life from May 24, 1738. For a long time he had been seeking rest of soul, and had been instructed in the way of faith by pious Moravians. On the evening of this day he attended a meeting in London, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Ro- mans. " About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed ; I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation ; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." From this time, for fifty-three years, until his tri- umphant death, in 1791, he was a tireless laborer in the Master's vineyard. He was the first man who had the holy audacity to say, " The world is my parish." He was an apostle extraordinary — raised up of God to head the reformation of the eighteenth century, as was Martin Luther that of the sixteenth. 112 Devout gratitude. S. M. SEE how the morning sun Pursues his shining way ; And wide proclaims his Maker's praise, With every brightening ray. 2 Thus would my rising soul Its heavenly Parent sing, And to its great Original The humble tribute bring. 3 Serene I laid me down, Beneath his guardian care ; I slept, and I awoke, and found My kind Preserver near. 4 My life I would anew Devote, O Lord, to thee ; And in thy service I would spend A long eternity. ELIZABETII SCOTT. Title : A Morning Hymn. The original has nine verses, ond, third, fourth, and last. The first stanza is as follows : These are the see- " Awake, my drowsy Soul ; These airy Visions chase ; Awake my Active Pow'rs renew'd, To run the Heav'nly Race." 50 HYMN STUDIES. The author wrote, verse one, line one : " See how the Mounting Sun." And the first part of verse four : M Thus, then, my Life anew, Lord, I Devote to Thee." From the author's manuscript volume of Poems. The date of the preface is 1740. It was dedicated as follows : " To My much Eever'd, much Lov'd Father." For biographical sketch of author, see No. 73. 113 Evening meditation. S. M. THE day is past and gone, The evening shades appear; O may we all remember well The night of death draws near. 2 We lay our garments by, Upon our beds to rest ; So death will soon disrobe us all Of what we've here possessed. 3 Lord, keep us safe this night, Secure from all our fears ; May angels guard us while we sleep, Till morning light appears. 4 And when we early rise, And view the unwearied sun, May we set out to win the prize, And after glory run. 5 And when our days are past, And we from time remove, O may we in thy bosom rest, The bosom of thy love. JOHN LELAND. Title : Evening Hymn. Published in 1792. This is a favorite with many people. It is found, with about twenty other compositions, in The Writ- ings of the Late Elder John Leland. Including Some events in Ms life, written by himself. With additional sketches by Miss L. F. Greene. IVew York, 1845. Two words are altered. Verse three, line one, has "all" instead of " safe," and verse four, line one, u if" instead of " when." John Leland was born in Massachusetts in 1754, .and lived until 1841. In youth he was vain and wicked, but when about eighteen years old lie be- came a Christian. He labored in the ministry in Virginia and in Massachusetts. Leland was the Lorenzo Dow of the Baptist denomination. 114 Protection invoked. C. M. IN mercy, Lord, remember me, Through all the hours of night, And grant to me most graciously The safeguard of thy might. 2 With cheerful heart I close mine eyes, Since thou wilt not remove ; O in the morning let me rise Rejoicing in thy love. 3 Or if this night should prove my last, And end my transient days, Lord, take me to thy promised rest, Where I may sing thy praise. JOHN F. HERZOGr. This is a translation from the German of the au- thor, and is found in Psalmodia Germanica / or. The German Psalmody Translated from the High German. London, 1760. The translation contains ten stanzas ; this hymn is composed of verses three, seven, and nine, somewhat altered. The translator was John Christian Jacobi. John Fred. Herzog was born in 1647 ; studied law at Wittembcrg, and practiced in Dresden, where lie died in 1699. The hymn was originally written about 1670. 115 Memories of the dead. 8, 7. SILENTLY the shades of evening Gather round my lowly door ; Silently they bring before me Faces I shall see no more. 2 O the lost, the unforgotten, Though the world be oft forgot ! O the shrouded and the lonely, In our hearts they perish not ! 3 Living in the silent hours, Where our spirits only blend, They, unlinked with earthly trouble, We, still hoping for its end. 4 How such holy memories cluster, Like the stars when storms are past, Pointing up to that fair heaven We may hope to gain at last. c. c. cox. Written and published in Wooclworth Musical Cabinet, 1847. It soon found its way into hymn collections, and has been widely used. Christopher Christian Cox, son of Luther J. Cox, a Methodist preacher, was born in Baltimore in 1816; was graduated at Yale College in 1835, and at a Medical School in his native city in 1838. In 1861 he was appointed brigade surgeon in theU. S. Army. Died 1882. 116 Trust in God's care. 8, 7« SAVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing, Ere repose our spirits seal ; Sin and want we come confessing; I Thou canst save and thou canst heal. HYMN STUDIES. 51 2 Though destruction walk around us, Though the arrows past us fly, Angel guards from thee surround us ; We are safe, if thou art nigh. 3 Though the night be dark and dreary, Darkness cannot hide from thee ; Thou art he who, never weary, Watchest where thy people be. 4 Should swift death this night o'ertake us, And our couch become our tomb, May the morn in heaven awake us, Clad in light and deathless bloom. JAMES EDMESTON. Published without title in Sacred Lyrics, by James Edmeston. Loudon, 1820. It has not been changed. For sketch of author, see No. 80. X 1 / Communion tvith God. 7. SOFTLY now the light of day Fades upon our sight away; Free from care, from labor free, Lord, we would commune with thee. 2 Thou, whose all-pervading eye Naught escapes, without, within, Pardon each infirmity, Open fault, and secret sin. 3 Soon from us the light of day Shall forever pass away; Then, from sin and sorrow free, Take us, Lord, to dwell with thee. GEORGE W. DOANE. Author's title : Evening ; from Songs • by the Way, 1824. Text: "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense ; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." Fsa. cxli, 2. The writer used the first person singular in stan- zas one and three. The hymn has been improved by omitting the last verse. We give it, because it completes the hymn as published hy the author: " Thou, who, sinless, yet hast known All of man's infirmity ; Then, from Thine eternal throne, Jesus, look with pitying eye."' George Washington Doane was born in Trenton, N. J., in 1799 ; was graduated at Union College in 1818 ; then studied theology, and was ordained in 1821. In 1828 he was elected rector of Trinity Church, Boston. In 1832 he was consecrated Bishop of the diocese of New Jersey. He died in 1859. 118 The Apostles' Creed, 8, 7, 7. WE all believe in one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Strong Deliverer in our need, Praised by all the heavenly host, By whose mighty power alone All is made, and wrought, and done. 2 And we believe in Jesus Christ, Son of man and Son of God; Who, to raise us up to heaven, Left his throne and bore our load ; By whose cross and death are we Rescued from our misery. 3 And we confess the Holy Ghost, Who from both forever flows; Who upholds and comforts us In the midst of fears and woes. Blest and holy Trinity, Praise shall aye be brought to thee ! T. CLAUSNITZER. TR. BY MISS C. WINK WORTH. This translation is from The Chorale-Book for England. London, 1863. It is unaltered and en- tire. The Eev. Tobiah Clausnitzer lived from 1619 to 1684; and was educated at Leipsic. From 1644 to the close of the "Thirty Years' War" he was a chaplain to the Swedish forces. Only three hymns written by him are extant. 1 ly Divine condescension. L. P. M. OGOD, of good the unfathomed sea ! Who would not give his heart to thee? Who would not love thee with his might ? O Jesus, lover of mankind, Who would not his whole soul and mind, With all his strength, to thee unite? 2 Thou shin'st with everlasting rays ; Before the insufferable blaze Angels with both wings veil their eyes ; Yet free as air thy bounty streams ; On all thy works thy mercy's beams, Diffusive as thy sun's, arise. 3 Astonished at thy frowning brow, Earth, hell, and heaven's strong pillars bow : Terrible majesty is thine ! Who then can that vast love express Which bows thee down to me, — who less Than nothing am, till thou art mine ! 52 HYMN STUDIES. 4 High throned on heaven's eternal hill, In number, weight, and measure, still Thou sweetly orderest all that is ; And yet thou deign'st to come to me, And guide my steps, that I, with thee Enthroned, may reign in endless bliss. JOHANN A. SCHEFFLER. TR. BY J. WESLEY. Title : God's Love to Mankind. This is the first half of the translation, from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, and is not altered. Johann Angelus Scheflier was born of Protestant parents, in Breslau, Germany, in 1624. While yet a young man, he was greatly interested in the writings of Jacob Bohme, and at length he became a Mystic. In 1653 he entered the Koman Catholic Church. In 1661 he was consecrated a priest, and ever afterward was a bigoted champion of Roman- ism. His fame rests chiefiy upon his hymns, which were first published in 1657. He died in 1677. Te Leum laudamus. C. M. 120 OGOD, we praise thee, and confess That thou the only Lord And everlasting Father art, By all the earth adored. 2 To thee all angels cry aloud; To thee the powers on high, Both cherubim and seraphim, Continually do cry. 3 "O holy, holy, holy Lord, Whom heavenly hosts obey, The world is with the glory filled Of thy majestic sway." 4 The apostles' glorious company, And prophets crowned with light, With all the martyrs' noble host, Thy constant praise recite. 5 The holy Church throughout the world, O Lord, confesses thee, That thou eternal Father art, Of boundless majesty. NAHUM TATE. (?) The first part of an old and excellent metrical version of the Te Deum. It is frequently ascribed to Patrick, but its authorship is really unknown. It is found in the Supplement to The New Version of the Psalms, 1703. Nahum Tate was born at Dublin in 1652, and was educated at the University of his native city ; he was made Poet Laureate in 1690, and held that office to the time of his death in 1715. He is best known as the author of a New Version of the Psalms, which he executed jointly with the Rev. Nicholas Brady, D.D., 1696. 121 One God in Three Persons. CM. HAIL, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, One God in Persons Three ; Of thee we make our joyful boast, And homage pay to thee. 2 Present alike in every place, Thy Godhead we adore : Beyond the bounds of time and space Thou dwellest evermore, 3 In wisdom infinite thou art, Thine eye doth all things see ; And every thought of every heart Is fully known to thee. 4 Thou lov'st what'er thy hands have made; Thy goodness we rehearse, In shining characters displayed Throughout the universe. 5 Wherefore let every creature give To thee the praise designed; But chiefly, Lord, the thanks receive, The hearts, of all mankind. CHARLES WESLEY. Title: Of God. The first piece in Hymns for Children. Bristol, 1763. Three stanzas, the second, fifth, and seventh of the original, are omitted : 2 " Thou neither canst be felt, or seen ; Thou art a Spirit pure, Who from Eternity hast been, And always shalt endure. 5 " What'er Thou wilt, in earth below Thou dost, in heaven above ; But chiefly we rejoice to know The Almighty God is Love. 7 " Mercy and love and endless grace O'er all Thy works doth reign ; But mostly Thou delight'st to bless Thy favorite creature man." The author wrote "early" boast, instead of "joyful," in the first verse; and '•'■our" universe, instead of " the," in the fourth verse. M. 122 c All Thy works shall praise thee. Psa. cxlv, 10 THERE seems a voice in every gale, A tongue in every flower, Which tells, O Lord, the wondrons tale Of thy almighty power ; The birds, that rise on quivering wing, Proclaim their Maker's praise, And all the mingling sounds of spring To thee an anthem raise. HYMN 8 TUB IE 8. 53 2 Shall I be mute, great God, alone 'Midst nature's loud acclaim? Shall not my heart, with answering tone, Breathe forth thy holy name? All nature's debt is small to mine ; Nature shall cease to be ; Thou gavest — proof of love divine — Immortal life to me. MRS. AMELIA OPIE. This hymn has been altered from one of long meter. The change was probably made by Dr. James Floy, one of" the editors of the hymn book, 1849 edition. 1 have not been able to find the author's text. Hymns for Divine Worship, compiled for the use of the Methodist New Connection, London, 1868, gives six four-lined stanzas, long meter. Mrs. Amelia Opie was a daughter of James Al- derson, M.D., and was born in Norwich, England, in 1769. She very early showed a taste for writ- ing, and contributed articles to some of the period- icals of the day. In 1798 she married John Opie, a portrait painter, of London. In 1807 Mr. Opie died, and she returned to Norwich. She wrote many popular tales, and published a volume of poems in 1802, which went through several edi- tions. Mrs. Opie was brought up a Unitarian, but in 1825 united herself with the Society of Friends. She died in 1853. 123 Omniscience. L. M. LORD, all T am is known to thee; In vain my soul would try To shun thy presence, or to flee The notice of thine eye. 2 Thy all-surrounding sight surveys My rising and my rest, My public walks, my private ways, The secrets of my breast. 3 My thoughts lie open to thee, Lord, Before they're formed within; And ere my lips pronounce the word, Thou know'st the sense I mean. 4 O wondrous knowledge, deep and high, Where can a creature hide? Within thy circling arms I lie, Beset on every side. 5 So let thy grace surround me still, And like a bulwark prove, To guard my soul from every ill, Secured by sovereign love. ISAAC WATTS. Title : God is every-where. Part of Watts's version of Psalm cxxxix. First published in 1719 : " 0 Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up- rising ; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou know- est it altogether. Thou hast set me behind and be- fore, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowl- edge is too wonderful for me ; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." 124 The Author of every perfect gift. C. M. FATHER, to thee my soul I lift; My soul on thee depends ; Convinced that every perfect gift From thee alone descends. 2 Mercy and grace are thine alone, And power and wisdom too : Without the Spirit of thy Son, We nothing good can do. 3 We cannot speak one useful word. One holy thought conceive, Unless, in answer to our Lord, Thyself the blessing give. 4 His blood demands the purchased grace : His blood's availing plea Obtained the help for all our race, And sends it down to me. 5 From thee, through Jesus, we receive The power on thee to call, In whom we are, and move, and live ; Our God is all in all. CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns and Sacred Poems. 1749. Text : " It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do." Phil, ii, 13. Four lines, before the last stanza, are omitted : " Thou all our works in us hath wrought, Our good is all Divine, The praise of every virtuous thought, Or righteous work, is Thine." It is not altered. 125 My Father. CM, OGOD, thy power is wonderful, Thy glory passing bright ; Thy wisdom, with its deep on deep, A rapture to the sight. 2 I see thee in eternal years In glory all alone, Ere round thine uncreated fires Created light had shone. 54 HYMN STUDIES. 3 I see thee walk in Eden's shade, I see thee all through time ; Thy patience and compassion seem New attributes sublime. 4 I see thee when the doom is o'er, And outworn time is done, Still, still incomprehensible, O God, not yet alone. 5 Angelic spirits, countless souls, Of thee have drunk their fill; And to eternity will drink Thy joy and glory still. 6 O little heart of mine ! shall pain Or sorrow make thee moan, When all this God is all for thee, A Father all thine own? FREDERICK W. FABER. From the author's Hymns, London, 1861. Six stanzas have been omitted. Those given are not altered. Frederick William Faber was born in Yorkshire in 1814 ; he studied at Harrow School, and was gradu- ated at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1836. He im- mediately began the study of theology ; was or- dained deacon in 1837, and priest in 1839. After traveling about four years, he became rector of El- ton, where he labored successfully for twelve years. In 1845 he joined the Eoman Catholic Church. He died in 1863. FIRST PART. 126 The Unsearchable. L. M. OGOD, thou bottomless abyss! Thee to perfection who can know? O height immense ! what words suffice Thy countless attributes to show? 2 Greatness unspeakable is thine; Greatness, whose undiminished ray, When short-lived worlds are lost, shall shine. When earth and heaven are fled away. 3 Unchangeable, all-perfect Lord, Essential life's unbounded sea, What lives and moves, lives by thy word ; It lives, and moves, and is, from thee. 4 High is thy power above all height : Whate'er thy will decrees is done ; Thy wisdom, equal to thy might, Only to thee, O God, is known ! ERNEST LANGE. TR. BY J. WESLEY. SECOND PART. 127 Wisdom, love, power. L. M. THINE, Lord, is wisdom, thine alone; Justice and truth before thee stand : Yet, nearer to thy sacred throne, Mercy withholds thy lifted hand. 2 Each evening shows thy tender love, Each rising morn thy plenteous grace : Thy wakened wrath doth slowly move, Thy willing mercy flies apace. 3 To thy benign, indulgent care, Father, this light, this breath, we owe; And all we have, and all we are, From thee, great Source of being, flow. 4 Thrice Holy ! thine the kingdom is, The power omnipotent is thine; And when created nature dies, Thy never-ceasing glories shine. ERNEST LANGE. TR. BY J. WESLEY. Title: God's Greatness. These two hymns are made up from selected stanzas of a poem containing twenty- four quatrains. They are not altered. The translation was first published in a Collection of Psalms and Hymns. Charles-Town, 1737. The original is found in the Ilerrnhuth Collection. Ernest Lange was a pious magistrate in Danzig, where he was horn in 1650. In 1711 he published a volume containing sixty-one original hymns. Only a few of them have been translated. He died in 1727. 1 2» 8 Immanuel, God with us. L. M. ETERNAL depth of love divine, In Jesus, God with us, displayed ; How bright thy beaming glories shine! How wide thy healing streams are spread ! 2 With whom dost thou delight to dwell? Sinners, a vile and thankless race ! O God, what tongue aright can tell How vast thy love, how great thy grace ! 3 The dictates of thy sovereign will With joy our grateful hearts receive ; All thy delight in us fulfill ; Lo, all we are to thee we give. 4 To thy sure love, thy tender care, Our flesh, soul, spirit, we resign; O fix thy sacred presence there, And seal the abode forever thine. NICOLATJS L. ZINZENDORF. TR. BY J. WESLEY. HYMN STUDIES. 55 Title : God with us. The first half of the translation, unaltered. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, published by John and Charles Wesley, 1739. Count Nicholas Lewis de Zinzendorf, the founder of the religious community of Herrnhut, and the apostle of the United Brethren, was born at Dres- den in 1700. It is not often that noble blood and worldly wealth are allied with true piety and mis- sionary zeal. Such, however, was the case with Count Zinzendorf. Spener, the father of Pietism, was his godfather ; and Franke, the founder of the famous "Orphan House in Halle, was for several years his tutor. In 1731 Zinzendorf resigned all public duties, and devoted himself to missionary work ; he traveled extensively on the Continent, in Great Britain, and in America, preaching " Christ and him crucified," and organizing societies of Moravian brethren. John Wesley is said to have been under obligation to Zinzendorf for some ideas of singing, organization of classes, and church gov- ernment. Zinzendorf was the author of some two thousand hymns. Many of them are worthless, or worse, but some of them are very valuable^ full of Gospel sweetness and holy fervor. He died in 17 60. 129 For the grace of the Holy Trinity. L. M. BLEST Spirit, one with God above, Thou source of life and holy love, O cheer us with thy sacred beams, Refresh us with thy plenteous streams. 2 O may our lips confess thy name, Our holy lives thy power proclaim; With love divine our hearts inspire, And fill us with thy holy fire. 3 O holy Father, holy Son, And Holy Spirit, Three in One, Thy grace devoutly we implore ; Thy name be praised for evermore. FROM THE LATIN. TR. BY J. CHANDLER. Title : Nunc sancte nobis Spiritus. The text is unaltered and entire. From the translator's Hymns of the Primitive Church, Lon- don, 1837. ISee No. 49. 130 Incomprehensible glory. L. M. GOD is the name my soul adores, The almighty Three, the eternal One : Nature and grace, with all their powers, Confess the Infinite Unknown. 2 Thy voice produced the sea and spheres, Bade the waves roar, the planets shine ; But nothing like thyself appears Through all these spacious works of thine. 3 Still restless nature dies and grows ; From change to change the creatures run : Thy being no succession knows, And all thy vast designs are one. 4 A glance of thine runs through the globe, Rules the bright worlds, and moves their frame ; Of light thou f orm'st thy dazzling robe ; Thy ministers are living flame. 5 How shall polluted mortals dare To sing thy glory or thy grace? Beneath thy feet we lie afar, And see but shadows of thy face. 6 Who can behold the blazing light? Who can approach consuming flame? None but thy wisdom knows thy might ; None but thy word can speak thy name. ISAAC WATTS. Title : The Creator and Creatures. From Horod lyricco, 1709. Several verbal changes have been made, and two stanzas omit- ted, viz. : 2 " From thy great Self thy Being springs ; Thou art thine own Original, Made up of uncreated Things, And Self-sufncience bears them all. 3 " Thrones and Dominions round thee fall, And worship in submissive Forms ; Thy Presence shakes this lower Ball, This little Dwelling-Place of Worms." 131 Jehovah's holiness. L. M. HOLY as thou, O Lord, is none; Thy holiness is all thine own ; A drop of that unbounded sea Is ours, — a drop derived from thee: 2 And when thy purity we share, Thine only glory we declare ; And, humbled into nothing, own, Holy and pure is God alone. 3 Sole, self-existing God and Lord, By all thy heavenly hosts adored, Let all on earth bow down to thee, And own thy peerless majesty. 4 Thy power unparalleled confess, Established on the rock of peace ; The rock that never shall remove, The rock of pure, almighty love. CHARLES WESLEY. 56 HYMN STUDIES. From Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures. By Charles Wesley, M.A., and Presbyter of the Church of England, 1762. Text : " There is none holy as the Lord : for there is none besides thee : neither is there any rock like our God." 1 Sam. ii, 2. In his preface the writer says : " Several of the hymns are intended to prove, and several to guard, the doctrine of Christian Perfection. I durst not publish one without the other." He doubtless in- tended this to "guard" the doctrine. The author published the first line : " Holy as TJiee, O Lord, is none." 132 From everlasting to everlasting. L. M. ERE mountains reared their forms sub- lime, Or heaven and earth in order stood, Before the birth of ancient time, From everlasting thou art God. 2 A thousand ages, in their flight, With thee are as a fleeting day ; Past, present, future, to thy sight At once their various scenes display. 3 But our brief life's a shadowy dream, A passing thought that soon is o'er, That fades with morning's earliest beam, And fills the musing mind no more. 4 To us, O Lord, the wisdom give Each passing moment so to spend, That we at length with thee may live Where life and bliss shall never end. HARRIET AUBER. This hymn is founded on Psalm xc : " Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth," etc. Two lines have been altered. Original Foebi. Verse one, line two : *' Or the fair earth in order stood." Verse four, line two : " So ev'ry precious hour to spend." From The Spirit of the Psalms, 1829. For sketch of author, see No. 33. 133 Omnipotence and wisdom. L. M. COME, O my soul, in sacred lays, Attempt thy great Creator's praise : But O 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, Omnipotence, 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. THOMAS BLACKLOCK. The Eev. Thomas Blacklock, D.D., was a native of Scotland, bora in 1721. He lost his sight by small-pox when an infant, but was nevertheless well educated, and ordained a minister in 1762. Two years later he retired to Edinburgh, and spent his time in teaching and authorship. An edition of his poems, which are characterized by elegant mediocrity, was published in 1793. He died in 1791. This hymn has had a wide circula- tion. It can speak for itself. I cannot vouch for the authorship, nor for the correctness of the text. It is evidently founded on Psalm civ. 134 The Lord is King. L. M. THE Lord is King ! lift up thy voice, O earth, and all ye heavens, rejoice ! From world to world the joy shall ring, The Lord omnipotent is King. 2 The Lord is King ! child of the dust, The Judge of all the earth is just ; Holy and true are all his ways : Let every creature speak his praise. 3 He reigns ! ye saints, exalt your strains ; Your God is King, your Father reigns ; And he is at the Father's side, The Man of love, the Crucified. 4 Come, make your wants, your burdens known, He will present them at the throne ; And angel bands are waiting there His messages of love to bear. 5 O when his wisdom can mistake, His might decay, his love forsake, Then may his children cease to sing, The Lord omnipotent is King. JOSIAH CONDER. The Scripture text is Eev. xix, 6 : " Alleluia : for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." It is a " means of grace " to read this grand HYMN STUDIES. hymn. Three stanzas, the second, seventh, and eighth, are omitted, which we give, in order that the reader may have the whole of it : " The Lord is King ! who then shall dare Resist His will, distrust His care, Or murmur at His wise decrees, Or doubt His royal promises ? " Alike pervaded by His eye, All parts of His dominion lie ; This world of ours, and worlds unseen ; And thin the boundary between. " One Lord, one empire, all secures ; He reigns, and life and death are yours : Through earth and heaven one song shall ring, The Lord Omnipotent is King." From The Star in the East ; with Other Poems. By Josiah Conder. London, 1824. loO Omnipresence. L. M. LORD of all being ! throned afar, Thy glory flames from sun and star ; Center and soul of every sphere, Yet to each loving heart how near. 2 Sun of our life, thy quickening ray Sheds on our path the glow of day; Star of our hope, thy softened light Cheers the long watches of the night. 3 Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn ; Our noontide is thy gracious dawn ; Our rainbow arch thy mercy's sign; All, save the clouds of sin, are thine ! 4 Lord of all life, below, above, Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, Before thy ever-blazing throne We ask no luster of our own. 5 Grant us thy truth to make us free, And kindling hearts that burn for thee, Till all thy living altars claim One holy light, one heavenly flame. OLIVER W. HOLMES. Written in 1848. Many valuable hymns are not, strictly speaking, oems ; and, of course, most poems are not hymns ; ut this is both. It is a true hymn, full of worship ; and a real poem, all alive with sublime imagery. Oliver Wendell Holmes, author, physician, and professor, was born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1809 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1829 ; studied medicine in this country and in Europe, and re- ceived the degree of M.D. in 1836. In 1837 he was elected Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in Dartmouth College, and accepted a call to the satne chair in Harvard University in 1847. Dr. Holmes is a successful writer in various styles both of prose and poetry. He died in Boston, Oct. 7, 1894. 136 Holy, holy, holy. 1 1, 12, 10. HOLY, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee ; Holy, holy, holy ! merciful and mighty, God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity ! 2 Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea ; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee, Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. 3 Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide thee, Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see ; Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. 4 Holy, holy, holy ! Lord God Almighty ! All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, holy, holy ! merciful and mighty ; God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity 1 REGINALD HEBER. Title : Trinity Sunday. Dnaltered. From Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year, 1827. For biographical sketch, see No. 62. 137 The Trinity adored. L. M. OHOLY, holy, holy Lord, Bright in thy deeds and in thy name, Forever be thy name adored, Thy glories let the world proclaim. 2 O Jesus, Lamb once crucified To take our load of sins away, Thine be the hymn that rolls its tide Along the realms of upper day. 3 O Holy Spirit from above, In streams of light and glory given, Thou source of ecstasy and love, Thy praises ring through earth and heaven. 4 O God Triune, to thee we owe Our every thought, our every song ; And ever may thy praises flow From saint and seraph's burning tongue. JAMES W. EASTBURN. 58 HYMN STUDIES. This beautiful Trinity hymn is from the Protest- ant Episcopal Prayer Book : Hymns Suited to the Feasts and Fasts of the Church, and Other Occa- sions of Public Worship, 1826. It is unaltered and entire. The Eev. James Wallis Eastburn was an En- glishman, born in London in 1797. He came to this country in early life ; was graduated at Columbia College in 1816 ; and in 1818 became a rector in Vir- ginia. He died at sea in the following year while on a voyage for his health. 138 The heavens declare His glory. L. M. THE spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim : The unwearied sun, from day to day, Does his Creators power display, And publishes to every land The work of an almighty hand. 2 Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the w T ondrcus tale, And nightly, to the listening earth, RejDeats the story of her birth ; While all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn, Confirm the tidings as they roll, • And spread the truth from pole to pole. 3 What though in solemn silence all Move round the dark terrestrial ball? What though no real voice nor sound Amid the radiant orbs be found? In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice ; Forever singing as they shine, ' ' The hand that made us is divine. " JOSEPH ADDISON. This grand and familiar ode is from the Spectator, No. 465, 1712. It is founded on Psalm xix, 1-4 : "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Joseph Addison, the son of an English clergy- man, was born in 1672 ; educated at Oxford, and soon after his graduation elected a fellow of Magda- len College. He had an early reputation among his contemporaries for learning and ability. It was thought that he would enter the Church ; but he turned his attention to politics, and rose through several public offices to be Secretary of State, a position which he was soon compelled to resign on account of ill health. Addison's fame rests principally upon his essays in the Tatler and Spec- tator. It is quite possible that his reputation as a writer of hymns — though he wrote only five — may outlast his fame as an essayist. He died in 1719. His last hours were perfectly serene. It is said that he sent for his son-in-law, the Earl of War- wick, to witness ' ' in what peace a Christian can die." ldy Jehovah'' s sovereignty. L. M. FATHER of all, w'hose powerful voice Called forth this universal frame ! Whose mercies over all rejoice, Through endless ages still the same ; Thou by thy w r ord upholdest all ; Thy bounteous love to all is showed ; Thou hear'st thy every creature's call, And fillest every mouth with good. 2 In heaven thou reign'st enthroned in light, Nature's expanse before thee spread ; Earth, air, and sea, before thy sight, And hell's deep gloom, are open laid: Wisdom, and might, and love, are thine ; Prostrate before thy face we fall, Confess thine attributes divine, And hail thee sovereign Lord of all. 3 Blessing and honor, praise and love, Co-equal, co-eternal Three, In earth below, in heaven above, By all thy works, be paid to thee. Let all wdio owe to thee their birth, In praises every hour employ ; Jehovah reigns ! be glad, O earth, And shout, ye morning stars, for joy ! JOHN WESLEY. A hymn of nine stanzas, entitled The Lord's Prayer Paraphrased. It was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. It may be found complete in Wesley's Sermons, American edition, vol. i, p. 243. For biography, see No. 111. 140 Worshiping the King. 10,11. 0 WORSHIP the King all-glorious above, And gratefully sing his wonderful love ; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2 O tell of his might, and sing of his grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space ; His chariots of wrath the deep-thunder clouds form, And dark is his path on the wings of the storm. HYMN STUDIES. 59 3 Thy bountiful care what tongue can re- cite? It breathes 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! Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend ! SIR ROBERT GRANT. This is one of twelve sacred lyrics written by tins author, and collected by his brother, Lord Glenelg. Sacred Poems, 1839. It is founded on Psalm civ. The second line of verse one, the author wrote : " 0 gratefully sing his power and his love." In verse two, line one, the original is " 0 sing," instead of " and sing." Two stanzas, the third and sixth, of the original, are omitted : " The earth, with its stores of wonders untold, Almighty, Thy power hath founded of old, Hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree, And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea. " O measureless might, ineffable Love ! While angels delight to hymn Thee above, The humble creation, though feeble their lays, With true adoration shall lisp to Thy praise." Sir Eobert Grant was born in 1785 ; was educat- ed at Cambridge, graduating in 1806, after which he studied law. He entered Parliament in 1826, and in 1834 was appointed Governor of Bombay. He died in India in 1838. 141 The Lord will ptrovide. 10, 11. THOUGH troubles assail, and dangers affright, Though friends should all fail, and foes all unite, Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, The promise assures us, "The Lord will provide." 2 The birds, without barn or store-house, are fed; From them let us learn to trust for our bread : His saints what is fitting shall ne'er be de- nied, So long as 'tis written, "The Lord will provide." 3 When Satan appears to stop up our path, And fills us with fears, we triumph by faith; He cannot take from us, though oft he has tried, The heart-cheering promise, ' ' The Lord will provide." 4 He tells us we're weak, our hope is in vain; The good that we seek we ne'er shall ob- tain: But when such suggestions our graces have tried, This answers all questions, ' 1 The Lord will provide." 5 No strength of our own, nor goodness we claim ; Our trust is all thrown on Jesus's name : In this our strong tower for safety we hide ; The Lord is our power, 1 ' The Lord will provide." 6 When life sinks apace, and death is in view. The word of his grace shall comfort us through : Not fearing or doubting, with Christ on our side, We hope to die shouting, i 6 The Lord will provide." JOHN NEWTON. From the Olney Hymns, 1779. The title and re- frain are found in Genesis xxii, 14. The author wrote verse one, line four : " The Sci'ipture assures us," etc. Verse four, line three, last part : " Our spirits haveply'd." Verse five, line two : " Yet since we have known the Saviour's great name." Two stanzas are omitted, the first, perhaps on account of its Calvinism ; the second, because there are enough without it. We give them as a matter of curiosity. 3 " We may like the ships, By tempests be tost On perilous deeps, But cannot be lost : Though Satan enrages The wind and the tide, The promise engages, The Lord will provide. 60 HYMN STUDIES. 4 " His call we obey Like Abra'm of old, Not knowing our way, But faith makes us bold ; For though we are strangers We have a good guide, And trust in all clangers The Lord will provide." 142 Wondrous condescension. 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 Through all his mighty works Amazing wisdom shines : Confounds the powers of hell, And all their dark designs ; Strong is his arm, and shall fulfill His great decrees and sovereign will. 4 And will this sovereign 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 to praise the Lord. ISAAC WATTS. Founded on Psalm xcvii. The author's title is : The Divine Perfections. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book ii. Some verbal changes have been made in the last part of the hymn by the hymn-book editors. The third stanza Watts wrote : " Through all his ancient works, Surprising wisdom shines, Confounds the powers of hell. And breaks their cursed designs." The first line of the last stanza in the authorized text is : "And can this mighty King." 143 The changeless Friend. THIS God is the God we adore, Our faithful, unchangeable friend, Whose love is as great as his power, And neither knows measure nor end : 2 'Tis Jesus, the first and the last, Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home; We'll praise him for all that is past, And trust him for all that's to come. JOSEPH HART. These are the last lines of a long piece, beginning : " No prophet or dreamer of dreams." The title to Mr. Hart's book is a curious one, viz.: Hymns, &c. Composed on Various Subjects : 1759. This piece must be one of the "and so forths." It certainly is not a hymn. These stanzas are very much superior to the rest, and are the only ones worth preserving. For biographical sketch of author, see No. 29. 7,61. 144 Praise to the Trinity. HOLY, 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 Since by thee were all things made, And in thee do all things live, Be to thee all honor paid ; Praise to thee let all things give, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 3 Thousands, tens of thousands, stand, Spirits blest, before the throne, Speeding thence at thy command, And, when thy commands are done, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 4 Cherubim and seraphim Veil their faces with their wings ; Eyes of angels are too dim To behold the King of kings, While they sing eternally To the blessed Trinity. 5 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. 6 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. CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH. HYMN STUDIES. Gl Title : Trinity Sunday. Verse three, line two, the original has "Thy" throne. Verse three, line four, the author wrote "behests " instead of "commands." Verses six and seven omitted : 6 " In Thy Name baptized are we. With thy blessing are disuiiss'd; And Thrice-Holy chant to Thee In the holy Eucharist ; Life is one Doxology To the Blessed Trinity. 7 "To the Father, and the Son, Who for us did deign to die ; And to God the Holy One, Who the Church cloth sanctify, Sing we with glad Jubilee, Hallelujah ! Lord, to Thee. From The Holy Year; or, Hymns for Sundays and Holy days. London, 1862. For biographical sketch, see No. 72. 145 Worship the Creator. LET us with a gladsome mind Praise the Lord, for he is kind, For his mercies shall endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. Let us sound his name abroad, For of gods he is the God, Who by wisdom did create Heaven's expanse and all its state ; 2 Did the solid earth ordain How to rise above the main ; Who, by his commanding might, Filled the new-made world with light : Caused the golden-tressed sun All the day his course to run ; And the moon to shine by night, 'Mid her spangled sisters bright 3 All his creatures God doth feed, His full hand supplies their need ; He hath with a pitying eye Looked upon our misery : Let us, therefore, warble forth His high majesty and worth, For his mercies shall endure^ Ever faithful, ever sure. JOHN MILTON, ALT. Part of the author's paraphrase of Psalm cxxxvi. Fifteen lines out of the twenty-four have been more or less changed. It ought to be marked altered. John Milton was born in London in 1608, and educated at Cambridge. After graduating he traveled extensively, for those days. He was a Puritan in religion and a Republican in politics ; was in public service under Cromwell, and nar- rowly escaped death or banishment at the Resto- ration. In 1652 he became totally blind ; but his poetic vision seemed to be only quickened thereby, and he wrote in Paradise Lost ': " Things unattemptcd yet in prose or rhyme." It is said that this paraphrase was written when the author was only fifteen years of age, (1623.) This we can readily believe ; for it contains the ex- cellences of genius, and, especially in its original form, the imperfections of immaturity. Hedied 1674. 146 Glory, mercy, grace. C. M. FATHER, how wide thy glory shines, How high thy wonders rise ! Known through the earth by thousand signs, By thousands through the skies. 2 Those mighty orbs proclaim thy power ; Their motions speak thy skill : And on the wings of every hour We read thy patience still. 3 Part of thy name divinely stands On all thy creatures writ ; They show the labor of thy hands, Or impress of thy feet : 4 But when we view thy strange design, To save rebellious worms, Where vengeance and compassion join In their divinest forms ; 5 Here the whole Deity is known, Nor dares a creature guess Which of the glories brighter shone, The justice or the grace. 6 Now the full glories of the Lamb Adorn the heavenly plains; Bright seraphs learn Immanuel's name, And try their choicest strains. 7 O may I bear some humble part In that immortal song ! Wonder and joy shall tune my heart, And love command my tongue. ISAAC WATTS. Title : God Glorious and Sinners Saved. From Horce Lyricce,, book i, 1709. Verse six, line three, the author wrote "Sweet Cherubs" etc. Two stanzas, the fifth and seventh, have been omitted : 5 " Our Thoughts are lost in reverend Awe, We love and we adore ; The first Arch- Angel never saw So much of God before. 62 HYMN STUDIES. 7 "When Sinners broke the Father's Laws, Thy dying Son atones; Oh the dear Mysteries of his Cross, The Triumph of his Groans ! " 147 Majesty and love of God. C. M. MY God, how wonderful thou art, Thy majesty how bright, How beautiful thy mercy-seat In depths of burning light ! 2 How dread are thine eternal years, O everlasting Lord, By prostrate spirits day and night Incessantly adored! 3 How beautiful, how beautiful, The sight of thee must be, Thine endless wisdom, boundless power, And awful purity ! 4 O how I fear thee, living God, With deepest, tenderest fears, And worship thee with trembling hope And penitential tears. 5 Yet I may love thee too, O Lord, Almighty as thou art; For thou hast stooped to ask of me The love of my poor heart. 6 No earthly father loves like thee, No mother half so mild Bears and forbears, as thou hast done With me, thy sinful child. 7 Father of Jesus, love's reward ! What rapture will it be, Prostrate before thy throne to lie, And gaze, and gaze on thee ! FREDERICK W. PABER. Title : Our Heavenly Father. Written in 1849, and found in the author's Hymns, 1861. It is not altered. This lyric illus- trates one characteristic beauty of Faber's poetry, viz., an intense adoration — a profound love of God. Omitted stanzas : 6 " Oh then this worse than worthless heart In pity deign to take, And make it love Thee, for Thyself And for Thy glory's sake. 8 " Only to sit and think of God, Oh what a joy it is ! To think the thought, to breathe the Name, Earth has no higher bliss ! " For biographical sketch, see No. 125. 148 8,7- God's glory in creation and redemption. MIGHTY God ! while angels bless thee, May a mortal lisp thy name ? Lord of men, as well as angels, Thou art every creature's theme : Lord of every land and nation, Ancient of eternal days ! Sounded through the wide creation By thy just and awful praise. 2 For the grandeur of thy nature, Grand beyond a seraph's thought ; For the wonders of creation, Works with skill and kindness wrought; For thy providence, that governs Through thine empire's wide domain, Wings an angel, guides a sparrow; Blessed be thy gentle reign ! 3 For thy rich, thy free redemption, Bright, though veiled in darkness long, Thought is poor, and poor expression ; Who can sing that wondrous song ? Brightness of the Father's glory ! Shall thy praise unuttered lie? Break, my tongue, such guilty silence, Sing the Lord who came to die : — 4 From the highest throne of glory, To the cross of deepest woe. Came to ransom guilty captives : Flow, my praise, forever flow ! Re-ascend, immortal Saviour; Leave thy footstool, take thy throne ; Thence return and reign forever; Be thy kingdom all thine own ! ROBERT ROBINSON. Written in 1774. This hymn is full of beauty and majesty. Rob- inson did not publish any collection himself, but contributed several hymns to Whitefield's collec- tion. Some verbal changes have been made since the death of the author. In the first stanza he wrote " infant " instead of " mortal ;" and " lawful" instead of" awful." The third line of the second stanza read : " For created works of power." The third stanza began : " But thy rich, thy free redemption Baric thro" 1 brightness all along." It also had "awful" instead of "wondrous" in the fourth line'. He wrote u Go, return," in- stead of "Re-ascend," in the last stanza. The refrain, "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Halle- lujah ! Amen ! " is omitted^ and also four lines oi the hymn, as follows : HYMN STUDIES. 63 " Did archangels sing thy coming? Did the shepherds learn their lays ? Shame would cover me ungrateful, Should my tongue refuse to praise." The Eev. Eobert Robinson was a native of En- gland ; born in 1735 ; a talented and versatile preacher, but " unstable as water." He began his ministry as a Calvinistic Methodist in one of Lady Huntingdon's chapels ; soon after that he formed an Independent church ; then he joined the Baptists. At length he strayed away from the Evangelical faith and became an unhappy back- slider and Socinian. He died in 1790. Dr. Belcher, in his Sketches of Hymns, says that this hymn was written for Benjamin Williams, who afterward be- came deacon of a Baptist church. Williams was sitting on the author's knee when he composed the first couplet : " Mighty God, while angels bless thee, May an infant lisp thy name ? " After completing the hymn he read it, and gave it to the boy. Not in Whitefield's collection. A Universalist Hymn Book, Boston, 1792, claims to give the original. 149 The ivideness of God's mercy. 8, 7. 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. 2 There is welcome for the sinner, And more graces for the good ; There is mercy with the Saviour ; There is healing in his blood. 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. 4 If our love were but more simple, We should take him at his word ; And our lives would be all sunshine In the sweetness of our Lord. FREDERICK W. FABER. _ This beautiful hymn is composed of the fourth, sixth, eighth, and thirteenth stanzas, verbatim, of a long poem, entitled Come to Jesus. The theology of the hymn is very agreeable to Methodists. The whole piece can be found in Faker's Hymns. London, 1862. For biographical sketch, see No. 125. 150 Unchanging wisdom and love. GOD is love ; his mercy brightens All the path in which we rove ; Bliss he wakes, and woe he lightens ; God is wisdom, God is love. 8,7. 2 Chance and change are busy ever ; Man decays, and ages move; But his mercy waneth never; God is wisdom, God is love. 3 E'en the hour that darkest seemeth, Will his changeless goodness prove ; From the gloom his brightness streameth, God is wisdom, God is love. 4 He with earthly cares entwineth Hope and comfort from above ; Every- where his glory shineth; God is wisdom, God is love. SIR JOHN BOWRING. The author's title is : God is Love. From Hymns. London, 1825. One word has been changed. The original of verse three, line three, is : " From the mist his brightness streameth." The hymn closes by repeating the first stanza. John Bowring was a native of Exeter, England; born in 1792. He entered Parliament early in life ; for many years held different official positions, and was knighted in 1854. The religious life of this author is recorded largely in his poems, Matins and Vespers. London, 1823 ; and in Hymns as a Sequel to Matins and Vespers, 1825. He died 1872. 151 Majesty and providence. C. M. THE Lord our God is clothed with might, The winds obey his will ; He speaks, and in his heavenly height The rolling sun stands still. 2 Rebel, ye waves, and o'er the land With threatening aspect roar; The lord uplifts his awful hand, And chains you to the shore. 3 Ye 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 sons of earth, in reverence bend ; Ye nations, wait his nod ; And bid the choral song ascend To celebrate our God. H. KIRKE WHITE. Title : The Eternal Monarch. This is a genuine poem. It was first published 64 HYMN STUDIES. by the Eev. William Bengo Collyer, D.D., in Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original. London, 1812. Slight changes have been made in four lines. Original. Verse one, line one : " The Lord our God is full of might." Verse three, line one : "Howl, winds of night, your force combine." Verse five, line one : " Ye nations bend, in reverence bend." Verse five, line two : " Ye monarchs wait his nod." For sketch of author, see No. 22. CM. 152 TlteLord is King. THE Lord descended from above, And bowed the heavens most high, And underneath his feet he cast The darkness of the sky. 2 On cherubim and seraphim Full royally he rode, And on the wings of mighty winds Came flying all abroad. 3 He sat serene upon the floods, Their fury to restrain ; And he, as sovereign Lord and King, For evermore shall reign. 4 Give glory to his aw 7 ful name, And honor him alone ; Give worship to his majesty Upon his holy throne. THOMAS STERNHOLD, ALT. The first three stanzas are founded on Psalm xviii, 9-11 : " He bowed the heavens also, and came down : and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place ; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." Each stanza has been altered. The word "most" has been added in the second line of the first verse ; the first line of the second stanza was originally : " On cherubs and on cherubims." And the third line was : " And on the wings of all the winds." The third stanza is changed beyond all recog- nition ; yet the critic will see that it still retains a thought of the original : " And like a den most dark he made his hid and secret place ; With waters black, and airy clouds, environed lie was." The last stanza was taken from Psalm xxix, 2 : "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holi- ness." This, too, has been altered ; it was : " Give glory to his holy Name, and honor him alone ; Wwship him in his Majesty within his holy throne." Thomas Sternhold was an Englishman The time and place of his birth are not known. He died in 1549, having held the office of Groom of the Kobes to King Henry VIII. Sternhold versi- fied only a part of the Psalms, the rest were written by John Hopkins and 6thers. The completed ver- sion was published in 1562. 153 Praise from all creation. C. M. PRAISE ye the Lord, ye immortal choirs That fill the worlds above ; Praise him who formed you of his fires, And feeds you with his love. 2 Shine to his praise, ye crystal skies, The floor of his abode ; Or veil in shades your thousand eyes Before your brighter God. 3 Thou restless globe of golden light, Whose beams create our days, Join with the silver queen of night, To own your borrowed rays. 4 Thunder and hail, and fire and storms, The troops of his command, Appear in all your dreadful forms, And speak his awful hand. 5 Shout to the Lord, ye surging seas, In your eternal roar; Let wave to wave resound his praise, And shore reply to shore. 6 Thus w T hile the meaner creatures sing, Ye mortals, catch the sound ; Echo the glories of your King Through all the nations round. ISAAC WATTS. Title : The Universal Hallelujah. Part of a para phrase of Psalm cxlviii. HYMN STUDIES. 65 From Horce Lyricaz, 1709. The first stanza of the hymn is made by com- bining the first two of Watts's — as can be seen : " 1 Praise ye the Lord with joyful Tongue, Ye Powers that guard his Throne ; Jesus, the Man, shall lead the Song, The God inspire the Tune. " 2 Gabriel, and all the immortal Choir That fill the Realms above ? Sing, for he formed you of his Fire, And feeds you with his Love." The rest of the hymn is a copy of verses three, four, seven, eight, and thirteen of the paraphrase. It54r Goodness and mercy. C. M. LET every tongue thy goodness speak, Thou sovereign Lord of all ; Thy strengthening hands uphold the weak, And raise the poor that fall. 2 When sorrows bow the spirit down, When virtue lies distressed, Beneath the proud oppressor's frown, Thou giv'st the mourner rest. 3 Thou know'st the pains thy servants feel, Thou hear'st thy children's cry ; And their best wishes to fulfill, Thy grace is ever nigh. 4 Thy mercy never shall remove From men of heart sincere : Thou sav'st the souls whose humble love Is joined with holy fear. 5 My lips shall dwell upon thy praise, And spread thy fame abroad ; Let all the sons of Adam raise The honors of their God. ISAAC WATTS. Title : Mercy to Sufferers ; or, God hearing prayer. A paraphrase of Psalm cxlv, 14-21. Two stanzes are omitted, and each of the others, except the first, slightly altered. Published in 1719. 155 TJie angelic guard. C. M. WHICH of the monarchs of the earth Can boast a guard like ours, Encircled from our second birth With all the heavenly powers? 2 Myriads of bright, cherubic bands, Sent by the King of kings, Rejoice to bear us in their hands, And shade us with their wings. 5 3 Angels, where'er we go, attend Our steps, whate'er betide ; With watchful care their charge defend, And evil turn aside. 4 Our lives those holy angels keep From every hostile power ; And, unconcerned, we sweetly sleep, As Adam in his bower. 5 And when our spirits we resign, On outstretched wings they bear, And lodge us in the arms divine, And leave us ever there. CHARLES WESLEY. A beautiful hymn on a beautiful subject. The text is Hebrew i, 14 : " Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of sal- vation? " This was one of the many hymns that Charles Wesley left in manuscript. The date of writing is 1786. The original has nine double stanzas, and can be found complete in The Poetical Works of John and Charles Wesley, vol. xiii. London, 1872. The first line reads : " Which of the petty kings of earth." The word " monarchs " was substituted when the hymn was introduced to our hymn book, in 1849 ; probably by Dr. James Floy, who made many verbal changes, some of which were improve- ments and some were not. 156 The twenty-third Psalm C. M. THE Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want : He makes me down to lie In pastures green; he leadeth me The quiet waters by. 2 My soul he doth restore again ; And me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness, E'en for his own name's sake. 3 Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale, Yet will I fear no ill ; For thou art with me, and thy rod And staff me comfort still. 4 A table thou hast furnished me In presence of my foes; My head thou dost with oil anoint, And my cup overflows. 66 HYMN STUDIES. 5 Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me ; And in God's house for evermore My dwelling-place shall be. WILLIAM WHITTINGHAM AND OTHERS. This most literal and valuable version of Psalm xxiii is based upon the rendering of the Rev. William Whittingham, who contributed fifteen psalms to the version of Sternhold and Hopkins, 1562. It is sometimes attributed to Francis Rous ; but Rous — at least in his first edition, 1641 — only substituted a few lines from the version of Stern- hold for corresponding lines of Whittingham, and altered a few other lines. Most of the changes are of a later date, and were probably made by the editors of the Scottish version of the Psalms. 157 Rejoicing in deliverance CM. OTHOU, who, when we did complain, Didst all our griefs remove, O Saviour, do not now disdain Our humble praise and love. 2 Since thou a pitying ear didst give, And hear us when we prayed, We'll call upon thee while we live, And never doubt thy aid. 3 Pale death, with all his ghastly train, Our souls encompassed round; Anguish, and sin, and dread, and pain, On every side we found. 4 To thee, O Lord of life, we prayed, And did for succor flee : u O save," in our distress we said, " The souls that trust in thee." 5 How good thou art ! how large thy grace ! How ready to forgive ! Thy mercies crown our fleeting days ; And by thy love we live. 6 Our eyes no longer drowned in tears, Our feet from falling free, Redeemed from death and guilty fears, O Lord, we'll live to thee. SAMUEL WESLEY, ALT. This hymn is the first part of a paraphrase of Psalm cxvi. It was written in the first person, singular; and there are changes, mostly slight, in all the lines except two. The Wesleys pub- lished this in their Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. It was not written by Charles Wesley, but by bis father, and published by him in The Pious Communicant Rightly Prepared. By S. Wesley, Rector of Epworth, 1700. For biography of Samuel Wesley, see No. 215. 158 The sure refuge. C M. THERE is a safe and secret place Beneath the wings divine, Reserved for all the heirs of grace ; O be that refuge mine! 2 The least and feeblest there may bide, Uninjured and unawed; While thousands fall on every side, He rests secure in God. 3 The angels watch him on his way, And aid with friendly arm ; And Satan, roaring for his prey, May hate, but cannot harm. 4 He feeds in pastures large and fair Of love and truth divine : O child of God, O glory's heir, How rich a lot is thine ! 5 A hand almighty to defend, An ear for every call, An honored life, a peaceful end, And heaven to crown it all ! HENRY P. LYTE. Founded on Psalm xci. Sir Roundell Palmer, in his Rook of Praise, gives to it the date of 1834. It is found in the author's Spirit of the Psalms. 1834. It is unaltered and entire. For biographical sketch, see No. 27. 1 5 Q The only source of blessing. C. M. JEHOVAH, God, thy gracious power On every hand we see ; O may the blessings of each hour Lead all our thoughts to thee. 2 If on the wings of morn we speed, To earth's remotest bound, Thy hand will there our footsteps lead, Thy love our path surround. 3 Thy power is in the ocean deeps. And reaches to the skies ; Thine eye of mercy never sleeps, Thy goodness never dies. 4 From morn till noon — till latest eve, Thy hand, O God, we see ; And all the blessings we receive, Proceed alone from thee. JOHN THOMSON. HYMN STUDIES. 6? Title : Omnipresence of God. Three lines have been slightly altered. Original. Verse two, line three : " Thy right hand will our footsteps lead." Verse two, line four : " Thine arm our path surround." Verse four, line four : " Ceaseless proceed from thee." There is one additional stanza : 5 " In all the varying scenes of time, On thee our hopes depend ; In every age, in every clime, Our Father and our Friend." This first appeared in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Unitarian Worship. By Eobert Asp- land, 1810. Mr. Thomson was an English physician of em- inence, and lived from 1782 to 1818. Gratitude. C. M. 160 WHEN all thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I'm lost In wonder, love, and praise. 2 O how can words with equal warmth The gratitude declare, That glows within my ravished heart? But thou canst read it there. 3 To all my weak complaints and cries, Thy mercy lent an ear, Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned To form themselves in prayer. 4 When in the slippery paths of youth, With heedless steps I ran, Thine arm, unseen, conveyed me safe, And led me up to man. 5 Through hidden dangers, toils, and deaths, It gently cleared my way ; And through the pleasing snares of vice, More to be feared than they. 6 Through every period of my life Thy goodness I'll pursue ; And after death, in distant worlds, The pleasing theme renew. 7 Through all eternity to thee A grateful song I'll raise; But O, eternity's too short To utter all thy praise. JOSEPH ADDISON. This favorite hymn contains, in all, thirteen stanzas. The verses left out are equally good as those retained. The whole poem is found in the Spectator, No. 453, in which it was first published in 1712. Some doubt has recently been expressed by hymnologists whether Addison were the author of this hymn. It will be seen that he does not ex- pressly claim it. To do so was contrary to his habit. Addison wrote "glorious" instead of " pleasing " in verse six, line four. 161 cm. Verily, thou art a God that hidest thyself. Isa. xlv,15. 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 designs, And works his sovereign will. 3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take : The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In 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. WILLIAM COWPER. Title : Light Shining Out of Darkness. From Olney Hymns ,1779. Unaltered and entire. The Rev. Richard Watson, in his Life of John Wesley, indulges in a sharp criticism of the fifth stanza of this hymn. He says, ' ' This is a figure, not only not found in sacred inspired poetry, but which has too much prettiness to be the vehicle of a sub- lime thought, and the verse has moreover the fault S8 HYMN STUDIES. of an absurd antithesis, as well as a false rhyme." This is certainly hypercritical. The stanza is truly poetical in spite of the defective rhyme, and the sentiment is true and in perfect keeping with the whole poem. Montgomery calls this " a lyric of high tone and character, and rendered awfully interesting by the circumstances under which it was written : in the twilight of departing reason." See No. 44. 162 Crowning God with praise. L. M. KINGDOMS and thrones to God belong ; Crown him, ye nations, in your song : His wondrous names and powers rehearse ; His honors shall enrich your verse. 2 He shakes the heavens with loud alarms; How terrible is God in arms ! In Israel are his mercies known, Israel is his peculiar throne. 3 Proclaim him King, pronounce him blest ; He's your defense, your joy, your rest : When terrors rise and nations faint, God is the strength of every saint. ISAAC WATTS. Founded on Psalm lxviii, 32-35 : " Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth ; O sing praises unto the Lord ; Selah : To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old ; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God : his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God." First published in 1719. It is unaltered. 163 God's presence with his people. L. M. WHEN Israel, of the Lord beloved, Out from the land of bondage came, Her fathers' God before her moved, An awful guide, in smoke and flame. 2 By day, along the astonished lands The cloudy pillar glided slow ; By night, Arabia's crimsoned sands Returned the fiery column's glow. 3 Thus present still, though now unseen, When brightly shines the prosperous day, Be thoughts of thee a cloudy screen, To temper the deceitful ray. 4 And O, when gathers on our path, In shade and storm, the frequent night, Be thou, long suffering, slow to wrath, A burning and a shining light. SIR WALTER SCOTT. This is a part of the hymn with which the im- prisoned Eebecca concludes her evening devotions. From the author's romance, Ivanhoe, 1820. The original consists of four eight-lined stanzas This hymn is composed of the first and third. Two lines have been slightly changed. Okiginal Form. Verse three, line one : " Bid present still, though now unseen." Verse four, line one : " And oh, when stoops on Judah' 's path." The Scripture reference, in the first part of the hymn, is to Exodus xiii, 21 : " And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light ; to go by day and night." Sir Walter Scott, the " "Wizard of the North," was born in Edinburgh in 1771, and educated in the High School and University of his native city. His famous career as a poet and novelist need not be recorded here. Two of his hymns appear in this Hymnal, and are every way worthy of the genius of t lie author. Scott died in 1832. 164 The great Provider. L. M. PEACE, troubled soul, thou need'st not fear; Thy great Provider still is near ; Who fed thee last, will feed thee still : Be calm, and sink into his will. 2 The Lord, who built the earth and sky, In mercy stoops to hear thy cry ; His promise all may freely claim : Ask and receive in Jesus' name. 3 Without reserve give Christ your heart; Let him his righteousness impart ; Then all things else he'll freely give ; With him you all things shall receive. 4 Thus shall the soul be truly blest, That seeks in God his only rest ; May I that happy person be, In time and in eternity. SAMUEL ECKING, ALT. HYMN STUDIES. 69 This is founded upon Matt, vi, 33 : " But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ; and all these things shall be added unto you." The original contained seven stanzas ; these are the first two and the last two, somewhat altered. The Rev. Samuel Ecking (1757-1785) was an English Baptist minister who died quite young. He was the author of a volume of Essays on Grace, Faith, and Experience, in which this hymn first appeared. It is found in every edition of the hymn book. God our shield. L. M. 165 THE tempter to my soul hath said, "There is no help in God for thee: " Lord, lift thou up thy servant's head; My glory, shield, and solace be. 3 Thus to the Lord I raised my cry, He heard me from his holy hill ; At his command the waves rolled by ; He beckoned, and the winds were still. 3 I laid me down and slept, — I woke; Thou, Lord, my spirit didst sustain ; Bright from the east the morning broke, Thy comforts rose on me again. 4 I will not fear, though armed throngs Surround my steps in all their wrath ; Salvation to the Lord belongs ; His presence guards his people's path. JAMES MONTGOMERY. The reader will find it interesting to compare this hymn with Psalm iii, upon which it is founded. Unaltered from Songs of Zion, 1822. For biographical sketch ol Montgomery, see No. 5. 166 God a mighty fortress. 8, 7, 6. A MIGHTY fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing: Our Helper he, amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe ; His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. 2 Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing; Were not the right man on our side, The man of God's own choosing. Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he ; Lord Sabaoth is his name, From age to age the same, And he must win the battle. 3 And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us ; We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The Prince of darkness grim — We tremble not for him ; His rage we can endure, For lo ! his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him. 4 That word above all earthly powers — No thanks to them — abideth ; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also : The body they may kill : God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever. MARTIN LUTHER. TR. BY F. H. HEDGE. This is the most famous of Luther's hymns. It is the "Marseillaise of the Eeformation," and is founded on the first part of Psalm xlvi : " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear," etc. The hymn is supposed to have been written by Luther while on his way to the Diet at Worms, 1521. This is a mistake; if it had been written at that time it would, no doubt, have appeared in one of Luther's first hymn books published in 1524, but it does not. It was probably written in 1529, just before the Diet of Augsburg. Martin Luther, the hero of the Eeformation, was born in the village of Eisleben in 1483, entered the University at Erfurth in 1501, and was graduated with honor, receiving the degree of Doctor of Philos- ophy. In 1505 he entered an Augustmian monastery at Erfurth, was consecrated to the priesthood in 1507, and was very faithful to all the regulations of the order. He afterward said, " If ever a monk got to heaven by monkery, I was determined to get there." He was a diligent scholar, and in 1508 was called to the chair of philosophy in the University of Wittenberg. In 1512 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology. In the meantime he made a pilgrimage to Koine, where he saw much corruption among the clergy ; but still his faith was strong in the Eoman Church. It was the shameless sale of indulgences by Tetzel, authorized by Leo X., that first opened his eyes and determined him to make Eublic opposition. On October 31, 1517, at midday, lUther posted his ninety five Theses against the Merits of Indulgences on the church door at Wit- 70 HYMN STUDIES. tenberg. That day was the birthday of the Refor- mation. The burning of the Pope's Bull of Excommuni- cation in 1520, the Diet at Worms in 1521, Luther's concealment in the castle of Wartburg, and his marriage in 1525, are matters of interest upon which we cannot dwell. It was during his Wartburg cap- tivity that he translated the New Testament, pub- lished in 1522, into the mother-tongue of the Ger- man people. After giving them the Scriptures, he felt the need of psalms and hymns in the German language, and employed others to supply them. He, himself, translated psalms and wrote hymns, to some of which he adapted tunes. Luther wove the Gospel into these hymns. They were gladly received and widely circulated. A Komanist of the time wrote, " The whole people is singing itself into this Lutheran doctrine." The first collection of Luther's hymns was published in 1524. His death occurred in 1546. The translator, the Eev. Frederic Henry Hedge, D.D., was born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1805 ; he was graduated at Harvard College in 1825 ; and was for many years a Unitarian minister. From 1872 to 1881 he was professor in Harvard University. A translation first appeared in Gems of German Verse, edited by Dr. William Henry Furness, (second edition, 1859.) Here it is the same as that pub- lished by Dr. Hedge in Hymns for the Church of Christ, 1853. Dr. Hedge died Aug. 21, 1890. 167 God's messengers of love. L. M. THEY come, God's messengers of love, They come from realms of peace above, From homes of never-fading light, From blissful mansions ever bright. 2 They come to watch around us here, To soothe our sorrow, calm our fear : Ye heavenly guides, speed not away, God willeth you with us to stay. 3 But chiefly at its journey's end 'Tis yours the spirit to befriend, And whisper to the faithful heart, " O Christian soul, in peace depart." 4 Blest Jesus, thou whose groans and tears Have sanctified frail nature's fears, To earth in bitter sorrow weighed, Thou didst not scorn thine angel's aid. 5 An angel guard to us supply, While on the bed of death we lie; And by thine own almighty power O shield us in the last dread hour. ROBERT CAMPBELL, ALT. The author's title was : Saint Michael and All Angels. Verbal changes have been made in every stanza, except the third. The following doxology closes the hymn : " To God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, Three in One, From all above and all below Let joyful praise unceasing flow." Robert Campbell was by profession a lawyer. He resided in Edinburgh, and was for several years a member of the Episcopal Church of Scotland. He contributed this hymn to Hymns and Anthems for Use in the Holy Service of the Church, 1850, of which he was one of the editors. He subse- quently joined the Roman Catholic Church, and died in that communion in 1868. 168 Security in God. L. M. GOD is our refuge and defense ; In trouble our unfailing aid : Secure in his omnipotence, What foe can make our souls afraid? 2 Yea, though the earth's foundations rock, And mountains down the gulf be hurled, His people smile amid the shock : They look beyond this transient world. 3 There is a river pure and bright, Whose streams make glad the heavenly plains ; Where, in eternity of light, The city of our God remains. 4 Built by the word of his command, With his unclouded presence blest, Firm as his throne the bulwarks stand ; There is our home, our hope, our rest. JAMES MONTGOMERY. The'first four verses of an excellent paraphrase of Psalm xlvi, in Songs of Zion, 1822. It is interest- ing to compare the metrical version with the au- thorized text : " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains he carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her ; she shall not be moved : God shall help her, and that right early." 169 The Saviour's tender care. L. M GOD of my life, whose gracious power Through varied deaths my soul hath led, Or turned aside the fatal hour, Or lifted up my sinking head; HYMN STUDIES. 71 2 In all my ways thy hand I own, Thy ruling providence I see ; Assist me still my course to run, And still direct my paths to thee. 3 "Whither, O whither should I fly, But to my loving Saviour's breast? Secure within thine arms to lie, And safe beneath thy wings to rest. 4 I have no skill the snare to shun, But thou, O Christ, my wisdom art: I ever into ruin run, But thou art greater than my heart. 5 Foolish, and impotent, and blind, Lead me a way I have not known ; Bring me where I my heaven may find, The heaven of loving thee alone. CHARLES WESLEY. Composed of the first, second, ninth, eleventh, and fourteenth verses of a poem of fifteen stanzas, entitled At the Approach of Temptation. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. In two of the omitted stanzas the writer alludes to his providential preservation from death by shipwreck and fever : 5 " Oft hath the sea confessed Thy power, And gave me back to Thy command: It could not, Lord, my life devour, Safe in the hallow of Thy hand. 6 " Oft from the margin of the grave, Thou, Lord, hast lifted up my head ; Sudden I found Thee near to save ; The fever owned Thy touch and fled." The author wrote, verse two, line three : " 0 help me still my course to run." 170 Quietness and assurance. L. M. HOW do Thy mercies close me round ! Forever be thy name adored ; 1 blush in all things to abound ; The servant is above his Lord. 2 Inured to poverty and pain, A suffering life my Master led ; The Son of God, the Son of man, He had not where to lay his head. 3 But lo ! a place he hath prepared For me, whom watchful angels keep ; Yea, he himself becomes my guard ; He smooths my bed, and gives me sleep. 4 J esus protects ; my fears, be gone : What can the Rock of ages move ? Safe in thy arms I lay me down, Thine everlasting arms of love. 5 While thou art intimately nigh, Who, who shall violate my rest? Sin, earth, and hell I now defy : I lean upon my Saviour's breast. 6 I rest beneath the Almighty's shade ; My griefs expire, my troubles cease ; Thou, Lord, on whom my soul is stayed, Wilt keep me still in perfect peace. CHARLES WESLEY. Unaltered, from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. The author's title was : At Lying Down. The whole hymn is invested with new interest by this fact. The original has four additional stanzas : 7 " Me for Thine own Thou lovest to take, In time and in eternity ; Thou never, never wilt forsake A helpless worm that trusts in Thee. 8 " Therefore in confidence I close My eyes, for Thine are open still ; My spirit lulled in calm repose, Waits for the counsels of Thy will. 9 " After Thy likeness let me rise, If here Thou will'st my longer stay ; Or close in mortal sleep my eyes, To open them in endless day. 10 " Still let me run or end my race; I cannot choose, 1 all resign ; Contract or lengthen out my clays, Come life or death ; for Christ is mine." 171 The pilgrim'' s Guide. 8, 7, 4. GUIDE me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land : 1 am weak, but thou art mighty; Hold me with thy powerful hand : Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more. 2 Open now the crystal fountain, Whence the healing waters flow ; Let the fiery, cloudy pillar, Lead me all my journey through : Strong Deliverer, Be thou still my strength and shield. 3 When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside ; Bear me through the swelling current ; Land me safe on Canaan's side: Songs of praises I will ever give to thee. WILLIAM WILLIAMS. The title of this hymn in George Whitefield's Collection, 1774, is : Christ a Sure Guide. 72 HYMN STUDIES. One line, the third in verse three, has been changed. In the original it is : " Death of Deaths, and Hell's Destruction." Few persons are aware that there ever was a fourth stanza, the hymn is perfect without it : 4 " Musing on my Habitation, Musing on my heav'nly Home, Fills my Soul with Holy'Longing, Come, my Jesus, quickly come: Vanity is all I see, Lord I long to be with Thee ! " Williams composed the hymn in the Welsh lan- guage. It is not certain that he translated it. It appeared in English in 1774. The Rev. William Williams has been called the " Watts of Wales." He was born in 1717. His "awakening" was due to an open-air sermon by the famous Welsh preacher, Howell Harris. Will- iams received deacon's orders in the Established Church, but subsequently became a preacher in the Calvinistic Methodist Connection. He lived till 1791. 172 Infinite compassion. S. M. MY soul, repeat His praise, Whose mercies are so great ; Whose anger is so slow to rise, So ready to abate. 2 High as the heavens are raised Above the ground we tread, So far the riches of his grace Our highest thoughts exceed. 3 His power subdues our sins ; And his forgiving love, Far as the east is from the west, Doth all our guilt remove. 4 The pity of the Lord, To those that fear his name, Is such as tender parents feel ; He knows our feeble frame. 5 Our days are as the grass, Or like the morning flower: If one sharp blast sweep o'er the field It withers in an hour. 6 But thy compassions, Lord, To endless years endure ; And children's children ever find Thy words of promise sure. ISAAC WATTS. Title: Abounding Compassion of God,' or, Mercy in the Midst of Judgment. It is unaltered. Two stanzas, the second and sixth, are omitted : 2 " God will not always chide, And when his strokes are felt, His strokes are fewer than our crimes And lighter than our guilt. 6 " He knows we are but dust Scattered by every breath ; His anger,, like a rising wind, Can send us swift to death." It is an imitation of Psalm ciii, 8-18: " The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide : neither will he keep his anger for- ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins ; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame ; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass : as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone ; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlast- ing upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children ; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his com- mandments to do them." Published in 1719. 173 Omnipotent goodness. S. M. AWAY, my needless fears, And doubts no longer mine ; A ray of heavenly light appears, A messenger divine. 2 Thrice comfortable hope, That calms my troubled breast ; My Father's hand prepares the cup, And what he wills is best. If what I wish is good, And suits the will divine, By earth and hell in vain withstood, I know it shall be mine. 4 Still let them counsel take To frustrate his decree ; They cannot keep a blessing back, Be heaven designed for me. 5 Here then I doubt no more, But in his pleasure rest, Whose wisdom, love, and truth, and power, Engage to make me blest. CHARLES WESLEY. HYMN STUD IE 8. 73 Part of a long hymn consisting of ten double stanzas. The author wrote "stormy" instead of " troubled " in verse two, line two. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. 1 74 s. m. Through a glass, darkly. 1 Cor. xiii, 12. THY way is in the sea ; Thy paths we cannot trace ; Nor solve, O Lord, the mystery Of thy unbounded grace. 2 Here the dark veils of sense Our captive souls surround ; Mysterious deeps of providence Our wondering thoughts confound. 3 As through a glass we see The wonders of thy love ; How little do we know of thee, Or of the joys above ! 4 In part we know thy will, And bless thee for the sight : Soon will thy love the rest reveal In glory's clearer light. 5 With joy shall we survey Thy providence and grace ; And spend an everlasting day In wonder, love, and praise. JOHN FAWCETT, ALT. From Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion. By John Fawcett. Leeds, 1782. The first stanza refers to Psalm Ixxvii, 19 : " Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known." The text of the last part is 1 Cor. xiii, 9 : " We know in part." Two stanzas have been left out. The hymn has been altered in two ways : first, by a change in the meter from common to short ; and, second, by changing the number. It is written in the first person singular throughout. These changes were probably made by Dr. James Floy, one of the editors of the hymn book of 1849. See No. 31. 175 Delight in God. S. M. LORD, I delight in thee, And on thy care depend ; To thee in every trouble flee, My best, my only Friend. 2 When nature's streams are dried, Thy fullness is the same ; With this will I be satisfied, And glory in thy name. 3 Who made my heaven secure, Will here all good provide : While Christ is rich, can I be poor? What can I want beside? 4 I cast my care on thee ! I triumph and adore : Henceforth my great concern shall be To love and please thee more. JOHN RYLAND, ALT. The author's date is December 3, 1777. This hymn has been altered by changing it from common to short meter. Three verses have been omitted. The Rev. John Eyland, D.D., an English Baptist, was born in 1753. He was for some years president of a Baptist school at Bristol ; and was also one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society. He died in 1825. Eyland' s Hymns and Verses on Sacred Subjects were reprinted by Daniel Sedgwick in his Library of Spiritual Songs. London, 1862. 176 s. m. Thy gentleness hath made me great. Psa. xviii, 35. HOW gentle God's commands ! How kind his precepts are ! Come, cast your burdens on the Lo v d, And trust his constant care. 2 Beneath his watchful eye His saints securely dwell ; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guard his children well. 3 Why should this anxious load Press down your weary mind? Haste to your heavenly Father's throne, And sweet refreshment find. 4 His goodness stands approved, Unchanged from day to day : I'll drop my burden at his feet, And bear a song away. PHILIP DODDRIDGE. The author's title is : God's Care a Remedy for Ours. The text of the hymn (nearly all Doddridge's hymns are written upon texts of Scripture) is : " Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you." 1 Pet. v, 7. Some slight changes have been made. The sec- ond stanza begins : " While Providence supports Let Saints securely dwell." The second line of the fourth verse is : " Down to the present Day." The last stanza would do credit to any poet ; to ex- change a ' ' burden " for a " song " is a happy th ought. 74 HYMN STUDIES. From Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures. London, 1755. For biography of Doddridge, see No. 78. 177 Afflictions blessed. S. M. HOW tender is thy hand, O thou most gracious Lord! Afflictions came at thy command, And left us at thy word. 2 How gentle was the rod That chastened us for sin ! How soon we found a smiling God < Where deep distress had been ! 3 A Father's hand we felt, A Father's love we knew : 'Mid tears of penitence we knelt, And found his promise true. 4 Now will we bless the Lord, And in his strength confide : Forever be his name adored, For there is none beside. THOMAS HASTINGS. In The Mothers Hymn Booh, first edition, 1834. The first stanza is : " How tender is thy hand, 0 thou beloved Lord, Afflictions come at thy command, And leave us at thy word." One stanza, the fourth, is left out: " We told him all our grief ; We thought of Jesus' love ; A sense of pardon brought relief, And bade our pangs remove." Thomas Hastings, editor, author, and Doctor of Music, was bora in Connecticut in 1784. In youth he removed with his father to northern New York, and subsequently resided in New York city. He edited and_ largely contributed to the following works : Spiritual Songs, 1832 ; Christian Psalmist, 1836; The Mother's Hymn Book, 1849; and Devo- tional Hymns and Religious Poems, 1850 ; and he was also the editor of a number of music books. He died in 1872. 178 All things in Christ. S. M. THOU very-present Aid In suffering and distress, The mind which still on thee is stayed, Is kept in perfect peace. 2 The soul by faith reclined On the Redeemer's breast, 'Mid raging storms, exults to find, An everlasting rest. 2 Sorrow and fear are gone, Whene'er thy face appears ; . It stills the sighing orphan's moan, And dries the widow's tears. 4 It hallows every cross; It sweetly comforts me; Makes me forget my every loss, And find my all in thee. 5 Jesus, to whom I fly, Doth all my wishes fill; What though created streams are dry? I have the fountain still. 6 Stripped of each earthly friend, I find them all in one ; And peace and joy which never end, And heaveD, in Christ alone. CHARLES WESLEY. One of several compositions that the writei named Hymns for Widows. One double stanza, following the fourth verse, is omitted : "Peace to the troubled heart, Health to the sin-sick mind ; The wounded spirits balm Thou art, The Healer of mankind : In deep aifiiction blessed With Thee I mount above, And sing, triumphantly distressed, Thine all-sufficient love." A few" verbal changes have been made in this hymn. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. 179 The Lord is my Shepherd. 11. nnHE Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall J_ I know ; I feed in green pastures, safe-folded I rest ; He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow, Restores me when wandering, redeems when oppressed. 2 Through the valley and shadow of death though I stray, Since thou art my guardian, no evil I fear ; Thy rod shall defend me, thy staff be my stay; No harm can befall, with my Comforter near. 3 In the midst of affliction my table is spread ; With blessings unmeasured my cup run- neth o'er ; With perfume and oil thou anointest my head ; O what shall I ask of thy providence more? HYMN STUDIES. 75 4 Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God, Still follow my steps till I meet thee above ; I seek — by the path which my forefathers trod, Through the land of their sojourn — thy kingdom of love. JAMES MONTGOMERY. Another of the many metrical versions of Psalm xxiii. Unaltered. From Songs of Zion, 1822. For a brief biography of Montgomery, see No. 5. 180 The Shepherd of Israel. L. M. 6 1. THE Lord my pasture shall prepare, And feed me with a shepherd's care ; His presence shall my wants supply, And guard me with a watchful eye : My noonday walks he shall attend, And all my midnight hours defend. 2 When in the sultry glebe I faint, Or on the thirsty mountain pant, To fertile vales and dewy meads, My weary, wandering steps he leads, Where peaceful rivers, soft and slow, Amid the verdant landscape flow. 3 Though in a bare and rugged way, Through devious, lonely wilds I stray, Thy bounty shall my pains beguile ; The barren wilderness shall smile, With sudden greens and herbage crowned, And streams shall murmur all around. 4 Though in the paths of death I tread, With gloomy horrors overspread, My steadfast heart shall fear no ill, For thou, O Lord, art with me still ; Thy friendly crook shall give me aid, And guide me through the dreadful shade. JOSEPH ADDISON. The real subject of the Spectator, No. 441, (1 VI 2,) is : Trust in the Supreme Being. At the close of the article the author says, " David has very beautifully represented this steady reliance on God Almighty in Psalm xxiii, which is a kind of pastoral hymn, and filled with those allusions which are usual in that kind of writing. As the poetry is very exquisite, I shall present my reader with the following translation of it." Addison's rendering is not so literal as the last by Montgomery, but it is far more beautiful. Un- altered, except that the order of the last two stanzas is reversed. 181 The glories of Christ 's kingdom. 7 HAIL, to the Lord's Anointed, Great David's greater Son ! Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun ! He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free ; To take away transgression, And rule in equity. 2 He comes with succor speedy To those who suffer wrong; To help the poor and needy, And bid the weak be strong; To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light, Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in his sight. 3 He shall descend like showers Upon the fruitful earth, And love and joy, like flowers, Spring in his path to birth : Before him, on the mountains, Shall peace, the herald, go, And righteousness, in fountains, From hill to valley flow. 4 To him shall prayer unceasing, And daily vows ascend; His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end : The tide of time shall never His covenant remove ; His name shall stand forever; That name to us is Love. JAMES MONTGOMERY. This beautiful hymn, eight stanzas in all, is founded upon Psalm lxxii. Montgomery wrote "come down" instead of " descend " in verse three, line one. And " For him" instead of " To him" in verse four, line one. The Psalms are a wonderful fountain of song, from which our sacred poets have drawn inspira- tion. From Songs of Zion, 1822. See No. 5. 182 The guiding star. 7, 6 1. AS with gladness men of old 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. 76 HYMN STUDIES. 2 As with joyful steps they sped, To that lowly manger-bed. There to bend the knee before Hirn whom heaven and earth adore ; So may we with willing feet Ever seek the mercy-seat. 3 As they offered gifts most rare At that manger rude and bare ; So may we with holy joy, Pure, and free from sin's alloy, All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to thee, our heavenly King. 4 Holy Jesus, every day Keep us in the narrow way ; And, when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds thy glory hide. WILLIAM c. DIX. Text: "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy." Matt, ii, 10. This elegant hymn was contributed to Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861, in which it has this ad- ditional stanza : " In the heavenly country bright Need they no created light ; Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown, Thou its Sun which goes not down ; There forever may we sing Alleluias to our King. Amen." William Chatterton Dix, a layman in the Church of England, was born in Bristol, Eng., in 1837. 183 Joy to the World. 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 world ! the Saviour reigns ; Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, Repeat the sounding joy. 3 No more let sin and sorrow grow, Nor thorns infest the ground ; He comes to make his blessings flow Far as the curse is found. 4 He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness, And wonders of his love. ISAAC WATTS. Title : The Messiah's Coming and Kingdom. A free rendering of the last part of Psalm xcviii : "Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King. Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands : let the hills be joyful together before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity." Published in 1719. The text is not altered. It is strange that this glad song never found its way into our hymn book before. We welcome it at last. May it long remain ! 184 Wonderful, Counselor, lsa. ix, 6. C. M. TO us a Child of hope is born, To us a Son is given ; Him shall the tribes of earth obey, Him, all the hosts of heaven. 2 His name shall be the Prince of peace, For evermore adored ; The Wonderful, the Counselor, The great and mighty Lord. 3 His power, increasing, still shall spread ; His reign no end shall know ; Justice shall guard his throne above, And peace abound below. 4 To us a Child of hope is born, To us a Son is given ; The Wonderful, the Counselor, The mighty Lord of heaven, JOHN MORRISON. Part of a paraphrase of lsa. ix, 2-8. The last stanza is a repetition of parts of the first and second, and has been added by some hymnal editor; otherwise it is unaltered. The first three verses, as published by the author in the Para- phrases appended to the Scotch version of the Psalms, are omitted. The Eev. John Morrison, D.D., (1749-1798,) was a clergyman of the National Church of Scotland; he was one of the editors of the above-mentioned Paraphrases, and has the credit of being the author of several of them. Date of authorship, 1770. 185 The Saviour's advent. C. M. HARK, the glad sound! the Saviour comes, The Saviour promised long; Let every heart prepare a throne, And every voice a song. HTMN STUDIES. 77 2 He comes, the prisoner to release, In Satan's bondage held ; The gates of brass before him burst, The iron fetters yield. 3 He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray, And on the eyes oppressed with night To pour celestial day. 4 He comes, the broken heart to bind, The wounded soul to cure, And, with the treasures of his grace, To enrich the humble poor. 5 Our glad hosannas, Prince of peace, Thy welcome shall proclaim, And heaven's eternal arches ring With thy beloved name. PHILIP DODDRIDGE. Title : Christ's Message. This is Dr. -Doddridge's masterpiece. It was written to be sung at the close of a Christmas sermon, preached Dec. 28, 1735. The text of the sermon, and of the hymn as well, is Luke iv, 18, 19 : " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Two inferior stanzas, the second and sixth, have been omitted. The third line of the third stanza in the original is : " And on the Eye- Balls of the Blind?'' It also has "bleeding" instead of "wounded" in the fourth stanza. See No. 78. 186 The star in the East. 11, 10. 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 bed 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 de- votion, Odors of Edom and offerings divine ? Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean, Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine ? 4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation ; Vainly with gifts would his favor secure ; Richer by far is the heart's adoration ; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. REGINALD HEBER. The title given to this hymn in the Memoirs of Heber is Star of the East. It was first published in the Christian Observer in 1811, and is found in Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service, 1827. The second line of the second stanza should read: " Low lies his head," etc. In verse three, line four, the original has " or gold " instead of " and gold." See No. 62. 187 Star of Bethlehem. L. M, WHEN, marshaled on the nightly plain, The glittering host bestud the sky, One star alone of all the train Can fix the sinner's wandering eye. 2 Hark ! hark ! to God the chorus breaks, From every host, from every gem ; But one alone the Saviour speaks, It is the Star of Bethlehem. 3 Once on the raging seas I rode, The storm was loud, the night was dark, The ocean yawned, and rudely blowed The wind that tossed my foundering bark. 4 Deep horror then my vitals froze ; Death- struck, I ceased the tide to stem; When suddenly a star arose, It was the Star of Bethlehem. 5 It was my guide, my light, my all, It bade my dark forebodings cease ; And, through the storm and danger's thrall, It led me to the port of peace. 6 Now safely moored, my perils o'er, I'll sing, first in night's diadem, For ever and for evermore, The Star, the Star of Bethlehem. H. KIRKE WHITE. 78 HYMN STUDIES. In this hymn, from the third verse to the end, the writer gives, in highly poetical language, the story of his own Christian experience, his awaken- ing, the intense anxiety that followed, and the peace and rest that he found at last. Unaltered, from the author's poems. For biographical sketch of Henry Kirke White, see No. 22. 188 Peace on earth, good-will to men. 8, 7. HARK ! what mean those holy voices, Sweetly sounding through the skies ? Lo! the angelic host rejoices; Heavenly hallelujahs rise. 2 Listen to the wondrous story, Which they chant in hymns of joy : ' ' Glory in the highest, glory, Glory be to God most high ! 3 ' ' Peace on earth, good-will from heaven, Reaching far as man is found ; Souls redeemed and sins forgiven ! Loud our golden harps shall sound. 4 1 1 Christ is born, the great Anointed ; Heaven and earth his praises sing; O receive whom God appointed, For your Prophet, Priest, and King. 5 ' ' Hasten, mortals, to adore him ; Learn his name and taste his joy ; Till in heaven ye sing before him, ' Glory be to God most high! ' " JOHN C A WOOD. For Christmas Day. . Several slight verbal changes have been made since the hymn was first published. Original Lines. Verse one, line two : " Sweetly warbling in the skies." Verse one, line three : '■''Sure the angelic host rejoices." Verse one, line four : "Loudest hallelujahs rise." Verse four, line two : " Heaven and earth his glory sing ! Verse four, line three : "Glad receive whom God appointed." Each stanza in the original was followed by a " Hallelujah." These changes were, without doubt, made by Dr. Thomas Cotterill, for his Shef- field Collection, 1810 to 1819. Lyra Britannica gives an additional stanza : "Let us learn the wondrous story Of our great Eedeemer's birth ; Spread the brightness of his glory Till it cover all the earth." The Rev. John Cawood, an English clergyman, was born in 1775 ; was a farmer's son, and his early advantages were not of the best. He succeeded, notwithstanding, in entering St. Edmond's Hall, Oxford, and was graduated in 1801. Cawood was the author of some twenty hymns, which appeared in various collections. He died in 1852. 189 Adoring the holy Child. 8, 7, 4. ANGELS, from the realms of glory, Wing your flight o'er all the earth ; Ye who sang creation's story, Now proclaim Messiah's birth : Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King. 2 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 worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King. 3 Sages, leave your contemplations, Brighter visions beam afar ; Seek the great Desire of nations; Ye have seen his natal star : Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King. 4 Saints, before the altar bending, Watching long in hope and fear, Suddenly the Lord, descending, In his temple shall appear : Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King. 5 Sinners, wrung with true repentance, Doomed for guilt to endless pains, Justice now revokes the sentence, Mercy calls you, — break your chains : Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King. JAMES MONTGOMERY. Title : Good Tidings of Great Joy to All People. Found in the author's Christian Psalmist, 1825; and in CotterilVs Selection, 1819. It is unaltered, from Montgomery's Original Hymns, 1853. For biographical notes of author, see No. 5. HYMN STUDIES. 79 190 God incarnate. i. HARK ! the herald-angels sing, " Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild ; God and sinners reconciled." 2 Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumphs of the skies ; With angelic hosts proclaim, " Christ is born in Bethlehem." 3 Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord ; Veiled in flesh the Godhead see ; Hail, incarnate Deity! 4 Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace ! Hail the Sun of righteousness ! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings. CHARLES WESLEY. Hymn for Christmas Bay. It has ten stanzas in all, and is found in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. The first couplet has been changed. Wesley wrote : " Hark how all the welkin rings, Glory to the King of kings." The change was made by the Kev. Martin Madan in 1760, and was adopted by John Wesley in some of his collections. Some of the omitted stanzas illustrate that well- known characteristic of the author— his intense de- sire for personal holiness. " Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home ; Eise, the woman's conquering seed, Bruise in us the serpent's head. "Adam's likeness, Lord, efface, Stamp Thy image in its place ; Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love." 191 Prince of peace. BRIGHT and joyful is the morn, For to us a Child is born ; Prom the highest realms of heaven, Unto us a Son is given. 2 On his shoulder he shall bear Power and majesty, and wear, On his vesture and his thigh, Names most awful, names most high. 3 Wonderful in counsel he, Christ, the incarnate Deity; Sire of ages, ne'er to cease ; King of kings, and Prince of peace. 4 Come and worship at his feet; Yield to him the homage meet ; From the manger to the throne, Homage due to God alone. JAMES MONTGOMERY. Title : The Names and Offices of Christ. Another rendering of Isa. ix, 6 : " For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." From the Christian Psalmist, 1825. The word Christ has been inserted in the second line of the third stanza, and left out of the second line of the fourth stanza, where " him" takes its place. The author wrote, verse four, line three : " From his manger to his throne." See No. 5. C. M. 192 Good tidings of great joy. Luke ii, 10. WHILE shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down, And glory shone around. 2 "Fear not," said he, — for mighty dread Had seized their troubled mind, — ' ' Glad tidings of great joy I bring, To you and all mankind. 3 "To you, in David's town, this day Is born, of David's line, The Saviour, who is Christ the Lord ; And this shall be the sign : 4 ' ' The heavenly babe you there shall find To human view displayed, All meanly wrapped in swathing-bands, And in a manger laid." 5 Thus spake the seraph; and forthwith Appeared a shining throng Of angels, praising God on high, Who thus addressed their song: 6 i 1 All glory be to God on high, And to the earth be peace : Good-will henceforth from heaven to men, Begin and never cease." TATE AND BRADY. For biographical notes of Tate and Brady, see No. 13. It is not certain that either of them wrote this hymn, which has been traced to the Appendi> 80 HYMN STUDIES. of the New Version of the Psalms, published in 1703. The author is really unknown. The hymn is a very literal rendering of Luke ii, 8-14, and the versifier was too modest to claim what he knew belonged to St. Luke. 193 Glory to God in the highest. C. M. MORTALS, awake, with angels join, And chant the solemn lay ; Joy, love, and gratitude combine, To hail the auspicious day. 2 In heaven the rapturous song began, And sweet seraphic fire Through all the shining legions ran, And strung and tuned the lyre. 3 Swift through the vast expanse it flew, And loud the echo rolled ; The theme, the song, the joy, was new, — 'Twas more than heaven could hold. 4 Down through the portals of the sky The impetuous torrent ran ; And angels flew, with eager joy, To bear the news to man. 5 Hark ! the cherubic armies shout, And glory leads the song : Good-will and peace are heard throughout The harmonious heavenly throng. 6 With joy the chorus we repeat, " Glory to God on high ! " Good-will and peace are now complete, Jesus was born to die. 7 Hail, Prince of life, forever hail ! Redeemer, Brother, Friend! Though earth, and time, and life shall fail, Thy praise shall never end. SAMUEL MEDLEY. Title : The Nativity of Christ. This hymn has been improved by the omission of two inferior stanzas. The Eev. Samuel Medley was born in Hertford- shire, Eng., in 1738 ; was piously brought up, but, entering the navy, led for awhile a careless and wicked life. Being severely wounded, he was al- lowed to return home, where, through the efforts of a pious grandfather, he was led to accept Christ. At length he entered the ministry, and was for many years pastor of a Baptist church in Liver- pool. He died in 1799. His hymns, two hundred and thirty in number, were collected and published in the following year. The author wrote, verse four, line one : " Down to the portals," etc. From a London Collection, 1782. 194 Christmas carol. C. M. IT came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold ; 1 1 Peace on the earth, good-will to «nen, From heaven's all-gracious King." The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angel's sing. 2 Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world ; Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o'er its Babel sounds The blessed angels sing. 3 But with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong ; And man, at war with man, hears not The love song which they bring : O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing ! 4 And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now ! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing : O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing ! 5 For lo ! the days are hastening on By prophet-bards foretold, When with the ever-circling years Comes round the age of gold ; When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing. EDMUND H. SEAES. Title : Peace on Earth. This is not, strictly speaking, a hymn, but a very elegant poem. It first appeared in the Christian Register, Boston, Dec. 29, 1849. The Eev. Edmund Hamilton Sears, D.D., (1810- 1876,) was a native of Massachusetts ; was graduated at Union College, N. Y., in 1834, and at the Cambridge Divinity School in 1837. He received the degree of D.D. from his Alma Mater in 1871. While pastor of several Unitarian churches in Massachusetts, he found time to write several prose works, and to contribute to various period- icals. HYMN STUDIES. 81 A few words have been altered since this hymn was first published. Original. Verse two, line six : " They bend on heavenly wing." Verse three, line one : " Yet with the woes of sin and strife." Verse three, line two : " The world hath suffered long." Verse five, line seven : " And the whole world send back the song." 195 Christmas anthem. CM. CALM on the listening ear of night, Come heaven's melodious strains, Where wild Judea stretches far Her silver-mantled plains ; Celestial choirs from courts above Shed sacred glories there ; And angels, with their sparkling lyres, Make music on the air. 2 The answering hills of Palestine Send back the glad reply, And greet from all their holy heights The Dayspring from on high : O'er the blue depths of Galilee Their comes a holier calm ; And Sharon waves in solemn praise Her silent groves of palm. 3 " Glory to God! " the lofty strain The realm of ether fills ; How sweeps the song of solemn joy O'er Judah's sacred hills! " Glory to God!" the sounding skies Loud with their anthems ring : "Peace on the earth; good-will to men, From heaven's eternal King." 4 Light on thy hills, Jerusalem ! The Saviour now is born : More bright on Bethlehem's joyous plains Breaks the first Christmas morn ; And brighter on Moriah's brow, Crowned with her temple spires, Which first proclaim the newborn light, Clothed with its orient fires. 5 This day shall Christian tongues be mute, And Christian hearts be cold? O catch the anthem that from heaven O'er Judah's mountains rolled ' 6 When nightly burst from seraph-harps The high and solemn lay, — "Glory to God; on earth be peace; Salvation comes to-day ! " EDMUND IT. SEARS. This Christmas Song was first published in the Boston Observer in 1834, and was afterward amend- ed by the author, and appeared in its present form in The Monthly Rdigious Magazine. Boston, 1866. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes pronounced it one of the finest and most beautiful hymns ever written. This is the author's latest revision. See No. 194. 196 Patience of Jesus. CM. WHAT grace, O Lord, and beauty shone Around thy steps below ! What patient love was seen in all Thy life and death of woe ! 2 For, ever on thy burdened heart A weight of sorrow hung ; Yet no ungentle, murmuring word Escaped thy silent tongue. 3 Thy foes might hate, despise, revile, Thy friends unfaithful prove ; Unwearied in forgiveness still, Thy heart could only love. 4 O give us hearts to love like thee, Like thee, O Lord, to grieve Far more for others' sins, than all The wrongs that we receive. 5 One with thyself, may every eye In us, thy brethren, see That gentleness and grace that spring From union, Lord, with thee. SIR EDWARD DENNY. Author's title : The Forgiving One. "Grace is poured into thy lips." Psa. xlv, 2. Given verbatim from the author's Miscellaneous Hymns, 1839. Sir Edward Denny, Bart., was born in Ireland in 1796. He was an earnest millenarian, and pref- aced his Hymns and Poems, 1848, with a disserta- tion on this favorite topic. Died 1889. 197 A present help. C. M. WE may not climb the heavenly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down; In vain we search the lowest deeps, For him no depths can drown. 2 But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is he ; And faith has yet its Olivet. And love its Galilee. 82 HYMN STUDIES. 3 The healing of the seamless dress Is by our beds of pain ; We touch him in life's throng and press, And we are whole again. 4 Through him the first fond prayers are said Our lips of childhood frame ; The last low whispers of our dead Are burdened with his name. 5 O Lord and Master of us all, Whate'er our name or sign, We own thy sway, we hear thy call, We test our lives by thine ! JOHN G. WHITTIER. This is part of a beautiful poem of thirty-eight stanzas, entitled Our Master. The hymn is made up of verses five, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen, verbatim. This hymn appeared in the Congregationalist, Boston, Aug. 16, 1867. John Greenleaf Whittier was born in Haverhill, Mass., in 1807. His early religious education, which was received among the Society of Friends, has influenced his whole life. Whittier first gained reputation as a poet by a volume, entitled Voices of Freedom. Since then he has produced several works in prose and poetry, all of which have been well received. He died September 7, 1892. 198 The Transfiguration. CM. THE chosen three, on mountain height, While Jesus bowed in prayer, Beheld his vesture glow with light, His face shine wondrous fair. 2 And lo ! with the transfigured Lord, Leader and seer they saw ; With Carmel's hoary prophet stood The giver of the law. 3 From the low-bending cloud above, Whence radiant brightness shone, Spake out the Father's voice of love, " Hear my beloved Son! " 4 Lord, lead us to the mountain height ; To prayer's transfiguring glow ; And clothe us with the Spirit's might For grander work below. DAVID H. ELA. Written and contributed to this Hymnal by the author in 1877. The Rev. David Hough Ela, D.D., a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Maine in 1831 ; was graduated at the Wesleyan Uni- versity in 1857 ; ordained Deacon in 1860, and El- der in 1862. lie has been in the regular work of the pastorate, excepting two years, when he was principal of East Greenwich Seminary, and four years' service as a Presiding Elder. 1-99 The Transfiguration. L. M. 0 WONDROUS type! O vision fair Of glory that the Church shall share, Which Christ upon the mountain shows, Where brighter than the sun he glows ! 2 From age to age the tale declare, How with the three disciples there, Where Moses and Elias meet, The Lord holds converse high and sweet. 3 With shining face and bright array, Christ deigns to manifest to-day What glory shall be theirs above, Who joy in God with perfect love. 4 And faithful hearts are raised on high, By this great vision's mystery ; For which in joyful strains we raise The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise. 5 O Father, with the Eternal Son, And Holy Spirit, ever One, Vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace To see thy glory face to face. SARTJM BREVIARY. TR. BY J. M. NEALE. Title: Cmlestis forman Glorice. The third verse of this hymn has been omitted : " The chosen witnesses stand nigh, Of Grace, the Law, and Prophecy, And from the cloud the Holy One Bears record to the Only Son." Dr. Neale' s translation is found in the Hymnal Noted, 1851. It was largely altered by the editors of Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861. The Eev. John Mason Neale, D.D., was born in 1818 ; was graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1840, and entered holy orders in 1842. In 1846 he was appointed Warden of the Sackville Col- lege, which office he retained until his death, in 1866. Dr. Neale was a voluminous writer, but his fame was won as a hymnologist, and largely as a trans- lator of valuable mediaeval hymns. Next to writ- ing a first-class poem, it is a work of difficulty and merit to translate one from another tongue. To transfer the soul of a hymn into a new body — accli- matize it, and make it live — requires genius such as few possess. Dr. Neale did it on a grand scale, and the English-speaking churches are greatly indebted to him. HYMN STUDIES. 83 200 Hermon. L. M. 0 MASTER, it is good to be High on the mountain here with thee, Where stand revealed to mortal gaze Those glorious saints of other days, Who once received on Horeb's height The eternal laws of truth and right, Or caught the still small whisper, higher Than storm, than earthquake, or than lire. 2 O Master, it is good to be Entranced, enwrapt, alone with thee; And watch thy glistering raiment glow Whiter than Hermon's whitest snow ; The human lineaments that shine Irradiant with a light divine ; Till we too change from grace to grace, Gazing on the transfigured face. 3 O Master, it is good to be Here on the holy mount with thee : When darkling in the depth of night, When dazzled with excess of light, We bow before the heavenly voice That bids bewildered souls rejoice, Though love wax cold, and faith be (Jim, " This is my Son, O hear ye him." ARTHUR P. STANLEY. The words of Peter at the Transfiguration are very prominent in the hymn : " Master, it is good for us to be here." Mark ix, 5. The second stanza has been omitted : 2 " O Master, it is good to be With Thee, and with Thy faithful three : Here, where the Apostle's heart of rock Is nerved against temptation's shock ; Here where the Son of Thunder learns The thought that breathes, and word that bums ; Here where on eagle's wings we move With him whose last best creed is love." In 1853 the author visited the Holy Land, and gave a description of his tour to the public in Sinai and Palestine. It is quite possible that there is some connection between this hymn and the author's visit to Mount Hermon. The Kev. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, D.D., was born in Alderley, England, in 1815." At the age of fourteen years he entered the famous Rugby school, Dr. Thomas Arnold, head master. Me is said to be the original Arthur, who won the heart of "Tom Brown" by kneeling in the presence of the rough noisy boys, and saying his prayer before going to bed. In 1837 he was graduated at JBaliol College, Oxford. In 1856 he was appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford. His Eastern Church and Jewish Church are some of the results of his professorship. In 1864 he accepted the office of Dean of Westminster, which he held until his death in 1881. 201 Receive thy sight. Luke xviii, 42. L. M. WHEN the blind suppliant in the way, By friendly hands to Jesus led, Prayed to behold the light of day, "Receive thy sight," the Saviour said. 2 At once he saw the pleasant rays That lit the glorious firmament; And, with firm step and words of praise, He followed where the Master went. 3 Look down in pity, Lord, we pray, On eyes oppressed by moral night, And touch the darkened lids, and say, The gracious words, " Receive thy sight." 4 Then, in clear daylight, shall we see Where walked the sinless Son of God And, aided by new strength from thee, Press onward in the path he trod. WILLIAM C. BRYANT. From an edition of Bryant's Poems, published by D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1874. It is un- altered and entire. William Cullen Bryant was born in Cumming- ton, Mass., in 1794; spent two years at Williams College, after which he studied law and practiced about ten years. In 1826 he connected himself with the New York Evening Post, and continued to be one of its editors and proprietors to the day of his death, in 1878. Bryant is known as one of the ablest and sweetest of American poets. Many editions of his poems have been published. He also made an excellent translation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. 202 Meekness of Christ. 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 O who like thee, so mild, so bright, Thou Son of man, thou Light of light? O who like thee did ever go So patient, through a world of woe? 3 O who like thee so humbly bore The scorn, the scoffs of men, before? So meek, so lowly, yet so high, So glorious in humility? 4 And death, that 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. 84 HYMN STUDIES. 5 O wondrous Lord, niy soul would be Still more and more conformed to thee, And learn of thee, the lowly One, And like thee, all my journey run. A. CLEVELAND COXE. Title : Hymn to the Redeemer. The original has seven eight-line stanzas. Slight changes have been made in three lines. Original Form. Verse one, line four : " In wondrous love, oh Lamb of God ! " Verse two, line one : " Oh ! who like Thee, so calm, so bright." Verse three, line three : " So meek, forgiving, God-like, high." From Christian Ballads and Poems. Oxford, 1855. Written in 1838. Arthur Cleveland Coxe, D.D., one of the Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born at Mendham, N. J., in 1818; and was edu- cated at the University of New York, and at the General Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 1841, and in 1862 was conse- crated Bishop of the Diocese of Western New York. He died July 20, 1896. 203 The tears of Jesus. 8, 7, 7. ESUS wept ! those tears are over, J But his heart is still the same ; Kinsman, Friend, and elder Brother, Is his everlasting name. Saviour, who can love like thee, Gracious One of Bethany? 2 When the pangs of trial seize us, When the waves of sorrow roll, I will lay my head on Jesus, Pillow of the troubled soul. Surely, none can feel like thee, Weeping One of Bethany ! 3 Jesus wept ! and still in glory, He can mark each mourner's tear; Living 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-day, to-morrow, He the same doth ever prove. Thou art all in all to me, Living One of Bethany ! JOHN R. MACDUFF. The author's title is : The Grave of Bethany. The scriptural basis of the hymn is the brief but touching declaration of John xi, 35: "Jesus wept." Two words have been changed. Original Lines : Verse two, line four : " Refuge of the troubled soul." Verse three, line three : " Loving to retrace the story." The first stanza is omitted : 1 " Who is this in silence bending O'er a dark sepulchral cave? Sympathetic sorrow blending With the tears around that grave ? Christ the Lord is standing by, At the tomb of Bethany." This hymn, which was ascribed to Sir Edward Denny, we are glad to restore to its author. . From The Gates of Praise. New York, edition 1876. For biographical sketch, see No. 1016. 8, 7. 204 Glorying in the cross. IN the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time ; All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime. 2 When the woes of life o'ertake me, Hopes deceive, and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me ; Lo ! it glows with peace and joy. 3 When the sun of bliss is beaming Light and love upon my way, From the cross the radiance streaming Adds more luster to the day. 4 Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, By the cross are sanctified ; Peace is there, that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide. 5 In the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time ; All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime. SIR JOHN BOWRING. Title : The Cross of Christ. This grand hymn — unaltered and entire — is from the author's Hymns. London, 1825. In his preface he says : " This little book is intended as a sequel to the Matins and Vespers." See No. 150. HYMN STUDIES. 85 205 Lessons of the cross. 7. NEVER farther than Thy cross; Never higher than thy feet : Here earth's precious things seem dross : Here earth's bitter things grow sweet. 2 Gazing thus our sin we see, Learn thy love while gazing thus ; Sin which laid the cross on thee, Love which bore the cross for us. 3 Here we learn to serve and give, And, rejoicing, self deny; Here we gather love to live, Here we gather faith to die. 4 Pressing onward as we can, Still to this our hearts must tend ; Where our earliest hopes began, There our last aspirings end ; 5 Till amid the hosts of light, We in thee redeemed, complete, Through thy cross made pure and white, Cast our crowns before thy feet. MRS. ELIZABETH CHARLES. Title : The Cross. From a volume of the author's poems, entitled The Women of the Gospel, the Three Wakings, a?id Other Poems. New York, 1867. One stanza, the fourth, of the original has been omitted : 4 " Symbols of our liberty And our service here unite, Captives by Thy Cross set free, Soldiers of Thy Cross we fight." Mrs. Charles, an English lady, is the author of the well-known book, Chronicles of the Schonberg- Cotta Family. She is also the author of a number of hymns and translations, and has written a work on hymnology of considerable value, entitled TJie Voice of Christian Life in Song. London, 1858. She was born in 1828, died 1896. 206 Sinai, Tabor, Calvary. WHEN on Sinai's top I see God descend, in majesty, To proclaim his holy law, All my spirit sinks with awe. 2 When, in ecstasy sublime, Tabor's glorious steep I climb, At the too transporting light, Darkness rushes o'er my sight. 3 When on Calvary I rest, God, in flesh made manifest, Shines in my Redeemer's face, Full of beauty, truth, and grace. 4 Here I would forever stay, Weep and gaze my soul away ; Thou art heaven on earth to me, Lovely, mournful Calvary. JAMES MONTGOMERY. The author's title is : The Three Mountains. The contrast of Calvary with Sinai in this hymn is very fine. The second stanza represents Tabor as the Mount of Transfiguration. Most recent writers are in favor of Hermon, which might be substituted in the second stanza. From The Christian Psalmist, 1825. It first ap- peared in "William B. Collyer's Collection, 1812. It is unaltered. 207 cm. The second Man is the Lord from heaven. 1 Cor. xv, 47. PRAISE to the Holiest in the height, And in the depth be praise ; In all his words most wonderful, Most sure in all his ways. 2 O loving wisdom of our God ! When all was sin and shame, A second Adam to the fight And to the rescue came. 3 O wisest love ! that flesh and blood, Which did in Adam fail, Should strive afresh against the foe, Should strive and should prevail. 4 O generous love ! that he, who smote In Man for man the foe, The double agony in Man For man should undergo ; 5 And in the garden secretly, And on the cross on high, Should teach his brethren, and inspire To suffer and to die. JOHN H. NEWMAN. Written in 1865, and published in the author's Verses on Various Occasions, 1868. It is found in a dramatic poem, entitled The Dream of Gerontius. Gerontius dies — has a dialogue with an angel — hears choirs of angels sins — this hymn is sung by the " Fifth Choir of Angelicals." He then desires a sight of his Saviour, which is granted; where- upon he prays that he may be sent to purgatory. He is accommodated, and the poem leaves him there. The author wrote '■'•their foe" in verse three, line three. One verse, the fourth, has been omitted, but it is no loss. The Eev. John Henry Newman, D.D., was born in London in 1801 ; was graduated at Oxford in 1820, and for several years was a tutor in the college. 86 HYMN STUDIES. He was a leader of the High -Church party from the first, and had great influence among the young men at Oxford. He was ordained in the Church of England^ but in 1845 left that communion and united with the Koman Catholics. He was made a cardinal in 1879. He died in London, Aug. 11, 1890, 208 The power of the c?'Oss. L. M. WE sing the praise of Hirn who died, Of him who died upon the cross ; The sinner's hope let men deride, For this we count the world but loss. 2 Inscribed upon the cross we see, In shining letters, " God is Love;" He bears our sins upon the tree, He brings us mercy from above. 3 The cross ! it takes our guilt away ; It holds the fainting spirit up ; It cheers with hojje the gloomy day, And sweetens every bitter cup. 4 It makes the coward spirit brave, And nerves the feeble arm for fight ; It takes its terror from the grave, And gilds the bed of death with light : 5 The balm of life, the cure of woe, The measure and the pledge of love, The sinner's refuge here below, The angel's theme in heaven above. THOMAS KELLY. Text : " But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross." Gal. vi, 14. This is new to the collection, and is an exact re- print of the hymn as found in the author's Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, 1815. See No. 54. 209 The hidings of the Father's face. L. M. FROM Calvary a cry was heard, A bitter and heart-rending cry ; My Saviour! every mournful word Bespeaks thy soul's deej) agony. 2 A horror of great darkness fell On thee, thou spotless, holy One ! And all the swarming hosts of hell Conspired to tempt God's only Son. 3 The scourge, the thorns, the deep dis- grace, These thou couldst bear, nor once repine ; But when Jehovah veiled his face, Unutterable pangs were thine. 4 Let the dumb world its silence break ; Let pealing anthems rend the sky ; Awake, my sluggish soul, awake, He died, that we might never die. 5 Lord, on thy cross I fix mine eye : Tf e'er I lose its strong control, O let that dying, piercing cry, Melt and reclaim my wandering soul. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, ALT. The Scripture basis of this hymn is Matt, xxvii, 46: " And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me ? " The author wrote, verse one, line two : "A loud reiterated cry." Verse two, lines two, three, and four : " On Thee the Immaculate the Just, Tlie congregated hosts of hell Combined to shake the filial trust."" Verse three, line two : " These thou couldst bear and not repine." Verse four, line one : " Let the dumb world her silence break." Verse four, line four : " He died that we may never die." Verse five, line two : " If e'er I lose W&pure controul." From Morning Thoughts in Prose and Verse, on Single Verses in the Svccessive Chapters of St. Mat- thew, by a Country Clergyman. Fourth edition. London, 1825. This " country clergyman" is said to have been the Rev. John William Cunningham, for many years Head Master of Harrow School. He lived from 1780 till 1861. 210 Atonement made. L. M. TPIS finished! the Messiah dies, — _L Cut off for sins, but not his own ; Accomplished is the sacrifice, The great redeeming work is done. 2 'Tis finished ! all the debt is paid ; Justice divine is satisfied; The grand and full atonement made ; Christ for a guilty world hath died. 3 The veil is rent ; in him alone The living way to heaven is seen; The middle wall is broken down, And all mankind may enter in. r HYMN STUDIES. 4 The types and figures are fulfilled ; Exacted is the legal pain ; The precious promises are sealed ; The spotless Lamb of God is slain. 5 Death, hell, and sin are now subdued ; All grace is now to sinners given ; And, lo ! I plead the atoning blood, And in thy right I claim my heaven. CHARLES WESLEY. Scripture text: "It is finished." John xix, 30. From Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. In the last line of the second stanza, Wesley wrote: " God for a guilty world hath died." And in the first line of the third : " The veil is rent in Christ alone." Three stanzas are omitted. 211 Glorying in the cross. L. M. WHEN I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain 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 things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. 3 See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down: Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown? 4 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. ISAAC WATTS. The author's title was : Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ. The text is' Gal. vi, 14 : "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." This excellent hymn was first inserted in our hymn book in 1849. One stanza, the fourth, is omitted: " His dying crimson like a robe Spread o'er his body on the tree, Then I am dead to all the globe, And all the globe is dead to me." Unaltered. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book hi, 1707. 87 212 Christ crucified. L. M. EXTENDED on a cursed tree, Covered with dust, and sweat, and blood, See there, the King of glory see ! Sinks and expires the Son of God. 2 Who, who, my Saviour, this hath done? Who could thy sacred body wound? No guilt thy spotless heart hath known, No guile hath in thy lips been found. 3 I, I alone have done the deed ; 'Tis I thy sacred flesh have torn ; My sins have caused thee, Lord, to bleed, Pointed the nail, and fixed the thorn. 4 For me the burden to sustain Too great, on thee, my Lord, was laid : To heal me, thou hast borne my pain ; To bless me, thou a curse wast made. 5 My Saviour, how shall I proclaim, How pay the mighty debt I owe? Let all I have, and all I am, Ceaseless, to all, thy glory show. 6 Still let thy tears, thy groans, thy sighs, O'erflow my eyes, and heave my breast. Till, loosed from flesh and earth, I rise, And ever in thy bosom rest. PAUL GERHARDT. TR. BY J. WESLEY. The text is Zech. xii, 10 : "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced." This translation was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. Two lines of the translation have been changed. The original of verse one, line two, is : " Besmear 1 'd with dust," etc. Verse four, line one : " The burden, for me to sustain." Three stanzas have been omitted. The Eev. Paul Gerhardt was born in Saxony in 1606 ; and was a Lutheran minister. For some reason he did not receive holy orders until late in life. Gerhardt first became known, outside his humble parish, by his hymns, some of which were published about 1655. In 1657 he was invited to the great church of St. Nicholas, in Berlin, where for several years his life was a busy and happy, one. In 1662 Frederick "William I. undertook to make peace between the Lutheran and the Reformed Churches, which were constantly, and sometimes harshly, disputing on points of doctrine, and espe- cially on whether Christ died " for all men," or for 88 HYMN STUDIES. the " elect only." In 1664 the king published an edict, requiring the ministers of both Churches to abstain from attacking one another's doctrines in the pulpit ; and in the following year required every beneficed Lutheran cleryman to pledge himself to observe the terms of this edict. Gerhardt, as well as many others, refused, and in 1666 was deprived of his appointment. In 1669 he accepted the post of Archdeacon of Lubben in Saxony. He died in 1676. Gerhardt wrote few hymns, compared with some hymnists — only one hundred and twenty- three in all — yet he is considered the greatest hymn-writer of his age, the Wesley of Germany. 213 Gazing on the cross. L. M. LORD JESUS, when we stand afar And gaze upon thy holy cross, In love of thee, and scorn of self, O may we count the world as loss. 2 When we behold thy bleeding wounds, And the rough way that thou hast trod, Make us to hate the load of sin That lay so heavy on our God. 3 O holy Lord ! uplifted high With outstretched arms, in mortal woe, Embracing in thy wondrous love The sinful world that lies below. 4 Give us an ever-living faith To gaze beyond the things we see ; And in the mystery of thy death Draw us and all men after thee ! WILLIAM W. HOW. Text: " And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." John xii, 32. It is unaltered and entire. The Eev. William Walsham How, M.A., was born in 1823 ; educated at Wadham College, Ox- ford, and ordained Eector of Whittington in 1851. He is the author of some prose works, and a few hymns. In connection with the Eev. Thomas B. Morrell, he edited Psalms and Hymns, London, 1854. Subsequently he was consecrated a Bishop in the Church of England. Bishop How died in 1897. 214 Godly sorrow at the cross. CM. 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 have done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity ! grace unknown ! And love beyond degree ! 3 Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut his glories in, When Christ, the mighty Maker, 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 mine eyes to tears. 5- But drops of grief can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe : Here, Lord, I give myself away, — 'Tis all that I can do. ISAAC WATTS. Title : Godly Sorrow Arising from the Sufferings of Christ. Watts wrote "God" instead of "Christ" in verse three, line three. The second stanza the author inclosed in brack- ets. The hymn is improved by omitting it alto- gether. 2 " Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, thine, And bathed in its own blood, While all exposed to wrath divine, The glorious sufferer stood ! " This hymn is very popular. It has been much used by the Methodists as a communion hymn. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book ii, 1707. 215 He died for thee. C. M. BEHOLD the Saviour of mankind Nailed to the shameful tree ; How vast the love that him inclined To bleed and die for thee ! 2 Hark ! how he groans, while nature shakes, And earth's strong pillars bend : The temple's veil in sunder breaks, The solid marbles rend. 3 'Tis done ! the precious ransom's paid ! " Receive my soul! " he cries: See where he bows his sacred head ; He bows his head, and dies. 4 But soon he'll break death's envious chain, And in full glory shine : O Lamb of God, was ever pain, Was ever love, like thine? SAMUEL WESLEY. Title : On the Crucifixion. Published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. This was a great favorite with the Wesleys. Charles Wesley, in his Journal, mentions singing HYMN STUDIES. 89 it in the cells of the condemned felons at Newgate prison. In 1709 the Rectory at Epworth, where the au- thor resided, was burned to the ground. It was from this fire that John Wesley, a little boy six years of age, was rescued with difficulty ; one man standing upon the shoulders of another, and lifting him out of a window, just before the building fell. It is said that while the author's library, sermons, and manuscripts were destroyed, this hymn, in manuscript, was found in the garden partially burned. The Rev. Samuel Wesley, father of Revs. John and Charles Wesley, was born in 1662. While an academy student, Wesley expected to enter the ministry of the Dissenters. The change in his opinions was a little remarkable. Some one had written severely against the Dissenters, and Mr. Samuel Wesley was appointed to reply. This led him to a course of reading, and in the end resulted differently from what was expected. He left the Dissenters, and attached himself to the Established Church. Entering Exeter College, Oxford, as a Servitor, he was graduated therefrom in 1688. Ordained soon after, he served as curate in several places. In 1696 he dedicated his Life of Christ, an Heroic Poem, to Queen Mary, who presented him to the living at Epworth, where he remained until his death in 1735. His poetic talent was not great ; but under the inspiration of this sublime theme, he exceeded himself. His more gifted son, Charles, never wrote a more valuable hymn than this. 2 1 6 (rod manifest in the flesh. C. M. WITH glorious clouds encompassed round, Whom angels dimly see, Will the Unsearchable be found, Or God appear to me? 2 Will he forsake his throne above, Himself to worms impart? Answer, thou Man of grief and love, And speak it to my heart. 3 In manifested love explain Thy wonderful design; What meant, thou suffering Son of man, Thy streaming blood divine? 4 Didst thou not in our flesh appear, And live and die below, That I might now perceive thee near, And my Redeemer know? 5 Might view the Lamb in his own light, Whom angels dimly see ; And gaze, transported at the sight, To all eternity? CHARLES WESLEY. The last stanza begins : "7 view the Lamb," etc. Three stanzas, the fifth, sixth, and seventh, are omitted : 5 " Come, then, and to my soul reveal The heights and depths of grace, Those wounds which all my sorrows heal That dear disfigured face. 6 " Before my eyes of faith confessed, Stand forth a slaughtered Lamb, And wrap me in Thy crimson vest, And tell me all Thy name. 7 " Jehovah in Thy person show, Jehovah crucified, And then the pardoning God I know, And feel the blood applied." From Hymns for the Use of Families, 1767. 217 Christ in Gethsemane. L. M. THIS midnight; and on Olives' brow _L The star is dimmed that lately shone : 'Tis midnight ; in the garden, now, The suffering Saviour prays alone. 2 'Tis midnight ; and from all removed, The Saviour wrestles lone with fears ; E'en that disciple whom he loved Heeds not his Master's grief and tears. 3 'Tis 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 'Tis midnight ; and from ether-plains Is borne the song that angels know; Unheard by mortals are the strains That sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe. WILLIAM B. TAPPAN. Author's title : Gethsemane. From Poems, published at Philadelphia, in 1822. The third line of the second stanza reads : "E'en the disciple that he loved." William Bingham Tappan was born in Massa- chusetts in 1794, and lived till 1849. Mr. Tappan was emphatically a self-made man. His father died when he was young. He never attended school, except for six months ; but taught school for sev- eral years, successfully, in Philadelphia. A pious mother's prayers and teaching saved him from gross immorality, and when he came to manhood he be- came an earnest Christian. He was connected with the American Sunday-School Union, in Boston, and also in Cincinnati and Philadelphia. He is some- times called "Eev.," for he was licensed to preach in 1840, but was never ordained. He published several volumes of poetry, but de- rived little pecuniary profit from them. He was a 90 HYMN STUDIES. worthy man — not sufficiently appreciated in his own day. This pathetic hymn, and one other, No. 1039, will honorably carry his name down to pos- terity. 218 Prophecy fulfilled. L. M. u TTUS finished!" so the Saviour cried, _L And meekly bowed his head and died: 'Tis finished ! yes, the race is run ; The battle fought ; the victory won. 2 'Tis 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 'Tis finished ! let the joyful sound Be heard through all the nations round; 'Tis finished ! let the triumph rise And swell the chorus of the skies ! SAMUEL STENNETT, IN PART. Text: " It is finished." John xix, 30. It is hardly fair to ascribe this hymn, as it stands here, to Stennett. He is the author of the first and last stanzas only. The other two are by an " un- known " writer. They were, no doubt, composed by some hymn-book compiler. The original hymn, six stanzas, was contributed to Rippon's Selection, in 1787. The Rev. Samuel Stennett, D.D., an English Baptist minister, was born at Exeter, in 1727 ; and was a man of ability and scholarship. In 1758 he succeeded his father as pastor of the Wild Street Church, in London, where he remained for thirty- seven years. He died in 1795. Dr. Stennett was the author of some prose writings, and of thnty- seven hymns, which may be found at the end of vol. hi, of his Works, London, 1824. 219 Hail, holy cross ! CM. THE royal banner is unfurled, The cross is reared on high, On which the Saviour of the world Is stretched in agony. 2 See ! through his holy hands and feet The cruel nails they drive : Our ransom is thus made complete, Our souls are saved alive. 3 And see ! the spear hath pierced his side, And shed that sacred flood, That holy reconciling tide, The water and the blood. 4 Hail, holy cross ! from thee we learn The only way to heaven ; And O, to thee may sinners turn, And look, and be forgiven ! 5 Jehovah, we thy name adore, In thee we will rejoice, And sing, till time shall be no more, The triumphs of the cross. VENANTIUS FORTUNATUS. TR. BY J. CHANDLER. Title : Vexilla Regis Prodeunt. This famous passion hymn was composed about 580 A. D. The translation is ? unaltered and en- tire, from Hymns of the Primitive Church, 1837. Venantius Fortunatus, a Latin poet, was born in Italy, about 530 ; was naturally of a gay disposition, and spent the earlier part of his life in France — .either in idleness, or in writing fashionable literature. He was past middle life when he entered the ministry. In 599 he was appointed Bishop of Fortiers, but died soon after, about 609. Some of his hymns have a great reputation in the Roman Catholic Church. The most famous is the passion hymn : Range, lingua, gloriosi, proeli- um certaminis, which has been translated by Dr. Neale and others. 220 Transcendent love. L. M. 6 1. OLOVE divine, what hast thou done! The incarnate God hath died for me ! The Father's co-eternal Son, Bore all my sins upon the tree ! The Son of God for me hath died : My Lord, my Love, is crucified. 2 Behold him, all ye that pass by, — The bleeding Prince of life and peace ! Come, sinners, see your Saviour die, And say, was ever grief like his? Come, feel with me his blood applied : My Lord, my Love, is crucified : 3 Is crucified for me and you, To bring us rebels back to God:. Believe, believe the record true, Ye all are bought with Jesus' blood : Pardon for all flows from his side : My Lord, my Love, is crucified. 4 Then let us sit beneath his cross, And gladly catch the healing stream; All things for him account but loss, And give up all our hearts to him : Of nothing think or speak beside, — My Lord, my Love, is crucified. CHARLES WESLEY, HYMN STUDIES. 91 Title : Desiring to Love. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, published by John and Charles Wesley, 1742. Some verbal changes have been made. The orig- inal has " immortal " instead of "incarnate" in the second line ; and the same word instead of " Son of" in the fifth line. The third line ot the second stanza read : " Come, see, ye worms, your Maker die." The fourth line of the third stanza began with : " We." The burden of this sweet and pathetic Christian song, " My Lord, my Love, is crucified," is said to be a quotation from Ignatius, the martyr. 221 Sovereign love. L. M. 6 1. WOULD Jesus have the sinner die? Why hangs he then on yonder tree? What means that strange expiring cry? Sinners, he prays for you and me ; "Forgive them, Father, O forgive! They know not that by me they live." 2 Jesus, descended from above, Our loss of Eden to retrieve, Great God of universal love, If all the world through thee may live, In us a quickening spirit be, And witness thou hast died for me. 3 Thou loving, all-atoning Lamb, Thee — by thy painful agony, Thy bloody sweat, thy grief and shame, Thy cross and passion on the tree, Thy precious death and life — I pray, Take all, take all my sins away. 4 O let thy love my heart constrain ! Thy love, for every sinner free, That every fallen son of man May taste the grace that found out me ; That all mankind with me may prove Thy sovereign, everlasting love. CHARLES WESLEY. Composed of stanzas twelve, fourteen, sixteen, and eighteen of a long hymn, entitled Jesus Christ the Saviour of all Men. This was one of many hymns that grew out of the fierce Calvinistic con- troversy of that day. From Hymns on God's Ever- lasting Love, 1741. Among the omitted stanzas is one that is rather remarkable: " O let me kiss Thy bleeding feet, And bathe, and wash them with my tears ; The story of Thy love repeat In every drooping sinner's ears, That all may hear the quickening sound : If I, even I, have mercy found ! In the original, the second stanza begins with "Adam," etc.; and the third, with " Bear, lov- ing," etc. & Crowned tvith thorns. 7, 6. 0 SACRED Head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down, Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, thine only crown ; O sacred Head, what glory, What bliss, till now was thine ! Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine. 2 What thou, my Lord, hast suffered Was all for sinners' gain : Mine, mine was the transgression, But thine the deadly pain: Lo, here I fall, my Saviour! 'Tis I deserve 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? O make me thine forever; And should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never, Outlive my love to thee. 4 Be near me when I'm dying, O 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. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX, PAUL GERHARDT. TR. BY J. W. ALEXANDER. From Tlie Christian Lyre, 1830. This hymn is now universally known by the first line of the original : Salve, caput cruentatum. In the Latin it consists of five stanzas of ten lines each, ar.d is entitled Ad faciem Christi in cruce pendentis. It has been rendered into English by several translators. This excellent version was first translated into German by Paul Gerhardt, and then into English. The Rev. James Waddell Alexander was a Pres- byterian clergyman, born in 1804 ; was graduated at Princeton in 1820 ; a pastor for several years, then editor, and then professor at Princeton. He died in 1859. For sketch of Bernard, see No. 327. 92 HYMN (Zi &€> Christ our exemplar. 7, 6 I. G^Oto dark Gethsemane, X Ye that feel the tempter's power; Your Redeemer's conflict see, Watch with him one bitter hour; Turn not from his griefs away, Learn of Jesus Christ to pray. 2 Follow to the judgment-hall ; View the Lord of life arraigned ; O the wormwood and the gall ! O the pangs his soul sustained ! Shun not suffering, shame, or loss; Learn of him to bear the cross. 3 Calvary's mournful mountain climb ; There, adoring at his feet, Mark that miracle of time, God's own sacrifice complete : "It is finished ! " hear him cry ; Learn of Jesus Christ to die. 4 Early hasten to the tomb, Where they laid his breathless clay ; All is solitude and gloom ; Who hath taken him away? Christ is risen ; he meets our eyes ; Saviour, teach us so to rise ! JAMES MONTGOMERY. Title : Christ our Example in Suffering. From The Christian Psalmist, 1825. It is unaltered and entire. For biographical sketch of author, see No. 5. 224 It is finished. 8, 7, 4. HARK ! the voice of love and mercy Sounds aloud from Calvary ; See ! it rends the rocks asunder, Shakes the earth, and veils the sky ■ "It is finished:" Hear the dying Saviour cry. 2 " It is finished ! *' O what pleasure Do these precious words afford ! Heavenly blessings, without measure, Flow to us from Christ the Lord : " It is finished: " Saints, the dying words record. 3 Tune your harps anew, ye seraphs, Join to sing the pleasing theme ; All on earth, and all in heaven, Join to praise Immanuel's name ; Hallelujah ! Glory to the bleeding Lamb. JONATHAN EVANS. STUDIES. From George Burder's Collection, 1784. This beautiful hymn also appeared in Rippon's Selection, 1787, where it was marked F . Some collections ascribed it to Francis. It is claimed, however, that F. meant Foleshill, where Evans was pastor. It has not been altered, but two stanzas, the third and fourth, of the original have been omitted : 3 " Finished all the types and shadows Of the ceremonial law ; Finished, all that God has promised ; Death and hell no more shall awe, It is finished, Saints from hence your comforts draw. 4 " Happy souls, approach the table, Taste the soul-reviving food ; Nothing half so sweet and pleasant, As the Saviour's flesh and blood, It is finished ! Christ has borne the heavy load." See No. 55. 225 Easter anthem. 8, 7. SING with all the sons of glory, Sing the resurrection song! Death and sorrow, earth's dark story, 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 O 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 ; Every 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, seer and sages, All await the glory given. 4 Life eternal ! O what wonders Crowd on faith ; what joy unknown, When, amidst earth's closing thunders, Saints shall stand before the throne ! O to enter that bright portal, See that glowing firmament, Know, with thee, O God immortal, ' 1 Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ! n WILLIAM J. IRONS. HYMN STUDIES. 93 From Psalms and Hgmnsfor the Church. Writ- ten by William J. Irons, D.D., Prebendary of St. Paul's, and Rector of St. Mary's, Woolworth. Lon- don, 1875. Original Lines. Verse one, lines five to eight inclusive : " Even now the dawn is breaking, Soon the night of time shall cease, And in God's own likeness waking, Man shall know eternal peace." The Rev. William Josiah Irons, D.D., a Church of England clergyman, was born in 1812, and lived until 1883. 226 Jesus, victor over death. 8, 7, 4. COME, ye saints, look here and wonder ; See the place where Jesus lay : He has burst his bands asunder ; He has borne our sins away ; Joyful tidings! Yes, the Lord has risen to-day. 2 Jesus triumphs ! sing ye praises ; By his death he overcame : Thus the Lord his glory raises, Thus he fills his foes with shame : Sing ye praises ! Praises to the Victor's name. 3 Jesus triumphs ! countless legions Come from heaven to meet their King ; Soon, in yonder blessed regions, They shall join his praise to sing: Songs eternal Shall through heaven's high arches ring. THOMAS KELLY. " Behold the place where they laid him." Mark xvi, 6. This hymn was introduced by the Revision Com- mittee in 1877. A verbatim copy as found in the Author's Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture. 1809. See No. 54. 227 The voice of triumph. 10, 11, 12. LIFT your glad voices in triumph on high, For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die ; Vain were the terrors that gather around him, And short the dominion of death and the grave ; He burst from the fetters of darkness that bound him, Resplendent in glory, to live and to save : Loud was the chorus of angels on high, — The Saviour hath risen, and man shall not die. 2 Glory to God, in full anthems of joy; The being he gave us death cannot de- stroy : Sad were the life we may part with to-mor- row, If tears were our birthright, and death were our end ; But Jesus hath cheered that dark valley of sorrow, And bade us, immortal, to heaven ascend : Lift then your voices in triumph on high, For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die. HENRY WARE, JR. Title : Resurrection of Christ. This glad hymn of victory was written in 1817, and was first published in the Christian Disciple, and afterward in the Christian Examiner, Boston. Unaltered. From the Author's Works, vol. i. Boston, "1846. The Rev. Henry Ware, Jr., D.D., was born in Hingham, Mass., in 1794 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1812, and then spent some time in teach- ing. In 1817 he was ordained pastor of a Unita- rian church in Boston. In 1829 Dr. Ware was ap- pointed Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Care in Cambridge Theological School ; which position he held till the year previous to his death in 1843. He was the author of a number of hymns which are found in his works. 228 Christ, the Conqueror. C. M. WELCOME, thou Victor in the strife, Now welcome'from the cave ! To-day we triumph in thy life Around thine empty grave. 2 Our enemy is put to shame, His short-lived triumph o'er ; Our God is with us, we exclaim, We fear our foe no more. 8 O let thy conquering banner wave O'er hearts thou makest free, And point the path that from the grave Leads heavenward up to thee. 4 We bury all our sin and crime Deep in the Saviour's tomb. And seek the treasure there, that time Nor change can e'er consume. 5 We die with thee : O let us live Henceforth to thee aright ; The blessings thou hast died to give Be daily in our sight. 94 HYMN STUDIES. 6 Fearless we lay us in the tomb, And sleep the night away, If thou art there to break the gloom, And call us back to-day. BENJAMIN SCHMOLKB. TR. BY MISS C. WINKWORTH. This translation is from Lyra Germanica, first series, where it is prefaced by this passage from the Gospel of Luke xxiv, 35, 36 : " And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." It is unaltered, but three stanzas, the third, fourth, and ninth, are omitted. Original date, 1712. The Rev. Benjamin Sclmiolke, a German divine and hymnologist, was born in 1672 ; was graduated at Leipsic in 1697, and in 1702 accepted a call to Schweidnitz, where he remained until his death in 1737. A complete edition of his poems was pub- lished at Tubingen in 1740. 2 2 9 Ascension hymn. 6, 4. 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 The radiant train : Praises all heaven inspire : Each angel sweeps his lyre, And claps his wings of fire, Thou Lamb once slain ! 3 Enter, incarnate God! No feet but thine have trod The serpent down: Blow the full trumpets, blow, Wider your portals throw, Saviour, triumphant, go, And take thy crown ! 4 Lion of Judah, hail ! And let thy name prevail From age to age : Lord of the rolling years, Claim for thine own the spheres, For thou hast bought with tears Thy heritage. MATTHEW BRIDGES. Title : Ascension. From Lyra Catholica, New York edition, 1851. The original contains seven stanzas, These are the first four, unaltered. Matthew Bridges, born in 1800, was a convert to the Eoman Catholic Church from the Church of England. He was the author of quite a number of books. This hymn first appeared in Hymns of the Heart, 1848. 230 Resurrection hymn. 7, 6. THE day of resurrection ! Earth, tell it out abroad ! The passover of gladness, The passover of God ! From death to life eternal, From earth unto the sky, Our Christ hath brought us over, With hymns of victory. 2 Our hearts be pure from evil, That we may see aright The Lord in rays eternal Of resurrection light ; And, listening to his accents, May hear, so calm and plain, His own "All hail! " and, hearing, May raise the victor-strain. 3 Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth her song begin ! Let the round world keep triumph, And all that is therein ! Invisible and visible, Their notes let all things blend, For Christ the Lord hath risen, Our Joy that hath no end. JOHN OP DAMASCUS. TR. BY J. M. NEALE. This glorious old hymn of victory is the first ode of the authors great Easter Canon, sometimes cal led the Golden Canon, or the Queen of Canons, and is sung every year by the Greek Church, in joyous strains, on Easter morning. The translation is from Hymns of the Eastern Church. London, 1862. It is unaltered, except the first line, which is, in the original : " ' Tis the day of Eesurrection." John Damascene was the greatest theologian and poet of the Greek Church. His active life belonged to the eighth century, but the exact dates of his birth and death are unknown. His work on The- ology, Doctrines oj the Orthodox Church, is still a standard text-book in the Eastern Church. He was famous as a philosopher, and as an opponent of the Iconoclasts of his time. Late in life he was BYMN S ordained priest of the church at Jerusalem. Ilis death occurred between 754 and 787. For biographical sketch of Dr. Neale, see No. 1D9. j331 fluster chant. 11. WELCOME, happy morning ! age to age shall say: Hell to-day is vanquished, heaven is won to-day ! Lo, the dead is living, God for evermore ! Him, their true Creator, all his works adore. 2 Earth with joy confesses, clothing for her spring, All good gifts returned with her returning King: Bloom in every meadow, leaves on every bough, Speak his sorrows ended, hail his triumph now. 3 Maker and Redeemer, life and health of all, Thou, from heaven beholding human nat- ure's fall, Of the Father's Godhead true and only Son, Manhood to deliver, manhood didst put on. 4 Thou, of life the author, death didst un- dergo, Tread the path of darkness, saving strength to show; Come then, true and faithful, now fulfill thy word, 'Tis thine own third morning, rise, my buried Lord! 5 Loose the souls long-prisoned, bound with Satan's chain ; All that now is fallen raise to life again ; Show thy face in brightness, bid the nations see, Bring again our daylight ; day returns with thee ! VENANTTTJS FORTUNATUS. TR. BY J. ELLERTON. [Sung by Jerome of Prague at the stake.] Title : Salve festa dies toto venerabilis aevo. Translation by the Kev. John Ellerton, made in 1868, for the Eev. R. Brown Borth wick's Supple- mental Hymn and Tune Book. The original Latin is a cento or selection from a poem of one hundred and fourteen lines in elegiac verse, by Venantius Fortunatus, addressed to Felix, Bishop of Nantes in Brittany; being Poem vii of his third book. It has been frequently translated and paraphrased in various languages. The translation has not been altered, except by the omission of the third verse and refrain. For sketch of Fortunatus, see No. 219. TUB IBS. 05 232 Rejoicing in the risen Christ. CM. AWAKE, glad soul ! awake ! awake ! Thy Lord has risen long, Go to his grave, and with thee take Both tuneful heart and song. 2 Where life is waking all around, Where love's sweet voices sing, The first bright blossom may be found Of an eternal spring. 3 The shade and gloom of life are fled This resurrection-day, Henceforth in Christ are no more dead, The grave hath no more prey. 4 In Christ we live, in Christ we sleep, In Christ we wake and rise, And the sad tears death makes us weep. He wipes from all our eyes. 5 Then wake, glad heart ! awake ! awake ! And seek thy risen Lord, Joy in his resurrection take, And comfort in his word : 6 And let thy life, through all its ways, One long thanksgiving be, Its theme of joy, its song of praise — Christ died, and rose for me. JOHN S. B. MONSELL. This fine Easter song is from the author's Hymns of, Love and Praise for the Church'' s Year, 1863. The original contains five eight-lined stanzas. These are not altered. Two stanzas, the third and sixth, of the original are omitted : " 0 Love which lightens all distress, Love death cannot destroy ! O Grave, whose very emptiness . To Faith is full of joy! Let but that Love our hearts supply From Heaven's exhaustless Spring, Then, Grave, where is thy victory ? And, Death, where is thy sting? " And every bird and every tree, And every opening flower, Proclaim His glorious victory, His resurrection-power: The folds are glad ; the fields rejoice, With vernal verdure spread ; The little hills lift up their voice, And shout that Death is dead." The Eev. John Samuel Bewley Monsell, a Church of England clergyman, was born in Derry, Ireland, in 1811 ; was graduated at Dublin University in 1832, and was ordained in 1834. He died in 1875. 96 HYMN STUDIES. 233 Majestic triumph over the grave. L. M. THE morning kindles all the sky, The heavens resound with anthems high, The shining angels as they speed, Proclaim, "The Lord is risen indeed! " 2 Vainly with rocks his tomb was barred, While Roman guards kept watch and ward; Majestic from the spoiled tomb, In pomp of triumph, he has come ! 3 When the amazed disciples heard, Their hearts with speechless joy were stirred ; Their Lord's beloved face to see, Eager they haste to Galilee. 4 His pierced hands to them he shows, His face with love's own radiance glows ; They with the angels' message speed, And shout, "The Lord is risen indeed ! " 5 O Christ, thou King compassionate ! Our hearts possess, on thee we wait : Help us to render praises due, To thee the endless ages through ! AMBKOSIAN. TR. BY MRS. E. CHARLES. Title: Easter Hymn. The translation — eleven stanzas — is found in The Voice of Christian Life in Song. London, 1858. This' hymn is composed of the first half of the first, last half of the fourth, the third, eighth, tenth, and eleventh stanzas. Some verbal changes have been made for the better. The translator wrote : Verse two, line four : " In pomp of triumph He is come." Verse three, lines one, three, four : " When the bereaved disciples heard," " They also haste to Galilee, Their Lord's adored face to see." Verse four, line four : " Proclaim, ' The Lord is risen indeed Verse five, line three : " That we may render praises due." See No. 205. 234: T>ying^ rising, reigning. L. M. HE dies ! the Friend of sinners dies ! Lo ! Salem's daughters weep around ; A solemn darkness veils the skies, A sudden trembling shakes the ground. 2 Come, saints, and drop a tear or two, For him who groaned beneath your load ; He shed a thousand drops for you, — A thousand drops of richer blood. 3 Here's love and grief beyond degree : The Lord of glory dies for man ! But lo! what sudden joys we see, Jesus, the dead, revives again! 4 The rising God forsakes the tomb; In vain the tomb forbids his rise ; Cherubic legions guard him home, And shout him welcome to the skies. 5 Break off your tears, ye saints, and tell How high your great Deliverer reigns ; Sing how he spoiled the hosts of hell, And led the monster Death in chains : 6 Say, "Live forever, wondrous King! Born to redeem, and strong to save ; " Then ask the monster, ' ' Where's thy sting? " And, "Where's thy victory, boasting Grave?" ISAAC WATTS, ALT. BY J. WESLEY. Title : Christ Dying, Rising, and Reigning. From Horaz Lyricaz, 1709. The first stanza, as given in Watts' 's Poetical Works, is as follows : " He dies ! the Heav'nly Lover dies ! The Tidings strike a doleful Sound On my poor Heartstrings : deep he lies In the cold Caverns of the Ground." The second lines of verses two and four have also been altered : " Come, saints, and drop a Tear or two On the dear Bosom of your God." " The rising God forsakes the Tomb, Up to his Fathefs Court he flies.' 1 '' These changes are, confessedly, great improve- ments ; I know of no conclusive evidence that they were made by John Wesley. On the other hand, the Eev. Dr. John Eippon claims this form of the hymn as an authorized text. 235 Joy in His resurrection. S. M. THE Lord is risen indeed ; The grave hath lost its prey ; With him shall rise the ransomed seed, To reign in endless day. 2 The Lord is risen indeed ; He lives, to die no more ; He lives, his people's cause to plead, Whose curse and shame he bore. 3 The Lord is risen indeed ; Attending angels, hear ! Up to the courts of heaven, with speed., The joyful tidings bear: HYMN STUDIES. 07 4 Then take your golden lyres, And strike each cheerful chord ; Join, all ye bright celestial choirs, To sing our risen Lord. THOMAS KELLY. Text : 8 HYMN STUDIES. 4 Lord, I believe thy precious blood, Which, at the mercy-seat of God, Forever doth for sinners plead, For me, e'en for my soul ; was shed. 5 Lord, I believe were sinners more Than sands upon the ocean shore, Thou hast for all a ransom paid, For all a full atonement made. NICOLAUS L. ZINZENDORF. TR. BY J. WESLEY. Title : The Believer 's Triumph. Wesley's translation contains twenty- four stanzas, and is found in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. This hymn is composed of verses one, two, six, seven, and eight. In his Collection for the Use of the People called Methodists, "Wesley published ten stanzas of this liymn. The others were not equal to these. The last stanza originally closed with the follow- ing couplet : " For all Thou hast the ransom given, Purchased for all peace, life, and heaven." It was changed by the translator for his Collection, in 1779. 239 l.m. An advocate with the Father. 1 John ii, 1. JESUS, my Advocate above, My friend before the throne of love, If now for me prevails thy prayer, If now I find thee pleading there, — 2 If thou the secret wish convey, And sweetly prompt my heart to pray, — Hear, and my weak petitions join, Almighty Advocate, to thine. 3 Jesus, my heart's desire obtain ; My earnest suit present, and gain : My fullness of corruption show; The knowledge of myself bestow. 4 O sovereign Love, to thee I cry, Give me thyself, or else I die ! Save me from death, from hell set free ; Death, hell, are but the want of thee. CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. In the first edition the title to this piece was Blessed are They that Mourn. In all subsequent editions it was " Try Mi, 0 God, and Seek the Ground of My Heart.'''' Psa. cxxxix, 23. This quotation is from the Prayer-Book version. The original hymn contains five double stanzas. This is composed of the first and the first part of the third and fifth. The first line Charles Wesley wrote : " Jesus, my great High-Priest above." The change may have been made by John Wesley as it appears in his Collection. 1 confess I much prefer the line as it stood originally. 24:0 Christ, King and Creator. L. M. 0 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 veiled 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. GREGORY THE GREAT. TR. BY R. PALMER. Title : The Lordship of Christ. This translation was contributed to The Sabbath Hymn Book. 1858. For sketch of the translator, see No. 714. The Latin title is : Bex Christe Factor omnium. Gregory was born in Rome about 541, was well educated, and in early life was in the employ of the State. Upon the death of his father he inherit- ed great wealth, much of which he spent in build- ing monasteries. He founded St. Andrew's at Rome, which he entered as a deacon. Upon the death of Pelagius, Bishop of Rome, Gregory was chosen by the clergy and people as his successor. The Emperor Maurice confirmed the election, and, much against his will, it is said, Gregory was in- stalled Pope in 595. He was a student of the Scriptures, and labored to circulate them among the people. He was also a founder and patron of missions, that to England among others. The Bishop of Rome did not then arrogate to himself universal sovereignty. John, Patriarch of Constan- tinople, about this time assumed the title of Univers- al Bishop; which act Gregory called "proud, heretical, blasphemous, antichristian, and dia- bolical ; " and in opposition thereto he assumed the title of "Servant of servants" (Servus servorum Domini). He claimed that Christ was the only universal Head of the Church. Gregory was a lover of sacred music, and cultivated chanting in the Church service. Many of his acts were praise- HYMN STUDIES. 99 worthy, others were injurious. The Romish doc- trines of purgatory, masses for the dead, and tran- substantiation date from his time, lie died in 604. 24! Majestic sweetness. CM. MAJESTIC sweetness sits enthroned Upon the Saviour's brow ; His head with radiant glories crowned, His lips with grace o'erflow. 2 No mortal can with him compare, Among the sons of men ; Fairer is he than all the fair That fill the heavenly train. 3 He saw me plunged in deep distress, He flew to my relief ; For me he bore the shameful cross, And carried all my grief. 4 To him I owe my life and breath, And all the joys I have ; He makes me triumph over death, He saves me from the grave. 5 To heaven, the place of his abode, He brings my weary feet ; Shows me the glories of my God, And makes my joy complete 6 Since from his bounty I receive Such proofs of love divine, Had I a thousand hearts to give, Lord, they should all be thine. SAMUEL STENNETT. " Chief Among Ten Thousand ; or, The Excel- lencies of Christ." Cant, v, 10-16. Three stanzas are omitted, which, I think, some will be glad to see : 1 "To Christ, the Lord, let every tongue Its noblest tribute bring : When he's the subject of the song, Who can refuse to sing: ? 2 " Survey the beauties of his face, And on his glories dwell ; Think of the wonders of his grace, And all his triumphs tell." 6 " His hand a thousand blessings pours Upon my guilty head ; His presence gilds my darkest hours, And guards my sleeping bed." This hymn, as given in the Hymnal, begins with the third stanza. The second line is : " Upon his awful brow." Contributed to Rippon's Selection, 1787. 242 Life in Christ. L. M. I KNOW that my Redeemer lives ; What joy the blest assurance gives ! He lives, he lives, who once was dead ; He lives, my everlasting Head ! 2 He lives, to bless me with his love ; He lives, to plead for me above ; He lives, my hungry soul to feed ; He lives, to help in time of need. 3 He lives, and grants me daily breath ; He lives, and I shall conquer deatli ; He lives, my mansion to prepare : He lives, to bring me safely there. 4 He lives, all glory to his name ; He lives, my Saviour, still the same ; What joy the blest assurance gives, I know that my Redeemer lives ! SAMUEL MEDLEY. " I know that my Redeemer liveth." Job xix, 25. The original contains nine stanzas. These are verses one, three, eight, and nine. Four lines have been changed. Verse one, lines two and four : " What comfort this sweet passage gives." " He lives, my ever-living head ! " Verse four, lines two and three : " He lives, my Jesus, still the same; " 0 the sweet joy this sentence gives." From a London Collection published in 1782. See No. 193. 243 Prophet, Priest, and King. H. M. JOIN all the glorious names Of wisdom, love, and power, That ever mortals knew, Or angels ever bore : All are too mean to speak his worth, Too mean to set the Saviour forth. 2 Great Prophet of our God, Our tongues shall bless thy name ; By thee the joyful news Of our salvation came ; The joyful news of sins forgiven, Of hell subdued, and peace with heaven, 3 Jesus, our great High Priest, Has shed his blood and died; The guilty conscience needs No sacrifice beside : His precious blood did once atone, And now it pleads before the throne. 100 HYMN STUDIES. 4 O thou almighty Lord, Our Conqueror and King, Thy scepter and thy sword, Thy reigning grace, we sing : Thine is the power; behold we sit In willing bonds beneath thy feet, ISAAC WATTS, ALT. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book i, 1707. The original contains twelve stanzas, into each of which is woven some Scripture name given to Christ. This hymn is made up of verses one, four, eight, and ten; and is substantially as published by the author ; but, on account of a number of slight changes, no less than sixteen, it should be marked altered. 244 Rejoice evermore. H. M. REJOICE, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore ; Mortals, give thanks and sing, And triumph evermore ; Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice ; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 2 Jesus, the Saviour, reigns, The God of truth and love ; When he had purged our stains, He took his seat above ; Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice ; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 3 His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o'er earth and heaven ; The keys of death and hell Are to our Jesus given ; Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice ; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 4 He sits at God's right hand Till all his foes submit, And bow to his command, And fall beneath his feet ; Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice ; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 5 He all his foes shall quell, And all our sins destroy ; Let every bosom swell With pure seraphic joy ; Lift up your hearts, lift up your voice ; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice. 6 Rejoice in glorious hope ; Jesus the Judge shall come, And take his servants up To their eternal home ; We soon shall hear the archangel's voice; The trump of God shall sound, — Rejoice ! CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns for Our Lord's Resurrection. London, 1746. The early editions have "heart" instead of " hearts " in the chorus : otherwise it is verbatim and complete. The burden of this song is evidently taken from Phil, iv, 4 : "Eejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." 245 Glory to glory's King. H. M. GOD is gone up on high, With a triumphant noise ; The clarions of the sky Proclaim the angelic joys: Join all on earth, rejoice and sing; Gloiy ascribe to glory's King. 2 All power to our great Lord Is by the Father given ; By angel hosts adored, He reigns supreme in heaven : Join all on earth, rejoice and sing; Glory ascribe to glory's King. 3 High on his holy seat, He bears the righteous sway ; His foes beneath his feet Shall sink and die away: Join all on earth, rejoice and sing; Glory ascribe to glory's King. 4 Till all the earth, renewed In righteousness divine, With all the hosts of God, In one great chorus join, Join all on earth, rejoice and sing; Glory ascribe to glory's King. CHARLES WESLEY. First published in a pamphlet containing seven pieces, entitled Hymns for A scension Day. Bristol, 1746. This hymn expresses an exuberance of joy that is almost too great for these impassive times. It is not altered. Two verses, the second and fifth are omitted : 2 " God in the flesh below, For us He reigns above : Let all the nations know Our Jesus' conquering love ! Chorus. 5 " His foes and ours are one, Satan, the world, and sin ; But He shall tread them down, And bring His kingdom in." Chorus. HYMN STUDIES. 101 24:6 Our Paschal Lamb. 8,7. 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 is the gate of heaven ; Peace is made 'tvvixt man and God. 3 Jesus, hail ! enthroned in glory, There forever to abide ; All the heavenly hosts adore thee, Seated at thy Father's side : There for sinners thou art pleading ; There thou dost our place prepare : Ever for us interceding, Till in glory we appear. 4 "Worship, honor, power, and blessing, Thou art worthy to receive ; Loudest praises, without ceasing, Meet it is for us to give. Help, ye bright angelic spirits ; Bring your sweetest, noblest lays ; Help to sing our Saviour's merits ; Help to chant Immanuel's praise ! JOHN BAKEWELL, ALT. This favorite hymn is found in Martin Madan's Collection, 1760, where it differs from this in twelve of its lines. It is possible that the author, who was then living, made these changes for Mr. Toplady's book, (1776 ;) but it is more probable that the changes were made by Toplady himself. This opinion is based upon the fact that he was in the habit of doing such tilings. The first two lines have not been altered. Mr. John Bakewell lived to be ninety-eight years of age, 1721-1819. He was one of Wesley's lay preachers. For some years he was Master of Greenwich Eoyal Park Academy. On his tomb- stone is found this inscription : " He adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour eighty years, and preached his glorious Gospel about seventy years." 247 Casting our Crowns before Him. 8, 7. 66 ~\\TE> shall see Him," in our nature, VV Seated on his lofty throne, Loved, adored, by every creature, Owned as God, and God alone ! 2 There the hosts of shining spirits Strike their harps, and loudly sing To the praise of Jesus' merits, To the glory of their King. 3 When we pass o'er death's dark river, " We shall see him as he is," Resting in his love and favor, Owning all the glory his. 4 There to cast our crowns before him, O what bliss the thought affords ! There forever to adore him, King of kings, and Lord of lords ! MARY PYPER. Title : 11 We shall see Him as He is." A hymn of eight stanzas, of which the first four are omitted : 1 " Not as He was, a houseless stranger, With no home to shield His head, Not as seen in Bethlehem's manger, Where the horned oxen fed. 2 " Not as in the garden groaning, Plunged in deep mysterious woe, All the guilt of man bemoaning, While the precious blood-sweats flow. 3 "Not as seen on Calvary's mountain Where He offered up His soul, Opening wide that sacred fountain, Which alone can make us whole. 4 " Not as He was, a pale and breathless Captive in the shades beneath, But as He is, immortal, deathless, Conqueror o'er the powers of death ! " Yes we shall see Him in our nature," etc. The next stanza begins : " There countless hosts of shining spirits." Mary Pyper was born at Greenock, Scotland, in 1795. She lived in Edinburgh. In 1847 she pub- lished a thin volume, entitled Select Pieces. Sacred Songs of Scotland gives this and several more of the hymns of this author that possess de- cided merit. She was poor, and supported herself by needlework. Died May 25, 1870. 248 Crown Him Lord of All. C. M. 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 morning stars of light, Who fixed this earthly ball ; Now hail the strength of Israel's might, And crown him Lord of all. 102 HYMN STUD IE 8. 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 terrestial ball, To him all majesty ascribe, And crown him Lord of all. 6 O that with yonder sacred throng We at his feet may fall ! We'll join the everlasting song, And crown him Lord of all. EDWARD PEKRONET. Author's title : On the Resurrection. The original contained eight verses. Three stan- zas have been omitted. One, the last, has been added, and all except the fourth have been more or less altered. Original Lines. Verse one, line four : " To crown him Lord of all." Verse two, line two : " Who fixed this floating ball." Verse three, line one : " Ye seed of Israel's chosen race." Verse three, line two : " Ye ransomed of the fall." Verse five, line one : "Let every tribe and every tongue." Verse five, line two : " That bound creation's call." Verse five, line three : " Now shout in universal song." Verse five, line four : " The crowned Lord of all." The last stanza was not a part of the original hymn. It is not modern, however, but has been in use more than ninety years. Omitted Stanzas. 2 " Let high-born Seraphs tune the lyre, And as they tune it fall, Before His face, who tunes their choir, And crown Him Lord of all. 4 " Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, Who from His altar call ; Extol the stem of Jesse's rod And crown Him Lord of all. 6 " Hail Him ye heirs of David's line, Whom David Lord did call; The God incarnate, man Divine, And crown Him Lord of all." From a rare volume, entitled Occasional Verses, Moral and Sacred, Published for the Instruction and Amusement of the Candidly Serious and Re- ligious. London, 1785. There is a copy of this book in the Library of the Drew Theological Sem- inary, Madison, N. J. ; and one in the Library of the British Museum. Little is known of the Bev. Edward Ferronet, except that he wrote this hymn, which is fame enough for one man. He was a friend of Charles Wesley. At one time he was one of Lady Hunt- ingdon's chaplains, but later in life was a Dissent- ing minister. He was born in 1726 and died in 1792, triumphantly exclaiming : " Glory to God in the height of his divinity ! Glory to God in the depth of his humanity"! Glory to God in his all-sufficiency ! Into His hand I commend my spirit." 24:9 Crown the Saviour. 8, 7, 4. LOOK, ye saints, the sight is glorious, See the Man of sorrows now ; From the fight returned victorious, Every knee to him shall bow : Crown him, crown him ; Crowns become the Victor's brow. 2 Crown the Saviour, angels, crown him : Rich the trophies Jesus brings : In the seat of power enthrone him, While the vault of heaven rings : Crown him, crown him ; Crown the Saviour King of kings. 3 Sinners in derision crowned him, Mocking thus the Saviour's claim ; Saints and angels crowd around him, Own his title, praise his name : Crown him, crown him ; Spread abroad the Victor's fame. 4 Hark, those bursts of acclamation ! Hark, those loud triumphant chords ! Jesus takes the highest station : O what joy the sight affords ! Crown him, crown him, King of kings, and Lord of lords. THOMAS KELLY. "And he shall reign for ever and ever." Bev. xi, 15. HYMN STUDIES. 103 From the Author's Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, 1809. It is new to this book, and is de- servedly popular. It is unaltered. For biographical sketch of author, see No. 54. 250 Qur everlasting Priest. L. M. 6 1. OTHOU eternal Victim, slain, A sacrifice for guilty man, By the eternal Spirit made An offering in the sinner's stead ; Our everlasting Priest art thou, Pleading thy death for sinners now. 2 Thy offering still continues new ; Thy vesture keeps its crimson hue ; Thou art the ever-slaughtered Lamb, Thy priesthood still remains the same ; Thy years, O Lord, can never fail; Thy goodness is unchangeable. 3 O that our faith may never move, But stand- unshaken as thy love ! Sure evidence of things unseen, Passing the years that intervene, Now let it view upon the tree The Lord, who bleeds and dies for me. CHARLES WESLEY, ALT. In 1745 the Wesleys published Hymns on the Lord's Supper, containing one hundred and sixty- six pieces. This is one of them. The book was prefaced by a thesis on The Christian Sacrament and Sacrifice, extracted from the works of the Eev. Dr. Brevint, a French Protestant of the seventeenth century. Some changes were made by the editors of our hymn book in 1849. " Crimson," in the second stanza, was substituted for " bloody /" the last three lines were altered from this form : " Now let it pass the years between, And view Thee bleeding on the tree, My God, who dies for me, for me ! " The victory of the cross. 8. If.' JESUS, the Conqueror, reigns, In glorious strength arrayed ; His kingdom over all maintains, And bids the earth be glad : 2 Ye sons of men, rejoice In Jesus 1 mighty love ; Lift up your heart, lift up your voice, To him who rules above. 3 Extol his kingly power ; Kiss the exalted Son, Who died, and lives to die no more, High on his Father's throne : 4 Our Advocate with God, He undertakes our cause, And spreads through all the earth abroad The victory of his cross. CHARLES WESLEY. Several volumes of the Wesleyan hymns were published by the brothers, John and Charles, con- jointly. Most of them were probably written by Charles Wesley, although it is impossible, in most cases, to say with certainty of these hymns, " This is by Charles and that by John Wesley." The Wesleyan Hymn Book does not attempt this dis- crimination, but simply marks them W. for Wes- leyan. It is quite possible that in our Hymnal some pieces are marked Charles Wesley that were written by John Wesley, and vice versa. In 1749 Charles Wesley published two volumes of Hymns and Sacred Poems. This composition is found in vol. i, and consists of the first two — verbatim — of sixteen double stanzas. S. M. 252 Christ, our Intercessor. LORD, how shall sinners dare Look up to thine abode, Or offer their imperfect prayer Before a holy God? 2 Bright terrors guard thy seat r And glories veil thy face ; Yet mercy calls us to thy feet, And to thy throne of grace. 3 My soul, with cheerful eye See where thy Saviour stands, The glorious Advocate on high, With incense in his hands. 4 Teach my weak heart, O Lord, With faith to call thee mine ; Bid me pronounce the blissful word — Father, with joy divine. ANNE STEELE, ALT. This is made up of parts of two hymns. The first two stanzas are the first part of a long meter hymn of eight verses, entitled On a Day of prayer for success in War. The last two stanzas are verses five and seven of a hymn of seven verses, entitled Breathing after God. The third line of each stanza is unaltered, all the rest were altered in changing the meter from long to short. From Miscellaneous Pieces in Verses and Prose, 1780. Jesus enthroned. 253 ENTHRONED is Jesus now, Upon his heavenly seat ; The kingly crown is on his brow, The saints are at his feet. S. M. 104 HYMN STUDIES. 2 In shining white they stand, A great and countless throng ; A palmy scepter in each hand, On every lip a song. 3 They sing the Lamb of God, Once slain on earth for them ; The Lamb, through whose atoning blood, Each wears his diadem. 4 Thy grace, O Holy Ghost, Thy blessed help supply, That we may join that radiant host, Triumphant in the sky. THOMAS J. JUDKIN. From Sacred Melodies ; or, Original Hymns for Congregational and Domestic Use, by the Eev. T. J. Judkin, M.A. London, 1837. The first line in the original reads : "Throned high is Jesus now." The rest of the hymn is unaltered. The Eev. Thomas James Judkin (1788-1871) was a clergyman of the Church of England. Our merciful High Priest. CM. WITH joy we meditate the grace Of our High Priest above ; His heart is made of tenderness, His bowels melt with love. 2 Touched with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame ; He knows what sore temptations mean, For he hath felt the same. 3 He, in the days of feeble flesh, Poured out strong cries and tears, And in his measure feels afresh What every member bears. 4 He'll never quench the smoking flax, But raise it to a flame ; The bruised reed he never breaks, Nor scorns the meanest name. 5 Then let our humble faith address His mercy and his power ; "We shall obtain delivering grace In every trying hour. ISAAC WATTS. Title : Christ's Compassion to the Weak and Tempted. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, book i, 1707. The hymn has three texts : " For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we arc, yet with- out sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. iv, 15-16. " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Heb. v, 7. " A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." Matt, xii, 20. " Strong" has been substituted for " his" in the third stanza. The last line Watts wrote : " In the distressing hour." One feeble verse, the third, is omitted : "But spotless, innocent, and pure, The great Eedeemer stood, While Satan's fiery darts he bore And did resist to blood." /OOO Christ, our guide. CM. JESUS, the Lord of glory, died, That we might never die; And now he reigns supreme, to guide His people to the sky. 2 Weak though we are, he still is near,* To lead, console, defend ; In all our sorrow, all our fear, Our all-sufficient Friend. 3 From his high throne in bliss he deigns Our every prayer to heed ; Bears with our folly, soothes our pains, Supplies our every need. 4 And from his love's exhaustless spring, Joys like a river come, To make the desert bloom and sing, O'er w T hich we travel home. 5 O Jesus, there is none like thee, Our Saviour and our Lord ; Through earth and heaven exalted be, Beloved, obeyed, adored. BAPTIST W. NOEL. " Whither the forerunner is for us entered.'''' Heb. vi, 20. The text of this hymn has not been altered. One stanza, the fourth, has been omitted : 4 " Still through his intercession spared, We find him true and kind ; Though we are as the marble hard And changeful as the wind." From A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, by Baptist Wriothesley Noel, M.A. London, 1838. HYMN STUDIES. 105 The author was born in 1799. His family be- longed to the English nobility. Educated at Cambridge, he was graduated with honor at Trinity College in 1826. He was ordained a clergyman of the Church of England, and inducted Rector of St. John's Chapel, London. About 1848 he changed his views concerning baptism, was publicly im- mersed, and entered the ministry of the Baptist churches. Dr. Noel was a pious .man, a popular preacher, and a zealous Christian worker. He was the author of several prose works ; but this little hymn will perpetuate his name when his other writings are forgotten. He lived until 1873. m 256 King of kings, and Lord of lords. CM. THE head that once was crowned with thorns, Is crowned with glory now; A royal diadem adorns The mighty Victor's brow. 2 The highest place that heaven affords, Is to our Jesus given; The King of kings, and Lord of lords, He reigns o'er earth and heaven: 3 The joy 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. 5 They suffer with their Lord below, They reign with him above ; Their everlasting joy to know The mystery of his love. THOMAS KELLY. " Perfect through sufferings." Heb. ii, 10. This valuable and 'popular hymn was first pub- lished in our hymn book in 1849. The second and fourth lines of the second stanza, as written and published by the author, were : " Is his, is his by right ; " "And heaven's eternal light." The third line of the fifth stanza was : " Their profit and their joy to know." The last stanza is omitted : " The cross he bore is life and health, Though shame and death to him ; His people's hope, his people's wealth, Their everlasting theme." 18^0° m HymnS 0n ^ ar ^ ous Usages of Scripture, 257 s.m. On his head toere many crowns. Rev. xix, 12. RO WN him with many crowns, J 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, — Rich wounds, yet visible above, In beauty glorified : No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight, But downward bends his burning eye At mysteries so great. 3 Crown him the Lord of peace ! Whose power a scepter sways From pole to pole, that wars may cease, And all be prayer and praise : His reign shall know no end, And round his pierced feet Fair flowers of paradise extend Their fragrance ever sweet. 4 Crown him the Lord of years, The Potentate of time, Creator of the rolling spheres, Ineffably sublime ! All hail ! Redeemer, hail ! For thou hast died for me ; Thy praise shall never, never fail Throughout eternity. MATTHEW BRIDGES. " In Capite Ejus Diademata Mutta." Apocal. xix, 12. The author wrote verse two, line eight : " At mysteries so bright.'''' Verse three, line four : " Absorbed in prayer and praise." Omitted. 2 " Crown Him the Virgin's Son ! The God Incarnate born, — Whose arm those crimson trophies won Which now His Brow adorn ! Fruit of the Mystic Rose As of that Eose the Stem: The Eoot, whence Mercy ever flows, The Babe of Bethlehem." " Glass'd in a sea of light, Whose everlasting waves Reflect His Throne— the Infinite ! Who lives, — and loves, — and saves. 106 HYMN STUDIES. Crown Him the Lord of Heaven ! One with the Father known, — And the Blest Spirit thro' Him given From yonder triune Throne." From Hymns of the Heart, For the Use of Cath- olics, by Matthew Bridges, Esq., 1848. 258 His speaking blood. 8,7. FATHER, hear the blood of Jesus, Speaking in thine ears above : From impending wrath release us; Manifest thy pardoning love. 2 O receive us to thy favor, — For his only sake receive ; Give us to the bleeding Saviour, Let us by his dying live. 3 "To thy pardoning grace receive them," Once he prayed upon the tree ; Still his blood cries out, ' ' Forgive them ; All their sins were laid on me." 4 Still our Advocate in heaven, Prays the prayer on earth begun, * ' Father, show their sins forgiven ; Father, glorify thy Son ! " CHARLES WESLEY. From Hymns on the LorcVs Supper, hy John and Charles Wesley, Presbyters of the Church of En- gland. Bristol, 1745. This hymn came into our book in 1849, and a few verbal changes were made at that time ; the third line read : " From Thy wrath and curse release us." The third line of second stanza: " Give us to our bleeding Saviour." And the last line of third stanza : " All their sins were purged by me." 259 The Lord is risen. 7. CHRIST, the Lord, is risen again, Christ hath broken every chain ; Hark ! angelic voices cry, Singing evermore on high, Hallelujah ! Praise the Lord ! 2 He who gave for us his life, Who for us endured the strife, Is our Paschal Lamb to-day ! We, too, sing for joy, and say, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord ! 3 He who bore all pain and loss, Comfortless upon the cross, Lives in glory now on high, Pleads for us, and hears our cry ; Hallelujah ! Praise the Lord ! 4 Now he bids us tell abroad How the lost may be restored, How the penitent forgiven, How we, too, may enter heaven ! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord ! » MICHAEL WEISSE. TR. BY MISS C. WINKWORTH. This Easter Hymn has been traced to the Bo- hemian Brethren of the fifteenth century. Michael Weisse was pastor of a German congre- gation in the first part of the sixteenth century. He translated some of the finest of the Bohemian hymns into German, and added some original pieces, thus making a favorite hymn book. The English translation is from Lyra Germanica, second series, 1858. Three stanzas are omitted. Verse one, line three, in the translation is : " Hark, the angels shout for joy." The change is a great improvement. ^bU The Lord is risen. 7 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. 2 Love's redeeming work is done ; Fought the fight, the battle won: Lo ! the sun's eclipse is o'er ; Lo ! he sets in blood no more. 3 Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Christ has burst the gates of hell : Death in vain forbids his rise ; Christ hath opened paradise. 4 Lives again our glorious King; Where, O Death, is now thy sting ? Once he died our souls to save ; Where's thy victory, boasting Grave? 5 Soar we now where Christ has led, Follow our exalted Head ; Made like him, like him we rise ; Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. CHARLES WESLEY. The author's title was : Hymn for Easter Day. There are eleven stanzas in all; these are the first five. HYMN STUDIES. 107 The third stanza very much resembles a stanza of his eldest brother's (Samuel's) Easter hymn : " In vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Forbid an early rise To Him who breaks the gates of hell, And opens Paradise." One couplet has been changed, the last in the fourth stanza : " Dying once he all doth save : "Where thy victory, 0 grave? " From Hymns and Sacred Poems, published by John and Charles Wesley. London, 1739. & 0 1 Ascension day. 7. HAIL the day that sees Him rise, Ravished from our wishful eyes ! Christ, awhile to mortals given, Re-ascends his native heaven. 2 There the pompous triumph waits ; Lift your heads, eternal gates ; Wide unfold the radiant scene ; Take the King of glory in ! 3 Circled round with angel powers, Their triumphant Lord and ours, Conqueror over death and sin, — Take the King of glory in ! 4 Him through highest heaven receives, Still he loves the earth he leaves; Though returning to his throne, Still he calls mankind his own. 5 See, he lifts his hands above ! See, he shows the prints of love ! Hark, his gracious lips bestow Blessings on his Church below ! 6 Saviour, parted from our sight, High above yon azure height, Grant our hearts may thither rise, Following thee beyond the skies. CHARLES WESLEY. Hymn for Ascension Day, from Hymns and Sa- cred Poems, 1739. Between verses five and six, two stanzas are omitted : 6 " Still for us His death He pleads ; Prevalent, He intercedes : Near Himself prepares our place- Harbinger of human race. 7 " Master, (will we ever say,) Taken from our head to-day ; See Thy faithful servants, see ! Ever gazing up to Thee." The last stanza of the hymn, as written, begins: " Grant though parted from our sight." There are two additional stanzas : 9 " Ever upward let us move, Wafted on the wings of love; Looking when our Lord shall come, Longing, gasping after home. 10 " There we shall with Thee remain, Partners of Thy endless reign; There Thy face unclouded see, Find our heaven of heavens in Thee." Earnest of endless rest. 7. GRACIOUS Spirit, Love divine, Let thy light within me shine ! All my guilty fears remove ; Fill me with thy heavenly love. 2 Speak thy pardoning grace to me; Set the burdened sinner free; Lead me to the Lamb of God ; Wash me in his precious blood. 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, forever thine. JOHN STOCKER. Title : To God the Holy Ghost. The original of verse one, line four, is : " Fill me full of Heaven and Love." There are two additional stanzas : 5 " G-uard me round on ev'ry side; Save me from self-righteous pride: Me with Jesus' Mind inspire ; Melt me with celestial fire." 6 " Thou my Dross and Tin consume, Let thy inward kingdom come ; All my Prayer and Praise suggest ; Dwell and reign within my Breast." About all that is known of this author is that he was an Englishman, and that he contributed this and several other hymns to the Gospel Magazine in the years 1776 and 1777. Daniel Sedgwick re- printed nine of his hymns in 1861. 108 HYMN STUDIES. ^Do His grace entreated. HOLY SPIRIT, Truth divine ! Dawn upon this soul of mine ; Word of God, and inward Light ! Wake my spirit, clear my sight. 2 Holy Spirit, Love divine! Glow within this heart of mine ; Kindle every high desire ; Perish self in thy pure fire ! 2 Holy Spirit, Power divine! Fill and nerve this will of mine ; By thee may I strongly live, Bravely bear and nobly strive. 4 Holy Spirit, Right divine! King within my conscience reign ; Be my law, and I shall be Firmly bound, forever free. SAMUEL LONGFELLOW. Title : Prayer for Inspiration. From Hymns of the Spirit. Boston, 1864. These stanzas are copied verbatim. There are two additional : 5 "Holy Spirit, Peace divine! Still this restless heart of mine ; Speak to calm this tossing sea, Stayed in Thy tranquillity. " Holy Spirit, Joy divine ! Gladden Thou this heart of mine ; In the desert ways I sing Spring, 0 Well ! forever spring. For biography of author, see No. 109. 264: The gracious Comforter. 7. GRANTED is the Saviour's prayer, Sent the gracious Comforter; Promise of our parting Lord, Jesus, to his heaven restored. 2 Christ, who now gone up on high, Captive leads captivity, While his foes from him receive Grace, that God with man may live. 3 God, the everlasting God, Makes with mortals his abode ; Whom the heavens cannot contain, He vouchsafes to dwell in man. 4 Never will he thence depart, Inmate of a humble heart; Carrying on his work within, Striving till he cast out sin. 5 There he helps our feeble moans, Deepens our imperfect groans, Intercedes in silence there, Sighs the unutterable prayer. 6 Come, divine and peaceful Guest, Enter our devoted breast : Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire, Kindle there the gospel fire. 7 Crown the agonizing strife, Principle and Lord of life : Life divine in us renew, Thou the Gift and Giver too ! CHARLES WESLEY. Hymn for Whitsunday. Unaltered, from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. This hymn is new to the collection. There are three additional stanzas, which contain the " application," and are, therefore, the most im- portant of all : 8 " Now descend and shake the earth, Wake us into second birth ; Now Thy quickening influence give, Blow — and these dry bones shall live ! 9 "Brood Thou o'er our nature's night, Darkness kindles into light, Speed Thy over-shadowing wings, Order from confusion springs. 10 " Pain and sin and sorrow cease ; Thee we taste, and all is peace ; Joy Divine in Thee we prove, Light of truth, and fire of love." 6 5 The Source of consolation. 8, 7. HOLY GHOST, dispel our sadness; Pierce the clouds of nature's night; Come, thou Source of joy and gladness, Breathe thy life, and spread thy light. 2 From the height which knows no measure^ As a gracious shower descend, Bringing down the richest treasure Man can wish, or God can send. 3 Author of the new creation, Come with unction and with power; Make our hearts thy habitation ; On our souls thy graces shower. 4 Hear, O hear our supplication, Blessed Spirit, God of peace ! Rest upon this congregation, With the fullness of thy grace. PAUL GERHARDT. TR. BY J. C. JACOBI, ALT. BY A. M. TOPLADY. HYMN STUDIES. 109 This hymn has had a remarkable history. It has been drawn and quartered again and again. The German original was written by Paul Gerhardt, (see No. 212,) in 1648. It was translated in ten eight-lined stanzas by John Christian Jacobi. In 1776 the Eev. Augustus M. Toplady made over this translation into a hymn of six eight-lined stanzas for his selection of hymns. The editors of the 1849 edition of the Methodist Episcopal Hymn Book, transposed and altered Toplady's version ; and the editors of the present Hymnal made still further changes. If it is not the finest hymn now extant, it cannot be for lack of attention. 266 Guide and Comforter. 8, 7. HOLY SPIRIT, Fount of blessing, Ever watchful, ever kind, Thy celestial aid possessing, Prisoned souls deliverance find. Seal of truth, and Bond of union, Source of light, and Flame of love, Symbol of divine communion, In the olive-bearing dove ; 2 Heavenly Guide from paths of error, Comforter of minds distressed, "When the billows fill with terror, Pointing to an ark of rest : Promised Pledge, eternal Spirit, Greater than all gifts below, May our hearts thy grace inherit ; May our lips thy glories show ! THOMAS J. JUDKIN. " Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor. hi, 17. Unaltered and entire from the author's Sacred Melodies ; or, Original Hymns for Congregational and Domestic Use. London, 1837. See No. 253. 267 The work of the Holy Spirit 7. HOLY GHOST, with light divine, Shine upon this heart of mine ; Chase the shades of night away, Turn my darkness into day. 2 Holy Ghost, with power divine, Cleanse this guilty heart of mine , Long hath sin, without control, Held dominion o'er my soul. 3 Holy Ghost, with joy divine, Cheer this saddened heart of mine; Bid my many woes depart, Heal my wounded, bleeding heart. 4 Holy Spirit, all divine, Dwell within this heart of mine; Cast down every idol-throne, Reign supreme — and reign alone. ANDREW REED. Title : Prayer to the Spirit. From Dr. Eeed's Col- lection, published in 1817. The original contains four double stanzas. This hymn is made up of the first half of each stanza without change. The Eev. Andrew Eeed, D.D., an English Inde- pendent minister, was born in London in 1788, and lived until 1862. In his youth he was a great lover of books, and was very happy when his parents decided that he might go to college. After he was graduated at Hackney Seminary, he accepted a call to a church in East London, where he remained for half a century. Dr. Eeed was a natural orator, and a successful pastor ; but he was more famous for Christian philanthropy. He founded several asylams and hospitals, which, by his great faith and business ability, be made successful. He wrote his own biography as follows : " To my saucy boy, who said he would ivritemy life, and asked for materials." "A. E. "I was born yesterday ; I shall die to-morrow : I must not spend to-day In telling what I have done, But in doing what I may for HIM Who has done all for me. I sprang from the people ; I have lived for the people — The most for the most unhappy. And the people, when they know it, Will not allow me to die out of loving remembrance." 26)8 His universal effusion. L. M. N all the earth Thy Spirit shower; 0 The earth in righteousness renew ; Thy kingdom come, and hell's o'erpower, And to thy scepter all subdue. 2 Like mighty winds, or torrents fierce, Let him opposers all o'errun ; And every law of sin reverse, That faith and love may make all one. 3 Yea, let him, Lord, in every place His richest energy declare ; While lovely tempers, fruits of grace, The kingdom of thy Christ prepare. 4 Grant this, O holy God and true ! The ancient seers thou didst inspire, To us perform the promise due ; Descend, and crown us now with fire. HENRY MORE. ALT. BY J. WESLEY. 110 HYMN STUDIES. Tli is hymn is the last part of a long poem, enti- tled Upon the Descent of the Holy Ghost at the Pay of Pentecost. It is found in the author's Works in prose and poetry. London, 1708. It was altered by Wesley and published (fifteen verses) in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. We here give the original of these stanzas that the reader may see just what changes have been made : " On all the earth thy Spirit pour, In righteousness it to renew : That Satan's kingdom 't may o'erpower, And to Christ's sceptre may subdue. " Like mighty wind or torrent fierce, Let it withstanders all o'errun, And every wicked law reverse, That faith and love may make all one. M Let peace and joy in each place spring, And righteousness, the Spirit's fruits, With meekness, friendship, and each thing That with the Christian spirit suits. " Grant this O holy God and true, Who the ancient prophets did inspire , Haste to perform thy promise due, As all thy servants thee desire." The Eev. Henry More, D.D., was born in 1614 ; was educated at Eton and Christ College, Cam- bridge ; was graduated in 1635, took the degree of M. A. in 1639, and was made a fellow of his college. Dr. More rejected all Church preferments, and gave himself to philosophical studies and authorship. He died in 1687. 269 Come, Creator Spirit. L. M. OCOME, Creator Spirit blest ! Within these souls of thine to rest ; Come, with thy grace and heavenly aid, To fill the hearts which thou hast made. 2 Come, Holy Spirit, now descend ! Most blessed gift which God can send ; Thou Fire of love, and Fount of life ! Consume our sins, and calm our strife. 3 "With patience firm and purpose high, The weakness of our flesh supply ; Kindle our senses from above, And make our hearts o'erflow with love. 4 Far from us drive the foe we dread, And grant us thy true peace instead ; So shall we not, with thee to guide, Turn from the paths of life aside. GREGORY THE GREAT. Title : Veni, Creator Spiritus. The translation is by Edward Caswall, from Lyra Catholica, 1848. The original has seven stanzas ; these are veraes one, two, four, and five, somewhat altered. Original Lines. Verse one, lines one and two : " Come, O Creator Spirit blest ! And in our souls take up thy rest." Verse three, line one : " With patience firm and virtue high." The couplets of this stanza have been transposed. Verse four, line three : " So shall we not with thee for guide." For biographical sketch of Gregory, see No. 240. 270 Life, light, and love. C. M. ENTHRONED on high, almighty Lord, The Holy Ghost send down ; Fulfill in us thy faithful word, And all thy mercies crown. 2 Though on our heads no tongues of fire Their wondrous powers impart, Grant, Saviour, what we more desire, — Thy Spirit in our heart. 3 Spirit of life, and light, and love, Thy heavenly influence give ; Quicken our souls, our guilt remove, That we in Christ may live. 4 To our benighted minds reveal The glories of his grace, And bring us where no clouds conceal The brightness of his face. 5 His love within us shed abroad, Life's ever-springing well ; Till God in us, and we in God, In love eternal dwell. THOMAS HAWEIS. Author's title : Pay of Pentecost. From Carmina Christo; or, Hymns to the Saviour, 1792. The last part of the third stanza was originally : " Quicken our souls, born from above, In Christ that we may live." The Eev. Thomas Haweis was born in 1732 ? and was graduated at Christ's College, Cambridge. Haweis was a popular preacher of the Church of England, and one of the founders of the London Mis- sionary Society. He was the author of some prose works, and published a volume of two hundred and fifty-six hymns. He lived until 1820. HYMN STUDIES. Ill