NUTTER, CHARLES S., and TILLETT, WILBUR F. Wilbur F. Tillett was born in Henderson, North Carolina, August 25, 1854, his father being a minister. He was educated at Randolph-Macon College (D.D., 1877), Princeton Theological Seminary (A. M., 1879); in i9°3 the degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Southwestern University. He has served as pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and held the position of adjunct professor of systematic theology in Vanderbilt University, in which institution he has been dean of the theological faculty and vice-chancellor since 1886. Professor Tillett is the author of Our Hymns and Their Authors, Discussion in Theology, Personal Salvation — Studies in Christian Doctrine Pertaining to the Spiritual Life, The Doctrines of Methodism, and has also contributed largely to magazines and reviews. His address is Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. THE HYMNS AND HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. Size, crown 8vo (5^x8^ inches); pages, xvi+499 and Ritual; binding, cloth. Price, net, $2.00. Every pastor in Methodism would do well to own this book. It is a cyclopedia of information on the hymns, hymn writers, and composers of the Church. Each hymn is printed in full with all facts of interest concerning its composition and history. Brief sketches of the authors and composers are also given. Besides the regular appendixes in the Methodist Hymnal, this book contains an index of subjects with suggested appropriate hymns, and a like index of Scripture texts. An invaluable aid to hymn study services. FROM THE LIBRARY OF REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PMaion Section W37 THE HYMNS AND HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH ©rber of public Worship NOTE.— The Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, have adopted a Common Order of Worship as given below. [PARTS IN BRACKETS MAY BE USED OR OMITTED.] Let all our services begin exactly at the time appointed, and let all our people kneel in silent prayer on entering the sanctuary. [I. VOLUNTARY, instrumental or vocal.] II. SINGING FROM THE COMMON HYMNAL, the people standing. [III. THE APOSTLES' CREED, recited by all, still standing.] I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruci- fied, dead, and buried ; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty ; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost ; the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints ; the forgiveness of sins ; the-resurrection of the body ; and the life everlasting. Amen. IV. PRAYER, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, repeated audibly by all, both minister and people kneeling. [V. ANTHEM OR VOLUNTARY.] VI. LESSON FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT, which, if from the Psalms, may be read responsively.* [VII. THE GLORIA PATRL] i m = i P3SEJ5 1Z3 S -fV-fV ff -•— •- ?• w Glo - ry be to the Fa- ther, and to the Son, and to the Ho - ly Ghost ; As it -*-2r 3t^ IIPP • » * •—*- was in the be-gin-ning, is now, and ev - er shall be, world without end. A -men, A -men. VIII. LESSON FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT. IX. NOTICES, FOLLOWED BY COLLECTION; during or after which an offertory may be rendered. X. SINGING FROM THE COMMON HYMNAL, the people standing. XI. THE SERMON. XII. PRAYER, the people kneeling, f XIII. SINGING FROM THE COMMON HYMNAL, the people standing.! XIV. DOXOLOGY AND THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION (2 Cor. 13. 14). * In the afternoon or evening the Lesson from the 01e reversed. X An invitation to come to Christ or to unite with the Church should be given when this hymn is announced. THE %mna attu %mtt OF THE CHURCH AN ANNOTATED EDITION OF Sty? ifetljoitat %mnal BY CHARLES S. NUTTER, D.D. AUTHOR OF "HYMN STUDIES," "HISTORIC HYMNISTS," ETC. AND WILBUR F. TILLETT, D.D., LL.D. DEAN OF THE THEOLOGICAL FACULTY OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY AUTHOR OF "OUR HYMNS AND THEIR AUTHORS," "STUDIES IN CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE," ETC. NEW YORK: EATON & MAINS Cincinnati: Jennings & Graham Nashville: Smith & Lamar 1911 Copyright, 1911, bt Eaton & Mains, Jennings & Graham, Smith & Lamar. DEDICATION TO THE MINISTRY AND MEMBERSHIP OP THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH IN THE HOPE AND WITH THE PRAYER THAT THEY MAY BE ONE NOT ONLY IN THE SONGS THEY SING BUT IN ALL THINGS ELSE THAT TEND TO PROMOTE CHRISTIAN FRATERNITY AND INCREASED EFFICIENCY IN FULFILLING THE WIDENING MISSION OF METHODISM IN THE EVANGELIZATION OF THE WORLD. "I will sing icith the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. v. 19, 20.) PREFACE I am pleased to have a part in preparing a book for people interested in hymnody. The plan of the book is much the same as that followed in Hymn Studies, but this work is far more elaborate and valuable than that well-known book. The hymns are given in full, with careful criticism and historic notes. The book contains also biographical sketches of all the authors of hymns and composers of tunes. It is one of the duties of the pastor to be familiar with his Hymnal, and it is the privilege of the intelligent layman as well. This work contains many valuable facts and opinions, criticisms and approbations that can be found nowhere else. The Methodist Hymnal is a valuable book with a remarkable -history. Before the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church several hymn books of Wesleyan origin were used in this country. Among these were Select Hymns, Hymns and Psalms, Redemption Hymns, and Mr. Wesley's first Pocket Hymn Book; but the Methodist people in America had no book in common. At the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1784, A Collection of Psalms and Hymns for the Lord's Day was prepared for the new organization. It was printed in London in 1784, and came to America in sheets with the famous Sun- day Service. The "collection," however, contained only one hundred and eighteen selections, and was altogether inadequate to meet the needs of the growing Church. About 1790 a Pocket Hymn Book, printed in Philadelphia, appeared containing a pastoral letter to the "members and friends" of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and signed by Bishops Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury. It contained some three hun- dred hymns, and was sold for half a dollar. This book was essentially a reprint of a Pocket Hymn Book edited and published by Robert Spence, a Methodist class lead- er of York, England. All subsequent official hymn books of the Methodist Episcopal Church are enlargements and improvements of the Coke-Asbury book. The editorial work of preparing this annotated edition of the Methodist Hymnal has been very great, as can readily be seen. Dr. Wilbur Pisk Tillett, of Vanderbilt University, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has been associated with me in this work, and much of the value of the book is due to his careful and painstaking labor. We send forth this work confidently hoping that it will be appreciated and praying that it may be of some use in advancing the kingdom of our Christ in the earth. Charles S. Nutter. 4 Berwick Park, Boston. (vii) INTRODUCTION The Hymnal of the Church, in its religious and moral value to Christian believ- ers, is second only to one other book — the Bible. Those who sing "with the spirit and with the understanding also" cannot fail to appreciate the value of an edition of their Church hymnal which gives all desirable information concerning the hymns and their authors. The hymns found in the modern hymnals of the Christian Church are culled from the sacred poetry of all ages, and so rich and abundant is the material available that only the best lyrics of the best poets can find a perma- nent place in them. While hymns are selected mainly with reference to their use in public worship, a Church hymnal has value also as a book of private devotion for the closet and for hours of religious meditation. Those who read and study the hymns in private are the worshipers who derive most enjoyment and inspiration from the public service of song in the sanctuary. There is scarcely any phase of religious experi- ence that does not find faithful and happy expression in the Church hymnal. Ev- ery great and helpful hymn was born in the heart before it was born in the head, and it is only those hymns that come from the hearts of the writers that find a home in the hearts of others. The "hymns of the ages" were not written by the poets for mere pastime, but, as a rule, were born of experiences the deepest that human hearts are ever called to pass through. These great hymns have a spiritual origin, and many of them a deeply interesting history, to know which increases their value and our appreciation of them as aids to private devotion and public worship. The hymn book is one of the most effective agencies in the hands of the Chris- tian Church for the dissemination of truth among men, and the value of a hymnal as a book of Christian doctrine cannot easily be overestimated. "Let me write the songs of a people," said one, "and I care not who may write their laws — I will govern them." "Let me write the hymns of a Church," said another, "and I care not who may write its creeds and volumes of theology — I will determine its faith." If it be true that many get their theology more from the hymns they sing than from their Church creeds, the theology of our hymns is a matter to be considered not less than the theology of our creeds and confessions of faith, and the service of song be- comes scarcely less important than the preaching of the gospel as a mode of indoc- trinating men in Christian truth. Hymns performed a large and important service in the great reformation of both the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. In driv- ing out the errors and superstitions of his day and bringing in the evangelical truth of a purer faith, Martin Luther's hymns did for the masses of the people (ix) ANNOTATED HYMNAL. what his learned theses and powerful philippics did for scholars and theologians but could not have done for the people. Great as John Wesley was as a preacher of righteousness and an organizer of men, Methodism could never have accom- plished its marvelous work in "spreading scriptural holiness over these lands" had not our evangelical doctrines of sin and salvation, of free grace and unlimited atone- ment, of heart holiness and Christian love, been embodied in the matchless hymns of his gifted poet-brother, the sweet and saintly singer of our Methodism. The large and important place which music and song have taken in the great evan- gelistic movements of modern times also bears witness to the influence which hymns sung by the people have in determining the type of faith that prevails. Only hymns whose character and contents are in keeping with the true evangelical faith of a great Church are worthy of a place in a modern Christian hymnal. The hymns found in this volume follow the order in which they are found in the Methodist Hymnal. Under each hymn will be found a note containing the follow- ing facts so far as they could be obtained: (1) The original title given by the au- thor to the hymn; (2) the name and date of the book, magazine, or periodical in which it was first published; (3) the passage of scripture, if any, upon which it is based; (4) the changes made in the original text of the hymn; (5) all omitted stanzas, unless too numerous to quote; (6) any experience in the life of the author, or other circumstance, which led to the writing of the hymn or which gives peculiar significance to it; (7) any incident or illustration connected with the hymn or any use of it in Christian experience such as may add interest to the singing of it or give value to the use of it in social and revival meetings; (8) a brief critical estimate of the hymn is given in many cases, and in some cases an appreciation or "hymn study," involving a more or less extended analysis and study of the contents of the hymn; (9) all known facts concerning each hymn deemed of real value and interest by the writer of the note have been given; (10) hymn "myths" — that is, unaccred- ited stories about the origin of hymns — have, as a rule, been omitted, or if named it is only that they may be duly discredited. The notes have been made as brief as possible consistent with the effort to make them contain all of the facts above mentioned. The "Biographical Index of Authors" which follows the hymns will be found to contain in alphabetical order brief historical sketches of all the hymn writers and translators whose productions find a place in the Hymnal. These sketches contain a simple statement of the leading facts, as far as known, in each author's life such as will give interest to the reading and singing of his hymns. This biographical sec- tion of the volume will be found especially serviceable to all who desire to make a study of the various hymn writers and their hymns, and without some such study there can be no real appreciation of our Christian singers and their songs. A brief course of study in the hymns and hymn writers of the Church would make the INTRODUCTION. xi Hymnal a new book to many Christian worshipers and would invest the service of song with an interest and helpfulness that it never can possess without such study. No other book used so largely and so constantly by Christian people is studied so lit- tle by them as the Church hymnal. A study of these biographies will reveal the fact that the great singers of the Church have not been idlers who spent their days in retirement and meditation, but they were in most instances busy workers; and moct of their hymns were produced when their lives were full of toil and self-sacri- ficing service. It is the men who build and the soldiers who are winning victories that not only go forward to achievement and to conquest with songs upon their lips, but many of them, while they wrought and fought, themselves made these songs that sing of service and of victory. It would be difficult to bring together in one vol- ume three hundred and six nobler and more useful men and women than those who have written the hymns found in this Hymnal. It is a glorious company! Happy they who make their acquaintance and enjoy their fellowship! Following the "Biographical Index of Authors" we give an alphabetical "Index of the Composers" which will be found to contain under each name a few facts of special interest to musicians, singers, and others. A poem can never really become a hymn until it has a tune, and the popularity and power of many a hymn is due not less to the tune to which it is set than to its intrinsic literary and religious merits as a hymn. This being true, it follows that no study of the hymns and hymn writers can be altogether satisfactory and complete that is not coupled with- a study of the hymn-tunes and those who wrote them. For this section of our volume, however, we can only claim to have presented such facts as we could gather from the lim- ited sources of information at our command. Concerning some of the composers it has been impossible to get any trustworthy information. That many hundreds of volumes had to be consulted in order to make an anno- tated hymnal such as this is, will be manifest to every reader. The authors have in most instances had access to the original works of nearly all the poets whose hymns find a place in this collection; and for information they have, as a rule, gone directly to these original sources. But they have not failed to appreciate and avail them- selves of the many excellent works in hymnology recently published, without which the preparation of such a volume as this would have been impossible. These works are referred to and quoted from throughout the volume. The basis of this work is found in Hymn Studies (1884) by my colaborer, Dr. C. S. Nutter, and in the writer's volume titled Our Hymns and Their Authors (1889), these being annotated editions, respectively, of the former hymnals of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. By far the greatest contribution to modern English hymnology is the monumental work of Dr. John Julian, of England, titled A Dictionary of Hymnology. To it we are most deeply indebted. Other books of which we desire to make special and grateful mention are: The Methodist Hymn ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Book Illustrated, by Rev. John Telford; English Hymns, by Dr. Samuel W. Duffield; Annotations upon the Popular Hymns, by Dr. Charles S. Robinson. Readers who wish to make a more careful and extended study of hymnology and Church music will find the "Bibliography of Hymnology" (see page 470) helpful in many ways. This author desires to say in conclusion that the fellowship of Dr. Nutter and himself in the preparation of this volume has been most agreeable. While the en- tire volume is a joint publication, it may be of interest to some readers to know that the hymns were distributed evenly between the two authors for annotation, Dr. Nutter taking all the odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, and so on throughout the volume) and the writer taking the even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, and so on throughout the volume). The reader will understand, therefore, that with but few exceptions the notes under the odd numbers were prepared by Dr. Nutter and those under the even numbers by the undersigned. Each author, however, in the writing of his notes, has had the benefit of a critical reading and suggestions from his colleague. The biographical sketches of hymn writers and other portions of the volume were prepared by the authors jointly in such a manner as to make it difficult, and in some instances im- possible, to distinguish the work of each. In the preparation of the "Index of Com- posers" Dr. Nutter has performed the larger service, while the undersigned author is more particularly responsible for the preparation of the "Index of Subjects," the "Index of Scripture Texts," and the "Bibliography of Hymnology." If the publication of this volume shall lead even a portion of the ministry and membership of the two Churches represented to a higher appreciation of their ex- cellent Hymnal and to a more intelligent and spiritual use of the hymns found there- in, the authors will feel that they are fully rewarded for the years of investigation and toil they have spent in collecting these facts concerning the hymns and hymn writers of the Church. WlLBUR p TlLLETT Vaxderbii.t University, August 1, 1911 BISHOPS' PREFACE TO HYMNAL This Hymnal is the result of the labors of a joint Commission of twenty- two ministers and laymen appointed in equal numbers by the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South ; the double purpose being to provide a worthy manual of song for use in the public and private worship of Almighty God, and to testify to the world the essential unity of the two great branches of Episcopal Methodism. The fruit of their toil we now lay before the churches with confidence and joy : with confidence because we feel warranted in saying that the book is an admirable compilation of sacred lyrics ; and with joy because we trust that for many long years it will prove to be a visible and potent bond of union among all our people. We gladly note that the hymns of the Wesleys are given the' prominence which justly belongs to them in any collection to be used by Methodists. But the book will be found to contain also the choicest work of the other hymn writers of the eighteenth century, namely, Doddridge, Watts, Cowper, Newton, Montgomery, and a very considerable number of new hymns selected after a wide examination of the body of religious verse produced during the last seventy-five years. The hymns admitted have been selected from the ancient and modern treasuries of religious poetry. They are the expression of sound doctrine and healthful Christian experience, and it is believed will greatly enrich our worship and bring us into closer fellowship with believers in all lands and in all ages. Such verbal changes as have been made in the hymns are in most cases a return to the original and preferable forms. Some stanzas have been wholly excluded on the ground that they contain imagery offensive to modern taste, and others have been omitted to secure desirable brevity. The Com- mission did not venture to make arbitrary or capricious alterations. In only a very few cases have hymns been divorced from the tunes to which long use has wedded them. For some familiar hymns alternate tunes (xiii) BISHOPS' PREFACE TO HYMXAL. have been provided, either with a view to please both branches of the church or to secure a better musical expression for the words than is given by the tune now familiar. Many new tunes by the more eminent modern com- posers of church music have been introduced. Much care has been given to the selection of these tunes, which we are assured will be found to be devo- tional in spirit, well fitted to the hymns to which they are set, and adapted to use by the great congregation. And now, praying that this Hymnal, prepared by a joint Commission whose brotherly harmony was never once broken and whose final meeting was a Pentecost, may be abundantly blessed of God to the edification of believing souls and to the glory of his name, we commend it to our churches, and we earnestly hope that it may everywhere supplant those unauthorized publications which often teach what organized Methodism does not hold, and which, by excluding the nobler music of the earlier and later days, pre- vent the growth of a true musical taste. Your servants in Christ, Thomas Bowman, S. M. Merrill, E. G. Andrews, H. W. Warren, C. D. Foss, J. M. Walden, W. F. Mallalieu, C. H. Fowler, J. H. Vincent, J. N. FitzGerald, I. W. Joyce, D. A. GOODSELL, C. C. McCabe, Earl Cranston, D. H. Moore, J. W. Hamilton, J. F. Berry, Henry Spellmeyer, \Y. F. McDowell, J. W. Bash ford, William Burt, L. B. Wilson, J. B. Neely, Bishops Methodist Episcopal Church, J. C. Keener, A. W. Wilson, • J. C. Granbery, R. K. Hargrove, W. W. Duncan, C. B. Galloway, E. R. Hendrix, J. S. Key, O. P. Fitzgerald, W. A. Candler, H. C. Morrison, E. E. Hoss, A. C. Smith, Bishops Methodist Episcopal Church. South, HISTORIC NOTE In accordance with authority given by the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the Bishops of the respective churches appointed as members! of the Joint Commission for the preparation of a common Hymnal the following persons : Of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop D. A. Goodsell, S. F. Upham, C. M. Stuart, C. M. Cobern, R. J. Cooke, C. S. Nutter, W. A. Quayle, H. G. Jackson, C. W. Smith, C. T. Winchester, Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Bishop E. E. Hoss, George B. Winton, H. M. Du Bose, W. F. TlLLETT, Paul Whitehead, John M. Moore, Edwin Mims, H. N. Snyder, F. S. Parker, James Campbell, R. T. Kerlin. J, M. Black. On the recommendation of the above Joint Commission, Professor Karl P. Harrington, of the Wesleyan University, and Professor Peter C. Lutkin, of the North- western University, were appointed musical editors. (XV) CONTENTS PAGE Preface .' vii Introduction ix Bishops' Preface to the Hymnai Xiii Historic Note xv Hymns Annotated 1-383 Y/orship 1-42 The Trinity 43-45 The Father 46-60 The Son 61-102 The Holy Spirit 103-109 The Holy Scriptures 110-113 Institutions of Christianity 114-128 The Gospel Call 129-159 The Christian Life 160-296 Time and Eternity 297-330 Special Subjects and Occasions 331-372 Doxologies 373-374 Chants and Occasional Pieces 375-383 Hymn Writers 385-451 Composers of Tunes 452-469 Bibliography of Hymnology 470 Indexes 471-499 Subjects 471-481 Scripture Texts 482-486 Tunes 487-489 First Lines of Stanzas 490-493 First Lines of Hymns ' 494-499 First Lines of Chants and Occasional Pieces 499 The Psalter 1-83 The Ritual 85-97 Baptism 85-88 Reception of Members 88- 90 The Lord's Supper 90-93 Matrimony _ 93-94 Burial of the Dead 94-97 (xvi) HYMNS OF THE CHURCH THE METHODIST HYMNAL ANNOTATED HYMNS OF WORSHIP 0 C. M. FOR 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. This fine hymn has stood at the head of the Wesleyan Hymn Book since 1779, and has led the procession in the official book of the Methodist Episcopal Church from near its organization, in 1784. Its history is very interesting. The author's title was: "For the Anni- versary 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. Charles Wesley gives an account of his conversion in his Journal. He says: "Sunday, May 21, 1738. I waked in expec- tation of His coming. At nine my brother and some friends came and sang a hymn to the Holy Ghost. My comfort and hope were hereby increased. In about half an hour they went. I betook myself to prayer, the sub- stance as follows : 'O Jesus, thou hast said, "I will come unto you ;" thou hast said, "I will send the Comforter unto you ;" thou hast said, "My Father and I will come unto you, and make our abode with you." Thou art God, who canst not lie. I wholly rely upon thy most true promise : accomplish it in thy time and manner.' . . . Still I felt a vio- lent opposition and reluctance to believe, yet still the Spirit of God strove with my own and the evil spirit till by degrees he chased away the darkness of my unbelief. I found myself convinced, I knew not how nor when, and immediately fell to intercession." The anniversary poem contained eight- een stanzas, beginning: Glory to God, and praise, and love Be ever, ever given. The hymn is composed of verses 7 to 12, unaltered except for a single word. The author wrote the second line "My dear Redeemer's praise." This was changed by John Wesley to "My great Redeemer's praise." The rapture and extravagance of the first verse are explained by the preceding stanzas, especially verses 2 and 5: 2 On this glad day the glorious Sun Of Righteousness arose ; On my benighted soul he shone, And filled it with repose. 5 I felt my Lord's atoning blood Close to my soul applied ; M e, me he loved — the Son of God ; For me, for me he died, (1) ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. COME, thou Almighty King, Help us thy name to sing, I I'll) 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 the great One and Three Eternal praises be Hence, evermore : His sovereign majesty May we in glory see, And to eternity Love and adore ! Charles Wesley (?). The second stanza of the original hymn, omitted above, is: 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 staid : Lord, hear our call ! This hymn is credited to Charles Wes- ley on very slight evidence that he is the author. While it has long been one of the most popular and widely used hymns among American Methodists, English Methodists, strangely enough, have never given it a place in any of their official hymnals. Although it is now universally sung to Giardini's tune known as "The Italian Hymn" (called "Moscow" in En- gland), it was written in the first instance to be sung to the familiar tune to which "God save the King" and "My country, 'tis of thee" are sung. Indeed, it was not only written to be sung to the music of what has since become the national anthem of England, but the words were composed in evident imitation of that an- them, as will be seen at a glance by com- paring the omitted stanza, quoted above, with the second below: God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King ! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King ! O Lord our God, arise. Scatter his enemies. And make them fall. Frustrate their knavish tricks, Confound their politics ; On him our hearts we fix : God save the King ! Thy richest gifts in store, On him be pleased to pour ; Long may he reign ! May he defend our laws, And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice, God save the King ! A brief history of the circumstances un- der which this national hymn originated will explain why in all probability the au- thor of the noble Christian lyric written in imitation of it chose to remain un- known. The first two stanzas of this na- tional anthem of England appeared as a song "For Two Voices" in a publication titled Harmonia Anglicana, which, though not dated, is supposed to have been pub- lished in 1743 or 1744. These stanzas are also known to have been in existence in Latin at that time and to have been used as a "Latin Chorus" in a concert given by the organist of the Chapel Royal in 1743 or 1744. On September 28, 1745, this now famous English song is known to have been sung in Drury Lane Theater, Lon- don, in honor of King George, and a few days later at Covent Garden. At both places it awakened tumultuous applause. The following month (October, 1745) the HYMNS OF WORSHIP. music and words, "as sung in both play- houses," were published in the Gentle- man's Magazine, with the third stanza, given above, added. It was thus caught up and sung by everybody, and in due course of time, by virtue of its widespread popularity rather than by any official ac- tion, it came to be recognized as the na- tional hymn of England. So much con- cerning the origin of this national an- them. The late distinguished English hymnol- ogist, Daniel Sedgwick, was the first to attribute the hymn, "Come, thou Almighty King," to Charles Wesley. This he did partly on what he regarded as internal evidence and partly because its first ap- pearance was in an undated and anony- mous half-penny leaflet containing two hymns — this, which was there titled "An Hymn to the Trinity,'' and another hymn known to be by Charles Wesley, begin- ning, "Jesus, let thy pitying eye." As the other hymn was known to be by Charles Wesley, he inferred that this unknown hymn to the Trinity was also by him. In drawing this inference he has been fol- lowed, though not without considerable hesitation and uncertainty, by numerous editors of Church hymnals who have ac- credited it, as the editors of this Hymnal have here done, to Charles Wesley. As Charles Wesley never claimed this hymn, as it is not found in any of his pub- lished volumes, as neither he nor his brother John allude to it in any of their writings, and as it is in a meter that nei- ther of the brothers ever used, it is impos- sible for us to claim with any confidence whatever that Charles Wesley is its au- thor. We regret to be compelled to reach this conclusion; for we regard it as a tru- ly great hymn, which we should be glad to credit to the great singer of Methodism if we could feel at all justified in doing so. We think, however, that an obvious rea- son can be suggested why the author chose to remain unknown. When we re- member that this was not an original hymn, but something composed in unmis- takable imitation of a popular political song of the day which was then being sung in the theaters and on the streets and at political gatherings, and which had by no means won the place of honor that it now holds as a national anthem, we can easily see why the writer preferred to re- main unknown to the public. This noble and useful hymn is the most popular of all our hymns addressed to the Trinity. It is an ideal hymn for the be- ginning of a great Christian hymnal, as well as for opening public worship. The first verse is an invocation to God the Fa- ther to come and aid the congregation in worthily praising his name and also a prayer for him to "come and reign over us." The second verse is addressed to the Incarnate Word, and invokes his presence and blessing to give the prayer and the preached word success. The third stanza invokes the presence and sacred witness of the Holy Spirit; while the last stanza finds a fitting climax in ascribing praises to the Triune God. 3 S. M. COME, sound his praise abroad, 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. 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. Title, "A Psalm before Sermon." From The Psalms of David Imitated in the Lan- ANNOTATED HYMNAL. guage of the yew Testament. 1719. These are the first four stanzas unaltered. The last two are as follows: But if your ears refuse The language of his grace, And hearts grow hard like stubborn Jews, That unbelieving race ; The Lord in vengeance drest Will lift his hand and swear: '•You that despise my promised Rest Shall have no portion there." The hymn is complete without these stanzas, yet warnings are sometimes use- ful. The poet James Montgomery said that "Dr. Watts may almost be called the in- ventor of hymns in our language." Com- pare this hymn with that part of Psalm xcv. on which it was written: O come, let us sing unto the Lord : let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salva- tion. 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 King 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. O come, let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our maker. 4 6, 6, 8, 4. D. TKE God of Abraham praise, Who reigns enthroned above ; Ancient of everlasting days, And God of love ; Jehovah, Great I AM, By earth and heaven confessed ; I bow and bless the sacred name, Forever blessed. 2 The God of Abraham praise, At whose supreme command From earth I rise, and seek the joys At his right hand : I all on earth forsake, Its wisdom, fame, and power ; And him my only portion make, My shield and tower. 3 He by himself hath sworn; I on his oath depend. I shall, on eagles' wings upborne, To heaven ascend ; I shall behold his face, I shall his power adore, And sing the wonders of his grace For evermore. 4 The goodly land I see, With peace and plenty blessed ; A land of sacred liberty, And endless rest. There milk and honey flow. And oil and wine abound ; And trees of life forever grow, With mercy crowned. 5 Before the great Three-One They all exulting stand, And tell the wonders he hath done Through all their land. The listening spheres attend, And swell the growing fame ; And sing, in songs which never end, The wondrous name. 6 The whole triumphant host Give thanks to God on high ; "Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," They ever cry : Hail, Abraham's God and mine ! — I join the heavenly lays — All might and majesty are thine, And endless praise. Thomas Olivers. This remarkable hymn has a history of more than ordinary interest. It first ap- peared in a tract, without date, which is supposed to have been printed in 1770. The fourth edition bears the date of 1772. The title it bears is "J. Hymn to the God of Abraham, in three parts: Adapted to a celebrated Air, sung by the Priest, Signior Leoni, do, at the Jeics' Synagogue, in London-:' There are altogether twelve stanzas, four in each part. The omitted stanzas (the third, fifth, seventh, eighth, tenth, and eleventh) are of such literary value and such lofty poetic sentiment as to justify our reproducing them here: 3 The God of Abraham praise, "Whose all-sufficient grace Shall guide me all my happy days In all his ways : HYMNS OF WORSHIP. r, He calls a worm his friend ! He calls himself my God ! And he shall save me to the end, Through Jesus' blood ! 5 Though nature's strength decay, And earth and hell withstand, To Canaan's bounds I urge my way, At his command. The wat'ry deep I pass, "With Jesus in my view ; And through the howling wilderness My way pursue. 7 There dwells the Lord our King, The Lord our Righteousness, Triumphant o'er the world and sin, The Prince of Peace ; On Zion's sacred height His kingdom still maintains ; And, glorious with his saints in light, Forever reigns. 8 He keeps his own secure, He guards them by his side, Arrays in garments white and pure His spotless bride : With streams of sacred bliss, With groves of living joys, With all the fruits of paradise He still supplies. 10 The God who reigns on high The great archangels sing, And "Holy, holy, holy," cry, "Almighty King ! Who was and is the same, And evermore shall be : Jehovah, Father, great I AM, We worship thee." 11 Before the Saviour's face The ransomed nations bow : O'erwhelmed at his almighty grace, Forever new : He shows his prints of love — They kindle to a flame ! And sound through all the worlds above, The slaughtered Lamb. Very few hymns ever written have re- ceived higher praise from poets and stu- dents of hymnology than this superb Christian lyric. "There is not in our lan- guage," says James Montgomery, the poet, "a lyric of more majestic style, more ele- vated thought, or more glorious imagery. Its structure, indeed, is unattractive on account of the short lines; but, like a stately pile of architecture, severe and simple in design, it strikes less on the first view than after deliberate examina- tion." "This is probably," says the author of "Hymn Studies," "the finest ode in the English language; the theme is the grand- est possible, and the execution in keeping with it." Thomas Jackson refers to it as "one of the noblest hymns in existence. It will doubtless be sung by spiritual wor- shipers of every denomination with profit and delight as long as the English lan- guage is understood." It is referred to by Earl Selborne as "an ode of singular power and beauty." The hymn was writ- ten while the author (who was one of Mr. Wesley's preachers) was on a visit to John Bakewell, author of "Hail, thou once despised Jesus." At a service in the Jew- ish Synagogue at Westminster, London, he had heard Signior Leoni sing an old Hebrew melody, and was so delighted with it that he determined to write a Christian hymn that should be adapted to the tune. Upon returning to the house of his friend, he immediately wrote out this magnificent hymn. It is something of a paraphrase on the Hebrew doxology, which rehearses in poetic form the thirteen articles of the Jewish creed. Joseph Rhodes, the pre- centor at the Foundry, helped the author to adapt the music which he got from Le- oni to his needs and to arrange it in the form which it now bears in the tune which is very appropriately named "Le- oni." Some facts in the author's life add to the value and interest of this hymn. He was left an orphan by the death of both parents when he was only four years of age. He fell as a waif into wicked hands, and by the time he was fifteen years old it was said that he was the worst boy that had lived in Montgomeryshire for thirty years. He was apprenticed to a shoemak- er, but was compelled because of his ex- cessive wickedness to leave the town. In a certain town he chanced to hear White- ANNOTATED HYMNAL. field preach on the text, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" He was deeply convicted and profoundly convert- ed. He is said to have fasted and prayed until his knees grew stiff. One of his first acts after his conversion was to return to Montgomeryshire and pay all his debts. He traveled from Shrewsbury to White- church, a distance of many miles, to pay a single sixpence. This done, he set out on foot (October 24, 1753) to join John Wesley in Cornwall. He bought a colt at Tiverton for five pounds, on the back of which he is said to have ridden a hun- dred thousand miles in his work as an itinerant preacher. He was associated with John Wesley for many years in more than ordinarily intimate relations; and when he died, eight years after the death of Wesley, he was buried in Wesley's grave at City Road Chapel. This hymn is associated with the name of Henry Martyn, the heroic missionary of sainted memory. On July 25, 1805, just as he was about to sail for India, he wrote as follows: I was much engaged at intervals in learn- ing the hymn, "The God of Abraham praise." As often as I could use the language of it with any truth, my heart was a little at ease. There was something peculiarly solemn and affecting to me in this hymn, and particularly at this time. The truth of the sentiments I knew well enough. But, alas ! I felt that the state of mind expressed in it was above mine at the time, and I felt loath to forsake all on earth. The late Rev. T. M. Eddy, D.D., passing on one occasion through the streets of Baltimore, saw an aged and feeble colored man sawing some hard wood by the side of the road. Feeling that the colored man's lot was a hard one, as he contrast- ed his age and feebleness with the hard- ness of the work to be done, he turned and began to approach him, intending to speak a few kind and encouraging words of sympathy and of admonition concern- ing the state of his, perhaps, benighted soul. But drawing near, unobserved, he heard the old man singing softly but feel- ingly: The God of Abraham praise, Whose all-sufficient grace Shall guide me all my happy days In all his ways : He calls a worm his friend! He calls himself my God ! And he shall save me to the end, Through Jesus' blood ! The Doctor passed on without interrupt- ing him, saying: "He is rich; he is safe; he has a better Friend than I could be. He needs not my comfort. ■ I am the one that has received the needed encouragement." Richard Watson, the Methodist theolo- gian, found great comfort in this hymn during his last illness. One day, as the end drew near, he said he longed "to quit this little abode, gain the wide expanse of the skies, rise to nobler joys, and see God;" and then repeated the last four lines of this hymn: I shall behold his face, I shall his power adore, And sing the wonders of his grace For evermore. 5 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). Unaltered, from The Psalms of David, 1719. HYMNS OF WORSHIP. Dr. Watts wrote the first two stanzas of this hymn from verses one and two of Psalm cxvii.: O praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us : and the truth of the Lord endureth for- ever. Praise ye the Lord. Wesley reprinted this hymn entire from the "York" Pocket Hymn Book. The au- thor of the last two stanzas is unknown. He has, however, succeeded wonderfully in imitating Watts's style and so complet- ed one of the finest hymns in the lan- guage. The "York" Pocket Hymn Book was ed- ited and published by Robert Spence, a Methodist class leader and bookseller re- siding in York, England. So far as is known, the last two stanzas of this hymn first appeared in his book about 1781. Spence may have written these stanzas. John Wesley published this hymn in 1786 as Spence printed it in 1781. This "York" book was very popular in its day, and was adopted by Bishops Coke and Asbury as the official hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. 6 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. 3 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 John Wesley. This hymn first appeared in the au- thor's Horce Lyricw, 1706, and again, in somewhat altered form, in his Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, 1719. It is based on the hundredth Psalm: 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 ourselves ; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 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 everlast- ing: and his truth endureth to all generations. As first published it was titled "Praise to the Lord from All Nations." The last stanza has remained unaltered from the beginning except that "must" in the third line has been changed to "shall." The first four stanzas were originally as fol- lows : 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. 2 With gladness bow before his throne, And let his presence raise your joys ; Know that the Lord is God alone, And formed our souls, and framed our voice. 3 Infinite Power without our aid Figured our clay to human mould ; And when our wandering feet had strayed, He brought us to his sacred fold. 4 Enter his gates with thankful songs, Through his wide courts your voices raise ; Almighty God, our joyful tongues Shall fill thine house with sounding praise. When Watts republished this hymn in 1719, the first two lines of verse two had been changed to read as follows: Nations attend before his throne With solemn fear, with sacred joy. In verse three "Infinite Power" had been changed to "His sovereign power," and verse four had been substituted by the following: ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 We are his people, we his care, Our souls and all our mortal frame: What lasting honors shall we reqr, Almighty Maker, to thy name? The form of the hymn given in our Hymnal and now found in all hymnals is John Wesley's improvement upon Watts. By discarding the first verse and changing entirely the first two lines of the second verse and improving the fourth stanza as Watts first wrote it, John Wesley succeed- ed in making a useful and popular hymn of it. If any one desires to prove by example as well as by argument the wisdom of al- lowing judicious editors to alter and im- prove the original words of the authors when this is called for, hereby rendering a real service to the authors themselves, let him make use of this hymn, which would never have found a place, and, least of all, a place of high esteem, in the great , hymnals of the Church but for the fact I that the original was abridged and other- wise altered by John Wesley. The hymn as thus altered by Wesley ap- peared in his first Collection of Psalms and Hymns, published in 1737 at Charles- ton, S. C, while he was a missionary in America. The moral significance and far-reaching importance of the visit of Commodore Perry to Japan in 1853-54 is well known. It is said that while his flagship lay an- chored off the coast of Japan, in close proximity to the shore, on a certain Sab- bath religious services were held on board the steamer, and this hymn was used in the worship, the naval band playing as an accompaniment the tune of "Old Hun- 1 dred," while thousands who lined the shore listened in impressive silence to what was to them new and strange music. It is narrated that when Dr. Dempster, of Garrett Biblical Institute, was on his way, with his wife and two brother mis- sionaries, to South Africa, they were pur- sued for three days by a pirate vessel, and it seemed that they would have to surren- der. They spent no little time in prayer to the "wondrous Sovereign of the sea" to rescue them from the hands of their pursuers. On the third day, just after they had joined in prayer and in singing this hymn, the pirate ship was seen to change its course, thus leaving them to pursue undisturbed their errand of mercy to the Dark Continent. It is not strange that this hymn should have remained ever thereafter associated in grateful remem- brance with their providential escape from robbery and possibly from death. 7 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. Author's title: "The Coronation of Christ and Espousals of the Church.'" The Scripture basis is Song of Solomon iii. 2: "I will seek him whom my soul loveth." This hymn has been altered in several lines and doubtless improved, yet the merits of the piece belong to Dr. Watts. Like several of this author's best hymns, it is a prayer-song directly addressed to Jesus. It has had a long career of use- fulness. The first and last stanzas of the original are here omitted. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book I., 1709. HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 8 H C. M. OW great the wisdom, power, and grace, Which in redemption shine ! The heavenly host with joy confess The work is all divine. 2 Before his feet they cast their crowns, Those crowns which Jesus gave, And, with ten thousand thousand tongues, Proclaim his power to save. 3 They tell the triumphs of his cross, The sufferings which he bore ; How low he stooped, how high he rose, And rose to stoop no more. 4 "With them let us our voices raise, And still the song renew ; Salvation well deserves the praise Of men and angels too. Benjamin Beddome. "The Wonders of Redemption"' is the title which this hymn bears in the au- thor's Hymns Adapted to Public Worship or Family Devotion, 1817. It is regarded by many as Beddome's finest hymn. It is based on Hebrews i. 6: "Again when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." The author wrote in verse one, line three, "Angels and men with joy confess;" verse two, line one, "Beneath his feet they cast their crowns;" verse four, lines one and two: O let them still their voices raise And still their song renew. Two inferior stanzas, the second and third, are omitted. 9 8, 8, 6. D. 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. This grand old hymn of praise is a metrical version of Psalm xcvi., "O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord all the earth," etc. It has been al- tered to change the meter, and one stan- za omitted. We give the hymn as the author published it in 1719, with the title, "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 works 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. 3 He framed the globe, he built the sky ; He made the shining worlds on high, And reigns compleat 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 ; f'hen shall the race of man confess The beauty of his holiness, And in his courts his grace proclaim. 10 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 rills both earth and sky." 10 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. ;; 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. From a metrical paraphrase of four- teen stanzas on the Te Deum Laudamus in the author's Hymns for Those that Seek and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. London, 1747. These are the first, second, and fifth stan- zas. The author wrote "the" instead of "thy" in the last line of verse one. "Among metrical versions of the Te Deum," says Rev. F. W. Macdonald, "there is none superior to Charles Wesley's — hardly any other, indeed, which has taken or retains hold on Christian congrega- tions." (See No. 729.) 11 10, 10, 11, 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 salvation to Jesus, our King. 2 "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 be Sung in a Tumult:' Two stanzas, the second and third of the orig- inal, 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 op- position to, and persecution of, the Meth- odists in England. The country was at war with France. An invasion for the purpose of dethroning George II. and crowning the exiled representative of the House of Stuart was expected. The Meth- odists were represented as Papists in dis- guise, working for the Pretender. Their meetings were broken up by mobs, and many of their preachers were impressed into the army. Even the Wesleys were brought before the magistrates for exam- ination. In the midst of these persecu- tions they published a pamphlet contain- ing thirty-three pieces and entitled Hymns for Times of Trouble and Persecution, 1744. This hymn was first published in that pamphlet. 12 L. M. 0 THOU to whom, in ancient time, The lyre of Hebrew bards was strung, When kings adored in song sublime, And prophets praised with glowing tongue ; 2 Not now on Zion's height alone The favored worshiper may dwell ; Not 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 tim3, The lyre of prophet bards was strung, To thee at last, in every clime, Shall temples rise and praise be sung. John Pierpont. "Universal Worship" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Poems and Hymns, 1840. It was written for the opening of the Independent Congregation- HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 11 al Church in Barton Square, Salem, Mass., December 7, 1824, and was printed at the close of the sermon preached by Rev. Henry Colman on that day. The senti- ment of verses two and three seems to have been inspired by Christ's conversa- tion with the woman of Samaria at the well. (John iv. 21-23.) Two stanzas are omitted. 13 L. M. 0 THOU, 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. This fine old hymn is full of the spirit of worship. The author's title is "Enter- ing into the Congregation." Two stan- zas, 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 Sa- cred Poems. . By John and Charles Wes- ley, 1742. 14 L. M. TO thee, Eternal Soul, be praise ! Who from of old to our own days, Through souls of saints and prophets, Lord, Hast sent thy light, thy love, thy word. 2 We thank thee for each mighty one Through whom thy living Light hath shone ; And for each humble soul and sweet That lights to heaven our wandering feet. 3 We thank thee for the love divine Made real in every saint of thine ; That boundless love itself that gives In service to each soul that lives. 4 We thank thee for the word of might Thy Spirit spake in darkest night, Spake through the trumpet voices loud Of prophets at thy throne who bowed. 5 Eternal Soul, our souls keep pure, That like thy saints we may endure ; Forever through thy servants, Lord, Send thou thy light, thy love, thy word. Richard W. Gilder. This hymn was contributed by special request to the Methodist Hymnal, 1905, and was published in this volume for the first time. The author titled it a "Thanks- giving Hymn." He died just before Thanksgiving Day, 1909. A letter addressed to Mr. Gilder, ex- pressing high appreciation of this hymn and inquiring concerning its origin, called forth the following reply, dated Four Brooks Farm, Tyringham, Mass., August 23, 1907: • I am very much surprised and touched that you should write as you have of the Thanks- giving hymn. In answer to your inquiries I would say that it was inspired by the same event as the Wesleyan poem. I had begun it before reaching Middletown to take part in the exercises there — and would have finished it there had I not been so occupied with oth- er matters — and I did not, of course, wish to force it, so to speak. When, soon after, it was completed, I showed it to Professor Win- chester, at whose house I had stayed ; and, as you know, he asked to lay it before your committee. I think some other Hymnal has since used it (one for schools), and it will appear in my book, "The Fire Divine/' now going through the press. So you see it had a Methodist origin, as Wesley was in my L2 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. mind, and it was first printed in the new Methodist Hymnal. The celebration at Wesleyan Universi- ty, Middletown, Conn., to which the au- thor makes allusion, was held in June, 1903. We have here a hymn of lofty religious sentiment and of striking poetic beauty, and characterized withal by more than ordinary strength and dignity of thought. In no other hymn in our Hymnal is the Divine Being addressed as the eternal "Soul." This was objected to at first by some members of the Commission who were compiling the Hymnal because it was thought that such a title of Deity would lend itself too easily to a Pantheis- tic conception of God's relation to the world; but, upon closer examination and study, it was seen that the hymn not only taught but strongly emphasized the per- sonality of Deity. The infinite Soul is here related in the most personal and vi- tal manner to our finite souls. Note how artistically the poet devel- ops here the devotional thoughts that are contained in the three words found in the last line of the first stanza — "light," "love," and "word." The second, third, and fourth stanzas, respectively, are de- voted to developing these three thoughts, the hymn here taking the form of thanks- giving to God for his gracious gift of lig*ht and love and the word of might. The fifth and last stanza brings together with rare poetic skill from verse one the infinite Soul and finite souls, and from verses two, three, and four the light, the love, and the word of God. Note also how beautifully and impressively verse two brings out the idea that God gives his light not only to the "mighty one," but to the "humble soul and sweet;" and this he does that all enlightened souls, how- ever humble, may become lights to others, guiding their wandering feet to heaven. Verse three teaches no less beautifully and impressively the truth that whenever the divine love has been "made real" in the soul of a believer it will show itself, not in seeking selfish enjoyment, but in loving service to one's fellow-man. Fi- nite souls that are true and pure become the channels through whom the infinite and eternal Soul sends his own divine light and love and word to those whose lives are darkened by ignorance and sin. Taking the form, in verses two, three, and four, of thanksgiving for blessings past and present, in the closing stanza it takes the form of a prayer for purity of soul and for the evangelization of the world through the spread of the light and love and word of God. There is every reason to believe that this hymn will take a high and permanent place among the really useful hymns of the Christian Church. The most frequently quoted lines that Dr. Gilder ever wrote are the verses ti- tled "The Song of a Heathen Sojourning in Galilee, A.D. 82:" If Jesus Christ is a man, — And only a man, — I say That of all mankind I cleave to him, And to l.im will I cleave alway. If Jesus Christ is a God, — And the only God, — I swear I will follow him through heaven and hell, The earth, the sea and the r.ir. 15 L. M. D. 0 GOD of God ! O Light of Light ! Thou Prince of Peace, thou King of kings, To thee, where angels know no night, The song of praise forever rings : To him who sits upon the throne, The Lamb once slain for sinful men, Be honor, might ; all by him won ; Glory and praise ! Amen, Amen ! Deep in the prophets' sacred page, Grand in the poets' winged word, Slowly in type, from age to age, Nations beheld their coming Lord ; Till through the deep Judean night Rang out the song, "Good will to men !" Hymned by the firstborn sons of light, Reechoed now, "Good will!" Amen! HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 13 3' That life of truth, those deeds of love, That death of pain, 'mid hate and scorn ; These all are past, and now above, He reigns our King ! once crowned with thorn. "Lift up your heads, ye heavenly gates;" So sang his hosts, unheard by men ; "Lift up your heads, for you he waits." "We lift them up ! Amen, Amen !" 4 Nations afar in ignorance deep ; Isles of the sea, where darkness lay ; These hear his voice, they wake from sleep, And throng with joy the upward way. They cry with us, "Send forth thy light," O Lamb, once slain for sinful men ; Burst Satan's bonds, O God of might ; Set all men free ! Amen, am n ! 5 Sing to the Lord a glorious song, Sing to his name, his love forth tell ; Sing on, heaven's hosts, his praise pro- long; Sing, ye who now on earth do dwell ; Worthy the Lamb for sinners slain, From angels, praise ; and thanks from men ; Worthy the Lamb, enthroned to reign, Glory and power ! Amen, Amen ! John Julian. This triumphant hymn was written by the Rev. John Julian, D.D., editor in chief of the Dictionary of Hymnology, the most ambitious work on hymnody in our language. The date is given as 1883. The first stanza is addressed directly to Deity, and is the best of the five. The second calls attention to the gradual prog- ress of revelation. The fourth stanza de- scribes the awakening of the nations. The last verse is an exhortation to praise. It is a poem of the strenuous order. A strong choir can render it very effectively. 16 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: This quaint metrical paraphrase of the one hundredth Psalm is one of the most historic hymns of the language. It has been found in most of the hymn books that have appeared in the last one hun- dred and fifty years. It first appeared in J. Daye's Psalter, London, 1560-61. In verse two, line three, the original has "We are his folck." The second appearance of the hymn was in the Anglo-Genevan Psal- ter, 1561, where it reads: "We are his folke." In nearly all later editions it reads as above, "We are his flock" — which is what the author probably wrote, it be- ing a printer's blunder to make it read "folck." The familiar tune called "Old Hundred" is popularly associated with this hymn, but Dr. Julian says this tune appeared in the French-Genevan Psalter in 1551 as the tune for the one hundred and thirty-fourth Psalm, and he thinks this hymn by Kethe was written for the tune rather than the tune for the hymn. The tune continues to be used; but the hymn, though still sung in many church- es, is treasured more as a precious histor- ic relic of the past than for its adaptation to present use in public worship. As a mere matter of curiosity, we give here the hymn as it first appeared in print in 1560: Al people yt on earth do dwel, sing to ye lord, with chereful voice Him serve wt fear, his praise forth tel, come ye before him and reioyce. The Lord ye know is God in dede, with out our aide, he did us make : We are his folck, he doth us fede, and for his Shepe, he doth us take. Oh enter then his gates with prayse approche with ioye, his courtes unto : Praise, laude, and blesse his name alwayes, for it is semely so to doe. 14 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. For why? the Lord our God is good, his mercy is for fore thy first creations, O Lord, the same as now, To endless generations The everlasting Thou ! 2 Our years are like the shadows On sunny hills that lie, Or grasses in the meadows That blossom but to die : A sleep, a dream, a story By strangers quickly told, An unremaining glory Of things that soon are old. 3 O thou who canst not slumber. Whose light grows never pale, Teach us aright to number Our years before they fail. On us thy mercy lighten, On us thy goodness rest, And let thy spirit brighten The hearts thyself hast blessed. 4 Lord, crown our faith's endeavor With beauty and with grace, Till, clothed in light forever, We see thee face to face : A joy no language measures, A fountain brimming o'er, An endless flow of pleasures, An ocean without shore. Edward H. Bickersteth. In the author's volume titled The Two Brothers. 1871, the date of this hymn is given as 1862; but in his annotation upon the hymn as published in The Hymnal HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 15 Companion, 1880, he says it was written in 1860. It is a beautiful and almost lit- eral rendering of certain verses contained in the ninetieth Psalm. 19 8s, 7s. D. COME, thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace ; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above ; Praise the mount — I'm fixed upon it — Mount of thy redeeming love. 2 Here I raise mine Ebenezer ; Hither by thy help I'm come ; And I hope, by thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God ; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed his precious blood. 3 O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be ! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee : Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love ; Here's my heart, O take and seal it ; Seal it for thy courts above. Robert Robinson. Dr. Julian says that the earliest known text of this hymn is found in A Collec- tion of Hymns Used by the Church in Angel Alley, Bishopsgate, 1759, now in the library of Drew Theological Seminary, at Madison, N. J. Slight verbal changes have been made in these three stanzas, and one verse, the fourth, is omitted. The reader will read- ily see why: O that day when freed from sinning, I shall see thy lovely face ! Richly cloth'd in blood-wash'd linen, How I'll sing thy sov'reign grace ! Come, dear Lord, no longer tarry, Take my raptur'd soul away ; Send thy angels down to carry Me to realms of endless day." At one time in Robinson's life he was skeptical, and, of course, miserable, It is said that a lady once quoted this hymn in his presence, and spoke of the spiritual benefit she had derived from the use of it. Robinson was deeply moved, for he was a man of quick sensibilities, and with much emotion said: "Madam, I am the poor, unhappy man who composed that hymn many years ago; and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then." The Scripture reference in the second verse is to 1 Samuel vii. 12: "Then Sam- uel took a stone and set it between Miz- peh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped me." This old hymn has indeed been a "fount of blessing" to multitudes. 20 Us, 10s. PRAISE ye Jehovah ! praise the Lord most holy, Who cheers the contrite, girds with strength the weak ; Praise him who will with glory crown the lowly, And with salvation beautify the meek. 2 Praise ye Jehovah ! for his loving-kind- ness And all the tender mercy he hath shown ; Praise him who pardons all our sin and blindness, And calls us sons, and takes us for his own. 3 Praise ye Jehovah ! source of all our bless- ings ; Before his gifts earth's richest boons wax dim ; Resting in him, his peace and joy possess- ing, All things are ours, for we have all in him. 4 Praise ye the Father ! God the Lord, who gave us, With full and perfect love, his only Son ; Praise ye the Son ! who died himself to save us ; Praise ye the Spirit ! praise the Three in One ! Margaret C. Campbell. Written at Exeter, England, on Decem- ber 24, 25, and 27, 1838, It was first pub- 16 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. lished in J. G. Deck's Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, 1842. It claims to be a version of the one hundred and forty- ninth Psalm. 21 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. The author of this hymn was one of a committee of seven men appointed by the General Conference of 1844 to prepare a standard edition of the Methodist Hymn Book. This excellent hymn was con- tributed to that book, 1849. It has re- tained its place since then without the change of a word. There are two distinct definitions of the word "hymn." One, found in the Century Dictionary, is very broad: "A religious ode, song, or other poem." According to this definition, almost any worthy lyric could be called a hymn. A narrow defini- tion is given in Webster's Dictionary: "A hymn is a sacred lyric, a song of praise or thanksgiving to a deity or to God." According to this narrow definition, this is not a hymn. It is lacking in direct ad- dress to God. It sings about Christ, not to Christ. According to some hymnolo- gists, this fine lyric must be relegated to hymns of the second class. It is certain- ly one of the best of its kind. 22, 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. 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. "Heavenly Joy on Earth" is the title of this truly joyful song in Hymns and Spir- itual Songs, 1707. In the first stanza the author wrote in the first line "we" in- stead of "ye;" in the second line "our" instead of "your;" and in the fourth line "And thus" instead of "While ye," and "the" instead of "his." In the third line of the second stanza he wrote "fav'rites" instead of "servants." Some hymnals have "children" here, which is perhaps better than either "favorites" or "serv- ants." The third stanza the author put in brackets. As he wrote it the reading is as follows: HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 17 The God that rules on high, And thunders when he please, That rides upon the stormy sky, And manages the seas. It was altered by John Wesley. This is one of the most cheerful and enlivening hymns found in the entire range of Eng- lish hymnody. Stanzas two and nine are omitted: 2 The sorrows of the mind Be banished from the place ! Religion 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. It is not often that a clergyman can af- ford to use a hymn to administer a rebuke to a contentious choir. But Dr. Samuel West, a New England clergyman, is said to have used this hymn very effectively for that purpose many years ago. A dif- ficulty had arisen in the congregation which had extended to the choir, and it had been whispered around that the choir would refuse to sing if the pastor should announce the hymn. The pastor was quite equal to the emergency. He intro- duced the services by announcing this hymn. After reading it slowly and im- pressively, he looked up at the choir and asked them please to begin with the sec- ond stanza: Let those refuse to sing Who never knew our God, But servants of the heavenly King May speak their joys abroad. It is needless to add that not only the choir but the congregation generally all joined in the singing of the hymn that day; and its use did much toward healing the strife. George John Stevenson in his Metho- dist Hymn Book described an impressive use of a part of this hymn: In 1831 James Martin, of Liverpool, a Wes- leyan class leader of deep piety, was a pas- 2 senger on the Rothesay Castle when she was wrecked between Liverpool and Beaumaris, when ninety-three persons perished and only twenty-one were saved. When he was float- ing on a plank from which several had been washed off by the tempestuous waves, he was heard singing above the roar of the sea, "The God that rules on high, That all the earth surveys, That rides upon the stormy sky, And calms the roaring seas." He was one among those saved, and after his rescue he dedicated his life afresh to God. He became a leader of three classes and worked with untiring energy and holy zeal in the cause of God. Dying in his seventy- ninth year, after forty-five years of devoted service as a class leader, he was heard to say in his last hours of consciousness : "I know nothing of doubts and fears." 23 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. This is a fine sacred ode rather than a hymn. It came into the hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1849. No hymnologist that I have read seems to know its history. It is found in Dobell's New Selections, 1806, six stanzas, where it has the title "Majesty of God." It is founded upon Psalm civ. 1, 2: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great ; thou art clothed with honor and majesty : who coverest thy- 18 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. self with light as with a garment : stretchest out the heavens like a curtain. who Persistent efforts have been made to verify the authorship of this widely circu- lated and very useful hymn, but so far without success. It may have been writ- ten by the blind poet Thomas Blacklock, but it does not appear in any of his pub- lished works. 24 C. M. COME, let us join our cheerful songs With angels round the throne ; Ten thousand thousand are their tongues, But all their joys are one. 2 "Worthy the Lamb that died," they cry, "To be exalted thus !" "Worthy the Lamb !" our 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. "Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, Wor- shiped by Ail the Creation" is the title of this hymn in the author's Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. It was written to be sung at the close of a sermon on Rev- elation 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 thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; 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 blessing. 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, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sit- teth 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 fourth stanza of the original has been omitted: 4 Let all that dwell above the sky, And air, and earth and seas, Conspire to lift thy glories high, And speak thine endless praise. This hymn has been translated into many languages, and is one of the most highly esteemed and widely used of all Watts's hymns. 0 25 8s, 7s. 61. THOU God of my salvation, My Redeemer from all sin ; Moved by thy divine compassion, Who hast died my heart to win, I will praise thee ; Where rhall I thy praise begin? 2 Though unseen, I love the Saviour ; He hath brought salvation near ; Manifests his pardoning favor ; And when Jesus doth appear. Soul and body Shall his glorious image bear. 3 While the angel choirs are crying. "Glory to the great I AM," I with them will still be vying — Glory ! glory to the Lamb ! O how precious Is the sound of Jesus' name ! 4 Angels now are hovering round us, Unperceived amid the throng : Wondering at the love that crowned us, Glad to join the holy song : Hallelujah, Love and praise to Christ be'cng! Thomas Olivers. Title: "An Hymn of Praise to Christ." Daniel Sedgewick, who reprinted Thom- as Olivers's poems, said: "This hymn is attributed to him on the circumstantial evidence that surrounds its history. It first appeared appended to a short account of the death of Mary Langson, of Taxall, in Cheshire, who died January 29, 1769, when Olivers was stationed on that cir- cuit." The internal evidence so substan- tiates the claim that the authorship is not questioned. It has something of the con- HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 19 fident inspiration of "The God of Abra- ham praise" (No. 4). The author of this hymn was a great admirer of John Wesley, and wrote a long and valuable elegy on his death, in 1791. Here are the closing stanzas: Then let us still maintain the Truth he taught, And Faithful prove in Deed, and Word, and Thought ; The path he trod before, let us through life pursue, And help each other on, and keep the Prize in view. But chiefly We, who bear his sacred Shame, Who feed his Flock, and still revere his name ; Let us unite in one, and strive with mutual care, To help his Children on, and all their bur- thens bear. For this, let us like Him, the world disdain ; For this like Him rejoice in Toil and Pain ; Like Him be bold for God ; like Him our Time Redeem : And Strive, and Watch, and Pray ; And Live and Die Like Him. 26 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8. SHALL hymns of grateful love Through heaven's high arches ring, And all the hosts above Their songs of triumph sing; And shall not we take up the strain, And send the echo back again? 2 Shall they adore the Lord, Who bought them with his blood, And all the love record That led them home to God ; And shall not we take up the strain, And send the echo back again? 3 O spread the joyful sound, The Saviour's love proclaim, And publish all around Salvation through his name, Till all the world take up the strain, And send the echo back again. James J. Cummins. "The New Song''' is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Poetical Med- itations and Hymns, 1839, where it first appeared, being republished in his Lyra Evangelica: Hymns, Meditations, and Oth- er Poems, 1849. It takes up a lofty and beautiful strain not found in any other hymn, and hence fills a useful place in the hymnal. If there be a sense in which the Church in heaven and the Church on earth are truly one, it is well to indulge occasionally in thoughts like that running through this hymn and have our worship here purified and ennobled in the effort to make it like unto the worship above. 21 8> 5, 8, 5, 8, 4, 3. ANGEL voices, ever singing Round thy throne of light, Angel harps forever ringing, Rest not day nor night ; Thousands only live to bless thee, And confess thee Lord of might. 2 Thou who art beyond the farthest Mortal eye can scan, Can it be that thou regardest Songs of sinful man? Can we feel that thou art near us, And wilt hear us? Yea, we can. 3 Here, great God, to-day we offer Of thine own to thee ; And for thine acceptance proffer, All unworthily, Hearts and minds, and hands and voices, In our choicest Melody. 4 Honor, glory, might, and merit, Thine shall ever be, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed Trinity : Of the best that thou hast given Earth and heaven Render thee. Francis Pott. This popular modern hymn makes up in sweetness what it lacks in dignity. The author edited a book of Hymns Fit- ted to the Order of Common Prayer, to one of the editions of which this hymn was contributed. The title was: "For the Dedication of an Organ or for a Meeting of Choirs." Here is an omitted stanza, the third of the original: 20 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 Yea, we know Thy Love reioices O'er each work of Thine : Thou didst ears and hands and voices For Thy praise combine ; Crailsman's art and music's measure For thy pleasure Didst design. 28 7s. 61. FOR the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 2 For the beauty of each hour Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 3 For the joy of ear and eye ; For the heart and mind's delight ; For the mystic harmony Linking sense to sound and sight : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 4 For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth, and friends above ; For all gentle thoughts and mild : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 5 For thy Church, that evermore Lifteth holy hands above, Offering up on every shore Its pure sacrifice of love : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. 6 For thyself, best Gift Divine ! To our race so freely given ; For that great, great love of thine, Peace on earth, and joy in heaven : Christ our God, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise. Folliott S. Pierpoint. "One of the most delightful hymns of thanksgiving in the language." It was written for the second edition of Orby Shipley's Lyra Eucharistica. 1864, where it bears the title, "Holy Com yn union or Flower Services." It was written as a hymn to be sung at the celebration of the Lord's Supper. It is widely used as a children's hymn and for flower festivals. Its glowing expressions of gratitude and praise explain its great popularity with a wide circle of worshipers, young and old. One of the two omitted stanzas is worthy of reproduction here: For each perfect gift of thine To our race so freely given, Graces human and divine, Flowers of earth and buds of heaven : Gracious God, to thee we raise This our sacrifice of praise. 29 8s, 4s. 61. MY God, I thank thee, who hast made The earth so bright ; So full of splendor and of joy, Beauty and light, So many glorious things are here, Noble and right. 2 I thank thee, too, that thou hast made Joy to abound ; . So many gentle thoughts and deeds Circling us round ; That in the darkest spot of earth Some love is found. 3 I thank thee more that all our joy Is touched with pain : That shadows fall on brightest hours, That thorns remain ; So that earth's bliss may be our guide, And not our chain. 4 I thank thee, Lord, that thou hast kept The best in store ; We have enough, yet not too much, To long for more ; A yearning for a deeper peace Not known before. 5 I thank thee. Lord, that here our souls, Though amply blest. Can never find, although they seek. A perfect rest ; Xor ever shall, until they lean On Jesus' breast. Adelaide A. Procter. From the author's Legends and Lyrics. 1858. Bishop Bickersteth in his notes says: "This most beautiful hymn touches the chord of thankfulness in trial as perhaps no other hvmn does, and is thus most use- HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 21 ful for the visitation of the sick." It is equally useful for those who are well. The author's most familiar lyric is that which is titled "The Lost Chord:" Seated one day at the organ, I was. weary and ill at ease, And my fingers wandered idly Over the noisy keys. I do not know what I was playing Or what I was dreaming then, But I struck one chord of music Like the sound of a great Amen. After describing it and her vain effort to reproduce it, she closes with this stanza: It may be that Death's bright angel Will speak in that chord again ; It may be that only in heaven I shall hear that grand Amen. 30 6, 7, 6, 7, 6, 6, 6, 6. NOW thank we all our God With heart and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, In whom his world rejoices ; Who, from our mothers' arms, Hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, And still is ours to-day. 2 O may this bounteous God Through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts And blessed peace to cheer us ; And keep us in his grace, And guide us when perplexed, And free us from all ills In this world and the next. Martin Rinkart. Tr. by Catherine Winkicorth. This is called "The Te Deum of Ger- many." and is one of the most famous and historic of German hymns, being sur- passed in influence and popularity among Germans by only one other hymn, and that is Luther's "Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott.'' "Thanksgiving" is the title of the German original, which begins "Nun dan- ket alle Gott." Its first appearance in print, so far as known, was in J. Cruger's Praxis Pietatis Melica. 1648. Cruger was one of the most distinguished German mu- sicians of the seventeenth century, and this was his most important publication. His hymn tunes are described as "noble and simple," about twenty being still in use. "Nun DanJcet." the tune which ac- companies this hymn, is his composition, being written especially for it. Rinkart, the author of the hymn, was one of the most consecrated, faithful, and heroic pastors who lived in Germany dur- ing the trying ordeal of the "Thirty Years' War." His life was spent mainly in Eilenburg, where his devoted attentions to his flock during the terrible experiences of war, famine, and pestilence through which they passed has made his name im- mortal in the annals of pastoral fidelity. It is not known exactly when he wrote this hymn. Its appearance in the volume above named being coincident with the termination of the "Thirty Years' War" doubtless led to the oft-published story that it was written as a thanksgiving hymn in celebration of that event. This origin is possible, and would add interest to the hymn; but Dr. Julian, Miss Winkworth, and other authorities incline to the opinion that it was written at an earlier date. No less than twelve differ- ent translations of the hymn have been made into English. That here given, by Miss Winkworth, is the most popular with modern editors of hymnals. It first ap- peared in the second series of her Lyra Germanica, 1858. The third stanza is omitted: All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given, The Son and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven, The one eternal God, Whom earth and heaven adore ; For thus it was, is now And shall be ever more. This last omitted stanza is a version of the Gloria Patri. The first two verses are based upon Ecclesiasticus 1. 22-24: "Now, therefore, bless ye the God of all, which only doeth wondrous things everywhere. which exalteth our days from the womb. oo ANNOTATED HYMNAL. and dealeth with us according to his mer- cy. He grants us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel forever: that he would confirm his mercy with us, and deliver us at his time!" It is a matter of curious interest that the author of this most popular thanks- giving hymn of Germany, which is sung on all great national occasions, should be one who was called on to go through such an experience in war, pestilence, and fam- ine as has rarely ever fallen to the lot of any man. Of his experience in famine Miss Winkworth, his most appreciative translator, remarks: So great were Rinkart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in rinding bread and clothes for his children, and was forced to mortgage his future in- come for several years. Yet how little his spirit was broken by all these calamities is shown by this hymn and others that he wrote; some, indeed, speaking of his own country's sorrows, but all breathing the same spirit of unbounded trust and readiness to give thanks. 31 7s, 6s. ALL glory, laud, and honor To thee, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring! 2 Thou art the King of Israel, Thou Drvid's royal Son, Who in the Lord's name comest, The King and Blessed One. Refrain. All glory, laud, and honor To thee, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring ! 3 The company of angels Are praising thee on high ; And mortal men, and all things Created, make reply. 4 The people of the Hebrews With palms before thee went: Our praise and prayers and anthems Before thee we present. 5 To thee, before thy passion, They sang their hymns of praise ; To thee, now high exalted, Our melody we raise. 6 Thou didst accept their praises ; Accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King. Theodulph. Tr. by John M. Neale. From the Latin, "Gloria, laus, et honor," of the ninth century. The translator in his preface says: This processional hymn for Palm Sunday is said to have been composed by S. Theo- dulph at Metz, or, as others will have it, at Angers, while imprisoned on a false accusa- tion, and to have been sung by him from his dungeon window, or by choristers instructed by him, as the Emperor Louis and his court were on their way to the cathedral. The good Bishop was immediately liberated. The Latin contained ten stanzas. One of those omitted Dr. Neale translated as follows: Be Thou, O Lord, the Rider, And we the little ass ; That to God's Holy City Together we may pass. The singing of this stanza was discontin- ued in the seventeenth century for evi- dent reasons. 32 W 6s. 61. HEN morning gilds the skies, My heart awaking cries, May Jesus Christ be praised ! Alike at work and prayer, To Jesus I repair ; May Jesus Christ be praised ! 2 Whene'er the sweet church bell Peals over hill and dell, May Jesus Christ be praised ! O hark to what it sings, As joyously it rings, May Jesus Christ be praised! 3 My tongue shall never tire Of chanting with the choir, May Jesus Christ be praised ! This song of sacred joy, It never seems to cloy, May Jesus Christ be praised ! 4 When sleep her balm denies, My silent spirit sighs, May Jesus Christ be praised ! When evil thoughts molest, With this I shield my breast, May Jesus Christ be praised ! HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 23 5 Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find, May Jesus Christ be praised ! Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this, May Jesus Christ be praised ! 6 The night becomes as day, When from the heart we say, May Jesus Christ be praised ! The powers of darkness fear, When this sweet chant they hear, May Jesus Christ be praised ! 7 In heaven's eternal bliss The loveliest strain is this, May Jesus Christ be praised ! Let earth, and sea, and sky, From depth to height reply, May Jesus Christ be praised ! 8 Be this, while life is mine, My canticle divine, May Jesus Christ be praised ! Be this the eternal song Through ages all along, May Jesus Christ be praised ! From the German. Tr. by Edward Caswall. One of Caswall's most popular transla- tions. The German original begins, "Beim friihen Morgenlicht," and was pub- lished in the Katholisches Gesang-Buch, Wiirzburg, 1828, under the title, "The Christian Greeting," in fourteen stanzas. Six stanzas of Caswall's translation ap- peared in Formby's Catholic Hymns, Lon- don, 1854, and these, together with the eight additional stanzas, are found in Caswall's Masque of Mary, 1858. This hymn was a great favorite with Canon Liddon and the singers at St. Paul's Ca- thedral, in London. The spirited refrain at the end of each triplet of lines, "May Je- sus Christ be praised!" suggested to Dr. C. S. Robinson the title of one of his most popular collections of hymns, Laudes Domini, where it appears as the opening hymn. In his annotation upon this hymn Dr. Robinson says: The compiler of this and other hymn books, little and lurge, would like to say, once for all, that the aim of his entire work could not better be indicated than it is in the single line, "May Jesus Christ be praised !" For this book aims to be peculiar in presenting hymns which are neither didactic nor horta- tory, but which are addressed more directly and persistently as praises to the one Lord Jesus Christ. Pliny gave it as the singular characteristic of Christians in his day that they were wont to assemble early in the morning and evening and sing alternately among themselves a hymn of praise to Christ as God. 33 0 C. M. NCE more we come before our God ; Once more his blessings ask: O may not duty seem a load, Nor worship prove a task ! 2 Father, thy quickening Spirit send From heaven in Jesus' name, To make 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 blessings suit, And let the seed thy servant sows Produce abundant fruit. Joseph Hart. Title: "Before Preaching.1" From the Supplement of Hymns Composed on Va- rious 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 stan- zas: 5 Bid the refreshing north wind wake, Say to the south wind, blow ; Let every plant the power partake, And all the garden grow. 6 Revive the parched with heavenly showers, The cold with warmth divine ; And as the benefit is ours, Be all the glory thine. A worshipful hymn, very suitable for the opening of a service. To sing such a prayer-hymn as this "with the spirit and with the understanding also" is the best possible preparation for receiving and profiting by the gospel message that fol- lows. 24 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 34 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 wond'ring 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 we 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. -The King of Saints" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Miscel- laneous Pieces in Verse and Prose, Lon- don, 1780. These are the best of eight stanzas. In the first line of the second stanza the author wrote "King" instead of "Lord," and "Saviour" instead of "Mas- ter." 35 7s. 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 frcm thy word, That may joy and peace afford ; Let thy Spirit now impart Full salvation to each heart, 5 Grant that all may seek and find Thee, a gracious God and kind : Heal the sick, the captive free ; Let uc 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 Spir- itual Songs, 1745. Lyra Britannica, Lon- don, 1866, also gives the original. Ham- mond wrote in the first couplet of verse five: Grant that those who seek may find, Thee a God sincere and kind. A very useful opening hymn, well cal- culated to inspire worship. It will be observed that this hymn throughout is directly addressed to Deity, and so culti- vates the idea of the presence of God in public worship. The fifth stanza of the original is omitted above: Comfort those who weep and mourn ; Let the time of joy return: Those that are cast down lift up, Strong in faith, in love, and hope. 36 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, Xor 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, Xor ever hence remove ; But sup with us, and let the feast Be everlasting love. Charles Wesley. From a hymn of fourteen stanzas in the author's Hymns on God's Everlasting Love. 1741, being the first and the last three stanzas, unaltered. "A little hymn of pure gold is thus made by omitting ten prosaic verses," says Telford in his Meth- odist Hymn Book Illustrated. 3T U 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. HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 25 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:9 It is from the Olney Hymns, 1779. The author wrote in verse two, line two: ''Inhabitest the humble mind;" and in verse three, line one: "Dear Shep- herd 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 ; Oh rend the heavens, come quickly down, And make a thousand hearts thine own. A genuine prayer song, one of Cowper's best. In the most recently published edition of Cowper's Poems (London, 1905) the editor, J. C. Bailey, has the following note which gives some interesting facts con- cerning the origin of this hymn: This beautiful hymn was written on the oc- casion of the first prayer meeting held at a house in Olney called the Great House. In the letter of November 30, 1793, to John Johnson, printed for the first time in the ap- pendix to the Introduction, Cowper says that writing on a Sabbath morning makes him go back to the time when "on Sabbath mornings in winter I rose before day, and by the light of a lanthorn trudged with Mrs. Unwin, of- ten through snow and rain, to a prayer meet- ing at the Great House, as they call it, near the church at Olney. There I always found assembled forty or fifty poor folks, who pre- ferred a glimpse of the light of God's counte- nance and favor to the comforts of a warm bed," etc. 38 10s. SAVIOUR, again to thy dear name we raise With one accord our parting hymn of praise ; We stand to bless thee ere our worship cease, Then, slowly kneeling, wait thy word of peace. 2 Grant us thy peace upon our homeward way ; With thee began, with thee shall end the day ; Guard thou the lips from sin, the hearts from shame, That in this house have called upon thy name. 3 Grant us thy peace, Lord, through the com- ing night, Turn thou for us its darkness into light ; From harm and danger keep thy children free, For dark and light are both alike to thee. 4 Grant us thy peace throughout our earth- ly life, Our balm in sorrow, and our stay in strife ; Then, when thy voice shall bid our conflict cease, Call us, O Lord, to thine eternal peace. John Ellerton. Written in 1866 in five stanzas for the festival of the Malpas, Middlewich and Nantwich Choral Association. It was lat- er revised and reduced to the four stan- zas here given and published in the Ap- pendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern. 1868. It is the most popular of all the author's hymns, and is regarded as one of the greatest evening hymns of the Eng- lish Church. It was written to be sung to a tune in Thome's collection titled "St. Agnes;" but the author later expressed a preference for the tune by Dr. Hopkins ("Ellers") found in the music edition. "As tenderly spiritual as it is ethically strong," is Horder's comment. The omit- ted stanza is: Grant us thy peace — the peace thou didst be- stow On thine apostles in thine hour of woe ; The peace thou broughtest, when at eventide They saw thy pierced hands, thy wounded side. 26 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. :«) 8, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7. 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, whene'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. John Faivcett. A very appropriate and widely used closing hymn. It is found in the Rev. 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 sure- ly." Some English hymnologists formerly attributed this hymn to Shirley instead of Fawcett. 40 M 8s, 7s. AY the grace of Christ our Saviour, And the Father's boundless love, With the Holy Spirit's favor, Rest upon us from above. 2 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 the Olney Hymns, 1779. It is a metrical version of the apostolic benedic- tion: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion oi the Holy Ghost, be with you all." (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) It has been translated into several languages. 41 C M. LORD, in the morning thou shalt Lear My voice ascending high : To thee will I direct my prayer, To thee lift up mine eye : 2 Up to the hills where Christ is gone To plead for all his saints, Presenting, at the Father's throne, Our songs and our complaints. :! O may thy Spirit guide my feet In ways of righteousness ; Make every path of duty straight, And plain before my face. Isaac Watts. Title: "For the Lord's Day Morning. V It is a part of Watts's version of Psalm v. 3-8: My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord ; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness : neither shall evil dwell with thee. The fool- ish shall not stand in thy sight : thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing : the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy : and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies ; make thy way straight before my face. The original contains eight stanzas. We have above verses one, two, and five, unal- tered. Stanzas three, and four are as fol- lows: 3 Thou art a God before whose Sight The Wicked shall not stand ; Sinners shall ne'er be thy Delight, Nor dwell at thy Right-hand. 4 But to thy House will I resort To taste thy Mercies there ; I will frequent thine holy Court, And worship in thy Fear. From The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, Lon- don, 1719. 42 L- M. NEW every morning is the love Our wakening and uprising prove ; Through sleep and darkness safely brought, Restored to life and power and thought. i HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 27 2 New mercies, each returning day, Hover around us while we pray ; New perils past, new sins forgiven, New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven. 3 If on our daily course our mind Be set to hallow all we find, New treasures still of countless price God will provide for sacrifice. 4 The trivial round, the common task, Will furnish all we ought to ask — Room to deny ourselves, a road To bring us daily nearer God. 5 Only, O Lord, in thy dear love Fit us for perfect rest above ; And help us this, and every day, To live more nearly as we pray. John Keble. "Morning" is the title of this in the au- thor's Christian Year, 1827. It comprises verses six, seven, eight, fourteen, and six- teen of a poem of sixteen stanzas. It is based upon Lamentations iii. 22, 23: "His compassions fail not. They are new every morning." The hymn begins with the words: "Hues of the rich unfolding morn." It was written September 20, 1822. The Christian Year is one of the greatest religious classics in the English language. What the Prayer Book is in prose for public worship, the Christian Year is in poetry for private devotion. 43 lis. 10s. STILL, still with Thee, when purple morn- ing breaketh, When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee; Fairer than morning, lovelier than daylight, Dawns the sweet consciousness, I am with thee. 2 Alone with thee, amid the mystic shadows, The solemn hush of nature newly born ; Alone with thee in breathless adoration, In the calm dew and freshness of the morn. 3 As in the dawning o'er the waveless ocean, The image of the morning-star doth rest, So in this stillness, thou beholdest only Thine image in the waters of my breast. 4 Still, still to thee ! as to each newborn morning, A fresh and solemn splendor still is giv- en, So does this bless consciousness awaking, Breathe each day nearness unto thee and heaven. 5 When sinks the soul, subdued by toil, to slumber, Its closing eyes look up to thee in prayer ; Sweet the repose beneath thy wings o'er- shading, But sweeter still, to wake and find thee there. 6 So shall it be at last, in that bright morn- ing, When the soul waketh, and life's shad- ows flee ; O in that hour, fairer than daylight dawn- ing, Shall rise the glorious thought — T am with thee. Harriet B. Stowe. Contributed by the author, Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, to the Plymouth Collec- tion, edited by her brother, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, in 1855. It manifests a spirit of entire consecration and an inti- mate communion with God. As the fifth stanza intimates, the last conscious thought of the Christian at night and the first in the morning should be of God. Very suitable for private use, I doubt if this hymn ever becomes popular for the public congregation. It is unaltered and entire. The author of this hymn by writing Uncle Tom's Cabin gained a permanent place in the annals of the nation. People differ as to the correctness of her pen pic- ture of slavery, but I am not aware that any one questions the honesty of her pur- pose or the piety of her heart. 44 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 hast refreshed me while I slept : Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless life partake. 28 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 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. This is a part of Bishop Ken's famous "Morning Hymn," the original of which contains fourteen stanzas, being the first, fifth, ninth, twelfth, and thirteenth stan- zas. This and its companions, the no less admired Evening and Midnight Hymns. enjoy the enviable distinction of having furnished, at least in English-speaking countries, The Doxology of the Christian Church. Each of these hymns closes with our well-known "long-meter doxology." These three valuable hymns, it is in- teresting to note, were originally written for the use of the students in Winchester College. As early as 1674 Bishop Ken published a Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College. This book had gone through thirty-two editions by 1799. The earliest edition that contained the above three hymns was that of 1695. In this work he thus coun- sels the young men: "Be sure to sing the Morning and Evening Hymns in your chamber, devoutly remembering that the Psalmist upon happy experience assures you that it is a good thing to tell of the loving-kindness of the Lord early in the morning and of his truth in the night sea- son." As these words appear in the first (1674) edition of the Manual, we are war- ranted in concluding that the two hymns referred to had then been printed and sup- plied to students, possibly on sheets of paper. The author used to sing this hymn ev- ery morning upon waking, playing the ac- companiment with his lute. In obedience to his expressed wish, when he died he was buried at sunrise, and the singing of this hymn was almost the only ceremony that took place. He is buried in the churchyard at Frome, under the east win- dow of the church, and nothing but a sim- ple iron railing marks his resting place. But one who is embalmed in the affec- tions of the Christian Church, as he is, needs no marble shaft to perpetuate his memory or to mark his resting place as long as his grand doxology shall continue to be sung the world around. The fact that these three hymns should have been prepared especially for the use of college students adds to their interest. Two omitted stanzas in the "Morning Hymn" are worthy of being quoted here: I would not wake nor rise again, And Heaven itself I would disdain, Wert Thou not there to be enjoyed, And I in hymns to be employed. Heaven is, dear Lord, where'er thou art : O never then from me depart ; For to my soul 'tis hell to be But for one moment without thee. The "Evening Hymn" contains sentiments j that young and old alike can well afford to utter in prayer-song at the close of , day: Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son, The ills that I this day have done ; That with the world, myself, and thee, I. ere I sleep, at peace may be. 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 awful day. How much better than lying awake and fretting because of inability to sleep is it for one to quiet his restless soul by such reveries and prayers as the following, taken from the "Midnight Hymn:" My God, I now from sleep awake, The sole possession of me take : From midnight terrors me secure, And guard my heart from thoughts impure. Lord, lest the tempter me surprise, Watch over thine own sacrifice : All loose, all idle thoughts cast out, And make my very dreams devout. HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 29 The soul that begins and closes all his days with songs and prayers like these has learned the secret of a serene, happy, and useful life. » Were any lines ever written more cer- tain to secure immortality for their au- thor and for themselves than the follow- ing four lines which were first written as a closing stanza for each of these three hymns? Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ; Praise him, all creatures here below ; Praise him above, ye heavenly host ; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 45 w S. M. E 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 orient 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 May we this life improve, To mourn for errors past ; And live this short revolving day As if it were our last. 5 To God, the Father, Son, And Spirit — One in Three — Be glory ; as it was, is now, And shall forever be. John Wesley. Title: "A Morning Hymn" from A Col- lection of Psalms and Hymns, published by John Wesley, 1741. This is one of the few original hymns ascribed to John Wes- ley. 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's has that peculiarity. The sublime thought ex- pressed in the third line of the first stanza is borrowed from Plato: "Lumen est um- bra Dei." It has not been altered, but one stanza, the fourth, has been omitted: 46 N O may no gloomy crime Pollute the rising clay : Or Jesus's blood, like evening dew, Wash all the stains away. C. M. OW from the altar of my heart Let incense flames arise ; Assist me, Lord, to offer up Mine evening sacrifice. 2 This day God was my Sun and Shield, My Keeper and my Guide; His care was on my frailty shown, His mercies multiplied. 3 Minutes and mercies multiplied Have made up all this day : Minutes came quick, but mercies were More fleet and free than the3^. 4 New time, new favor, and new joys Do a new song require : Til] I shall praise thee as I would, Accept my heart's desire. John Mason. "A Song of Praise for the Evening." from the author's Spiritual Songs, or So7igs of Praise to Almighty God, 1683. Three omitted stanzas have striking thoughts in them, and are well worth quoting: Awake, my Love ; Awake, my Joy ; Awake my Heart and Tongue : Sleep not : when Mercies loudly call, Break forth into a Song. Man's Life's a Book of History, The Leaves thereof are Days, The Letters Mercies closely joined, The Title is thy Praise. Lord of my Time, whose Hand hath set New Time upon my Score ; Then shall I praise for all my Time, When Time shall be no more. One of Mason's hymns contains this striking and much-admired verse: To whom, Lord, should I sing but Thee, The Maker of my tongue? Lo, other lords would seize on me, But I to Thee belong. As waters haste into their sea, And earth unto its earth. So let my soul return to Thee, From whom it had its birth. 30 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4T L. M. SUN of my soul, thou Saviour dear, It is not night if thou be near : O may no earthborn cloud arise To hide thee from thy servant's eyes. 2 When the soft dews of kindly sleep My wearied eyelids gently steep, Be my last thought, how sweet to rest Forever on my Saviour's breast. 3 Abide with me from morn till eve, For without thee I cannot live ; Abide with me when night is nigh, For without thee I dare not die. 4 If some poor wandering child of thine Have spurned, to-day, the voice divine, Now, Lord, the gracious work begin ; Let him no more lie down in sin. 5 Watch by the sick ; enrich the poor With blessings from thy boundless store ; Be every mourner's sleep to-night Like infant's slumbers, pure and light. 6 Come near and bless us when we wake, Ere through the world our way we take ; Till, in the ocean of thy love, We lose ourselves in heaven above. John Keole. From The Christian Year, 1827. Part of a poem of fourteen stanzas, entitled "Evening.'' This hymn is made up of the third, seventh, eighth, and last three verses, unaltered. Text: "Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." (Luke xxiv. 29.) This widely used and vastly useful lyric stands near the head of the list of the best English hymns. It is number nine in the list of hymns of "first rank" in Anglican Hymnology. and number eight in the list of Stead's Hymns That Have Helped. One of the highest privileges known to man is that of voicing the desires of Christian people in holy song as the au- thor has here. The hymn is full of the spirit of Christ, and could only have been written by a devout soul. Allan Sutherland, in his Famous Hymns of the World, writes of this hymn as fol- lows: "Sun of My Soul" is one of the finest ex- amples in our language of what a true prayer- hymn should be. Beginning with a beautiful acknowledgment of what God is to us, there follows an earnest supplication that debasing thoughts may be driven away, that "no earthborn cloud" may arise to hide us from our Saviour. The first three stanzas are de- voted to an earnest plea for the right rela- tion of our own hearts to God. From that point it is easy and natural to think of and pray for others. How inclusive are the next two stanzas ! The wanderer, the sick, the poor, the mourner are all sympathetically re- membered ; and then follow the tender and comforting appeal for divine guidance throughout our earthly life and the exquisite- ly expressed belief in an eternity of joy with which the hymn ends. A visitor once asked Alfred Tennyson what his thoughts were of Christ. They were walking in a garden, and for a moment the great poet was silent ; then, bending over some beautiful flowers, he said: "What the sun is to these flowers, Jesus Christ is to my soul. He is the sun of my soul." Conscious- ly or unconsciously he was expressing the same thought in the same language used by John Keble years before when he gave to the world his great heart hymn, "Sun of My Soul." It has a large place in Christian biog- raphy. The following incident is taken from Our Hymns and Their Authors: A young lady of lovely Christian character lay seriously ill in her chamber. Her moth- er and loved ones were about her. The room seemed to her to be growing dark. She asked them to raise the curtains and let in the light. But, alas ! the curtains were already raised, and it was broad-open daylight. It was the night of death that had come, and she knew it not. As she kept asking them to let in the light, they had to tell her the nature of the darkness that was gathering about her. But she was not dismayed. With a sweet, quiet, plaintive voice she began singing her favorite hymn : "Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear, It is not night if thou be near : O may no earthborn cloud arise To hide thee from thy servant's eyes." The eyes of all in the room suffused with tears as the sweet singer's tremulous voice continued : "When the soft dews of kindly sleep My wearied eyelids gently steep, Be my last thought, how sweet to rest Forever on my Saviour's breast." I HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 31 She had often sung this song to the delight of the home circle, but now it seemed, like the song of the dying swan, the sweetest she had ever sung. Her countenance lighted up with a beauty and radiance that came not from earth as she sang once more in feebler but more heavenly strains : "Abide with me from morn till eve, For without thee I cannot live : Abide with me when night is nigh, For without thee I dare not die." And with these fitting words the sweet voice was hushed in death, ceasing not to sing "Till, in the ocean of God's love, She lost herself in heaven above." 48 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 burden and the care. 3 O God, our Light, to thee we bow ; Within all shadows standest thou ; Give deeper calm than night can bring; Give sweeter songs than 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. "Vesper Hymn" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's volume titled Vespers, 1859. It was a source of regret to many of those who had charge of the making of this Hymnal that they could not find a suitable hymn to place within the volume from the writings of Ameri- ca's greatest poet, Henry W. Longfellow. We are glad at least to have the family name and genius represented among our hymns and hymn writers in the person of the poet's brother. At the ordination of the author of this hymn to the ministry, in 1848, a song was used which was writ- ten by Henry W. Longfellow especially for the occasion. It contains the follow- ing lines that may well be quoted here: Christ to the young man said : "Yet one thing more : If thou wouldst perfect be, Sell all thou hast and give it to the poor, And come and follow me." Within this temple Christ again, unseen, Those sacred words hath said, And his invisible hands to-day have been Laid on a young man's head. And evermore beside him on his way The unseen Christ shall move, That he may lean upon his arm and say : "Dost thou, dear Lord, approve?" And this "Vesper Hymn" of Samuel Longfellow calls also to mind the superb little poem of his illustrious poet-brother, titled "The Day Is Done," which closes with this beautiful and oft-quoted tribute to the power of music and song: Such songs have power to quiet The restless pulse of care, And come like the benediction That follows after prayer. Then read from the treasured volume The poem of thy choice, And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty of thy voice. And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares that infest the day Shall fold their tents like the Arabs, And as silently steal away. 49 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. 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. Thomas Ken. This is a part — the first four verses — of Bishop Ken's famous "Evening Hymn." The original, including the doxology, con- 32 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 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: O 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 1695. Anglican Hymnology places this at the head of the list of hymns of first rank. Other hymnologists would put "Rock of Ages" or "Jesus, Lover of My Soul" at the head. This evening hymn is a gen- eral favorite; and if it is not at the very head of the list, it ought to be named among the first ten hymns in the English language. (See No. 42.) A recent writer makes this interesting observation: Where authors have written both morning and evening hymns, the evening hymns are, as a rule, more widely known and more great- ly beloved than the morning hymns. [See Xo. 42.] "One reason for this," says W. G. Horder, "may be found in the fact that we are more disposed to hymn-singing in the evening than in the morning, and that we are more moved by songs of the night than of the day." Dryden said of Ken: David left him, when he went to rest, His lyre ; and after him he sang the best. Each of Bishop Ken's three great hymns, for morning, evening, and mid- night, closed with the long-meter doxolo- gy: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, Praise him, all creatures here below ; Praise him above, ye heavenly host ; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It is very likely that the lines of this grand doxology have been sung oftener than any other lines ever written by man. 50 10s. ABIDE with me ! Fast falls the eventide, The darkness deepens — Lord, with me abide ! When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me ! 2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day ; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away ; Change and decay in all around I see ; 0 thou who changest not, abide with me ! 3 I need thy presence every passing hour ; What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me ! 4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless ; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitter- ness ; Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory? 1 triumph still, if thou abide with me. 5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes ; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies ; Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee ; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me ! Henry F. Lyte. "Light at Eventide" is the title of this truly beautiful hymn, which was first pub- lished in leaflet form in September, 1847, and later in the author's Remains, pub- lished by his daughter in 1850. It is based on Luke xxiv. 29: "Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." Three verses of the original are omitted: 3 Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word ; But, as Thou dwell'dst with Thy disciples, Lord, Familiar, condescending, patient, free, Come, not to sojourn, but abide with me ! 4 Come not in terrors, as the King of kings, But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings, Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea ; Come, Friend of sinners, and abide with me ! HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 33 5 Thou on my head in early youth didst smile ; And, though rebellious and perverse mean- while, Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee : On to the close, O Lord, abide with me. The circumstances under which this hymn was written are full of pathetic interest. For twenty-four years the au- thor had been curate of Brixham, Devon- shire, England, but failing health re- quired a change of climate. He himself tells how he deprecated being divorced from the ocean, the friend and playmate of his childhood; and it can only be con- jectured how painful to a heart so highly susceptible was the prospect of being torn from his hardy, seafaring flock. He lin- gered with them until life was fast ebb- ing, and then writes: "The swallows are preparing for flight and inviting me to accompany them; and yet, alas! while I talk of flying, I am just able to crawl." Thus, frail and feeble, he rallied to preach a farewell sermon to his fond people and once more to administer to ihem the Lord's Supper. His theme that day was: "The Believer's Dependence upon the Death of Christ." It was September 4, 1847. After closing the deep solemnities of the communion, he dragged himself wearily back to his home. That after- noon he walked down the garden path to the seashore, and, returning to his study, wrote out this immortal heart song, which he placed that evening in the hands of a near and dear relative. The following poem, titled "Ere the Night Fall," is by the author of this hymn, and is closely akin to it in sentiment. It is one of the most beautiful expressions in all poetry of a desire for earthly im- mortality that every Christian poet can well afford to cherish. Why do I sigh to find Life's evening shadows gathering round my way, The keen eye dimming, and the buoyant mind Unhinging day by day? 3 I want not vulgar fame — I seek not to survive in brass or stone ; Hearts may not kindle when they hear my name, Nor tears my value own ; But might I leave behind Some blessing for my fellows, some fair trust To guide, to cheer, to elevate my kind, When I am in the dust ; Might verse of mine inspire One virtuous aim, one high resolve impart, Light in one drooping soul a hallowed fire, Or bind one broken heart ; Death would be sweeter then, More calm my slumber 'neath the silent sod, — Might I thus live to bless my fellow-men, Or glorify my God ! O Thou whose touch can lend Life to the dead, Thy quickening grace supply, And grant me, swanlike, my last breath to spend In song that may not die ! A few years ago an American pastor, in visiting the cemetery at Nice where the author is buried, found a young man standing reverently beside the grave of Lyte, his eyes filled with tears. The young man told him with deep feeling that he had been led to Christ through the influence of this hallowed song. 51 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., 1709. Unaltered. 34 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 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 n'er depart ! And in the morning make me hear The love and kindness of thy heart. These omitted verses are well worth re- reading. On the whole it is a soliloquy rather than a hymn. It is very suitable for pri- vate or family worship, but it is not spe- cially adapted for public use. 52 8s, 7s. 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 ! Christopher C. Cox. This sad, sweet strain is a poetical rev- erie and meditation at eventide concern- ing loved ones that are gone but not for- gotten. It is said to have been printed first in a newspaper about 1840. It is found in 'Woodworth's Cabinet. 1847, and some authorities assign 1846 as the date of its composition. The internal evidence, in the absence of definite knowledge, would favor the later date, in view of the fact that in 1840 the author, a practicing physician, was only twenty-four years old; and it is not altogether natural for one so young as that to indulge in this | particular kind of a reverie concerning! departed loved ones. It is such a poem as we would most naturally expect to come from one considerably advanced in years. 53 7s. 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. It is based on Psalm cxli. 2: "Let my prayer be set forth be- fore thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." The writer used the first person singu- lar in stanzas one and three. The hymn has been improved by omitting the last verse. We give it because it completes the hymn as published by the author: Thou who, sinless, yet hast known All of man's infirmity ; Then, from Thine eternal throne, Jesus, look with pitying eye. 5± L- M. AT even, e'er the sun was set, The sick, O Lord, around thee lay ; O in what divers pains they met ! O with what joy they went away ! 2 Once more 'tis eventide, and we, Oppressed with various ills, draw near ; What if thy form we cannot see? We know and feel that thou art here. 3 O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel ; For some are sick and some are sad, And some have never loved thee well, And some have lost the love they had. 4 And none, O Lord, have perfect rest, For none are wholly free from sin ; And they who fain would serve thee best Are conscious most of wrong within. HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 35 5 O Saviour Christ, thou too art Ma.- ; Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried ; Thy kind but searching glance can scan The very wounds that shame would hide. 6 Thy touch has still its ancient power, No word from thee can fruitless fall ; Hear in this solemn evening hour, And in thy mercy heal us all. Henry Twells. "Evening"1 is the title which this hymn bears in the appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1868, for which it was writ- ten at the request of the author's friend, Sir Henry Baker, who thought there was a special need for an evening hymn in the collection which he was making. It is based on Mark i. 32, "At even when the sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased," and Luke iv. 40: "Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them." The first line of this hymn has been criticised in its form of statement, and has been published in an altered form, "When the sun was set," or, When the sun did set," being substituted for "e'er the sun was set." Those who made this criti- cism contended that inasmuch as it was unlawful among the Jews for a gathering of diseased persons to be held before the sun had gone down and the Sabbath had ended, the proposed change was necessary if the opening line of the hymn was to be accurate. Canon Twells, while allowing Prebendary Thring and others to make the proposed change for their use, yet de- fended his own form of expression as en- tirely consistent with both Mark and Luke. (See The Literary Churchman for June 9 and 23, 1882.) Two stanzas have been omitted: And some are pressed with worldly care, And some are tried with sinful doubt ; And some such grievous passions tear, That only thou canst cast them out And some have found the world is vain, Yet from the world they break not free, And some have friends who give them pain Yet have not sought a friend in thee. 55 8s, 7s. SAVIOUR, breathe an evening blessing, Ere repose our spirits seal ; Sin and want we come confessing : Thou canst save, and thou canst heal. 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 f-e 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. This hymn appears without title in Sacred Lyrics, by James Edmeston, Lon- don, 1820. It has not been changed. It is well adapted for private worship, and we need just such hymns, for the Hymnal is designed for home use as well as for public service. H 7, 7, 7, 5. OLY Father, cheer our way With thy love's perpetual ray ; Grant us every closing day Light at evening time. 2 Holy Saviour, calm our fears When earth's brightness disappears ; Grant us in our later years Light at evening time. 3 Holy Spiri* be thou nigh When in mortal pains we lie ; Grant us, as we come to die, Light at evening time. 4 Holy, blessed Trinity, Darkness is not dark to thee ; Those thou keepest always see Light at evening time. Richard H. Robinson. This was written in 1869 for the au- thor's congregation in St. Paul's Church, Upper Norwood, England, and was de- signed to be sung after the third collect 36 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. at evening prayer. It appeared in the , 5g Church Hymns, published in 1871 by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowl- edge. It is based on Zechariah xiv. 7: "But it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light." NOW GOD be closing; 11, 11, 11, 5. with us, for the night is 57 7, 7, 7, 7, 4. DAY is dying in the west ; Heaven is touching earth with rest : Wait and worship while the night Sets her evening lamps alight Through all the sky. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts ! Heaven and earth are full of thee ! Heaven and earth are praising thee, O Lord most high ! 2 Lord of life, beneath the dome Of the universe, thy home, Gather us who seek thy face To the fold of thy embrace, For thou art nigh. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts ! Heaven and earth are full of thee ! Heaven and earth are praising thee, O Lord most high ! Mary A. Lathbury. In his Annotations, 1893, Dr. Robinson says: "To a Chautauquan the vesper serv- ice seems incomplete without the singing of this beautiful hymn. It was written at the request of Bishop John H. Vincent in the summer of 1880, and it is frequently sung at the close of the day, when the vast company of graduates, students, and visitors are assembled for evening prayer." The author has added two stanzas. They worthily complete the poem: While the deepening shadows fall, Heart of Love enfolding all, Through the glory and the grace Of the stars that veil thy face Our hearts ascend. When forever from thy sight Pass the stars, the day, the night, Lord of angels on our eyes Let eternal morning rise And shadows end. The light and darkness are of his dispos- ing, And 'neath his shadow here to rest we yield us, For he will shield us. 2 Let evil thoughts and spirits flee before us ; Till morning cometh, watch, O Master, o'er us ; In soul and body thou from harm defend us, Thine angels send us. 3 Let holy thoughts be ours when sleep o'ertakes us ; Our earliest thoughts be thine when morn- ing wakes us. All sick and mourners we to thee com- mend them, Do thou befriend them. ■4 We have no refuge, none on earth to aid us But thee, O Father, who thine own hast made us. Keep us in life ; forgive our sins ; deliver Us now and ever. 5 Praise be to thee through Jesus our salva- tion, God, Three in One, the ruler of creation, High throned, o'er all thine eye of mercy casting, Lord everlasting. Petrus Herbert. Jr. by Catherine Winkworth. Alt. This hymn is said to have been written under "the pressure of persecution and oppression." Its first appearance was in a German hymn book in 1566 in five stan- zas of seven lines each. The translation here given was first published in Miss Winkworth's Choral Book for England, 1863, and is reproduced in her Christia?i Singers of Germany. 1869. The third stanza above is made up of the first two lines of the third stanza and the second two lines of the fourth stanza as found in Miss Winkworth's Christian Singers, with some verbal alterations. To the original five stanzas, it seems, a poetic version of the Lord's Prayer and of the doxology was added as a sixth and seventh stanza, respectively. The Lord's Prayer is found in Miss Winkworth's translation, but is HYMNS OF WORSHIP. omitted above, while the doxology given as the closing stanza above ic not found in Miss Winkworth's translation. N' 59 6s, 5s. OW the dav is over, Night is drawing nigh ; Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky ; 2 Jesus, grant the weary Calm and sweet repose ; With thy tenderest blessing May our eyelids close. 3 Grant to little children Visions bright of thee ; Guard the sailors tossing On the deep, blue sea. 4 Comfort every sufferer Watching late in pain ; Those who plan some evil From their sins restrain. 5 Through the long night watches May thine angels spread Their white wings above me, Watching round my bed. 6 When the morning wakens, Then may I arise Pure, and fresh, and sinless In thy holy eyes. Sabine Baring-Gould. "Evening" is the title. Dr. Julian says: "Written in 1865 and printed in the Church Times the same year. In 1868 it was given in the Appendix to Hymns An- cient and Modern, and from that date it has gradually increased in popularity un- til its use has become common in all Eng- lish-speaking countries." The second and last stanzas, which have been omitted, are as follows: 2 Now the darkness gathers, Stars begin to peep, Birds, and beasts, and flowers Soon will be asleep. 8 Glory to the Father Glory to the Sox And to Thee Blest Spirit Whilst all ages run, Amen. 60 9s, 8s. THE day thou gavest, Lord, is ended, The darkness falls at thy behest, To thee our morning hymns ascended, Thy praise shall hallow now our rest. 2 We thank thee that thy Church, unsleeping While earth rolls onward into light, Through all the world her watch is keeping, And rests not now by day or night. 3 As o'er each continent and island The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent, Nor dies the strain of praise away. 4 So be it, Lord ; thy throne shall never, Like earth's proud empires, pass away ; But stand, and rule, and grow forever, Till all thy creatures own thy sway. John EUerton. Written in 1870 to be used as a "Litur- gy for Missionary Meetings," after which it was revised and published in Church Hymns, 1871. An anonymous hymn in Church Poetry, 1855, has as its first line the identical words with which this hymn begins. The continuity of the sunlight, advancing ever forward with the revolv- ing earth, is here used in an expressive and beautiful manner as a symbol of the continuity of spiritual worship and of evangelizing agencies that are always at work and moving forward in the world. 61 10s. 61. THE day is gently sinking to a close, Fainter and yet more faint the sunlight glows : O Brightness of thy Father's glory, thou Eternal Light of light, be with us now : Where thou art present, darkness cannot be; Midnight is glorious noon, O Lord, with thee. 2 Our changeful lives are ebbing to an end ; Onward to darkness and to death we tend ; O Conqueror of the grave, be thou our guide ; Be thou our light in death's dark eventide : Then in our mortal hour will be no gloom, No sting in death, no terror in the tomb. 3 Thou, who in darkness walking didst ap- pear Upon the waves, and thy disciples cheer, Come, Lord, in lonesome days, when storms assail, And earthly hopes and human succors fail : When all is dark may we behold thee nigh And hear thy voice, "Fear not, for it is I." 38 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 The weary world is moldering to decay, Its glories wane, its pageants fade away; In that last sunset when the stars shall fall, May we arise awakened by thy call, With thee, O Lord, forever to abide In that blest day which has no eventide. Christopher Wordsworth. Title: "Evening." A hymn of real mer- it, especially adapted to close an evening service. It was written in 1863 and pub- lished in the author's Holy Year, third edition, 1863. 62 C. M. D. THE shadows of the evening hours Fall from the darkening sky ; Upon the fragrance of the flowers The dews of evening lie. Before thy throne, O Lord of heaven, We kneel at close of day ; Look on thy children from on high, And hear us while we pray. 2 The sorrows of thy servants, Lord, O do not thou despise, But let the incense of our prayers Before thy mercy rise. The brightness of the coming night Upon the darkness rolls ; With hopes of future glory chase The shadows from our souls. 3 Slowly the rays of daylight fade : So fade within our heart The hopes in earthly love and joy, That one by one depart. Slowly the bright stars, one by one, Within the heavens shine : Give us, O Lord, fresh hopes in heaven, And trust in things divine. 4 Let peace, O Lord, thy peace, O God, Upon our souls descend ; From midnight fears, and perils, thou Our tremoling hearts defend. Give us a respite from our toil ; Calm and subdue our woes ; Through the long day we labor, Lord, O give us now repose. Adelaide A. Procter. "Evening" is the title of this hymn in the enlarged edition of the author's Leg- ends and Lyrics, published in 1862. A very fine and poetic prayer-song, worthy of frequent use in evening wor- ship. It well illustrates the truth that po- etic figure is not incompatible with hym- nic merit. 63 C. M. COME, let us join with one accord In hymns around the throne ! This is the day our rising Lord Hath made and called his own. 2 This is the day which God hath blest, The brightest of the seven, Type of that everlasting rest The saints enjoy in heaven. 3 Then let us in his name sing on, And hasten to that day When our Redeemer shall come down, And shadows pass away. 4 Not one, but all our days below, Let us in hymns employ ; And in our Lord rejoicing, go To his eternal joy. Charles Wesley. Title: "For the Lord's Day." Unal- tered and entire from Hymns for Chil- dren, 1763. The preface to this booklet contained the following paragraph: There are two ways of writing or speak- ing to children : the one is to let ourselves down to them ; the other, to lift them up to us. Dr. Watts has written in the former way, and has succeeded admirably well, speaking to children as children and leaving them as he found them. The following hymns are written on the other plan : they contain strong and manly sense, yet expressed in such plain and easy language as even children may un- derstand. But when they do understand them, they wall be children no longer only in years and in stature. History shows that this philosophy is erroneous. The man who would commu- nicate with children must humble him- self to the child's understanding. Dr. Watts's method was vastly successful. No man can estimate the influence of his Divine Songs for Children on generations of youth. The man who wrote for adults, Wide as the world is thy command, Vast as eternity thy love, wrote for little children: How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour, And gather honey all the day From every opening flower. The Wesleyan "plan" was a failure. The HYMNS OP WORSHIP. 39 only one of these hymns that has had a wide influence with children is the one be- ginning, Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Look upon a little child, and this was written in violation of the Wesleyan teaching. It is plain that John Wesley did not understand children. 64 w S. M. ELCOME, sweet day of rest, That saw the Lord arise ; Welcome to this reviving breast, And these rejoicing eyes ! 2 The King himself comes near, And feasts his saints to-day ; Here we may sit, and see him here, And love, and praise, and pray. 3 One day in such a place, Where thou, my God, art seen, Is sweeter than ten thousand days Of pleasurable sin. 4 My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, And sit and sing herself away To everlasting bliss. Isaac Watts. Author's title: "The Lord's Day; or, Delight in Ordinances:' From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. The original of the third stanza, lines one and two, is: One day amidst the place Where my dear God hath been. The third stanza appropriates very beautifully the thought of the Psalmist: "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." (Ps. lxxxiv. 10.) 65 W C. M. ITH 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 Her 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. This is based on 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. In verse two, line two, the author wrote : Where willing votaries throng. Verse two, line four: And pour the choral song. Verse four, line three: To spread with grateful zeal around. The last stanza is practically a repeti- tion of the first, and was made by some hymn editor. From The Spirit of the Psalms, London, 1829. 66 H S. M. AIL to the Sabbath day ! The day divinely given, When men to God their homage pay, And earth draws near to heaven. Lord, in this sacred hour Within thy courts we bend, And bless thy love, and own thy power, Our Father and our Friend. 3 But thou art not alone In courts by mortals trod ; Nor only is the day thine own When man draws near to God : 4 Thy temple is the arch Of yon unmeasured sky ; Thy Sabbath, the stupendous march Of vast eternity. 5 Lord, may that holier day Dawn on thy servants' sight ; And purer worship may we pay In heaven's unclouded light. Stephen G. Bulfinch. 4(1 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. From the author's Contemplations of the saviour: A Series of Extracts from the Gospel History, with Reflections, and Original and Selected Hymns, Boston, 1832, where it is appended to the author's reflection upon "The "Walk through the Cornfields." The author was only twen- ty-two years old when he wrote this hymn. His father enjoys international fame as the architect of the national capitol at Washington. GT 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8. WELCOME, delightful morn, Thou day of sacred rest ! I hail thy kind return ; Lord, make these moments blest : From the low train of mortal toys, I soar to reach immortal joys. 2 Now may the King descend, And fill his throne with grace ; Thy scepter, Lord, extend, While saints address thy face : Let sinners feel thy quickening word, And learn to know and fear the Lord. 3 Descend, celestial Dove, With all thy quickening powers ; Disclose a Saviour's love, And bless the sacred hours : Then shall my soul new life obtain, Nor Sabbaths be enjoyed in vain. Hai/icard, in D obeli's SeJectioyi. Title: "Sabbath Morning." Only one word has been changed. The author wrote the last line: "Nor Sabbaths be in- dulg'd in vain." Dobell's Xew Selection, 1806, was a book of special value in its day. It contained many new hymns by various authors. Some of them are still in common use. "Hayward" is simply a name. Nothing is known of this author. 0 68 "s> Gs- D- DAT 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, light first had its birth ; On thee, for our salvation, Chris-t rose from depths of earth ; On thee, our Lord, victorious, The Spirit s. nt 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. "Sunday" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's volume titled The Holy Year; or. Hymns for Sundays and Holydays, 1862, where it appears as the opening hymn. The fact that the author is a nephew of William Wordsworth, the poet, adds interest to this hymn. The two omitted stanzas are: 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. 69 7s. 61. SAFELY through another week, God has brought us on our way ; Let us now a blessing seek, Waiting in his courts to-day : Day of all the week the best, Emblem of eternal rest. HYMNS OF WORSHIP. 41 2 While we pray for pardoning grace, Through the dear Redeemer's name, Show thy reconciled face, Take away our sin and shame ; From our worldly cares set free, May we rest this day in thee. 3 Here we come thy name to praise ; May we feel thy presence near : May thy glory meet our eyes, While we in thy house appear : Here afford us, Lord, a taste Of our everlasting feast. 4 May thy gospel's joyful sound Conquer sinners, comfort saints ; Make the fruits of grace abound, Bring relief for all complaints : Thus may all our Sabbaths prove, Till we join the church above. John Newton. From Olney Hymns, 1779. The author's title was "Saturday Evening." Several lines have been changed to adapt it to Sunday singing. One stanza, the second, has been omitted: Mercies multiplied each hour, Through the week our praise demand ; Guarded by Almighty power, Fed and guided by his hand ; Though ungrateful we have been, Only made returns of sin. 70 L- M. ANOTHER six days' work is done ; Another Sabbath is begun : Return, my soul, enjoy thy rest, Improve the day thy God hath blest. 2 O that our thoughts and thanks may rise, As grateful incense, to the skies ; And draw from Christ that sweet repose Which none but he that feels it knows ! 3 This heavenly calm within the breast Is the dear pledge of glorious rest Which for the Church of God remains, The end of cares, the end of pains. 4 In holy duties let the day, In holy comforts, pass away ; How sweet, a Sabbath thus to spend, In hope of one that ne'er shall end ! Joseph Stennett. The original of this hymn contains four- teen stanzas, of which the above are the first, tenth, eleventh, and thirteenth. The author was pastor of a Seventh-Day Bap- tist Church, but there is nothing in this hymn to render it inapplicable to the first day of the week. This hymn, along with many others, is found in the author's Col- lected Works, published in 1732, where it bears the title, "On the Saobath.,: 71 L. M. SWEET is the work, my God, my King, To praise thy name, give thanks and sing : To show thy love by morning light, And talk of all thy truth by night. 2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest ; No mortal cares shall seize my breast ; O may my heart in tune be found, Like David's harp of solemn sound. 3 When grace has purified my heart, Then I shall share a glorious part ; And fresh supplies of joy be shed, Like holy oil, to cheer my head. 4 Then shall I see, and hear, and know All I desired or wished below ; And every power find sweet employ In that eternal world of joy. Isaac Watts. Title: "A Psalm for the Lord's Day." This precious old hymn, which has helped multitudes to worship God, is a metrical version of the first pari of Psalm xcii. The third, fourth, and sixth stanzas have been left out: 3 My heart shall triumph in my Lord, And bless his works, and bless his word : Thy works of grace how bright they shine ! How deep thy counsels ! how divine ! 4 Fools never raise their thoughts so high ; Like brutes they live, like brutes they die ; Like grass they flourish till thy breath Blasts them in everlasting death. 6 Sin, my worst enemy before, Shall vex my eyes and ears no more ; My inward foes shall all be slain, Nor Satan break my peace again. The first couplet of the third stanza has been transposed and changed. Watts wrote: But I shall share a glorious part When grace hath well refined my heart. It is not otherwise altered. Date of pub- lication, 1719. 42 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 72 °s- D- THE dawn of God's dear Sabbath .ks o'er the earth again, t summer morning After a night of pain : It comes as cooling showers To some exhausted land, ~:iade of clustered palm trees "Mid weary wastes of sand. 2 And we would bring our burden Of sinful thought and deed, In thy pure presence kneeling, From bondage to be freed : Our heart's most bitter sorrow For all thy work undone ; So many talents wasted ! So few bright laurels won ! 3 And with that sorrow mingling, A steadfast faith, and sure, And love so deep and fervent, That tries to make it pure : In his dear presence finding The pardon that we need : And then the peace so lasting — Celestial peace indeed ! Ada C. Cross. From the author's Hymns on the Holy Communion. 1S66. This hymn is marked by great sweetness and purity of rhythm. 73 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. 3 Xo more fatigue, no more distv Nor sin nor hell, shall reach the place ; -ighs 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. Philip Doddridge. Title: "The Eternal Sabbath." Written to be sung at the close of a sermon preached June 2. 1736. Text: "There re- maineth therefore a rest to the people of God." (Heb. iv. 9.) It is found in Hymns Founded on Vari- ous Texts in the Holy Scriptures, by P. Doddridge; edited by Job Orton, 1755. 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 stan- za the original is: "With ardent Pangs of strong Desire." The third line of the third stanza originally read: "Groans to mingle with the Songs." One stanza, the fifth, has been omitted: 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. The reason for this omission was that the Commission thought the Hymnal con- tained too frequent expression of a "de- sire to depart." It is all right for the worn-out veteran who has "fought a good fight," but the young and the vigorous should wish to stay and fight on. 74 7s. SOFTLY fades the twilight ray Of the holy Sabbath day ; Gently as life's setting sun, When the Christian's course is run. 2 Peace is on the world abroad ; 'Tis the holy peace of God, S tnbol of the peace within When the spirit rests from sin. 3 Saviour, may our Sabbaths be Days of joy and peace in thee, Till in heaven our souls repose, Where the Sabbath ne'er shall close. Samuel F. Smith. This hymn was written in 1S32. and was contributed by the author to the Psalmist, a Baptist collection, published in 1S43. Two stanzas are omitted: 2 Night her solemn mantle spreads O'er the earth as daylight fades ; All things tell of calm repose, At the holy Sabbath's close. 4 Still the Spirit lingers near, Where the evening worshiper - ks communion with the skies, Pressing onward to the prize. HYMNS TO THE TRINITY. 75 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 Whose glory to this earth extends, When God himself imparts, And the whole Trinity descends Into our faithful hearts. 4 By faith the upper choir we meet, And challenge them to sing Jehovah, on his shining seat, Our Maker and our King. 5 But God made flesh is wholly ours, And asks our nobler strain : The Father of celestial powers, The Friend of earthborn man. Charles Wesley. From Hymns on the Trinity, 1767. The original contains four eight-lined stanzas. These are half the first and all of the sec- ond and third. The thought of the last line is beautifully expressed by Edward Young in his Xight Thoughts: O how Omnipotence Is lost in love ! thou great Philanthropist, Father of angels, but the friend of man. In verse four, 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 remarkable: Ye seraphs nearest to the throne, With rapturous amaze On us poor ransomed worms look down, For Leaven's superior praise. The thought is beautiful, yet it is not new nor original with Wesley, that re- deemed men can and ought to excel the angels in praise to God. This thought also was suggested by a passage in the Xight Thoughts, as will be seen at a glance by comparing the last line in the stanza just quoted with the last of the following four lines from Dr. Young: This theme is man's, and man's alone ; Their vast appointments reach it not : they see On earth a bounty not indulged on high, And downward look for Heaven's superior praise ! Charles Wesley, writing in July, 1754, says: "I began once more transcribing Young's Xight Thoughts. No writings but the inspired are more useful to me." Not only were these individual verses inspired by Dr. Young, but his Hymns on the Trinity were really suggested by a volume by Rev. William Jones, of the Es- tablished Church, titled The Catholic Doc- trine of a Trinity proved by above an hun- dred short d clear arguments, expressed in the terms of Holy Scripture. It was first published in 1754, and in a new and en- larged edition in 1767. Following the or- der and using the Scriptures quoted in this book, Wesley wrote a hymn for each. That Wesley's phraseology was sometimes derived from this volume will be seen by comparing the first verse of the hymn above with the following sentence taken from the preface of Mr. Jones's book: "In the fourth and last chapter the passages of the Scripture have been laid together and made to unite their beams in one com- mon center, the Unity of the Trinity." 76 lis, 10s. ANCIENT of Days, who sittest throned in glory, To thee all knees are bent, all voices pray ; Thy love has blessed the wide world's won- drous story With light and life since Eden's dawning day. (43) 44 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 O Holy Father, who hast led thy children In all the ages, with the fire and cloud, Through seas dry-shod, through weary wastes bewildering, To thee, in reverent love, our hearts are bowed. 3 O Holy Jesus, Prince of Peace and Sav- iour, To thee we owe the peace that still pre- vails, Stilling the rude wills of men's wild behav- ior, And calming passion's fierce and stormy gales. 4 O Holy Ghost, the Lord and the Life-giver, Thine is the quickening power that gives increase ; From thee have flowed, as from a pleasant river, Our plenty, wealth, prosperity, and peace. 5 O Triune God, with heart and voice adoring, Praise we the goodness that doth crown our days ; Pray we that thou wilt hear us, still im- ploring Thy love and favor, kept to us always. William C. Doane. This was written in 1886. In reply to a letter inquiring as to the origin of this hymn, Bishop Doane replied as follows in a letter dated August 20, 1907: The hymn to which you refer was written to be sung at the bicentenary of the charter of Albany as a city. Of course it was not exactly in its present shape then, but was somewhat changed in form when the commit- tee decided to put it in our Church Hymnal. This is not a matter of very great impor- tance, but gives you the facts about which you ask. I Bishop Doane has given us here a most valuable hymn to the Trinity, each of the \ three Persons of the Godhead being ad- dressed in succeeding stanzas. 2 Thousands, tens of thousands, stand, Spirits l)l< si, i>< Core thy throne, Speeding thence at thy command, And, when thy behests are done, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 3 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. 4 Thee apostles, prophets thee, Thee the noble martyr band, Praise with solemn jubilee ; Thee, the church in every land ; Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 5 Halleluiah ! Lord, to thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Godhead one, and persons three, Join we with the heavenly host, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. Christopher Wordsworth. Title: "Trinity Sunday." From the au- thor's Holy Year, London, 1862. The orig- inal has eight stanzas; these are verses one, three, four, five, and eight, unaltered. This is a singable hymn that any congre- gation can use with joy and profit. It is based upon, and was no doubt inspired by, the Te Deum, one of the grandest anthems of the Christian Church. 78 11, 12, 12. 10. H 4 i H 7s. 61. OLY, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, eternal King, By the heavens and earth adored ! Angels and archangels sing, Chanting everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. OLY, 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. HYMNS TO THE TRINITY. 45 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 ! Reginald Heber. This hymn for "Trinity Sunday" was first published in 1826 in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for the Parish Church of Banbury, third edition. This was the year the author died, which sad event occurred in India, where he was mission- ary Bishop of Calcutta. The following year his widow gathered together all of tlie fifty-seven hymns which he had writ- ten and published them in a volume titled Hymns Written and Adapted to the Week- ly Church Service of the Year. Lord Tennyson once declared to Bishop Welldon that he regarded this hymn on I the Holy Trinity as the finest hymn ever | written. It is certainly one of the noblest | and most majestic odes ever addressed to the Divine Being, and is in every way I worthy of the author of the most popular | missionary hymn ever written, "From | Greenland's icy mountains." The tune to J which it is commonly sung, and which is | so well adapted to the words, is very ap- propriately named Nicwa, after the first great ecumenical council of the Christian Church, at which the Bible doctrine of the Trinity was formulated. Tune and words unite to fill the soul of the devout wor- shiper with feelings of awe and a sense of the divine Presence. It is based on j Revelation iv. 8: "And they rest not day and night,, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is l to come." Also Isaiah vi. 3: "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." All of Heber's hymns, it is said, were written while he was rector at Hodnett (1807-12), and many of them were printed at the time in the Christian Observer, be- ing signed with the initials "D. R.," which are the last letters of his name. Julian says in his Dictionary that all of He- ber's hymns are in common use in En- gland and America, and, with very few ex- ceptions, in the original form in which the author wrote them — which, considering that the author has been dead eighty years, is the highest tribute that can pos- sibly be paid to the undying influence and popularity of this rarely gifted hymn- writer and saintly missionary bishop. Some, though not all, will appreciate and indorse the words of W. Garrett Hor- der, who is one of the most judicious and discriminating of English hymnologists: A hymn of great beauty and full of rich lyric feeling. Its only fault, in my judgment, is the too metaphysical line, "God in three Persons, blessed Trinity," due in all prob- ability to the fact that it was written for Trinity Sunday. In hymns dogma should take on the softened form of poetry and be a pervading spirit, not a metaphysical declara- tion. Indeed the doctrine of the Trinity finds much more spiritual expression in Scrip- ture than in the creeds of the Church of which, when he wrote this line, the good Bish- op's mind was evidently full. It may seem to the reader and student of hymnology that the selection of hymns here addressed to the Trinity is unac- countably small, being only four in num- ber. This is due to the fact that several very valuable hymns, appropriate under this head, have oeen placed by the editors of the Hymnal under other heads to which they also properly belong. The reader should compare with the four hymns given above the following, which are ad- dressed either in whole or in part to the Trinity — viz., those beginning, "Come, thou Almighty King" (No. 2), "Infinite God, to thee we raise" (No. 10), "Praise ye Jehovah" (No. 20), "Angel voices ever singing" (No. 27), "We lift our hearts to thee" (No. 45), "Now God be with us, for the night is closing" (No. 58), "Thou whose almighty word" (No. 629), and oth- ers. These, taken all together, make a noble volume of praise to the Triune God. HYMNS TO THE FATHER 79 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 But when we view thy strange design To save rebellious worms, "Where vengeance and compassion join In their divinest forms ; 4 Our thoughts ar j lost in reverent awe ; We love and we adore : The first archangel never saw So much of God before. 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 nams, 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. This hymn was first published in the first edition of Horw Lyrica, 1076, with the title, "God Appears Most Glorious in Our Salvation by Christ." It appears in the second edition of Horce Lyricw, 1709, in nine stanzas, under the title, "God Glo- rious, and Sinners Saved." Two inferior verses have been omitted, and a few verbal changes have been made. Watts was fond of comparing and con- trasting nature and redemption as modes of revealing the goodness and glory of God. Nature could manifest his attributes in part, but it was reserved for redemp- tion to manifest all his attributes and es- pecially his wisdom, holiness, and love. Here alone ''the whole Deity is known." (46) 80 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 form'st thy dazzling robe : Thy ministers are living flame. 5 How shall polluted mortals dare To sing thy glory or thy grace? Beneath .hy 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 thjr wisdom knows thy might ; None but thy word can speak thy name. Isaac Watts. "The Creator and Creatures" is the au- thor's title in Horw Lyricw. 1706. Of the two omitted stanzas, one is: 2 From thy great Self thy Being springs ; Thou art thine own Original, Made up of uncreated Things, And Self-sufncience bears them all. Watts wrote in the opening line "a name" instead of "the name;" in verse two, <,bid" instead of "bade," "and plan- ets" instead of "the planets;" in verse five, "affrighted" instead of "polluted," and "so far" instead of "afar." Verse four of the original is: A glance of thine runs through the globes, Rules the bright world, and moves their frame : Broad sheets of light compose thy robes, Thy guards are formed of living flame. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 47 81 6, ^> 6> 6> 8> 8- 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. Title: "The Divine Perfections." From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II., 1709. It appears to be founded, in part at least, upon Psalm xcvii.: "The Lord reign- eth: let the earth rejoice." A few verbal changes have been made in the last two stanzas. This is Dr. Watts's favorite theme — the greatness and sovereignty of God. It is safe to say that on this topic no hymn writer, ancient or modern, has equaled him in loftiness of thought or grandeur of expression. 82 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. "A Sun-day Hymn" is the author's title for this exceptionally fine and majestic Christian lyric. It was written in 1848, but was not published until 1859. It closes the last chapter of "'The Professor at the Breakfast Table" in the Atlantic Monthly for December, 1859, being pre- ceded immediately by the following words: And so my year's record is finished. Thanks to all those friends who from time to time have sent their messages of kindly recog- nition and fellow-feeling. Peace to all such as may have been vexed in spirit by any ut- terance the pages have repeated. They will doubtless forget for the moment the differ- ence in the hues of truth we look at through our human prisms, and join in singing (in- wardly) this hymn to the Source of the light we all need to lead us and the warmth which can make us all brothers. To write two such hymns as this and the one beginning, "O Love divine, that stooped to share," is enough to give one immortality as a lyric poet and a high and permanent place in the history of hymnology. The author's Autocrat of the Breakfast Table was as much admired as the volume from wThich we have just quo- ted. On the occasion of his celebrating his eightieth birthday Whittier congratu- lated him in a beautiful poem containing these lines: Long be it ere the table shall be set For the last Breakfast of the Autocrat, And Love repeat, with smiles and tears thereat, His own sweet songs, that time shall not for- get: Waiting with him the call to come up higher, Life is not less, the heavens are only higher ! 4S ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 83 0 L. M. LOVE of God, how strong and true, Eternal, and yet ever new; Uncomprehended and unbought, Beyond all knowledge and all thought 2 O heavenly Love, how precious still. In days of weariness and ill, In nights of pain and helplessness, To heal, to comfort, and to bless ! 3 O wide-embracing, wondrous Love, We read thee in the sky above ; We read thee in the earth below. In seas that swell and streams that flow. 4 We read thee best in Him who came To bear for us the cross of shame, Stnt by the Father from on high, Our life to live, our death to die. 5 O Love of God, our shield and stay Through all the perils of our way ; Eternal Love, in thee we rest, Forever safe, forever blest. Horatius Bonai: Author's title: ''The Love of God." A fine hymn upon a grand theme. It is found in Hymns of Faith and Hope, sec- ond series, 1864, where it has ten stanzas. These are verses one, three, four, six, and ten, without verbal change. The first part of the hymn calls atten- tion to the love of God as seen in his works, the last part to the same truth as best seen in Christ. One of the omitted verses, the second, is not singable, but it is well worth quoting for its terse terms and forcible expression: O love of God, how deep and great ! Far deeper than man's deepest hate ; Self-fed, self-kindled like the light, Changeless, eternal, infinite. 84 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 Creator's 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 wondrous tale, And nightly, to the listening earth. Repeats 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 ; P'orever singing as they shine, "The hand that made us is divine \- Joseph Addison. This sublime composition is thought by niany to be the best of Addison's hymns. It is the language of one who knows how to reason "from nature up to nature's God," and not only to reason, but to wor- ship. It first appeared in 1712, at the end of an article in the Spectator on "The Right Means to Strengthen Faith." It is based on Psalm xix. 1-6: The heavens declare the glory of God ; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto , night showeth knowledge. There is no speech : nor language where their voice is not heard. I Their line is gone out through all the earth, I and their words to the end of the world. In j them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end j of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it : and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The author precedes this hymn with the following remarks: The Supreme Being has made the best ar- guments for his own existence in the forma- tion of the heavens and the earth, and these are arguments which a man of sense cannot forbear attending to who is out of the noise and hurry of human affairs. . . . The Psalmist has very beautiful strokes of poetry to this purpose in that exalted strain (Psalm xix^. As such a bold and sublime manner of thinking furnishes very noble matter for an ode, the reader may see it wrought into the following one. And then comes this hymn. It is said to have been a favorite with Dr. Samuel Johnson. He used to repeat it with great delight. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 49 Dr. Telford has an interesting note here: Not long before his death John Wesley was talking with Adam Clarke about the origin of Methodism. He pointed out how "God raised up Mr. Addison and his associates to lash the prevailing vices and ridiculous and profane customs of the country, and to show the ex- cellence of Christianity and Christian institu- tions. The Spectators, written with all the simplicity, elegance, and force of the Eng- lish language, were everywhere read, and were the first instruments in the hands of God to check the mighty and growing profan- ity and call men back to religion and decency and common sense. Methodism, in the or- der of God, succeeded and revived and spread Scriptural and experimental Christianity over the nation. And now what hath God wrought !" That is perhaps the noblest trib- ute ever paid to Addison and Steele, who were, like Wesley, old Carthusians. Addison's poetic version of the twenty- third Psalm, beginning, "The Lord my pasture shall prepare," is much admired, and is found in most collections. 85 8s, 7s. D. 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 Be 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 ci glory, To the cross of deepest woe ; Thou didst come to ransom sinners : Flow, my praise, forever flow ! 4 Reascend, immortal Saviour ; Leave thy footstool, take thy throne ; Thence return and reign forever ; Be the kingdom all thine own ! Robert Robinson. This majestic hymn appears in Rippon's Selection, 1787, in nine four-lined stanzas, each followed by a refrain, "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen," which has been omitted above, as also the seventh stanza, which is as follows: Did archangels sing thy coming? Did the shepherds learn their lays? Shame would cover me ungrateful, Should my tongue refuse to praise. 86 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. Faber. "The Eternal Father'' is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Jesus and Mary; or. Catholic Hymns for Singing and Reading, 1849. In his Hymns, 1861, the title is changed to "Our Heavenly Father.'' Two stanzas are omitted: 50 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 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 ! When Faber became a Roman Catholic, in 1846, he realized the need, he tells us, of intensely ardent and spiritual hymns which would be to Catholics what the hymns of Cowper, Newton, and Wesley were to evangelical Protestants. He there- fore, making the hymns of these authors something of a guide and model, under- took to meet the need. His hymns abound in Mariolatry and other un-Protestant and, as we think, unchristian elements — well- nigh all of them have to be altered to adapt them to Protestant worship — but after they have had these objectionable elements eliminated, they make hymns which are not only acceptable to all Chris- tians, but which are more than ordinarily admired and loved by many of the most de- vout and spiritual of evangelical believers. 8? C. M. 0GOD, 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 the eternal years In glory all alone, Ere round thine uncreated fires Created light had shone. 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, yet not 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. Title, "My Father;' from Faber's Hymns, 1861, where it contains thirteen stanzas. These are one, five, six, seven, eight, and thirteen, unaltered. This is the author's favorite theme — God. He had a heart on fire with love and a genius for adequate and poetic ex- pression. 88 8s, 7s. 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. 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 ; Everywhere his glory shineth ; God is wisdom, God is love. John Bowring. From the author's Hymns, London, 1825, where it bears the title "God Is Love" and repeats the first stanza in closing. In the third line of the third stanza the au- thor wrote "mist" instead of "gloom." Few hymns sing of God's wisdom and love so beautifully as this. We wonder how a Unitarian could sing so nobly of the wis- dom and love of God, and yet fail to see that it took a divine-human Christ ade- quately to reveal this wisdom and love of the Heavenly Father. 89 C. M. BEGIN, my tongue, some heavenly theme, And speak some boundless thing, The mighty works or mightier name Of our eternal King. 2 Tell of his wondrous faithfulness, And sound his power abroad ; Sing the sweet promise of his grace And the performing God. 3 His every word of grace is strong, As that which built the skies ; The voice that rolls the stars along, Speaks all the promises. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 51 4 O might I hear thy heavenly tongue But whisper, "Thou art mine !" Those gentle words should raise my song To notes almost divine. Isaac Watts. Title: "The Faithfulness of God." It is from Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. Nine stanzas. These are one, two, six, and eight. This hymn is not equal to the best of Watts's, yet it has some of the same characteristics. It is full of power and beauty. One word has been changed. Watts wrote, verse three, line one: "His very word of grace is strong." 90 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 message of love to bear. 5 O when hij wisdom can mistake, His might decay, his love forsake, Then may his children cease to sing, "The Lord omnipotent is King !" Josiah Conder. From the author's The Star in the East; with Other Poems, London, 1824. It is based on Revelation xix. 6: "Alle- luia: for the Lord God omnipotent reign- eth." The second, seventh, and eighth stanzas, omitted above, are: 2 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? 7 Alike pervaded by His eye, All parts of His dominion lie : This world of ours, and worlds unseen ; And thin the boundary between. 8 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. 91 !, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7. GUIDE me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land : I 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 White- field's Collection, 1774, is: "Christ a Sure Guide" 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 language. Rev. James King in Anglican Hymnology says: "In 1771 it was translated into English by the Rev. Peter Williams." It is a genuine heart song, and has been sung by unnumbered saints who now sing the "new song" above. In this hymn the analogies to the his- tory of Israel in the wilderness are very wonderful. They appear in each stanza and in almost every line. 52 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 92 10, io, n. n. THOUGH troubles assail, and dangers af- fright, Though friends should all fail, and foes all unite, Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide, The promise assures us, "The Lord will pro- vide." 2 The birds, without barn or storehouse, 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 pro- vide." 3 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, "The Lord will pro- vide." 4 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, "The Lord will provide." John Newton. Written in February, 1775, and pub- lished in the Gospel Magazine for Janu- ary, 1777. Found also in the Olney Hymns, 1779. Genesis xxii. 14 furnishes the. title and the refrain for this hymn — "The Lord Will Provide:' In the fourth line of the first stanza the author wrote "Scripture" instead of "promise;" and in- stead of the second line of the third stan- za as given above he wrote: "Yet since we have known the Saviour's great name." Four stanzas have been omitted: We all may, like ships, By tempest be tossed On perilous deeps, But can not be lost ; Though Satan enrages The wind and the tide, Yet Scripture engages, The Lord will provide. His call we obey, Like Abrah'm of old : We know not the way, But faith makes us bold ; For though we are strangers, We have a sure guide, And trust in all dangers, The Lord will pro- vide. 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." He tells us we'.e weak, our hope is in vain; The good that we seek we n'er shall obtain : But when such suggestions our spirits have ply'd, This answers all questions, "The Lord will provide." This hymn was a great favorite with Methodists a generation ago, but it is now rarely sung. 93 l, 7, 8, 7, 8, TO God on high be thanks and praise For mercy ceasing never, Whereby no foe a hand can raise, Nor harm can reach us ever. With joy to him our hearts ascend, The source of peace that knows no end, A peace that none can sever. 2 The honors paid thy holy name To hear thou ever deignest ! Thou God the Father, still the same Unshaken ever reignest. Unmeasured stands thy glorious might ; Thy thoughts, thy deeds, outstrip the light, Our heaven thou, Lord, remainest. Nicolaus Decius. Tr. by Robert C. Singleton. "Gloria in Excelsis." It is based upon the song of the angels (Luke ii. 14): "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." It was aft- erwards expanded into an elaborate chant of praise. It is found in the Greek as early as the fifth century, and in the Lat- in in the eighth. The translation of Nicolaus Decius into German consists of four seven-lined stan- zas. Several translations have been made from German into English. One by Miss Winkworth begins: All glory be to God on high Who hath our race befriended. In the earlier editions of the Hymnal this translation was attributed to Miss Winkworth in error. It is a part of a translation made by Robert C. Singleton, and was first published in the Anglican Hymn Book. 1868. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 53 94 M S. M. Y 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 This hymn on the "Abounding Compas- sion of God; or, Mercy in the Midst of Judgment,"' is based on 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 forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins ; nor rewarded us according to our in- iquities. 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 transgres- sion from us. From the author's Psalms of David, 1719. 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. 95 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. Walter Scott. This is a part of the hymn with which the imprisoned Rebecca concludes her evening devotions. From the author's ro- mance, Ivanhoe, 1820. The original con- sists of four eight-lined stanzas. This hymn is composed of the first and third. Two lines have been slightly changed. In verse four, line one, the author wrote: "But present still, though now unseen;" and in 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." 96 C. M. GOD moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. 2 Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright 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. 54 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 5 I Fis 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. This hymn was first published in John Newton's Twenty Six Letters on Religious Subjects; to ichich are added Hymns, &c, by Omicron, London, 1774. ''Light Shin- ing Out of Darkness'' is the title which it bears. It was also published the same year in the Gospel Magazine for July, 1774. It is found in the Olney Collection, 1779, which is composed entirely of the hymns of Newton and Cowper. In the earliest form of this hymn, found in a recently discovered Cowper manu- script, the last line of verse five reads: "But wait to smell the flower." Cowper's hymns are best understood when studied in the light of his peculiar life experiences. He suffered with occa- sional attacks of insanity which kept him in a state of mental and moral despond- ency and sometimes necessitated his be- ing confined in an asylum. He was a deep- ly religious soul. He lived for several years at Olney, during which time he was a constant attendant upon the services of the Church of which John Newton was pastor and for which, at Newton's request, most of his hymns were written. Writing of his friend and coworker, Newton tells us, "it was impressed upon his disturbed imagination that it was the will of God that he should, after the ex- ample of Abraham, perform an expensive act of obedience and offer not a son, but himself." He attempted suicide several times, the most notable instance being in October, 1773. There has long existed a widely accepted tradition that this hymn was written at this juncture in his life. In July-September, 1905, an English peri- odical titled Xotes and Queries printed some hitherto unpublished letters from Cowper and Newton contained in a re- cently discovered manuscript of great val- ue to hymnologists because of the light it throws upon the date of this and three other hymns by Cowper. The dates given in this manuscript seem to furnish con- clusive evidence that this hymn was writ- ten not later than August, 1773. We must give up, therefore, the popular and fre- quently published tradition which states that it was written in October, 1773, im- mediately after an attempt to drown him- self in the river Ouse had been frustrated. However, the fact that the hymn was writ- ten in the twilight of departing reason still renders it, as James Montgomery has said, "awfully interesting." Greatheed, in his Memoirs of the poet, says that Cowper "conceived some presentiment of the at- tack of 1773 as it drew near, and during a solitary walk in the fields composed that hymn of the Olney collection beginning, 'God moves in a mysterious way.' " About this time Cowper wrote of him- self: "I have never met, either in books or in conversation, with an experience at all similar to mine. More than a twelve- month has passed since I began to hope that, having walked the whole breadth of the bottom of the Red Sea, I was begin- ning to climb the opposite shore, and I proposed to sing the Song of Moses. But I have been disappointed." Yet he can still add, speaking to the Saviour: "I love thee, even now, more than many who see thee daily." "It was such agonies as these," observes Duffield, "which have given Cow- per's hymns their marvelous hold upon the heart." James T. Fields has said that to be the author of such a hymn as this is an achievement that angels themselves might envy. The objections of some critics to the rhyme and the figure contained in the fifth stanza are hypercritical. The rhyme is allowable, and the figure of the bitter- tasting bud and the sweet-smelling flower HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 55 is not only true to nature, but admirably adapted to expressing, in fine poetic senti- ment, the thought in the mind of the poet: "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." A great ar- tist said he never permitted "bairns and fools" to look at his paintings until fin- ished. Only artists or wise men might see them when only half finished. The wisest and best alone are capable of pronoun- cing judgment upon God's unfinished prov- idences. Many a soul plunged into doubt and gloom by trying and inexplicable experi- ences has been brought back to faith and light and love again by singing this hymn. It is a profound, tender, and beautiful song of trust, and is perhaps the most pop- ular and useful hymn ever writtten on the deep mysteries of providence. 97 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 par- aphrase of Psalm xlvi. in Songs of Zio?i, 1822. It is interesting to compare the metrical version with the authorized 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 be 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. Songs of Zion was Montgomery's first book of hymns. In the preface he wrote: "If it shall be found that he had added a little to the small national stock of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in which piety speaks the language of poetry and poetry the language of inspiration, he trusts that he will be humbly contented and unfeignedly thankful." His modest ambition has been abundant- ly rewarded. The name of James Mont- gomery, the Christian poet and hymnist, will long be known and cherished. 98 5, 7s. 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. "Come to Jesus" is the title which this immensely popular lyric bears in the au- thor's Hymns, 18G2. The original has thirteen stanzas; we have here the fourth, sixth, eighth, and thirteenth. It is the most popular and frequently sung of all Faber's hymns. Its phraseology happily fits and voices forth the theology of the modern Christian worshiper. To compare God's great love to "the wideness of the sea" is not only a fine poetical metaphor, but the expression of a truth that needs to be emphasized in songs as well as sermons in our day. 56 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Few modern hymn-writers have sung so musically and passionately of the length and breadth and height and depth of God's love as Faber. Compare verse four above with the stanza beginning, "No earthly father loves like thee" (No. 86), and other similar sentiments found in his hymns, and one is forcibly reminded of the ardent love hymns which Bernard of Clairvaux addressed to Christ. (See Nos. 289 and 533.) These sentiments also find a parallel in the following remarkable lines, written in 1779 by a partially in- sane man living at Cirencester, England: Could we with ink the ocean fill, Were the whole earth of parchment made, Were every single stick a quill, Were every man a scribe by trade ; To write the love of God alone, Would drain the ocean dry, Nor would the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. 99 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, Te shall not, in the mountain pine, Disturb the sparrow's nest. 4 His voice sublime is heard afar ; In distant peals it dies ; He yokes the whirlwind to his car, And sweeps the howling skies. 5 Ye nations, bend, in reverence bend ; Ye monarchs, wait his nod ; And bid the choral song ascend To celebrate our God. H. Kirke White. Title: "The Eternal Monarch." This is a genuine poem. It was first published by the Rev. William Bengo Coll- yer, D.D., in Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original, London, 1812. Slight changes have been made in two 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. 100 S. M. H OW gentle God's commands ! How kind his precepts are ! Come, cast your burdens on the Lord, And trust his constant care. 2 Beneath his watchful eye His saints securely dwell ; That hand which bears 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. "God's Care a Remedy for Ours" is the title of this hymn in the author's Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, London, 1755. It is based on 1 Peter v. 7: "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you." In the first and second lines of the second stanza the author wrote: While Providence sui)ports Let saints securely dwell. In the second line of the fourth verse he wrote: "Down to the present day." The beginning of this hymn is exceed- ingly happy, while the last two lines make a poetic gem of rare value and beauty both in language and in thought. 101 P. M. MIGHTY fortress is our God, L. 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. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 57 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 Frederick H. Hedge. Heinrich Heine, a celebrated German lyric poet and critic, called this hymn the "Marseillaise of the Reformation." He said: A battle hymn was this defiant song, with which he and his comrades entered Worms (April 16, 1521). The old cathedral trem- bled at these new notes, and the ravens were startled in their hidden nests in the towers. This hymn, the Marseillaise of the Reforma- tion, has preserved its potent spell even to our days, and we may yet use again the old mailed words. From the German, "Em" feste Burg ist unser Gott." It first appears in print, so far as we know, in a German hymn book published at Wittenberg in 1529, under the title, "Der XXXXVI Psalm. Deus noster refu- gium et virtus." This rugged hymn, set to equally rug- ged music, spread over all the land and became the national hymn of Protestant Germany. It was used daily by Luther and his associates. Gustavus Adolphus caused it to be sung by his whole army before the battle of Leipzig, September 17, 1631. It is the battle hymn of Prot- estantism, and should be used by us more frequently. It has been translated by many writers with varying degrees of suc- cess. Coleridge said that Luther "did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as he did by his translation of the Bible." The reference which D'Aubigne* makes to this hymn in his History of the Reformation is well worth quoting: Luther, full of faith, revived the courage of his friends by composing and singing with his fine voice that beautiful hymn, since be- come so famous, ''Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott." Never did soul that knew its own weakness, but which, looking to God, de- spised every fear, find such noble accents. This hymn was sung during the Diet not only at Augsburg, but in all the churches of Sax- ony, and its energetic strains often revived and inspirited the most dejected hearts. Dr. Julian names sixty-three transla- tions of this hymn into English, desig- nating the following by Thomas Carlyle as "the most faithful and forcible of all the English versions:" 1 A safe stronghold our God is still, A trusty shield and weapon ; He'll help us clear from all the ill That hath us now o'ertaken. The ancient prince of hell Hath risen with purpose fell ; Strong mail of craft and power He weareth in this hour ; On earth is not his fellow. 2 With force of arms we nothing can, Full soon were we downridden ; But for us fights the proper Man, Whom God Himself hath bidden. Ask ye, Who is this same? Christ Jesus is His name, The Lord Sabaoth's Son ; He, and no other one, Shall conquer in the battle. 3 And were this world all devils o'er, And watching to devour us, We lay it not to heart so sore ; Not they can overpower us. And let the prince of ill Look grim as e'er he will, 58 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. He harms us not a whit : For why? His doom is writ; A word shall quickly slay him. God's word, for all their craft and force, One moment will not linger, But, spite of hell, shall have its course ; "Pis written by His finger. And though they take our life, Goods, honour, children, wife, Yet is their profit small : These things shall vanish all ; The city of God remaineth. 102 C. M. H OW are thy servants blest. O Lord ! How sure is their defense ! Eternal "Wisdom is their guide, Their help, Omnipotence. 2 In foreign realms, and lands remote, Supported by thy care, Through burning climes they pass unhurt, And breathe in tainted air. 3 When by the dreadful tempest borne High on the broken wave, They know thou art not slow to hear, Nor impotent to save. 4 The storm is laid, the winds retire, Obedient to thy will ; The sea, that roars at thy command, At thy command is still. 5 In midst of dangers, fears, and deaths, Thy goodness we adore ; We praise thee for thy mercies past, And humbly hope for more. 6 Our life, while thou preservest life, A sacrifice shall be ; And death, when death shall be our lot, Shall join our souls to thee. Joseph Addison. This hymn first appeared in the Spec- tator for September 20, 1712, in connec- tion with an article on "Greatness," with special reference to the greatness and im- pressiveness of the ocean. It is accom- panied by the statement that it wras "made by a gentleman upon the conclusion of his travels," and hence it is commonly called "The Traveler's Hymn." In the author's travels in the year 1700 he encountered dangers by land and by sea, as well as Roman pestilence and Alpine glacier. He was caught in a violent storm off the coast of Italy in December, 1700, and all was given up for lost. While the captain of the vessel in despair of life was confess- ing his sins to a Capuchin friar on board, the English traveler was undergoing an experience that was to find pious expres- sion in this magnificent hymn of trust and thanksgiving for preservation. It takes a deep and trying experience to break up the fountains of the human heart and prepare one to produce a hymn so full of the spirit of true devotion. The sweetest and noblest hymns, as indeed most of that which is best in all poesy, have been wrung out of the human heart by severe trials of some kind. There would be very little of real value in hym- nology if none of God's children were called upon to pass through the deep wa- ters and "under the rod." This hymn orig- inally had ten stanzas. The omitted stan- zas are the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth of the original, and are as follows: 3 Thy mercy sweetened every soil, Made every region please : The hoary Alpine hills it warmed, And smoothed the Tyrrhene seas. 4 Think, O my soul, devoutly think, How with affrighted eyes Thou sawest the wide-extended deep In all its horrors rise ! 5 Confusion dwelt in every face, And fear in every heart; When waves on waves, and gulfs on gulfs, O'ercame the pilot's art. 6 Yet then from all my griefs, O Lord, Thy mercy set me free, While in the confidence of prayer My soul took hold on thee. Addison's devout meditation on death, beginning, "When rising from the bed of death," is worthy to be studied along with this hymn, and also the hymn beginning, "When all thy mercies, O my God" (No. 105). 103 7s. LORD, whom winds and seas obey, Guide us through the watery way : In the hollow of thy hand Hide, and bring us safe to land. HYMNS TO THE FATHER. 50 2 Jesus, let our faithful mind Rest, on thee alone reclined : Every anxious thought repress ; Keep our souls in perfect peace. 3 Keep the souls whom now we leave ; Bid them to each other cleave ; Bid them walk on life's rough sea; Bid them come hy faith to thee. 4 Save, till all these tempests end, All who on thy love depend ; "Waft our happy spirits o'er; Land us on the heavenly shore. Charles Wesley. Title: "At Going on Shipboard." It is unaltered and entire as found in the writ- er's manuscripts at the Theological Li- brary at Richmond, England. The hymn emphasizes the important thought of the keeping power cf God. 104 Us THE Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall 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 ; Xo harm can befall, with my Comforter near. 3 In the midst of affliction my table is spread ; Wifti 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? 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 kiagdom of love. James Montgomery. This much-adniired metrical version of the twenty-third Psalm is found in the au- thor's Songs of Zion, being Imitations of Psalms, 1822. 105 C. M. 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 Ten thousand thousand precious gifts My daily thanks employ ; Nor is the least a cheerful heart That tastes those gifts with joy. 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 glorious theme renew. 7 Through all eternity to thee A grateful song I'll raise ; For O, eternity's too short To utter all thy praise. Joseph AdAison. This favorite hymn contains, in all, thirteen stanzas. The whole poem is found in the Spectator, No. 453, in which it was first published in 1712. It appears in connection with an article containing the following sentiment, which makes a fitting preface to this truly great hymn on gratitude: If gratitude is due from man to man, how much more from man to his Maker? The Supreme Being does not only confer upon us those bounties which proceed more imme- diately from his hand, but even those bene- fits which are conveyed to us. by others. Any blessing we enjoy, by what means soever de- rived, is the gift of Him who is the great Author of good and the Father of mercies. As the verses left out are equally as good as those retained, we quote them in full. Indeed, to appreciate the hymn for 60 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. its real worth, it should be read without abbreviation or alteration from the orig- inal. 3 Thy providence my life sustained, And all my wants redressed. While in the silent womb I lay, And hung upon the breast. 4 To all my weak complaints and cries Thy mercy lent an ear, Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learned To form themselves in prayer. 5 Unnumbered comforts on my soul Thy tender care bestowed. Before my infant heart conceived From whom those comforts flowed. S When worn with sickness, oft hast thou With health renewed my face; And, when in sins and sorrows sunk, Revived my soul with gi-ace. 9 Thy bounteous hand with worldly bliss Hast made my cup run o'er ; And in a kind and faithful friend Hast doubled all my store. 12 When nature fails, and day and night Divide thy works no more. My ever grateful heart. O Lord, Thy mercies shall adore. Some doubt has recently been expressed by hymnologists whether Addison were the author of this hymn. It will be seen that he does not expressly claim it. To do so was contrary to his habit. The claims of others have not been substantiated. All of this author's hymns were published in connection with his prose writings. He was practically the inventor of the Eng- lish essay. Christian biography furnishes many in- stances of the influence of this hymn upon religious experience and life. One of the most striking is the following: Josiah Quincy. formerly President of Har- vard College, lived to be ninety-two years of age. He had kept a journal for many years. He was accustomed to sit in the morning in a large chair with a broad arm to it. which 1 as a desk upon which he wrote his diary. July 1, 1S64. he sat down in his chair as usual. His daughter brought his jour- nal. He at first declined to undertake his wonted task, but his daughter urged him not to abandon it. He took the book and wrote the first verse of that grateful hymn of Addison : "When all thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul sur . Transported by the view, I'm lost In wonder, love, and praise." The weary head dropped upon the bosom. The volume was ended. The aged pilgrim's I course was finished. 106 10, 10, 11, 11. 0 WORSHIP the King, all-glorious above, O gratefully sing his power and his love ; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2 O tell of his might. O sing of his grac\ 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. 3 Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light, I: streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distills in the dew and the 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. Robert Grant. This noble and much-admired metrical , version of Psalm civ. appeared in Bicker- i steth's Church Psalmody. 1833. The au- I thor died in 1S38, and the following year ! his eleven hymns and other poems were j collected and published by his brother, , Lord Glenelg, under the title, Sacred Poems. 1839, in which volume this hymn j is found. The third and sixth stanzas of the original, omitted above, are here giv- en: 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. HYMNS TO THE SON 107 C. M. J OY 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 King- dom" It is a free rendering of the last part of Psalm xcviii.: Sing unto tho Lord with the harp ; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trum- pets 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, this glad Christ- mas song has found its way into many col- lections of hymns. It is a general favor- ite. As given here it is entire, and we find no changes except in verse three, line one, where the original has "sins and sorrows." This hymn is full of faith and Chris- tian hope. The joy of the advent of Christ is a "joy unspeakable." No man can tell it, but this hymn comes as near giving adequate expression to that joy as can be done by human language. Few hymns ever written have been sung to tunes so popular and so well adapted to the words as "Antioch" is to this hap- py and joyful advent song. 108 C. M. HARK the glad sound ! the Saviour comes, The Saviour promised long ! Let every heart prepare a throne, And every voice a song. 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 gen- erally regarded as Dr. Doddridge's master- piece. It was written to be sung at the close of a Christmas sermon preached De- cember 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. Its first appearance in print, so far as known, was in the Translations and Para- phrases of the Church of Scotland, pub- lished in 1745. It is also found in the au- thor's Hymns, 1755. In the first manu- script copy of the hymn (which is still (61) 62 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. preserved in the Rooker Collection) line one of the third stanza has "the thick'* instead of "thickest," and line three has "the eye-balls of the blind" instead of "the eyes oppressed with night." In the fourth stanza, line two, the author wrote "bleed- ing" instead of "wounded." The second and sixth stanzas of the original, omitted above, are: 2 On him the Spirit, largely poured, Exerts its sacred fire ; Wisdom and might and zeal and love His holy breast inspire. 6 His silver trumpets publish loud The Jub'lee of the Lord ; Our debts are all remitted now, Our heritage restored. "The finest of all Doddridge's hymns," says Horder, "one of the noblest hymns ever written, alike as to style and sub- stance. There is a mingling of boldness and tenderness, a suitability and melody in its style, that stamp it as a master- piece." 109 8s, 7s. H ARK ! 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 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 Caiuood. Title: "For Christmas Day" Several slight verbal changes have been made since the hymn was first published. The author wrote verse one as follows: Hark ! what mean those holy voices, Sweetly warbling in the ski' Sure the angelic host rejoices ; Loudest hallelujahs rise. In verse four he wrote in line two, "Heaven and earth his glory sing;" and in line three: "Glad receive whom God ap- pointed." Each stanza in the original was fol- lowed by a "Hallelujah." These changes were without doubt made by Dr. Thomas Cotterill for his Sheffield Collection, 1819. Lyra Britannica gives an additional stanza: Let us learn the wondrous story Of our great Redeemer's birth ; Spread the brightness of his glory Till it cover all the earth. 110 C. M. D. IT came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold ; "Peace on the earth, good will to men, From heaven's all-gracious King:" The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels 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 Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world hath 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, . HYMNS TO THE SON. 63 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 send back the song Which now the angels sing. Edmund H. Sears. "Peace on Earth" is the title of this hymn, which first appeared in the Chris- tian Register, of Boston, in December, 1850, though it had been sent to Dr. Mor- rison, the editor, a year before this, in December, 1849. "I was very much de- lighted with it," writes Dr. Morrison, "and before it came out in the Register I read it at a Christmas celebration of Dr. Lunt's Sunday school in Quincy. I al- ways feel that, however poor my Christ- mas sermon may be, the reading and sing- ing of this hymn are enough to make up for all deficiencies." HI 7s D. HARK ! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild ; God and sinners reconciled." Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies ; With angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem." Hark ! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King." 2 Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord : Late in time behold him come, Offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity ! Pleased as man with men to appear, Jesus our Immanuel here. 3 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 : Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die ; Born to raise the sons of earth ; Born to give them second birth. 4 Come, Desire of nations, come ! Fix in us thy humble home : Rise, the woman's conquering seed, Bruise in us the serpent's head ; Adam's likeness now efface, Stamp thine image in its place : Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in thy love. Charles Wesley. Title: "Hymn for Christmas Day." 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 Rev. Mar- tin Madan in 1760, and was adopted by John Wesley in some of his collections. At the session of the Joint Commission held at Plymouth, Mass., Bishop Hoss, in speaking of changes of text, made this striking remark: "The professional hymn- tinker is an odious creature." That is true, yet some changes are for the better. Here is a case where the hymn-mender has improved Charles Wesley. The original of verse four, line five, is: "Adam's likeness, Lord, efface." Who is responsible for the weakening of that line is more than this writer can tell. This is the first and only hymn by Charles Wesley that was ever included in the English Book of Common Prayer. Of this hymn Dr. Julian says: This hymn is found in a greater number of hymn books, both old and new, than any oth- er of C. Wesley's compositions ; and amongst English hymns it is equaled in popularity only by Toplady's "Rock of Ages" and Bishop Ken's morning and evening hymns, and is excelled by none. 112 6, 6, 6, 6, 12, 12. THERE'S a song in the air ! There's a star in the sky ! There's a mother's deep prayer, And a baby's low cry ! And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King. 2 There's a tumult of joy O'er the wonderful birth, For the Virgin's sweet boy Is the Lord of the earth. Ay ! the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King ! 64 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 In the light of that star Lie i he ages Impearled ; And that song from afar Has swept over the world. Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing In the homes of the nations that Jesus is . King ! 4 We rejoice in the light, And we echo the song That comes down through the night From the heavenly throng. Ay ! we shout to the lovely evangel they bring, And we greet in his cradle our Saviour and King ! Josiah G. Holland. From the author's Complete Poetical Writings, New York, 1879, where it bears the title "A Christmas Carol." There are few things that have come from the pen of this gifted and versatile author that bear the marks of poetic genius in a high- er degree than this bright and beautiful Christmas song. This is, we believe, the first use of this carol in any large Church hymnal. 113 Sz, 7s. 61. 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: "Christmas." Unaltered and en- tire. It was contributed to Thomas Cot- terill's Selection, 1819. This cannot be called a hymn except by courtesy. It is a Christmas song, a dig- nified call to "worship Christ." A hymn is "An ode or song of praise." (Web- ster.) This poem is an exhortation to "angels," "shepherds," "sages," "saints," and "sinners" to come and worship Christ, "the newborn King." It may properly be called a spiritual song, a term of wide significance, a song very appropriate for the Christmas season. 114 lis, 10s. 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 dewdrops are shin- ing; Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall ; Angels adore him, in slumber reclining, Maker, and Monarch, and Saviour of all. 3 Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom and offerings divine, Gems of the 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 se- cure ; Richer by far is the heart's adoration ; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. 5 Brightest and best of the sons of the morn- ing, Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ; Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. Reginald Heoer. HYMNS TO THE SON. 65 "Star of the East" is the title of this hymn, which was first published in the Christian Observer, November, 1811. It is also found in the author's Hymns, 1827. "Few hymns of merit," says Dr. Julian, "have troubled compilers more than this. Some have held that its use involved the worshiping of a star, while others have been offended with its meter as being too suggestive of a solemn dance. ... It has, however, become one of the most widely used of the Bishop's hymns." If to write thus of the "Star of the East" is to worship a star, then to sing Bishop Phillips Brooks's beautiful hymn begin- ning, "0 little town of Bethlehem," would involve the worship of a town! Of course to address thus inanimate things made sacred by their association with Christ is but another way of worshiping him whose presence made everything he touched seem sacred. 115 C. M. 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 "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. This Christmas carol did not appear in 5 the first edition of the New Version of the Psalms, 1696, but in a supplement pub- lished later. It is supposed to have been written by Nahum Tate, who was appoint- ed Poet Laureate in 1690. It is a metric- al rendering of the story given in Luke ii., verses 8-14. 116 8s, 7s. COME, thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free : From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in thee. 2 Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth thou art ; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. 3 Born thy people to deliver, Born a child, and yet a King; Born to reign in us forever, Now thy gracious kingdom bring. 4 By thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone ; By thine all-sufficient merit, Raise us to thy glorious throne. Charles Wesley. From the author's Hymns for the Na- tivity of our Lord, 1744. It seems to be based on Haggai ii. 7: "The Desire of all nations shall come." It is one of Charles Wesley's finest hymns. 117 P. M. N the field with their flocks abiding, . They lay on the dewy ground ; And glimmering under the starlight, The sheep lay white around ; When the light of the Lord streamed o'er them, And lo ! from the heaven above, An angel leaned from the glory, And sang his song of love. He sang, that first sweet Christmas, The song that shall never cease, "Glory to God in the highest, On earth good will and peace." "To you in the city of David A Saviour is born to-day !" And sudden a host of the heavenly ones Flashed forth to join the lay. O never hath sweeter messago Thrilled home to the souls of men, And the heavens themselves had never heard A gladder choir till then. m ANNOTATED HYMNAL. For they sang that Christmas carol That never on earth shall cease, "Glory to God in the highest, On earth good will and peace." 3 And the shepherds came to the manger, And gazed on the Holy Child ; And calmly o'er that rude cradle The virgin mother smiled ; And the sky in the starlit silence, Seemed full of the angel lay: "To you in the city of David A Saviour is horn to-day!" O they sang, and I ween that never The carol on earth shall cease. "Glory to God in the highest, On earth good will and peace." Frederick W. Farrar. The reader of this Christmas carol will find a poetic beauty in nearly every line. So many Christmas songs have been writ- ten that nothing less than genius could produce something both new and good. It was published in 1890 in New York by Thomas Whittaker in connection with Truths to Live By. We have here the au- thor's text unaltered and entire. 118 5, 6, 8, 5, 5, 8. FAIREST Lord Jesus ! Ruler of all nature ! O thou of God and man the Son ! Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thee, my soul's glory, joy, and crown. 2 Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands, Robed in the blooming garb of spring ; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the woeful heart to sing. 3 Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight, And all the twinkling starry host; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer Than all the angels heaven can boast. From the German. In the Minister Hymn Book, 1677, the German original of this hymn appeared as the first of "three beautiful selected new hymns." It begins, "Schonster Herr Jesu." and has five stanzas. In a volume titled Heart Melodies, London (without date), it is designated as "Crusader's Hymn of the 12th Century. This air and hymn used to be sung by the German pil- grims on their way to Jerusalem." For these statements there does not, in the judgment of Dr. Julian, appear to be any authority, as he has been unable to trace the air referred to farther back than 1842 or the words to an earlier date than 1677. The translation above given was pub- lished by R. S. Willis (a brother of the poet N. P. Willis) in his Church Chorals, 1850. This led to the translation's being accredited to Mr. Willis, but he disclaimed the authorship himself and declared that he did not know the author and did not remember where he obtained the trans- lation. 119 Us, 12s. SHOUT the glad tidings, exultingly sing, Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King ! 1 Zion, the marvelous story be telling, The Son of the Highest, how lowly his birth ! The brightest archangel in glory excelling, He stoops to redeem thee, he reigns upon earth ! Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing, Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King ! 2 Tell how he cometh ; from nation to na- tion, The heart-cheering news let the earth echo round ; How free to the faithful he offers salvation, How his people with joy everlasting are crowned. 3 Mortals, your homage be gratefully bring- ing, And sweet let the gladsome hosanna arise ; Ye angels, the full hallelujah be singing ; One chorus resound through the earth and the skits. William A. Muhlenburg. Written at the special request of Bish- op Hobart for the popular tune ''Alison." It first appeared in Hymns of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church, 1826. It is un- altered and complete. "This is distinctly a Christmas hymn," says Dr. Bodine, "which can never lose HYMNS TO THE SON. 07 either popularity or power. Its language is that of faith and hope and most buoy- ant cheer." 120 8s, 6s. D. LONG years ago o'er Bethlehem's hills Was seen a wondrous thing ; As shepherds watched their sleeping flocks, They heard the angels sing. The anthem rolled among the clouds When earth was hushed and still ; Its notes proclaimed sweet peace on earth, To all mankind good will. "Glory to God in the highest," The angels' song resounds, "Glory to God in the highest !" 2 That song is sung by rich and poor, Where'er the Christ is known ; 'Tis sung in words, and sung in deeds, Which bind all hearts in one. Angels are still the choristers, But we the shepherds are, To bear the message which they bring, To those both near and far. "Glory to God in the highest," The angels' song resounds, "Glory to God in the highest !" Leigh R. Brexcer. The author of this hymn is the Prot- estant Episcopal Bishop of Montana. He writes as follows on November 15, 1907, concerning the origin of the hymn: I wrote that hymn or Christmas carol — which I called "The Angels' Song" — just be- fore Christmas in 1892. I had just received from a dear friend a gift of five thousand dol- lars for my missionary work in Montana ; and I wrote this as a Christmas greeting and remembrance. The last verse of the original, which does not appear in the hymn as here published, expressed my gratitude and was as follows : "God bless all those who help to give From burdens a release ! God send his blessings on their homes And fill their lives with peace !" Meeting Mr. C. Whitney Coombs some time after that, he asked for the carol that he might set it to music. I gave it to him, and he made two settings for it in music, one as a solo and the other as a quartet, and pub- lished it. The next year I asked him to set it to music that could be sung by Sunday school children. He did so, and I had it pub- lished in leaflet form and had it sung in all our Sunday schools at their Christmas fes- tival. I then wrote a chorus for it which Mr. Coombs used nearly as I wrote it. The cho- rus was as follows : "Glory to God ! in highest heavens The angels' song resounds. Glory to God ! in answering strains From earth's remotest bounds." In the first edition of the Methodist Hymnal this hymn was erroneously at- tributed to C. Whitney Coombs, growing out of the fact that he was the first com- poser who set it to music. 121 8s, 6s. D. Irregular. 0 LITTLE town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie ! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by ; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light ; The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee to-night. 2 For Christ is born of Mary, And gathered all above, While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love. O morning stars, together Proclaim the holy birth, And praises sing to God the King, And peacj to men on earth! 3 How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is given ! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in. 4 O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray ; Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us to-day. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell ; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel ! Phillips Brooks. This fine Christmas carol was first used at a Sunday school service in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, in 1868, when Phillips Brooks was its rector. Mr. Lewis H. Redner, the organist of the Church, wrote the music for the occa- sion. As originally printed one stanza is here omitted, the fourth: 08 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Where children, pure and happy, Tray to the Blessed Child; Where misery cries out to thee, Son of the Mother mild ; Where charity stands watching, And faith holds wide the door, The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, And Christmas comes once more. Bishop Brooks wrote other hymns more valuable than this, but they are not so well known. For example, we will name "The Voice of the Christ-Child" and "Eas- ter Angels." These are not ordinary poems, but majestic songs, marked with originality both of thought and expres- sion. They are natural and unpreten- tious, but, like the man who wrote them, strong and sweet. 122 P. M. THOU didst leave thy throne and thy king- ly crown, When thou earnest to earth for me ; But in Bethlehem's home there was found no room For thy holy nativity. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus ! There is room in my heart for thee. 2 Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang, Proclaiming thy royal degree ; But in lowly birth didLt thou come to earth, And in grcit humility. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus ! There is room in my heart for thee. 3 The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest In the shade of the forest tree ; But thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God, In the deserts of Galilee. O come to my Heart, Lord Jesus ! There i.s room in my heart for thee. 4 Thou earnest, O Lord, with the living word, That should set thy people free ; But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn, They bore thee to Calvary. O come to my heart, Lord Jesus ! Thy cross is my only plea. 5 When heaven's arches ring, and her choirs shall sing At thy coming to victory, Let thy voice call me home, saying, "Yet there is room, There is room at my side for thee." And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, When thou comest and calkst for me. Emily E. S. Elliott. This hymn was first privately printed in 1864 for the choir and schools of St. Mark's, Brighton, England, and in 1870 it was published in the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor, of which the author was editor for six years. It also appears in her Chimes of Consecration and Faith, 1873. She was much interested in home mission work. She was a niece of Char- lotte Elliott, author of "Just as I am." 123 P. M. SILENT night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright ; Round yon virgin mother and Child! Holy Infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. 2 Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight ! Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia. Christ, the Saviour, is born! Christ, the Saviour, is born ! 3 Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. Joseph Mohr. Title: "Christmas:' From the German, "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!" This carol was written for a Christmas service in 1818. The question naturally arises, Who translated it into English? And the answer is not at hand. It is found in C. L. Hutchins's Sunday School Hymnal, 1871, where it is published anon- ymously. It also appears in The Ep- worth Hymnal, No. 2, with this author's name. 124 L. M. w HEN, marshaled on the nightly plain, The glittering hosts bestud the sky, One star alone of all the train Can fix the sinner's wand'ring eye. HYMNS TO THE SON". CO 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 It is my guide, my light, my all ; It bids my dark forebodings cease; And through life's storm and danger's thrall, It leads me to the port of peace. 4 Thus, safely moored, my perils o'er, I'll sing first in night's diadem, Forever, and for evermore, The Star! the Star of Bethlehem! H. Kirke White. This poem on "The Star of Bethlehem" was first published in 1812 in a collection of hymns prepared by Dr. W. B. Collyer, titled A Supplement to Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns. The author had died six years before in his twenty-second year, while he was a student at Cambridge Uni- versity, preparing to enter the Christian ministry. He had already given such un- usual evidence of poetic genius as to at- tract the attention of the literary world. Southey wrote a memoir of him, and Lord Byron composed some beautiful lines on the occasion of his death. The third and fourth stanzas of the orig- inal, omitted above, are: 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. In the third stanza above "was" has been changed to "is," and "bade" to "bids," "the storm" to "life's storm," "led" to "leads;" and in verse four, "Now" to "Thus." When only seventeen years old the au- thor published a volume titled Clifton Grove and Other Poems, which was consid- ered a remarkable production for one so young. At this time he was skeptical in religion, but through the perusal of Scott's Force of Truth and the personal influence of a dear friend he became a devout and earnest believer in Christ. The above hymn was written to describe his religious experience and to commemorate his con- version, with special reference to the spir- itual skepticism that had marked his unre- generate state and turned his life into a "raging sea," on which his foundering bark was tossed in the darkened night, when suddenly the "Star of Bethlehem" arose, guiding him to the "port of peace." 125 ' Us. OCOME, all ye faithful, triumphantly sing ! Come, see in the manger the angels' dread King ! To Bethlehem hasten with joyful accord ; O hasten ! O hasten ! to worship the Lord. 2 True Son of the Father, he comes from the skies ; The womb of the Virgin he doth not de- spise ; To Bethlehem hasten, with joyful accord ; O hasten ! O hasten ! to worship the Lord. 3 O hark to the angels, all singing in heaven, "To God in the highest, all glory be given !" To Bethlehem hasten, with joyful accord, O hasten ! O hasten ! to worship the Lord. 4 To thee, then, O Jesus, this day of thy birth, Be glory and honor through heaven and earth ; True Godhead Incarnate, Omnipotent Word ! O hasten ! O hasten ! to worship the Lord. From the Latin. Tr. by Edward Caswall. Title: "Adeste Fideles." The author of the Latin hymn is unknown. This trans- lation was made for the Lyra Catholica, 1848. The translator's title was "Hymn for Christmas Day." 126 C. M. W HAT 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. To ANNOTATED HYMNAL. :; Thy foes might hate, despise, revile, Thy friends unfaithful prove; Unwearied In forgiv< ness 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 brethr< n, see That gentleness and grace that spring From union, Lord, with thee. Edward Denny. "The Forgiving One" is the author's ti- tle to this hymn in his Selection of Hymns, 1839, and also in his Hymns and Poems, 1848. It is based on Psalm xlv. 2, "Grace is poured into thy lips," in so far as these words of the Psalmist find their perfect exemplification in the life and character of Christ. Sir Edward Denny, who was a wealthy landlord, owning an estate in County Kerry, Ireland, was len- ient and considerate toward his tenants and enjoyed their respect and love. A devout and useful servant of Christ in private, he rarely ever took part in any public exercises. 12? L. M. H OW 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 lifeblood flowed. 5 O wondrous Lord, my 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. In verse one, line four, the author wrote, "In wondrous love, oh Lamb of God;" in verse two, line one, "Oh! who like Thee, so cairn, so bright;" and in verse three, line three, "So meek, forgiv- ing, God-like, high." These changes of the text, in our judg- ment, are not improvements. From the first edition of Christian Bal- lads, New York, 1840. 128 C. M. w E may not climb the heavenly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down : In vain we search tlfe lowest deeps, For him no depths can drown. 2 But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is he ; And faith has still its Olivet, And love its Galilee. 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. "Our Master" is the author's title to the beautiful poem of thirty-eight stanzas from which this hymn is taken, being composed of the fifth, thirteenth, four- teenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth stanzas of the original. It first appeared in the au- thor's volume titled The Panorama and Other Poems, 1856. The first two stanzas of the original poem make, in our judg- ment, a much finer beginning for a hymn than the above, and it is to be regretted that they were not used: Immortal Love, forever full, Forever flowing free, Forever shared, forever whole, A never-ebbing sea ! HYMNS TO THE SON. 71 Our outward lips confess the Name All other names above ; Love only knoweth whence it came And comprehendeth love. Whittier is the most religious of all our American poets and the most frequently quoted in the pulpit. The secret of his popularity among believers of all names and creeds is found in the poem from which this hymn is taken. There is a town in California named aft- er the poet — "Whittier." Not long before the author died a Protestant Episcopal Church was dedicated in this beautifully located town, and on that occasion he wrote to some friends in this Church a letter, thoroughly characteristic of his own simple faith and large-hearted reli- gion. The letter contained the following noble Christian sentiments: I see the good in all denominations, and hope that all will be represented in the settle- ment ; diligent in business and serv- ing the Lord, not wasting strength and vital- ity in spasmodic emotions, not relying on creed and dogma, but upon faithful obedience to the voice of God in the soul. I see your town is spoken of as an orthodox Quaker col- ony. I hope there will be no sectarian fence about 'Whittier,' but that good men, irre- spective of their creeds, will find a home there. Nothing would be worse for it than to have the idea get abroad that anything like intolerance and self-righteousness was its foundation. I am gratified to know that the people of the town which bears my name will remember me on my birthday. I watch its growth with great interest. It has the repu- tation among all who have seen it that it oc- cupies one of the loveliest sites in California, and that in a moral and religious and educa- tional point of view it need Fear not the skeptic's puny hand While near the school the church will stand ; Nor fear the blinded bigot's rule While near the church shall stand the school. "I am really not a hymn-writer," said Whittier of himself, "for the good reason that I know nothing of music. Only a very few of my poems were written for singing. A good hymn is the best use to which poetry can be devoted, but I do not claim that I have succeeded in composing one." But there are many others who make this claim for him. 129 C. M. 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 at the request of the commit- tee that revised the Hymnal of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church in 1878, and first published in that excellent book. The first three stanzas give a fine description of the transfiguration. The last verse is a very appropriate prayer for the Christian work- er. 130 8s, 7s. Th FRIEND of sinners ! Lord of Glory ! Lowly, Mighty ! — Brother, King ! — Musing o'er thy wondrous story, Grateful we thy praises sing : Friend to help us, comfort, save us, In whom power and pity blend — Praise we must the grace which gave us Jesus Christ, the sinners' Friend. 2 Friend who never fails nor grieves us, Faithful, tender, constant, kind ! — Friend who at all times receives us, Friend who came the lost to find : — Sorrow soothing, joys enhancing, Loving until life shall end — Then conferring bliss entrancing, Still, in heaven, the sinners' Friend ! 3 O to love and serve thee better ! From all evil set us free ; Break, Lord, every sinful fetter; Be each thought conformed to thee : ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Looking- for thy bright appearing, .May our spirits upward tend ; Till, no longer doubting, fearing, We behold the sinners' Friend! C. Newman Hall. This hymn was composed for the au- thor's father, John Vine Hall, who wrote the well-known tract titled "The Sinner's Friend." It is dated Bolton Abbey, Sep- tember, 1857, and was first published in the author's Hymns composed at Bolton Abbey and Other Rhymes, London, 1858, where it has five stanzas, eight lines each. Only a man of ardent evangelical faith could write a hymn like this. His life best interprets the hymn. He at first ex- pected to enter the legal profession; but, following a divine call, he entered the ministry "simply and solely to persuade men to Jesus." This, says Dr. C. S. Rob- inson in a note written in 1893, "is the keynote of his whole life-labor. His the- ology is the theology of Calvary. Himself a nominal Congregationalist, he uses the Church of England liturgy in his Sabbath service; he has a Presbyterian board of elders; he assimilates with Methodists in many of his modes of labor; he is equally at home with Episcopalians like Bicker- steth or with Quakers like Bevan Braith- waite." When because of increasing years he found it necessary to retire from the ac- tive work of the ministry, this was the record of the man and his work that was published: After preaching in the church edifice, it is Mr. Hall's frequent habit to go out and ad- dress the people in the street. Though now almost seventy-four years old, he stands erect in magnificent strength, nearly six feet in height. He has the muscle and endurance of an athlete, can climb a mountain like a mem- ber of the Alpine Club, and often walks a dozen miles on Sunday to and from his church. He has the element of humor in him, can enjoy a merry romp with children, and brims over with life in every direction. His Church numbers nearly two thousand members, and among them are several scores of converted inebriates. He is a zealous tee- totaler, and makes the temperance reform prominent, no less than five meetings for the promotion of total abstinence b 7s. H( OLY 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. Reed's Collection, published in 1817. The original contains four double stanzas. This hymn is made up of the first half of each stanza without change. Good hymns addressed to the Holy Spirit are all too few. Some of the best that have been written are in this book; we hope they will come into frequent and joyful use. Notice the progress of the work of the Holy Spirit as given in this hymn: first. he illuminates; second, he cleanses; third, he cheers; and fourth, he dwells and reigns in the heart. It is happily constructed. 186 C. 11 T WORSHIP thee, O Holy Ghost, 1 I love to worship thee ; My risen Lord for aye were lost But for thy company. 2 I worship thee. O Holy Ghost. I love to worship thee ; I grieved thee long, alas ! thou know' si- lt grieves me bitterly. 3 I worship thee. O Holy Ghost, I love to worship thee ; Thy patient love, at what a cost At last it conquered me ! 4 1 worship thee, O Holy Ghost, I love to worship thee ; "With thee each day is Pentecost, Each night Nativity. William F. Warren. This simple but useful hymn, by one of the most honored divines of American Methodism, was contributed in 1877 to the Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the special request of the edi- tors. As a hymn of adoration and love addressed to the Holy Spirit it meets a real need in our songs of public worship. 1ST L. M. 0 FOR that flame of living fire, Which Sxione so bright in saints of old Which bade their souls to heaven aspire, Calm in distress, in danger bold. J Where is that Spirit, Lord, which dwelt In Abraham's breast, and sealed him thine? Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt, And glow with energy divine? 3 That Spirit which, from age to ag^. Proclaimed thy love, and taught thy ways? Brightened Isaiah's vivid page. And breathed in David's hallowed lays? 4 Is not thy grace as mighty now As when Elijah felt its power ; When glory beamed from Moses' brow, Or Job endured the trying hour? 5 Remember, Lord, the ancient days ; Renew thy work ; thy grace restore ; Warm our cold hearts to prayer and praise, And teach us how to love thee more. William H. Bathurst. Title, "For an Increase of Grace." It is from Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, London, 1831. It is copied verbatim. The allusions to the prophets of old in this hymn are very happy, and the prayer of the last verse most appropriate. It is a comfort to the disciple to remember that the Master said: "Lo. I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." 188 L. M. 0 SPIRIT of the living God ! In all thy plenitude of grace. Where'er the foot of man hath trod, Descend on our apostate race. 2 Give tongues of fire and hearts of love To preach the reconciling word ; HYMNS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. 105 Give power and unction from above, Whene'er the joyful sound is heard. 3 Be darkness, at thy coming, light ; Confusion, order, in thy path ; Souls without strength, inspire with might ; Bid mercy triumph over wrath. 4 Baptize the nations ; far and nigh The triumphs of the cross record ; The name of Jesus glorify, Till every kindred call him Lord. James Montgomery. This hymn was written in 1823 for use at the public meeting of the Auxiliary Missionary Society for the West Riding of Yorkshire, to be sung in Salem Chap- el, Leeds, June 4, 1823, and was first printed as a leaflet for that meeting. It was published in the Evangelical Maga- zine for August, 1823, and later in the author's Christian Psalmist, 1825, where it bore the title, "The Spirit Accompany- ing the Word of God.'' As a hymn set- ting forth and emphasizing the relation of the Holy Spirit to the work of mis- sions it fills an important and useful place in our Hymnal. It is a prayer as well as a hymn. The fourth and sixth stanzas of the original have been omitted: O Spirit of the Lord ! prepare All the round earth her God to meet : Breathe Thou abroad like morning air, Till hearts of stone begin to beat. God from eternity hath willed All flesh shall his salvation see : So be the Father's love fulfilled, The Saviour's sufferings crowned through thee! Compare this with Montgomery's other great missionary hymn beginning, "Hark! the song of jubilee," No. 646. 189 8, 6, 8, 4. 0 UR blest Redeemer, ere he breathed His tender last farewell, A Guide, a Comforter bequeathed, With us to dwell. 2 He came in tongues of living flame, To teach, convince, subdue; All-powerful as the wind he came, As viewless, too. 3 He comes, sweet influence to impart, A gracious, willing guest, While he can find one humble heart Wherein to rest. 4 And his that gentle voice we hear, Soft as the breath of even, That checks each fault, that calms each fear, And speaks of heaven. 5 Spirit of purity and grace, Our weakness, pitying, see ; O make our hearts thy dwelling place, And worthier thee ! Harriet Auber. Title, "Whitsunday." It is from the author's Spirit of the Psalms, 1829. In the last hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church this was a common meter. It is here restored to its original form with the exception of one word — the author began the third verse the same as the second: "He came," etc. Two stanzas have been omitted: 2 He came in semblance of a dove, With sheltering wings outspread ; The holy balm of peace and love On earth to shed. 6 And every virtue we possess, And every victory won, And every thought of holiness, Are his alone. The hymn is sufficiently long without these fine stanzas, but they are well worth reading. 190 C. M. SPIRIT Divine, attend our prayer, And make our hearts thy home ; Descend with all thy gracious power ; Come, Holy Spirit, come ! 2 Come as the light : to us reveal Our sinfulness and woe ; And lead us in those paths of life Where all the righteous go. 3 Come as the fire, and purge our hearts, Like sacrificial flame ; Let our whole soul an offering be To our Redeemer's name. 4 Come as the wind, with rushing sound, With pentecostal grace ; And make the great salvation known Wide as the human race. 10G ANNOTATED HYMXAL. 5 Come as the dove, and spread thy wings, The wings of peaceful love : And let thy Church on earth become Blest as thy Church above. Andrew Reed. On February 10, 1829, the Board of Congregational Ministers resident in and about London recommended the appoint- ment of a special day of humiliation and prayer with a view to promoting by the divine blessing a revival of religion in the British Churches. Good Friday was set apart in obedience to this rec- ommendation as "the day appointed for solemn prayer." This hymn was pre- pared especially for that occasion. It was published in the Evangelical Maga- zine for June, 1829, with the following heading and explanatory note: "Hymn to the Spirit. Sung on the late day ap- pointed for solemn prayer and humilia- tion in the Eastern District of the me- tropolis." It was republished in the au- thor's Hymn Book, 1842. The fourth and seventh stanzas are omitted above: 4 Come as the dew, and sweetly bless This consecrated hour ; May barrenness rejoice to own Thy fertilizing power. 7 Spirit Divine, attend our prayers, Make a lost world thy home ; Descend with all thy gracious powers : O come, Great Spirit, come ! The original of verse one is: Spirit Divine, attend our prayers, And make this house thy home ; Descend with all thy gracious poicers : O come, Great Spirit, come. In verse two the author wrote "empti- ness" instead of "sinfulness." In the third and fourth lines of verse four he wrote: That all of woman born may see The glory of thy face. Verses four and five are transposed in the hymn as given above. It will be seen that the author here makes the various Scripture symbols of the Spirit the themes of the successive stanzas of this hymn — light, fire, wind, dew, dove — just as in his other hymn found in this volume (No. 185) he devotes the successive stan- zas to other more spiritual symbols of the Spirit — light, power, joy, etc. It is in- teresting to know that two of our very best and most useful hymns on the Holy Spirit should have been written by a man whose life was crowded with phi- lanthopic and self-sacrificing services to his fellow-man. Dr. Reed is best known in England as the founder of "The Lon- don Orphan Asylum," "The Asylum for Fatherless Children," "The Asylum for Idiots," "The Infant Orphan Asylum," and "The Hospital for Incurables." The inspiration of these two useful hymns and of his noble life work is to be found in that personal acquaintance with the Holy Spirit and that constant dependence upon him for divine guidance that was a marked characteristic of the author's life. 191 S. M. D. SPIRIT of faith, come down, Reveal the things of God ; • And make to us the Godhead known, And witness with the blood. 'Tis thine the blood to apply, And give us eyes to see, Who did for every sinner die, Hath surely died for me. 2 Xo man can truly say That Jesus is the Lord, Unless thou take the veil away, And breathe the living word. Then, only then, we feel Our interest in his blood, And cry, with joy unspeakable, "Thou art my Lord, my God !" 3 O that the world might know The all-atoning Lamb ! Spirit of faith, descend, and show The virtue of his name. The grace which all may find, The saving power, impart ; And testify to all mankind, And speak in every heart. Charles Wesley. From a pamphlet containing thirty- HYMNS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. 107 two hymns, entitled Hymns of Petition and Thanksgiving for the Promise of the Father. By the Rev. John and Mr. Charles Wesley, Bristol, 1746. One word has been changed: the au- thor wrote "great atoning" in verse three, line two. The third and fifth stanzas, omitted above, are: 3 I know my Saviour lives, He lives, who died for me, My inmost soul His voice receives Who hangs on yonder tree : Set forth before my eyes Even now I see Him bleed, And hear His mortal groans and cries, While suffering in my stead. 5 Inspire the living faith, Which whosoe'er receives, The witness in himself he hath, And consciously believes ; The faith that conquers all, And doth the mountain move, And saves whoe'er on Jesus call, And perfects them in love. The "promise of the Father" was the baptism with the Holy Spirit. (Acts i. 4, 5.) The Wesleys taught that this baptism was the high privilege of every believer. 192 8s, 7s. D. H OLY 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 : From the height which knows no measure, As a gracious shower descend, Bringing down the richest treasure Man can wish, or God can send. 2 Author of the new creation, Come with unction and with power : Make our hearts thy habitation ; On our souls thy graces shower : Hear, O hear our supplication, Blessed Spirit, God of peace ! Rest upon this congregation, With the fullness of thy grace. Paul Gerhardt. Tr. by John C. Jacobi. Alt. The German original of this hymn was first published in 1648 in ten stanzas of eight lines each. Jacobi translated this into English about 1725, and published it in his Psalmodia Germanica. Out of these ten stanzas Toplady made a hymn of six stanzas and published them in the Gospel Magazine for June, 1776. Top- lady's revision has been abridged and otherwise altered to make the two stan- zas here given. Many hands, therefore, have had a part in making the above hymn. 193 7s D. HOLY Spirit, faithful Guide, Ever near the Christian's side ; Gently lead us by the hand, Pilgrims in a desert land ; Weary souls fore'er rejoice, While they hear that sweetest voice, Whispering softly, "Wanderer, come ! Follow me, I'll guide thee home." 2 Ever present, truest Friend, Ever near thine aid to lend, Leave us not to doubt and fear, Groping on in darkness drear ; When the storms are raging sore, Hearts grow faint, and hopes give o'er, Whisper softly, "Wanderer, come ! Follow me, I'll guide thee home." 3 When our days of toil shall cease, Waiting still for sweet release, Nothing left but heaven and prayer, Wondering if our names were there ; Wading deep the dismal flood, Pleading naught but Jesus' blood, Whisper softly, "Wanderer, come ! Follow me, I'll guide thee home." Marcus M. Wells. Text, "I will guide thee with mine eye." (Psalm xxxii. 8.) This is found in Gospel Hymns No. 1 (1875). The date of the hymn is given as 1858. The early history of this hymn is some- what obscure. It is found in the Sacred Lute, edited by T. E. Perkins and pub- lished in Boston by Oliver Ditson and Company, date not given, but copyrighted in 1864. In the prayer meeting depart- ment, on page 373, we find this hymn and tune entitled, "The Christian Guide." Words and music by M. M. Wells. The tune is well suited to the words. 108 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 194 L. M. 61. CREATOR, Spirit ! by whose aid The world's foundations first were Come, visit every pious mind, Come, pour thy joys on humankind : From sin and sorrow set us free, And make thy temples worthy thee. 2 O Source of uncreated light, The Father's promised Paraclete ! Thrice holy Fount, thrice holy Fire, Our hearts with heavenly love inspire Come, and thy sacred unction bring-, To sanctify us while we sing. laid, 3 Plenteous of grace, descend from high, Rich in thy sevenfold energy ! Thou Strength of His almighty hand, Whose power does heaven and earth com- mand, Refine and purge our earthly parts, But O, inflame and fire our hearts ! Rabanus Maurns. Tr. by John Dryden. This hymn has been variously attrib- uted to Charlemagne, St. Ambrose, Greg- ory the Great, and Rabanus Maurus, the preponderance of testimony being in fa- vor of the last named. It is one of the most famous and historic hymns of the Christian Church, and has taken a deeper hold upon the devotions and life of the Church than any other hymn of mediaeval origin except the Te Deum. The singing of this hymn in mediaeval times was made an occasion of great importance, and was attended by pompous ceremonials. The most elaborate preparations were made, the best vestments were donned by all ecclesiastics taking part in the serv- ices, bells were rung, the churches were illuminated with more than ordinary brightness, and the air was laden with incense. Its use was invested with al- most superstitious significance. "Who- ever repeats this hymn by day or night," the monks said, "no enemy, visible or in- visible, shall assail him." There have been more than fifty trans- lations of this hymn into English. The translation by Dryden in seven stanzas of unequal length, making altogether thirty- nine lines, was published in his Miscel- laneous Poems. 1693. John Wesley was the first to adapt Dryden's translation to public worship. He abbreviated it and published it in his Psalms and Hymns, 1741. This hymn has found a place in the ritual of many Churches, and is nsed at the coronation of kings and popes and the ordination of bishops and elders. The translation used in our ordination service for elders and bishops is by John Cosin (1594-1672), Bishop of Durham. It begins: Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And lighten with celestial fire. Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart. Thy blessed unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love. The following is the first verse of the original in Latin: Yeni, Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visit a, Imple superna gratia Quae tu creati pectora. 7s. 61. 195 GRACIOUS Spirit, dwell with me ! I myself would gracious be, And, with words that help and heal, Would thy life in mine reveal ; And with actions bold and meek, Would for Christ my Saviour speak. 2 Truthful Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would truthful be ; And, with wisdom kind and clear, Let thy life in mine appear ; And, with actions brotherly, Speak my Lord's sincerity. 3 Tender Spirit, dwell with me ! I myself would tender be ; Shut my heart up like a flower In temptation's darksome hour, Open it when shines the sun, And his love by fragrance own. 4 Mighty Spirit, dwell with me ! I myself would mighty be ; Mighty so as to prevail, Where unaided man must fail ; Ever, by a mighty hope, Pressing on and bearing up. HYMNS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. 109 5 Holy Spirit, dwell with me ! I myself would holy be : Separate from sin, I would Choose and cherish all things good ; And whatever I can be Give to him who gave me thee. Thomas T. Lynch. From an English book entitled, The Rivulet: A Contribution to Sacred Song, 1855. One stanza is omitted. One thing can be truthfully said of this hymn: it is unlike any other ever writ- ten. People who object to individualities in worship will not like this hymn. It is subjective to the last degree. It is very suitable for private use. 196 S. M. BREATHE on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew,, That I may love what thou dost love, And do what thou wouldst do. 2 Breathe on me, Breath of God, Until my heart is pure, Until with thee I will one will, To do or to endure. 3 Breathe on me, Breath of God, Till I am wholly thine, Till all this earthly part of me Glows with thy fare divine. 4 Breathe on me, Breath of God, So shall I never die, But live with thee the perfect life Of thine eternity. Edwin Hatch. This was first published in Henry Al- ton's Congregational Psalmist Hymnal, London, 1886, and later in the author's posthumous volume titled Towards Fields of Light, London, 1890. "A delightful hymn to the Holy Spirit, an earnest prayer for greater consecration of life." Dr. Hatch was the Bampton Lecturer at Oxford in 1880. Among the most beau- tiful verses found in his Towards Fields of Light are the following on heaven: Some seek a Heaven of rest, And some an ample sphere For doing work they cannot do While they are prisoned here. Some seek a Heaven of song, And others fain would rise From an articulate utterance To silent ecstasies. Some seek a home in Heaven, And some would pray to be Alone with God, beyond the reach Of other company. But in God's perfect Heaven, All aspirations meet, Each separate longing is fulfilled, Each separate soul complete. 197 ' 10s. SPIRIT of God ! descend upon my heart ; Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move ; Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art, And make me love thee as I ought to love. 2 I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, No sudden rending of the veil of clay, No angel visitant, no opening skies ; But take the dimness of my soul away. 3 Hast thou not bid us love thee, God and King? All, all thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind ; I see thy cross ; there teach my heart to cling: O let me seek thee, and O let me find ! 4 Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh ; Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear, To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh ; Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer. 5 Teach me to love thee as thine angels love, One holy passion filling all my frame ; The kindling of the heaven-descended Dove, My heart an altar, and thy love the flame. George Croly. Text, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." From Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship. Written and compiled by the Rev. George Croly, LL.D., London, 1854. HYMNS ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES 198 C. m. A GLORY gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun ; It gives a light to every age, It gives, but borrows none. 2 The hand that gave it still supplies The gracious light and heat : His truths upon the nations rise ; Tiny rise, but never set. 3 Let everlasting thanks .be thine For such a bright display, As makes a world of darkness shine With beams of heavenly day. 4 My soul rejoices to pursue The steps of him I love, Till glory breaks upon my view In brighter worlds above. William Cowper. "The Light and Glory of the Word" is the title of this hymn in the Olney Col- lection. 1779, where it has five stanzas, the first being omitted here. This hymn, like most of the others "written by Cow- per, was the outgrowth of an actual ex- perience. He dated his conversion in July, 1764, when in the St. Alban's Asy- lum his eyes one day fell upon Romans iii. 24, "Being justified freely by his grace," etc., the Spirit breathed upon the Word and brought its saving truth sensi- bly to his sight. "In a moment," says he, "I believed and I received the gospel." The omitted stanza is: The Spirit breathes upon the word, And brings the truth to sight ; Precepts and promises afford A sanctifying light. 199 L. M. U POX the gospel's sacred page The gathered beams of ages shine ; And, as it hastens, every age But makes its brightness more divine. 2 On mightier wing, in loftier flight, From year to year does knowledge soar ; (110) And, as it soars, the gospel light Becomes effulgent more and more. 3 More glorious still, as centuries roll, New regions blest, new powers un- furled, Expanding with the expanding soul, Its radiance shall o'erflow the world, — 4 Flow to restore, but not destroy ; As when the cloudless lamp of day Pours out its floods of light and joy, And sweeps the lingering mists away. John Boicring. Title, "Progress of Gospel Truth." From the author's Matins and Vespers, Lon- don, 1823. In the last line of the second stanza the author wrote: Adds to its influence more and more. And in the last line of the third verse: Its waters shall o'erflow the world. One stanza, the third, is omitted: Truth, strengthened by the strength of thought, Pours inexhaustible supplies, Whence sagest teachers may be taught, And wisdom's self become more wise. In his preface the author says: "These hymns were not written in the pursuit of fame or literary triumph. ... I have not sought to be original; to be useful is my first ambition; that ob- tained. I am indifferent to the rest." 200 0 7s, 6s. D. WORD of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky ; We praise thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. The Church from thee, her Master, Received the gift divine, HYMNS ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Ill And still that light she lifteth Oer all the earth to shine. It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored ; It is the heaven-drawn picture Of thee, the living Word. 3 It floateth like a banner Before God's host unfurled ; It shineth like a beacon Above the darkling world ; It is the chart and compass That, o'er life's surging sea, 'Mid mists, and rocks, and quicksands, Still guides, O Christ, to thee. 4 O make thy Church, dear Saviour, A lamp of burnished gold, To bear before the nations Thy true light, as of old ; O teach thy wand'ring pilgrims By this their path to trace, Till, clouds and darkness ended, They see thee face to face. William W. How. Written for the 1867 Supplement to Morrell and How's Psalms and Hymns. This noble hymn, addressed to the Word of God, tfie incarnate Christ, sets forth in lofty and fitting terms the value of the Word of God as revealed in and through the written page, and the duty of the Church to carry the light of God's Word, both as incarnate and as written, to all men and nations that sit in darkness. Few, if any, definitions of the real and true minister of the gospel ever given have surpassed that given by the author in the following quotation, and those who knew him best said that in writing thus he was unconsciously describing himself as others saw him: A man pure, holy, and spotless in his life ; a man of much prayer ; in character meek, lowly, and infinitely compassionate ; of ten- derest love to all ; full of sympathy for every pain and sorrow, and devoting his days and nights to lightening the burdens of humani- ty ; utterly patient of insult and enmity ; ut- terly fearless in speaking the truth and re- buking sin ; ever ready to answer every call, to go wherever bidden in order to do good ; wholly without thought of self ; making him- self the servant of all ; patient, gentle, and untiring in dealing with the souls he would save; bearing with ignorance, willfulness, slowness, cowardice in those of whom he ex- pects most ; sacrificing all, even life itself, if need be, to save some. Few honors can come to a hymn writer greater than that which came to Bishop How in 1897, when he was selected to write the national hymn to be sung in all worshiping assemblies throughout the British Empire on the occasion of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne of England. It is worthy to be quoted here in full: O King of kings, whose reign of old Hath been from everlasting, Before whose throne their crowns of gold The white-robed saints are casting : While all the shining courts on high With angel songs are ringing, O let Thy children venture nigh, Their lovely homage bringing. For every heart, made glad by Thee, With thankful praise is swelling; And every tongue, with joy set free, The happy theme is telling. Thou hast been mindful of Thine own, And lo ! we come confessing 'Tis thou hast dowered our queenly throne With sixty years of blessing. O royal heart, with wide embrace For all her children yearning ! O happy realm, such mother-grace With loyal love returning ! Where England's flag flies wide unfurled, All tyrant wrongs repelling, God make the world a better world For man's brief earthly dwelling. Lead on, O Lord, thy people still, New grace and wisdom giving, To larger love, and purer will, And nobler heights of living. And, while of all Thy love below They chant the gracious story, O teach them first Thy Christ to know, And magnify His glory. 201 C. M. H OW precious is the book divine, By inspiration given ! Bright as a lamp its doctrines shine, To guide our souls to heaven. 2 It sweetly cheers our drooping hearts, In this dark vale of tears; 112 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Life, light, and joy it still imparts, And quells our rising fears. 3 This lamp, through all the tedious night Of life, shall guide our way, Till we behold the clearer light Of an eternal day. John Fawcett. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Ps. cxix. 105.) The original has six stanzas. These are verses one, five, and six, unaltered. From Hymns Adapted to the Circum- stances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, by John Fawcett, 1782. The enemies of the Bible claim that it is obsolete; but new and large editions are sold every year, new translations into other languages are being made, and Bi- ble societies were never so busy and so useful as at the present time. 202 L. M. THE heavens declare thy glory, Lord; In every star thy wisdom shines ; But when our eyes behold thy word, We read thy name in fairer lines. 2 The rolling sun, the changing light, And nights and days, thy power confess ; But the blest volume thou hast writ Reveals thy justice and thy grace. 3 Sun, moon, and stars convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand : So when thy truth began its race, It touched and glanced on every land. 4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest Till through the world thy truth has run ; Till Christ has all the nations blessed That see the light, or feel the sun. 5 Great Sun of righteousness, arise, Bless the dark world with heavenly light ; Thy gospel makes the simple wise, Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right. 6 Thy noblest wonders here we view, In souls renewed and sins forgiven : Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew, And make thy word my guide to heaven. Isaac Watts. "The Books of Nature and of Scripture Compared; or, The Glory and Success of the Gospel" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Psalms of David, 1719. It is based on certain verses found in the nineteenth Psalm: The heavens declare the glcry of God ; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 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. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. Compare with Dr. Watts Sir Philip Sid- ney's quaint rendering of this Psalm: The heavenly frame sets forth the fame Of Him that only thunders ; The firmament, so strangely bent, Shows His hand Working wonders. Day unto day doth it display, Their course doth it acknowledge ; And night to night succeeding right In darkness teach clear knowledge. There is no speech, nor language, which Is so of skill bereaved, But of the skies the teaching cries They have heard and conceited. There be no eyne, but read the line From so fair book proceeding ; Their words be set in letters great For everybody's reading. 203 l. m. THE starry firmament on high, And all the glories of the sky, Yet shine not to thy praise, O Lord, So brightly as thy written word. 2 The hopes that holy word supplies, Its truths divine and precepts wise, In each a heavenly beam I see, And every beam conducts to thee. 3 Almighty Lord, the sun shall fail, The moon forget her nightly tale, And deepest silence hush on high The radiant chorus of the sky ; 4 But fixed for everlasting years, Unmoved amid the wreck of spheres, Thy word shall shine in cloudless day, When heaven and earth have passed away. Robert Grant. Founded on Psalm xix. It is intended as a sequel or counterpart to Addison's well-known hymn, "The Spacious Firma- HYMNS ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. li: ment on High" (No. 84), and it is in no wise inferior to that wonderful hymn. From Sacred Poems, 1839. The orig- inal contains four double stanzas. This hymn is made up of the first and last, verbatim. The omitted verses are good, but they are not equal to these. 204 C. M. H OW shall the young secure their hearts, And guard their lives from sin? Thy word the choicest rule imparts, To keep the conscience clean. 2 When once it enters to the mind, It spreads such light abroad, The meanest souls instruction find, And raise their thoughts to God. 3 'Tis like the sun, a heavenly light, That guides us all the day ; And, through the dangers of the night, A lamp to lead our way. 4 Thy word is everlasting truth ; How pure is every page ! That holy book shall guide our youth, And well support our age. Isaac Watts. ''Instruction from Scripture" is the au- thor's title to this hymn in his Psalms of David, 1719. His metrical version of the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm is di- vided into eighteen "Parts." This is from the fourth part, which contains eight stanzas, being verses one, two, three, and eight. It is based more especially upon the ninth verse of the Psalm: ''Where- withal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." 205 C. m. LAMP of our feet, whereby we trace Our path when wont to stray ; Stream from the fount of heavenly grace, Brook by the traveler's way ; 2 Bread of our souls, whereon we feed, True manna from on high ; Our guide and chart, wherein we read Of realms beyond the sky ; 3 Word of the everlasting God, Will of his glorious Son ; Without thee how could earth be trod, Or heaven itself be won? 4 Lord, grant us all aright to learn The wisdom it imparts ; And to its heavenly teaching turn, With simple, childlike hearts. Bernard Barton. Title: ''Holy Scriptures." Published in The Reliquary, 1836. The original has eleven stanzas. These are one, two, nine, and eleven with slight changes. Good hymns upon the Bible are rare. This is one of the best, and is widely used. 206 6> 6, 4- 6, 6> 6> 4- LORD of all power and might, Father of love and light, Speed on thy word ! O let the gospel sound All the wide world around, Wherever man is found ! God speed his word ! 2 Hail, blessed Jubilee! Thine, Lord, the glory be ; Hallelujah ! Thine was the mighty plan ; From thee the work began ; Away with praise of man ! Glory to God ! 3 Lo, what embattled foes, Stern in their hate, oppose God's holy word ! One for his truth we stand, Strong in his own right hand, Firm as a martyr band : God shield his word ! 4 Onward shall be our course, Despite of fraud or force ; God is before. His words erelong shall run Free as the noonday sun ; His purpose must be done : God bless his word ! Hugh Stowell. This was written for the jubilee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, March 7, 1853, and is found in the posthumous volume of the author's Hymns, 1868, which were published three years after his death. He is more generally known in America as the author of the hymn beginning, "From every stormy wind that blows." INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 207 7s, 6s. D. THE Church's one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord ; She is his new creation By water and the word : From heaven he came and sought her To be his holy bride ; With his own blood he bought her, And for her life he died. 2 Elect from every nation, Yet one o'er all the earth, Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth ; One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued. 3 'Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore ; Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest. 4 Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won : O happy ones and holy ! Lord, give us grace that we, Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with thee. Samuel J. Stone. Title: "The Holy Catholic Church:' First written in 1866. It was revised by the author for Hymns Ancient and Mod- ern, 1868. The third stanza of the 1868 version, omitted here, is as follows: Though with a scornful wonder Men see her sore opprest, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distrest, Yet saints their watch are keeping, Their cry goes up, "How long?" And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song. (114) A fine poem and truly worthy of a place in this Hymnal. It honors the Church of Christ and longs for its pros- perity. 208 S. M. I LOVE thy kingdom, Lord, The house of thine abode, The Church our blest Redeemer saved With his own precious blood. 2 I love thy Church, O God ! Her walls before thee stand, Dear as the apple of thine eye, And graven on thy hand. 3 For her my tears shall fall ; For her my prayers ascend ; To her my oares and toils be given, Till toils and cares shall end. 4 Beyond my highest joy I prize her heavenly ways, Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise. 5 Sure as thy truth shall last, To Zion shall be given The brightest glories earth can yield, And brighter bliss of heaven. Timothy D wight. This is the most popular of all our hymns on the Church. It first appeared in the author's edition of Watts's Psalms, 1800, under the title, "Love to the Church." It is there entered as part third to Psalm cxxxvii., being based more particularly on the fifth and sixth verses: "If I for- get thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remem- ber thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jeru- salem above my chief joy." Three stan- zas have been omitted: 3 If e'er to bless her sons My voice or hands deny, These iiands let useful skill forsake, This voice in silence die. INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. Ill 4 If e'er my heart forget Her welfare, or her woe, Let every joy this heart forsake, And every grief o'erfiow. 7 Jesus, thou Friend divine, Our Saviour and our King, Thy hand from every snare and foe Shall great deliverance bring. A growing spirit of Christian fraternity and cooperation among different Churches is one of the most notable and healthful signs of our times. Nothing has perhaps done so much to bring this about as the singing of such hymns as this. It is one of those matchless and imperishable lyrics of Christian love the singing of which by countless thousands in all Churches the world over is not only doing much to increase genuine Christian fel- lowship, but is preparing the way for that larger and more perfect Christian unity for which many are praying as one of the most manifest and imperative needs of our day. 209 C. M. CITY of God, how broad and far Outspread thy walls sublime ! The true thy chartered freemen are, Of every age and clime. 2 One holy Church, one army strong, One steadfast high intent, One working band, one harvest song, One King omnipotent ! 3 How purely hath thy speech come down From man's primeval youth ! How grandly hath thine empire grown Of freedom, love, and truth ! 4 How gleam thy watch fires through the night, With never-fainting ray ! How rise thy towers, serene and bright, To meet the dawning day ! 5 In vain the surge's angry shock, In vain the drifting sands ; Unharmed upon the eternal Rock, The eternal city stands. Samuel Johnson. Author's title, "The City of God." Mr. Johnson was one of the editors of Hymns of the Spirit, Boston, 1864, and contrib- uted this hymn to that work. It is un- altered and entire. The unity, strength, and immutability of God's Church are well illustrated in this fine poem. 210 8s, 7s. D. GLORIOUS things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God ; He whose word cannot be broken Formed thee for his own abode. On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation's wall surrounded, Thou may'st smile at all thy foes. 2 See ! the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love, Well supply thy sons and daughters, And all fear of want remove : Who can faint while such a river Ever flows their thirst to assuage? Grace, which, like the Lord, the giver, Never fails from age to age. 3 Round each habitation hovering, See the cloud and fire appear, For a glory and a covering, Showing that the Lord is near ! Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God ; He whose word cannot be broken Formed thee for his own abode. John Newton. From the Olney Hymns, 1779, where it bears the title "Zion; or, The City of God." It is one of Newton's best hymns, and, as Julian remarks, "It ranks with the first hymns in the language." It is full of optimism, and is prophetic of a glorious future for the Church of God. Only the first half of the five double stan- zas of the original are here given, verse three repeating at the close the first four lines of the hymn, by which repe- tition a better climax in poetic form and sentiment is secured for the hymn as thus abbreviated than was furnished by the following lines, with which the third stanza of the original closes: Thus deriving from their banner, Light by night and shade by day ; Safe they feed upon the manna, Which he gives them when they pray. llfi ANNOTATED HYMNAL. There are two additional stanzas: 4 Blest inhabitants of Zion, Washed In the Redeemer's blood ! Jesus, whom their souls rely on, Makes them kings and priests to God ; 'Tis his love his people raises Over self to reign as kings ; And as priests, his solemn praises Each for a thank-off' ring brings. Saviour, if of Zion's city I through grace a member am ; Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in thy name : Fading is the worldling's pleasure, All his boasted pomp and show ; Solid joys and lasting treasure, None but Zion's children know. This hymn abounds in Scripture ref- erences, being based more particularly upon the following: "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God" (Ps. lxxxvii. 3) ; and, "Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusa- lem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, nei- ther shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams: wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass there- by." (Isa. xxxiii. 20, 21.) 211 8s, 7s. D. H EAR what God the Lord hath spoken : O my people, faint and few, Comfortless, afflicted, broken, Fair abodes I build for you : Scenes of heartfelt tribulation Shall no more perplex your ways : You shall name your walls "Salvation," And your gates shall all be "Praise." 2 There, like streams that feed the garden, Pleasures without end shall flow ; For the Lord, your faith rewarding, All his bounty shall bestow. Still in undisturbed possession, Peace and righteousness shall reign : Never shall you feel oppression, Hear the voice of war again. 3 Ye no more your suns descending, Waning moons no more shall see ; But, your griefs forever ending, Find eternal noon in me : God shall rise, and, shining o'er you. Change to day the gloom of night : He, the Lord, shall be your glory, God your everlasting light. William Cowper. Title: "The Future Peace and Glory of the Church." It is founded upon Isaiah lx. 18-20: Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy bor- ders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day ; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down ; neither shall thy moon with- draw itself: for the Lord shall be thine ever- lasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Instead of "Scenes," verse one, line five, some editions have "Themes" and some "Thorns." From Olney Hymns. 1779. 212 8, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7. ZION stands with hills surrounded, Zion, kept by power divine : All her foes shall be confounded, Though the world in arms combine ; Happy Zion, What a favored lot is thine ! 2 Every human tie may perish ; Friend to friend unfaithful prove ; Mothers cease their own to cherish ; Heaven and earth at last remove ; But no changes Can attend Jehovah's love. 3 In the furnace God may prove thee, Thence to bring thee forth more bright, But can never cease to love thee ; Thou art precious in his sight : God is with thee, God, thine everlasting light. Thomas Kelly. This is taken from the 1806 edition of the author's Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, where it bears as a title the words of Scripture upon which it is based: "As the Mountains Are Round About Jerusalem. So the Lord Is Round About His People from Henceforth Even INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 117 Forever:' (Ps. cxxv. 2.) The omitted stanzas are: 3 Zion's friend in nothing alters, Though all others may and do : His is love that never falters, Always to its object true. Happy Zion ! Crowned with mercies ever new. 4 If thy God should show displeasure, 'Tis to save, and not destroy : If he punish, 'tis in measure ; 'Tis to rid thee of alloy. Be thou patient : Soon thy grief shall turn to joy. He gives us all things, and withholds No real Good from upright Souls. The rules of capitalization have been changed since the time of Dr. "Watts. A genuine hymn this, one of the au- ! thor's best. 213 L. M. GREAT God ! attend, while Zion sings 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, Nor 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 the assaults of hell and sin, From foes without, and foes within. 4 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 His Church; or, Grace and Glory" It is founded on the last part of Psalm lxxxiv.: O 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 doorkeep- er 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 withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. From the author's Psalms, 1719. One stanza, the fourth, has been omitted: All needful Grace will God bestow, And crown that Grace with Glorv too : 214 C. M. 0 WHERE are kings and empires now, Of old that went and came? But, Lord, thy Church is praying yet, A thousand years the same. 2 We mark her goodly battlements And her foundations strong ; We hear within the solemn voice Of her unending song. 3 For not like kingdoms of the world Thy holy Church, O God ! Though earthquake shocks are threatening her, And tempests are abroad ; 4 Unshaken as eternal hills, Immovable she stands, A mountain that shall fill the earth, A house not made with hands. A. Cleveland Coxe. This is taken from a poem titled "Chel- sea," and first published in the Churchman in 1839. It is found also in the author's Christian Ballads, 1840. The original contains ten stanzas of eight lines each. The hymn here given is composed of the first half of the sixth stanza, the last half of the eighth, and the whole of the sev- enth. There have been several verbal al- terations, all of them being improvements upon the original, and rendered desirable, if not necessary, by the abbreviation of the hymn. 215 L. M. HOW pleasant, how divinely fair, O Lord of hosts, thy dwellings are ! With strong desire my spirit faints To meet the assemblies of thy saints. 2 Blest are the saints that sit on high, Around thy throne of majesty ; Thy brightest glories shine above, And all their work is praise and love. 3 Blest are the souls that find a place Within the temple of thy grace : US ANNOTATED HYMNAL. TTore they behold thy gentler rays, And seek thy lace, and learn thy praise. 4 Cheerful they walk with growing strength, Till all shall meet in heaven at length, Till all before thy face appear, And join in nobler worship there. Isaac Watts. Title: -'The Pleasure of Public Wor- ship.'' Part of Psalm lxxxiv.: How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord : my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. There are seven stanzas in the au- thor's Psalms, 1719. These are verses one, four, five, and seven. 216 L. M. ARM of the Lord, awake, awake ! Thine own immortal strength put on ! With terror clothed, hell's kingdom shake, * And cast thy foes with fury down. 2 By death and hell pursued in vain, To thee the ransomed seed shall come ; Shouting, their heavenly Zion gain, And pass through death triumphant home. 3 The pain of life shall then be o'er, The anguish and distracting care ; There sighing grief shall weep no more, And sin shall never enter there. 4 Where pure, essential joy is found, The Lord's redeemed their heads shall raise, With everlasting gladness crowned, And filled with love, and lost in praise. Charles Wesley. In the first edition of Hymns and Sa- cred Poems, 1739, this was the last hymn in the book. In this edition the third line of verse one had "the nations" instead of "hell's kingdom," which appeared first in the edition of 17S0. We have here the first and the last three stanzas of the original, which contains ten stanzas and is based on Isaiah li. 9-11: Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord ; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep ; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion ; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." The following incidents will show the large use made of this hymn by the early Methodists: In her last illness Mrs. Benson, the wife of the noted commentator, and one of the saint- ly women of early Methodism, suffered much and long; but her joy and peace with God were unbroken. A short while before she died she asked her daughter to come to her bedside and read to her the last three verses of this hymn, beginning: "By death and hell pursued in vain." When the daughter had finished the reading, she exclaimed : "O what a blessed hymn ! Let me hear it again." She then gave them instructions to bury her be- hind City Road Chapel, and, bidding her hus- band and children good-by, she, "Shouting, her heavenly Zion gained, And passed through death triumphant home." Some time after this Mr. Benson was spend- ing a social evening with Rev. Jabez Bunt- ing, when, according to Mr. Bunting's testi- mony, he made the occasion memorable and deeply interested all present by reciting in a most impressive and feeling manner these same three verses that had cheered his wife in her dying hours. Tyerman, in his "Life of Fletcher," records an instance in the early history of Methodism when this song was sung with great power and effectiveness by an audience of ten thou- sand, who had been attracted to a meeting at Everton at which Fletcher, Berridge, Madan, Venn, and Lady Huntingdon were present. At the close of a three days' meeting, which was one of great spiritual power, the immense au- dience joined in singing "with the spirit and the understanding :" "Arm of the Lord, awake, awake ! Thine own immortal strength put on ! With terror clothed, hell's kingdom shake, And cast thy foes with fury down." "It was one of Charles Wesley's earliest com- positions," says the historian, "but never be- fore had so many persons unitedljr sent up their prayers to heaven in these words." INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 110 217 L. M. AWAKE, Jerusalem, awake ! No longer in thy sins lie down ; The garment of salvation take, Thy beauty and thy strength put on. 2 Shake off the dust that blinds thy sight, And hides the promise from thine eyes ; Arise, and struggle into light, The great Deliverer calls, Arise ! 3 Shake off the bands of sad despair ; Zion, assert thy liberty ; Look up, thy broken heart prepare, And God shall set the captive free. 4 Vessels of mercy, sons of grace, Be purged from every sinful stain, Be like your Lord, his word embrace, Nor bear his hallowed name in vain. Charles Wesley. From a long hymn of three parts, thir- ty-two stanzas in all. These are verses one, three, and four of part one, and verse two of part three, verbatim. The whole is founded on Isaiah lii. 1: "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, 0 Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, 0 Jerusalem." From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. 218 L, M. GOD is the refuge of his saints, When storms of sharp distress invade ; Ere we can offer our complaints, Behold him present with his aid. 2 Let mountains from their seats be hurled Down to the deep, and buried there ; Convulsions shake the solid world — Our faith shall never yield to fear. 3 Loud may the troubled ocean roar, In sacred peace our souls abide ; While every nation, every shore, Trembles, and dreads the swelling tide. 4 There is a stream, whose gentle flow Supplies the city of our God ; Life, love, and joy, still gliding through, And watering our divine abode. 5 That sacred stream, thy holy word, Our grief allays, our fear controls ; Sweet peace thy promises afford, And give new strength to fainting souls. Isaac Watts. Author's title, "The Church's Safety and Triumph among National Desola- tions." First published in 1719 in the author's Psalms of David. It is based on the first five verses of the forty-sixth Psalm: God is our refuge and strength, a very pres- ent help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea ; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 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. In the second line of the fifth stanza Watts wrote: That all our raging fear controls. This was one of Dr. Dwight's improve- ments. One stanza is omitted: 6 Zion enjoys her Monarch's love, Secure against a threat'ning hour ; Nor cap her firm foundations move, Built on his truth, and armed with power. 219 7s, 6s. D. LORD of the living harvest That whitens o'er the plain, Where angels soon shall gather Their sheaves of golden grain ; Accept these hands to labor, These hearts to trust and love, And deign with them to hasten Thy kingdom from above. 2 As laborers in thy vineyard, Send us, O Christ, to be Content to bear the burden Of weary days for thee ; We ask no other wages, When thou shalt call us home, But to have shared the travail Which makes thy kingdom come. 3 Come down, thou Holy Spirit ! And fill our souls with light, Clothe us in spotless raiment, In linen clean and white ; Beside thy sacred altar Be with us, where we stand, To sanctify thy people Through all this happy land. John S. B. Monsell. 120 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Title: "An Ordination Hymn" The first stanza was written upon John iv. 35: Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for they are white already to harvest. The second stanza was founded on Matthew ix. 38: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his har- vest. The hymn closes wTith this doxology: Be with us, God the Father, Be with us, God the Son, And God the Holy Spirit, O Blessed Three in One. Make us a royal priesthood, Thee rightly to adore ; And fill us with Thy fullness Now and for evermore. From Hymns of Love and Praise for the Church's Year, 1863. This is one of the most useful of modern consecration hymns. Consecration to service is the theme, love is the motive, and the glory of God is the end. 220 L- m. JESUS, the truth and power divine, Send forth these messengers of thine ; Their hands confirm, their hearts inspire, And touch their lips with hallowed fire. 2 Be thou their mouth and wisdom, Lord ; Thou, by the hammer of thy word, The rocky hearts in pieces break, And bid the sons of thunder speak. 3 To those who would their Lord embrace, Give them to preach the word of grace ; Sweetly their yielding bosoms move, And melt them with the fire of love. 4 Let all with thankful hearts confess Thy welcome messengers of peace ; Thy power in their report be found, And let thy feet behind them sound. Charles Wesley. This hymn is taken from the 1749 edi- J tion of Hymns and Sacred Poems, and bears the title, "For a Minister Going Forth to Preach.'" The only change in the hymn is of the singular to the plural, "these messengers" for "this messenger," and so uniformly throughout the hymn. It is often sung at the Annual Confer- ences of Methodism just before reading out the "appointments" of the preachers for the ensuing year. There are few scenes more impressive than that of a body of several hundred itinerant Metho- dist preachers awaiting their "marching orders" at the hands of the constituted authorities of the Church. Nor is there any better spiritual preparation for re- ceiving these "appointments" and inter- preting them as the call of God than to precede this closing event in the session of the Conference by singing a hymn like this. 221 L. M. H IGH on his everlasting throne, The King of saints his work surveys ; Marks the dear souls he calls his own, And smiles on the peculiar race. 2 He rests well pleased their toils to see ; Beneath his easy yoke they move ; With all their heart and strength agree In the sweet labor of his love. 3 See where the servants of their Lord, A busy multitude, appear ; For Jesus day and night employed, His heritage they toil to clear. 4 Jesus their toil delighted sees, Their industry vouchsafes to crown ; He kindly gives the wished increase, And sends the promised blessing down. 5 O -nultiply thy sower's seed, And fruit we every hour shall bear ; Throughout the world thy gospel spread. Thine everlasting truth declare ! Augustus G. Spangenberg. Tr. by John Wesley. Title: ''God's Husbandry." It is part of a poem of thirteen double stanzas which the author presented to Count Zinzendorf on his birthday in 1734. John Wesley published his translation of the whole hymn in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. In verse three, line one, he wrote "God" instead of "Lord." This hvmn came into the Methodist INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 121 Episcopal hymn book in one of the edi- tions of the Pocket Hymn Book between the ninth edition (1788) and the eight- eenth edition (1793). 222 C. M. J ESUS, the name high over all, In hell, or earth, or sky ! A.ngels and men before it fall, And devils fear and fly. 2 Jesus, the name to sinners dear, The name to sinners given ! It scatters all their guilty fear; It turns their hell to heaven. 3 Jesus the prisoner's fetters breaks, And bruises Satan's head ; Power into strengthless souls he speaks, And life into the dead. 4 O that the world might taste and see The riches of his grace ! The arms of love that compass me Would all mankind embrace. 5 His only righteousness I show, His saving truth proclaim ; 'Tis all my business here below To cry, "Behold the Lamb !" 6 Happy, if with my latest breath I may but gasp his name ; Preach him to all, and cry in death, "Behold, behold the Lamb !" Charles Wesley. "After Preaching in a Church" is the title of this magnificent hymn in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. It is one of Charles Wesley's best. It is culled from a hymn of twenty-two stanzas. The first line of the original is, "Jesu, accept the grateful song." In verse four, line three, above, the author wrote "which" instead of "that." The following circumstances are believed by Stevenson, the Wesleyan hymnologist, to have suggested the writ- ing of this hymn: On August 6, 1744, Charles Wesley preached in Mr. Bennet's church at Laneast, *in Cornwall. As he was speaking against their drunken revels a person in the congre- gation contradicted and blasphemed. The preacher asked, "Who is he that pleads for the devil?" and one answered in those very words: "I am he that pleads for the devil." He says: "I took occasion from hence to show the revelers their champion, and the whole congregation their state by nature. Much good I saw immediately brought out of Sa- tan's evil. Then I set • myself against his avowed advocate, and drove him out of the Christian assembly. I concluded with earnest prayer for him." This is one of those hymns which, as Dr. Telford remarks, has "stamped itself deep in the religious life of Methodism." Few hymns have been more quoted by Methodist ministers in their dying hours than this, especially the last stanza. But perhaps the youngest "preacher" that ever made use of it tenderly and effective- ly in the dying hour is described in the following incident, which serves also to show how the early Methodists taught such hymns as this to their children at home and in Sunday schools: By a distressing accident a little girl only seven years of age was severely burned and had to be taken to a hospital in London. At a Methodist Sunday school she had learned to love and to sing the hymn beginning, "Je- sus, the name high over all." On the last night of her life all the patients were quiet in the ward where she lay, and nothing was heard but the tick and strike of the clock, when suddenly the little sufferer broke the si- lence by sweetly singing a verse from her fa- vorite hymn : "O that the world might taste and see The riches of his grace * The arms of love that compass me Would all mankind embrace." Then silence reigned again in the room, and for some time, as before, only the ticking of the clock was heard when the melodious voice of the little sufferer again broke the si- lence and many other sufferers in the room heard her singing softly : "Happy, if with my latest breath I may but gasp his name ; Preach him to all, and cry in death, Behold, behold the Lamb !" And with that the little preacher's voice was indeed hushed in death, but not until many had heard, in the words of this tender song as she so sweetly sang it, a gospel mes- sage never to be forgotten. 122 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. C. M, 223 LET Zion's watchmen all awake, And take the alarm they give; Now h t them from the mouth of God Their solemn charge receive. ■J. 'Tla not a cause of small import The pastor's care demands; But what might fill an angel's heart, And filled a Saviour's hands. 3 They watch for souls for whom the Lord Did heavenly bliss forego ; For souls that must forever live In raptures or in woe. 4 May they that Jesus, whom they preach, Their own Redeemer see ; And watch thou daily o'er their souls, That they may watch for thee. Pliilip Doddridge. Author's title: "Watching for Souls in the View of the Great Account" It is based on Hebrews xiii. 17: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief. This valuable hymn was written for the ordination of a minister, and has not been altered. One stanza, the fourth, has been omitted: 4 All to the great Tribunal haste, Th' Account to render there ; And shouldst thou strictly mark our Faults, Lord, how should we appear? From Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, London, 1755. 221 C. M. HOW rich thy bounty, King of kings ! Thy favors, how divine ! The blessings which thy gospel brings, How splendidly they shine ! 2 Gold is but dross, and gems but toys, Should gold and gems compare ; How mean, when set against those joys Thy poorest servants share ! 3 Yet all these treasures of thy grace Are lodged in urns of clay ; And the weak sons of mortal race The immortal gifts convey. 4 Feebly they lisp thy glories forth, Yet grace the victory gives; Quickly they molder back to earth, Yet still thy gospel lives. 5 Such wonders power divine effects ; Such trophies God can raise; His hand, from crumbling dust, erects His monuments of praise. Philip Doddridge. This is one of Doddridge's very finest hymns; and yet, strangely enough, it is not found generally in modern collections. It was written September 23, 1739, for the author's use in his own Church. It is found in his Hymns, 1755, where it bears the title, "The Gospel Treasure in Earthen Vessels:' It is based on 2 Corinthians, iv. 7: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." This is one of the hymns that called forth from Horder the following observa- tion: Doddridge's hymns appear to me to be a connecting link between Dr. Watts and Charles Wesley. They are akin to the Inde- pendent's in form, but to the Methodist's in their lyric force and fervor. Thus they pos- sess the excellences of both. 225 L- M. SHALL I, for fear of feeble man, The Spirit's course in me restrain? Or, undismayed in deed or word, Be a true witness for my Lord? 2 Awed by a mortal's frown, shall I Conceal the word of God most high? How then before thee shall I dare To stand, or how thine anger bear? 3 Shall I, to soothe the unholy throng, Soften thy truth, and smooth my tongue, To gain earth's gilded toys, or flee The cross endured, my Lord, by thee? 4 What then is he whose scorn I dread, Whose wrath or hate makes me afraid? A man ! an heir of death ! a slave To sin ! a bubble on the wave ! 5 Yea, let men rage, since thou wilt spread Thy shadowing wings around my head : Since in all pain thy tender love Will still my sure refreshment prove. John J. Winkler. Tr. by John Wesley. INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 123 From the German. The translation is entitled, "Boldness in the Gospel:' Something of the dignity and responsi- bility of an ambassador of Christ is shown in this hymn. The translation is from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. The translation has ten stanzas; these are the first five. Verses seven and eight are as follows: 7 The love of Christ doth me constrain To seek the wandering souls of men ; With cries, entreaties, tears, to save, — To snatch them from the gaping- grave. 8 For this let men revile my name ; No cross I shun, I fear no shame : All hail, reproach ; and welcome, pain ; Only thy terrors, Lord, restrain. Doubtless these stanzas not only repre- sent the feelings of the author but of the translator as well. 226 L. M. w E bid thee welcome in the name Of Jesus, our exalted Head ; Come as a servant — so he came — And we receive thee in his stead. 2 Come as a shepherd — guard and keep This fold from hell, and earth, and sin ; Nourish the lambs, and feed the sheep, The wounded heal, the lost bring in. 3 Come as an angel — hence to guide A band of pilgrims on their way, That, softly walking at thy side, We fail not, faint not, turn nor stray. 4 Come as a teacher — sent from God, Charged his whole counsel to declare ; Lift o'er our ranks the prophet's rod, While we uphold thy hands with prayer. James Montgomery. "On the Appointment of a Minister" is the title of this hymn in the author's Christian Psalmist, 1825, where it has six stanzas. It is designed, as sung by a Christian congregation, to convey the sentiment of welcome felt by a Church for a new pastor. The Methodist itin- eracy furnishes frequent occasions for the use of such a hymn. The two omit- ted stanzas are: 3 Come as a watchman ; — take thy stand Upon the tower amidst the sky, And when the sword comes on the land, Call us to fight, or warn to fly. 6 Come as a messenger of peace, Filled with the Spirit, fired with love ; Live to behold our large increase, And die to meet us all above. It is well for the preacher and pastor to be told occasionally what the people want him to be and what they have a right to expect him to be. The six qualities here named serve well to de- fine the Christian ideal of a minister of the gospel — viz., servant, shepherd, watch- man, angel, teacher, messenger. The preacher who measures up to this defini- tion will never lack for an audience nor for the confidence and love of his people. 227 s. m. AND let our bodies part, To different climes repair ; Inseparably joined in heart The friends of Jesus are. 2 O let us still proceed In Jesus' work below ; And, following our triumphant Head, To further conquests go ! 3 The vineyard of the Lord Before his laborers lies ; And lo ! we see the vast reward • Which waits us in the skies. 4 O let our heart and mind Continually ascend, That haven of repose to find, Where all our labors end, 5 Where all our toils are o'er, Our suffering and our pain ! Who meet on that eternal shore Shall never part again. Charles Wesley. Title: "At Parting:'' It is one of the Hymns for Christian FrienpLs. The orig- inal is in two parts and comprises ten eight-lined stanzas. This hymn is from part one. Several lines were changed for the Collection of 1780, probably by John Wesley. The original hymn is found in Charles Wesley's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. ll>4 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. One stanza, the next following the hymn, is too comforting not to quote: O happy, happy place, Where saints and angels mei t ; There we shall see each other's face, And all our brethren greet. This hymn has been frequently sung by the Wesleyans and other Methodists at the closing of Annual Conferences. It stirs the soul to hear it sung by a large gathering of Methodist preachers, as it often is, just before receiving their "appointments" and going forth for an- other year of service and sacrifice. 228 C. M. BLEST be the dear uniting love That will not let us part ; Our bodies may far off remove, We still are one in heart. 2 Joined in one spirit to our Head, Where he appoints we go ; And still in Jesus' footsteps tread, And do his work below. 3 O let us ever walk in him, And nothing know beside, Nothing desire, nothing esteem, But Jesus crucified ! 4 Partakers of the Saviour's grace, The same in mind and heart, Nor joy, nor grief, nor time, nor place, Nor life, nor death, can part. 5 Then let us hasten to the day Which shall our flesh restore, When death shall all be done away, And bodies part no more. Charles Wesley. "At Parting" is the title of this hymn in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. In verse one, line four, the author wrote "joined" instead of "one," and in verse five, line one, "But" instead of "Then." Three stanzas are omitted: 4 Closer and closer let us cleave ; To his beloved embrace ; Expect his fullness to receive, And grace to answer grace. 5 While thus we walk with Christ in light, Who shall our souls disjoin? Souls which Himself vouchsafes to unite In fellowship Divine. 6 We all are one who Him receive, And each with each agree; In Him, the One, the Truth, we live, Blest point of unity. This hymn is frequently sung at An- nual Conferences before reading out the "appointments" of the preachers for the ensuing year, its use and associations in Methodist history being quite similar to those of the preceding hymn, beginning: "And let our bodies part." John B. Gough, the great temperance lecturer, gives an interesting account in his Autobiography of the singing of this hymn when as a boy he left home for America in June, 1839. While the ship on which he was to sail was becalmed and tarried at Sandgate, his father and other loved ones came on board. When the vis- itors were about to leave for the shore, they formed their boats in a semicircle around the ship, and all stood up and with blended voices sang their affectionate farewell in the words of this hymn. As the music floated over the calm waters in the weird twilight of the dying day, it left an impression never to be forgotten by any of those who witnessed the beau- tiful leave-taking in the words of the poet : Blest be the dear uniting love That will not let us part : Our bodies may far off remove, We still are one in heart. 229 L- M COME, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Honor the means ordained by thee ; Make good our apostolic boast, And own thy glorious ministry. 2 Father, in these reveal thy Son ; In these, for whom we seek thy face, The hidden mystery make known, The inward, pure, baptizing grace. 3 Jesus, with us thou always art ; Effectual make the sacred sign : The gift unspeakable impart. And bless the ordinance divine. INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 125 4 Eternal Spirit, from on high, Baptizer of our spirits thou ! The sacramental seal apply, And witness with the water now. Charles Wesley. Title: "At the Baptism of Adults." Wes- ley wrote the second line of the first verse: Honor the Means In join' d by Thee. It was changed for the Collection of 1780. The second line of the third verse was: Effectuate now the Sacred Sign. This awkward expression was changed by the editors of the hymn book in 1849. Two stanzas have been omitted. From Hymns and Sacred Po?ms, 1749. 230 C. M. SEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand With all-engaging charms ; Hark, how he calls the tender lambs, And folds them in his arms ! 2 "Permit them to approach," he cries, "Nor scorn their humble name ; For 'twas to bless such souls as these The Lord of angels came." 3 We bring them, Lord, in thankful hands, And yield them up to thee ; Joyful that we ourselves are thine, Thine let our offspring be. Philip Doddridge. This hymn on "Christ's Condescending Regard to Little Children'' is frequently sung at the baptism of infants. It is based on Mark x. 14: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Two stanzas are omitted: Ye little flock, with pleasure hear ; Ye children, seek his face, And fly with transport to receive The blessings of his grace. If orphans they are left behind, Thy guardian care we trust, That care shall heal our bleeding hearts, While weeping o'er their dust. From the author's Hymns, 1755. 231 L- M. OGOD, great Father, Lord, and King ! Our children unto thee we bring ; And strong in faith, and hope, and love, We dare thy steadfast word to prove. 2 Thy covenant kindness did of old Our fathers and their seed enfold ; That ancient promise standeth sure, And shall while heaven and earth endure. 3 Look down upon us while we pray, And visit us in grace to-day ; These little ones in mercy take And make them thine for Jesus' sake. 4 While they the outward sign receive, Wilt thou thy Holy Spirit give, And keep and help them by thy power In every hard and trying hour. 5 Guide thou their feet in holy ways : Shine on them through the darkest days ; Uphold them till their life be past, And bring them all to heaven at last. E. Embree Hoss. At one of the meetings of the Joint Commission it was found that we were greatly in need of suitable hymns for the baptism of children. At a subsequent meeting it came to the knowledge of the Commission that Bishop Hoss, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, one of the Chairmen of the Commission, had written the above hymn for use on the occasion of the baptism by himself of some children at the session of the White River Conference which was held at Wal- nut Ridge, Arkansas, in November, 1903. It appeared in print soon thereafter in the columns of the Nashville Christian Advo- cate. If the vote for its admission to the Hymnal was not unanimous, it was only because the author did not himself vote. It is a hymn at once scriptural, devotion- al, and in every way appropriate for use in connection with the baptism of chil- dren. 232 L, M. THIS child we dedicate to thee, O God of grace and purity ! Shield it from sin and threatening wrong, And let thy love its life prolong. 12G ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 O may thy Spirit gently draw Its willing soul to keep thy law; May virtue, pioty, and truth Dawn even with its dawning youth ! 3 We too, before thy gracious sight, Once shared the blest baptismal rite, And would renew its solemn vow With love, and thanks, and praises, now. 4 Grant that, with true and faithful heart, We still may act the Christian's part, Cheered by each promise thou hast given, And laboring for the prize in heaven. From the German. Tr. by Samuel Gilman. The date assigned by Professor Bird to this translation of an anonymous German hymn is 1823. It is found in Putnam's Singers and Songs of the Liberal Faith, 1874. 233 C. M. THE King of heaven his table spreads, And blessings crown the board ; Not paradise, with all its joys, Could such delight afford. 2 Pardon and peace to dying men, And endless life, are given, Through the rich blood that Jesus shed To raise our souls to heaven. 3 Millions of souls, in glory now, Were fed and feasted here ; And millions more, still on the way, Around the board appear. 4 All things are ready, come away, Nor weak excuses frame ; Crowd to your places at the feast, And bless the Founder's name. Philip Doddridge. Title: "Room at the Gospel Feast." Luke xiv. 22: "And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." One word only has been changed. The author wrote "dain- ties" instead of "blessings" in the second line. Two stanzas, the third and fifth, of the original have been omitted: 3 Ye hungry Poor, that long have stray'd In Sin's dark Mazes, come : Come from the Hedges and Highways, And Grace shall find you Room. 5 Yet is his House and Heart so large, That Millions more may come ; Nor could the wide assembling World O'erfill the spacious Room. From Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, 1755. 234 C. M. ACCORDING to thy gracious word, In meek humility, This will I do, my dying Lord, I will remember thee. 2 Thy body, broken for my sake, My bread from heaven shall be ; Thy testamental cup I take, And thus remember thee. 3 Gethsemane can I forget, Or there thy conflict see, Thine agony and bloody sweat, And not remember thee? £ When to the cross I turn mine eyes, And rest on Calvary, O Lamb of God, my Sacrifice, I must remember thee ! 5 Remember thee, and all thy pains, And all thy love to me ; Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains, Will I remember thee ! G And when these failing lips grow dumb, And mind and memory flee, When thou shalt in thy kingdom come, Then, Lord, remember me ! James Montgomery. This hymn is one of the most beautiful and useful of all our hymns written to be sung in connection with the sacramental services of the Lord's Supper. It was first published in the author's Christian Psalmist, 1825. Tne words of Luke xxii. 19 furnish at once the title and the Scrip- ture basis of the hymn: "This Do in Re- membrance of Me." 235 8s, 7s. D. JESUS spreads his banner o'er us, Cheers our famished souls with food ; He the banquet spreads before us, Of his mystic flesh and blood. Precious banquet, bread of heaven, Wine of gladness, flowing free ; May we taste it, kindly given, In remembrance, Lord, of thee. 2 In thy holy incarnation, When the angels sang thy birth ; INSTITUTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. 127 In thy fasting and temptation, In thy labors on the earth, In thy trial and rejection, In thy sufferings on the tree, In thy glorious resurrection, May we, Lord, remember thee. Roswell Park. These are the second and third verses, verbatim, of a hymn of six stanzas en- titled "The Communion/9 It is taken from the author's Poems, 1836. The introduction to this hymn is found in the first stanza. In some churches the congregation is dismissed before the com- munion service: 1 While the sons of earth retiring, From the sacred temple roam ; Lord, thy light and love desiring, To thine altar fain we come. Children of our Heavenly Father, Friends and brethren would we be ; While we round thy table gather, May our hearts be one in thee. 236 0. M. D. IF human kindness meets return, And owns the grateful tie ; If tender thoughts within us burn To feel a friend is nigh — O shall not warmer accents tell The gratitude we owe To Him who died, our fears to quell, Our more than orphan's woe ! 2 While yet His anguished soul surveyed Those pangs He would not flee, What love His latest words displayed — "Meet and remember me !" Remember Thee ! Thy death, Thy shame Our sinful hearts to share ! O memory, leave no other name But His recorded there ! Gerard T. Noel. ''This Do in Remembrance of Me" is the author's title for this hymn in his Selec- tion of Psalms and Hymns, London, 1810. It is also found in his Arvendel; or, Sketches of Italy and Switzerland, 1813. It is a tender and beautiful lyric of love to the Lord of life. 237 ios. HERE, O my Lord, I see thee face to face ; Here would I touch and handle things Here grasp with firmer hand eternal grace, And all my weariness upon thee lean. 2 Here would I feed upon the bread of God ; Here drink with thee the royal wine of heaven ; Here would I lay aside each earthly load, Here taste afresh the calm of sin for- given. 3 Too soon we rise : the symbols disappear ; The feast, though not the love, is passed and gone ; The bread and wine remove : but thou art here, Nearer than ever, — still my shield and sun. 4 I have no help but thine, nor do I need Another arm save thine to lean upon ; It is enough, my Lord, enough indeed : My strength is in thy might, — thy might alone. 5 I have no wisdom save in him who is My wisdom and my teacher both in one ; No wisdom can I lack while thou art wise, No teaching do I crave save thine alone. 6 Feast after feast thus comes, and passes by; Yet, passing, points to the glad feast above, Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy, The Lamb's great bridal feast of bliss and love. Horatius Bonar. The author's title is, "This Do in Re- membrance of Me." Ten stanzas; these are one, two, four, five, six, and ten, un- changed. Written at the request of the author's brother, Dr. John James Bonar, in 1855. It appears in the author's Hymns of Faith and Hope, first series, 1857. To those to whom this hymn has be- come familiar by use it is very precious and helpful. The Dictionary of Hymnolo- gy says: "In literary merit, earnestness, pathos, and popularity this hymn ranks with the best of Dr. Bonar's composi- tions." 238 9s, 8s. B READ of the world in mercy broken, Wine of the soul in mercy shed, By whom the words of life were spoken, And in whose death our sins are dead ll>8 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 Look on the heart by sorrow broken, Look on the tears by sinners shed ; And be thy feast to us the token That by thy grace our souls are fed. Reginald Heber. "Before the Sacrament" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Hymns, 1827. 239 8, 8, 8, 4. BY Christ redeemed, in Christ restored, We keep the memory adored, And show the death of our dear Lord Until he come. 2 His body, broken in our stead, Is here, in this memorial bread ; And so our feeble love is fed Until he come. 3 His fearful drops of agony, His lifeblood shed for us we see : The wine shall tell the mystery Until he come. 4 And thus that dark betrayal night, With the last advent we unite — The shame, the glory, by this rite, Until he come. 5 Until the trump of God be heard, Until the ancient graves be stirred, And with the great commanding word The Lord shall come. 6 O blessed hope ! with this elate Let not our hearts be desolate, But strong in faith, in patience wait Until he come ! George Rawson. Title: "Holy Communion." This fine lyric was written in 1857 and first pub- lished in a Baptist book, Psalms and Hymns, 1858. Dr. Julian says: "It is a hymn of more than usual excellence, and has attained to a greater position in modern hymnals than any other of the author's numerous compositions." The unique refrain, "Until he come," is evidently borrowed from Paul: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death, till he come." (1 Cor. xi. 26.) In the author's Hymns, Verses, and Chants, London, 1876, the text is the same as here, except the first line of verse three, which is: "The streams of his dread agony." The change is an improvement. 240 7s. 61. TILL he come !" O let the words Linger on the trembling chords ; Let the "little while" between In their golden light be seen ; Let us think how heaven and home Lie beyond that "Till he come." 2 When the weary ones we love Enter on their rest above-, Seems the earth so poor and vast, All our life-joy overcast? Hush, be every murmur dumb ; It is only "Till he come." 3 Clouds and conflicts round us press ; Would we have one sorrow less? All the sharpness of the cross, All that tells the world is lost, Death and darkness, and the tomb, Only whisper, "Till he come." 4 See, the feast of love is spread ; Drink the wine, and break the bread — Sweet memorials — till the Lord Call us round his heavenly board, Some from earth, from glory some, Severed only "Till he come." Edward H. Bickersteth. This hymn was written in 1861, and was first published in the author's vol- ume titled The Blessed Dead, 1862, and was republished in several of his later volumes. It is titled: "Ye do Show the Lord's Death till He Come." (1 Cor. xi. 26.) In the author's Hymnal Companion, 1870, it is accompanied by a note stating that it is given as a hymn representing one aspect of the Lord's Supper which is passed over in many hymnals, "Ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come," and also our communion with those of whom we say: "We bless thy Holy name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear." The author is most widely and favorably known throughout the world of English letters by his poetic volume titled Yesterday, To-Day, and For- ever, HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL, 241 C. M. COME, O thou all-victorious Lord, Thy power to us make known ; Strike with the hammer 6f thy word, And break these hearts of stone. 2 O that we all might now begin Our foolishness to mourn ; And turn at once from every sin, And to the Saviour turn ! 3 Give us ourselves and thee to know In this our gracious day ; Repentance unto life bestow, And take our sins away. 4 Convince us first of unbelief, And freely then release ; Fill every soul with sacred grief, And then with sacred peace. Charles Wesley. Title: "Written Before Preaching at Portland.'" The fact that many of the people worked in stone quarries probably sug- gested to Wesley this Scripture: "Is not my word . . . like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jer. xxiii. 29.) The author wrote, verse four, line one: Conclude us first in unbelief. There are three additional stanzas. It is from Hymns and Sacred Poems, by Charles Wesley, 1749. 242 C. M. PLUNGED in a gulf of dark despair, We wretched sinners lay, Without one cheering beam of hope, Or spark of glimmering day. 2 With pitying eyes the Prince of grace Beheld our helpless grief : He saw, and ( O amazing love ! ) He ran to our relief. 3 Down from the shining seats above With joyful haste he sped, Entered the grave in mortal flesh, And dwelt among the dead. 4 O for this love let rocks and hills Their lasting silence break ; 9 And all harmonious human tongues The Saviour's praises speak ! 5 Angels, assist our mighty joys, Strike all your harps of gold ; But when you raise your highest notes, His love can ne'er be told. Isaac Watts. "Praise to the Redeemer" is the title of this hymn in the author's Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707, where it first ap- peared. "I hope," says the author, "the reader will forgive the neglect of rhymes in the first and third lines of the stanzas." "This hymn," observes a thoughtful crit- ic, "is sufficient to prove that such rhyme is not necessary to the loftiest poetical composition. There are very few lines of sacred poetry so sublime as the last part of this hymn." Three stanzas are omitted above : 4 He spoiled the powers of darkness thus, And brake our iron chains ; Jesus has freed our captive souls From everlasting pains. 5 In vain the baffled prince of hell His cursed projects tries ; We that were doomed his endless slaves Are raised above the skies. 7 Yes, we will praise thee, dearest Lord, Our souls are all on flame ; Hosanna round the spacious earth To thine adored name ! No hymn in the entire range of Chris- tian lyric poetry furnishes a finer study in literary climax than this. The begin- ning of the hymn in the "gulf of dark de- spair," created by sin, furnishes the poet with an opportunity to ascend through the succeeding stanzas to the lofty climax of grace and glory with which the last stanza closes the hymn. It is a fine specimen of lyric poetry, whether viewed from the standpoint of literary art or of spiritual devotion. The profound hold which Dr. Watts's (129) 130 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. hymns have taken upon the hearts of Eng- lish Christians for the past century gives them a devotional value second only to the Bible in the lives of multitudes. This influence is well illustrated in a case cited by Dr. Telford. When George Eliot's aunt, Mrs. Samuel Evans, the fiery little Methodist heroine of Adam Bede, who is described as "a small, black-eyed woman, very vehement in her style of preaching," was dying, in December, 1858, she was one night sitting by her bed in great pain, when she exclaimed: "How good the Lord is! Praise his holy name." As a friend supported her she quoted from the hymn beginning, "When I survey the wondrous cross," this stanza: 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? A little later she quoted from another of Dr. Watts's hymns the familiar lines: "Worthy the Lamb that died," they cry, "To be exalted thus;" "Worthy the Lamb," our hearts reply, "For he was slain for us." Then, after a pause, she quoted from this hymn the incomparable words with which it closes: Angels, assist our mighty joys, Strike all your harps of gold ; But when you raise your highest notes, His love can ne'er be told ! 243 C. M. W HAT is the thing of greatest price, The whole creation round? That which was lost in Paradise, That which in Christ is found : 2 The soul of man, Jehovah's breath, That keeps two worlds at strife ; Hell moves beneath to work its death, Heaven stoops to give it life. 3 God, to reclaim it, did not spare His well-beloved Son ; Jesus, to save it, deigned to bear The sins of all in one. 4 The Holy Spirit sealed the plan, And pledged the blood divine, To ransom every soul of man ; That price was paid for mine. 5 And is this treasure borne below, In earthen vessels frail? Can none its utmost value know, Till flesh and spirit fail? 6 Then let us gather round the cross, That knowledge to obtain ; Not by the soul's eternal loss, But everlasting gain. James Montgomery. Author's title: "T7ie Soul." It is taken unaltered and entire from The Christian Psalmist. 1825. A recent hymn critic in his annotations says: "Few hymns set forth in so brief a space so many cardinal truths concerning the way of salvation." This writer has furnished more hymns to the Hymnal than any other except Watts and the Wesleys. There are nine- teen by Montgomery, and all of them are valuable. The only criticism that can be justly made is that, like this, most of them are didactic poems rather than hymns. 244 L- M. WHEREWITH, O Lord, shall I draw near, And bow myself before thy face? How in thy purer eyes appear? What shall I bring to gain thy grace? 2 Whoe'er to thee themselves approve Must take the path thyself hast showed ; Justice pursue, and mercy love, And humbly walk by faith with God. 3 But though my life henceforth be thine, Present for past can ne'er atone ; Though I to thee the whole resign, I only give thee back thine own. 4 What have I then wherein to trust? I nothing have, I nothing am ; Excluded is my every boast ; My glory swallowed up in shame. 5 Guilty I stand before thy face ; On me I feel thy wrath abide ; 'Tis just the sentence should take place, 'Tis just — but O, thy Son hath died ! Charles Wesley. This hymn has thirteen stanzas in the author's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 131 We have here verses one, five, six, eight, and nine. In verse one the original has "God" instead of "Lord," and in verse five "I feel on me" instead of "On me I feel." It is based on Micah vi. 6-8: Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall 1 come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? We quote three additional verses: 10 Jesus, the Lamb of God, hath bled, He bore our sins upon the tree, Beneath our curse he bowed his head, 'Tis finished ! He hath died for me ! 11 For me I now believe he died ! He made my every crime his own, Fully for me he satisfied : Father, well pleased behold thy Son. 13 He ever lives for me to pray; He prays that I with him may reign : Amen to what my Lord doth say ! Jesu, thou canst not pray in vain. 245 c. m. THOU Son of God, whose flaming eyes Our inmost thoughts perceive, Accept the grateful sacrifice Which now to thee we give. 2 We bow before thy gracious throne, And think ourselves sincere ; But show us, Lord, is every one Thy real worshiper? 3 Is here a soul that knows thee not, Nor feels his need of thee ; A stranger to the blood which bought His pardon on the tree? 4 Convince him now of unbelief, His desperate state explain ; And fill his heart with sacred grief, And penitential pain. 5 Speak with that voice that wakes the dead, And bid the sleeper rise, And bid his guilty conscience dread The death that never dies. Charles Wesley. From Hymns for the Use of Families, by Charles Wesley, 1767. There are three valuable additional stanzas: 6 Extort the cry, What must be done To save a wretch like me? How shall a trembling sinner shun That endless misery? 7 I must this instant now begin, Out of my sleep to wake, And turn to God, and every sin Continually forsake. 8 I must for faith incessant cry, And wrestle, Lord, with Thee ; I must be born again, or die To all eternity. There is a scripturalness and a positive- ness about this whole hymn that is truly refreshing. 246 C. M. SINNERS, the voice of God regard ; 'Tis mercy speaks to-day ; He calls you by his sacred word From sin's destructive way. 2 Like the rough sea that cannot rest, You live devoid of peace ; A thousand stings within your breast Deprive your souls of ease. 3 Why will you in the crooked ways Of sin and folly go? In pain you travel all your days, To reap eternal woe. 4 But he that turns to God shall live Through his abounding grace : His mercy will the guilt forgive Of those that seek his face. 5 Bow to the scepter of his word, Renouncing every sin ; Submit to him, your sovereign Lord, And learn his will divine. John Fawcett. From the author's Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, Leeds, 1782. It is based on Isaiah lv. 7: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." In the last line of verse three 132 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. the author wrote "immortal" instead of "eternal." The two omitted stanzas are: 3 Your way is dark, and leads to hell: Why will you persevere? Can you in endless torments dwell, Shut up in black despair? 7 His love exceeds your highest thoughts, fie pardons like a God ; He will forgive your numerous faults, Through a Redeemer's blood. 247 7s. D. SINNERS, turn ; why will ye die? God, your Maker, asks you why; God, who did your being give, Made you with himself to live ; He the fatal cause demands, Asks the work of his own hands : Why, ye thankless creatures, why Will ye cross his love, and die? 2 Sinners, turn; why will ye die? God, your Saviour, asks you why ; God, who did your souls retrieve, Died himself, that ye might live. Will ye let him die in vain? Crucify your Lord again? Why, ye ransomed sinners, why Will ye slight his grace, and die? 3 Sinners, turn ; why will ye die? God, the Spirit, asks you why ; He, who all your lives hath strove, Wooed you to embrace his love ; Will ye not his grace receive? Will ye still refuse to live? Why, ye long-sought sinners, why Will ye grieve your God, and die? Charles Wesley. The Scripture basis of this hymn is Ezekiel xviii. 31: "Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" These are the first three verses of a long poem published in Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 1741. In sixteen double stanzas Wesley pleads passionately with sinners. In the tenth verse he says: What could your Redeemer do, More than he hath done for you? To procure your peace with God, Could he more than shed his blood? After all his flow of love, All his drawings from above, Why will ye your Lord deny? Why will ye resolve to die? 248 H 7s. ASTEN, sinner, to be wise ! Stay not for the morrow's sun Wisdom, if thou still despise, Harder is it to be won. 2 Hasten, mercy to implore ! Stay not for the morrow's sun, Lest thy season should be o'er Ere this evening's stage be run. 3 Hasten, sinner, to return ! Stay not for the morrow's sun, Lest thy lamp should cease to burn Ere salvation's work is done. 4 Hasten, sinner, to be blest ! Stay not for the morrow's sun, Lest swift death should thee arrest Ere the morrow is begun. Thomas Scott. '"Belay''' is the author's title to this hymn in his Lyric Poems, Devotional and Moral, London, 1773. In the first stanza, lines three and four, the author wrote: Longer ivisdom you despise, Harder is she to be won. The original of line three in verse four is: "Lest perdition thee arrest." 2±9 L. M. BEHOLD, a Stranger at the door! He gently knocks, has knocked before ; Has waited long, is waiting still ; You treat no other friend so ill. 2 O lovely attitude ! he stands With melting heart and laden hands : O matchless kindness ! and he shows This matchless kindness to his foes. 3 But will he prove a friend indeed? He will ; the very friend you need : The Friend of sinners — yes, 'tis he, With garments dyed on Calvary. 4 Rise, touched with gratitude divine ; Turn out his enemy and thine. That soul-destroying monster, sin, And let the heavenly Stranger in. Joseph Grigg. The Scripture basis is Revelation iii. 20: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock." The original has eleven stanzas. These are the first four with slight al- HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 133 terations. Prom Four Hymns on Divine Subjects, etc., 1765. Tne tenderness and love of Christ are revealed in this lyric in a remarkable manner. The closing stanza is a unique and comprehensive prayer: Sov'reign of Souls ! thou Prince of Peace ! O may thy gentle Reign increase ! Throw wide the Door, each willing Mind, And be his Empire all Mankind. 250 s. m. 0 WHERE shall rest be found, Rest for the weary soul? 'Twere vain the ocean's depths to sound, Or pierce to either pole. 2 The world can never give The bliss for which we sigh ; 'Tis not the whole of life to live, Nor all of death to die. 3 Beyond this vale of tears There is a life above, Unmeasured by the flight of years; And all that life is love. 4 There is a death, whose pang Outlasts the fleeting breath : O what eternal horrors hang Around the second death ! 5 Lord God of truth and grace, Teach us that death to shun, Lest we be banished from thy face, And evermore undone. James Montgomery. "The Issues of Life and Death" is the author's title to this hymn, which was written for the Anniversary Sermons of the Red Hill Wesleyan Sunday School, Sheffield. These sermons were preached on March 15 and 16, 1818, and the hymn was printed for use on a broad sheet. It is also contained in Cotterill's Selection, 1819, and in Montgomery's Christian Psalmist, 1825. The last stanza was changed by the author. As it appeared when first published, in 1818, it read as follows: Lord God of grace and truth, Teach us that death to shun ; Nor let us from our earliest youth Forever be undone. When it appeared in the Christian Psalmist, in 1825, this stanza had been changed so as to read as above. There are few, if any, more solemn and impressive hymns in the language than this. It is said to have been founded on the author's own sad and bitter experi- ence, out of which he was happily led by the Spirit of God, and thus enabled to write this most useful and impressive hymn. Describing that unhappy period of his life, he said: My restless and imaginative mind and my wild and ungovernable imagination have long ago broken loose from the anchor of faith, and have been driven, the sport of winds and waves, over an ocean of doubts, round which every coast is defended by the rocks of de- spair that forbid me to enter the harbor in view. This is one of the "portions of his history" to which he refers as preparing him to write with heartfelt penitence and grati- tude this hymn, which is based on He- brews iv. 11: "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall aft- er the same example of unbelief." The last stanza, omitted above, is: 6 Here would we end our quest : Alone are found in thee, The life of perfect love — the rest Of immortality. 251 L. M. HA.STE, traveler, haste ! the night comes on And many a shining hour is gone ; The storm is gathering in the west, And thou art far from home and rest. 2 O far from home thy footsteps stray ; Christ is the life, and Christ the way, And Christ the light ; thy setting sun Sinks ere thy morning is begun. 3 The rising tempest sweeps the sky ; The rains descend, the winds are high ; The waters swell, and death and fear Beset thy path, nor refuge near. 4 Then linger not in all the plain, Flee for thy life, the mountain gain ; Look not behind, make no delay, O speed thee, speed thee on thy way ! William B. Collyer. 134 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Original title: ''Fleeing -from the Wrath to Come by Flying to Christ." It is found- ed on Genesis xix. 17: "Escape for thy life." The original has seven stanzas. These are one, two, four, and six. It is found in Nippon's Selection (the twenty- seventh edition, published in 1827), where each stanza except the last closes with this burden: Haste, traveler, haste ! Verses three, five, and seven are omit- ted: o Awake, awake ! pursue thy way With steady course, while yet 'tis day ; While thou art sleeping on the ground, Danger and darkness gather round. Haste, traveler, haste ! 5 O yes ! a shelter you may gain, A covert from the wind and rain, A hiding-place, a rest, a home, A refuge from the wrath to come. Haste, traveler, haste ! 7 Poor, lost, benighted soul ! art thou Willing to find salvation now? There yet is hope ; hear mercy's call : Truth ! Life ! Light ! Way ! in Christ is all ! Haste to Him, haste ! Like some other hymns, this is an ex- hortation in rhyme; but, considering the needs of men, it is entirely justifiable. 252 L. M. GOD calling yet! shall I not hear? Earth's pleasures shall I still hold dear? Shall life's swift passing years all fly, And still my soul in slumber lie? 2 God calling yet! shall I not rise? Can I his loving voice despise, And basely his kind care repay? He calls me still; can I delay? 3 God calling yet ! and shall he knock, And I my heart the closer lock? He still is waiting to receive, And shall I dare his Spirit grieve? 4 God calling yet ! and shall I give No heed, but still in bondage live? I wait, but he does not forsake; He calls me still ; my heart, awake ! 5 God calling yet ! I cannot stay ; My heart I yield without delay: Vain world, farewell, from thee I part ; The voice of God hath reached my heart. Gerhard Tersteegen. Tr. by Borah Borthwick Findlater. "A beautiful hymn on God's gracious call to turn to him, and what our answer should be." The German original first appeared in the second edition (1735) of Tersteegen's Spiritual Flower Garden (Geistliches Blumen GUrtlein), where it is titled ''To-Day if Ye Will Hear His Voice." Jane Borthwick and her sister Sarah (who became the wife of Rev. Eric John Findlater) were both translators of German hymns, which they published in a volume titled Hymns from the Land of Luther (first series, 1854; second, 1855; third, 1858; fourth, 1862; complete edition, 1862; and a new edition, 1884). Sixty-one of these translations are by Jane Borth- wick, and fifty-three are by Sarah Borth- wick Findlater. The translation here giv- en has been generally accredited to Jane Borthwick, but she informed Dr. Julian that it was not her own but one of her sister's translations. As it came from the translator's hand it was in a different me- ter, beginning: "God calling yet! and shall I never hearken?" The changes made in the hymn, in order to adapt it to an or- dinary "long meter" tune, were by the compilers of the Sabbath Hymn Book. An- dover, 1858. It appears in this altered form in all the American Church hymnals that contain it. The German original contains eight stanzas, only six of which were translated. The fifth stanza of the translation is omit- ted in the Andover revision given above, and is as follows: Ah ! yield Him all — all to His care confiding : Where but with him are rest and peace abid- ing? Unloose, unloose, break earthly bonds asun- der, And let this spirit rise in soaring wonder. This hymn is a remarkable soliloquy of an awakened and penitent soul. It could HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 135 have been written only by one who had himself passed through the deep spiritual experiences involved in conviction of sin and conversion from sin. The author was a somewhat eccentric but deeply pious mystic. Methodist hymnology owes much to the purest and best representatives of Christian mysticism in Germany. At the age of twenty-seven Tersteegen wrote, in his own blood, a dedication of himself to God, in which he says: "God graciously called me out of the world and granted me the desire to belong to him and to be willing to follow him. I long for an eter- nity, that I may suitably glorify him for it." 253 S. M. TO-MORROW, Lord, is thine, Lodged in thy sovereign hand, And if its sun arise and shine, It shines by thy command. 2 The present moment flies, And bears our life away ; O ! make thy servants truly wise, That they may live to-day. 3 Since on this winged hour Eternity is hung, Waken, by thine almighty power, The aged and the young. 4 One thing demands our care ; O ! be it still pursued, Lest, slighted once, the season fair Should never be renewed. 5 To Jesus may we fly, Swift ^s the morning light, Lest life's young golden beam should die In sudden, endless night. Philip Doddridge. Title: "The Vanity of Worldly Schemes Inferred from the Uncertainty of Life" Scripture basis, James iv. 14: "Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then van- isheth away." It is unaltered and entire from the author's Hymns Founded on Va- rious Texts in the Holy Scriptures, Lon- don, 1755. 254 L. M. w HILE life prolongs its precious light Mercy is found, and peace is given ; But soon, ah, soon, approaching night Shall blot out every hope of heaven. 2 While God invites, how blest the day! How sweet the gospel's charming sound ! Come, sinners, haste, O haste away, While yet a pardoning God is found. 3 Soon, borne on time's most rapid wing, Shall death command you to the grave, Before his bar your spirits bring, And none be found to hear or save. 4 In that lone land of deep despair No Sabbath's heavenly light shall rise, No God regard your bitter prayer, No Saviour call you to the skies. Timothy Dwight. From Dr. Dwight's edition of Watts's Psalms, 1800, where it bears the title, "Life the Only Accepted Time," and is giv- en as part third of the eighty-eighth Psalm. The last two stanzas of the orig- inal are omitted here: 5 No wonders to the dead are shown, (The wonders of redeeming love;) No voice his glorious truth makes known, Nor sings the bliss of climes above. 6 Silence, and solitude, and gloom, In these forgetful realms appear; Deep sorrows fill the dismal tomb, And hope shall never enter there. 255 L- m. RETURN, O wanderer, return, And seek an injured Father's face ; Those warm desires that in thee burn Were kindled by reclaiming grace. 2 Return, O wanderer, return, And seek a Father's melting heart ; His pitying eyes thy grief discern, His hand shall heal thine inward smart. 3 Return, O wanderer, return ; Thy Saviour bids thy spirit live ; Go to his bleeding feet, and learn How freely Jesus can forgive. 4 Return, O wanderer, return, And wipe away the falling tear ; 'Tis God who says, "No longer mourn;" 'Tis mercy's voice invites thee near. William B. Collyer. 136 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. From Collyer's Hymns, London, 1812. Six stanzas. These are one, two, four, and five, unaltered. The author's title was "The Backslider," and the Scripture basis Jeremiah xxxi. 18-20. One of the saddest reflections in the history of Christendom is the thought that many having found the way of life are led to turn away from it. Great care should be taken to keep believers in the faith and to restore such as have fallen away. 256 L- M. COME, sinners, to the gospel feast ; Let every soul be Jesus' guest ; Ye need not one be left behind, For God hath bidden all mankind. 2 Sent by my Lord, on you I call ; The invitation is to all : Come, all the world ! come, sinner, thou ! All things in Christ are ready now. 3 Come, all ye souls by sin oppressed, Ye restless wanderers after rest ; Ye poor, and maimed, and halt, and blind, In Christ a hearty welcome find. 4 My message as from God receive ; Ye all may come to Christ and live : O let his love your hearts constrain, Nor suffer him to die in vain. 5 See him set forth before your eyes, That precious, bleeding sacrifice ! His offered benefits embrace, And freely now be saved by grace. Charles Wesley. "The Great Supper" is the title to this impressive hymn of invitation and wel- come to the sinner. It is based on Luke xiv. 16-24. It was first published in 1747 in the author's Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. The original has twenty-four stanzas, this being the first, second, twelfth, twentieth, and twen- ty-second. Some of the omitted stanzas have a "quaint simplicity" and use a "plainness of speech" that makes them well worth quoting: Jesus to you his fullness brings, A feast of marrow and fat things. Do not begin to make excuse, Ah ! do not you his grace refuse. Your grounds forsake, your oxen quit, Your every earthly thought forget, Seek not the comforts of this life, Nor sell your Saviour for a wife. "Have me excused," why will ye say? Why will ye for damnation pray? Have you excused — from joy and peace! Have you excused — from happiness : Excused from coming to a feast ! Excused from being Jesus' guest ! From knowing now your sins forgiven, From tasting here the joys of heaven ! Excused, alas ! why should you be From health, and life, and liberty, From entering into glorious rest, From leaning on your Saviour's breast? Sinners my gracious Lord receives, Harlots, and publicans, and thieves ; Drunkards, and all ye hellish crew, I have a message now to you. The worst unto my supper press, Monsters of daring wickedness, Tell them my grace for all is free, They cannot be too bad for me. In July, 1790, Jesse Lee preached the first Methodist sermon ever delivered in Boston, Mass. Having spent a week try- ing to find a place to preach at, but find- ing all places of worship closed against him and his Methodist Arminian "heresy," he concluded to preach in the open air on the Common. He borrowed a table from some one living near by, and, placing it under the shade of the famous Old Elm lo- cated near the center of the Common, he mounted it, and, with an audience of only five persons, began singing: Come, sinners, to the gospel feast; Let every soul be Jesus' guest : Ye need not one be left behind, For God hath bidden all mankind. He sung the whole hymn through. Nor could anything be more fitting for the in- troduction of Methodism into new soil, for it is a hymn that is full of the central doc- trine of Wesleyan theology — an unlimited atonement. They had never heard such HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 137 hymns and such preaching in Calvinistic New England before. Before he had fin- ished his sermon he had an audience of nearly three thousand, and on the succeed- ing Sabbath an even larger number. In 1876, we may add, this historic old elm tree was blown down in a severe storm. The Methodist preachers of the city re- solved to have a large armchair made of some of the wood of the tree, to be pre- served as a memorial of the introduction of Methodism into Boston. On the day of its presentation to the Preachers' Meet- ing (in 1879) an able and interesting his- torical paper was read by Dr. (since Bish- op) Mallalieu, and a historical poem by Dr. Studley.* 257 7s. COME, said Jesus' sacred voice, Come, and make my path your choice ; I will guide you to your home ; Weary pilgrim, hither come. 2 Thou who, houseless, sole, forlorn, Long hast borne the proud world's scorn, Long hast roamed the barren waste, Weary pilgrim, hither haste. 3 Ye who, tossed on beds of pain, Seek for ease, but seek in vain ; Ye, by fiercer anguish torn, In remorse for guilt who mourn ; *For several years this historic chair has been in the home of the Methodist bishop res- ident in Boston. It was in April, 1905, and in Boston, that the last meeting of the four editors of this Hymnal (Drs. Stuart, Tillett, Lutkin, and Harrington) was held for the purpose of concluding their long and arduous labors and giving the finishing touches to the revised proofs of all the hymns and tunes. Their place of meeting was not far from the historic spot where Methodism began its mis- sion in this city, now grown to be the great American metropolis of letters, and the cir- cumstance above mentioned was a frequent subject of interested conversation among the editors. Bishop Goodsell, himself a member of the Hymnal Commission, invited the ed- itors to a much-enjoyed luncheon, one of the most pleasant incidents of which was to ex- amine and sit in this most interesting and now famous chair, the preservation of which by the Methodists of Boston may well be made a matter of pardonable pride. 4 Hither come, for here is found Balm that flows for every wound, Peace that ever shall endure, Rest eternal, sacred, sure. Anna L. Barbauld. Title: "Invitation." Prom the author's Poems, revised edition, 1792. It is based on Matthew xi. 28: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." The third stanza is made up of the first half of the third and fourth of the orig- inal. The last couplets of these stanzas are as follows: Ye whose swollen and sleepless eyes Watch to see the morning rise. Here repose your heavy care : Who the stings of guilt can bear? The last stanza the author began with, "Sinner, come," etc. 258 L. M. H O ! every one that thirsts, draw nigh ; 'Tis God invites the fallen race : Mercy and free salvation buy ; Buy wine, and milk, and gospel grace. 2 Come to the living waters, come ! Sinners, obey your Maker's call ; Return, ye weary wanderers, home, And find my grace is free for all. 3 See from the rock a fountain rise ; For you in healing streams it rolls ; Money ye need not bring, nor price, Ye laboring, burdened, sin-sick souls. 4 Nothing ye in exchange shall give ; Leave all you have and are behind ; Frankly the gift of God receive ; Pardon and peace in Jesus find. Charles Wesley. These are the first four of the thirty- one stanzas which constitute the author's paraphrase of the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. The first verse furnished the ba- sis for the above stanzas: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk with- out money and without price." This hymn is found in Hymns and Sa- 1.18 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. cred Poems, 1740. This volume bears on its title-page the names of both John and Charles Wesley. Previous to 1749 the two brothers published most of their volumes of hymns conjointly and agreed not to distinguish their hymns as to authorship; but after this date all the hymn books is- sued bore the name of Charles Wesley alone. Richard Green, an authority in Methodist bibliography, says that this hymn "is attributed to John Wesley ac- cording to the almost universal testi- mony;" but the editors of the new Wes- leyan Methodist Hymn Book and Telford, author of The Methodist Hymn Book Il- lustrated, and other Methodist authorities pronounce in favor of Charles Wesley as the author. 259 7, 8, 7, 4, 7. COME, ye sinners, poor and needy, Weak and wounded, sick and sore ; Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity, love, and power : He is able, He is willing: doubt no more. 2 Now, ye needy, come and welcome ; God's free bounty glorify ; True belief and true repentance, Every grace that brings you nigh, Without money, Come to Jesus Christ and buy. 3 Let not conscience make you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream ; All the fitness he requireth Is to feel your need of him : This he gives you ; 'Tis the Spirit's glimmering beam. 4 Come, ye weary, heavy-laden, Bruised and mangled by the fall ; If you tarry till you're better, You will never come at all ; Not the righteous — Sinners Jesus came to call. Joseph Hart. The original has seven stanzas. These are the first four. The author's title is: "Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ." From Hymns, Composed on Various Sub- jects, by J. Hart. Date of preface, 1759. A few lines have been changed, published the first line: Hart Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched. And the fourth: Full of pity joined with power. For more than sixty years this hymn stood No. 2 in the Methodist collection. It is a favorite invitation hymn, and thou- sands have decided to accept Christ while it was being sung. It compels thought and meets several of the excuses common- ly given for not accepting Christ. 260 C. M. COME, humble sinner, in whose breast A thousand thoughts revolve ; Come, with your guilt and fear oppressed, And make this last resolve: 2 I'll go to Jesus, though my sin Like mountains round me close ; I know his courts, I'll enter in, Whatever may oppose. 3 Prostrate I'll lie before his throne, And there my guilt confess ; I'll tell him I'm a wretch undone Without his sovereign grace. 4 Perhaps he will admit my plea, Perhaps will hear my prayer ; But, if I perish, I will pray, And perish only there. 5 I can but perish if I go ; I am resolved to try ; For if I stay away, I know I must forever die. Edmund Jones. Title: "The Successful Resolve.'' Based on Esther iv. 16: "And so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish." Also v. 2: "And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand." It first appeared in Rippon's Selection, 1787, with seven stanzas. The two omitted stanzas are: HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 130 4 I'll to the gracious King approach, Whose sceptre pardon gives ; Perhaps he may command my touch, And then the suppliant lives. 7 But, if I die with mercy sought, When I the King have tried, This were to die (delightful thought!) As sinner never died. Instead of line two, in the second stan- za given above, the author wrote: "Hath like a mountain rose" Of all the invitation hymns used in the revivals of the Methodist Church of Amer- ica during the past century, this was per- haps the most popular and useful. No hymn was sung so often as this imme- diately following the earnest exhortation and invitation to sinners with which Methodist preachers were wont to close their sermons. As sung to the old tunes. Fairfield and Tennessee, it brought to tears and to repentance — and to the peni- tent's altar — many a soul convicted of sin. However, it is not popular now as it once was. It has been objected that the "perhaps" of the fourth verse is misleading and false, as there is no "perhaps" about God's saving the true penitent. But the hymn is strictly true to nature in that it de- scribes the thoughts and feelings of the penitent, or at least of many penitents, in approaching the altar and seeking the for- giveness of sins. It is not the language of God or of the preacher, but of a half- trusting penitent that is here introduced. 261 6s. COME, every soul by sin oppressed, There's mercy with the Lord, And he will surely give you rest, By trusting in his word. Refrain. Only trust him, only trust him, Only trust him now ; He will save you, he will save you, He will save you now. 2 For Jesus shed his precious blood Rich blessings to bestow ; Plunge now into the crimson flood That washes white as snow. 3 Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way, That leads you into rest; Believe in him without delay, And you are fully blest. 4 Come then, and join this holy band, And on to glory go, To dwell in that celestial land, Where joys immortal flow. John H. Stockton. Ira D. Sankey, in his Story of the Gos- pel Hymns, says: "While on the way to England with Mr. Moody, in 1873, one day in mid-ocean, as I was looking over a list of hymns in my scrapbook, I noticed one commencing, 'Come, every soul by sin op- pressed,' written by the Rev. John Stock- ton, with the familiar chorus: Come to Jesus, come to Jesus, Come to Jesus just now. Believing that these words had been so often sung that they were hackneyed, I decided to change them and tell how to come to Jesus by substituting the words: 'Only trust him.' In this form it was pub- lished in Sacred Songs and Solos." In singing the chorus Mr. Sankey some- times changed it to "I will trust him," and sometimes to "I do trust him." As an invitation hymn it has been a help and a blessing to many people. W 263 7s. 61. EARY souls, that wander wide From the central point of bliss, Turn to Jesus crucified, Fly to those dear wounds of his ; Sink into the purple flood, Rise into the life of God. 2 Find in Christ the way of peace, Peace unspeakable, unknown ; By his pain he gives you ease, Life by his expiring groan : Rise, exalted by his fall, Find in Christ your all in all. 3 O believe the record true, God to you his Son hath given ; Ye may now be happy too, Find on earth the life of heaven 140 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Live the life of heaven above, All the life of glorious love. Charles Wesley. "The Invitation" is the title of this in the author's Redemption Hymns, 1747. The last stanza is omitted: 4 This the universal bliss, Bliss for every soul designed; God's primeval promise this, God's great gift to all mankind : Blest in Christ this moment be, Blest to all eternity 1 In verse one, line one, the author wrote "who" instead of "that," and in verse three, line four, "Live" instead of "Find." 203 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 knowest to prize What thou hast bought so dear : Come, then, and in thy people's eyes With all thy wounds appear. 4 The hardness of their hearts remove, Thou who for all hast died ; Show them 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. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. The author's title is: ''Before Preaching to the Colliers in Leicestershire." It is composed of verses one, two, six, and nine of a hymn of eighteen stanzas. The author wrote '"stony" instead of "hardness" 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 ! 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. 204 S. M. 0 THAT I could repent! O that I could believe! Thou, by thy voice omnipotent, The rock in sunder cleave. 2 Thou, by thy two-edged sword, My soul and spirit part ; Strike with the hammer of thy word, And break my stubborn heart. 3 Saviour, and Prince of Peace, The double grace bestow ; Unloose the bands of wickedness. And let the captive go. 4 Grant me my sins to feel, And then the load remove : Wound, and pour in, my wounds to heal, The balm of pard'ning love. Charles Wesley. This is from the author's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, being the first two of six double stanzas. It is one of thirty- seven hymns that bear the title, "For One Fallen from Grace." In the third line of the first stanza the author wrote: "Thou by thy voice the marble rent." 265 0 S. M. THAT I could repent ! With all my idols part, And to thy gracious eye present A humble, contrite heart : 2 A heart with grief oppressed For having grieved my God ; A troubled heart that cannot rest Till sprinkled with thy blood. 3 Jesus, on me bestow The penitent desire ; With true sincerity of woe My aching breast inspire : 4 With softening pity look, And melt my hardness down ; Strike with thy love's resistless stroke, And break this heart of stone ! Charles Wesley. HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. Ill From Volume I. of Charles Wesley's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. There are thirty-seven hymns with this title: "For One Fallen from Grace" Backsliding is no new thing. This hymn is the first half of No. 28 of these hymns. The author wrote "effectual" in- stead of "resistless" in verse four, line three. It is well adapted to the purpose for which it was written. 266 L. M. A BROKEN heart, my God, my King, To thee a sacrifice I bring: The God of grace will ne'er despise A broken heart for sacrifice. 2 My soul lies humbled in the dust, And owns thy dreadful sentence just : Look down, O Lord, with pitying eye, And save the soul condemned to die. 3 Then will I teach the world thy ways ; Sinners shall learn thy sovereign grace ; I'll lead them to my Saviour's blood, And they shall praise a pardoning God. 4 O may thy love inspire my tongue ! Salvation shall be all my song ; And all my powers shall join to bless The Lord, my strength and righteousness. Isaac Watts. This is a portion of Part III. of the au- thor's metrical version of the fifty-first Psalm, being based more immediately on the seventeenth verse: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not de- spise." The author's title is: ''The Back- slider Restored; or, Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ." It is found in his Psalms of David, 1719. The first four verses are omitted above: 1 O Thou, who hear'st when sinners cry, Though all my crimes before thee lie, Behold them not with angry look, But blot their mem'ry from thy book. 2 Create my nature pure within, And form my soul averse from sin: Let thy good Spirit ne'er depart, Nor hide thy presence from my heart. 3 I cannot live without thy light, Cast out and banish' d from thy sight ! Thy holy joys, my God, restore, And guard me that I fall no more. 4 Though I have grieved thy Spirit, Lord, Thy help and comfort still afford ; And let a wretch come near thy throne, To plead the merits of thy Son. This historic paraphrase of the fifty- first Psalm by Dr. Watts is in three parts. Part I. is found in No. 270. Part II. is omitted. It is titled: "Original and Actual Sin Confessed." It gives expression to a view of original sin which is but seldom preached now. As many would like to have this famous poetic paraphrase com- plete, we present here the omitted Part II., with the Scripture on which it is based: Behold, I was shapen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts : and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wis- dom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness ; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 1 Lord, I am vile, conceived in sin, And born unholy and unclean ; Sprung from the man whose guilty fall Corrupts his race, and taints us all. 2 Soon as we draw our infant breath, The seeds of sin grow up for death ; Thy law demands a perfect heart, But we're defiled in every part. 3 Great God, create my heart anew, And form my spirit pure and true ; And make me wise betimes to spy My danger and my remedy ! 4 Behold! I fall before thy face; My only refuge is thy grace : No outward forms can make me clean ; The leprosy lies deep within. 5 No bleeding bird, nor bleeding beast, Nor hyssop branch, nor sprinkling priest, Nor running brook, nor flood, nor sea, Can wash the dismal stain away. 6 Jesus, my God, thy blood alone Hath power sufficient to atone ; Thy blood can make me white as snow : No Jewish types could cleanse me so. 142 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 7 While guilt disturbs and breaks my peace-, Xor flesh nor soul hath rest or ease, Lord, let me hear thy pard'ning voice, And make my broken bones rejoice. 207 18. D EPTH of mercy ! can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God his wrath forbear- Me, the chief of sinners, spare? 2 I have long withstood his grace ; Long provoked him to his face; "Would not hearken to his calls ; Grieved him by a thousand falls. 3 Now incline me to repent ; Let me now my sins lament ; Now my foul revolt deplore, Weep, believe, and sin no more. 4 Kindled his relentings are ; Me he now delights to spare ; Cries, "How shall I give thee up?" Lets the lifted thunder drop. 5 There for me the Saviour stands. Shows his wounds and spreads his hands ; God is love ! I know, I feel ; Jesus weeps and loves me still. Charles Wesley. The author's title is: "After a Relapse into Sin." This song, so full of poetry and tender- ness, is made up of verses one, two, thir- teen, seven, and nine of the original. One word only has been changed. Wesley wrote "falT1 instead of "sins" in verse three, line two. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, by John and Charles Wesley, London, 1740. A story is told of an English actress who was led into a cottage prayer meeting by- hearing this hymn sung as she was passing by. She was deeply convicted of sin, and soon afterwards found pardon. Having giv- en her heart to God, she resolved to leave the stage ; but her manager urged her to play once more, representing that his disappoint- ment and loss would be great unless she con- sented to appear. At last she yielded to his request. Her part was introduced by a song. When the curtain rose, the orchestra began the accompaniment ; but she did not sing. Supposing that she was confused, the band played the air again. Still she was silent. At length, with her hands clasped and her eyes suffused with teai song of the play, but : she sang, not the "Depth of mercy ! can there be Mercy still reserved for me? Can my God his wrath forbear — Me, the chief of sinners, spare?" The performance suddenly ended and the people scattered, some ridiculing her act, oth- ers reflecting upon the power of religion. It is said that the woman became a consistent Christian and afterwards was the wife of a minister of the gospel. 268 C. M. H OW sad our state by nature is ! Our sin, how deep it stains ! And Satan binds our captive souls Fast in his slavish chains. 2 But there's a voice of sovereign grace Sounds from the sacred word : "Ho ! ye despairing sinners, come, And trust a faithful Lord." 3 My soul obeys the gracious call, And runs to this relief : I would believe thy promise, Lord ; O help my unbelief ! 4 To the blest fountain of thy blood, Incarnate God, I fly ; Here let me wash my spotted soul From crimes of deepest dye. 5 A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, Into thy arms I fall : Be thou my strength and righteousness, My Jesus and my all. Isaac Watts. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs. 1707. Author's title: "Faith in Christ for Par- don and Sanctification." The original has "captive minds" in the first stanza, "trust upon the Lord" in the second, "almighty call" in the third, "dear fountain" in the fourth, and "On thy kind arms" in the last verse. These changes were made by John Wesley. The fifth stanza of the original is omitted above: 5 Stretch out thine arm, victorious King, My reigning sins subdue. Drive the old Dragon from his seat, With all his hellish crew. Although this hymn is not often sung HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 143 now, it has a large place in Christian bi- ography. Dr. Spencer, in his Pastor's Sketches, gives the following touching account of a young woman who suddenly obtained peace by faith in Christ after a long peri- od of gloom: One evening, on his way to church, he called at her home. He found her just where she had been for many weeks. On leaving her he said : "I would aid 3rou most willing- ly if I could, but I can do you no good." "I do not think you can," said she calmly, "but I hope you will still come to see me." "Yes, I will," said he ; "but all I can say is, I know there is salvation for you ; but you must re- pent, and you must flee to Christ." On reach- ing the church he gave out the hymn closing with the stanza : "A guilty, weak, and helpless worm." The next day she came to see him to tell him she had made a new discovery ; and on asking her what it was, she said : "Why, sir, the way of salvation all seems to me perfect- ly plain. My darkness is all gone. I see now what I never saw before. All is light to me. I see my way clear, and I am not burdened and troubled as I was. I do not know how it is or what has brought me to it ; but when you were reading that hymn last night, I saw the whole way of salvation for sinners per- fectly plain, and wondered that I had never seen it before. I saw that I had nothing to do but trust in Christ — 'A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, Into thy arms I fall.' I sat all the evening just looking at that hymn. I did not hear your prayer. I did not hear a word of your sermon. I do not know your text. I thought of nothing but that hymn, and I have been thinking of it ever since. It is so light and makes me so contented. Why, sir, don't you think that the reason we don't get out of darkness soon- er is that we don't believe?" The Rev. George Marsden records of one of his interviews with the Rev. Richard Watson, during his last illness, with what pleasure the suffering divine spoke on the subject of Christ crucified. He dwelt for some time on its infinite importance as the only foundation on which to rest for pardon, acceptance with God, and eternal life. He then spoke of his own unworthi- ness and of his first reliance on the atone- ment, and repeated with solemn and deep feeling this verse: "A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, Into thy arms I fall : Be thou my strength and righteousness, My Saviour and my all." He died in London January 8, 1833, aged fifty-one years. Dr. Doddridge told his theological students at Northampton on one occasion that he wished his last words might be these same words of Watts just quoted. In June, 1736, three days after his ordi- nation, George Whitefield wrote to a friend: "Never a poor creature set up with so small a stock. . . . Help, help me, my dear friend, with your warmest ad- dresses to the throne of grace. At pres- ent this is the language of my heart, "A guilty, weak, and helpless worm," etc. On July 19, 1738, Charles Wesley and his friends sang this hymn with the crim- inals on their way to Tyburn. The poet found "that hour under the gallows the most blessed hour of his life." 269 L. M. STAY, thou insulted Spirit, stay, Though I have done thee such despite ; Nor cast the sinner quite away, Nor take thine everlasting flight. 2 Though I have steeled my stubborn heart, And shaken off my guilty fears ; And vexed, and urged thee to depart, For many long rebellious years : 3 Though I have most unfaithful been, Of all who e'er thy grace received ; Ten thousand times thy goodness seen ; Ten thousand times thy goodness grieved : 4 Yet, O, the chief of sinners spare, In honor of my great High Priest ; Nor in thy righteous anger swear To exclude me from thy people's rest. Charles Wesley. Title: "Penitential Hymn" From Hymns and Sacred Poems, by Charles 144 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Wesley, two volumes, 1749. In the last line of the second stanza the author wrote "forty" instead of "many." Wesley was forty-two years old when he published these volumes. There are three additional stanzas: 5 This only woe I deprecate, This only plague, I pray, remove, Nor leave me in my lost estate, Nor curse me with this want of love. 6 If yet thou canst my sins forgive, From now, O Lord, relieve my woes, Into Thy rest of love receive, And bless me with the calm repose. 7 From now my weary soul release, Upraise me by Thy gracious hand, And guide into Thy perfect peace, And bring me to the promised land. 270 L, M. SHOW pity, Lord ; O Lord, forgive ; Let a repenting rebel live : Are not thy mercies large and free? May not a sinner trust in thee? 2 My crimes are great, but don't surpass The power and glory of thy grace : Great God, thy nature hath no bound ; So let thy pardoning love be found. 3 O wash my soul from every sin, And make my guilty conscience clean ! Here on my heart the. burden lies, And past offenses pain my eyes. 4 My lips with shame my sins confess, Against thy law, against thy grace ; Lord, should thy judgments grow severe, I am condemned, but thou art clear. 5 Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord, Whose hope, still hov'ring round the word, Would light on some sweet promise there, Some sure support against despair. Isaac Watts. "A Penitent Pleading for Pardon" is the title of this hymn in the author's Psalms of David, 1719. The author's met- rical version of the fifty-first Psalm is in three parts; this is part one. One stanza of the original is omitted: 5 Should sudden vengeance seize my breath, I must pronounce thee just in death; And if my soul were sent to hell, Thy righteous law approves it well. The hymn is based on the first four verses of the Psalm: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness : according unto the multi- tude of thy tender mercies blot out my trans- gressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions : and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and don" this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. The three parts should be studied in connection with each other and in connec- tion with the Psalm upon which it is based — the most tender and pathetic of all the penitential Psalms. Thus part one is titled "A Penitent Pleading for Pardon:" part two (beginning, "Lord, I am vile," etc.), "Original and Actual Sin Con- fessed;" and part three (beginning, "A broken heart, my God, my King"), "The Backslider Restored; or. Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ." (See note under No. 266.) As sung to the old tune called "Devotion" (or "The Penitent"). it was regarded as perhaps the most ten- der, pathetic, and heart-searching of all the penitential hymns by a former gen- eration; but it is not now so popular as it once was. Dr. C. S. Robinson has a suggestive note upon this hymn: The author of the twenty-fifth Psalm in his prayer for forgiveness brings forward an argument which is startling in its originality : "For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity ; for it is great." He does not say : "Forgive me, for I have dune much good in my day, and am going to do more." He does not say : "Restore me to thy favor, for I have not done much evil when my poor chances are fairly considered." He takes his stand like one most anxiously candid. He blurls out the whole truth, and urges it without an extenuation or apology. He says : "Pardon me, for I am a great sinner." He plants himself on his unworthiness ; he argues from demerit. Now this is so contrary to all hu- man notions of pleading that it awakes curi- osity. We say to our fellow-men on slightest occasion : "Pardon me ; I did not mean to." HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 145 This penitent says : "Pardon me ; I did mean to." And as a final result we know this prayer was answered perfectly. We are con- strained on the instant to recognize a virtue, unmistakable and unparalleled, in super- abounding grace, as a principle of the gospel. "Man's plea to man is that he nevermore Will beg, and that he never begged before ; Man's plea to God is, that he did obtain A former suit, and therefore comes again. How good a God we serve, who, when we sue, Makes his old gifts the examples of the It seems, therefore, to be the unusual rule for our repentance that excuses are excluded and aggravations become pleas ; extenuations only hinder, self-renunciations prevail. 271 L- M. JESUS, the sinner's Friend, to thee, Lost and undone, for aid I flee, Weary of earth, myself, and sin ; Open thine arms, and take me in. 2 Pity and heal my sin-sick soul ; 'Tis thou alone canst make me whole ; Dark, till in me thine image shine, And lost, I am, till thou art mine. 3 At last I own it cannot be That I should fit myself for thee : Here, then, to thee I all resign ; Thine is the work, and only thine. 4 What shall I say thy grace to move? Lord, I am sin, but thou art love : I give up every plea beside — Lord, I am lost, but thou hast died. Charles Wesley. Text: "But the Scripture hath conclud- ed all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." (Gal. iii. 22.) Composed of stanzas one, two, ten, and twelve of a hymn of thirteen verses. In the third line of the second stanza the au- thor wrote "FalVn" instead of "Dark;" in the fourth line, "cursed" instead of "lost;" and in the last line of the hymn, "Lord, I am damned''' etc. Charles Wesley some- times used strong language, as one of the omitted stanzas (the fifth) will illustrate: Awake, the woman's conquering Seed, Awake, and bruise the serpent's head ! 10 Tread down thy foes, with power control The beast and devil in my soul. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. 212 8, 8, 8, 6. JUST as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidd'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come ! 2 Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come ! 3 Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings within, and fears without, O Lamb of God, I come ! 4 Just as I am — poor, wretched, blind ; Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come ! 5 Just as I am — thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve ; Because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come ! 6 Just as I am — thy love unknown Hath broken every barrier down ; Now, to be thine, yea, thine alone, O Lamb of God, I come ! Charlotte Elliott. This much-admired and widely useful hymn was written in 1834, and was pub- hsned in the author's Invalid's Hymn Book, second edition, 1836, with the title, "Him That Cometh to Me I Will in No Wise Cast Out" The history of its au- thorship and origin has been told many times and with not a few variations. The circumstances connected with its origin are of more than ordinary interest, and call for a note of more than ordinary length. In 1821 Miss Elliott became an invalid and remained such until her death, in 1871. When Dr. Caesar Malan, of Geneva, visited her fa- ther, in May, 1822, he found his invalid daughter a stranger to the comforts and joy of Christian faith and undertook to talk to her on the subject of personal religion. This she at first resented, but later apologized to her father's friend and visitor for her rude 146 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. treatment of him. She confi B» d her deep in- terest in religion, but said she did not know how to find Christ and asked his help and counsel. Seeing how she was held back from the Saviour by her own efforts to make herself better and to save herself, he said to her: "Dear Charlotte, cut the cable. It will take too long to unloose it. Cut it. It is a small loss anyway. You must come to Christ just as you are." And then, bidding her give "one look, silent but continuous, at the cross of Jesus," she began to see light. Soon by his aid she was enabled to do what all sinners must do before they can be saved — viz., go to Jesus just as they are, and then simply trust him for salvation. For forty years thereafter, to the day of Dr. Malan's death, she always celebrated the ninth of May as her spiritual birthday by writing a letter to her spiritual father. This hymn, however, was not written for twelve years after this occurrence. It was on a day in 1834, when she was espe- cially despondent over her helplessness and apparent uselessness. Other members of her family were busy in arranging for a bazaar that was to he held for the bene- fit of St. Mary's Hall, a school founded and conducted by her brother, Rev. H. V. Elliott, for the education of clergymen's daughters. Bishop H. C. G. Moule, a rel- ative of Miss Elliott's family, has written as follows of this hymn and the circum- stances immediately attending its compo- sition: The night before the bazaar she was kept wakeful by distressing thoughts of her ap- parent uselessness ; and these thoughts passed into a spiritual conflict till she questioned the reality of her whole spiritual life and won- dered whether it were anything better, after all, than an illusion of the emotions — an il- lusion ready to be sorrowfully dispelled. The next day, the busy day of the bazaar, the troubles of the night came back upon her with such force that she felt they must be met and conquered in the grace of God. She gathered up in her soul the grand certainties, not of her emotions, but of her salvation : her Lord, his power, his promise. And taking pen and paper from the table, she deliberately set down in writing for her own comfort the formulae of her faith. So in verse she restat- ed to herself the gospel of pardon, peace, and heaven. As the day wore on her sister-in- law. Mrs. H. V. Elliott, came in to see her and bring news of the work. She read the hymn and asked (she well might) for a copy. So it first stole out from that quiet room into the world, where now for sixty years it has been sowing and reaping till a multitude which only God can number have been blessed through its message. And so it turned out that the utterly helpless invalid did more that day for her Lord and for the upbuilding of his king- dom than all they who were strong in body. Writing simply to ease her own heart and to fortify her faith and give ex- pression to her feelings of penitence and trust, she little realized that she was writ- ing a hymn that the world was going to make immortal. This little poem was written in the first person singular and in the present tense, but it went back and took in happily some of the simple phrases and deep experiences of her spiritual birthday, still fresh in mind. There can be few penitent believers who fail to find these words exactly suited to express their own feelings and needs. In the latter part of 1836 Miss Elliott published a little volume titled Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted, in which this hymn is republished with the follow- ing verse added: Just as I am, of that free love, The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove, Here for a season, then above, O Lamb of God, I come ! The original does not repeat the words "I come" in the fourth line, as is neces- sary in singing it to some tunes. The published incidents that illustrate the widespread popularity and influence of this hymn in Christian experience and in evangelistic services are numerous, and many of them touching and beautiful. Before its authorship was generally known it is said to have been printed anonymously by some one as a leaflet and freely distributed. The family physician in the Elliott home, seeing a copy of it HYMNS OX THE GOSPEL CALL. 147 and not knowing anything as to its au- thorship, carried it with him into the sick chamber of his patient and gave it to her to read, saying he knew it would please and comfort her. It was a surprise to her, but it did indeed please and comfort her to know that her physician thought enough of it to bring it to her to read. The Rev. H. V. Elliott, brother of the authoress, said, with reference to this hymn: "In the course of a long ministry I hope I have been permitted to see some fruit of my labors, but I feel that far more has been done by a single hymn of my sister's." The following incidents, select- ed from a large number, will indicate the value of this hymn in reaching the hearts of both sinners and believers: A poor little boy once came to a New York city missionary, and holding up a dirty and worn-out bit of printed paper, said : "Please, sir, father sent me to get a clean paper like that." Taking it from his hand, the mission- ary unfolded it and found that it was a page containing the precious hymn, "Just as I am, without one plea." He looked down with deep interest into the face so earnestly upturned toward him, and asked the little boy where he got it and why he wanted a clean one. "We found it, sir," said he, "in sister's pock- et after she died, and she used to sing it all the time she was sick ; and she loved it so much that father wanted to get a clean one and put it in a frame to hang it up. Won't you please to give us a clean one, sir?" The son-in-law of the poet Wordsworth sent to Miss Elliott a letter telling of the great comfort afforded his wife, when on her dying bed, by this hymn. Said he : "When I first read it I had no sooner finished than she said very earnestly, 'That is the very thing for me.' At least ten times that day she asked me to repeat it; and every morning from that day till her decease, nearly two months later, the first thing she asked me for was her hymn. 'Now my hymn,' she would say ; and she would often repeat it aft- er me, line for line, in the day and night." The Rev. Dr. McCook, while in his pastor- ate at St. Louis, was sent for to see a young lady who was dying of consumption. He soon found that she had imbibed infidelity through the influence of a teacher in the normal school, and with her keen intellect was en- abled to ward off all the arguments of the gospel. After exhausting all the argunr nts he could think of during his visits, he was ex- ceedingly puzzled to know what more to do, as she seemed unshaken in her doubts. She at length seemed so averse to the subject of re- ligion that, when calling one day, she turned her face to the wall and seemed to take no notice of him. Mr. McCook said : "Lucy, I have not called to argue with you another word, but before leaving you to meet the is- sues of eternity I wish to recite a hymn." He then repeated with much emphasis the hymn. "Just as I am, without one plea," and then bade her adieu. She made no response. He was debating for some time whether, after so much repugnance, he should call again. But realizing her nearness to the eternal world, he concluded to make one more visit. Taking his seat by her side, she slowly turned around in bed. Her sunken eyes shone with unwont- ed luster as she placed her thin, emaciated hands in his and said slowly and with much emotion : " 'Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidd'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come ! I come !' O, sir, I've come! I've come!" That hymn told the story. It had decided her eternal destiny. It had done what all the logical ar- guments had failed to do. She soon after- wards peacefully crossed the river. 273 L. M. M Y soul before thee prostrate lies ; To thee, her Source, my spirit flies; My wants I mourn, my chains I see ; O let thy presence set me free. 2 Jesus, vouchsafe my heart and will With thy meek lowliness to fill ; No more her power let nature boast, But in thy will may mine be lost. 3 Already springing hope I feel, God will destroy the power of hell, And, from a land of wars and pain, Lead me where peace and safety reign. 4 One only care my soul shall know, Father, all thy commands to do ; And feel, what endless years shall prove, That thou, my Lord, my God, art love. Christian F. Richter. Tr. by John Wesley. Title: "Hoping for Grace." The translation from the German con- tains eleven stanzas. This is made up of w* ANNOTATED HYMNAL. stanzas one, three, eight, the first couplet of nine, and the last couplet of eleven. The original of the last couplet of verse three was: God, from the land of wars and pain, Leads me where peace and safety reign. We find this translation in Hymns and Sacred Poems, London, 1739; but it was first published by Wesley in his Collection of Psalms and Hymns, Charleston (S. C), 1737. Between these two dates occurred his remarkable experience of May 24, 1738, when his heart was "strangely warmed." There is one remarkable stanza in the American book that was omitted when he republished it in the London book two years later: I feel well that I love thee, Lord : I exercise me in thy Wo:d; Yet vile Affections claim a part, And thou hast only half my Heart. It is just possible that this omitted stanza may throw some light upon the much- discussed question of Wesley's spiritual condition before that memorable May day of 1738. 274 L. M. 0 FOR a glance of heavenly day, To take this stubborn heart away, And thaw, with beams of love divin", This heart, this frozen heart of mine 2 The rocks can rend ; the earth can quake ; The seas can roar ; the mountains shake : Of feeling, all things show some sign, But this unfeeling heart of mine. 3 To hear the sorrows thou hast felt, O Lord, an adamant would melt : But I can read each moving line, And nothing moves this heart of mine. 4 But power divine can do the deed ; And, Lord, that power I greatly need : Thy Spirit can from dross refine, And melt and change this heart of mine. Joseph Hart. "The Stony Heart" is the title of this 'melting" hymn in the Supplement of Hart's Hymns, 1762. As the fourth stanza of the original has been omitted and the last stanza has been altered somewhat, we give these stanzas as the author wrote them: 4 Thy judgments, too, which devils fear — Amazing thought ! — unmoved I hear ; Goodness and wrath in vain combine To stir this stupid heart of mine. 5 But something yet can do the deed, And that clear something much I need; Thy Spirit can from dross refine, And move and melt this heart of mine. It is based on Ezekiel xxxvi. 26: "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." The author of this hymn and of the yet more widely known hymn beginning, "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy," was prepared by experience to write his hymns — an experience in sin, in penitence and pardon, in backsliding and restoration, and in a final absolute surrender and con- secration of himself such as few have un- dergone—and his hymns reveal in many delicate expressions something of this ex- perience. When about thirty years of age and at the height of his impenitent state, just after writing his notorious pamphlet on "The Unreasonableness of Religion," which was especially directed against John Wesley's sermon on Romans viii. 32, he settled in Sheerness, Kent, where Rev. William Shrubsole (composer of the pop- ular tune called "Miles Lane") was pas- tor. His example, teachings, and influ- ence were so pernicious in the village that Mr. Shrubsole and others besought him earnestly to leave the community and re- turn to London, where his influence would be less keenly felt. This he did, but it was ten years and more before his life of sin ended in penitence and pardon. The preface to his volume of Hymns, published soon after his entrance upon the Chris- tian life, contains "a brief account of the author's experience and the great things that God hath done for his soul." HYMNS OX THE GOSPEL CALL. U9 Few sinners have had harder hearts for divine grace to melt than did the author of this hymn. Let the reader turn to the sketch of the author's life in the Biograph- ical Index and then re-read the above and other hymns by him, and these hymns will be found to take on a new meaning when thus studied in the light of his remarkable career in sin and his no less remarkable experience in the religious life and in the service of Christ. 275 s. M. AND can I yet delay My little all to give? To tear my soul from earth away For Jesus to receive? 2 Nay, but I yield, I yield ; I can hold out no more : I sink, by dying1 love compelled, And own thee conqueror. 3 Though late, I all forsake; My friends, my all, resign : Gracious Redeemer, take, O take, And seal me ever thine ! 4 Come, and possess me whole, Nor hence again remove ; Settle and fix my wavering soul With all thy weight of love. Charles Wesley. Title: "The Resignation." This hymn is made of stanzas fifteen to eighteen, in- clusive, of a poem of twenty-two verses. The following stanza, the fourteenth of the poem, throws light upon the first verse of this valuable hymn: 14 My worthless heart to gain, The God of all that breathe, Was found in fashion as a man, And died a cursed death. And can I yet delay [etc.]. Unaltered from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. 276 D S. M. ID Christ o'er sinners weep, And shall our cheeks be dry' Let floods of penitential grief Burst forth from every eye. 2 The Son of God in tears The wondering angels see ! Be thou astonished, O my soul : He shed those tears for thee. 3 He wept that we might weep ; Each sin demands a tear : In heaven alone no sin is found, And there's no weeping there. Benjamin Beddome. "Before Sermon" is the title of this hymn as published in Rippon's Selection, 1787. It is based on Luke xix. 41: "He beheld the city, and wept over it." It is also found in a posthumous volume of Beddome's Hymns, which were collected and published by Rev. Robert Hall in 181.7. 277 c. m. FATHER, I stretch my hands to thee ; No other help I know : If thou withdraw thyself from me, Ah ! whither shall I go? 2 What did thine only Son endure, Before I drew my breath ! What pain, what labor, to secure My soul from endless death ! 3 Surely thou canst not let me die; 0 speak, and I shall live ; And here I will unwearied lie, Till thou thy Spirit give. 4 Author of faith ! to thee I lift My weary, longing eyes : O let me now receive that gift ! My soul without it dies. Charles Wesley. Title: "A Prayer of Faith." From A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, published by John Wesley, 1741. Six stanzas; these are one, two, five, and four, unaltered. The omitted stanzas are: 3 O Jesus, could I this believe, 1 now should feel Thy power; Now my poor soul Thou wouldst re- trieve, Nor let me wait one hour. 6 The worst of sinners would rejoice, Could they but see Thy face : O. let me hear Thy quickening voice, And taste Thy pardoning grace. loll ANNOTATED HYMNAL. There has been some doubt about the authorship of this hymn. In the Wes- leyan Collect ion of 1S76 it was marked "Unknown." In the recently revised book Charles Wesley's name is connected with it. If there are no stronger claims, inter- nal evidence would give it to Wesley. It is a hymn of fine spirit and elevated thought beautifully expressed. 278 C. M. 0 FOR that tenderness of heart Which bows before the Lord, Acknowledging how just thou art, And trembling at thy word ! 2 O for those humble, contrite tears, Which from repentance flow ; That consciousness of guilt which fears The long-suspended blow ! 2 Saviour, to me in pity give The sensible distr. ss Thf pledge thou wilt, at last, receive, And bid me die in pe;; Charles Wesley. From the author's Short Scripture Hymns, 1762. The original has two double stanzas, the last four lines of the second being omitted above: Wilt from the dreadful day remove, Before the evil come ; My spirit hide with saints above, My body in the tomb. In the first verse the author wrote "ac- knowledges" and "trembles" instead of ••acknowledging" and "trembling." The hymn is based on 2 Kings xxii. 19, 20: Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me : I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore. I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace : and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. 279 7s. 61. ROCK of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee Let the water and the blood, From thy wounded side which flow. I. Be of sin the double c . Save from wrath and make me pure. 2 Could my tears forever flow. Could my zeal no languor know, for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and thou alone: In my hand no price I bring: Simply to thy cross I cling. 3 While I draw this fleeting breath. When my eyes shall close in death, When I rise to worlds unknown. And behold thee on thy throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee. Augustus 31. Toplady. Alt. This grand and favorite hymn cannot be correctly understood so long as it is divorced from its original title, "A liv- ing and dying Prayer, for the Holiest Believer in the World." The author's main thought is, the holi- est man must say in his prayer: Thou must save, and Thou alone. The purest saint on earth must cast himself wholly on the merits of Christ's atonement and say: In my hand no price I bring ; Simply to Thy cross I cling. This hymn first appeared in the Gospel Magazine in March, 1776, when Toplady was its editor. In its altered and im- proved form of three verses it is found in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns, ed- ited by the Rev. Thomas Couerill, 1815. Mr. Cotterill was a notorious hymn-mend- er, and it was probably rewritten by him for his Collection. We here give a reprint of the original: l Rock of Ages, cleft for me. Let me hide myself in Thee ! Let the Water and the Blood, From thy riven Side which flow'd. Be of Sin the double Cure, Cleanse me from its Guilt and Pow'r. 2 Xot the Labours of my Hands Can fulfill thy Law's demands : HYMNS OX THE GOSPEL CALL. 151 Could my Zeal no respite know, Could my Tears forever flow, All for Sin could not atone : Thou must save, and Thou alone ! 3 Nothing in my Hand I bring ; Simply to thy Cross I cling ; Naked, come to Thee for Dress ; Helpless, look to Thee for Grace ; Foul, I to the Fountain fly : Wash me, Saviour, or I die ! 4 Whilst I draw this fleeting Breath — When my Eye-strings break in Death — When I soar through tracts unknown — See Thee on thy Judgment Throne — Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee ! A. T. This hymn is a universal favorite. The British Premier, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, made a version of it in Latin and another in Greek. Many persons, and among them Prince Albert of England, have used it as a dying prayer. The steamship London was lost in the Bay of Biscay in 1866. The last man that escaped said that when he left the ship the passengers were singing: Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee. Many people think that this is the best hymn in the language, the first hymn of the first rank. We believe, however, that it would never have won this place in its original form. Compare the two versions: "Riven," in the first stanza, is not correct and not scriptural; "wounded," in the re- vision, is both. "He was wounded for our transgressions." In the last couplet of the first verse "cure" does not rhyme with "power." It does rhyme with "pure" of the revision. The first couplet of the sec- ond stanza is not rhythmic, and is well left out. The same must be said of the last couplet of the third verse. "Naked" is not a pleasant word to sing in public, and is eliminated. All the cream of Top- lady's second and third stanzas is gath- ered in the second stanza of the revision. In the last stanza the original, "When my eye-strings break in death," is shocking, while the revised line is comforting and fine. We gladly admit that the great mer- its of the hymn belong to Toplady. At the same time he deserves criticism for his careless and faulty work. We repeat that much of the popularity and useful- ness of the hymn is due to the revision made by Thomas Cotterill and James Montgomery. The merits of this hymn are confessed- ly great. It is saturated with the spirit of prayer, and it brings out clearly the utter dependence of the soul upon Christ alone for salvation. To write a hymn so popular and so useful is a privilege an angel might ccvet. B 280 7s. 61. Y thy birth, and by thy tears ; By thy human griefs and fears ; By thy conflict in the hour Of the subtle tempter's power, Saviour, look with pitying eye ; Saviour, help me, or I die. 2 By the tenderness that wept O'er the grave where Lazarus slept ; By the bitter tears that flowed Over Salem's lost abode, Saviour, look with pitying eye ; Saviour, help me, or I die. 3 By thy lonely hour of prayer ; By thy fearful conflict there ; By thy cross and dying cries ; By the one great sacrifice, Saviour, look with pitying eye ; Saviour, help me, or I die. 4 By thy triumph o'er the grave ; By thy power the lost to save ; By thy high, majestic throne ; By the empire all thine own, Saviour, look with pitying eye ; Saviour, help me, or I die. Robert Grant. Alt. Sir Robert Grant wrote a piece titled "The Litany,'" which was published in the Christian Observer in 1815. It is found elsewhere in this volume (see No. 500). The present hymn seems to have been made from that poem. It was al- 152 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. tered by Thomas Cotterill and published by him in his Selection in 1819, and has been still further altered by others to give it the form here presented. 281 C. M. LONG have I sat beneath the sound Of thy salvation, Lord ; But still how weak my faith is found, And knowledge of thy word ! 2 How cold and feeble is my love ! How negligent my fear ! How low my hopes of joys above ! How few affections there ! 3 Great God ! thy sovereign aid impart To give thy word success ; Write thy salvation on my heart, And make me learn thy grace. 4 Show my forgetful feet the way That leads to joys on high, Where knowledge grows without decay, And love shall never die. Isaac Watts. The author's title is: "Unfruitfulness, Ignorance, and Unsanctified Affections." From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1709. Six stanzas. These are the first and the last three, unaltered. The two stanzas which are omitted are not necessary to the hymn, which is one of real value. 0 282 7s, 6s. D. JESUS, thou art standing Outside the fast-closed door ; In lowly patience waiting To pass the threshold o'er. Shame on us, Christian brethren, His name and sign who bear ! O shame, thrice shame upon us, To keep him standing there ! 2 O Jesus, thou art knocking ! And lo ! that hand is scarred, And thorns thy brow encircle, And tears thy face have marred. O love that passeth knowledge, So patiently to wait ! O sin that hath no equal, So fast to bar the gate ! 3 O Jesus, thou art pleading In accents meek and low, "I died for you, my children, And will ye treat me so?" O Lord, with shame and sorrow We open now the door : Dear Saviour, enter, enter, And have us nevermore. WiUiam W. How. This hymn first appeared in 18G7 in a supplement to Morrell and How's Psalms and Hymns, the first edition of which was published in 1851. Bishop How has given an account of the origin of this hymn: I composed the hymn early in 1867, after I had been reading a very beautiful poem en- titled "Brothers and a Sermon." The pathos of the verses impressed me very forcibly at the time. I read them over and over again, and finally, closing the book, I scribbled on an odd scrap of paper my first idea of the verses beginning, "O Jesu, thou art stand- ing." I altered them a good deal subsequent- ly, but I am fortunate in being able to say that after the hymn left my hands it was never revised or altered in any way. This hymn is based on Revelation iii. 20: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The poem referred to by the author is by Jean Ingelow, who describes two broth- ers listening to the parson of the fishing village: As one that pondered now the words He had been preaching on with new surprise, And found fresh marvel in their sound, "Be- hold ! Behold !" saith He, "I stand at the door and knock." Open the door with shame, if ye have sinned ; If ye be sorry, open it with sighs. Albeit the place be bare for poverty. And comfortless for lack of plenishing, Be not abashed for that, but open it, And take Him in that comes to sup with thee ; "Behold !" He saith, "I stand at the door and knock !" Speak, then, O rich and strong: Open, O happy young, ere yet the hand Of Him that knocks, wearied at last, forbear ; The patient foot its thankless quest refrain. The wounded heart for evermore withdraw. Holman Hunt's famous picture. "The HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 153 Light of the World," now at Keble College, Oxford, is also said to have had its influ- ence upon the author in the writing of this hymn. This painting [says Dr. C. S. Robinson] represents the scene which the hymn por- trays with a fidelity as pathetic as it is force- ful. Some of the incidental forms of Oriental imagery seem likewise to have been taken by the artist from the similar scene suggested by the Bride's words concerning her Lord in Canticles v. 2 : "I sleep, but my heart wak- eth : it is the voice of my beloved that knock- eth, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled : for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." The Figure stands as if in the act of waiting and listening. He is in the garden, for the vines trail across the door still shut to him ; he is under the shadows of night, for he bears a lantern which flings its beams upon the fruit that lies in the path by his feet. The story is told with a delicacy that rivals description ; the painting is an exqui- site illustration of the spirit of the hymn. 283 s. m. d. AH ! whither should I go, Burdened and sick and faint? To whom should I my trouble show, And pour out my complaint? My Saviour bids me come ; Ah ! why do I delay? He calls the weary sinner home, And yet from him I stay. 2 What is it keeps me back, From which I cannot part, Which will not let the Saviour take Possession of my heart? Searcher of hearts, in mine Thy trying power display ; Into its darkest corners shine, And take the veil away. 3 I now believe in thee, Compassion reigns alone ; According to my faith, to me O let it, Lord, be done ! In me is all the bar, Which thou wouldst fain remove ; Remove it, and I shall declare That God is only love. Charles Wesley. The Scripture basis for this hymn is 1 Timothy ii. 4: "God will have all men to be saved." The hymn consists of sixteen double stanzas. This is made up of the first, the first half of the second, the last half of the third, and the twelfth. The poet's idea can be better seen by "reading the omitted lines: Some cursed thing unknown Must surely lurk within, Some idol which I will not own, Some secret bosom sin. Jesu, the hindrance show, Which I have feared to see ; Yet let me now consent to know What keeps me out of Thee. From Hymns on God's Everlasting Love, 1741. 284 10s. w EARY of earth, and laden with my sm, I look at heaven and long to enter in : But there no evil thing may find a home, And yet I hear a voice that bids me "Come !" 2 So vile I am, how dare I hope to stand In the pure glory of that holy land? Before the whiteness of that throne appear? Yet there are hands stretched out to draw me near. 3 The while I fain would tread the heavenly way, Evil is ever with me day by day ; Yet on mine ears the gracious tidings fall, "Repent, confess, thou shalt be loosed from all." 4 It is the voice of Jesus that I hear ; His are the hands stretched out to draw me near, And his the blood that can for all atone, And set me faultless there before the throne. 5 'Twas he who found me on the deathly wild, And made me heir of heaven, the Father's child, And day by day, whereby my soul doth live, Gives me his grace of pardon, and will give. 6 O great Absolver, grant my soul may wear The lowliest garb of penitence and prayer. That in the Father's courts my glorious dress May be the garment of thy righteousness ! 154 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. . thou wilt answ.er for me, righteous Lord ; Thine all the merits, mine the great re- ward ; Thine the sharp thorns, and mine the gold- tll ci Mine the life won, and thine the life laid down. Samuel J. Stone. This hymn is based on an expression found in the Apostles' Creed, "The For- giveness of sins." and was written in 18C6 for a parochial mission. It was first pub- lished in the author's Lyra Fidelium, and later it was revised by the au- thor and published in the Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modem, 1S68. The last stanza has been omitted: Naught can I bring, dear Lord, for all I owe : Yet let my full heart what it can bestow ; Like Mary's gift let my devotion prove, Forgiven greatly, how I greatly love. "Of all my hymns."" says the author, "the one beginning, "Weary of earth,' is the most dear to me because of the letters I have received from or about persons to whose joy and peace in believing it has been permitted to be instrumental." '"This,"'" says Dr. Robinson, "is one of the finest in our language as an eager and wistful imploration of pardon for one's iniquities in the sight of God." 285 c. II APPROACH, my soul, the mercy seat, Where Jesus answers prayer; There humbly fall before his feet, For none can perish there. 2 Thy promise is my only plea, With this I venture nigh ; Thou callest burdened souls to thee, And such, O Lord, am I. 3 Bowed down beneath a load of sin, By Satan sorely pr - By wars without, and fears within, I come to thee for rest. 4 Be thou my shield and hiding place, That, sheltered near thy side, I may my fierce accuser face. And tell him, Thou hast died. 5 O wondrous love ! to bleed and die, To bear the cross and shame, That guilty sinners, such as I. Might plead thy gracious name ! 6 "Poor tempest-tossed soul, be still ; My promised g 'Tis Jesus speaks — I must, I will, I can, I do believe. John Xeicton. Title: ''The Effort." Unaltered and en- tire from the Olney Hymns. 1779. A re- cent critic says: "This is one of the finest hymns of invitation for a penitent sinner ever written." 2SG L. M. FAITH is a living power from heaven That grasps the promise God hath given, A trust that cannot be o'erthrown, Fixed heartily on Christ alone. 2 Faith finds in Christ whate'er we need To save or strengthen us ind< Receives the grace he sends us down, And makes us share his cross and crown. 3 Faith in the conscience worketh peace, And bids the mourner's weeping cease ; By faith the children's place we claim, And give all honor to one Name. ■4 Faith feels the Spirit's kindling breath In love and hope that conquer death ; Faith worketh hourly joy in God, And trusts and blesses e'en the rod. 5 "vVe thank thee, then, O God of heaven, That thou to us this faith hast given In Jesus Christ thy Son, who is Our only fount and source of bliss. Petrus Herbert. Tr. by Catherine Wnikworth. This has been called "a noble confession of a true Christian faith." It is a didac- tic hymn — a sermon in a song. The orig- inal appears in the Brethren's German Hymn. Book. 1566, in eighteen stanzas of four lines each, six of which, beginning with the third stanza, are found in Bun- sen's Yersuch. 1833. Miss Winkworth'a translation is limited to the stanzas quot- ed by Bunsen, and first appeared in the second series of her Lyra Germanica, 1S58. The last stanza is omitted: HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 155 And from his fullness grant each soul The rightful faith's true end and goal, The blessedness no foes destroy, Eternal love and light and joy. 287 c. m. SALVATION ! O the joyful sound ! What pleasure to our ears ! A sovereign balm for every wound, A cordial for our fears. 2 Salvation ! let the echo fly The spacious earth around, While all the armies of the sky Conspire to raise the sound. 3 Salvation ! O thou bleeding Lamb ! To thee the praise belongs : Salvation shall inspire our hearts, And dwell upon our tongues. Isaac Watts. Alt. Author's title: "Salvation" One stanza, the second, has been omit- ted: 2 Buried in sorrow and in sin, At hell's dark door we lay, But we arise, by grace divine, To see a heavenly day. The last stanza was not written by Dr. Watts. It was appended by some un- known author. This additional stanza is not modern; it is found in the early edi- tions of Lady Huntingdon's Collection, and was possibly written by the editor of that book, the Rev. Walter Shirley. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II.. 1709. 288 S. M. GRACE ! 'tis a charming sound, Harmonious to the ear; Heaven with the echo shall resound, And all the earth shall hear. 2 Grace first contrived the way To save rebellious man ; And all the steps that grace display, Which drew the wondrous plan. 3 Grace taught my wandering feet To tread the heavenly road ; And new supplies each hour I meet While pressing on to God. 4 Grace all the work shall crown Through everlasting days ; It lays in heaven the topmost stone, And well deserves our praise. Philip Doddridge. This hymn is titled "Salvation by Grace" in the author's Hymns, 1755, and is based on Ephesians ii. 5: "By grace ye are saved." It is perhaps the most famil- iar and popular that Doddridge ever wrote. It is exceedingly difficult to read the third and fourth lines of the second stanza so as to bring out the meaning clearly. The Committee of Revision spent some time discussing an "improvement" for the two lines, but none could be agreed upon, and so they reluctantly left it as Doddridge wrote it. In verse one, line two, the author wrote, "Harmonious to my ear;" in verse two, line one, "Grace first contrived a way;" and in verse four, line four, "And well de- serves the praise." The first of these changes is not an improvement. Dr. Rob- inson says of this hymn: In the course of its wide use by Churches of various denominations it was considerably altered, and many forms of it are to be found. . . . It seems to us that Dr. Doddridge is alluding here to Zechariah iv. 7, where we read : "And he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." Each verse describes some work which grace has done : it contrived the way, it taught my feet, it drew the plan, and it shall crown the work by "laying" the topmost stone in heaven. 289 L. M. 0 F Him who did salvation bring I could forever think and sing Arise, ye needy, he'll relieve ; Arise, ye guilty, he'll forgive. 2 Ask but his grace, and lo, 'tis given ! Ask, and he turns j^our hell to heaven : Though sin and sorrow wound my soul, Jesus, thy balm will make it whole. 3 To shame our sins he blushed in blood ; He closed his eyes to show us God : Let all the world fall down and know That none but God such love can show. 4 Insatiate to this spring I fly ; I drink, and yet am ever dry : 156 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Ah! who against thy charms is proof? Ah ! who that loves, can love enough? Bernard of Clairvanx. Tr. by Anthony W. Boehm. This hymn is found in every edition of the Methodist Episcopal Hymn Book back to the Coke and Asbury book adopted soon after the organization of the Church, and in the English ancestor of that book, The Pocket Hymn Book, edited by Robert Spence, of York. Its history is greatly involved. It is a part of a famous Latin hymn entitled, "Jcsu dulcis memoria." Its date and au- thorship are really unknown, though it is attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux. Later it appeared in German. About 1712 A. W. Boehm made a free translation into Eng- lish. This was altered by John C. Jacobi in 1720. The hymn as found here is made up of selections from Jacobi. We quote one unique stanza, the four- teenth, from the Moravian hymn book of 1754: O wondrous Jesu ! greatest King ! The world doth with thy triumphs ring ; Thou conquer'st all, below, above, Dire fiends with force, and men with love. This stanza, still further edited, ap- pears in Martin Madin's Collection, 1760, as follows: Eternal Lord, Almighty King, All Heav'n doth with thy triumphs ring ! Thou conquer'st all beneath, above, Devils with Force, and Men with Love. 290 L. M. H OW sweetly flowed the gospel's sound From lips of gentleness and grace, While listening thousands gathered round, And joy and gladness filled the place ! 2 From heaven he came, of heaven he spoke, To heaven he led his followers' way ; Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke, Unveiling an immortal day. 3 "Come, wanderers, to my Father's home ; Come, all ye weary ones, and rest." Yes, sacred Teacher, we will come, Obey thee, love thee, and be blest. John Bowring. Author's title: "Jesus Teaching the Peo- ple." It is based on Matthew xi. 28, 29: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." From the author's Matins and Vespers, 1823. One stanza is omitted: 4 Decay, then, tenements of dust ! Pillars of earthly pride, decay ! A nobler mansion waits the just, And Jesus has prepared the way. The author of this hymn wrote: "In the cross of Christ I glory." It is a curious fact that not a few of our most beautiful hymns about Christ were written by Uni- tarians who deny his divinity, but make much of his exalted and matchless hu- manity. 291 C. M. THERE is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel's veins ; And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains. 2 The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day ; And there may I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away. 3 Dear dying Lamb ! thy precious blood Shall never lose its power, Till all the ransomed church of God Be saved, to sin no more. 4 E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die. 5 Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing thy power to save, When this poor lisping, stammering tongue Lies silent in the grave. William Cowper. A favorite and useful hymn. The author's title is: ''Praise for the Fountain Opened." It is based on Zecha- riah xiii. 1: "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." 1 HYMNS ON THE GOSPEL CALL. 157 Some people think that the first stanza is offensive to good taste, but no one who believes in the necessity of the atonement need be disturbed by it. A great change has been made in the last part of the second stanza. The au- thor wrote: And there have I, as vile as he, Wash'd all my sins away. There is no doubt but that Cowper gave his personal experience and testimony in this hymn. These two lines are the only ones that have been changed. They are found in various forms. In Rippon's Selection, 1787, they are found in the form of prayer: O may I there, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away. In the Hartford Selection, 1799: And there may I, as vile as he, Wash all my sins away. The great question with hymnal editors is, Which form is best? No doubt many can sing as here given who could not honestly use it as the author wrote it. The last two stanzas have been omitted: 6 Lord, I believe thou hast prepared, Unworthy though I be, For me a blood-bought, free reward, A golden harp for me ! 7 'Tis strung and tuned for endless years, And formed by power divine, To sound in God the Father's ears, No other name but thine. These also, I think, may be considered as an expression of the author's faith and hope at the time the hymn was written. From the Olney Hymns, 1779. 292 C. M. 0 WHAT amazing words of grace Are in the gospel found ! Suited to every sinner's case, Who knows the joyful sound. 2 Poor, sinful, thirsty, fainting souls Are freely welcome here ; Salvation, like a river, rolls Abundant, free, and clear. 3 Come, then, with all your wants and wounds ; Your every burden bring : Here love, unchanging love, abounds, A deep, celestial spring. Samuel Medley. Alt. This is from a hymn of six stanzas which appeared in the first edition of the author's Hymns, 1789. The first and third stanzas here given are by Medley, but the second stanza is from some un- known hand. 293 8, 5, 8, 3. ART thou weary, art thou languid, Art thou sore distressed? "Come to me," saith One, "and, coming, Be at rest." 2 Hath he marks to lead me to him, If he be my guide? "In his feet and hands are wound-prints, And his side." 3 Is there diadem, as monarch, That his brow adorns? "Yea, a crown, in very surety, But of thorns." 4 If I find him, if I follow, What his guerdon here? "Many a sorrow, many a labor, Many a tear." 5 If I still hold closely to him, What hath he at last? "Sorrow vanquished, labor ended, Jordan passed." G If I ask him to receive me, Will he say me nay? "Not till earth and not till heaven Pass away." 7 Finding, following, keeping, struggling, Is he sure to bless? "Saints, apostles, prophets, martyrs, Answer, Yes." John M. Neale. Suggested by the Greek of St. Stephen the Sabaite. Stephen, born in 725, was placed in a monastery in the Wilderness of Judea overlooking the Dead Sea when he was ten years of age by his uncle, John the L58 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Damascene, where he remained until his death, A.D. 794. These stanzas, says the translator, Dr. John Mason Neale, "strike me as very sweet." The hymn has not been changed except in the last verse. The translator wrote: "Angels, Martyrs, Prophets, Virgins." In the preface to the third edition of his Hymns of the Eastern Church. 1866, Dr. Neale wrote: "'Art thou weary' and two other hymns contain so little that is from the Greek that they ought not to have been included in this collection." 294 B 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8. LOW ye the trumpet, blow, The gladly solemn sound ; Let all the nations know, To earth's remotest bound, The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 2 Jesus, our great High Priest, Hath full atonement made ; Te weary spirits, rest ; Ye mournful souls, be glad : The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 3 Extol the Lamb of God, The all-atoning Lamb ; Redemption through his blood Throughout the world proclaim : The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 4 Ye slaves of sin and hell, Your liberty receive, And safe in Jesus dwell, And blest in Jesus live : The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 5 Ye who have sold for naught Your heritage above, Receive it back unbought, The gift of Jesus' love : The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. 6 The gospel trumpet hear, The news of heavenly grace ; And, saved from earth, appear Before your Saviour's face : The year of jubilee is come ! Return, ye ransomed sinners, home. Charles Wesley. This is one of Charles Wesley's finest hymns. It is on his favorite theme — an unlimited atonement for sinners, who are nowhere exhorted more tenderly and ear- nestly to return than in this hymn. "The Year of Jubilee" is its title. It is one of the author's seven Hymns for Xeiu-Year's Day, 1750. Strangely enough, it has been sometimes attributed to Toplady, who was born in 1740. It is based on Leviticus xxv. 9, 10: Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the sev- enth month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof : it shall be a jubilee unto you ; and ye shall return ev- ery man unto his possession, and ye shall re- turn every man unto his family. 295 7s, 6s. D. COME unto me, ye weary, And I will give you rest/' O blessed voice of Jesus, Which comes to hearts oppressed ! It tells of benediction, Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that hath no ending, Of love which cannot cease. 2 "Come unto me, dear children, And I will give you light." O loving voice of Jesus, Which comes to cheer the night ! Our hearts were filled with sadness, And we had lost our way, But morning brings us gladness, And songs the break of day. 3 "Come unto me, ye fainting, And I will give you life." O cheering voice of Jesus, Which comes to aid our strife ! The foe is stern and eager. The fight is fierce and long : But thou hast made us mighty, And stronger than the strong. 4 "And whosoever cometh, I will not cast him out." O welcome voice of Jesus, Which drives away our doubt ! Which calls us, very sinners, Unworthy though we be Of love so free and boundless, To come, dear Lord, to thee ! William C. Dix. HYMNS OX THE GOSPEL CALL. 15!) Written in 1867 and published the same year in The People's Hymnal. London. It is based upon some of the precious prom- ises of Christ, especially Matthew xi. 28: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." In a letter to Mr. Jones, author of Famous Hymns, London, 1902, Mr. Dix tells the story of this hymn in the follow- ing words: I was ill and depressed at the time, and it was almost to idle away the hours that I wrote the hymn. I had been ill for many weeks, and felt weary and faint, and the hymn really expresses the languidness of body from which I was suffering at the time. Soon after its composition I recovered, and I always look back to that hymn as the turn- ing point in mj' illness. In The People's Hymnal, verse two, line three, reads: O peaceful voice of Jesus. Otherwise it has not been changed. 296 L. M. 61. W HEN time seems short and death is near, And I am pressed by doubt and fear, And sins, an overflowing tide, Assail my peace on every side, This thought my refuge still shall be, I know the Saviour died for me. 2 His name is Jesus, and he died, For guilty sinners crucified ; Content to die that he might win Their ransom from the death of sin: No sinner worse than I can be, Therefore I know he died for me. 3 If grace were bought, I could not buy ; If grace were coined, no wealth have I ; By grace alone I draw my breath, Held up from everlasting death ; Yet, since I know his grace is free, I know the Saviour died for me. George W. Bethune. This hymn was first published in the Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. It is invest- ed with a more than ordinarily pathetic interest growing out of the fact that the author died the day after he wrote it. He was on a visit to Florence, Italy, and on Sunday, April 28, 1862, he died suddenly after having preached that morning on the text: "Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." The last two stanzas of the original are: 4 I read God's holy Word, and find Great truths which far transcend my mind ; And little do I know beside Of thoughts so high, so deep, so wide : This is my best theology, I know the Saviour died for me. 5 My faith is weak, but 'tis Thy gift ; Thou canst my helpless soul uplift, And say, "Thy bonds of death are riven, Thy sins by Me are all forgiven ; And thou shalt live from guilt set free, For I, thy Saviour, died for thee." 297 C. M. FATHER of Jesus Christ, my Lord, My Saviour and my Head, I trust in thee, whose powerful word Hath raised him from the dead. 2 In hope, against all human hope, Self-desperate, I believe ; Thy quickening word shall raise me up, Thou shalt thy Spirit give. 3 Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to that alone ; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries, "It shall be done!" 4 To thee the glory of thy power And faithfulness I give ; I shall in Christ, at that glad hour, And Christ in me shall live. 5 Obedient faith that waits on thee, Thou never wilt reprove ; But thou wilt form thy Son in me, And perfect me in love. Charles Wesley. Part of a long hymn founded on Ro- mans iv. 16-23, "Therefore it is of faith," etc. The third stanza is a good definition of faith. This hymn is composed of verses one, nine, fourteen, fifteen, and twenty, unaltered. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 298 L- M. AUTHOR of faith, eternal Word, Whose Spirit breathes the active flame, Faith, like its Finisher and Lord, To-day, as yesterday, the same , 2 To thoe our humble hearts aspire, And ask the gift unspeakable ; Increase in us the kindled fire, In us the work of faith fulfill. 3 By faith we know thee strong- to save ; Save us, a present Saviour thou : Whate'er we hope, by faith we have ; Future and past subsisting now. 4 To him that in thy name believes, Eternal life with thee is given ; Into himself he all receives — Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. 5 The things unknown to feeble sense, Unseen by reason's glimmering ray, With strong, commanding evidence, Their heavenly origin display. 6 Faith lends its realizing light ; The clouds disperse, the shadows fly ; The Invisible appears in sight, And God is seen by mortal eye. Charles Wesley. '•The Life of Faith, Exemplified in the Eleventh Chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews," is the author's title to his poetic paraphrase upon this chapter. The original contains eighty-five stanzas. The hymn above is composed of the first six stanzas, and is based on the first verse: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." It is from Hymns and Sacred Poems. 1740. In the last line of the fourth stanza the author wrote "happiness" in- stead of "holiness." 299 C. M. WFIY should the children of a King Go mourning all their days? Great Comforter, descend and bring The tokens of thy grace. (160) 2 Dost thou not dwell in all thy saints, And seal the heirs of heaven? When wilt thou banish my complaints, And show my sins forgiven? 3 Assure my conscience of her part In the Redeemer's blood ; And bear thy witness with my heart, That I am born of God. 4 Thou art the earnest of his love, The pledge of joys to come ; May thy blest wings, celestial Dove, Safely convey me home. Isaac Watts. Watts's title was: "The Witnessing and Sealing Spirit."' Its Scripture basis is as follows : For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have received the Spirit of adop- tion, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness wTith our spirit, that we are the children of God. [Rom. viii. 14-16.] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye lit aid the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation : in whom also, after that ye be- lieved, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inher- itance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. [Eph. i. 13, 14.] The author wrote "Soyne tokens" in the last line of the first stanza, and the last two lines of the last stanza: And thy soft wings, celestial Dove, Will safe convey me home. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1709. 300 S. M. D. I WAS a wandering sheep, I did not love the fold, I did not love my Shepherd's voice, I would not be controlled ; HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 161 I was a wayward child, I did not love my home, I did not love my Father's voice, I loved afar to roam. 2 The Shepherd sought his sheep, The Father sought nis child ; He followed me o'er vale and hill, O'er deserts waste and wild ; He found me nigh to death, Famished, and faint, and lone ; He bound me with the bands of love, He saved the wandering one. 3 No more a wandering sheep, I love to be controlled, I love my tender Shepherd's voice, I love the peaceful fold ; No more a wayward child, I seek no more to roam ; I love my Heavenly Father's voice, I love, I love his home ! Horatius Bonar. "Lost out Found" is the author's title to this in his Songs in the Wilderness, 1843, where it first appeared. Two stan- zas, the third and fourth of the original, have been omitted: 3 They spoke in tender love ; They raised my drooping head ; They gently closed my bleeding wounds, My fainting soul they fed. They washed my filth away ; They made me clean and fair ; They brought me to my home in peace, The long-sought wanderer ! 4 Jesus my Shepherd is ; 'Twas he that loved my soul, 'Twas he that washed me in his blood, 'Twas he that made me whole : 'Twas he that sought the lost, That found the wandering sheep ; 'Twas he that brought me to the fold, 'Tis he that still doth keep. It is based on 1 Peter ii. 25: "Ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." The third, fifth, seventh, and eighth lines of the second stanza begin with the word "They" instead of "He." The last stanza has suffered at the hand of revisers. It originally read: 11 I was a wandering sheep, I would not be controlled ; But now I love my Shepherd's voice, I love, I love the fold ! I was a wayward child ; I once preferred to roam, But now I love my Father's voice, — I love, I love his home. The following incident is narrated by Long in his History of the Hymns: During a revival in a female seminary in Massachusetts many of the pupils had shown the natural "enmity" of the "carnal mind" to spiritual things. Helen B was among those who noticed the Spirit's work only by a curling lip and a scornful laugh. It seemed in vain to talk with her or seek to induce her to attend a prayer meeting. Christians could do nothing more than to pray for her. One evening, however, as a praying band had gathered, the door opened, and Helen B entered. Her eyes were downcast, and her face was calm and very pale. There was something in her look which told of an in- ward struggle. She took her seat silently, and the exercises of the meeting proceeded. A few lines were sung, two or three prayers offered, and then, as was their custom, each repeated a few verses of some favorite hymn. One followed another in succession until it came to the turn of the newcomer. There was a pause and a perfect silence, and then, with- out lifting her eyes from the floor, she com- menced : "I was a wandering sheep, I did not love the fold." Her voice was low, but distinct ; and ev- ery word, as she uttered it, thrilled the hearts of the listeners. She repeated one stanza aft- er another of that beautiful hymn of Bonar, and not an eye save her own was dry as, with sweet emphasis, she pronounced the last lines : "No more a wayward child, I seek no more to roam ; I love my Heavenly Father's voice — I love, I love his home." That single hymn told all. The wandering sheep, the wayward child, had returned. 301 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8. ARISE, my soul, arise ; Shake off thy guilty fears ; The bleeding Sacrifice In my behalf appears : 162 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Before the throne my Surety stands, My name is written on his hands. 2 He ever lives above, For me to intercede ; His all-redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead ; His blood atoned for all our race, And sprinkles now the throne of grace. 3 Five bleeding wounds he bears, Received on Calvary ; They pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me : "Forgive him, O forgive," they cry, "Nor let that ransomed sinner die !" 4 The Father hears him pray, His dear anointed One ; He cannot turn away The presence of his Son ; His Spirit answers to the blood, And tells me I am born of God. 5 My God is reconciled ; His pardoning voice I hear ; He owns me for his child, I can no longer fear : With confidence I now draw nigh, And, "Father, Abba, Father," cry. Charles Wesley. Title: "Behold the Man ." A much-used and blessed hymn. It is a satisfaction to know that it remains, except the title, as it was published by the author in Hymns and Sacred Poems. 1742. Wesley had clear views concerning the atonement. In the hymn that follows this in his Poems, 1742, the reason of Christ's death is made as clear as crys- tal: He died, that we to sin might die, And live to God alone ; He died, our hearts to purify, And make them all his own. George John Stevenson, of London, gave the following illustration of the useful- ness of this hymn. It was furnished by the Rev. Matthew Cranswick, an English Wesleyan minister who labored in the West Indies. He said: I feel it due to the honor and glory of God to inform you of the utility of one hymn in particular, commencing, "Arise, my soul, arise" I have a record of upward of two hundred persons, young and old, who re- ceived the most direct evidence of the forgive- ness of their sins while singing that hymn. My plan of using the hymn was the follow- ing: After ascertaining as far as possible that the professed sorrow of the penitent was god- ly sorrow, we then commenced that hymn, re- questing the penitent to join. Some of them would hesitate to sing the last verse ; in that case I would begin to sing the whole or part of the hymn again until the penitent had ob- tained courage to sing every part. I have never known one instance of a sincere peni- tent failing to receive a joyous sense of par- don while singing that hymn. 302 L. M. 61. N OW I have found the ground wherein Sure my soul's anchor may remain ; The wounds of Jesus, for my sin Before the world's foundation slain ; Whose mercy shall unshaken stay, When heaven and earth are fled away. 2 Father, thine everlasting grace Our scanty thought surpasses far : Thy heart still melts with tenderness ; Thine arms of love still open are, Returning sinners to receive, That mercy they may taste, and live. 3 O love, thou bottomless abyss, My sins are swallowed up in thee ! Covered is my unrighteousness, Nor spot of guilt remains on me, While Jesus' blood, through earth and skies, Mercy, free, boundless mercy, cries. 4 By faith I plunge me in this sea ; Here is my hope, my joy, my rest ; Hither, when hell assails, I flee ; I look into my Saviour's breast : Away, sad doubt and anxious fear ! Mercy is all that's written there. 5 Fixed on this ground will I remain, Though my heart fail, and flesh decay ; This anchor shall my soul sustain, When earth's foundations melt away ; Mercy's full power I then shall prove, Loved with an everlasting love. Johann A. Rothe. Tr. by John Wesley. "Joy in Believing" is the title which the author of the original gave to this hymn when he first published it, in 1727; but John Wesley titled his translation "Re- demption Found" in his Hymns and So- HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 163 cred Poems, 1740, where he first pub- lished it. In the fourth verse Wesley- wrote "With faith" instead of 'lBy faith." This hymn in the German contained ten stanzas, and was dedicated by the author to his friend, Count Zinzendorf. "Per- haps there is not," observes Stevenson, "in the whole collection a hymn which is so full of Scripture truth in Scripture phraseology. One lover of this hymn has been led to compare it to the Word of God, and he has found no less than thir- ty-six separate passages of Scripture which, in language or spirit, correspond with the several lines of this hymn." When the translation of this hymn was finished, John Wesley sent a copy of it to P. H. Molther, one of the German Mora- vians in London, and under date of Janu- ary 25, 1740, Mr. Molther returned the translation with his approval of all but one verse, which Mr. Wesley altered as suggested. The fifth stanza of Wesley's translation is omitted above, and is as follows: Though waves and storms go o'er my head, Though strength, and health, and friends be gone, Though joys be withered all and dead, Though every comfort be withdrawn, — On this my steadfast soul relies, Father, thy mercy never dies. This hymn was a great favorite with John Fletcher, of Madeley, and also with his saintly wife. 303 S. M. HOW can a sinner know His sins on earth forgiven? How can my gracious Saviour show My name inscribed in heaven? 2 What we have felt and seen With confidence we tell; And publish to the sons of men The signs infallible. 3 We who in Christ believe That he for us hath died, We all his unknown peace receive, And feel his blood applied. 4 Exults our rising soul, Disburdened of her load, And swells unutterably full Of glory and of God. Charles Wesley. Title: "The Marks of Faith.'' As pub- lished by Charles Wesley in Hymns and Sacred Poems (two volumes), 1749, this hymn has eight stanzas of eight lines each. The first three were altered into this meter for the Collection of Hymns for the use of the people called Methodists, probably by John Wesley, 1779. Knowledge of sins forgiven, or an as- surance of salvation, was a sine qua non with the early Methodists. This hymn is an answer to the question: "How can a sinner know his sins on earth forgiven?" An omitted verse, the fourth, if possible, makes the answer more plain. We give it in the original form: The Pledge of Future Bliss He now to us imparts, His gracious Spirit is The Earnest in our Hearts. We antedate the Joys above, We taste th' Eternal Powers, And know that all those Heights of Love, And all those Heavens are Ours. 304 C. M. D. I HEARD the voice of Jesus say, "Come unto me and rest ; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon my breast !" I came to Jesus as I was, Weary and worn and sad ; I found in him a resting place, And he has made me glad. 2 I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give The living water ; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live !" I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream ; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in him. 3 I heard the voice of Jesus say, "I am this dark world's light ; Look unto me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy day be bright !" I looked to Jesus, and I found In him my star, my sun ; And in that light of life I'll walk, Till traveling days are done. Horatius Bonar. 1G4 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. "The Voice from Galilee" is the title of this hymn in the author's Hymns of Faith and Hope, first series, 1857. There is no change from the original. Dr. C. S. Robinson, writing of this hymn, says: The two secrets of the wonderful popularity of this hymn are found in the fact that it in- troduces the words of our Lord in a pictur- esque way, as if one's ear had happened to catch them on the air, and then his voice made an immediate response by "coming" to- ward the words of imitation and promise; and then that it employs possessive pronouns for its phraseology, and so individualizes the believer. Christ says, "Come to me/1 and the Christian says, "2 came." Christ says, "1 give the living water," and the listener an- swers, "My thirst was quenched." Christ says, "J am the light," and the child of God replies, "I found in him my Star, my Sun !" 305 L. M. TXTO thy gracious hands I fall, And with the arms of faith embrace ; O King of glory, hear my call ! O raise me, heal me by thy grace ! 2 Arm me with thy whole armor, Lord, Support my weakness with thy might ; Gird on my thigh thy conquering sword, And shield me in the threatening fight. 3 From faith to faith, from grace to grace, So in thy strength shall I go on, Till heaven and earth flee from thy face, And glory end what grace begun. Wolfyang C. Dessler. Tr. by John Wesley. From the German. John Wesley found this hymn in the Herrnhut Gesang-Bueh. 1731, and translated six of the eight dou- ble stanzas. We have here the first half of the fourth and all of the sixth stanza of his translation without change. The translation begins, "Jesu, whose glory's streaming rays," and is found in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. 306 L. M. D. JESUS, my all, to heaven is gone, He whom I fix my hopes upon ; His track I see, and I'll pursue The narrow way, till him I view. The way the holy prophets wTent, The road that leads from banishment, The King's highway of holiness, I'll go, for all his paths are peace. 2 This is the way I long have sought, And mourned because I found it not; My grief a burden long has be< n, Because I was not saved from sin. The more I strove against its power, I felt its weight and guilt the more ; Till late I heard my Saviour say, "Come hither, soul, I am the way." 3 Lo ! glad I come ; and thou, blest Lamb, Shalt take me to thee, as I am ; Nothing but sin have I to give ; Nothing but love shall I receive. Then will I tell to sinners round, What a dear Saviour I have found; I'll point to thy redeeming blood, And say, "Behold the way to God." John Cennick. This is taken from the author's Sacred Hymns for the Use of Religious Societies. Generally Composed in Dialogues, 1743, where it is titled: "Following Christ the Sinner's Way to God." There have been several unimportant verbal changes, all of which are improvements upon the orig- inal, as will be seen by noting the follow- ing words in italics, which represent the original: Verse one, line two: He that I fix my hopes upon. Verse two, lines three and four: My grief my burden long has been, Because I could not cease from sin. Verse two, lines six and eight: I sinned and stumbled but the more, Come hither, soul, for I'm the way. Verse three, lines one, three, and four: Lo ! glad I come ; and thou, dear Lamb. Nothing but sin I Thee can give. Yet help me and Thy Praise I'll live. Verse three, line five: I'll tell to all poor sinners round. The original has single stanzas, the third, fourth, and fifth, omitted above, be- ing: 3 No Stranger may proceed therein, No Lover of the World and Sin ; No Lion, no devouring Care, No ravenous Tyger shall be there. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 165 4 No nothing may go up thereon But traveling Souls, and I am one : Wayfaring Men to Canaan bound, Shall only in the Way be found. 5 Nor Fools, by carnal men esteemed, Shall err therein ; but they redeemed In Jesus' Blood, shall shew their Right To travel there, till Heaven's in Sight. This hymn reads as if it were written by one who knew by experience the joy of finding Christ — as if it came from one who knew when and where he was con- victed and converted; and so it was. Fre- quenting London in his fifteenth and six- teenth year in search of employment, but all in vain, says his biographer: He became addicted, in consequence, to sight-seeing, song-singing, play-going, card- playing, horse-racing, ball-frequenting, and the like. But on an Easter visit to London, in 1735, he was seriously impressed as he was walking hastily in Cheapside. He became greatly distressed on account of his sins, broke off from his sinful course, and walked softly before God ; but he found no peace un- til September 6, 1737, in his nineteenth year, when he was enabled to trust in Christ alone and find joy and peace in believing. 307 H 7s. ARK, my soul ! it is the Lord ; 'Tis thy Saviour, hear his word ; Jesus speaks, he speaks to thee : "Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me' 2 I delivered thee when bound, And, when bleeding, healed thy wound Sought thee wandering, set thee right, Turned thy darkness into light. 3 Can a mother's tender care Cease toward the child she bare? Yes, she may forgetful be, Yet will I remember thee. 4 Mine is an unchanging love, Higher than the heights above, Deeper than the depths beneath, Free and faithful, strong as death. 5 Thou shalt see my glory soon, When the work of faith is done ; Partner of my throne shall be : Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?" 6 Lord, it is my chief complaint That my love is still so faint ; Yet I love thee and adore : O for grace to love thee more ! William Cowper. Original title: "Lovest Thou MeV (John xxi. 16.) One word has been changed. In the second line of the fifth stanza Cowper wrote: When the work of grace is done. Some Arminian hymn editor made this change because he thought that "grace" savored of Calvinism. It ought to be re- stored out of regard to the author. The third stanza of this hymn is a re- production of a remarkable passage in Isaiah xlix. 15. First found in Maxfield's New Appen- dix, 1768. Also in Olney Hymns, 1779. Dr. Julian in his Dictionary of Hymnol- ogy says: It rapidly attained great popularity with hymn book compilers, and is found at the present time in most of the high-class hym- nals in all English-speaking countries. It is a lyric of great tenderness and beauty, and ranks as one of Cowper's best hymns. 308 L. M. LET not the wise their wisdom boast, The mighty glory in their might, The rich in flattering riches trust, Which take their everlasting flight. 2 The rush of numerous years bears down The most gigantic strength of man ; And where is all his wisdom gone, When dust he turns to dust again? 3 One only gift can justify The boasting soul that knows his God ; When Jesus doth his blood apply, I glory in his sprinkled blood. 4 The Lord, my Righteousness, I praise, I triumph in the love divine, The wisdom, wealth, and strength of grace, In Christ to endless ages mine. Charles Wesley. From Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. It is based on Jeremiah ix. 23, 24: Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither the mighty man 166 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory In this, that he understandeth and knowetta me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving- kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth : for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. In verse one, lines one and two, the au- thor wrote "his" instead of "their," and in verse four, last line, he wrote "through" instead of "to." 309 C. M. AMAZING grace ! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me ! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. 2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved ; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed ! 3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come ; 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. 4 The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures ; He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures. 5 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. 6 The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine ; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine. John Xeicton. Title: "Faith's Review and Expecta- tion." It is based on 1 Chronicles xvii. 16, 17: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God : for thou hast also spoken of thy serv- ant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. The author of this hymn plainly refers to his own life and experience. Newton wrote his own epitaph, which he requested might be put up on a plain marble tablet near the vestry door of his church in London: John Newtox, Clerk. Once an Infidel and Libertine, A servant of slaves in Africa, Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Preserved, restored, pardoned, Ami appointed to preach the Faith He had long labored to destroy. Near 16 years at Olney in Bucks And . . . years in this church. On Feb. 1, 1750, he married Mary, Daughter of the late George Catlett Of Chatham, Kent. He resigned her to the Lord who gave her On 15th of December, 1790. Unaltered and Hymns, 1779. entire from Olney 310 L. M. 61. AND can it be that I should gain An interest in the Saviour's blood? Died he for me, who caused his pain? For me, who him to death pursued? Amazing love ! how can it be That thou, my Lord, shouldst die for me? 2 'Tis mystery all ! the Immortal dies ! Who can explore his strange design? In vain the firstborn seraph tries To sound the depths of love divine ; 'Tis mercy all ! let earth adore : Let angel minds inquire no more. 3 He left his Father's throne above, So free, so infinite his grace ! Emptied himself of all but love, And bled for Adam's helpless race ; 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For, O my God, it found out me ! 4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature's night ; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light : My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. 5 No condemnation now I dread, Jesus, with all in him, is mine ; Alive in him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown through Christ my own. Charles Wesley. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 167 "Free Grace" is the author's title to this hymn in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. This is one of Charles Wesley's finest hymns. It is a profound study of the atonement by a soul that is filled with ap- preciation and awe over the realization, both intellectual and experimental, of the significance and mystery of the sufferings and death of Christ. It was doubtless written very soon after the author's con- version in May, 1738. The fifth stanza has been omitted: Still the small inward voice I hear, That whispers all my sins forgiven ; Still the atoning blood is near, That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven : I feel the life His wounds impart ; I feel my Saviour in my heart. In the last line of the first stanza above Wesley wrote "God" instead of "Lord." John Wesley in describing his conver- sion speaks of going to Charles Wesley's room in Little Britain and singing a hymn "with great joy." Some have thought that this is the hymn referred to; but evidence points to the hymn begin- ning, "Where shall my wondering soul begin," as that which was sung on this occasion. It is to be regretted that this historic hymn, which has been described as "the birth song of the Evangelical Re- vival," has not been given a place in this collection. But while the present hymn was doubtless not the one sung in celebra- tion of John Wesley's conversion, it is as- sociated very closely with the close of his life, as the following words, quoted from Telford, will show: On the last Sunday afternoon of John "Wes- ley's life, after he had said, "There is no need for more ; when at Bristol, my words were, I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me," Miss Ritchie writes : "Seeing him very weak and not able to speak much, I said : 'Is this the present language of your heart, and do you now feel as you then did?' He replied: 'Yes.' I then repeated : 'Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.' And I added : ' 'Tis enough ; he, our precious Emmanuel, has purchased, has promised all.' He earnestly replied, 'He is all, he is all,' and then said : 'I will go.' I said, 'To joys above ; Lord, help me to follow you ;' to which he re- plied : 'Amen.' " John and Charles Wesley make frequent reference in their journals to the evangel- ical use which they make of their hymns. The entry in Charles Wesley's Journal for Wednesday, August 22, 1739, makes reference to how this hymn was gracious- ly used by the Holy Spirit in the convic- tion and conversion of "a drunken serv- ant of Mr. Seward:" "This morning the work upon poor Robin appeared to be God's work. The words that made the first impression were: 'Tis mercy all, immense and free, For, O my God, it found out me ! He now seems full of sorrow and joy and astonishment and love. The world, too, set to their seal that he belongs to Christ." 311 6, 6, 9. D. OHOW happy are they, Who the Saviour obey, And have laid up their treasure above ! Tongue can never express The sweet comfort and peace Of a soul in its earliest love. 2 That sweet comfort was mine, "When the favor divine I first found in the blood of the Lamb ; When my heart first believed, What a joy I received, What a heaven in Jesus's name ! 3 'Twas a heaven below My Redeemer to know, And the angels could do nothing more, Than to fall at his feet, And the story repeat, And the Lover of sinners adore. 4 Jesus all the day long Was my joy and my song : O that all his salvation might see ! "He hath loved me," I cried, "He hath suffered and died, To redeem a poor rebel like me." 1G8 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 5 O the rapturous height Of that holy delight Which I felt in the life-giving blood! Of my Saviour possessed, I was perfectly blest, As if Oiled with the fullness of God. Charles Wesley. Title: "For One Fallen from Grace" It is from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. A few slight changes have been made, and two stanzas, the fifth and sixth, omit- ted: 5 On the wings of His love, I was carried above All sin, and temptation, and pain ; I could not believe, That I ever should grieve, That I ever should suffer again. 6 I rode on the sky, (Freely justified I !) Nor envied Elijah his seat ; My soul mounted higher, In a chariot of fire, And the moon it was under my feet. There is a "part second" that contains nine verses more. The old Pocket Hymn Book contained the whole sixteen stanzas, which were retained in all the editions down to 1849, when all the stanzas were left out except these five. They are all that are worth saving. Some writers, judging from internal evidence, have doubted whether Charles Wesley ever wrote this hymn, thinking him incapable of writing such stanzas as the sixth, quoted above. The real wonder is that in the great harvest of his writings — some six thousand pieces — there should be so much good wheat and so little worthless chaff. This hymn was intended to express the joy of the happy convert. It has had a long and useful career, and we hope it will be used for generations to come as it has been in the past. 312 L. M. 0 HAPPY day, that fixed my choice On thee, my Saviour and my God ! Well may this glowing heart rejoice, And tell its raptures all abroad. Refrain. Happy day, happy day, When Jesus washed my sins away : He taught me how to watch and pray, And live rejoicing every day. Happy day, happy day, When Jesus washed my sins away. 2 O happy bond, that seals my vows To him who merits all my love ! Let cheerful anthems fill his house, While to that sacred shrine I move. 3 'Tis done : the great transaction's done ! I am my Lord's, and he is mine ; He drew me and I followed on, Charmed to confess the voice divine. 4 Now rest, my long-divided heart; Fixed on this blissful center, rest : With ashes who wrould grudge to part, When called on angels' bread to feast? 5 High heaven, that heard the solemn vow, That vow renewed shall daily hear, Till in life's latest hour I bow, And bless in death a bond so dear. Philip Doddridge. Original title: "Rejoicing in our Cove- nant Engagements to God." It is based on 2 Chronicles xv. 15: "And all Judea rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about." It is found in the author's Hymns, published in 1755, four years aft- er the author's death. The editor of this posthumous volume (J. Orton) admits that in some instances he tampered with the text of the original. In 1839 J. D. Humphreys brought out what he claimed was the accurate text of the original, and it in some instances differs from Orton's text. In the edition of Humphreys the last two lines of verse four read as fol- lows: O wTho with earth would grudge to part, When called with angels to be blessed? Other hymns of Dr. Doddridge may have more of poetic merit; but no other is so dear to Methodists as this familiar and precious hymn. It has the warm and fervent glow of rapturous experimental HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 169 religion about it. If we did not know that Doddridge wrote it, if its authorship had been uncertain, the student of hym- nology would most surely have attributed it to Charles Wesley. It is a high com- pliment to this hymn that it was chosen by Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria, to be sung always on occasions when members of the royal family were confirmed. "Blessed is the man," says James Montgomery, "who can take the words of this hymn and make them his own from similar experience." This hymn could have been written only by one who had a deep, rich, and joyous ex- perience i nthe precious things of God. It is one of the best revival hymns ever written; for it not only rejoices in cove- nant engagements already entered into with God, but it is exceedingly helpful in bringing penitent souls who are under conviction of sin up to the point of a full and hearty decision for Christ. It is ex- ceedingly fortunate in having a tune that is exactly suited both to the words and the sentiment of the hymn. There are few hymns that are so much enjoyed by young and old, by saint and sinner, as this rap- turous song that celebrates the joy of a redeemed sinner over having found Christ the Saviour. 313 L. M. 0 THOU, who earnest from above, The pure celestial fire to impart, Kindle a flame of sacred love On the mean altar of my heart ! 2 There let. it for thy glory burn, With inextinguishable blaze, And trembling to its source return, In humble love and fervent praise. 3 Jesus, confirm my heart's desire, To work, and speak, and think, for thee Still let me guard the holy fire, And still stir up thy gift in me; 4 Ready for all thy perfect will, My acts of faith and love repeat, Till death thy endless mercies seal, And make the sacrifice complete. Charles Wesley. From Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. It was writ- ten on Leviticus vi. 13: "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out." It is unaltered and complete. John Wesley said that his experience might al- ways be found in these lines. This admirable hymn has one blemish: "inextinguishable," in the second verse, is almost unsingable. Bishop Bicker- steth, in his Hymnal Companion to the Book of Common Prayer, suppressed the line and substituted the following: "Un- quenched, undimmed, in darkest days." This is an improvement, yet not altogeth- er happy. 314 C. M. RELIGION is the chief concern Of mortals here below : May I its great importance learn, Its sovereign virtue know ! 2 O may my heart, by grace renewed, Be my Redeemer's throne ; And be my stubborn will subdued, His government to own ! 3 Let deep repentance, faith, and love Be joined with godly fear ; And all my conversation prove My heart to be sincere. 4 Let lively hope my soul inspire ; Let warm affections rise ; And may I wait with strong desire To mount above the skies ! John Faivcett. This hymn has eight stanzas in the author's Hymns Adapted to the Circum- stances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, 1782, where it bears the title, "The Nature and Necessity of Inward Re- ligion." 315 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4. NEARER, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! E'en though it be a cross That raiseth me ; Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! 170 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 Though like the wanderer, The sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone, Yet in my dreams I'd be Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! 3 There let the way appear, steps unto heaven ; All that thou sendest me, In mercy given ; Angels to beckon me Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! 4 Then, with my waking thoughts Bright with thy praise, Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise ; So by my woes to be Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! 5 Or if, on joyful wing Cleaving the sky, Sun, moon, and stars forgot, Upward I fly, Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee ! Sarah F. Adams. This favorite hymn was written in 1841 and contributed to Hymns and Anthems, edited by the Rev. William Johnson Fox. It was the fruitage of a gifted mind and a pious heart. It is founded upon the sto- ry of Jacob's journey as given in Genesis xxviii. 10-19: And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, be- cause the sun was set ; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pil- lows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven : and behold the angels of God ascend- ing and descending on it. . . . And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel. One word only has been changed. The author wrote in the fifth line of the first stanza: Still all my song would be. In Anglican Hymnology this is No. 13 in hymns of first rank; in Best Hymns, No. 12; in Hymns That Have Helped, No. 7. Who shall say that this hymn was not written in answer to prayer or at least to strong desire? In the same little book in which "Nearer, my God, to thee" was published we find another hymn by the same author. We quote two verses: O ! I would sing a song of praise, Natural as the breeze That stirs amongst the forest trees, Whispering ever, Weary never, Summer's prime or wintry days — So should come my song of praise. O ! I would sing a song of praise Holy as the night, When heaven comes to us in the light Of stars whose gleaming, Influence streaming, Draws us upward while we gaze — So should rise my song of praise. Is not this hymn a "song of praise," "natural as the breeze," and "holy as the night?" The last words of President McKinley, as reported by his physician, Dr. Mann, were: "'Nearer, my God, to thee, e'en though it be a cross,' has been my con- stant prayer." On the Sunday following the burial at Canton, Ohio, September 22, 1901, this hymn was used in memorial services all over the land. The following reminiscence is related of Bishop Marvin: The Bishop, at a prayer meeting that he had conducted, stated that he had recently been traveling in the wilds of Arkansas. His mind was oppressed, his heart sad. He had been compelled to leave his family and home — it was during the trying years of the Civ- il War — and could not hear of their welfare ; and it seemed to him that clouds and dark- ness had completely enveloped him. In this depressed state of mind and heart he ap- proached an old log cabin in a very dilapi- dated condition. As he drew nearer he dis- HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 171 tinguished the sound of a woman's voice sing- ing: "Nearer, my God, to thee." He at once alighted and went in, for the sound of that familiar hymn seemed to enter his very soul. He found the singer to be an aged widow in the midst of poverty, but cheer- ful and happy in the love of God in spite of her loneliness and want. He thought to him- self : If that poor widow in such loneliness could sing such a song, surely he could too. He gave to the winds his fears, and from that time forth, with full confidence in the provi- dence of an overruling God and Father, and with aspirations of heart unfelt before, he had been singing : "Nearer, my God, to thee." "This simple personal narrative," says the writer, "made a deeper impression on my mind than even the rich sermons he preached and with which I was delight- ed." 316 C. M. AS pants the hart for cooling streams, When heated in the chase, So longs my soul, O God, for thee, And thy refreshing grace. 2 For thee, my God, the living God, My thirsty soul doth pine ; 0 when shall I behold thy face, Thou Majesty divine? 3 I sigh to think of happier days, When thou, O Lord, wast nigh ; When every heart was tuned to praise, And none more blest than I. 4 Why restless, why cast down, my soul? Hope still, and thou shalt sing The praise of him who is thy God, Thy Saviour, and thy King. Tate and Brady. Alt. by Henry F. Lyte. This metrical version of a part of the forty-second Psalm is from H. F. Lyte's Spirit of the Psalms, 1834, and is an al- teration and improvement of the original as found in Tate and Brady's Neiv Ver- sion of the Psalms of David, 1696. The original of verse three in this version is: 1 sigh, when recollecting thoughts Those happy days present, When I, with troops of pious friends, Thy temple did frequent. The last line of the hymn was originally: "Thy health's eternal spring." The original has twelve stanzas, the above being the first, second, fourth, and eleventh. M 317 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4. ORE love to thee, O Christ, More love to thee ! Hear thou the prayer I make, On bended knee ; This is my earnest plea, More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee ! 2 Once earthly joy I craved, Sought peace and rest ; Now thee alone I seek, Give what is best : This all my prayer shall be, More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee ! 3 Let sorrow do its work, Send grief and pain ; Sweet are thy messengers, Sweet their refrain, When they can sing with me, More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee !' 4 Then shall my latest breath Whisper thy praise ; This be the parting cry My heart shall raise, This still its prayer shall be, More love, O Christ, to thee, More love to thee ! Elizabeth P. Prentiss. We are pleased that the third stanza, frequently omitted, is inserted here. It is now complete, as the author wrote it. In her Life written by her husband, Dr. George L. Prentiss, we find some account of this hymn. He says: The hymn, "More Love to Thee, O Christ," belongs probably as far back as the year 1856. Like most of her hymns, it is simply a prayer put into the form of verse. She wrote it so hastily that the last stanza was left in- complete, one line having to be added in pen- cil when it was printed. She did not show it, not even to her husband, until many years after it was written ; and she wondered not a little that, when published, it met with so much, favor. 172 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. We do not wonder. It was a heart song inspired by love and prayer. 318 8, 8, 6. D. THOU great mysterious God unknown, Whose love hath gently led me on, E'en from my infant days, Mine inmost soul expose to view, And tell me if I ever knew Thy justifying grace. 2 If I have only known thy fear, And followed, with a heart sincere, Thy drawings from above, Now, now the further grace bestow, And let my sprinkled conscience know Thy sweet forgiving love. 3 Father, in me reveal thy Son, And to my inmost soul make known How merciful thou art ; The secret of thy love reveal, And by thy hallowing Spirit dwell Forever in my heart ! Charles Wesley. From Redemption Hymns, 1747. The original has eight stanzas; these are the first three and the last. The fourth stan- za should not be omitted: 4 If now the witness were in me, Would he not testify of thee, In Jesus reconciled? And should I not with faith draw nigh, And boldly, Abba, Father, cry, And know myself thy child? There is a large class of Church mem- bers whose spiritual condition and whose heart yearnings are accurately portrayed in this hymn. Though members of the Church, they do not knoiv that they are re- generate Christians; they have not the wit- ness of the Spirit, but sincerely yearn for it. They are oftentimes much discour- aged because they have not a clear knowl- edge of sins forgiven and of their ac- ceptance with God. But such Christians are not hypocrites; they are sometimes among the most devout, exemplary, and useful members of the Church. Others have more confidence in their religion than they themselves have. As long as the absence of the witness of the Spirit leads the timid believer to yearnings of soul and to prayer for His testimony to sins forgiven, there are the signs of a healthful and genuine spiritual life. But alas for that large number of professing Christians who enjoy not the Holy Spir- it's witness to their acceptance, and yet the absence of this, the only satisfactory evidence of conversion, seems to create no concern as to their spiritual condition! 319 8s, 7s. GENTLY, Lord, O gently lead us Through this lonely vale of tears; Through the changes thou'st decreed us, Till our last great change appears. 2 When temptation's darts assail us, When in devious paths we stray, Let thy goodness never fail us, Lead us in thy perfect way. 3 In the hour of pain and anguish, In the hour when death draws near, Suffer not our hearts to languish, Suffer not our souls to fear. 4 When this mortal life is ended, Bid us in thine arms to rest, Till, by angel bands attended, We awake among the blest. Thomas Hastings. Title: "Pilgrimage." This is a genuine prayer-song and worthy of frequent use. It first appeared in Spiritual Songs for Social Worship, words and music ar- ranged by Thomas Hastings, of Utica, N. Y., and Lowell Mason, of Boston. Uti- ca, 1832. 320 c. M. D. I WANT a principle within, Of jealous, godly fear ; A sensibility of sin, A pain to feel it near : I want the first approach to feel Of pride, or fond desire ; To catch the wandering of my will, And quench the kindling fire. 2 From thee that I no more may part, No more thy goodness grieve, The filial awe, the fleshly heart, The tender conscience, give. Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make ! Awake my soul when sin is nigh, And keep it still awake. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 173 3 If to the right or left I stray, That moment, Lord, reprove ; And let me weep my life away For having grieved thy love. O may the least omission pain My well-instructed soul, And drive me to the blood again Which makes the wounded whole ! Charles Wesley. Charles Wesley never wrote a more del- icately and deeply spiritual lyric than this, which he titled "For a Tender Con- science:' It is the aspiration and prayer of a soul that is inspired by the loftiest ethical ideal. To pray this prayer and live daily up to this ideal is to make an argument for inward holiness and Chris- tian perfection that none will gainsay or resist. It is well for the young Chris- tian to commit this hymn to memory. It is found in the author's Hymns and Sa- cred Poems, 1749, where it has five dou- ble stanzas, the above being the second, the third, and a half each of the fourth and fifth stanzas. The hymn is greatly improved by this abbreviation. Mr. Wesley was once asked by Samuel Bradburn in open Conference if any one could fall from the sanctified state with- out at the same time losing his justifica- tion. Wesley's only reply was to take up the hymn book and turn to this hymn and read the last stanza: O may the least omission pain My well-instructed soul, And drive me to the blood again Which makes the wounded whole ! In a similar manner on another occa- sion he made a quotation from one of Charles Wesley's hymns answer the ques- tion propounded to him as to whether or not he had himself experienced the bless- ing of entire sanctification. From the hymn beginning, "0 thou who earnest from above," he quoted the last two stan- Jesus, confirm my heart's desire, To work, and speak, and think, for thee ; Still let me guard the holy fire, And still stir up thy gift in me. Ready for all thy perfect will, My acts of faith and love repeat, Till death thy endless mercies seal, And make the sacrifice complete. This was a suggestive and beautiful an- swer, though it may not have been alto- gether satisfactory to the questioner. Mr. Wesley was much more concerned about living sanctification than he was about professing it. But while he did not pro- fess it for himself, others professed it for him. And this, after all, is the most ef- fective way to make a profession of en- tire sanctification — viz., to live the doc- trine so that one's neighbors and fellow- workers will profess it for him. 321 C. M. JESUS, let all thy lovers shine, Illustrious as the sun : And, bright with borrowed rays divine, Their glorious circuit run. 2 Beyond the reach of mortals, spread Their light where'er they go ; And heavenly influences shed On all the world below. 3 As giants may they run their race, Exulting in their might ; As burning luminaries, chase The gloom of hellish night. 4 As the bright Sun of righteousness, Their healing wings display ; And let their luster still increase Unto the perfect day. Charles Wesley. From the author's Short Hymns on Se- lect Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. It is based upon Judges v. 31: "Let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." The original has three eight-line stanzas. This hymn con- sists of the first two, with only one slight change. Verse four, line one, Wesley wrote: "As the great Sun of righteous- ness." 322 L. M. GOD of my life, through all my days My grateful powers shall sound thy praise ; My song shall wake with opening light, And cheer the dark and silent night. 174 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 When anxious cares would break my rest, And griefs would tear my throbbing breast, Thy tuneful praises raised on high Shall check the murmur and the sigh. 3 When death o'er nature shall prevail, And all the powers of language fail, Joy through my swimming eyes shall break, And mean the thanks I cannot speak. 4 But O, when that last conflict's o'er, And I am chained to flesh no more, With what glad accents shall I rise To join the music of the skies ! 5 Soon shall I learn the exalted strains Which echo through the heavenly plains ; And emulate, with joy unknown, The glowing seraphs round the throne. 6 The cheerful tribute will I give Long as a deathless soul shall live : A work so sweet, a theme so high, Demands and crowns eternity. Philip Doddridge. Author's title: "Praising God through the Whole of Our Existence." It is found in the author's Hymns Founded on Vari- ous Texts in the Holy Scriptures, 1755. In verse one, line one, the author wrote "its days" instead of "my days;" in line three, "the song" instead of "my song;" and in line four, "And warble to the si- lent night." In verse three, line two, he wrote "its powers" instead of "the pow- ers." This hymn is based on Psalm cxlvi. 2: "While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." It is one of Doddridge's best hymns. It is said to have been written only a short while be- fore his death, which was due to consump- tion. The first hymn in the volume of Doddridge's Hymns referred to above closes with these lines: I ask not Enoch's rapturous flight To realms of heavenly day, Nor seek Elijah's fiery steeds To bear this flesh away. Joyful my spirit will consent To drop its mortal load, And hail the sharpest pangs of death That break its way to God. A venerable man of God who had preached the gospel for fifty years in the North Carolina Conference was approach- ing his end. A most distressing and ex- hausting cough had taken away his voice, and it seemed certain as he approached death that he would soon be unable, al- though retaining consciousness, to com- municate with his children even in a whisper. But before this moment came, he had his son get the hymn book and open it at No. 831 and follow him as he, with fast-failing voice, gave his dying tes- timony in the expressive words of this hymn: God of my life, through all my days, My grateful powers shall sound thy praise ; The song shall wake with op'ning light, And warble to the silent night. When death o'er nature shall prevail, And all the powers of language fail, Joy through my swimming eyes shaH break, And mean the thanks I cannot speak. But O, when that last conflict's o'er, And I am chained to flesh no more, With what glad accents shall I rise To join the music of the skies ! Blessed is the man whose dying testi- mony finds happy expression in such words as these. But more blessed still is that Christian poet who, in giving ex- pression to his own dying thoughts, has unconsciously used such happy and fitting words that others also, learning them by heart, will shout them back, when stand- ing at the brink of the grave or launching out into eternity, as most expressive of their own thoughts and feelings in the dying hour. 323 us, ios. WE would see Jesus : for the shadows lengthen Across this little landscape of our life ; We would see Jesus, our wreak faith to strengthen For the last weariness, the final strife. 2 We w^ould see Jesus, the great rock founda- tion Whereon our feet were set with sover- eign grace. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 175 Nor life, nor death, with all their agita- tion, Can thence remove us, if we see his face. 3 We would see Jesus : other lights are pal- ing Which for long years we have rejoiced to see ; The blessings of our pilgrimage are failing : We would not mourn them, for we go to thee. 4 We would see Jesus : yet the spirit lingers Round the dear objects it has loved so long, And earth from earth can scarce unclasp its fingers ; Our love to thee makes not this love less strong. 5 We would see Jesus : sense is all too bind- ing, And heaven appears too dim, too far away. We would see thee, thyself our hearts re- minding What thou hast suffered, our great debt to pay. 6 We would see Jesus : this is all we're need- ing; Strength, joy, and -willingness come with the sight ; We would see Jesus, dying, risen, pleading ; Then welcome day, and farewell mortal night. Anna B. Warner. This hymn gives honor to Jesus the Christ. It is found in Hymns of the Church Militant, compiled by Miss Anna Warner, New York, 1858, and published by Carter and Brothers, 1861. One stan- za has been left out, and a few verbal changes have been made. The last stan- za is particularly fine. 324 7s, 6s. D. TO thee, O dear, dear Saviour ! My spirit turns for rest, My peace is in thy favor, My pillow on thy breast ; Though all the world deceive me, I know that I am thine, And thou wilt never leave me, O blessed Saviour mine. 2 In thee my trust abideth, On thee my hope relies, O thou whose love provideth For all beneath the skies ; O thou whose mercy found me. From bondage set me free, And then forever bound me With threefold cords to thee. 3 My grief is in the dullness With which this sluggish heart Doth open to the fullness Of all thou wouldst impart; My joy is in thy beauty Of holiness divine, My comfort in the duty That binds my life in thine. 4 Alas, that I should ever Have failed in love to thee, The only one who never Forgot or slighted me ! O for a heart to love thee More truly as I ought, And nothing place above thee In deed, or word, or thought ! 5 O for that choicest blessing Of living in thy love, And thus on earth possessing The peace of heaven above ! O for the bliss that by it The soul securely knows The holy calm and quiet Of faith's serene repose ! John 8. B. Monsell. This was first published in the author's Hymns of Love and Praise, 1863. Dr. C. S. Robinson in his note to this hymn cites two instances of the marvelous power of song to sustain one under great suffering: A medical man of the highest authority has related the story of a patient under his care whose case became so desperate that a critical operation was necessary. This promised to be perilous and extremely painful. But the poor fellow was timid ; he was too weak for chloroform, and he was asked if he thought he could brave the pain. After considering a moment, he answered : "I can stand it if you will let me sing." The surgeon said : "Sing away, my friend, as much as you like." So Lne sufferer sang this hymn : "There is a gate that stands ajar, And through its portals gleaming A radiance from the cross afar, A Saviour's love revealing." In the other instance it was a very much afflicted patient faced by the same awful ne- cessity of the knife. She must have an an- aesthetic perforce, for human nature could not abide the strain. But she was afraid of 171) ANNOTATED HYMNAL. what she might say in a possible delirium and so betray her sensitive soul when irre- sponsible. The fact is, she had been wont before her conversion to use her tongue most foully. She was fearful now that she might lapse into her former habits of language. So her pathetic prayer was lifted as the ether was given her, "O Lord, keep thou the door of my mouth '." and when the rack was over, her first question was, "Did I talk?" and the answer, "No; you sang." But she pressed the inquiry anxiously: "What was it?" And with tears the nurse replied : "Nothing, dear, but 'Safe in the arms of Jesus/ verse after verse, over and over again." Few hymns have greater sustaining power in the sentiments they breathe than this beautiful lyric of love and trust. To have this hymn in the head and the heart is better than an anaesthetic to get one ready for life's sufferings. B 325 6s, 4s. D. REAK thou the bread of life, Dear Lord, to me, As thou didst break the loaves Beside the sea ; Beyond the sacred page I seek thee, Lord : My spirit pants for thee, O living Word ! 2 Bless thou the truth, dear Lord, To me, to me, As thou didst bless the bread By Galilee ; Then shall all bondage cease, All fetters fall ; And I shall find my peace, My All-in-All. Mary A. Lathbury. Title: ''Study Song." It was written at Chautauqua in 1880. This gem of prayer-song is a favorite note only with members of the "literary and scientific" circles; it has a much wider constituency, and deserves it. It ought to be memorized by all Bible lovers and frequently used. 326 L. M. 0 JESUS, crucified for man, O Lamb, all-glorious on thy throne, Teach thou our wond'ring souls to scan The mystery of thy love unknown. 2 We pray thee, grant us strength to take Our daily cross, whate'er it be, And gladly for thine own dear sake In paths of pain to follow thee. 3 As on our daily way we go, Through light or shade, in calm or strife, O may we bear thy marks below In conquered sin and chastened life. 4 And week by week this day we ask That holy memories of thy cross May sanctify each common task, And turn to gain each earthly loss. 5 Grant us, dear Lord, our cross to bear Till at thy feet we lay it down, Win through thy blood our pardon there, And through the cross attain the crown. William W. How. This hymn was first published in 1871 in the Parish Magazine, and was given a place in the volume of Church Hymns that appeared that same year under the joint editorship of the author and other Churchmen. 327 C. M. w ITH glorious clouds encompassed round, Whom angels dimly see, Will the Unsearchable be found, Or God appear to me? Will he forsake his throne above, Himself to men impart? Answer, thou Man of grief and love, And speak it to my heart. 3 Didst thou not in our flesh appear, And live and die below, That I may now perceive thee near, And my Redeemer know? i Come then, and to my soul reveal The heights and depths of grace, Those wounds which all my sorrows heal, Which all my sins efface. 5 Then shall I see in his own light, Whom angels dimly see ; And gaze, transported at the sight, To all eternity. Charles Wesley. Published without title in Hymns for the Use of Families. 1767. The original contains eight stanzas. These are one, two. four, five, and eight. Changes have been made in verses two, four, and five. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 177 328 w S. M. B hope in thee, O God ! The day wears on to night ; Thick shadows lie across our world, In thee alone is light. 2 We hope in thee, O God ! The fading time is here, But thou abidest strong and true Though all things disappear. 3 We hope in thee, O God ! Our joys go one by one, But lonely hearts can rest in thee, When all beside is gone. 4 We hope in thee, O God ! Hope fails us otherwhere ; But since thou art in all that is, Peace takes the hand of care. 5 We hope in thee, O God ! In whom none hope in vain ; We cling to thee in love and trust, And joy succeeds to pain. Marianne Hearn. We greatly need some good hymns on the Christian doctrine of hope. Hymns on faith and love abound; hymns on hope are very few. This hymn by Miss Hearn is not found in many Church collections. We do not know when or where it was first published. The most popular of all Miss Hearn's hymns is the one titled: "Waiting and Watching for Me." We quote two stanzas: When my final farewell to the world I have said, And gladly lie down to my rest ; When softly the watchers shall say, "He is dead," And fold my pale hands o'er my breast ; And when with my glorified vision at last The walls of that City I see, Will any one then, at the beautiful gate, Be waiting and watching for me? O, should I be brought there by the bountiful grace Of Him who delights to forgive, Though I bless not the weary about in my path, Pray Only for self while I live, Methinks I should mourn o'er my sinful neg- lect, If sorrow in heaven can be, Should no one I love, at the beautiful gate, Be waiting and watching for me ! 12 329 8s, 5s. PASS me not, O gentle Saviour, Hear my humble cry ; While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by ; Refrain. Saviour, Saviour, hear my humble cry, While on others thou art calling, Do not pass me by. 2 Let me at a throne of mercy Find a sweet relief ; Kneeling there in deep contrition, Help my unbelief. 3 Trusting only in thy merit, Would I seek thy face ; Heal my wounded, broken spirit, Save me by thy grace. 4 Thou the spring of all my comfort, More than life for me ; Whom have I on earth beside thee? Whom in heaven but thee? * Fanny J. Crosby. Written in 1868 at the request of Wil- liam Howard Doane, Doctor of Music, who gave Mrs. Van Alstyne the first line as a theme. It was a success from the begin- ning, and has now been in common use for forty years. Ira D. Sankey, in his Story of the Gos- pel Hymns, says: "No hymn in our collec- tion was more popular than this at our meetings in London in 1874." Some hymns never get "worn out" because they are seldom used; others do because they are used so much. This "gospel hymn" has probably been sung more times and by more people than any standard hymn in the language. A hymn, like a sermon, is not an end in itself; it is an instrument. Its value depends upon its execution. Dr. Adam Clarke said: "A sermon that does good is a good sermon." I dare to say the same of a hymn; and judged by that standard, this is one of the best hymns ever written. The author, in her Memories of Eighty Years, gives her idea of poetic inspiration: That some of my hymns have been dic- tated by the blessed Holy Spirit I have no doubt ; and that others have been the result of deep meditation I know to be true ; but 178 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. that the poet has any right to claim special merit for himself is certainly presumptuous. At times the burden of inspiration is so heavy that the author cannot find words beautiful enough or thoughts deep enough for its expression. 330 L. M. M Y hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness ; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. Refrain. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand ; All other ground is sinking sand. 2 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace ; In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil. 3 His oath, his covenant, his blood, Support me in the whelming flood ; When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. 4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, 0 may I then in him be found ; Dressed in his righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne ! Edxcard Mote. "A grand hymn of faith" is what Bish- op Bickersteth said of this poem, which was written in 1834 and first printed as a leaflet; and shortly thereafter the author published it in the Spiritual Magazine. It also appeared in the author's volume of original and selected poems titled Hymns of Praise, 1836, with the title, "The Im- mutable Basis of a Sinner's Hope." The first stanza is made up of the first two verses of the author : 1 Nor earth nor hell my soul can move, 1 rest upon unchanging love ; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. 2 My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness ; 'Midst all the hell I feel within, On his completed work I lean. In verse two, the author wrote "upon" instead of "on his" in the second line, and "rough" instead of "high" in the third line. In verse three the first two lines of the original read: His oath, his cov'nant and his blood Support me in the sinking flood. In verse four the first two lines of the original are: When / shall launch in worlds unseen, O may I then be found in him. The fifth stanza, omitted above, is: 5 I trust his righteous character, His council, promise, and his pow'r; His honor and his name's at stake To save me from the burning lake. The author says: One morning as I went to labor, it came into my mind to write a hymn on ''The Gra- cious Experience of a Christian." As I went up Holborn I had the chorus : On Christ, the solid rock, I stand ; All other ground is sinking sand. In the day I had the first four verses complete and wrote them off. While the words were thus fresh in mind and heart he sung them at the bed- side of a dying parishioner, who was so impressed and comforted by them that the author was encouraged to make larger use of them, hoping thereby to comfort and strengthen the faith of others. The hymn reads as if it might have been written on the words of Paul: "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Je- sus Christ." 331 C. M. JESUS, the all-restoring word, My fallen spirit's hope, After thy lovely likeness, Lord, Ah! when shall I wake up? 2 Thou, O my God, thou only art The life, the truth, the way ; Quicken my soul, instruct my heart, My sinking footsteps stay. 3 Of all thou hast in earth below, In heaven above, to give, Give me thy only love to know, In thee to walk and live. 4 Fill me with all the life of love ; In mystic union join Me to thyself, and let me prove The fellowship divine. 5 Open the intercourse between My longing soul and thee, HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 179 Never to be broke off again To all eternity. Charles Wesley. Author's title: "A Morning Hymn" From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1741. These are the first five verses un- changed, but the last stanza, which gives the reason for the writer's prayer, has been omitted: Grant this, O Lord : for Thou hast died That I might be forgiven ; Thou hast the Righteousness supplied For which I merit heaven. 332 8s, 7s. THOU my everlasting portion, More than friend or life to me, All along my pilgrim journey, Saviour, let me walk with thee. Refrain. Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee ; All along my pilgrim journey, Saviour, let me walk with thee. 2 Not for ease or worldly pleasure, Nor for fame my prayer shall be ; Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with thee. Refrain. Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee ; Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with thee. 3 Lead me through the vale of shadows, Bear me o'er life's fitful sea ; Then the gate of life eternal, May I enter, Lord, with thee. Refrain. Close to thee, close to thee, Close to thee, close to thee ; Then the gate of life eternal, May I enter, Lord, with thee. Fanny J. Crosby. This hymn on "Christ the Portion of His People" was first published in the au- thor's Songs of Grace and Glory, 1874. In her Memories of Eighty Years (1906) Fanny Crosby, speaking of her lifelong habits in connection with the writing of her hymns, says: "It may seem a little old-fashioned always to begin one's work with prayer; but I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration in the work that I am about to do." This may explain why so many of her songs are prayer-hymns. 333 L- M. 61. JESUS, thy boundless love to me No thought can reach, no tongue declare ; O knit my thankful heart to thee, And reign without a rival there ! Thine wholly, thine alone, I am, Be thou alone my constant flame. 2 O Love, how cheering is thy ray ! All pain before thy presence flies ; Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away. Where'er thy healing beams arise : O Jesus, nothing may I see, Nothing desire, or seek, but thee ! 3 Unwearied may I this pursue ; Dauntless to the high prize aspire ; Hourly within my soul renew This holy flame, this heavenly fire : And day and night, be all my care To guard the sacred treasure there. 4 In suffering be thy love my peace ; In weakness be thy love my power ; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that solemn hour, In death as life be thou my guide, And save me, who for me hast died. Paul Gerhardt. Tr. by John Wesley. From the German, a translation of Ger- hardt's "(7 Jesu Christ, mein schonster Licht." Wesley found it in the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch. 1731. The translation con- tains sixteen stanzas. These are one, three, four, and sixteen. Changes for the better have been made in four lines. This translation was pub- lished in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739. 334 M 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. Y faith looks up to thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Saviour divine ! Now hear me while I pray, Take all my guilt away, O let me from this day Be wholly thine ! 2 May thy rich grace impart Strength to my fainting heart, My zeal inspire ; 180 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. As thou hast died for me, O may my lov. to thee Pure, warm, and changeless to . A living fire '. 3 While life's dark maze I tread, And griefs around me spread, Be thou my guide ; Bid darkness turn to day, Wipe sorrow's tears away, Nor let me ever stray From thee aside. 4 When ends life's transient dream, When death's cold, sullen stream Shall o'er me roll ; Blest Saviour, then, in love, Fear and distrust remove ; O bear me safe above, A ransomed soul ! Rau Palmer. "This hymn," says Dr. Theodore L. Ctiyler, "is by far the most precious con- tribution which American genius has yet made to the hymnology of the Christian Church." It was written in December, 1830, when the author was only twenty- two years old. He had just graduated from Yale College, and had begun the study of theology, supporting himself by teaching in a seminary for young ladies in New York City. He was poor and in bad health, and was laboring under many discouragements when he wrote these verses, which were "born of his own soul." "I gave form to what I felt." he says, "by writing, with little effort, these stanzas. I recollect I wrote them with very tender emotion, and ended the last line with tears. I composed them with a deep con- sciousness of my own needs, without the slightest thought of writing for another eye. and least of all of writing a hymn for Christian worship." With little thought he placed the manu- script away in his pocket memorandum book, where it remained for a year or more, until one day Dr. Lowell Mason met him on the streets of Boston and asked him if he did not have something to con- tribute to a new hymn and tune book which he and Rev. Thomas Hastings were soon to issue (Spiritual Songs for Social ^Yorship. 1832). He produced this hymn from his pocket notebook and made a copy of it for Dr. Mason, who went to his room and immediately wrote for it the now familiar tune called "Olivet." A few days later Dr. Mason met the author and accosted him thus: "Mr. Palmer, you may live many years and do many good things, but I think you will be best known to pos- terity as the author of 'My faith looks up to Thee.' " All of which has been literally verified. "Self-Consecration" is the title which the author first gave to this hymn. It orig- inally had six stanzas, the first two being the translation of a poetic description in German of "A Suppliant before the Cross," which the author chanced to come upon in his reading, and which so deeply impressed and touched him that he at once translated the two verses into Eng- lish. He then added four stanzas of his own, in which he undertakes to set forth what the suppliant is saying. These four stanzas constitute the hymn as it is now known and sung everywhere. The first i edition had in the fourth stanza, line five, the word "distress" instead of "distrust," but it seems to have been a typographical error. It is something unusual that an author's first hymn should be his best and greatest hymn, but this is true of this author and of this his first hymn. It is still more remarkable that a hymn written by a the- ological student only twenty-two years old should come to be recognized as the great- est of all the hymns ever written by Amer- icans. This is one of the few American hymns that has become popular in En- gland, being found in nearly all the Eng- lish hymnals except that of the English Church. It has been translated into about thirty different languages. In Europe, Af- rica, Asia, and the islands of the sea, as well as in America, it is admired and sung, and has become one of the favorite channels of devotion to worshiping assem- i blies everywhere throughout the world. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 181 This is one of the noblest prayer-hymns ever written. It is throughout an expres- sion of sincere penitence and saving faith, and of a lofty aspiration after the full realization of the experience and life that have been made possible to the Christian believer by grace. The first verse is a prayer for conversion and consecration; the second verse is a prayer for perse- verance, zeal, and love in Christian serv- ice; the third verse is a prayer for sus- taining grace and divine guidance while the soul's sanctification is being wrought out through suffering and sacrifice; the fourth verse is a prayer for dying grace and for the safe and happy passage to the life eternal that is vouchsafed to the ran- somed soul. In a letter to Bishop Bickersteth, writ- ten shortly before he died, the author said of this hymn: It was introduced into England in 1840, has been translated into other languages, and has been referred to as one of the last hymns that dying saints have sung or desired to hear in a great number of obituary notices that have met my eye. It has been a comfort to Christian hearts, doubtless, chiefly because it expresses in a simple way that act which is most central in all true Christian life — the act of trust in the atoning Lamb. This hymn was perhaps never used in a more suggestive and impressive manner than it was by a group of soldiers during the Civil War: It was the evening before a great battle was to be fought, and the soldiers had met in one of the tents for prayer and such words and messages as they well knew might prove the last for many of them. One sug- gested that, as they stood thus face to face with death and with the realities of the un- seen world, they should draw up and sign a paper expressive of their faith and trust in that solemn hour, that it might be sent as a dying message and testimony to the friends and loved ones of such as should fall in bat- tle. One of the number who had learned this hymn by heart suggested that it would make a fitting document for them to sign in the face of death, and they all agreed. He there- upon wrote it out, and each man signed his name to it. Only one of the number lived through the battle to tell the tale of this their death covenant and transmit the precious doc- ument to the loved ones of those who fell. Surely that must be a well-nigh perfect hymn of trust and prayer that Christian be- lievers can thus adopt as the best possible ex- pression of their penitence and faith and hope in the dying hour. Safe and serene will be the rest of that soul who, pitching his tent night after night a day's march nearer home, can affix his name to this hymn as a cove- nant with God and a testimony to his fellow- men. 335 L. M. I THIRST, thou wounded Lamb of God, To wash me in thy cleansing blood ; To dwell within thy wounds ; then pain Is sweet, and life or death is gain. 2 Take my poor heart, and let it be Forever closed to all but thee ; Seal thou my breast, and let me wear That pledge of love forever there. 3 How blest are they who still abide Close sheltered in thy bleeding side, Who thence their life and strength derive, And by thee move, and in "thee live! 4 How can it be, thou heavenly King, That thou shouldst us to glory bring? Make slaves the partners of thy throne, Decked with a never-fading crown? 5 Hence our hearts melt, our eyes o'erflow, Our words are lost, nor will we know, Nor will we think of aught beside, "My Lord, my Love is crucified." N. L. Zinzenclorf and J. Nitschmann. Tr. by John Wesley. In his translation, containing eight stan- zas, Wesley tried to take the cream of four different German hymns. The first two stanzas are from a hymn of the Moravian Bishop Zinzendorf beginning: "Ach! mein verwundter Filrste" The other three verses were translated from J. Nitschmann's hymn beginning: "Dw blutiger Yersilhner!" Verses seven and eight, omitted above, were built upon fragments of two others. The translation first appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems, London, 1740. L8; ANNOTATED HYMNAL. M i L. M. Y gracious Lord, I own thy right To every service I can pay, And call it my supreme delight To hear thy dictates, and obey. - What is my being but for thee, Its sure support, its noblest end? 'Tis my delight thy face to see, And serve the cause of such a Friend. 3 I would not sigh for worldly joy, Or to increase my worldly good ; Nor future days nor powers employ To spread a sounding name abroad. 4 'Tis to my Saviour I would live, To him who for my ransom died: Nor could all worldly honor give Such bliss as crowns me at his side. 5 His work my hoary age shall bless, When youthful vigor is no more ; And my last hour of life confess His dying love, his saving power. Philip Doddridge. "Christ's Service the Fruit of our La- bors on Earth" is the title which the au- thor gave this hymn. It is found in his Hymns. 1755. It is one of Dr. Doddridge's best hymns. Addressed to Jesus Christ as Lord, it recognizes in him "such a Friend" as we should love and live for alike in the vigor of youth and in hoary age. The third line in the second stanza was originally: "Thine ever-smiling face to see." The first line of the third stanza had "breathe" instead of "sigh," and the fourth stanza had "untainted Eden" in- stead of "all worldly honor," while the last line of the hymn read: "His love hath animating power." ioi 7s. PRINCE of Peace, control my will ; Bid this struggling heart be still ; Bid my fears and doubtings cease, Hush my spirit into peace. 2 Thou hast bought me with thy blood. Opened wide the gate to God : Peace I ask, but peace must be, Lord, in being one with thee. 3 May thy will, not mine, be done ; May thy will and mine be one; Chase these doubtings from my heart, Now thy perfect peace impart. 4 Saviour, at thy feet T fall, Thou my life, my God, my all ! Let thy happy servant be One for evermore with thee ! Mary A. S. Barber. We are glad that at last the authorship of this useful prayer-song has been set- tled and its history ascertained. Several editors have attributed the au- thorship to an American writer, Mrs. M. B. Shindler. It is of English origin, wa3 written by Miss Barber, and first appeared in the Church of England Magazine March 3, 1838, in four eight-lined stanzas. Title: "He is our Peace." (Eph. ii. 14.) We give the original poem. It will be seen that the hymn is made up of the first stanza and parts of the others slightly al- tered. 1 Prince of Peace control my will ; Bid this struggling heart be still : Bid my fears and doubtings cease, Hush my spirit into peace. Thou hast bought me with thy blood, Opened wide the way to God : Peace I ask, but peace must be, Lord, in being one. with thee. 2 Thou who still'd the raging deep Placidly to childlike sleep ; Thou whose voice the maniac heard, Knew, and straight confessed his Lord ; Thou who hush'd the mourner's cry Mid maternal agony. Chase these doubtings from my heart ; Faith and perfect peace impart. 3 King of Salem ! strong to save, No testatic joy I crave; Let thy Spirit's soothing calm Glide into my soul like balm : Raise my heart to things above, Modulate my soul to love : May thy will, not mine, be done ; May thy will and mine be one. 4 Saviour ! at thy feet I fall ; Broken is the parting all : Thou the foe hast reconcil'd ; Tam'd the rebel to the child. Lord of glory, I am thine ; Let thy peace around me shine, And thy happy servant be One with God, and one with thee. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFi 183 338 C. M. D O not I love thee, O my Lord? Then let me nothing love ; Dead be my heart to every joy, When Jesus cannot move. 2 Is not thy name melodious still To mine attentive ear? Doth not each pulse with pleasure bound My Saviour's voice to hear? 3 Hast thou a lamb in all thy flock I would disdain to feed? Hast thou a foe, before whose face I fear thy cause to plead? 4 Would not mine ardent spirit vie With angels round the throne, To execute thy sacred will, And make thy glory known? 5 Thou know'st I love thee, dearest Lord, But O, I long to soar Far from the sphere of mortal joys, And learn to love thee more ! Philip Doddridge. "An Appeal to Christ for the Sincerity of Love to Him," based on John xxi. 15: "Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou know- est that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs." From the author's Hymns, 1755. The first and sixth stanzas of the original have been omitted: 1 Do not I love thee, O my Lord? Behold my heart and see ; And turn each cursed idol out, That dares to rival thee. 6 Would not my heart pour forth its blood In honor of thy name? And challenge the cold hand of death To damp th' immortal flame? This hymn on "Love to Christ" is fre- quently compared with another by Dod- dridge which many consider the finest he ever wrote, and which, being unfortunate- ly omitted from our Hymnal, we repro- duce here. It was written to be sung aft- er a sermon on 1 Peter ii. 7: "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious." 1 Jesus, I love thy charming name, 'Tis music to my ear ; Fain would I sound it out so loud, That earth and heaven should hear. 2 Yea, thou art precious to my soul, My transport and my trust ; Jewels, to thee, are gaudy toys, And gold is sordid dust. 3 All my capacious powers can wish, In. thee doth richly meet ; Nor to mine eyes is light so dear, Nor friendship half so sweet. 4 Thy grace still dwells upon my heart, And sheds its fragrance there ; The noblest balm of all its wounds, The cordial of its care. 5 I'll speak the honors of thy name With my last, lab'ring breath ; Then speechless clasp thee in mine arms, The antidote of deatn. Speaking of the above and other hymns by Dr. Doddridge, >a writer in the North British Revieio says: "If amber is the gum of fossil trees, fetched up and floated off by the ocean, hymns like these are a spiritual amber. Most of the sermons to which they originally pertained have dis- appeared forever; but at once beautiful and buoyant, these sacred strains are des- tined to carry the devout emotions of Doddridge to every shore where his Mas- ter is loved and where his mother tongue is spoken." 339 L. M. H OW shall I follow Him I serve? How shall I copy him I love? Nor from those blessed footsteps swerve, Which lead me to his seat above? 2 Lord, should my path through suffering lie, Forbid it I should e'er repine ; Still let me turn to Calvary, Nor heed my griefs, remembering thine. 3 O let me think how thou didst leave Untasted every pure delight, To fast, to faint, to watch, to grieve, The toilsome day, the homeless night : — 4 To faint, to grieve, to die for me ! Thou earnest not thyself to please : And, dear as earthly comforts be, Shall I not love thee more than these? 184 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 5 V< s : I would count them all but loss, To gain the notice of thine eye: Flesh shrinks and trembles at the cross, But thou canst give the victory. Josiah Conder. Based upon John xii. 26: "If any man serve me, let him follow me." From the author's Star in the East, London, 1824. Eleven stanzas. These are one, four, six, seven, and eight. A wholesome meditation, emphasizing the thought that the followers of Christ are not to shrink at trials and difficulties, but to be brave imitators of the Master. 340 S. M. JESUS, my strength, my hope, On thee I cast my care, With humble confidence look up, And know thou hear'st my prayer. Give me on thee to wait, Till I can all things do, On thee, almighty to create, Almighty to renew. 2 I want a sober mind, A self-renouncing will, That tramples down, and casts behind The baits of pleasing ill : A soul inured to pain, To hardship, grief, and loss ; Bold to take up, firm to sustain, The consecrated cross. 3 I want a godly fear, A quick, discerning eye, That looks to thee when sin is near, And sees the tempter fly : A spirit still prepared, And armed with jealous care ; Forever standing on its guard, And watching unto prayer. Charles Wesley. "A Poor Sinner" is the title of the orig- inal poem of seven double stanzas from which this is taken and which is found in Psalms and Hymns, 1741. The above are the first, third, and fourth stanzas. The last stanza puts a truth very impres- sively: I want with all my heart Thy pleasure to fulfill, To know myself, and what Thou art, And what Thy perfect will. I want I know not what, I want my wants to see, I want — alas ! what want I not, When Thou art not in me? "Do you want to be a Christian?" asked a minister of the gospel once of an uncon- verted man who appeared somewhat seri- ous. "If I may answer you frankly, no," said the man. "Well, can you not truly say," continued the minister, "that you want to want to be a Christian?" "Yes," said he, "I can say that." "Shall we not pray God now to give you a desire to be saved and make you want to want to be a Christian?" the minister pleaded. The prayer was offered in faith, and the man was not long in feeling the "want" for which he prayed, nor long thereafter in having his want satisfied by finding the Saviour that he sought. This hymn by Charles Wesley is well adapted to meet- ing the needs of "a poor sinner" like this. 341 L. M. 0 THOU, who hast at thy command The hearts of all men in thy hand, Our wayward, erring hearts incline To have no other will but thine. 2 Our wishes, our desires, control ; Mold every purpose of the soul ; O'er all may we victorious prove That stands between us and thy love. 3 Thrice blest will all our blessings be, When we can look through them to thee ; When each glad heart its tribute pays Of love and gratitude and praise. 4 And while we to thy glory live, May we to thee all glory give, Until the final summons come, That calls thy willing servants home. Jane CotteriU. Title: "For Entire Subjection to the Will of God." The original has six stanzas. These are verses one, two, three, and six. One couplet has been changed. The au- thor wrote the last part of verse two: O'er all may we victorious be That stands between ourselves and Thee. The author wrote, verse four, line three: Until the joyful summons come. ^ HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 185 This valuable lyric was contributed to the sixth edition of Thomas Cotterill's Se- lection, 1815. The form of this hymn is ideal, and its spirit is calculated to cultivate Christian devotion. The third verse is a gem of rare poetic value and beauty. 343 L. M. LORD, I am thine, entirely thine, Purchased and saved by blood divine ; With full consent thine I would be, And own thy sovereign right in me. 2 Grant one poor sinner more a place Among the children of thy grace ; A wretched sinner, lost to God, But ransomed by Immanuel's blood. 3 Thine would I live, thine would I die, Be thine through all eternity ; The vow is past beyond repeal, And now I set the solemn seal. 4 Here, at that cross where flows the blood That bought my guilty soul for God, Thee, my new Master, now I call, And consecrate to thee my all. Samuel Davies. This is one of the finest consecration hymns in the language. The author ti- tled it "Self -Dedication at the Table of the Lord" The second, fifth, and seventh stanzas of the original are omitted: 2 Here, Lord, my Flesh, my Soul, my All, I yield to Thee beyond Recall ; Accept thine own, so long withheld, Accept what I so freely yield ! 5 Be thou the Witness of my Vow, Angels and Men attest it too, That to thy Board I now repair, And seal the sacred Contract there. 7 Do Thou assist a feeble Worm The great Engagement to perform : Thy Grace can full Assistance lend, And on that Grace I dare depend. The author died in 1761, but this hymn was not published until 1769, when Rev. Thomas Gibbons gave it a place in his volume of Hymns published that year. 343 C. M. LORD ! when I all things would possess, I crave but to be thine ; 0 lowly is the loftiness Of these desires divine. M 2 Each gift but helps my soul to learn How boundless is thy store ; 1 go from strength to strength, and yearn For thee, my Helper, more. 3 How can my soul divinely soar, How keep the shining way, And not more tremblingly adore, And not more humbly pray? 4 The more I triumph in thy gifts, The more I wait on thee ; The grace that mightily uplifts Most sweetly humbleth me. 5 The heaven where I would stand complete My lowly love shall see, And stronger grow the yearning sweet, O holy One ! for thee. Thomas H. Gill. Title: "Lowly Ambition:' Eight stan- zas in the author's Golden Chain of Praise, London, 1869. This hymn. is made up of verses one, three, five, six, and eight ver- batim. Like many others, this hymn had to be severely cut to bring it within reasonable limits. Experience teaches that three double stanzas or four or five single verses are about all that can be allowed for the average hymn. 344 6s, 5s. D. SAVIOUR, blessed Saviour, Listen while we sing ; Hearts and voices raising Praises to our King ; . All we have to offer, All we hope to be ; Body, soul, and spirit, All we yield to thee. 2 Nearer, ever nearer, Christ, we draw to thee, Deep in adoration Bending low the knee : Thou for our redemption Cam'st on earth to die : Thou, that we might follow, Hast gone up on high. 186 AXXOTATED HYMNAL. 3 Gnat and ever greater Are thy mercies here, True and everlasting Are the glories there ; Where do pain, or sorrow, Toil, or care, is known, Where the angel legions Circle round thy throne. 4 Clearer still, and clearer, Dawns the light from heaven In our sadness bringing News of sins forgiven; Life has lost its shadows; Pure the light within ; Thou hast shed thy radiance On a world of sin. 5 Brighter still, and brighter, Glows the western sun, Shedding all its gladness O'er our work that's done ; Time will soon be over, Toil and sorrow past, May we, blessed Saviour, Find a rest at last ! 6 Onward, ever onward. Journeying o'er the road Worn by saints before us, Journeying on to God ! Leaving all behind us, May we hasten on, Backward never looking Till the prize is won. 7 Higher, then, and higher, Bear the ransomed soul, Earthly toils forgetting, Saviour, to its goal ; Where in joys unthought of Saints with angels sing, Never weary, raising Praises to their King. Godfrey Tliring. "Pressing Onwards" is the title of this processional hymn, which, although writ- ten in 1862, was not published until 1866, when it appeared in Hymns, Congrega- tional and Others, in eight stanzas of eight lines each. When it was republished in Church Hymns, 1871, the author added another stanza beginning, "Farther, ever farther." Two stanzas, therefore, are omitted. Nevertheless, it is still, as it ap- pears above, the longest hymn in this Hymnal. Processional hymns which are frequently sung in Episcopal Churches have never been much used among the Methodists. As, however, they are now being more frequently called for in con- nection with our young people's celebra- tions, 4t was thought well to provide a few processional hymns like this, suited to being sung while marching. 3±5 L. M. 61. THOU hidden love of God, whose height, Whose depth unfathomed, no man knows, I see from far thy beauteous light, Inly I sigh for thy repose : My heart is pained, nor can it be At rest, till it finds rest in thee. 2 Is there a thing beneath the sun, That strives with thee my heart to share? Ah, tear it thence, and reign alone, The Lord of every motion there ! Then shall my heart from earth be free, When it hath found repose in thee. 3 O Love, thy sovereign aid impart, To save me from low-thoughted care ; Chase this self-will through all my heart, Through all its latent mazes there ; Make me thy duteous child, that I Ceaseless may, 'Abba, Father," cry. 4 Each moment draw from earth away My heart, that lowly waits thy call ; Speak to my inmost soul, and say, "I am thy Love, thy God, thy All '." To feel thy power, to hear thy voice, To taste thy love, be all my choice. Gerhard Tersteegen. Tr. by John Wesley. From the German. A translation of Tersteegen's "Terborgne Gottes-Liebe du." The original ten stanzas Wesley found in the Hemnhut Gesang-Buch. 1731. The translation was made in 1736 at Savannah, Ga. It was first published in A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, Lon- don, 1738. The translation has eight verses. This hymn is composed of one, four, six, and eight. Lord Selborne, an English hymnologist, said: "Of all the more copious German hymn-writers after Luther. Tersteegen was perhaps the most remarkable man. Pietist, mystic, and missionary, he was also a great religious poet." HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 187 346 8, 7, 8, 7, 3. LORD, I hear of showers of blessing Thou art scattering full and free ; Showers, the thirsty land refreshing; Let some drops now fall on me, Even me. Refrain. Even me, even me, Let some drops now fall on me. 2 Pass me not, O gracious Father, Sinful though my heart may be ; Thou mightst leave me, but the rather Let thy mercy light on me, Even me. 3 Pass me not, O tender Saviour, Let me love and cling to thee ; I am longing for thy favor ; While thou'rt calling, O call me, Even me. 4 Pass me not, O mighty Spirit, Thou canst make the blind to see ; Witnesser of Jesus' merit, Speak the word of power to me, Even me. 5 Love of God, so pure and changeless, Blood of Christ, so rich, so free, Grace of God, so strong and boundless, Magnify them all in me, Even me. Elisabeth Codner. Two stanzas of the original have been omitted: 5 Have I long in sin been sleeping — Long been slighting, grieving thee? Has the world my heart been keeping? O ! forgive, and rescue me, Even me. 7 Pass me not, thy lost one bringing, Bind my heart, O Lord, to thee ; While the streams of life are springing, Blessing others, O bless me, Even me. This hymn was written in 1860 and pub- lished as a leaflet in 1861. It has attained such widespread popularity and useful- ness, and is so serviceable in revival meet- ings, that we give in full the author's ac- count of its origin: A party of young friends over whom I was Watching with anxious hope attended a meet- ing in which details were given of a revival work in Ireland. They came back greatly impressed. My fear was lest they should be satisfied to let their own fleece remain dry, and I pressed upon them the privilege and re- sponsibility of getting a share in the out- poured blessing. On the Sunday following, not being well enough to get out, I had a time of quiet communion. Those children were still on my heart, and I longed to press upon them an earnest individual appeal. Without effort words seemed to be given to me, and they took the form of a hymn. I had no thought of sending it beyond the limits of my own circle, but, passing it on to one and another, it became a word of power, and I then published it as a leaflet. Of its future history I can only say the Lord took it quite out of my own hands. It was read from pul- pits, circulated by tens of thousands, and blessed in a remarkable degree. Every now and then some sweet token was sent to cheer me in a somewhat isolated life, of its influ- ence upon souls. Now it would be tidings from afar of a young officer dying in India and sending home his Bible with the hymn pasted on the flyleaf as the precious memo- rial of that which brought him to the Lord. Then came the story of a poor outcast gath- ered into the fold by the same means. Then came to me a letter given me by Mr. E. P. Hammond, which he had received, and in which were the words : "Thank you for sing- ing that hymn 'Even Me,' for it was the sing- ing of that hymn that saved me. I was a lost woman, a wicked mother. I have stolen and lied and been so bad to my dear, innocent children. Friendless, I attended your inquiry meeting ; but no one came to me because of the crowd. But on Saturday afternoon, at the First Presbyterian Church, when they all sang that hymn together, those beautiful words, 'Let some drops now fall on me,' and also those, 'Blessing others, O bless me,' it seemed to reach my very soul. I thought, 'Jesus can accept me — "even me," ' and it brought me to his feet, and I feel the burden of sin removed. Can you wonder that I love those words and I love to hear them sung?" The original rendering has in a variety of instances been departed from. To some al- terations I have consented, but always prefer that the words remain unchanged from the form in which at first God so richly blessed them. The point of the hymn, in its close and individual application, is in the "Even me" at the end of the verse. I thankfully commit them to whoever desires to use them in the services of our blessed Master. L88 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 347 L.M. LORD, thou hast promised grace for grace To all who daily seek thy lace; To them who have, thou givest more Out of thy vast, exhaustless store. 2 Each step we take but gathers strength For further progress, till at length, With ease the highest steeps we gain, And count the mountain but a plain. :: Who watch, and pray, and work each hour Receive new life and added power, A power fresh victories to win Over the world, and self, and sin. 4 Help us, O Lord, that we may grow In grace as thou dost grace bestow ; And still thy richer gifts repeat Till grace in glory is complete. Samuel K. Cox. This hymn first appeared in print in the Baltimore and Richmond Christian Advo- cate, hut was not otherwise used until published here in the Methodist Hymnal. The Scripture passage referred to is in John i. 16: "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." The hymn is didactic in form until we reach the last stanza, which is a rich and ap- propriate prayer. 3-48 7s. D. TAKE my life, and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to thee ; Take my moments and my days ; Let them flow in ceaseless praise ; Take my hands, and let them move At the impulse of thy love ; Take my feet, and let them be Swift and beautiful for thee. 2 Take my voice, and let me sing, Always, only, for my King. Take my lips, and let them be Filled with messages from thee. Take my silver and my gold ; Not a mite would I withhold. Take my intellect, and use Every power as thou shalt choose. 3 Take my will, and make it thine ; It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine own ; It shall be thy royal throne. Take my love ; my Lord, I pour At thy feet its treasure-store. Take myself, and I will be Ever, only, all for thee. Frances R. Havergal. This beautiful hymn of consecration was written at Areley House, England, February 4, 1S74, in eleven stanzas of two lines each, and was first published in the author's volume titled Loyal Responses, 1878. It has been translated into nearly all of the European languages and into several of the languages of Asia and Af- rica. In a letter to her sister Miss Haver- gal gives an account of the origin of this hymn: Perhaps you will be interested to know the origin of the consecration hymn, "Take my life." I went for a little visit of five days [to Areley House]. There were ten persons in the house, some unconverted and long prayed for ; some converted, but not rejoicing Christians. He gave me the prayer: "Lord, give me all in this house." And He just did! Before I left the house every one had got a blessing. The last night of my visit, after I had retired, the governess asked me to go to the two daughters. They were crying, etc. Then and there both of them trusted and re- joiced. It was nearly midnight. I was too happy to sleep, and passed most of the night in praise and renewal of my own consecra- tion ; and these little couplets formed them- selves and chimed in my heart one after an- other until they finished with "Ever, Only, ALL for thee !" Miss Havergal always sang the hymn to a tune titled "Patmos," which her fa- ther composed especially for it. About six months before she died she wrote: ■I had a great time early this morning, re- newing the never-regretted consecration. I seemed led to run over the "Take my life," and could bless Him verse by verse for having led me on to much more definite consecration than even when I wrote it — voice, gold, intel- lect, etc. But the eleventh couplet, "Take my love ; ray Lord, I pour At thy feet its treasure-store," that has been unconsciously not filled up. Somehow I feel mystified and out of my depth here. It was a simple and definite thing to be done, to settle the voice, or silver and gold; but love? I have to love others, and I do; and I've not a small treasure of it, and even loving in Him does not quite meet the inner difficulty. I shall just go forward and expect Him to fill it up, and let my life from this day answer really to that couplet. The worst part of me is that I don't in practice prove HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 189 my love to Him by delight in much and long communion with Him ; hands and head seem so full of other things (which yet are His given work) that heart seems not free to serve in fresh and vivid love. 349 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. SAVIOUR, thy dying love Thou gavest me, Nor should I aught withhold, Dear Lord, from thee ; In love my soul would bow, My heart fulfill its vow, Some offering bring thee now, Something for thee. 2 At the blest mercy seat, Pleading for me, My feeble faith looks up, Jesus, to thee ; Help me the cross to bear, Thy wondrous love declare, Some song to raise, or prayer, Something for thee. 3 Give me a faithful heart, Liveness to thee, That each departing day Henceforth may see Some work of love begun, Some deed of kindness done, Some wanderer sought and won, Something for thee. 4 All that I am and have, Thy gifts so free, In joy, in grief, through life, Dear Lord, for thee ! And when thy face I see, My ransomed soul shall be, Through all eternity, Something for thee. Sylvanus D. Phelps. Dr. Robert Lowry, the composer of the music to which this hymn is set, request- ed Mr. Phelps to furnish some hymns for Pure Gold, a Sunday school singing book he was editing. Among the contributions he furnished was this hymn, which had previously been printed in the Watchman and Reflector, Boston. Upon the author's seventieth birthday Dr. Lowry wrote him a letter of congratulation in which he said: It is worth living seventy years even if nothing comes of it but one such hymn as "Saviour, thy dying love." Happy is the man who can produce one song which the world will keep on singing after its author shall have passed away. 0 350 7s, 6s. D. JESUS, I have promised To serve thee to the end ; Be thou forever near me, My Master and my Friend : I shall not fear the battle If thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If thou wilt be my guide. 2 O let me feel thee near me ; The world is ever near ; I see the sights that dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear : My foes are ever near me, Around me and within ; But, Jesus, draw thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. 3 O Jesus, thou hast promised To all who follow thee, That where thou art in glory There shall thy servant be ; And, Jesus, I have promised To serve thee to the end ; 0 give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend. John E. Bode. This was written by the author in 1866 for the confirmation of his son, the late Rev. C. E. Bode. It was first published in 1869 in the Appendix to a volume titled Psalms and Hymns, issued by the Socie- ty for the Promotion of Christian Knowl- edge. 351 7s I AM coming to the cross ; I am poor, and weak, and blind ; I am counting all but dross, 1 shall full salvation find. Refrain. I am trusting, Lord, in thee, Blest Lamb of Calvary ; Humbly at thy cross I bow, Save me, Jesus, save me now. 2 Long my heart has sighed for thee, Long has evil reigned within ; Jesus sweetly speaks to me, "I will cleanse you from all sin." 3 Here I give my all to thee, Friends, and time, and earthly store ; VM) ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Soul and body thine to be, Wholly thine for evermore. 4 In thy promises I trust, Now I feel the blood applied, I am prostrate in the dust, I with Christ am crucified. 5 Jesus comes ! he fills my soul ! Perfected in him I am ; I am every whit made whole: Glory, glory to the Lamb! William McDonald. In a letter dated Monrovia, Cal., Janu- ary 31, 1889, the writer of this hymn said: The hymn was written in IS 70 in the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., while I was a pastor in that city. I had felt the need of a hymn to aid seekers of heart purity while at the altar. I desired something simple in expression, true to experience, and ending in the fullness of love. The tune composed by Mr. Fisher, with the first two lines of the chorus, I had seen, and was much pleased with their simplicity. And as I was sitting in my study one day, the line of thought came rushing into my mind, and I began to write, and in a few mo- ments the hymn was on paper. It was first sung at a national camp meeting held at Hamilton, Mass., June 22, 1ST 0. It has been translated into many languages and sung all round the globe. 352 S. M. LORD, in the strength of grace, With a glad heart and free, Myself, my residue of days, I consecrate to thee. 2 Thy ransomed servant, I Restore to thee thine own ; And, from this moment, live or die To serve my God alone. Charles Wesley. This brief but beautiful hymn of conse- cration to service is one of the author's Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy scriptures. 1762. It is founded on 1 Chronicles xxix. 5: "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" 353 7s, 6s. D. I COULD not do without thee, O Saviour of the lost, Whose precious blood redeemed me At such tremendous cost : Thy righteousness, thy pardon, Thy precious blood must be My only hope and comfort, My glory and my plea. 2 I could not do without thee, I cannot stand alone, I have no strength or goodness, No wisdom of my own : But thou, beloved Saviour, Art all in all to me, And weakness will be power If leaning hard on thee. 3 I could not do without thee, For O, the way is long, And I am often weary, And sigh replaces song : How could I do without thee? I do not know the way ; Thou knowest and thou leadest, And wilt not let me stray. 4 I could not do without thee ; No other friend can read The spirit's strange, deep longings, Interpreting its need : No human heart could enter Each dim recess of mine, And soothe and hush and calm it, O blessed Lord, like thine. Frances R. Havergal. Title: "Jesus All in All." It was writ- ten May 7, 1873. It appeared first in Home Words the same year. W. Garrett Horder, in The Hymn Lov- er, speaking of Miss Havergal's hymns, says: They have done much to foster that warm- er and more consecrated type of religion which is one of the remarkable features of our time and is the real barrier against the spirit of skepticism which is so common, whilst they show how independent of dogmat- ic formularies is the religious life. 354 C. M. 0 FOR a heart to praise my God, A heart from sin set free, A heart that always feels thy blood So freely spilt for me ! 2 A heart resigned, submissive, meek, My great Redeemer's throne ; Where only Christ is heard to speak, Where Jesus reigns alone ; 3 A humble, lowly, contrite heart, Believing, true, and clean, J HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 191 Which neither life nor death can part From him that dwells within ; 4 A heart in every thought renewed, And full of love divine ; Perfect, and right, and pure, and good, A copy, Lord, of thine ! 5 Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart ; Come quickly from above, Write thy new name upon my heart, Thy new, best name of love. Charles Wesley. "Make Me a Clean Heart, 0 God" is the title of this hymn, which is one of the finest Charles Wesley ever wrote, and is scarcely less popular than "A charge to keep I have." The author wrote "An heart" throughout the hymn. Instead of "O for a lowly, contrite heart," he wrote "An humble, lowly," etc. In verse two, line two, he wrote "clear Redeemer." These changes were made by John Wes- ley for his Collection published in 1780. The hymn is improved by the omission of three inferior stanzas, the fifth, sixth, and seventh of the original. It is taken from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. John Wesley quotes from this hymn in his Journal in a curious and suggestive manner: "I find scarcely any temptation from anything in the world: my danger fs from persons. O for a heart to praise my God, A heart from sin set free !" The saintly Fletcher once said of this hymn: "Here is undoubtedly an evangel- ical prayer for the love which restores the soul to a state of sinless rest and scrip- tural perfection." A venerable English Congregational minister and his wife talked much of the Methodist doctrine of Christian perfection, but finally agreed that if it consisted in the ability to sing this hymn with the whole heart, they and the Methodists were not far apart. Schlipalius, a Dresden preacher of fer- vent piety (1745), used to say to his fam- ily: "Children, accustom yourselves to God's praise, for that will be our chief oc- cupation throughout eternity. But we must make the beginning here." This beautiful thought suggests the two clos- ing stanzas of Addison's great thanksgiv- ing hymn beginning: "When all thy mer- cies, O my God." (See No. 105.) 355 8s, D. LOVE divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down ; Fix in us thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown : Jesus, thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art ; Visit us with thy salvation, Enter every trembling heart. 2 Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit Into every troubled breast ! Let us all in thee inherit, Let us find that second rest : Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be ; End of faith, as its beginning, Set our hearts at liberty. 3 Come, almighty to deliver, Let us all thy grace receive ; Suddenly return, and never, Never more thy temples leave : Thee we would be always blessing, Serve thee as thy hosts above, Pray, and praise thee without ceasing, Glory in thy perfect love. 4 Finish then thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be ; Let us see thy great salvation, Perfectly restored in thee : Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise. Charles Wesley. From Hymns for Those that Seek and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ, 1747. This hymn, one of the most valuable the author ever wrote, was evidently intend- ed for "those that seek." Changes are found in only two lines. In the fifth line of the second stanza Wesley wrote: "Take away our poiver of sinning." This, liter- ally interpreted, would be a prayer to take away our free moral agency, which, of course, the author did not intend. The 192 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. word "bent" was substituted for "power" by Bishops Coke and Asbury when they adopted the "York" book as the official hymn book of the new Church in America. The author also wrote in the second line of verse four: "Pure and sinless let us be." This was changed to "spotless" by John Wesley for his Collection, 1779. Just why he made this change does not appear, for he taught that "even babes in Christ are so far perfect as not to com- mit sin." The new Wesleyan Hymn Book, London, 1904, omits the second verse of this hymn. 356 C. M. LORD, I believe a rest remains To all thy people known, A rest where pure enjoyment reigns, And thou art loved alone : 2 A rest where all our soul's desire Is fixed on things above ; Where fear, and sin, and grief expire, Cast out by perfect love. 3 O that I now the rest might know, Believe, and enter in ! Now, Saviour, now the power bestow, And let me cease from sin. 4 Remove this Hardness from my heart, This unbelief remove : To me the rest of faith impart, The Sabbath of thy love. Charles Wesley. This is taken from the last hymn in the 1740 edition of Hymns and Sacred Poems, being verses one, two, ten, and eleven. The original contains seventeen stanzas. It is based on Hebrews iv. 9: "There re- maineth therefore a rest to the people of God." In the third line of verse two the author wrote, "Where doubt and pain and fear expire," which John Wesley altered to the above form for his Collection of 1780. In Dr. Osborn's thirteen-volume edition of the Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley an asterisk at the end of verse five of the original points to the following footnote: "Wesley found under the pres- sure of controversy (Works, Vol. VI., page 159, Am. Ed.), if not sooner, that these ex- pressions were indefensible, and marked verses four and five to be omitted in fu- ture editions." The following are the verses alluded to: 4 Our life is hid with Christ in God; The agony is o'er ; We wrestle not with fiesh and blood, We strive with sin no more. 5 Our spirit is right, our heart is clean, Our nature is renewed ; We cannot now, we cannot sin, For we are born of God. It would not be proper to attach dog- matic significance to the fact that the above hymn, written in 1740, indicates that the author believed in the doctrine of "instantaneous sanctification" as a second work of grace subsequent to regeneration, seeing that he later abandoned this view and went so far as to write hymns ex- pressive of a different conception of Chris- tian perfection than that set forth in this hymn. Says Thomas Jackson, the biog- rapher of Charles Wesley: Until this time (1762) it had been under- stood that Mr. Charles Wesley agreed with his brother on this as well as every other doctrine of Christian verity, although he had repeatedly used unguarded expressions in his hymns which could not be justified. But now his views on this subject appear to have undergone a change in consequence of the extravagance and pride of which he was a distressed witness. . . . Hence he con- demned "the witnesses," as he called them — that is, the persons who testified of the time and manner in which they were delivered from the root of sin and made perfect in love, regarding them as self-deceived. In some of his Short Hymns (1762) he has given considerable importance to these peculiarities of opinion. This change in Mr. Charles Wes- ley's manner of speaking on the subject of Christian perfection, as might be expected, gave considerable uneasiness to his brother, who felt it to be undesirable that they should even seem to contradict each other in their ministry and writings. (See Jackson's Life of Charles Wesley, page 595, and Tyerman's Life of John Wesley, Volume II., page 442.) Methodists from the very beginning have believed and taught that Christian perfection, rightly defined as the ideal HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 193 Christian experience, is not only a possi- bility but the privilege and duty of every regenerate child of God. Nevertheless it is a well-known fact that differences con- cerning this doctrine have been a source of embarrassment among Methodists from the beginning. But these differences have had reference mainly to the manner of at- taining it and not to what may be called the vital and essential elements of the doctrine. John Wesley always believed that the experience could be best attained instantaneously, and for some time he in- sisted upon this as the only mode; but during the last several years of his life he allowed differences among his follow- ers on this point. Wesley refers to this hymn in his Plain Account of Christian Perfection (1766) as follows: Can anything be more clear than : ( 1 ) That here also is as full and high a salvation as we have ever spoken of? (2) That it is spoken of as receivable by mere faith, and as hindered only by unbelief? (3) That this faith, and consequently the salvation which it brings, is spoken of as given in an instant? (4) That it is supposed that instant may be now? that we need not stay another moment? that now, the very "now is the accepted time? now is the day of" this full salvation. The reader may compare and contrast John Wesley's insistence upon the neces- sary instantaneousness of the experience of entire sanctification in his sermon on "The Repentance of Believers," written in 1767, and the marked liberality of his views on this point as set forth in his ser- mon on "Patience," written in 1784. Alas for those Methodists who are so much occupied with discussions concern- ing the theory and the mode and the time of attaining entire sanctification that they never seem to attain it by any mode or at any time! For humble souls who are ceaselessly longing and praying to be made perfect in love, and are trying to live the perfect life of love, these high- pitched hymns of the Wesleys have a holy charm, and are as manna to the soul. 13 35H C. M. FOREVER here my rest shall be, Close to thy bleeding side ; This all my hope, and all my plea, For me the Saviour died. 2 My dying Saviour, and my God, Fountain for guilt and sin, Sprinkle me ever with thy blood, And cleanse and keep me clean. 3 Wash me, and make me thus thine own ; Wash me, and mine thou art ; Wash me, but not my feet alone, My hands, my head, my heart. 4 The atonement of thy blood apply, Till faith to sight improve, Till hope in full fruition die, And all my soul be love. Charles Wesley. The original title to this favorite hymn is: "Christ Our Righteousness" (1 Cor. i. 30.) The first two stanzas, which have been omitted, are as follows: 1 Jesus, Thou art my Righteousness, For all my sins were Thine : Thy death hath bought of God my peace, Thy life hath made Him mine. 2 Spotless and just, in Thee I am ; I feel my sins forgiven ; I taste salvation in Thy name, And antedate my heaven. Two lines have been changed. Verse two, line three: Sprinkle me ever in Thy blood. Verse four, line three: Till hope shall in fruition die. Salvation, present and eternal through the atonement of a divine Saviour, is well expressed in this favorite hymn. It is taken from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. 358 C. M. WHAT is our calling's glorious hope, But inward holiness? For this to Jesus I look up; I calmty wait for this. 2 I wait till he shall touch me clean, Shall life and power impart, Give me the faith that casts out sin, And purifies the heart. 11)4 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 When Jesus makes my heart his home, My Bin shall all depart; And, lo ! he saith, "I quickly come, To fill and rule thy heart." 4 Be it according to thy word ; Redeem me from all sin ; My heart would now receive thee, Lord ; Come in, my Lord, come in ! Charles Wesley. From a hymn of fourteen stanzas in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742, being the ninth, tenth, thirteenth, and fourteenth stanzas. It is based on Titus ii. 14: "Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity." In verse two, line three, the author wrote ''roots out sin," and in verse three, line one, "soul" in- stead of "heart." 359 L- M. OTHOU, to whose all-searching sight The darkness shineth as the light, Search, prove my heart, it pants for thee ; O burst these bonds, and set it free ! 2 If in this darksome wild I stray, Be thou my Light, be thou my Way : No foes, no violence I fear, No fraud, while thou, my God, art near. 3 When rising floods my soul o'erfiow, When sinks my heart in waves of woe, Jesus, thy timely aid impart, And raise my head, and cheer my heart. 4 Saviour, where'er thy steps I see, Dauntless, untired, I follow thee ; O let thy hand support me still, And lead me to thy holy hill ! 5 If rough and thorny be the way, My strength proportion to my day ; Till toil, and grief, and pain shall cease, Where all is calm, and joy, and peace. Xicolaus L. Zinzendorf. Tr. by John Wesley. A free translation of a part of Zinzen- dorf's German hymn beginning "Seelen- Brautigam, 0 du Gottcslamm," except the third verse, which was translated from a hymn by J. A. Freylinghausen. One fine stanza, the second, has been omitted: 2 Wash out its stains, refine its dross, Xail my affections to the cross ; Hallow each thought ; let all within Be clean, as thou, my Lord, art clean. Except the omission of this stanza, and "Jesus" for "Jesu" in verse three, line three, the text of this hymn is the same as that given by John Wesley in his Col- lection of Hymns for the Use of the Peo- ple Called Methodists. London, 1779. The translation first appeared in Psalms and Hymns, 1738. 360 S. M. BLEST are the pure in heart, For they shall see our God ; The secret of the Lord is theirs ; Their soul is Christ's abode. 2 Still to the lowly soul He doth himself impart, And for his temple and his throne Selects the pure in heart. 3 Lord, we thy presence seek, May ours this blessing be ! O give the pure and lowly heart A temple meet for thee ! John Keble. "The Purification" is the author's title to the poem of seventeen stanzas from which this hymn is taken. It was first published in the author's Christian Year, 1827, but it was written October 10, 1819. It is based on Matthew v. 8: "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Verses one and two are the first and last stanzas of the poem. The last stanza was written by another hand, and was first ap- pended to the verses from Keble by W. J. Hall in his Mitre Hymn Book. 1836. In verse two, lines three and four, Ke- ble wrote: And for His cradle and his throne, Chooseth the pure in heart. This hymn, as Dr. C. S. Robinson has said, states with the utmost simplicity and brevity the deepest of all spiritual truths — namely, that purity of heart is a secret of the Lord, and consists in the actual indwelling of the divine Christ in the human soul, Christ formed in us the hope of glory. This fashions our elemen- tary notion of excellence in piety. The Bible is full of this infinite suggestion of HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 195 a presence of the Saviour in the saint. The pure in heart will not only see God hereafter in heaven; they see him now and here in the earth. Whatever may or may not be included in the definition of the perfect Christian, this hymn calls .at- tention to one thing that must be in him: he must be pure in heart. 361 C. M. WALK in the light ! so shalt thou know That fellowship of love His Spirit only can bestow Who reigns in light above. 2 Walk in the light ! and thou shalt find Thy heart made truly his Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined, In whom no darkness is. 3 Walk in the light ! and thou shalt own Thy darkness passed away, Because that light hath on thee shone In which is perfect day. 4 Walk in the light ! and e'en the tomb No fearful shade shall wear ; Glory shall chase away its gloom, For Christ hath conquered there. 5 Walk in the light ! thy path shall be A path, though thorny, bright : For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee, And God himself is light. Bernard Barton. Title: "Walking in the Light." It is founded on 1 John i. 7: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." The second stanza of the original is omitted: 2 Walk in the light ! and sin abhorr'd Shall ne'er defile again ; The blood of Jesus Christ, thy Lord, Shall cleanse from every stain. One line has been altered — verse five, line one: Walk in the light ! and thine shalt be. From the author's Devotional Verses, London, 1826. A useful hymn, meeting a real need in our Hymnal. S. M. COME, and dwell in me, Spirit of power within ! And bring the glorious liberty From sorrow, fear, and sin. 0 2 Hasten the joyful day Which shall my sins consume ; When old things shall be done away, And all things new become. 3 I want the witness, Lord, That all I do is right, According to thy will and word, Well pleasing in thy sight. 4 I ask no higher state ; Indulge me but in this, And soon or later then translate To my eternal bliss. Charles Wesley. Title: "Seeking for Full Redemption." From Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. The first stan- za is founded on 2 Corinthians iii. 17: "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." The second stanza is based upon 2 Corinthians v. 17: "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are be- come new." The text of the last two stan- zas is Hebrews xi. 5: "Before his transla- tion he had this testimony, that he pleased God." The second and fourth stanzas of the original are omitted with- out loss to the hymn. In the third line of the third stanza the author wrote "mind" instead of "will." Rev. William Inglis was a pious and useful Wesleyan local preacher. One of his valued admonitions was: "When the world assaults you, watch and pray; when the flesh, flee and pray; when the devil, fight and pray." The last public service that he conducted was a seven-o'clock morning prayer meeting. He gave out this hymn and read with special empha- sis and impressiveness the third and fourth stanzas. That evening, in returning to the same chapel, he suddenly fell to the ground, and life was extinct. They re- called then how solemnly he had read at the close of the morning prayer meeting: 196 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. And soon or later then translate To my eternal bliss. 3(>3 C. M. OHOW the thought of God attracts And draws the heart from earth, And sickens it of passing shows And dissipating mirth ! 2 'Tis not enough to save our souls, To shun the eternal fires ; The thought of God will rouse the heart To more sublime desires. 3 God only is the creature's home, Though rough and strait the road ; Yet nothing less can satisfy The love that longs for God. 4 O utter but the name of God Down in your heart of hearts, And see how frcm the world at once All tempting light departs ! 5 A trusting heart, a yearning eye, Can win their way above ; If mountains can be moved by faith, Is there less power in love? Frederick W. Faber. "Holiness Desired." It Jesus and Mary, 1852. These are the first five, Author's title: is found in his Eleven stanzas, unaltered. It is not a hymn. It is a pious medita tion and very profitable for private wor ship. 364 C. M. D. MY Saviour, on the word of truth In earnest hope I live ; I ask for all the precious things Thy boundless love can give. I look for many a lesser light About my path to shine ; But chiefly long to walk with thee, And only trust in thine. 2 Thou knowest that I am not blest As thou wouldst have me be, Till all the peace and joy of faith Possess my soul in thee ; And still I seek, 'mid many fears, With yearnings unexpressed, The comfort of thy strengthening love, Thy soothing, settling rest. 3 It is not as thou wilt with me, Till, humbled in the dust, I know no place in all my heart Wherein to put my trust : Until I find, O Lord, in thee, The Lowly and the Meek, The fullness which thy own redeemed Go nowhere else to seek. Anna L. Waring. This hymn on "Hope in the Word of God" is taken from the author's Hymns and Meditations, 1850. It is based on Psalm exxx. 5: "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope." The second and fifth stanzas are omitted: 2 In holy expectation held, Thy strength my heart shall stay, For Thy right hand will never let My trust be cast away. Yea, Thou hast kept me near Thy feet, In many a deadly strife, By the stronghold of hope in Thee, The hope of endless life. 5 Then, O my Saviour, on my soul, Cast down, but not dismayed, Still be Thy chastening, healing hand In tender mercy laid. And while I wait for all Thy joys, My yearning heart to fill, Teach me to walk and work with Thee, And at Thy feet sit still. 365 8, 8, 6. D. 0 GLORIOUS hope of perfect love ! It lifts me up to things above, It bears on eagles' wings ; It gives my ravished soul a taste, And makes me for some moments feast With Jesus' priests and kings. 2 Rejoicing now in earnest hope, I stand, and from the mountain top See all the land below : Rivers of milk and honey rise, And all the fruits of paradise In endless plenty grow. 3 A land of corn, and wine, and oil, Favored with God's peculiar smile, With every blessing blest ; There dwells the Lord our righteousness, And keeps his own in perfect peace, And everlasting rest. Charles Wesley. Title: "Desiring to Love." From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. The original has nineteen stanzas, and is divided into two parts. This hymn is HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 197 made up of verses four, five, and six of the second part. They have not been al- tered. It is rich in poetry and in Chris- tian faith, one of Charles Wesley's finest productions. 366 L. M. GIVE me a new, a perfect heart, From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free ; The mind which was in Christ impart, And let my spirit cleave to thee. 2 O take this heart of stone away ! Thy sway it doth not, cannot own ; In me no longer let it stay ; O take away this heart of stone ! 3 Cause me to walk in Christ my Way; And I thy statutes shall fulfill, In every point thy law obey, And perfectly perform thy will. 4 O that I now, from sin released, Thy word may to the utmost prove ! Enter into the promised rest, The Canaan of thy perfect love. 5 Now let me gain perfection's height ; Now let me into nothing fall, Be less than nothing in thy sight, And feel that Christ is all in all. Charles Wesley. "Pleading the Promise of Sanctifica- tion" is the author's title to this hymn in his Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. The original is based on Ezekiel xxxvi. 23-31, and has twenty-eight stanzas, the above being the eighth, ninth, twelfth, fourteenth, and twenty-eighth. The last stanza of this hymn is also used as the closing stanza of No. 377. The repetition of this stanza was doubtless an oversight of the Committee compiling the Hymnal. Its proper place is at the close of No. 377. See notes under Nos. 377 and 378, which are parts of the same hymn. See also the note under No. 356 for reference to Charles Wesley's views of entire sanctifi- cation or Christian perfection. Among the omitted stanzas is the following: Within me thy good Spirit place, Spirit of health, and love, and power ; Plant in me thy victorious grace, And sin shall never enter more. 367 L. M. 61. I THANK thee, uncreated Sun, That thy bright beams on me have shined ; I thank thee, who hast overthrown My foes, and healed my wounded mind ; I thank thee, whose enlivening voice Bids my freed heart in thee rejoice. 2 Uphold me in the doubtful race, Nor suffer me again to stray ; Strengthen my feet with steady pace Still to press forward in thy way ; My soul and flesh, O Lord of might, Fill, satiate, with thy heavenly light. 3 Give to mine eyes refreshing tears ; Give to my heart chaste, hallowed fires ; Give to my soul, with filial fears, The love that all heaven's host inspires ; That all my powers, with all their might, In thy sole glory may unite. 4 Thee will I love, my joy, my crown ; Thee will I love, my Lord, my God ; Thee will I love, beneath thy frown Or smile, thy scepter or thy rod ; What though my flesh and heart decay? Thee shall I love in endless day ! Johann A. Scheffter. Tr. by John Wesley. Title: "Gratitude for Our Conversion:' The German text may be found in the Hermhut Collection. The translation is from Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, and consists of seven stanzas; the last four are given above unaltered. The first three are as follows: 1 Thee will I love, my strength, my tower ; Thee will I love, my joy, my crown ; Thee will I love with all my power, In all my works, and Thee alone ! Thee will I love, till the pure fire Fill my whole soul with chaste desire. 2 Ah ! why did I so late Thee know, Thee, lovelier than the sons of men ! Ah ! why did I no sooner go To Thee, the only ease in pain ! Ashamed I sigh, and inly mourn That I so late to Thee did turn. 3 In darkness willingly I strayed ; I sought Thee, yet from Thee I roved: For wide my wandering thoughts were spread, Thy creature more than Thee I loved. And now, if more at length I see, 'Tis through Thy light and comes from Thee. 198 ANNOTATED HYMNAL; 368 0 8, 8, 6. D. LOVE divine, how sweet thou art ! When shall I find my willing heart All taken up by thee? I thirst, I faint, I die to prove The greatness of redeeming love, The love of Christ to me. 2 Stronger his love than death or hell ; Its riches are unsearchable ; The firstborn sons of light Desire in vain its depths to see ; They cannot reach the mystery, The length, the breadth, the height. 3 God only knows the love of God ; O that it now were shed abroad In this poor stony heart ! For love I sigh, for love I pine ; This only portion, Lord, be mine ; Be mine this better part ! 4 O that I could forever sit With Mary at the Master's feet ! Be this my happy choice ; My only care, delight, and bliss, My joy, my heaven on earth, be this, To hear the Bridegroom's voice. 5 O that I could, with favored John, Recline my weary head upon The dear Redeemer's breast ! From care, and sin, and sorrow free, Give me, O Lord, to find in thee My everlasting rest ! Charles Wesley. This truly magnificent hymn on "De- siring to Love" is from Hymns and Sa- cred Poems, 1749. The author is here in his happiest vein: he never sung a sweet- er song than this. It is a song, prayer, and sermon all in one. As sung to the tune of "Ariel," it truly aids devotion. Two stanzas are omitted. 5 O that, with humbled Peter, I Could weep, believe, and thrice reply, My faithfulness to prove, "Thou know'st — for all to thee is known — Thou know'st, O Lord, and thou alone, Thou know'st that thee I love." 7 Thy only love do I require, Nothing in earth beneath desire, Nothing in heaven above : Let earth, and heaven, and all things go, Give me thy only love to know, Give me thy only love. This hymn furnishes a fine study in the use of strong metaphors and poetic hyper- boles. Note, for instance, the three meta- phors employed in an ascending scale of intensity in the fourth line of the first verse: "I thirst, I faint, I die to prove." Again in the third verse: "For love I sigh, for love I pine." The inability of any and every mere creature to interpret the love of God, the absolute necessity of a divine interpreter and revealer of God's noblest name and attribute of Love, has never been more worthily and beautifully expressed in po- etry than in the second and third stanzas of this hymn. The allusions to Mary, Pe- ter, and John are accomplished in a man- ner at once artistic and deeply devotional. The poetic meter is well suited to the lofty thought which is contained in the words. The hymn will long stand as one of the noblest odes to divine love that was ever written. It makes one think of the thirteenth chapter of First Corin- thians to read this lyric of "Love Divine." Interruptions in the regular order of divine service are seldom to be commend- ed, but we have an instance before us in which it had a happy effect. William Dawson, a pious local preacher of Leeds, England, once preached a very impressive sermon, and at its close gave out this hymn. When the choir were singing the third verse, "God only knows the love of God," he was so moved by the sentiment that he stopped them and" said: "Stop, friends! If angels, the firstborn sons of light, cannot understand the height, the breadth, the depth, the length of the love of God, how can we expect to fathom it while here below?" He then repeated with deepest feeling and thrilling effect: "God only knows the love of God." "Let us sing it again, friends," he said, "for we shall all have to sing it in heav- en." And sing it again they did most heartily. It need hardly be said that a profound feeling of majestic awe pervad- ed the vast assembly. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 199 3G9 C. M. M Y God, accept my heart this day, And make it always thine ; That I from thee no more may stray, No more from thee decline. 2 Before the cross of him who died, Behold, I prostrate fall ; Let every sin be crucified, Let Christ be All in All. 3 Let every thought, and work, and word, To thee be ever given ; Then life shall be thy service, Lord, And death the gate of heaven. Matthew Bridges. Author's title: "Confirmation." The third and fourth stanzas have been omit- ted: 3 Anoint me with Thy heavenly grace, Adopt me for Thine own, — That I may see Thy glorious face, And worship at Thy throne. 4 May the dear blood once shed for me My blest atonement prove, — That I from first to last may be The purchase of Thy love ! Unaltered from the author's Hymns of the Heart, 1848. 3 TO C. M. I KNOW that my Redeemer lives And ever prays for me ; A token of his love he gives, A pledge of liberty. 2 I find him lifting up my head ; He brings salvation near ; His presence makes me free indeed, And he will soon appear. 3 He wills that I should holy be ; What can withstand his will? The counsel of his grace in me He surely shall fulfill. 4 When God is mine, and I am his, Of paradise possessed, I taste unutterable bliss, And everlasting rest. Charles Wesley. This is from a hymn of twenty-three stanzas on "Rejoicing in Hope" (Rom. xii. 12), and is found in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. This is regarded by some as one of Charles Wesley's best hymns. It is set in the music edition of the Hymnal to a noble tune taken from Han- del's "Messiah." 0 L C. M. JOYFUL sound of gospel grace ! Christ shall in me appear ; I, even I, shall see his face, I shall be holy here. 2 The glorious crown of righteousness To me reached out I view : Conqueror through him, I soon shall seize, And wear it as my due. 3 The promised land, from Pisgah's top, I now exult to see : My hope is full, O glorious hope ! Of immortality. 4 With me, I know, I feel, thou art ; But this cannot suffice, Unless thou plantest in my heart A constant paradise. 5 Come, O my God, thyself reveal, Fill all this mighty void : Thou only canst my spirit fill ; Come, O my God, my God ! Charles Wesley. Part of a long hymn of twenty-two stanzas entitled: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." (Rev. xxii. 17.) It is composed of verses ten, fourteen, fifteen, nineteen, and twenty-one. They contain the cream of the whole poem. • One word has been changed. Wesley wrote "blessed hope" in verse three, line three. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. 372 L. M. APPY the man that finds the grace, H The blessing of God's chosen race, The wisdom coming from above» The faith that sweetly works by love 2 Happy, beyond description, he Who knows, "the Saviour died for me !" The gift unspeakable obtains, And heavenly understanding gains. 3 Wisdom divine ! who tells the price Of wisdom's costly merchandise? Wisdom to silver we prefer, And gold is dross compared to her. 200 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 Her hands are filled with length of days, True riches and immortal praise, Riches of Christ on all bestowed, And honor that descends from God. 5 Happy the man who wisdom gains ; Thrice happy who his guest retains: He owns, and shall forever own, Wisdom, and Christ, and Heaven, are one. Charles Wesley. From the author's Redemption Hymns, 1747. It is a beautiful and useful poetic paraphrase of Proverbs iii. 13-18: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandise of it is better than the merchan- dise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies : and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand ; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her : and happy is every one that retaineth her. Four stanzas are omitted: 4 Better she is than richest mines, All earthly treasures she outshines, Her value above rubies is, And precious pearls are vile to this. 5 Whate'er thy heart can wish, is poor To wisdom's all-sufficient store : Pleasure, and fame, and health, and friends, She all created good transcends. 7 To purest joys she all invites, Chaste, holy, spiritual delights ! Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her flowery paths are peace. 8 He finds, who wisdom apprehends, A life begun that never ends, The tree of life divine she is, Set in the midst of paradise. 373 c. m. LET Him to whom we now belong His sovereign right assert, And take up every thankful song, And every loving heart. 2 He justly claims us for his own, Who bought us with a price : The Christian lives to Christ alone, To Christ alone he dies. 3 Jesus, thine own at last receive, Fulfill our heart's desire: And let us to thy glory live, And In thy cause expire. 4 Our souls and bod sign: With joy we render thee Our all, no longer ours, but thine, To all eternity. Charles Wesley. Entire and unaltered, except the last line, which the author wrote: ''Through all eternity." From Hymns on the Lord's Supper, 1745. This volume contained one hun- dred and sixty-six pieces, and was pref- aced by a thesis upon The Christian Sac- rament and Sacrifice, by Dr. Brevint, a French Protestant. Christ said: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." (Matt. v. 6.) The desire expressed in the third verse is very intense, and the con- secration of the last stanza is as entire as language can make it 37± 7s. LOVING Jesus, gentle Lamb, In thy gracious hands I am ; Make me, Saviour, what thou art ; Live thyself within my heart. 2 Lamb of God, I look to thee, Thou shalt my example be ; Thou didst live to God alone, Thou didst never seek thine own. 3 I shall then show forth thy praise, Serve thee all my happy days ; Then the world shall always see Christ, the holy Child, in me. Charles Wesley. This is taken from one of the author's group of hymns titled "Hymns for the Youngest.'' It was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742, and was republished in the author's collected Hymns for Children. 1763. It is a sim- ple and beautiful hymn and might be ti- tled "Christ the Child's Model — A Prayer to Be Like Him." A childhood modeled after the ideal set forth in this hymn means not less but more of happiness and joy in life than can be attained by any- walking in the ways of worldly pleasure. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 201 "I suppose you are going to quit playing now that you have become a Christian, are you not?" said a wicked companion in derision once to a youth who had just joined the Church. "No, I am not going to quit playing," was the happy response of the Christian youth; "but from this time on I intend always to play like a Christian." For one to become a Chris- tian and make Christ his model does not mean that he is to give up that which makes life sunny and merry and bright; but it does mean that he will seek no pleasure and engage in no amusement into which he cannot consistently carry the thought of Christ's presence and ap- proval. 375 C. M. JESUS, thine all-victorious love Shed in my heart abroad : Then shall my feet no longer rove, Rooted and fixed in God. 2 O that in me the sacred fire Might now begin to glow, Burn up the dross of base desire And make the mountains flow ! 3 O that it now from heaven might fall, And all my sins consume ! Come, Holy Ghost, for thee I call ; Spirit of burning, come ! 4 Refining fire, go through my heart ; Illuminate my soul ; Scatter thy life through every part, And sanctify the whole. 5 No longer then my heart shall mourn, While, purified by grace, I only for his glory burn, And always see his face. 6 My steadfast soul, from falling free, Shall then no longer move, While Christ is all the world to me, And all my heart is love. Charles Wesley. Title: "Against Hope, Believing in Hope" A very popular and vastly useful hymn. The original contains twelve stanzas. The first verse is as follows: My God ! I know, I feel Thee mine, And will not quit my claim, Till all I have be lost in Thine, And all renew'd I am. This hymn is made up of verses four, seven, eight, nine, eleven, and twelve. Changes have been made in two lines of the last stanza. Wesley wrote : My steadfast soul, from falling free Can now no longer move ; Jesus is all the world to me, And all my heart is love. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. 376 C. M. 0 FOR a heart of calm repose Amid the world's loud roar, A life that like a river flows Along a peaceful shore ! 2 Come, Holy Spirit ! still my heart With gentleness divine ; Indwelling peace thou canst impart ; O make that blessing mine ! 3 Above these scenes of storm and strife There spreads a region fair ; Give me to live that higher life, And breathe that heavenly air. 4 Come, Holy Spirit ! breathe that peace, That victory make me win ; Then shall my soul her conflict cease, And find a heaven within. Author Unknown. ''For Inward Peace" is the title of this prayer-hymn in Hymns of the Ages, third series, 1864, where it is published anony- mously in the section titled "Quiet." We may not know who the author of this deeply devotional hymn is, but we know what he was. One who aspires and prays and sings thus must surely have discov- ered what it is to dwell in the secret place of the Most High and to abide in the shadow of the Almighty. The lofty aspiration and deep spirituality pervading this hymn call to mind the following beautiful lines by John Campbell Shairp on "A Life Hid with Christ" which are well worth quoting here : 202 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. I have a life with Christ to live, But, ere I live it, must I wait Till Learning can clear answer give Of this and that book's date? I have a life in Christ to live, I have a death in Christ to die ; And must I wait till science give All doubts a full reply? Nay rather, while the sea of doubt Is raging wildly round about, Questioning of life and death and sin, Let me but creep within Thy fold, O Christ, and at thy feet Take but the lowest seat, And hear thy loving voice repeat In gentlest accents, heavenly sweet : "Come unto me and rest ; Believe Me and be blest." 3T7 H L. M. OLY, and true, and righteous Lord, I wait to prove thy perfect will : Be mindful of thy gracious word, And stamp me with thy Spirit's seal. 2 Open my faith's interior eye : Display thy glory from above ; And all I am shall sink and die, Lost in astonishment and love. 3 Confound, o'erpower me by thy grace ; I would be by myself abhorred ; All might, all majesty, all praise, All glory, be to Christ my Lord. 4 Now let me gain perfection's height ; Now let me into nothing fall, As less than nothing in thy sight, And feel that Christ is all in all. Charles Wesley. Part of a poem of twenty-eight stanzas entitled "Pleading the Promise of Sancti- fication. Nos. 366 and 378 in this book are parts of the same lyric. "We have above verses twenty-three, twenty-six, twenty-seven, and twenty-eight. Wesley wrote "with thy grace" in verse three, line one, and "Be less than noth- ing" in verse four, line three. John Wesley published the whole of the poem from which this hymn is taken at the end of his sermon on "Christian Per- fection." From Hymns and Sacred Poems. 1742. 378 L- M. GOD of all power, and truth, and grace, Which shall from age to age endure, Whose word, when heaven and earth shall pass, Remains and stands forever sure. 2 Calmly to thee my soul looks up, And waits thy promises to prove, The object of my steadfast hope, The seal of thy eternal love. 3 That I thy mercy may proclaim, That all mankind thy truth may see, Hallow thy great and glorious name, And perfect holiness in me. 4 Thy sanctifying Spirit pour, To quench my thirst, and make me clean ; Now, Father, let the gracious shower Descend, and make me pure from sin ! Charles Wesley. "Pleading the Promise of Sanctifica- tion" is the title which this hymn bears in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. The original has twenty-eight stanzas, the first, second, third, and sixth being used to make this hymn. The hymn is based on Ezekiel xxxvi. 23: "And I will sancti- fy my great name, which wras profaned among the heathen, which ye have pro- faned in the midst of them; and the hea- then shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes." Nos. 366 and 3.77 are also parts of the same hymn. This entire hymn is quoted by John Wesley at the end of his sermon on "Chris- tian Perfection," and by John Fletcher at the end of his last Check to Antinomian- ism." This indicates the high esteem in which the hymn was held by these two fa- thers of Methodism. 379 L. m. COME, Saviour, Jesus, from above ! Assist me with thy heavenly grace ; Empty my heart of earthly love, And for thyself prepare the place. 2 O let thy sacred presence fill, And set my longing spirit free ! "vVhich pants to have no other will, But day and night to feast on thee. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 203 3 While in this region here below, No other good will I pursue : I'll bid this world of noise and show, With all its glittering snares, adieu ! 4 That path with humble speed I'll seek, In which my Saviour's footsteps shine ; Nor will I hear, nor will I speak, Of any other love but thine. 5 Henceforth may no profane delight Divide this consecrated soul ; Possess it, thou who hast the right, As Lord and Master of the whole. Antoinette Bourignon. Tr. by John Wesley. The title of this hymn as given by the Wesleys is: "Renouncing All for Christ:' In Byrom's Poems it is: *'A Hymn to Je- sus:' Notice that this hymn prays for the abiding presence of Christ, for an entire surrender of the will, for a supreme and unchanging love, and, in the last stanza, that this consecration may become ir- reversible. It is yery fine. The translation (ten stanzas) is found in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739, and in Miscellaneous Poems, by John Byrom, 1773. Hymnologists are not agreed wheth- er it was translated by John Wesley or by John Byrom. The first edition of Hymn Studies gave it to Byrom. The Hymnal says: "Translated by John Wesley." We know of no evidence that is absolutely conclusive, but still incline to Byrom for the following reasons: First, Wesley never claimed that he was the translator. Second, no one of his contemporaneous friends claimed it for him. Third, Byrom's friends claim it for him, knowing that it had been previously print- ed by Wesley. Fourth, the editor of Byrom's Poems said that he published it from Byrom's manuscript. Dr. John Julian in his Dictionary of Hymnology comes to the same conclusion from certain letters that he quotes. Dr. Telford, the latest Wesleyan author- ity in hymnology, on the contrary, in his Methodist Hymn Book Illustrated gives the benefit of the doubt to John Wesley with the following statements: After the volume of Hymns and Sacred Poems containing this hymn had been pub- lished by the Wesleys, Byrom wrote to his son April 2 6, 1739 : "They have together print- ed a book of hymns, amongst which they have inserted two of Madam Bourignor.'s, one of which they call a 'Farewell to the World,' and the other 'Renouncing All for Christ,' I think translated from the French. They have introduced them by a preface against what they call mystic writers (not naming any par- ticular author), for whom they say that they had once a great veneration, but think them- selves obliged very solemnly to acknowledge their error and to guard others against the like, which they do by certain reasons that I do not see the reason of." Byrom differed from the brothers as to Mr. Law and the mystics. His words make it probable that the translation was Wesley's. . . . His letter to his son does not read like that of a man who ia referring to his own translations. 380 8, 7, 8, 8, 7. 0 THE bitter shame and sorrow, That a time could ever be When I let the Saviour's pity Plead in vain, and proudly answered, All of self, and none of thee ! 2 Yet he found me ; I beheld him Bleeding on the accursed tree, Heard him pray, Forgive them, Father ! And my wistful heart said faintly, Some of self, and some of thee ! 3 Day by day his tender mercy, Healing, helping, full and free, Sweet and strong, and ah ! so patient, Brought me lower, while I whispered, Less of self, and more of thee ! 4 Higher than the highest heaven, Deeper than the deepest sea, Lord, thy love at last has conquered ; Grant me now my supplication — None of self, and all of thee ! Theodore Monod. This hymn by Dr. Monod, of Paris, was written by him in English during a se- ries of "consecration" meetings held at Broadlands, England, in July, 1874. It was given by the author at the close of 204 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. the meetings to Lord Mount-Temple, who printed it on the back of a program card for another series of similar meetings held at Oxford in October of that same year. This is one of the most valuable and helpful hymns for private devotional study in the entire range of hymnology. It describes in a remarkably vivid and im- pressive manner the transforming power which a contemplation of the atoning work of Christ has in leading a selfish and sinful soul from utter indifference and ingratitude to entire consecration and to a grateful recognition of God's good- ness and love as revealed in Christ. The key to the interpretation of the hymn is found in the last lines of the successive stanzas. "All of self, and none of thee," the last line of the first stanza, is the language of a selfish and sinful soul utterly indifferent to the claims of the gospel. "Some of self, and some of thee," as found at the end of the second stan- za, expresses the beginnings of spiritual awakening and the stirring of conscience in the soul. "Less of self, and more of thee" is the healthful and hopeful cry of a truly awakened and genuinely penitent soul. "None of self, and all of thee," at the end of the last verse, marks the cli- max of absolute self-surrender and per- fect consecration, and is the language of the believing and loving soul that now no longer seeks its own, but the glory of Christ. This is a hymn the serious study of which cannot fail to deepen one's de- sire to be rid of all selfishness and ingrati- tude and to have the mind and heart of Christ. 381 L. M. OTHAT my load of sin were gone ! O that I could at last submit At Jesus' feet to lay it down, To lay my soul at Jesus' feet ! 2 Rest for my soul I long to find : Saviour of all, if mine thou art. Give me thy meek and lowly mind. And stamp thine image on my heart. 3 Break off the yoke of inbred sin. And fully set my spirit free: 1 cannot rest till pure within, Till I am wholly lost in thee. 4 Fain would I learn of thee, my God ; Thy light and easy burden prove, The cross, all stained with hallowed blood, The labor of thy dying love. 5 I would, but thou must give the power; My heart from every sin release; Bring near, bring near the joyful hour, And fill me with thy perfect peace. Charles Wesley. Text: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. xi. 28.) Fourteen stanzas in all. These are verses one, four, five, six, and eight verbatim. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. 382 S. M. D. SOLDIERS of Christ, arise, And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Through his eternal Son ; Strong in the Lord of hosts, And in his mighty power, Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror. 2 Stand, then, in his great might, With all his strength endued ; But take, to arm you for the fight, The panoply of God : That, having all things done, And all your conflicts passed, Te may o'ercome through Christ alone, And stand entire at last. 3 From strength to strength go on, Wrestle, and fight, and pray ; Tread all the powers of darkness down, And win the well-fought day : Still let the Spirit cry, In all his soldiers, "Come," Till Christ the Lord descend from high, And take the conquerors home. Charles Wesley. "The Whole Armor of God'' is the orig- inal title of this in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. It is based upon Ephesians vi. 11: "Put on the whole armor of God. that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The entire poem con- tains sixteen double stanzas, of which the above are the first, second, and sixteenth. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 205 Among all the hymns setting forth the Christian life under the figure of a war- fare, none is more effective and impressive than this. "As inspiring as the blast of the bugle," is Mr. Stead's comment on this stirring hymn. 0 383 6s, 5s. D. X WARD, Christian soldiers ! Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before. Christ, the royal Master, Leads against the foe ; Forward into battle, See, his banners go ! Refrain. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before. 2 At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee ; On, then, Christian soldiers, On to victory ! Hell's foundations quiver At the shout of praise ; Brothers, lift your voices, Loud your anthems raise. 3 Like a mighty army Moves the church of God ; Brothers, we are treading Where the saints have trod ; We are not divided, All one body we, One in hope and doctrine, One in charity. 4 Crowns and thrones may perish, Kingdoms rise and wane, But the church of Jesus Constant will remain ; Gates of hell can never 'Gainst that church prevail ; We have Christ's own promise, And that cannot fail. 5 Onward, then, ye people ! Join our happy throng, Blend with ours your voices In the triumph-song; Glory, laud, and honor Unto Christ the King, This through countless ages Men and angels sing. Sabine Baring-Gould. This very widely used and popular hymn was written in 1865 and published the same year in the Church Times. When first printed it contained six stan- zas. The fourth has been omitted: What the saints established, That I hold for true ; What the saints believed, That believe I too. Long as earth endurcth Men that faith will hold, Kingdoms, nations, empires In destruction rolled. In 1895 the author gave the following account of the origin of the hymn: Whitmonday is a great day for school fes- tivals in Yorkshire. One Whitmonday, thirty years ago, it was arranged that our school should join forces with a neighboring village. I wanted the children to sing when marching from one village to another, but couldn't think of anything quite suitable ; so I sat up at night, resolved that I would write some- thing myself. "Onward, Christian soldiers," was the result. It was written in great haste, and I am afraid some of the rhymes are faulty. Certainly nothing has surprised me more than its popularity. 384 6s, 5s. 121. FORWARD ! be our watchword, Steps and voices joined ; Seek the things before us, Not a look behind ; Burns the fiery pillar At our army's head ; Who shall dream of shrinking, By our Captain led? Forward through the desert, Through the toil and fight : Jordan flows before us, Zion beams with light ! 2 Forward ! flock of Jesus, Salt of all the earth, Till each yearning purpose Spring to glorious birth : Sick, they ask for healing ; Blind, they grope for day ; Pour upon the nations Wisdom's loving ray. Forward, out of error, Leave behind the night ; Forward through the darkness, Forward into light ! 206 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. I< »ri< b upon ?-rl<^i i- a Hath our God prep u By the souls that love him One day to be shai Eye hath not beheld them, Ear hath never heard ; N r • : :.• Be hath atten d Thought or speech a word : Forward, marching eastward, Where the heaven is bright, Till the veil be lifted, Till our faith be sight! 4 Far o'er yon horizon Rise the city towers, Where our God abideth ; That fair home is ours : Flash the streets with jasper, Shine the gates with gold ; Flows the gladdening river Shedding joys untold ; Thither, onward thither, In the Spirit's might : Pilgrims to your country, Forward into light ! Henri/ Alford. This is one of the few really popular hymns ever written by a great scholar. It is based on Exodus xiv. 15: "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward." The original contains eight stanzas, the above being the first, third, fourth, and fifth. It was written to be sung at the tenth festival of parochial choirs of the Canterbury Diocesan Union. June 6, 1S71; but the author had joined the "choir invisible" before that date ar- rived. The occasion of the hymn being written is thus described: The Rev. J. G. Wood asked Dean Alford to write a processional hymn for a Church fes- tival, and set it to music. The Dean's first attempt did not seem to Mr. Wood well adapt- ed to be sung on the march, and he begged the Dean to go into his cathedral and com- pose another hymn as he walked slowly round. He did this, and '"Forward ! be our watchword" was the result. It came to Mr. Wood with a little note saying that the Dean had put it into its hat and boots, and Mr. "Wood might add coat and trousers himself. He had written treble and bass : Mrs. Wor- thington Bliss supplied the alto and tenor. The effect of the hymn when first sung by a thousand choristers was overwhelming. When Dean Alford was only sixteen years of age he wrote in his Bible the fol- lowing dedication of himself to God and to his service: "I do this day, in the pres- ence of God and my own soul, renew my covenant with God and solemnly deter- mine henceforth to become his and to do his work as far as in me lies." It is not surprising that one who so early in life dedicated himself to God should write a hymn which has been greatly blessed in quickening the fidelity to Christ and the zeal of thousands of young Christians all over the world, multitudes of whom have been deeply moved and inspired by the singing of this hymn. 385 7, 7, 7, 6. D. SOLDIERS of the cross, arise! Lo ! your Leader from the skies Waves before you glory's prize, The prize of victory. Seize your armor, gird it on ; Now the battle will be won ; See, the strife will soon be done ; Then struggle manfully. 2 Jesus conquered when he fell, Met and vanquished earth and hell : Now he leads you on to swell The triumphs of his cross. Though all earth and hell appear, Who will doubt, or who can fear? God, our strength and shield, is near : We cannot lose our cause. 3 Onward, then, ye hosts of God ! Jesus points the victor's rod : Follow where your Leader trod ; You soon shall see his face. Soon, your enemies all slain, Crowns of glory you shall gain, Soon you'll join that glorious train Who shout their Saviour's praise. Jarcd B. Waterbury. Title: "Soldiers of the Cross." Written for and published in The Chris- tian Lyre, a small tune book edited by Joshua Leavitt. New York, 1830. In the first stanza, lines six and seven, the author wrote: The battle's yours, it will be won: Though fierce the strife, 'twill soon be done. And in the last stanza: HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 207 The crown of glory you shall gain ; And walk among that glorious train. The changes made in these lines are doubtless improvements. 386 7s, 6s. D. STAND up, stand up for Jesus ! Ye soldiers of the cross ; Lift high his royal banner, It must not suffer loss : From victory unto victory His army shall he lead, Till every foe is vanquished And Christ is Lord indeed. 2 Stand up, stand up for Jesus ! The trumpet call obey ; Forth to the mighty conflict, In this his glorious day : Ye that are men, now serve him, Against unnumbered foes ; Your courage rise with danger, And strength to strength oppose. 3 Stand up, stand up for Jesus ! Stand in his strength alone ; The arm of flesh will fail you ; Ye dare not trust your own : Put on the gospel armor, Each piece put on with prayer ; Where duty calls, or danger, Be never wanting there. 4 Stand up, stand up for Jesus ! The strife will not be long ; This day the noise of battle, The next the victor's song: To him that overcometh, A crown of life shall be ; He with the King of glory Shall reign eternally. George Dufpeld, Jr. This hymn was written in 1858 on the occasion of the death of an intimate friend of the author, Rev. Dudley A. Tyng (son of Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D.D.), a most gifted and consecrated young minis- ter of Philadelphia, who took an active part in the great revival in that city in 1857. The following year he met his death by a painful accident (his arm was caught in a cogwheel and torn out). Be- ing asked, when at death's door, if he had any message to send to the Young Men's Christian Association (with whose mem- bers he had worked in the revival), he re- plied, "Tell them to stand up for Jesus. Now let us sing a hymn." He soon after- wards died. The Sunday following Dr. Dufneld preached on the text: "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of right- eousness" (Eph. vi. 14), and read these verses as a concluding exhortation. The superintendent of the Sabbath school had them printed as a leaflet for the children. They were soon afterwards published in a Baptist newspaper, and "from that paper they have gone in English and in Ger- man and Latin translations all over the world." Missionaries have translated the hymn into heathen tongues. It finds a place in all modern hymn books. The Sunday before young Tyng's death he had preached a sermon, marked with unction and power, to an audience of five thousand people on Exodus x. 11: "Go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord." To this allusion is made in the second stanza above. Two stanzas are omitted: 2 Stand up ! — stand up for Jesus ! The solemn watchword hear : If while ye sleep he suffers, Away with shame and fear ; Where'er ye meet with evil, Within you or without, Charge for the God of Battles, And put the foe to rout ! 5 Stand up ! — stand up for Jesus ! Each soldier to his post ; Close up the broken column, And shout through all the host ! Make good the loss so heavy, In those that still remain, And prove to all around you That death itself is gain. 387 7s, 6s. D. GO forward, Christian soldier, Beneath his banner true : The Lord himself, thy Leader, Shall all thy foes subdue. His love foretells thy trials ; He knows thine hourly need ; He can, with bread of heaven, Thy fainting spirit feed. 2G8 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 Go forward, Christian soldier, Pear not the secret foe ; Far more are o'er thee watching Thai! human eyes can know. Trust only Christ, thy Captain, Cease not to watch and pray ; Heed not the treacherous voices That lure thy soul astray. 3 Go forward, Christian soldier, Nor dream of peaceful rest, Till Satan's host is vanquished, And heaven is all possessed ; Till Christ himself shall call thee To lay thine armor by, And wear, in endless glory, The crown of victory. Laurence Tuttiett. Based upon Exodus xiv. 15: "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward." Published in England in 1861, it has come into wide use both in Great Britain and America. There is one .additional stanza: 4 Go forward, Christian soldier, Fear not the gathering night : The Lord has been thy shelter, The Lord will be thy light : . When morn his face revealeth, Thy dangers all are passed : Oh pray that faith and virtue May keep thee to the last. 388 s. M. A CHARGE to keep I have, A God to glorify, A never-dying soul to save, And fit it for the sky. 2 To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill ; O may it all my powers engage, To do my Master's will ! 3 Arm me with jealous care, As in thy sight to live, And O, thy servant, Lord, prepare, A strict account to give ! 4 Help me to watch and pray, And on thyself rely, Assured, if I my trust betray, I shall forever die. Charles Wesley. This is one of the most frequently sung hymns in the language. It is short, in- tensely practical, and seems always appro- priate. It is found in the author's Short Scripture Hymns, 1762, and is based on Leviticus viii. 35: "Keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not." A distinguished minister of England, Rev. Thomas Richardson, the founder of the Bible and Prayer Union, remarked to Mr. Stead in 1885 that this hymn had been the creed of his Christian life and the inspiration of his active work for the past thirty-four years. "The genius of Methodism is almost embodied in these lines," says Telford. "The older I grow," said Thomas Carlyle in his old age, "and now I stand upon the brink of eternity, the more comes back to me the sentence in the catechism which I learned when a child, and the fuller and deeper its mean- ing becomes: 'What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him for- ever.' " The serious view of life that underlies this hymn is one of its most notable characteristics. The present life is rep- resented in this hymn as being a proba- tion for the life to come. Very few of the modern hymns on Christian service strike so serious a note as this. Such hymns are needed; they invest this life with a reality and far-reaching significance born of profound faith in the reality of the di- vine revelation concerning the life that is to come. Many regard this as the greatest of Charles Wesley's short hymns. 389 S. M. SOW in the morn thy seed ; At eve hold not thy hand ; To doubt and fear give thou no heed, Broadcast it o'er the land. 2 Thou knowest not which shall thrive, The late or early sown ; Grace keeps the precious germ alive, When and wherever strown : 3 And duly shall appear, In verdure, beauty, strength, The tender blade, the stalk, the ear, And the full corn at length. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 209 4 Thou canst not toil in vain : Cold, heat, and moist, and dry, Shall foster and mature the grain For garners in the sky. 5 Thence, when the glorious end, The day of God, shall come, The angel reapers shall descend, And heaven shout, "Harvest-home !" James Montgomery. Author's title: "The Field of the World:'' It is based upon Ecclesiastes xi. 6: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." The second and third stanzas of the original are omitted: 2 Beside all waters sow, The highway furrows stock, Drop it where thorns and thistles grow, Scatter it on the rock. 3 The good, the fruitful ground, Expect not here nor there, O'er hill and dale, by plots 'tis found ; Go forth, then, every where. Prom A Poet's Portfolio; or, Minor Poems in Three Books, by James Mont- gomery, 1835. 390 S. M. MAKE haste, O man, to live, For thou so soon must die ; Time hurries past thee like the breeze ; How swift its moments fly ! 2 Make haste, O man, to do Whatever must be done ; Thou hast no time to lose in sloth, Thy day will soon be gone. 3 Up, then, with speed, and work ; Fling ease and self away ; This is no time for thee to sleep ; Up, watch, and work, and pray ! 4 Make haste, O man, to live, Thy time is almost o'er ; O sleep not, dream not, but arise, The Judge is at the door ! Horatius Bonar. This is taken from the first series of the author's Hymns of Faith and Hope, 14 1857, where it bears the title, "Live," and each stanza closes with the refrain: "Make haste, O man, to live." We give three omitted stanzas: 2 To breathe, and wake, and sleep, To smile, to sigh, to grieve ; To move in idleness through earth, This, this is not to live ! Make haste, O man, to live ! 5 The useful, not the great, The thing that never dies, The silent toil that is not lost, — Set these before thine eyes. Make haste, O man, to live ! 6 The seed, whose leaf and flower, Though poor in human sight, Bring forth at last the eternal fruit, Sow thou by day and night. Make haste, O man, to live ! 391 S. M I THE good fight have fought," O when shall I declare? The victory by my Saviour got, I long with Paul to share. 2 O may I triumph so, When all my warfare's past ; And, dying, find my latest foe Under my feet at last ! 3 This blessed word be mine, Just as the port is gained, "Kept by the power of grace divine, I have the faith maintained." 4 The apostles of my Lord, To whom it first was given, They could not speak a greater word, Nor all the saints in heaven. Charles Wesley. Prom Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. The first two stanzas were written upon the words (2 Tim. iv. 7), "I have fought a good fight," and the last two upon the words: "I have kept the faith." The second stanza is a sublime prayer worthy of the writer. It has not been al- tered. 392 c. M. WORKMAN of God ! O lose not heart, But learn what God is like ; And in the darkest battlefield Thou shalt know where to strike. 210 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 2 Thrice blest is he to whom is given The instinct that can tell That God is on tin- field, when He Is most invisible. 3 Blest too is he who can divine Where real right doth lie, And dares to take the side that seems Wrong to man's blindfold eye. 4 Then learn to scorn the praise of men, And learn to lose with God ; For Jesus won the world through shame, And beckons thee his road. Frederick W. Faber. This is taken from a poem of eighteen stanzas found in the author's Hymns, 1862, and titled, ''The Right Must Win," being verses ten to thirteen. The hymn beginning, "0 it is hard to work for God" (No. 442), is taken from the same poem. In the original it is "Workmen of God" instead of "Workman," as in the first line above. It puts iron in the blood and cour- age in the soul to read and sing a hymn like this. It is a hymn for preachers and Christian workers to read on "blue Mon- days" and "black Fridays" when they are depressed and disheartened. They begin the fight anew after reading and singing this hymn. 393 C. M. AM I a soldier of the cross, A follower of the Lamb, And shall I fear to own his cause, Or blush to speak his name? 2 Must I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, And sailed through bloody seas? 3 Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, To help me on to God? 4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign ; Increase my courage, Lord ; I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, Supported by thy word. 5 Thy saints in all this glorious war Shall conquer, though they die : They see the triumph from afar, By faith they bring it nigh. G When that illustrious day shall rise, And all thy armies shine In robes of victory through the skies, The glory shall be thine. Isaac Watts. This grand and favorite hymn was first published by the author at the end of a sermon entitled, ''Holy Fortitude; or, Remedies Against Fear." The text was: "Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." (1 Cor. xvi. 13.) Watts wrote the last part of the fifth stanza: They see the triumph from afar, And seize it with their eye. The change is a great improvement, whoever made it. Bishop Emory added this hymn to the Methodist Hymn Book when he was Book Agent and Editor at New York (1824-1832). This is a sublime and profitable medita- tion. It brings out clearly the thought of conflict and the necessity of bravely contending for the Christian faith and life. 394: C. M. BEHOLD us, Lord, a little space From daily tasks set free, And met within thy holy place To rest awhile with thee. 2 Around us rolls the ceaseless tide Of business, toil, and care, And scarcely can wre turn aside For one brief hour of prayer. 3 Yet these are not the only walls Wherein thou mayst be sought ; On homeliest work thy blessing falls In truth and patience wrought. 4 Thine is the loom, the forge, the mart, The wealth of land and sea ; The worlds of science and of art, Revealed and ruled by thee. 5 Then let us prove our heavenly birth In all we do and know. And claim the kingdom of the earth For thee, and not thy foe. 6 Work shall be prayer, if all be wrought As thou wouldst have it done ; And prayer, by thee inspired and taught, Itself with work be one. John EUerton. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 211 "'Mid-day: for a City Church" is the au- thor's title to this hymn, which was writ- ten in 1870 for a midday service in a city church. It was first published in 1871 in Church Hymns. The author of this most useful hymn on Christian service has written another, for use at the burial of Christian workers, that is greatly admired and well worth quoting. We regret that it has not a place in our Hymnal. Now the laborer's task is o'er ; Now the battle day is past ; Now upon the farther shore Lands the voyager at last. Father, in thy gracious keeping Leave we now thy servant sleeping. There the tears of earth are dried ; There its hidden things are clear ; There the work of life is tried By a juster Judge than here. Father, in thy gracious keeping Leave we now thy servant sleeping. "Earth to earth and dust to dust," Calmly now the words we say, Left behind, we wait in trust For the resurrection day. Father, in thy gracious keeping Leave we now thy servant sleeping. 395 C. M. 0 STILL in accents sweet and strong Sounds forth the ancient word, 'More reapers for white harvest fields, More laborers for the Lord !" 2 "We hear the call ; in dreams no more In selfish ease we lie, But girded for our Father's work, Go forth beneath his sky. 3 Where prophets' word, and martyrs' blood, And prayers of saints were sown, We, to their labors entering in, Would reap where they have strown. 4 O Thou whose call our hearts has stirred, To do thy will we come ; Thrust in our sickles at thy word, And bear our harvest home. Samuel Longfellow. Title: "Behold the Fields Are White." Unaltered and entire as contributed to Hymns of the Spirit, which the author of this hymn compiled in connection with the Rev. Samuel Johnson, Boston, 1864. 396 C. M. AWAKE, my soul, stretch every nerve, And press with vigor on ; A heavenly race demands thy zeal, And an immortal crown. 2 A cloud of witnesses around Hold thee in full survey ; Forget the steps already trod, And onward urge thy way. 3 'Tis God's all-animating voice That calls thee from on high ; 'Tis his own hand presents the prize To thine aspiring eye : 4 That prize, with peerless glories bright, Which shall new luster boast, When victors' wreaths and monarchs' gems Shall blend in common dust. 5 Blest Saviour, introduced by thee, Have I my race begun ; And, crowned with victory, at thy feet, I'll lay my honors down. Philip Doddridge. The original title of this in the author's Hymns, 1755, is: "Pressing on in the Christian Race" It is based upon Philip- pians iii. 12-14: Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect : but I follow aft- er, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Breth- ren, I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This is perhaps the most familiar and the most stirring of all Dr. Doddridge's hymns. Dr. C. S. Robinson describes it as "ringing like a trumpeter's note to start the athletes." It is almost impossi- ble to sing this hymn and not have stirred within the heart deep and uplifting emo- tions that make one resolve to go forth and do his best in the "heavenly race." 212 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. L. M. BKIIOLD! the Christian warrior stand In all the armor of his God; The Spirit's sword is in his hand, His feet are with the gospel shod; 2 In panoply of truth complete, Salvation's helmet on his head ; With righteousness a breastplate meet, And faith's broad shield before him spread. 3 Undaunted to the field he goes ; Yet vain were skill and valor there, Unless, to foil his legion foes, He takes the trustiest weapon, prayer. 4 Thus, strong in his Redeemer's strength, Sin, death, and hell, he tramples down ; Fights the good fight, and wins at length, Through mercy, an immortal crown. James Montgomery. Title: "The Christian Soldier." (Eph. vi. 10-18.) Two lines have been altered. The first was: The Christian warrior — see him stand. The last line of the third stanza was: The trustiest weapon were "all prayer." The third, fourth, and sixth stanzas have been omitted: 3 He wrestles not with flesh and blood, But principalities and powers, Rulers of darkness, like a flood, Nigh, and assailing at all hours. 4 Nor Satan's fiery darts alone, Quenched on his shield, at him are hurled ; The traitor in his heart is known, And the dire friendship of this world. 6 With this omnipotence he moves, From this the alien armies flee, Till, more than conqueror, he proves, Through Christ, who gives him victory. Prom the Christian Psalmist, 1825. 398 L. M. IT may not be our lot to yield The sickle in the ripened field ; Nor ours to hear, on summer eves, The reaper's song among the sheaves. 2 Yet where our duty's task is wrought In unison with God's great thought, The near and future blend in one, And whatsoe'er is willed, is done. 3 And ours the grateful service whence Comes, day by day, the recompense ; The hope, the trust, the purpose stayed, The fountain, and the noonday shade. 4 And were this life the utmost span, The only end and aim of man, Better the toil of fields like these Than waking dream and slothful ease. 5 But life, though falling like our grain, Like that revives and springs again ; And, early called, how blest are they Who wait in heaven, their harvest day ! John G. Whittier. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. "Seed-time and Harvest" is the title of this hymn as it appears in the author's Miscellaneous Poems. It was written about 1850, as shown by the author's man- uscript. The first three stanzas of the original poem are omitted: 1 As o'er his furrowed fields which lie Beneath a coldly-dropping sky, Yet chill with winter's melted snow, The husbandman goes forth to sow, 2 Thus, Freedom, on the bitter blast The ventures of thy seed we cast, And trust to warmer sun and rain To swell the germs and fill the grain. 3 Who calls thy glorious service hard? Who deems it not its own reward? Who, for its trials, counts it less A cause of praise and thankfulness? This is a hymn full of comfort to faith- ful but discouraged and sorrowing Chris- tian, workers in life's great harvest field. 399 L. M. GO, labor on ; spend and be spent, Thy joy to do the Father's will ; It is the way the Master went ; Should not the servant tread it still? 2 Go, labor on ; 'tis not for naught ; Thine earthly loss is heavenly gain ; Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not ; The Master praises — what are men? 3 Go, labor on ; your hands are weak ; Your knees are faint, your soul cast down Yet falter not ; the prize you seek Is near — a kingdom and a crown ! Horatius Bonar. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 213 Title: "The Useful Life." It is from the author's Hymns of Faith and Hope, first series, 1867. The original has eight stanzas. These are the first two and the fourth, unaltered. Two additional stan- zas are given in many hymnals: Toil on, faint not ; keep watch and pray ! Be wise the erring soul to win ; Go forth into the world's highway ; Compel the wanderer to come in. Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice ; For toil comes rest, for exile home ; Soon shalt thou hpar the Bridegroom's 17oice, The midnight peal, "Behold, I come !" 400 l. M. FORTH in thy name, O Lord, I go, My daily labor to pursue, Thee, only thee, resolved to know, In all I think, or speak, or do. 2 The task thy wisdom hath assigned, O let me cheerfully fulfill ; In all my works thy presence find, And prove thy good and perfect will. 3 Give me to bear thy easy yoke, And every moment watch and pray ; And still to things eternal look, And hasten to thy glorious day; 4 For thee delightfully employ Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given ; And run my course with even joy, And closely walk with thee to heaven. Charles Wesley. "Before Work" is the title of this in the author's Hymns and Sacred Poems (1749). The third and fourth stanzas of the original are omitted: 3 Preserve me from my calling's snare, And hide my simple heart above, Above the thorns of choking care, The gilded baits of worldly love. 4 Thee may I set at my right hand, Whose eyes mine inmost substance see ; And labor on at thy command, And offer all my works to thee. This hymn is an ideal expression of the spirit and feelings of a consecrated and faithful child of God as he goes forth to his daily tasks. Such sentiments have power to turn even drudgery into a life of noble and blessed service. "Never fear," said Phillips Brooks, "to bring the sublim- est motive to the smallest duty, and the most infinite comfort to the smallest trou- ble." 401 L. M. OGOD, most merciful and true, Thy nature to my soul impart ; 'Stablish with me the covenant new, And stamp thine image on my heart. 2 To real holiness restored, 0 let me gain my Saviour's mind, And in the knowledge of my Lord, Fullness of life eternal find ! 3 Remember, Lord, my sins no more, That them I may no more forget; But, sunk in guiltless shame, adore, With speechless wonder, at thy feet. 4 Overwhelmed with thy stupendous grace, 1 shall not in thy presence move, But breathe unutterable praise, And rapturous awe, and silent love. 5 Pardoned for all that I have done, My mouth as in the dust I hide And glory give to God alone, My God forever pacified. Charles Wesley. One of Wesley's most worshipful hymns, taken from Short Hymns on Select Pas- sages of the Holy Scriptures, 1762. It is based on Ezekiel xvi. 62, 63: I will stablish my covenant with thee ; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord : that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God. In the last line of the first verse Wesley wrote: "And ivrite Salvation on my heart." Four significant lines, omitted above, follow the fourth verse: Then every murmuring thought and vain Expires, in sweet confusion lost, I cannot of my cross complain, I cannot of my goodness boast. I'M ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 402 8s, 7s. D. HARK, the voice of Jesus calling, "Who will go and work to-day? Fields are white, and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?" Loud and long the .Master calleth, Rich reward he offers f n . ; "Who will answer, gladly saying, "Here am I, send me, send me?" 2 If you cannot cross the ocean, And the heathen lands explore, You can find the heathen nearer, You can help them at your door; If you cannot give your thousands, You can give the widow's mite ; And the least you give for Jesus Will be precious in his sight. 3 Let none hear you idly saying, "There is nothing I can do," While the souls of men are dying, And the Master calls for you : Take the tasks he gives you gladly ; Let his work your pleasure be ; Answer quickly when he calleth, "Here am I, send me, send me." Daniel March. This hymn was written in 1868, while the author was a pastor in Philadelphia. On the 18th of October he was to preach, by request, to the Christian Association of that city. At a late hour he learned that one of the hymns selected was not suitable. His text was: 'Here am I; send me." (Isa. vi. 8.) In "great haste," he says, he wrote the hymn, and it was sung from the manuscript. In verse one the author wrote "crying" instead of "call- ing." The original contains one stanza that is omitted above: 3 If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul, You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say he died for all ; If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment's dread alarms, You can lead the little children To the Saviour's waiting arms. This hymn is an appeal to Christian be- lievers to consecrate themselves to serv- ice, especially service in home and foreign mission fields. It is an ideal hymn to sing at the conclusion of a sermon on Christian service. 403 L- m. DEFEND us, Lord, from every ill; Strengthen our hearts to do thy will; In all we plan and all we do, Still keep us to thy service true. i' O let us hear the inspiring word Which they of old at Horeb heard; Breathe to our hearts the high command, "Go onward and possess the land !" 3 Thou who art light, shine on each soul ! Thou who art truth, each mind control ! Open our eyes and make us see The path which leads to heaven and thee ! John Hay. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. The Christian Endeavor World for Jan- uary 12, 1905, gives a facsimile of the au- thor's manuscript of this hymn. The ti- tle is: "Invocation" The first verse, omitted here, is as follows: Lord, from far-severed climes we come To meet at last in Thee, our Home. Thou who hast been our guide and guard Be still our hope, our rich reward. The rest of the hymn is as here given. It was written for the fifteenth Interna- tional Christian Endeavor Convention,, held at Washington, D. C, July 8-13, 1896. The Golden Rule of July 1G, 1896, in a re- port of the Convention says: "The fine in- vocation hymn, written for us by the Washington poet, John Hay, was read in unison by the audience and sung with a will." Mr. Hay was not a professional hymn- writer. His poetic fame began with such compositions as "Jim Bludso" and "Little Breeches;" but he could write in a very different style, and that he occasionally did so this hymn is sufficient proof. One of his serious poems, entitled "Si- nai and Calvary," closes with this fine stanza: Almighty God ; direct us To keep Thy perfect Law ! O blessed Saviour, help us Nearer to Thee to draw ! HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 21! Let Sinai's thunders aid us To guard our feet from sin ; And Calvary's light inspire us The love of God to win. 404 C. M. RISE, O my soul, pursue the path By ancient worthies trod ; Aspiring, view those holy men Who lived and walked with God. 2 Though dead, they speak in reason's ear, And in example live ; Their faith and hope and mighty deeds Still fresh instruction give. 3 'Twas through the Lamb's most precious blood They conquered every foe ; And to his power and matchless grace Their crowns of life they owe. 4 Lord, may I ever keep in view The patterns thou hast given, And ne'er forsake the blessed road That led them safe to heaven. John Needham. This hymn on "The Example of the Saints" was first published in 1768 in the author's Hymns Devotional and Moral. It is based on the eleventh chapter of He- brews. 405 L. M. AWAKE, our souls ! away, our fears ! Let every trembling thought be gone ! Awake, and run the heavenly race And put a cheerful courage on. 2 True, 'tis a strait and thorny road, And mortal spirits tire and faint ; But they forget the mighty God That feeds the strength of every saint. 3 From him, the overflowing spring, Our souls shall drink a fresh supply; While such as trust their native strength, Shall melt away, and droop, and die. 4 Swift as the eagle cuts the air, We'll mount aloft to his abode ; On wings of love our souls shall fly, Nor tire amidst the heavenly road. Isaac Watts. Title: "The Christian Race." From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. It is based upon a fine passage in Isaiah xl. 28-31: Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Cre- ator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall : but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not faint. Two lines have been changed. Verse three, line one, Watts wrote, "From thee, the overflowing spring;" and verse four, line two, "We'll mount aloft to thine abode." These are changes for the worse. Direct address to Deity is not only al- lowed, but is demanded by the exigencies of prayer and praise. It has not been otherwise changed except that the third verse of the original has been omitted. 406 C. M. J ESUS, my Lord, how rich thy grace ! Thy bounties how complete ! How shall I count the matchless sum ! How pay the mighty debt ! 2 High on a throne of radiant light Dost thou exalted shine ; What can my poverty bestow, When all the worlds are thine? 3 But thou hast brethren here below, The partners of thy grace, And wilt confess their humble names Before thy Father's face. 4 In them thou mayst be clothed and fed, And visited and cheered, And in their accents of distress My Saviour's voice is heard. Philip Doddridge. This hymn on "Relieving Christ in His Poor Saints" is based on Matthew xxv. 40: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." From the author's Hymns, 1755. The fifth stanza is omit- ted: 5 Thy face with reverence and with love, I in thy poor would see ; O rather let me beg my bread, Than hold it back from thee ! l>i<; ANNOTATE I ) HYM X A L. 407 P- M. BE strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift, We have hard work to do, and loads to lift. Slum not the struggle, face it, 'tis God's gift. strong ! Say not the days are evil — who's to blame? And fold the hands and acquiesce — O shame ! Stand up. speak out, and bravely, in God's name. 3 Be strong ! It matters not how deep intrenched the wrong, How hard the battle goes, the day, how long; Faint not, fight on ! To-morrow comes the song. Maltbie D. Babcock. Copyright, 1901, by Charles Scribner's Sons. Title: "Be Strong." This hymn is found in Thoughts for Ev- ery Day Living, edited by Mrs. Babcoek. 1901. This is a strenuous hymn, and ought to be widely useful. Something of the spirit of the author can be seen from a little poem that he wrote in his early ministry. It is pref- aced by the words of Paul (Phil. iii. 14) : "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." O Lord. I pray That for this day I may not swerve By foot or hand From thy command, Xot to be served, but to serve. This too I pray : That for this day Xo love of ease Xor pride prevent My good intent Not to be pleased, but to please. And if I may, I'd have this day Strength from above To set my heart In heavenly art Xot to be loved, but to love. 408 7s, Gs. LEAD on, O King Eternal, The day of march has come; Henceforth in fields of conquest Thy tenta shall be our home. Through days of preparation Thy grace has made us strong, And now, O King Eternal, We lift our battle song. 2 Lead on, O King Eternal, Till sin's fierce war shall cease, And holiness shall whisper The sweet Amen of peace ; For not with swords loud clashing, Xor roll of stirring drums ; With deeds of love and mercy, The heavenly kingdom comes. 3 Lead on, O King Eternal, We follow, not with fears ; For gladness breaks like morning Where'er thy face appears ; Thy cross is lifted o'er us ; We journey in its light : The crown awaits the conquest ; Lead on, O God of might. Ernest W. Shurtleff. This hymn on ''The Christian Warfare" was written by the author in 1SS7 as a parting hymn for his class and fellow-stu- dents at Andover Theological Seminary, from which institution he graduated in 1887. It was published that same year in the author's Hymns of the Faith. The second verse is very fine. Some of our very finest hymns were written by theo- logical students: "My country, 'tis of thee." "My faith looks up to thee," etc. This lyric has the poetic flow and fervor of a true hymn in it. We could wish the author had written others like it. 409 L. M. thy FIGHT the good fight with all thy might, Christ is thy strength, and Christ right : Lay hold on life, and it shall be Thy joy and crown eternally. Run the straight race through God's good grace, Lift up thine eyes, and seek his face ; Life with its way before us lies, Christ is the path, and Christ the prize. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 217 3 Cast care aside, lean on thy guide ; His boundless mercy will provide ; Trust, and thy trusting soul shall prove Christ is its life, and Christ its love. 4 Faint not nor fear, his arms are near ; He changeth not, and thou art dear; Only believe, and thou shalt see That Christ is all in all to thee. John S. B. M on sell. Founded upon 1 Timothy vi. 12: "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." From the author's Hymns of Love and Praise, 1866. It has not been altered ex- cept in the third verse, which appears as follows: Cast care aside, upon thy guide Lean, and His mercy will provide ; Lean, and the trusting soul shall prove Christ is its life, and Christ its love. 410 L. M. LORD, speak to me, that I may speak In living echoes of thy tone ; As thou hast sought, so let me seek Thy erring children lost and lone. 2 O strengthen me, that while I stand Firm on the rock, and strong in thee, I may stretch out a loving hand To wrestlers with the troubled sea. 3 O teach me, Lord, that I may teach The precious things thou dost impart ; And wing my words, that they may reach The hidden depths of many a heart. 4 O give thine own sweet rest to me, That I may speak with soothing power A word in season, as from thee, To weary ones in needful hour. 5 O fill me with thy fullness, Lord, Until my very heart o'erflow In kindling thought and glowing word, Thy love to tell, thy praise to show. 6 O use me, Lord, use even me, Just as thou wilt, and when, and where ; Until thy blessed face I see, Thy rest, thy joy, thy glory share. Frances R. Havergal. "A Worker's Prayer" is the title which the author gave to this hymn. It is based on Romans xiv. 7: "None of us liveth to himself." It was written April 28, 1872, at Winterdyne, and was first printed that same year as a musical leaflet. Two years later it appeared in her volume titled Under the Surface. It is one of the most useful and popular of Mrs. Havergal's hymns, and fills a place not filled by any other hymn. It gives felicitous expres- sion to a most worthy rspiration of every devout and consecrated soul, seeking a blessing from God which may be and must be passed on to others. "Speak to me that I may speak to others, strengthen me that I may strengthen others, teach me that I may teach others, give me rest that 1 may know how to give rest to others, fill me that I may fill others." This is in- deed an ideal "worker's prayer" in that it is pervaded with the spirit of Christian altruism. It seeks sanctification, not for selfish enjoyment, but for service. This "worker's prayer" was richly answered in the author's own beautifully consecrated and useful life. A competent and judicious critic, writ' ing in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, says: By her distinct individuality Miss Havergal carved out a niche which she alone could fill. Simply and sweetly she sang the love of God and his way of salvation. To this end and for this object her whole life and all her powers were consecrated. She lives and speaks in every line of her poetry. Her poems are permeated with the fragrance of her passionate love of Jesus. The burden of her writings is a free and full salvation, through the Redeemer's merits, for every sin- ner who will receive it, and her life was de- voted to the proclamation of this truth by personal labors, literary efforts, and earnest interest in foreign missions. 411 L. M. 0 MASTER, let me walk with thee In lowly paths of service free ; Tell me thy secret ; help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care. 2 Help me the slow of heart to move By some clear, winning word of love ; Teach me the wayward feet to stay, And guide them in the homeward way. 218 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 Teach mo thy patience; still with thee In closer, dearer company. In work that keeps faith sweet and strong, In trust that triumphs over wrong. 4 In hope that sends a shining ray Far down the future's broadening way ; In peace that only thou canst give, With thee, O Master, let me live. Washington Gladden. In a note dated June 15, 1907, the au- thor says: This hymn was written in 1S79 for a mag- azine, Sunday Afternoon, which I was then editing. There were three eight-lined stan- zas. Dr. Charles II. Richards found the poem, which was not intended for a hymn, and made a hymn of it by omitting the second stanza, which was not suitable for devotion- al purposes. It was first published in its new form in Songs of Christian Praise, 1880. If not written for a hymn, it has the true hym- nic spirit, and ought to be widely used. The omitted stanza reads as follows: O Master, let me walk with thee Before the taunting Pharisee ; Help me to bear the sting of spite, The hate of men who hide thy light, The sore distrust of souls sincere Who cannot read thy judgments clear, The dullness of the multitude Who dimly guess that thou art good. 412 7s OFT in danger, oft in wroe, Onward, Christians, onward go : Fight the fight, maintain the strife Strengthened with the bread of life. 2 Let your drooping hearts be glad : March in heavenly armor clad: Fight, nor think the battle long, Victory soon shall tune your song. 3 Let not sorrow dim your eye, Soon shall every tear be dry ; Let not fears your course impede, Great your strength, if great your need. 4 Onward then in battle move, More than conquerors ye shall prove ; Though opposed by many a foe, Christian soldiers, onward go. H. Kirke White, Frances S. Colquhoun. This hymn has a curious history. Kirke White died October 19, 1806, in the twen- ty-second year of his age, while he was a student at St. John's College in the Uni- versity of Cambridge, but not until he had given evidence of possessing rare gifts as a poet. (See No. 124.) After his death there was found on the back of one of his mathematical papers the following unfin- ished poem, a mere poetic fragment. ''The Christian Soldier encouraged.'" 1 Tim. vi. 12. H. K. AVhite. Much in sorrow, oft in woe, Onward, Christians, onward go, Fight the fight, and worn with strife, Steep with tears the bread of life. Onward, Christians, onward go, Join the war, and face the foe : Faint not — much doth yet remain, Dreary is the long campaign. Shrink not, Christian — will ye yield? Will ye quit the painful field? W. B. Collyer added six lines to these three and a half stanzas, thereby making a hymn of four stanzas, which he pub- lished in his Hymns Partly Collected and Partly Original. 1812. The following are the lines added: Fight till all the conflict's o'er, Nor your foemen rally more. But when loud the trumpet blown Speaks their forces overthrown, Christ, your Captain, shall bestow Crowns to grace the conqueror's brow. In 1827 Mrs. Bethia Fuller-Maitland published a volume titled Hymns for Pri- vate Devotion, and in it the above verses written by White were republished with additions by her own daughter, Frances Sara, then only fourteen years old, these last taking the place of the six lines writ- ten by Collyer. Frances Fuller- Maitland's lines were as follows: Will ye flee in danger's hour? Know ye not your Captain's power? 4 Let your drooping hearts be glad ; March in heavenly armor clad : Fight, nor think the battle long. Victory soon shall tune your song. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 219 5 Let not sorrow dim your eye, Soon shall every tear be dry ; Let not fears your course impede, Great your strength, if great your need. 6 Onward then to battle move, More than conquerors ye shall prove ; Though opposed by many a foe, Christian soldiers, onward go. The hymn as thus written, partly by White and partly by Frances Fuller-Mait- land, was next published by Edward Bick- ersteth in 1833 in his Christian Psalmody, with certain alterations of his own in the first stanza, which he made to read as follows: Oft in sorrow, oft in woe, Onward, Christians, onward go ; Fight the fight, maintain the strife, Strengthened with the bread of life. Another version of the same text was given in W. J. Hall's Mitre Hymn Boole, 1836, the opening lines of which are: Oft in danger, oft in woe, Onward, Christians, onward go. Perhaps no hymn in this entire collec- tion has had so many different hands to take a part in the writing of it as this hymn. We are indebted to Julian's Dic- tionary for the explanation here given of the development of this hymn, only a few lines of which, in its present form, were written by White. 413 S. M. STAND, soldier of the cross, Thy high allegiance claim, And vow to hold the world but loss For thy Redeemer's name. 2 Arise, and be baptized, And wash thy sins away ; Thy league with God be solemnized, Thy faith avouched to-day. 3 No more thine own, but Christ's ; With all the saints of old, Apostles, seers, evangelists, And martyr throngs enrolled. 4 In God's whole armor strong, Front hell's embattled powers : The warfare may be sharp and long, The victory must be ours. 5 O bright the conqueror's crown, The song of triumph sweet, When faith casts every trophy down At our great Captain's feet. Edward H. Bickersteth. This hymn for adult baptism was writ- ten by the author for his Hymnal Compan- ion to the Book, of Common Prayer. The scriptural basis of the hymn is Acts xxii. 16: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Bishop Bickersteth wrote verse two, line three: Thy faith and hove be realized. The third stanza of the original has been omitted. It is perhaps not quite suitable for our use: Our heavenly country now, Our Lord and Master, thine, Receive imprinted on thy brow His passion's awful sign. In the Sunday Service, adopted in 1784, the sign of the cross was required in the baptism of children, but it was not long retained. 414 c. m. d; THE toil of brain, or heart, or hand, Is man's appointed lot ; He who God's call can understand Will work and murmur not. Toil is no thorny crown of pain, Bound round man's brow for sin ; True souls, from it, all strength may gain, High manliness may win. 2 O God ! who workest hitherto, Working in all we see, Fain would we be, and bear, and do, As best it pleaseth thee. Where'er thou sendest we will go, Nor any question ask, And what thou biddest we will do, Whatever be the task. 3 Our skill of hand, and strength of limb, Are not our own, but thine ; We link them to the work of Him Who made all life divine ! Our brother-friend, thy holy Son, Shared all our lot and strife ; And nobly will our work be done, If molded by his life. Thomas W. Freckelton. 220 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. A useful hymn on "Christian Service"1 which was taken from Horder's Congre- gational Hymns, 1884. In no department of hymnology and Christian worship has there been in recent times a more notable enrichment and enlargement than in the many new hymns written on Christian service and on taking the Christian spirit into one's daily labors. This is one of the best of these songs for Christian toilers. 415 L. M. 61. FAITH of our fathers ! living still In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword : O how our hearts beat high with joy AVhene'er we hear that glorious word ! Faith of our fathers ! holy faith ! We will be true to thee till death ! 2 Our fathers, chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart and conscience free : How sweet would be their children's fate, If they, like them, could die for thee ! Faith of our fathers ! holy faith ! We will be true to thee till death ! 3 Faith of our fathers ! we will love Both friend and foe in all our strife : And preach thee, too, as love knows how, By kindly words and virtuous life : Faith of our fathers ! holy faith ! We will be true to thee till death ! Frederick W. Faber. From Jesus and Mary; or, Catholic Hymns for Singing and Reading, by Fred- erick W. Faber, 1849. There are four stanzas in the original. These are verses one, two, and four ver- batim. The third stanza is omitted for evident reasons: Faith of our fathers ! Mary's prayers Shall win our country back to thee ; And through the truth that conies from God, England shall then indeed be free. Faith of our Fathers ! Holy Faith ! We will be true to thee till death ! The author of this hymn wTas a Roman Catholic. If the "faith of our fathers" was Catholic, the faith of our forefathers was Protestant. In confirmation of this statement we appeal to the history of the early Church as given in the New Testa- ment. It is a popular hymn, and is widely used by Protestant Churches. The last stanza is especially fine and Christian in spirit. 416 C ML D. THE Son of God goes forth to war, A kindly crown to gain : His blood-red banner streams afar ; Who follows in his train? Who best can drink his cup of woe, Triumphant over pain, Who patient bears his cross below, He follows in his train. 2 The martyr first, whose eagle eye Could pierce beyond the grave, Who saw his Master in the sky, And called on him to save : Like him, with pardon on his tongue, In midst of mortal pain, He prayed for them that did the wrong : Who follows in his train? 3 A glorious band, the chosen few On whom the Spirit came, Twelve valiant saints, their hope the}- knew, And mocked the cross and flame ; They climoed the steep ascent of heaven Through peril, toil, and pain : O God, to us may grace be given To follow in their train. Reginald Heber. This is one of the most popular and useful of the fifty-seven hymns written by Bishop Heber. It was written for St. Stephen's Day, and was first published after the author's death in his posthumous volume titled Hymns Written and Adapt- ed to the Weekly Church Services of the Year, 1827. In the author's manuscript collection in the British Museum the first line reads: "The Son of God is gone to war." In the first line of the third verse, instead of "A glorious band" the author wrote "A noble band;" and in the fourth line of the same verse he wrote "the torch of flame" instead of "the cross and flame." The original contains eight single stanzas. The sixth and seventh, omitted above, are: 6 They met the tyrant's brandished steel, The lion's gory mane, They bowed their necks the stroke to feel : Who follows in their train? HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 221 7 A noble army, men and boys, The matron and the maid, Around the throne of God rejoice, In robes of light arrayed. Dr. Telford has the following note on this hymn: In Mrs. Ewing's Story of a Short Life it is the favorite, hymn in the barracks, where the soldiers call it the "tug of war" hymn. The officer's son, who had been crippled for life by an accident, begs just before his death that the soldiers will sing it again. They go un- der his window, and when in the midst of the verse, "A noble army, men and boys," a hand is seen at the window pulling down the blind. The brave sufferer is gone. The story made the hymn widely popular among children as the "tug of war" hymn. 417 S. M. TEACH me, my God and King, In all things thee to see, And what I do in anything, To do it as for thee. 2 To scorn the senses' sway, While still to thee I tend ; In all I do be thou the way, In all be thou the end. 3 All may of thee partake ; Nothing so small can be But draws, when acted for thy sake, Greatness and worth from thee. 4 If done to obey thy laws, E'en servile labors shine ; Hallowed is toil, if this the cause, The meanest work, divine. 5 Thee, then, my God and King, In all things may I see ; And what I do, in anything, May it be done for thee ! George Herbert. Alt. Author's title: "The Elixir.''' It is from his volume titled The Temple, 1633. The first verse is verbatim from the poem. The last verse is a modification of the first. Verses two and four were written by John Wesley and published in his Collec- tion of Psalms and Hymns, 1778. The third verse was altered by Wesley. We give the original: Teach me, my God and King, In all things Thee to see, And what I do in anything, To do it as for Thee. Not rudely, as a beast, To run into an action ; But still to make Thee prepossest, And give it his perfection. A man that looks on glass, On it may stay his eye ; Or if he pleaseth, through it pass, And then the Heav'n espy. All may of Thee partake : Nothing can be so mean, Which with his tincture (for Thy sake), Will not grow bright and clean. A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine : Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, Makes that and th' action fine. This is the famous stone, That turneth all to gold : For that which God doth touch and own Cannot for less be told. John Wesley possessed a fine taste. By his criticisms he improved some of his brother's hymns. He changed some of Dr. Watts's lines for the better, and in this case he took what was imperfect in form, and by omissions, additions, and changes made it into a useful and beauti- ful hymn. The hymn mender is some- times a very useful man. 418 P. M. m march, we march to victory, With the cross of the Lord before us, With his loving eye looking down from the ' sky, And his holy arm spread o'er us. We come in the might of the Lord of light, A joyful host to meet him : And we put to flight the armies of night, That the sons of the day may greet him. Refrain. We march, we march to victory, With the cross of the Lord before us, With his loving eye looking down from the sky, And his holy arm spread o'er us. 2 Our sword is the Spirit of God on high, Our helmet is his salvation, '2'2'2 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Our banner, the cross of Calvary, Our watchword, the Incarnation. :! And the choir of angels with song awaits Our march to the golden Zion ; For our Captain has broken the brazen gates, And burst the bars of iron. 4 Then onward we march, our arms to prove, With the banner of Christ before us, With his eye of love looking down from above, And his holy arm spread o'er us. Gerard Moultrie. This hymn was first published in the church Times August 19, 1865, where it is titled Processional Hymn before Serv- ice" ("written expressly for use during present troubles"). The stirring tune to which it is set was written especially for it by Joseph Barnby. 0 L19 P- M. NE more day's work for Jesus, One less of life for me ! But heaven is nearer, And Christ is dearer Than yesterday, to me ; His love and light Fill all my soul to-night. Refrain. One more day's work for Jesus, One less of life for me ! One more day's work for Jesus ! How sweet the work has been, To tell the story, To show the glory, Where Christ's flock enter in ! How it did shine In this poor heart of mine ! One more day's wrork for Jesus ! O yes, a weary day ; But heaven shines clearer And rest comes nearer, At each step of the way ; And Christ in all, Before his face I fall. O blessed work for Jesus ! O rest at Jesus' feet ! There toil seems pleasure, My wants are treasure, And pain for him is sweet. Lord, if I may, I'll serve another day ! Anna B. Warner. Title: "The Song of a Tired Servant." There are two omitted stanzas, the sec- ond and fourth, that are equal, if not su- perior, to those given: 2 One more day's work for Jesus : How glorious is my King! 'Tis joy, not duty, To speak his beauty; My soul mounts on the wing At the mere thought How Christ her life hath bought. 4 One more day's wrork for Jesus : In hope, in faith, in prayer, His word I've spoken — His bread I've broken, To souls faint with despair ; And bade them flee To him who hath saved me. The "tired servant" alluded to in the title was the Rev. Benjamin M. Adams, who, in a letter written at the close of a laborious day, spoke of physical weariness and of abounding spiritual joy. From Wayfaring Hymns Original and Translated, by Anna Warner. Preface date, 1869. 420 Us, 10s. TRUE-HEARTED, whole-hearted, faithful and loyal, King of our lives, by thy grace we will be; Under the standard exalted and royal, Strong in thy strength we will battle for thee. Refrain. Peal out the watchword ! silence it never ! Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free ; Peal out the watchword ! loyal forever ! King of our lives, by thy grace we will be. 2 True-hearted, whole-hearted, fullest alle- giance Yielding henceforth to our glorious King ; Valiant endeavor and loving obedience. Freely and joyously now would we bring. 3 True-hearted, whole-hearted, Saviour all- glorious ! Take thy great power and reign there alone, Over our wills and affections victorious, Freely surrendered and wholly thine own. Frances R. Haver gal. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 223 An inspiring hymn on "Faithfulness to the Saviour." It was first published in the author's Loyal Responses, 1878. It is one of the most popular and effective hymns in the entire Hymnal for use in college chapel and Sunday school services. It is a poetic call to courage and to fidelity to Christ which abides in the head and heart and conscience of every young per- son who sings these words. 421 S. M. REJOICE, ye pure in heart ! Rejoice, give thanks and sing ! Your glorious banner wave on high, The cross of Christ your King ! Refrain. Rejoice, rejoice, Rejoice, give thanks and sing. 2 Bright youth, and snow-crowned age, Strong men and maidens meek : Raise high your free, exulting song ! God's wondrous praises speak ! 3 With all the angel choirs, With all the saints of earth, Pour out the strains of joy and bliss, True rapture, noblest mirth ! 4 Your clear hosannas raise, And alleluias loud ! Whilst answering echoes upward float, Like wreaths of incense cloud. 5 Yes, on through life's long path ! Still chanting as ye go ; From youth to age, by night and day, In gladness and in woe. 6 Still lift your standard high ! Still march in firm array ! As warriors through the darkness toil, Till dawns the golden day ! 7 At last the march shall end ; The wearied ones shall rest ; The pilgrims find their Father's house, Jerusalem the blest. 8 Then on, ye pure in heart ! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing ! Your glorious banner wave on high, The cross of Christ your King ! Edivard H. Plumptre. A processional hymn written in May, 1865, for a choir festival in Peterborough Cathedral. Published in Lazarus, and Other Poems, the same year. The au- thorized text is found in Hymns Ancient and Modern — ten stanzas and a doxology. The author wrote in the last stanza: "Your festal banner." Otherwise than this it has not been altered, but the re- frain has been added. 422 w 7s, 6s. D. ORK, for the night is coming, Work through the morning hours ; Work, while the dew is sparkling, Work 'mid springing flowers ; Work when the day grows brighter, Work in the glowing sun ; Work, for the night is coming, When man's work is done. 2 Work, for the night is coming, Work through the sunny noon ; Fill brightest hours with labor, Rest comes sure and soon. Give every flying minute Something to keep in store : Work, for the night is coming, When man works no more. 3 Work, for the night is coming, Under the sunset skies ; While their bright tints are glowing, Work, for daylight flies. Work till the last beam fadeth, Fadeth to shine no more ; Work while the night is darkening, When man's work is o'er. Annie L. Coghill. This hymn was written in 1854 while the author was residing in Canada, and was first published in a Canadian news- paper. It was first used as a song in Ira D. Sankey's Sacred Songs and Solos about 1870, but the name of the author was not given. It was attributed in many publica- tions to Sidney Dyer, growing out of the fact that he wrote a hymn on the same subject about the same time that this hymn appeared in print. The author's hymns and poems were collected in 1859 and published in a volume titled Leaves from the Backwoods, this hymn being found in that volume; and it is also re- published in her volume titled Oak and Maple, 1890. This is the most popular of L'lM ANNOTATED HYMNAL. all the hymns written on the memorable words of Jesus found in John ix. 4: '"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." In most Church hymnals this hymn continues to be pub- lished under the author's maiden name (Annie L. Walker), notwithstanding the fact that she was married in 1884 to Mr. Harry Coghill. 423 L- M. WHERE cross the crowded ways of life, Where sound the cries of race and clan, Above the noise of selfish strife, We hear thy voice, O Son of man ! 2 In haunts of wretchedness and need, On shadowed thresholds dark with fears, From paths where hide the lures of greed, We catch the vision of thy tears. 3 From tender childhood's helplessness, From woman's grief, man's burdened toil, From famished souls, from sorrow's stress, Thy heart has never known recoil. 4 The cup of water given for thee Still holds the freshness of thy grace ; Yet long these multitudes to see The sweet compassion of thy face. 5 O Master, from the mountain side, Make haste to heal these hearts of pain, Among these restless throngs abide, O tread the city's streets again, G Till sons of men shall learn thy love And follow where thy feet have trod: Till glorious from thy heaven above Shall come the city of our God. F. Mason North. This "Hy m)i for the City" was written in 1903 at the suggestion of Professor Win- chester, of the Hymnal Commission. The great need of the gospel among the masses of our cities has long rested heav- ily upon the heart of Dr. North. This need is voiced in the first part of the hymn; the last part is an earnest prayer to Christ as the only Physician who has sufficient sympathy, skill, and ability "to heal these hearts of pain." It was first published in a special num- ber of the Christian City. This hymn has been honored with a place in a recent book edited by Henry F. Cope, One Hun- dred Hymns You Ought to Know, New Yorfc, 1906. 424 C. M. 0 FOR a faith that will not shrink, Though pressed by every foe, That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe ! That will net murmur nor complain Beneath the chastening rod, But, in the hour of grief or pain, Will lean upon its God ; A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without ; That when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt ; 4 That bears, unmoved, the world's dread frown, Xor heeds its scornful smile ; That seas of trouble cannot drown, Xor Satan's arts beguile ; 5 A faith that keeps the narrow way Till life's last hour is fled, And with a pure and heavenly ray Lights up a dying bed. •3 Lord, give me such a faith as this, And then, whate'er may come, I'll taste, e'en now, the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home. William H. Bathurst. This excellent hymn on ''The Power of Faith'' is from the author's Psal7ns and Hymns for Puolic and Private Use. 1831. and is based on 1 John v. 4: "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." There are several verbal changes: In verse one, "any earthly" for "poverty or;" verse two, "Will lean" for "Can lean;" verse four, "seas of trouble" for "sin's wild ocean." and "Satan's" for "its soft;" verse five, "hour" for "spark;" verse six, "I'll taste" for "We'll taste." 425 L. M. ESET with snares on every hand, In life's uncertain path I stand: Saviour divine, diffuse thy light, To guide my doubtful footsteps right. B1 HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 221 2 Engage this roving, treacherous heart To fix on Mary's better part, To scorn the trifles of a day, For joys that none can take away. 3 Then let the wildest storms arise ; Let tempests mingle earth and skies ; No fatal shipwreck shall I fear, But all my treasures with me bear. 4 If thou, my Jesus, still be nigh, Cheerful I live, and joyful die ; Secure, when mortal comforts flee, To find ten thousand worlds in thee. Philip Doddridge. Author's title: "Mary's Choice of the Better Part:' Luke x. 42: "Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Unaltered and complete from the au- thor's Hymns Founded on Various Texts m the Holy Scriptures, 1755. A worthy prayer-song; its logic is irre- futable. To be a follower of Christ is in- deed to choose "the better part." 426 C. M. MY span of life will soon be done, The passing moments say ; And lengthening shadows o'er the mead Proclaim the close of day. 2 O that my heart might dwell aloof From all created things, And learn that wisdom from above Whence true contentment springs ! 3 Courage, my soul ! thy bitter cross, In every trial here, Shall bear thee to thy heaven above, But shall not enter there. 4 Courage, my soul, on God rely, Deliverance soon will come : A thousand ways has Providence To bring believers home. Frances M. Cowper. Strangely enough, this beautiful hymn has found a place in only one other collec- tion besides our own. The sentiment in the third verse is rarely ever surpassed in Christian poesy, and the last two lines of the hymn have long since become an oft-quoted and much-admired Christian proverb. It first appeared in Original 15 Poems on Various Occasions. By a Lady. Revised by William Cowper, Esq., of the Inner Temple. 1792. It was titled "The Consolation." In the first line of verse three the author wrote "Bear on" instead of "Courage." The original has five dou- ble stanzas. 427 C. M. 0 UT of the depths to thee I cry, Whose fainting footsteps trod The paths of our humanity, Incarnate Son of God ! 2 Thou Man of grief, who once apart Didst all our sorrows bear — The trembling hand, the fainting heart, The agony, and prayer ! 3 Is this the consecrated dower, Thy chosen ones obtain, To know thy resurrection power Through fellowship of pain? 4 Then, O my soul, in silence wait ; Faint not, O faltering feet ; Press onward to that blest estate, In righteousness complete. 5 Let faith transcend the passing hour, The transient pain and strife, Upraised by an immortal power, The power of endless life. Elizabeth E. Marcy. A strong and worthy prayer-song. It was contributed to the Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1878. 428 M C. M. UST Jesus bear the cross alone, And all the world go free? No, there's a cross for every one, And there's a cross for me. 2 How happy are the saints above, Who once went sorrowing here ! But now thejr taste unmingled love, And joy without a tear. 3 The consecrated cross I'll bear, Till death shall set me free ; And then go home my crown to wear, For there's a crown for me. Thomas Shepherd. Alt. The author wrote the first stanza as follows: 226 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Shall Simon bear- thy cross alone, And other Saints be free? Each Saint of thine shall find his own, And there is one for me. This is found in the author's Penitential Cries, 1692. It is not known who wrote the second and third stanzas of this hymn. The third stanza appeared in The Social and Sabbath Hymn Book. 1849, edited by George N. Allen (who composed the tune called "Maitland"), and some haye in- ferred that he is the author of this clos- ing stanza. 429 VE S. Bl servants of the Lord, Each in his office wait, Observant of his heavenly word, And watchful at his gate. 2 Let all your lamps be bright, And trim the golden flame ; Gird up your loins, as in his sight, For awful is his name. 3 Watch, 'tis your Lord's command : And while we speak he's near ; Mark the first signal of his hand, And ready all appear. 4 O happy servant he In such a posture found ! He shall his Lord with rapture see, And be with honor crowned. Philip Doddridge. 430 10, 10, 10. ]7OR 8 1 res Title: "The Active Christian." founded upon Luke xii. 35-37: It is Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning ; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he com- eth and knocketh. they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. It has not been altered, but one stanza, the last, has been omitted: Christ shall the Banquet spread With his own royal Hand, And raise that fav'rite Servant's Head Amidst th' angelick Band. all the saints, who from their labors st, Who thee by faith before the world con- fesed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed, Hallelujah, Hallelujah ! 2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might ; Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light. 3 O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold. Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old. And win with them the victor's crown of gold. 4 O blest communion, fellowship divine ! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine ; Yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. 5 And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. 6 The golden evening brightens in the west ; Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes thy rest ; Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest. 7 But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day ; The saints triumphant rise in bright array ; The King of glory passes on his way. S From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, Singing to Father. Son, and Holy Ghost, 'Hallelujah, Hallelujah !" William W. How. This hymn was first published in the volume titled Hymn for Saints' Day, and Other Hymns, by a layman (Earl Nel- son), 1864, where it has eleven stanzas, each stanza having "Alleluia" as a re- frain. The author first wrote in the open- ing line "Thy saints," but changed it later to "the saints." The third, fourth, and fifth stanzas, which are here omitted, sometimes appear as a separate hymn, and are as follows: HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 227 3 For the Apostles' glorious company Who, bearing forth the cross o'er land and sea, Shook all the mighty world, we sing to thee. 4 For the Evangelists — by whose pure word Like fourfold stream, the garden of the Lord Is fair and fruitful, be thy Name adored. 5 For Martyrs — who with rapture-kindled eye Saw the bright crown descending from the sky And dying, grasped it, — Thee we glorify. 431 6s, 5S. D. IN the hour of trial, Jesus, plead for me ; Lest by base denial, I depart from thee. When thou see'st me waver, With a look recall, Nor for fear or favor Suffer me to fall. 2 With forbidden pleasures Would this vain world charm ; Or its sordid treasures Spread to work me harm ; Bring to my remembrance Sad Gethsemane, v Or, in darker semblance, Cross-crowned Calvary. 3 Should thy mercy send me Sorrow, toil, and woe ; Or should pain attend me On my path below ; Grant that I may never Fail thy hand to see ; Grant that I may ever Cast my care on thee. 4 When my last hour cometh, Fraught with strife and pain, When my dust returneth To the dust again ; On thy truth relying, Through that mortal strife, Jesus, take me, dying, To eternal life. James Montgomery. Alt. by Frances A. Hutton. This valuable lyric appears in Montgom- ery's Original Hymns, London, 1853, un- der the title, "Prayers on Pilgrimage." It was written in 1834. The title then was: ilIn Trial and Temptation." The author wrote the second line of the first stanza: "Jesus, pray for me." The objection has been made to this line that it is unscriptural. It is not. Christ said (John xvii. 9): "I pray for them." "Plead," however, is probably better for the use of the average worshiper. Montgomery began the second verse: With its witching pleasures. In the third and fourth stanzas the thought is Montgomery's, but it is toned down by the language of Mrs. Hutton. These lines, it seems to me, are not only less vigorous but less poetic than the original. Let the reader compare: 3 If, with sore affliction, Thou in love chastise, Pour thy benediction On the sacrifice ; Then upon Thine altar, Freely offered up, Though the flesh may falter, Faith shall drink the cup. 4 When, in dust and ashes, To the grave I sink, While heaven's glory flashes O'er the shelving brink, On Thy truth relying, Through that mortal strife, Lord, receive me, dying, To eternal life. 432 I, 8, 6. D. COME on, my partners in distress, My comrades through the wilderness, Who still your bodies feel ; Awhile forget your griefs and fears, And look beyond this vale of tears, To that celestial hill. 2 Beyond the bounds of time and space, Look forward to that heavenly place, The saints' secure abode ; On faith's strong eagle pinions rise, And force your passage to the skies, And scale the mount of God. 3 Who suffer with our Master here, We shall before his face appear And by his side sit down ; To patient faith the prize is sure, And all that to the end endure The cross, shall wear the crown. 228 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 Thrice blessfcd, bliss-inspiring hope ! Jt lifts the fainting spirits up, It brings to life the dead: Our conflicts here shall soon be past, Ami you and I asc< nd ;it last, Triumphant with our head. 5 That great mysterious deity We soon with open face shall sec; The beatific sight Shall fill the heavenly courts with praise, And wide diffuse the golden blaze Of everlasting light. Charles Wesley. James Montgomery said of this hymn, which is one of Charles Wesley's finest products, that it not only anticipates the lofty strains of redeemed souls in heaven, but that it "is written almost in the spir- it of the Church triumphant." It first ap- peared in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. In the first stanza the author wrote "the vale" instead of "this vale/' and in the second stanza "happy place" instead of "heavenly place." The third, seventh, and eighth stanzas, omitted above, are: 3 See where the Lamb in glory stands, Encircled with His radiant bands, And join the angelic powers. For all that height of glorious bliss, Our everlasting portion is, And all that heaven is ours. 7 The Father shining on His throne, The glorious co-eternal Son, The Spirit one and seven, Conspire our rapture to complete ; And, lo ! we fall before his feet, And silence heightens heaven. 8 In Hope of that ecstatic pause, Jesus, we now sustain Thy cross, And at Thy footstool fall, 'Till Thou our hidden life reveal, 'Till Thou our ravish'd spirits fill, And God is all in all. 433 L. M. TAKE up thy cross," the Saviour said, "If thou wouldst my disciple be ; Deny thyself, the world forsake, And humbly follow after me." 2 Take up thy cross ; let not its weight Fill thy weak spirit with alarm ; His strength shall bear thy spirit up, And brace thy heart and nerve thine arm. 3 Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame ; Nor let thy foolish pride rebel ; Thy Lord for thee the cross endured, To save thy soul from death and hell. 1 Take up thy cross, and follow Christ; Nor think till death to lay it down ; For only he who bears the cross May hope to wear the glorious crown. Charles W. Everest. Title: "Take Up Thy Cross" This is not so much a hymn as a ser- mon in verse. The text is Matthew xvi. 24: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." From Vision of Death and Other Poems, by C. W. Everest; Hartford, 1845. The hymn has been altered in each stan- za, and the fourth verse, which we here give, has been omitted: Take up thy cross, then, in His strength, And calmly Sin's wild deluge brave : 'Twill guide thee to a better home ; It points to glory o'er the grave. 434 L. M. 0 SOMETIMES the shadows are deep, And rough seems the path to the goal, And sorrows, sometimes how they sweep Like tempests down over the soul. Refrain. O then to the Rock let me fly, To the Rock that is higher than I ; O then to the Rock let me fly, To the Rock that is higher than I. 2 O sometimes how long seems the day, And sometimes how weary my feet ; But toiling in life's dusty way, The Rock's blessed shadow, how sweet ! 3 O near to the Rock let me keep, If blessings or sorrows prevail ; Or climbing the mountain way steep, Or walking the shadowy vale. E. Johnson. The Scripture foundation for this hymn is found in Psalm Ixi. 2: "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Few modern hymns have won their way into the hearts HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 22!) of the people more truly than this songful sigh of the tempest-tossed soul for refuge in "the Rock that is higher than I." Words and tune are well adapted to each other, and the hymn has rare power to comfort sad hearts. We have no facts concerning the origin of this hymn. 135 S. M. COMMIT thou all thy griefs And ways into His hands, To his sure trust and tender care Who earth and heaven commands ; 2 Who points the clouds their course, Whom winds and seas obey, He shall direct thy wandering feet, He shall prepare thy way. 3 Thou on the Lord rely, So, safe, shalt thou go on ; Fix on his work thy steadfast eye, So shall thy work be done. 4 No profit canst thou gain By self-consuming care ; To him commend thy cause ; his ear Attends the softest prayer. 5 Thy everlasting truth, Father, thy ceaseless love, Sees all thy children's wants, and knows What best for each vsll prove. 6 Thou everywhere hast sway, And all things serve thy might ; Thy every act pure blessing is, Thy path unsullied light. Paul Gerhardt. Tr. by John Wesley. This is called Gerhardt's "Hymn of Trust.'" It is from the German, "Befiehl du deine wege." The translation contains sixteen verses. These are the first five and the seventh. It was doubtless writ- ten by him when he was suffering wrong- fully for "the faith which was once deliv- ered unto the saints." Wesley published this translation in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), with the title: "Trust in Providence." Many translations of this hymn have been made, but this is the most popular of them all. Gerhardt was the prince of German hymnists, and this is his finest hymn. It has comforted and inspired many sad hearts. 436 L. M. I SHALL not want : in deserts wild Thou spread'st thy table for thy child ; While grace in streams for thirsting souls Through earth and heaven forever rolls. 2 I shall not want : my darkest night Thy loving smile shall fill with light ; While promises around me bloom, • And cheer me with divine perfume. 3 I shall not want : thy righteousness My soul shall clothe with glorious dress; My blood-washed robe shall be more fair Than garments kings or angels wear. 4 I shall not want : whate'er is good, Of daily bread or angels' food, Shall to my Father's child be sure, So long as earth and heaven endure. Charles F. Deems. This is one of the best of the many hymns based on the twenty-third Psalm. (Compare it with Nos. 104 and 13« ■ It was written in 1872 while the author was pastor of the Church of the Strangers, in New York City. One night after going to bed "he found that the cares of the young Church followed him and depressed him. It seemed to make demands which he could not meet. To comfort himself he began to repeat consoling passages of Scripture. Then occurred to him the twenty-third Psalm. He repeated over and over: "I shall not want." It began to run into stanzas, and he fell asleep upon finishing the fourth. Next morning it was so vivid that he wrote it out. It has ap- peared in many forms, and has been re- published in some English collections of hymns. The most popular and frequently quoted lines the author ever wrote are the fol- lowing: The world is wide In time and tide, And God is guide — Then do not hurry. That man is blest Who does his best, And leaves the rest — ■ Then do not worry. 230 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. ±37 S. M. GIVE to the winds thy fears; Hope, and be undismayed: God bears thy sighs, and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head. 2 Through waxes, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way ; Wait thou his time, so shall this night Soon end in joyous day. 3 Si ill heavy is thy heart? Still sink thy spirits down? Cast oft' the weight, let fear depart, And every care be gone. 4 What though thou rulest not? Yet heaven, and earth, and hell Proclaim, God sitteth on the throne, And ruleth all things well. 5 Leave to his sovereign sway To choose and to command ; So shalt thou, wondering, own his way, How wise, how strong his hand ! 6 Far, far above thy thought His counsel shall appear, When fully he the work hath wrought That caused thy needless fear. Paul Gerhardt. Tr. by John Wesley. Part of the same translation from the German as Hymn No. 435. These are stanzas nine to fourteen, unaltered. Gerhardt was one of the princes of Ger- man hymn-writers, and Wesley an incom- parable translator. Probably no hymn ever written has given more comfort to the afflicted or more courage to the dying. Its usefulness is unquestionable. 438 D iS. A.Y by day the manna fell : O to learn this lesson well ! Still by constant mercy fed, Give me, Lord, my daily bread. 2 "Day by day," the promise reads, Daily strength for daily needs : Cast foreboding fears away ; Take the manna of to-day. 3 Lord ! my times are in thy hand : All my sanguine hopes have planned, To thy wisdom I resign, And would make thy purpose mine. 4 Thou my daily task shalt give : Day by day to thee I live ; So shall added years Fulfill, Not my own, my Father's will. Josiali Conder. This hymn is based upon Exodus xvi. 12-21 and also Luke xi. 3: "Give us day by day our daily bread." This hymn sug- gests the following incident: The pupils of Rabbi Ben Jochai once asked him with regard to the manna sent to the Israelite host in the wilderness: "Why did not the Lord furnish enough manna to Israel for a year all at one time?" "I will answer you with a parable," responded the teacher. "Once there was a king who had a son to whom he gave a yearly allowance, paying him the en- tire sum on a fixed day. It soon happened that the day on which the allowance was due was the only day in the year when the father ever saw his son. So the king changed his plan and gave his son day by day that which sufficed for the day. And now the son visited his father every morning. Thus God dealt with Israel." The author, it seems, from references made by his biographer, had occasion to practice the gospel of daily trust which he here puts into his song: "Never entire- ly out of the embarrassments of pecuniary struggle, the author still maintained a hopeful and trustful spirit." Like most men dependent on literature for a living, he knew wrhat it was to struggle for his daily bread. Happy is such a one if he has trustful faith and piety sufficient either to write or to sing with the heart a hymn so expressive of loving confidence in God as this beautiful hymn is. This hymn first appeared in the au- thor's Congregational Hymn Book in 1836. It was republished a year later in a small volume by him titled "The Choir and the Oratory," where it appeared as the fourth of six metrical paraphrases of different portions of the Lord's Prayer. It is also found in the author's Hymns of Praise. which was prepared for publication just before his death in 1855, but which did not appear until the year following. The last two stanzas of the original, omitted in our Hymnal, are: HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 231 5 Fond ambition, whisper not ; Happy is my humble lot, Anxious, busy cares, away : I'm provided for to-day. 6 Oh, to live exempt from care By the energy of prayer : Strong in faith, with mind subdued, Yet elate with gratitude ! 439 L. M. and LORD, how secure, and blest are they Who feel the joys of pardoned sin ! Should storms of wrath shake earth sea, Their minds have heaven and peace with- in. 2 The day glides sweetly o'er their heads, Made up of innocence and love ; And soft and silent as the shades, Their nightly minutes gently move. 3 Quick as their thoughts their joys come on, But fly not half so swift away : Their souls are ever bright as noon, And calm as summer evenings be. 4 How oft they look to the heavenly hills, Where groves of living pleasure grow ; And longing hopes, and cheerful smiles, Sit undisturbed upon their brow ! 5 They scorn to seek earth's golden toys, But spend the day, and share the night, In numbering o'er the richer joys That Heaven prepares for their delight. Isaac Watts. Author's title: "The Pleasures of a Good Conscience." In the first line of the fifth stanza Watts wrote: "They scorn to seek out golden toys." The following additional stanza is not necessary to the hymn: 6 While wretched we, like worms and moles, Lie groveling in the dust below, Almighty grace renew our souls, And we'll aspire to glory too. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II., 1707. 440 W L. M. HEN I can read my title clear To mansions in the skies, I bid farewell to every fear, And wipe my weeping eyes. 2 Should earth against my soul engage, And fiery darts be hurled, Then I can smile at Satan's rage, And face a frowning world. 3 Let cares like a wild deluge come, And storms of sorrow fall, May I but safely reach my home, My God, my heaven, my all : 4 There I shall bathe my weary soul In seas of heavenly rest, And not a wave of trouble roll Across my peaceful breast. Isaac Watts. "The Hopes of Heaven Our Support Un- der Trials on Earth'9 is the title of this in the author's Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book II., 1707. The author wrote in verse two, line two, "hellish darts" in- stead of "fiery darts." This precious lyric is loved and venerated wherever the Eng- lish language is known. Cowper in his poem titled "Truth" com- pares the lot of the infidel Voltaire with that of a poor and believing cottager who Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true — ■ A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew : And in that charter reads, with sparkling eyes, Her title to a treasure in the skies. It is possible for the popularity of a hymn to lead to an excessive use of it, and this very popularity and over-use to result in and be followed by an undue de- preciation and nonuse of it in a later gen- eration. This hymn is greatly admired in our day as in other days, but it is now very rarely used in public worship. 441 C. M. I'M not ashamed to own my Lord, Or to defend his cause ; Maintain the honor of his word, The glory of his cross. 2 Jesus, my God ! I know his name ; His name is all my trust ; Nor will he put my soul to shame, Nor let my hope be lost. 3 Firm as his throne his promise stands, And he can well secure What I've committed to his hands, Till the decisive hour. 232 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 Then will he own my worthless name Before his Father's face, And in tin- New Jerusalem Appoint my soul a place. Isaac Watts. Title: "Not Ashamed of the Gospel:' It is based on 2 Timothy i. 12: 1 am not ashamed ; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. A wholesome and useful lyric, as much needed now as in other days. It is unal- tered and entire from Hymns and Spir- itual Songs. Book I., 1707. 442 C. M. OIT is hard to work for God, To rise and take his part Upon this battlefield of earth, And not sometimes lose heart ! 2 He hides himself so wondrously, As though there were no God ; He is least seen when all the powers Of ill are most abroad ; 3 Or he deserts us in the hour The fight is all but lost; And seems to leave us to ourselves Just when we need him most. 4 It is not so, but so it looks ; And we lose courage then ; And doubts will come if God hath kept His promises to men. 5 But right is right, since God is God ; And right the day must win ; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin ! Frederick W. Faber. ''The Right Must Win" is- the title of this lyric in the author's Hymns. 1862. The original contains eighteen stanzas, of which we have above the first, second, third, sixth, and eighteenth. The hymn beginning, "Workman of God! O lose not heart" (No. 392), is taken from the same poem. If the first stanza of the above hymn seems to strike a minor note and be unduly pessimistic, it is only that it may by contrast bring out all the more clearly and strongly the major note of triumphant optimism which is sounded in the last stanza. 443 L. M. JESUS, and shall it ever be, A mortal man ashamed of thee? Ashamed of thee, whom angels praise, Whose glories shine through endless days? _ Ashamed of Jesus! sooner far Let evening blush to own a star ; He sheds the beams of light divine O'er this benighted soul of mine. 3 Ashamed of Jesus ! just as soon Let midnight be ashamed of noon ; 'Tis midnight with my soul till he, Bright Morning-Star, bid darkness flee. 4 Ashamed of Jesus ! that dear friend On whom my hopes of heaven depend ! No ; when I blush, be this my shame, That I no more revere his name. 5 Ashamed of Jesus ! yes, I may, When I've no guilt to wash away ; Xo tear to wipe, no good to crave, No fears to quell, no soul to save. 6 Till then, nor is my boasting vain, Till then I boast a Saviour slain ; And O, may this my glory be, That Christ is not ashamed of me ! Joseph Grigg. Alt. by Benjamin Francis. '■Ashamed of Me" was the author's ti- tle when it first appeared in 1765. In the Gospel Magazine for April, 177-4, it was given with omissions and alterations un- der the title, "Shame of Jesus Conquer' d by Love." In the first edition of Dr. Rip- pon's Selection of Hymns, 1787, it is given with the appropriate heading: "Not ashamed of Christ." The merits of the piece belong largely to the original author, who composed it, it is said, when only ten years of age. Original. Ashamed of Me. Mark viii. 38. 1 Jesus ! and shall it ever be ! A mortal Man asham'd of Thee? Scorn'd be the Thought by Rich and Poor ; O may I scorn it more and more ! 2 Asham'd of Jesus ! sooner far Let Ev'ning blush to own a Star. Asham'd of Jesus ! just as soon Let Midnight blush to think of Xoon. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 23:3 3 'Tis Evening with my Soul till He, That Morning-Star, bids Darkness flee ; He sheds the Beam of Noon divine O'er all this Midnight Soul of mine. 4 Asham'd of Jesus ! shall yon Field Blush when it thinks who bids it yield? Yet blush I must, while I adore, I blush to think I yield no more. 5 Asham'd of Jesus ! of that Friend, On whom, for Heaven, my Hopes depend It must not be — be this my Shame, That I no more revere His Name. 6 Asham'd of Jesus ! yes, I may, When I've no Crimes to wash away ; No Tear to wipe, no Joy to crave, No Fears to quell, no Soul to save. 7 'Till then (nor is the Boasting vain), 'Till then, I boast a Saviour slain : And O may this my Portion be, That Saviour not asham'd of me ! 444 L. M. M Y hope, my all, my Saviour thou, To thee, lo, now my soul I bow ! I feel the bliss thy wounds impart, I find thee, Saviour, in my heart. 2 Be thou my strength, be thou my way ; Protect me through my life's short day : In all my acts may wisdom guide, And keep me, Saviour, near thy side. 3 In fierce temptation's darkest hour, Save me from sin and Satan's power ; Tear every idol from thy throne, And reign, my Saviour, reign alone. 4 My suffering time shall soon be o'er; Then shall I sigh and weep no more ; My ransomed soul shall soar away, To sing thy praise in endless day. Author Unknown. This hymn has been attributed to Bish- op Thomas Coke, but without sufficient evidence. It was in the Pocket Hymn- Book, published by Coke and Asbury, which was the first hymn book used by American Methodism after it was organ- ized with the episcopal form of govern- ment at the "Christmas Conference" of 1784. Mr. Wesley published a small hym- nal titled the Pocket Hymn-Book in Feb- ruary, 1785 (the preface is dated October 1, 1784). But Robert Spence, a Methodist bookseller of York, had already compiled and published under this title a collection of hymns taken from various authors, and his book had been widely circulated among the Methodists. The Pocket Hymn-Book, which Coke and Asbury pub- lished in 1785, was a reprint of the book published by Spence at York. We owe the discovery of this valuable anonymous hymn, therefore, to Robert Spence. While it has always found favor with American Methodists, the Methodists of England, following the example of Mr. Wesley, have never given it a place in any of their of- ficial hymnals. Verse three, which is omitted above, is: 3 Correct, reprove and comfort me, As I have need my Saviour be ; And if I would from thee depart, Then clasp me, Saviour, to thy heart. Mr. Wesley was grieved at the populari- ty among his people of this York hymn book. He pronounced fourteen of the hymns "very flat and dull," fourteen oth- ers were "prose tagged with rhyme," and nine more were "grievous doggerel." Thus early Methodism, it seems, had the same trouble that is being experienced by- modern Methodism in that the people so often prefer to use inferior and cheap popular collections rather than the more stately, dignified, and noble lyrics found in the regular official hymnals of the Church. If Mr. Wesley counted the above hymn objectionable, what would he have thought of many of the modern religious ditties that are sung in some Sunday schools and popular revival services? But we must also recognize how widely men who are equally good and great differ as to the value — both the literary and the spiritual value — of individual hymns. Nothing could show this more plainly than the fact here brought to light — that a hymn book which Mr. Wesley consid- ered exceedingly objectionable was adopt- ed by Coke and Asbury for use in Ameri- ca in preference to collections which Mr. Wesley had prepared and regarded as much superior. 234 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 44."> 8, 8, 6. D. FEAR not, O little flock, the foe Who madly seeks your overthrow; Dread not his rage and power ; What though your coui'age sometimes faints? His seeming triumph o'er God's saints Lasts but a little hour. _ Pear not, be strong! your cause belongs To him who can avenge your wrongs ; Leave all to him, your Lord : Though hidden yet from mortal eyes, Salvation shall for you arise ; He girdeth on his sword ! 3 As true as God's own promise stands, Not earth nor hell with all their bands Against us shall prevail ; The Lord shall mock them from his throne ; God is with us ; we are his own ; Our victory cannot fail ! 4 Amen, Lord Jesus, grant our prayer ! Great Captain, now thine arm make bare, Thy church with strength defend ; So shall thy saints and martyrs raise A joyful chorus to thy praise, Through ages without end. Gustavus Adolphus, in prose. Jacob Fabricius. Tr. by Catherine Winkicorth. Hymnologists are not agreed as to the author of this hymn, which was the bat- tle song of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. The Dictionary of Hymnology gives it to Johann Michael Altenburg (1584-1640). Date, 1631. But Miss Wink- worth, the translator, in her Christian Singers of Germany, says: This hymn was long attributed to Alten- burg, a pastor of Thuringia. Recent research- es, however, seem to have made it clear that he composed only the chorale, and that the hymn itself was written down roughly by Gus- tavus Adolphus after his victory at Leipsic and reduced to regular verse by his chaplain, Dr. Fabricius, for the use of the army. The date of the battle of Leipsic is Sep- tember 7, 1621. Gustavus sang this hymn with his army before entering the battle of Lutzen, November 6, 1632, where he met a triumphant death. The Rev. Jacob Fabricius, D.D., chaplain of the king, lived from 1593 to 1654. Miss Winkworth's translation is found in Lyra Germanica, first series. This va- ries from that in twelve lines. 44G s m. IF, on a quiet sea, Toward heaven we calmly sail, With grateful hearts, O God, to thee, We'll own the favoring gale. 2 But should the surges rise, And rest delay to come, Blest be the tempest, kind the storm, Which drives us nearer home. 3 Soon shall our doubts and fears All yield to thy control ; Thy tender mercies shall illume The midnight of the soul. 4 Teach us, in every state. To make thy will our own ; And when the joys of sense depart, To live by faith alone. Augustus M. Toplady. Alt. "Weak Believers Encouraged" is the ti- tle of the original poem of eight double stanzas from which this hymn is taken, and which was first published in the Gos- pel Magazine for February, 1772. The above hymn is made up of selections taken from the last part of the second double stanza, the first half of the third, the last half of the fourth, and the last half of the fifth. The verbal alterations are numerous, as will be seen by compar- ing the hymn as it appears above with the language of the original, which is as fol- lows: 1 Fastened within the vail, Hope be your anchor strong; His loving Spirit the sweet gale, That wafts you smooth along. 2 Or should the surges rise, And peace delay to come ; Blest is the sorrow, kind the storm That drives us nearer home. 3 Soon shall our doubts and fears Subside at his control : His loving-kindness shall break through The midnight of the soul. 4 Yet learn in every state, To make his will your own, And when the joys of sense depart, To tcalk by faith alone. ' HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 235 The entire hymn may be found in the author's Works, and also in The Poetical Remains of Toplady, 1860. The original poem begins: "Your harps, ye trembling saints." 447 C. M. w E journey through a Vale of tears, By many a -cloud o'ercast ; And worldly cares and worldly fears Go with us to the last. 2 Not to the last ! Thy word hath said, Could we but read aright, "Poor pilgrim, lift in hope thy head, At eve it shall be light!" 3 Though earthborn shadows now may shroud Thy thorny path awhile, God's blessed word can part each cloud, And bid the sunshine smile. 4 Only believe, in living faith, His love and power divine ; And ere thy sun shall set in death, His light shall round thee shine. 5 When tempest clouds are dark on high, His bow of love and peace Shines sweetly in the vaulted sky, A pledge that storms shall cease. 6 Hold on thy way, with hope unchilled, By faith and not by sight, And thou shalt own his word fulfilled, "At eve it shall be light." Bernard Barton. The author's title was: "Hope for the Mourner^ It is based on Zechariah xiv. 7: "But it shall come to pass, that at even- ing time it shall be light." In verse two, line four, the author wrote: "At eve there shall be light;" and in verse five, line four, "Betokening storms shall cease." These changes were made by Robert A. West for the Methodist Episcopal hymn book of 1849. Prom the author's Household Verses, 1845. 448 7s, 6s. D. GOD is my strong salvation ; What foe have I to fear? In darkness and temptation, My light, my help, is near Though hosts encamp around me, Firm in the fight I stand ; What terror can confound me, With God at my right hand? 2 Place on the Lord reliance; My soul, with courage wait ; His truth be thine affiance, When faint and desolate ; His might thy heart shall strengthen, His love thy joy increase ; Mercy thy days shall lengthen ; The Lord will give thee peace. James Montgomery. This is from the author's Songs of Zion, 1822. It is based on the following verses taken from the twenty-seventh Psalm: The Lord is my light and my salvation ; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stum- bled and fell. Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear : though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. S. M. Y times are in thy hand My God, I wish them there ; My life, my friends, my soul, I leave Entirely to thy care. M 2 My times are in thy hand, Whatever they may be ; Pleasing or painful, dark or bright, As best may seem to thee. 3 My times are in thy hand ; Why should I doubt or fear? My Father's hand will never cause His child a needless tear. 4 My times are in thy hand, Jesus, the crucified ! The hand my cruel sins had pierced Is now my guard and guide. 5 My times are in thy hand ; I'll always trust in thee ; And, after death, at thy right hand I shall forever be. William F. Lloyd. Written upon Psalm times are in thy hand." fifth, has been omitted. xxxi. 15: "My One stanza, the 236 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. o My times are in thy hand : Jesus, my Advocate : Noi shall Thine hand be stretched in vain, For me to supplicate. It lias not been altered. From Thoughts in Rhyme, by W. F. Lloyd, London, 1851. In the same volume we find a brief but comprehensive poem entitled, "Trust in God." It is well worth quoting: Each future scene to God I have, Enough for me to know. He can from every evil save, And every good bestow. This hymn first appeared in the Tract Magazine, March, 1824. 450 C. M. I LITTLE see, I little know, Yet can I fear no ill ; He who hath guided me till now Will be my leader still. 2 No burden yet was on me laid Of trouble or of care, But he my trembling step hath stayed, And given me strength to bear. 3 I know not what beyond may lie, But look, in humble faith, Into a larger life to die, And find new birth in death. 4 He will not leave my soul forlorn ; I still must find him true, Whose mercies have been new each morn And every evening new. 5 Upon his providence I lean, As lean in faith I must ; The lesson of my life hath been A heart of grateful trust. 6 And so my onward way I fare With happy heart and calm, And mingle with my daily care The music of my psalm. Frederick L, Hosmer. "A Psalm of Trust" is the title of this hymn, which was written in 1883 and was first published in the Christian Register, of Boston. It also appeared later in the author's volume titled The Thought of God in Flymns and Poems, first series, 1883, where it has nine stanzas. Tenny- son"s "In Memoriam" called forth by the death of his dearest friend, has in it noth- ing more tender and beautiful concerning departed loved ones than the following verses by Dr. Hosmer, the last two lines being especially beautiful: I cannot think of them as dead Who walk with me no more; Along the path of life I tread They have but gone before : And still their silent ministry Within my heart hath place, As when on earth they walked with me, And met me face to face. Their lives are made forever mine ; What they to me have been Hath left henceforth its seal and sign Engraven deep within : Mine are they by an ownership Nor time nor death can free ; For God hath given to love to keep Its own eternally. 451 M 8s, 4s. Y bark is wafted to the strand By breath divine, And on its helm there rests a hand Other than mine. 2 One who was known in storms to sail I have on board ; Above the roaring of the gale I hear my Lord. 3 Safe to the land ! safe to the land ! The end is this, And then with him go hand in hand, Far into bliss. Henry Alford. Title: "Resignation." It was written in 1862 and printed in Macmillan's Magazine in 1863. Seven stanzas. These are the fourth, fifth, and seventh. To appreciate the faith and trust of this hymn we must have the preceding verses : 1 I know not if or dark or bright Shall be my lot ; If that wherein my hopes delight Be best or not. 2 It may be mine to drag for years Toil's heavy chain, Or day and night my meat be tears On bed of pain. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 237 3 Dear faces may surround my health With smiles and glee, Or I may dwell alone, and mirth Be strange to me. 452 7s, 6s. D. IN heavenly love abiding, Xo change my heart shall fear ; And safe is such confiding, For nothing changes here. The storm may roar without me, My heart may low be laid, But God is round about me, And can I be dismayed? 2 Wherever he may guide me, No want shall turn me back ; My Shepherd is beside me, And nothing can I lack. His wisdom ever waketh, His sight is never dim, He knows the way he taketh, And I will walk with him. 3 Green pastures are before me, Which yet I have not seen ; Bright skies will soon be o'er me, Where darkest clouds have been. My hope I cannot measure, My path to life is free, My Saviour has my treasure, And he will walk with me. Anna L. Waring. This is from the author's Hymns and Meditations, 1850, where it bears the title, "Safety in God" It is based on Psalm xxiii. 4: "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." A faith like that embodied in this beau- tiful hymn makes a heaven of this life and turns earth into a paradise. N 453 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6, 4. O, not despairingly Come I to Thee ; No, not distrustingly Bend I the knee : Sin hath gone over me, Yet is this still my plea, Jesus hath died. 2 Ah ! mine iniquity Crimson hath been, Infinite, infinite Sin upon sin ; Sin of not loving thee, Sin of not trusting thee, Infinite sin. 3 Lord, I confess to thee Sadly my sin ; All I am tell I thee, All I have been : Purge thou my sin away, Wash thou my soul this day ; Lord, make me clean. 4 Faithful and just art thou, Forgiving all ; Loving and kind art thou When poor ones call. Lord, let the cleansing blood, Blood of the Lamb of God, Pass o'er my soul. 5 Then all is peace and light This soul within ; Thus shall I walk with thee, The loved Unseen ; Leaning on thee, my God, Guided along the road, Nothing between. Horatius Bonar. Author's title: ''Confession and Peace." It is unaltered and complete from Hymns of Faith and Hope, by Horatius Bonar, D.D. Third series, 1867. The exceeding sinfulness of sin is well brought out in the second verse and frank- ly confessed in the third. Forgiveness and cleansing are expressed in the fourth stanza, and the happy results in the last. It is one of Dr. Bonar's most successful hymns. 454 7s, 6s. D. SOMETIMES a light surprises The Christian while he sings ; It is the Lord who rises With healing on his wings ; When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining, To cheer it after rain. 2 In holy contemplation, We sweetly then pursue The theme of God's salvation, And find it ever new : Set free from present sorrow, We cheerfully can say, Let the unknown to-morrow Bring with it what it may. 3 It can bring with it nothing But he will bear us through ; Who gives the lilies clothing. Will clothe his people too ; 2: IS A N X OTA T E D HYMNAL. Beneath the spreading heavens No creature but is fed ; And he who feeds the ravens Will give his children bread. 4 Though vine nor fig tree neither Their wonted fruit should bear, Though all the fields should wither, Nor flocks nor herds be there; Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice ; For while in him confiding, I cannot but rejoice. William Cowper. From the Olney Hymns, 1779, where it bears the title, "Joy and Peace in Believ- ing." The third stanza is based on cer- tain familiar verses found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt, vi.), while the fourth stanza is a paraphrase of Habakkuk iii. 17, 18: Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines ; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 455 C. M. w HEN musing sorrow weeps the past, And mourns the present pain, Tis sweet to think of peace at last, And feel that death is gain. 2 'Tis not that murmuring thoughts arise, And dread a Father's will ; 'Tis not that meek submission flies, And would not suffer still : 3 It is that heaven-born faith surveys The path that leads to light, And longs her eagle plumes to raise, And lose herself in sight : 4 It is that hope with ardor glows, To see Him face to face, Whose dying love no language knows Sufficient art to trace. 5 O let me wing my hallowed flight From earthborn woe and care, And soar above these clouds of night, My Saviour's bliss to share ! Gerard T. Noel. This hymn came into the Hymnal from the hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It dates back to 1813 or earlier. Christian hope rings in every stanza of this worthy lyric. 450 L- M. DEEM not that they are blest alone Whose days a peaceful tenor keep ; The anointed Son of God makes known A blessing for the eyes that weep. 2 The light of smiles shall fill again The lids that overflow with tears ; And weary hours of woe and pain Are promises of happier years. 3 There is a day of sunny rest For every dark and troubled night ; And grief may bide an evening guest, But joy shall come with early light. 4 Nor let the good man's trust depart, Though life its common gifts deny, Though with a pierced and broken heart, And spurned of men, he goes to die. 5 For God has marked each sorrowing day, And numbered every secret tear ; And heaven's long age of bliss shall pay For all his children suffer here. William C. Bryant. Copyright, D. Appleton & Co. "Blessed Are They That Mourn" is the title the author gave to this hymn. It was written in 1820 for a collection to be used in a Church in New York City of which Rev. William Ware at that time, and Dr. Bellows later, was pastor. The author changed the third line of the first verse two or three times. The form giv- en above was his last revision. One stan- za, the fourth, is omitted here: And thou who o'er thy friends' low bier, Sheddest the bitter drops like rain, Hope that a brighter, happier sphere Will give him to thy arms again. 457 L- M. OLOVE divine, that stooped to share Our sharpest pang, our bitterest tear ! On thee we cast each earthborn care ; We smile at pain while thou art near. 2 Though long the weary way we tread, And sorrow crown each lingering year, No path we shun, no darkness dread, Our hearts still whispering, Thou art near ! HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 239 3 When drooping pleasure turns to grief, And trembling faith is changed to fear, The murmuring wind, the quivering leaf, Shall softly tell us, Thou art near ! 4 On thee we fling our burdening woe, O Love divine, forever dear ; Content to suffer while we know, Living and dying, thou art near ! Oliver W. Holmes. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. The author's title was "Hymn of Trust," and it justifies its name, for it is full of faith and love. It is unaltered and entire as found in the author's Poems, 1862. 458 8s, 7s. D. JESUS, I my cross have taken, All to leave, and follow thee ; Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou, from hence, my all shalt be : Perish every fond ambition, All I've sought, and hoped, and known ; Yet how rich is my condition, God and heaven are still my own ! 2 Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Saviour, too ; Human hearts and looks deceive me ; Thou art not, like man, untrue ; And, while thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might, Foes may hate, and friends may shun me ; Show thy face, and all is bright. 3 Man may trouble and distress me, 'Twill but drive me to thy breast ; Life with trials hard may press me, Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. O 'tis not in grief to harm me, While thy love is left to me; O 'twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with thee. 4 Haste thee on from grace to glory, Armed by faith, and winged by prayer ; Heaven's eternal day's before thee, God's own hand shall guide thee there. Soon shall close thy earthly mission, Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days, Hope shall change to glad fruition, Faith to sight, and prayer to praise. Henry F. Lyte. This first appeared in a volume titled Sacred Poetry, Edinburgh, 1824, where it bore the title, "Lo! we have left all and followed Thee,'' and had the letter "G" signed to it. In view of this signature, its authorship might have remained un- known but for its appearance in Lyte's Poems Chiefly Religious, 1833. The orig- inal has six double stanzas. The third and fifth stanzas, omitted above, are as follows: 3 Go, then, earthly fame and treasure ; Come disaster, scorn, and pain ; In thy service pain is pleasure ; With thy favor loss is gain. I have called thee, Abba, Father, I have set my heart on thee : Storms may howl, and clouds may gather ; All must work for good to me. 5 Take, my soul, thy full salvation ; Rise o'er sin, and fear, and care ; Joy to find in every station Something still to do or bear. Think what Spirit dwells within thee ; Think what Father's smiles are thine ; Think that Jesus died to win thee : Child of heaven, canst thou repine? In Henry Ward Beecher's sermon on "The Supreme Allegiance" there is an im- pressive reference to the supposed origin of this hymn: Sometimes parents are very worldly-mind- ed. There are hundreds and thousands of people in the world who have just religion enough not to have any at all. They say : "We believe in religion ; but it is a reasonable, rational religion. This is a good world, and God has given the bounties of this world to enjoy. Therefore let us eat and drink and praise God by being happy." And so party after party and dance after dance follow. They want society to be radiant and spar- kling; and for them anything but a religion that disturbs their brilliant, sparkling life. Under such circumstances, a child much loved and beautiful, just at the time when the father and mother have anticipated that she would come out and create a sensation in the social world and walk easily a queen, is vex- atiously convicted and converted. And there comes the trouble. ' If it had not been for that Methodist meeting, if it had not been for that ranting preacher over there, it would pot have happened. Here is the child that was the joy of their hearts and the pride of their life, and that was to form such a splen- did connection, carried away with religious excitement. And all their hopes are crushed. 240 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. The father is in a rage, and the mother is in gfrief, and they will not have it so. The child, with simple modesty, is patient but tenacious, and cures storms in the outer cir- cle by the deep peace which God gives the soul In the closet. She is still loving and more obedient than ever, but she is true to her own inward love. Having tasted the bet- ter portion, she will not give it up. And so great has sometimes been the rage of the father that he has actually driven his child from his door and disinherited her. It was just such a case that gave birth to one of our most touching hymns. I could almost wish that there might be more persons driven out from home under such circumstances. The child of a wealthy man in England, who had all his earthly hopes fixed on her, return- ing from a ball, heard a Methodist meeting going on and went in ; and the recital of what the love of Christ had done for various persons charmed her, and by the blessing of God's Spirit she was converted. And when she made known her faith and purpose, her father cast her off, and she was obliged to go away from home. And from that circum- stance came this hymn. We reproduce this interesting passage from Mr. Beecher's sermon, but we are compelled to follow it by the statement that evidence is lacking that this hymn had such an origin as he describes. In 1818 Lyte, the author, underwent a re- markable spiritual experience, quite suf- ficient to prepare him for writing such a hymn as this. Of course it is possible that some such incident as Mr. Beecher refers to may have occurred, and that Lyte may have heard of it and made it the occasion of writing the hymn. But we have no well-authenticated evidence that such was the case. It is, however, an interesting story, even though it is re- garded by hymnologists as nothing more than one of the many beautiful and popu- lar "hymn-myths" that are ever and anon published in religious periodicals. 459 L. M. 61. LEADER of faithful souls, and Guide Of all that travel to the sky, Come and with us, e'en us, abide, Who would on thee alone rely; On thee alone our spirits stay, While held in life's uneven way. 2 Strangers and pilgrims here below. This earth, we know, is not our place : But hasten through the vale of woe, And, restless to behold thy face, Swift to our heavenly country move, Our everlasting home above. 3 We've no abiding city here, But seek a city out of sight ; Thither our steady course we steer, Aspiring to the plains of light, Jerusalem, the saints' abode, Whose founder is the living God. 4 Patient the appointed race to run, This weary world we cast behind ; From strength to strength we travel on, The new Jerusalem to find : Our labor this, our only aim, To find the new Jerusalem. 5 Through thee, who all our sins hast borne, Freely and graciously forgiven, With songs to Zion we return, Contending for our native heaven ; That palace of our glorious King, "We find it nearer while we sing. 6 Raised by the breath of love divine, We urge our way with strength renewed ; The church of the firstborn to join, We travel to the mount of God ; With joy upon our heads arise, And meet our Saviour in the skies. Chai'les Wesley. Original title: "The Traveler." Two stanzas, the fifth and seventh, have been omitted: 5 Thither in all our thoughts we tend, And still with longing eyes look up, Our hearts and prayers before us send, Our ready scouts of faith and hope, Who bring us news of Sion near, We soon shall see the towers appear. 7 Even now we taste the pleasures there, A cloud of spicy odors comes, Soft wafted by the balmy air, Sweeter than Araby's perfumes; From Sion's top the breezes blow, And cheer us in the vale below. In the last line of the hymn the author wrote "Captain" instead of "Saviour." From Hymns for Those that Seek and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus Christ. London, 1747. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 241 It will make an interesting and profit- able hymn study to compare this hymn carefully with the following hymn by Cardinal Newman, and note how much more confident is Charles Wesley's faith and his prayer for divine guidance than that which characterizes the more popu- lar hymn of the Roman Catholic Cardinal. 460 10, 4, 10, 4, 10, 10. LEAD, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom, Lead thou me on ! The night is dark, and I am far from home ; Lead thou me on ! Keep thou my feet ; I do not ask to see The distant scene ; one step enough for me. 2 I was not ever thus, nor prayed. that thou Shouldst lead me on ; I loved to choose and see my path ; but now Lead thou me on ! I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years ! 3 So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone, And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile ! John H. Neivman. This is a hymn that has a history and that has been helping to make history ever since John B. Dykes, in August, 1865, set it to music in the beautiful tune called "Lux Benigna" wedded to which it has gone forth as an evangel of faith and love into all lands, singing itself into hearts that sigh for divine light and lead- ership in a sin-darkened world. It easily takes rank among the great hymns of the modern Church. The prominence of the author as a Churchman and theologian, first as one of the leaders in what is known as the Oxford Tractarian Move- ment in the Church of England, and later as a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, has added to the intrinsic merits of the hymn and has helped to give it a 16 prominence and popularity in hymnology such as can be attained by few hymns. This hymn was born in a peculiar and exceptional sense out of the author's ex- perience at the time it was written. It was written Sunday, June 16, 1833, while he was traveling for his health. He was lying, sick in mind as well as body, on the deck of a sail vessel that was becalmed for a whole week in the Straits of Boni- facio, in the Mediterranean Sea. He was in wretched health at the time and deep- ly depressed over the disturbed condition of affairs in both Church and State in En- gland; and, feeling deeply that he must do something himself, he was longing for light and guidance. These verses were written as a prayer simply to express the deep yearnings of his own soul and with no thought whatever of their ever being used as a hymn in public worship. They were first published in the British Maga- zine for March, 1834, with the title, "Faith — Heavenly Leadings." and again in 1836 in Lyra Apostolica, with the mot- to, "Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness." In the author's Occa- sional Verses, 1868, it appears with the ti- tle, "The Pillar of the Cloudy Cardinal Newman sets forth at consid- erable length in his remarkable and ex- ceedingly interesting autobiography ti- tled, Apologia pro Vita Sua, published in 1864 (pages 94-100), the series of facts and experiences preceding, accompanying, and following the writing of this now world-famous and historic hymn. The ex- tract is too lengthy to be quoted here. Hymn students have been curious to know whether the author was at the time he wrote this hymn contemplating the great change that later took place in his Church relationship and whether his de- cision to make this change was reached under what he regarded as an answer to the prayer for divine guidance embodied in this hymn. Many have also been inter- ested fo know to whom the "angel faces," "loved long since and lost awhile," re- 242 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. ferred. The first of these questions is an- swered in part by the author as follows: I will say, whatever comes of saying it, for I leave inferences to others, that for years I must have had something of a habirual no- tion, though it was latent and had never led me to distrust my own convictions, that my mind had not found its ultimate rest, and that in some sense or other I was on a jour- ney. During the same passage across the Mediterranean in which I wrote "Lead, Kind- ly Light," I also wrote verses which are found in the Lyra under the head of "Provi- dences," beginning, "When I look back." This was in 1S33 ; and since I have begun this nar- rative I have found a memorandum under the date of September 7, 1S29, in which I speak of myself as "now in my room in Oriel Col- lege, slowly advancing, etc., and led on by God's hand blindly, not knowing whither he is taking me." When questioned in 1S79 by Dr. Green- hill as to the significance of the reference in the last two lines of the hymn, he re- plied as follows: hymns, in their varying power to impress and inspire different individuals. What profoundly appeals to and inspires one man may utterly fail to impress another. Even hymnologists differ greatly in their estimate of both the poetic and the devo- tional value of different hymns. Those who desire to see the effects which high culture may have on hymn-production should compare "Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom," with the hymn on the same subject, "Guide me, O thou great Jeho- vah," by the Welsh writer, W. Williams (probably the only Welsh hymn which has found its way into popular use in English), but which has been largely supplanted by the more poetic hymn of Cardinal Newman. This is to be accounted for by the greater tenderness of the more recent hymn. So writes W. G. Horder in his Hymn Lover. And yet hear what W. T. Stead, author of Hymns That Have Helped, has to say: You flatter me by your question ; but I think it was Keble who, when asked it in his own case, answered that poets were not bound to be critics or to give a sense to what they had written. And though I am not. like him, a poet, at least I may plead that I am not bound to remember my own meaning, whatever it was, at the end of almost fifty years. Anyhow, there must be a statute of limitation for writers of verse or it would be quite tyranny if in an art which is the ex- pression not of truth, but of imagination and sentiment, one were obliged to be ready for examination on the transient states of mind which came upon one when homesick or sea- sick or in any other way sensitive or excited. The widespread popularity of this hymn is ample testimony to the fact that most Christian pilgrims have days of deep depression and heart-longings for light and divine guidance in the path of duty similar to those which called forth this plaintive prayer from the author; and they are glad to use in their own de- votions a prayer-song that so truly ex- presses their own sentiments and long- ings. Nowhere, perhaps, are the mental and spiritual tastes of different individu- als more noticeable than in a study of For those who have been brought up on the Bible, and who have never suffered the I bewilderment of the Agnostic, this famous Welsh hymn in its English dress is worth a I hundred "Lead, Kindly Lights." The last j verse especially has been the comfort of many ! a dying Christian, and it has been sung and is | still being sung around deathbeds, to the ac- j companiment of heart-choking sobs and streaming tears. Here is a hymn that has helped indeed. Thus to one man this hymn represents "the blind groping in the dark, in loneli- ness and helplessness," being far less helpful than Charles Wesley's hymn be- ginning, "Leader of faithful souls" (No. 459), whereas to another it proves to be the very "kindly light" he needs to guide his bewildered mind and heart to the true and perfect Light of life. Thus a Scotch- man writes: My spiritual experience has been varied. I was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church, brought up in the Congregational Independ- ent, and at length I was fascinated by the his- tory, energy-, and enthusiasm of the Wesley- ans. I was at one time a local preacher in that body with a view to entering the regular ministry. But my fervid fit of exaltation was HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 243 choked with the dusty facts of life and smol- dered down into a dry indifference. I sought nourishment in secularism and agnosticism, but found none. I was in the slough of de- spond, at the center of indifference, with the everlasting "no" on my lips, when "Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom," came to my troubled soul like the voice of an- gels. Wandering in the wilderness, "o'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent," New- man's hymn was to me a green oasis, a heal- ing spring, the shadow of a great rock. Through the light and power of God I was led to light and love in Christ in a way I had never before known or experienced. Bishop Bickersteth, feeling, as many others have done, that the hymn lacks a true climax, undertook to supply the need with a verse of his own composition, which he published with the explanation that it "was added by the editor from a sense of need and from a deep conviction that the heart of the belated pilgrim can only find rest in the Light of Light." Bishop Bickersteth's verse is as follows: Meantime, along the narrow, rugged path, Thyself hast trod, Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith, Home to my God, To rest forever after earthly strife In the calm light of everlasting life. 461 us HOW firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in his excellent word ! What more can he say than to you he hath said, To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled? 2 In every condition — in sickness, in health ; In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth ; At home and abroad ; on the land, on the sea — "As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be. 3 Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dis- mayed, For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid ; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. 4 When through the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow ; For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. 5 When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply, The flame shall not hurt thee ; I only de- sign Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to re- fine. 6 E'en down to old age all my people shall prove My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love ; And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne. 7 The soul that on Jesus still leans for re- pose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes ; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake !" R. Keene. Scripture motto, 2 Peter i. 4: "Exceed- ing great and precious promises." A fa- mous and confident hymn. It appeared in Dr. Rippon's Selection,' first edition, 1787, seven stanzas, marked "K ." Slight changes have been made in three lines. The original in verse one, line four, is: You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled. Verse three, line two: /, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid. Verse seven, line one: The soul that on Jesus liath lean'd for repose. The authorship of this hymn was at- tributed to George Keith, a London pub- lisher, about thirty years ago without sufficient warrant — indeed, with no rea- son except that the name begins with K. Other names are found in some hymn books — "Kirkham" and "Kennedy" — but these were only similar guesses. In 1886 Rev. H. L. Hastings, of Boston, while in London looked up the Tune Book used with Rippon's Selection and found !44 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. that this hymn was commonly sung to the tune "Geard," which was composed by R. Keene, at one time a leader of the sing- ing In Dr. Rippon's church. It has long been a custom for compos- ers who write both words and music to put their names to the music only or to put the name to the music and their ini- tials, sometimes reversed or otherwise disguised, to the words. Mr. Hastings still had some doubts as to the authorship, yet he comes to this conclusion: "In view of all the facts, we think we may consider the question set- tled and definitely assign the authorship of the hymn, 'Howr firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,' to R. Keene, a pre- centor in Dr. Rippon's church and the author of the tune 'Geard,' to wThich it was sung." Dr. Julian, in his Dictionary of Hym- nology, reasoning from different premi- ses, comes to the same conclusion. The last line of the hymn is based upon Hebrews xiii. 5, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," which in the Greek is much more emphatic. A footnote to the last line of the hymn as given in Rip- pon's Selection says: "Agreeable to Dr. Doddridge's translation of Hebrews xiii. 5." The reference is to The Family Ex- positor, a famous book in its day, where Doddridge paraphrased the passage in this manner: "I will not. I icill not leave thee. I will never, never, never forsake thee." 463 lls> 10s- COME unto Me, when shadows darkly gath- er, When the sad heart is weary and dis- tressed, Seeking for comfort from your heavenly Father, Come unto me, and I will give you rest. 2 Large are the mansions in thy Father's dwelling, Glad are the homes that sorrows never dim ; Sweet are the harps in holy music swelling, Soft are the tones which raise the heav- enly hymn. 3 There, like an Eden blossoming in glad- ness, Bloom the fair flowers the earth too rudely pressed ; Come unto me, all ye who droop in Badness, Come unto me, and I will give you rest. Catherine H. E sling. This hymn, which was written by Miss Catherine H. Watterman, of Philadel- phia, the year before her marriage to Mr. George J. Esling, was first published in an annual called The Christian Keepsake. 1839, where it bore the title, "Come Unto Me." It is based on Matthew xi. 28: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I wrill give you rest. ' The original contains nine stanzas, the above being composed of the third, eighth, and ninth stanzas, slightly altered. 463 rs. D. JESUS, Lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly, While the nearer wraters roll, While the tempest still is high ! Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, Till the storm of life be past ; Safe into the haven guide, 0 receive my soul at last ! 2 Other refuge have I none ; Hangs my helpless soul on thee : Leave, ah ! leave me not alone, Still support and comfort me : All my trust on thee is stayed, All my help from thee I bring ; Cover my defenseless head With the shadow of thy wing. 3 Thou, O Christ, art all I want ; More than all in thee I find ; Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind. Just and holy is thy name, 1 am all unrighteousness ; False and full of sin I am, Thou art full of truth and grace. 4 Plenteous grace with thee is found, Grace to cover all my sin : Let the healing streams abound ; Make and keep me pure within. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 24i Thou of life the fountain art, Freely let me take of thee : Spring thou up within my heart, Rise to all eternity. Charles Wesley. The original title was: "In Tempta- tion." From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740. This is one of the most popular and be- loved hymns in the language. Its only- rival for the very first place is "Rock of Ages," and some critics would place it he- fore that. One stanza, the third, has been omit- ted: 3 Wilt Thcu not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer? Lo ! I sink, I faint, I fall— Lo ! on Thee I cast my care : Reach me out Thy gracious hand ! While I of Thy strength receive, Hoping against hope I stand, Dying, and, behold, I live ! Only one little word has been changed. Wesley wrote in the first stanza: Till the storm of life is past. The change of "is" to "be" is an uncalled- for and unjustifiable refinement. When it first came into general use, editors made many changes in the first lines; but recent compilers have returned to the original as, on the whole, the best form. Hymn Studies, first published in 1884, said: There are several stories concerning the origin of this hymn. One is that a meeting of the Wesley brothers was broken up by a mob. They took refuge in a springhouse. There the author, inspired by gratitude for their providential escape, wrote the hymn with a piece of lead which he hammered into a pencil. Another is that the writer was one day sitting at an open window, when a little bird, pursued by a hawk, flew in and took refuge in the poet's bosom. This incident, it is said, suggested the hymn. Neither of these stories can be verified. They are doubtless pure myths. The original title gives us some light, and the omitted stanza, especially in connection with the first verse, shows that some of the imagery and language of this hymn were borrowed from the story of Pe- ter's attempt to walk on the Sea of Galilee. (Matt. xiv. 28-31.) The author's genius and his rough experience on the Atlantic account for the rest. The mob story continues to be serenely told, but the fact is that the hymn was written in 1739, about the time of the or- ganization of the first little "societies" of Methodists and before the period of mobs. Dr. Duffield, the author of "Stand up, stand up for Jesus," says: One of the most blessed days of my life was when I found, after my harp had hung on the willows, that I could sing again ; that a new song was put into my mouth ; and when, ere I was aware, I was singing "Jesus, Lover of my soul." This hymn was a great favorite with the English Methodist, Hugh Price Hughes, who died suddenly in 1902. He requested that the line, "Thou, O Christ, art all I want," be inscribed on his tomb- stone. Henry Ward Beecher said: 1 would rather have written that hymn of Wesley's, "Jesus, Lover of my soul," than to have the fame of all the kings that ever sat on the earth. It is more glorious. It has more power in it. That hymn will go on sing- ing until the last trump brings forth the an- gel band ; and then, I think, it will mount up on some lip to the very presence of God. 464 7s, 6s. SLOWLY, slowly darkening The evening hours roll on ; And soon behind the cloudland . Will sink my setting sun. 2 Around my path life's mysteries Their deepening shadows throw ; And as I gaze and ponder, They dark and darker grow. 3 But there's a voice above me Which says, "Wait, trust, and pray ; The night will soon be over, And light will come with day." 4 Father ! the light and darkness Are both alike to thee ; Then to thy waiting servant, Alike they both shall be. 24G ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 5 The great unending" future, I cannot pierce its shroud; Yet nothing doubt, nor tremble, God's bow is on the cloud. G To him I yield my spirit ; On him I lay my load ; F< ar (lids with death; beyond it I nothing see but God. 7 Thus moving toward the darkness I calmly wait his call, Now seeing, fearing — nothing ; But hoping, trusting — all ! Samuel Greg. This hymn was written in September, 1868, in the midst of great affliction, and titled, "The Mystery of Life." The origi- nal contains eleven stanzas. It was pub- lished in 1877 in a posthumous volume containing addresses and short poems by the author, which bore the title, A Lay- man's Legacy. This is a hymn of rare power to strengthen faith in hours of darkness and distress. 465 C. M. 61. FATHER, I know that all my life Is portioned out for me ; The changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see ; I ask thee for a, present mind Intent on pleasing thee. 2 I ask thee for a thoughtful love, Through constant watching wise, To meet the glad with joyful smiles, And wipe the weeping eyes ; A heart at leisure from itself, To soothe and sympathize. 3 I would not have the restless will That hurries to and fro, Seeking for some great thing to do, Or secret thing to know ; I would be treated as a child, And guided where I go. 4 Wherever in the world I am, In whatsoe'er estate, I have a fellowship with hearts, To keep and cultivate ; A work of lowly love to do For Him on whom I wait. 5 I ask thee for the daily strength, To none that ask denied, A mind to blend with outward life While keeping at thy side ; Content to fill a little space, If thou be glorified. 6 And if some things I do not ask Among my blessings be, I'd have my spirit filled the more With grateful love to thee ; More careful, not to serve thee much, But please thee perfectly. 7 In service which thy love appoints There are no bonds for me ; My secret heart is taught the truth That makes thy children free : A life of self-renouncing love Is one of liberty. Anna L. Waring. Alt. Title: "My T ivies Are in Thy Hand." (Ps. xxxi. 15.) This is the first poem in the author's Hymns and Meditations. 1850. One verse, the sixth, has been omit- ted. It is so quaint that we quote it here: There are briers besetting every path, That call for patient care ; There is a cross in every lot, And an earnest need for prayer ; But a lowly heart that leans on Thee Is happy anywhere. Bishop Bickersteth in his notes says: This hymn may seem more suitable for private meditation or for being sung around the home altar than for public worship, though there are occasions when it is not out of harmony with the service of the sanctuary. The original is a little irregular, and the alterations consist mostly of a few omissions of syllables from redundant lines. -466 L- M. 61. THOU hidden Source of calm repose, Thou all-sufficient Love divine, My help and refuge from my foes, Secure I am while thou art mine : And lo ! from sin, and grief, and shame, I hide me, Jesus, in thy name. 2 Thy mighty name salvation is, And keeps my happy soul above : Comfort it brings, and power, and peace, And joy, and everlasting love : To me, with thy great name, are given Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 247 3 Jesus, my all in all thou art ; My rest in toil, my ease in pain ; The medicine of my broken heart ; In war my peace ; in loss my gain ; My smile beneath the tyrant's frown ; In shame my glory and my crown : 4 In want my plentiful supply ; In weakness my almighty power ; In bonds my perfect liberty ; My light in Satan's darkest hour ; In grief my joy unspeakable ; My life in death — my all in all. Charles Wesley. Prom Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. Title: "Hymns for Believers. For the Morning.'''' The real theme evidently is "Christ our All in all." The author wrote in the last line "My heaven in hell" in- stead of "my all in all." Concerning this remarkable expression Stevenson has a helpful and suggestive note: The poet's idea in this hymn is to exalt Christ, and he selects various circumstances in life which he gives in striking antithesis to set this forth. Christ is the Christian's rest in toil, his ease in pain, his peace in war, his gain in loss, his liberty in bondage, and last of all comes this marvelous climax — his heav- en in hell ! This, of course, cannot be taken as it is literally expressed ; it is a poet's li- cense with language which requires to be re- ceived in a careful and modified symbolical sense. While the change made in the text re- moves an expression liable to be misun- derstood, it destroys the climax of the hymn. A gentleman of large wealth, who was noted for his spirituality, was asked by a friend how he was enabled to preserve such a frame of mind in the midst of great and multitudinous business trans- actions. He replied: "By making Christ my All in all." After a time he sustained heavy financial losses in a commercial cri- sis, when his friend again asked him how he was enabled to maintain not only his serenity of mind, but even cheerfulness and buoyancy of spirit. He replied: "By finding my all in Christ." This was in- deed a beautiful reply. 467 7s, 6s. D. I KNOW no life divided, O Lord of life, from thee ; In thee is life provided For all mankind and me: I know no death, O Jesus, Because I live in thee ; Thy death it is which frees us From death eternally. 2 I fear no tribulation, Since, whatsoever it be, It makes no separation Between my Lord and me. If thou, my God and teacher, Vouchsafe to be my own, Though poor, I shall be richer Than monarch on his throne. 3 If, while on earth I wander, My heart is light and blest, Ah, what shall I be yonder, In perfect peace and rest? O blessed thought ! in dying We go to meet the Lord, Where there shall be no sighing, A kingdom our reward. Carl J. P. Spitta. Tr. by Richard Massie. Prom the German: "0 Jesu meine Son- ne." The translation — eight stanzas, found in Lyra Domestica, London, 1860 — begins: O blessed Sun whose splendor Dispels the shades of night. This hymn is composed of verses four, five, and six, unchanged. 468 7s. CAST thy burden on the Lord, Only lean upon his word ; Thou shalt soon have cause to bless His eternal faithfulness. 2 Ever in the raging storm Thou shalt see his cheering form, Hear his pledge of coming aid : "It is I, be not afraid." 3 Cast thy burden at his feet ; Linger at his mercy-seat : He will lead thee by the hand Gently to the better land. 4 He will gird thee by his power, In thy weary, fainting hour : Lean, then, loving, on his word ; Cast thy burden on the Lord. Author Unknown. 248 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. This hymn appears in many different forms. Several seem to have had a hand in the making of it as it here appears: John Cennick (1743), Rowland Hill (1783), George Rawson (1853), and cer- tain hymn revisers whose names are un- known. The text here used differs seri- ously from that of both Hill and Raw- son, being a great improvement on each. It is based on Psalm lv. 22, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord," the second stan- za referring to Matthew xiv. 27: "It is I; be not afraid." The Scripture doctrine of burden-bearing, on which this hymn is based, may be stated as follows: The gospel teaches three things concerning burden-bearing: (1) "Every man shall bear his own burden" — that is, every burden that he can bear. (2) "Bear ye one another's burdens" — that is, instead of placing your burden on some one else, try to find those about you whose burdens are greater than yours, and help them bear their burdens. (3) "Cast thy burden on the Lord" — that is, if there be burdens so heavy that we cannot bear them ourselves and no one offers to help us bear them, these we are invited to cast on the Lord, who has promised either to bear them himself or to gird us with his power and help us bear them. It is this last lesson in burden-bearing that is set forth in this sim- ple but very useful hymn. 469 7s. D. LORD of earth, thy forming hand Well this beauteous frame hath planned — Woods that wave, and hills that tower, Ocean rolling in his powex : Yet amidst this scene so fair, Should I cease thy smile to share, What were all its joys to me? Whom have I on earth but thee? 2 Lord of heaven, beyond our sight Shines a world of purer light ; There in love's unclouded reign, Severed friends shall meet again : 0 that world is passing fair ! Yet, if thou wert absent there, What were all its joys to me? Whom have I in heaven but thee? 3 Lord of earth and heaven, my breast Seeks in thee its only rest ; 1 was lost ; thy accents mild Homeward lured thy wandering child : O if once thy smile divine dascd upon my soul to shine, What were earth or heaven to me? Whom have I in each but thee? Robert Grant. Written upon Psalm Ixxiii. 25: "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Twelve lines have been omitted, and changes have been made in two lines. In 1839 Lord Glenelg, brother of the author, collected twelve of his pieces and pub- lished them with the title, Sacred Poems. The first piece is "When gathering clouds around I view;" the second is "Saviour, when in dust to thee." The above hymn is the third. It is not so fa- miliar as the others, but it is equally graceful and valuable. Note especially how the first verse is addressed to the "Lord of earth," the second to the "Lord of heaven," and the third to the "Lord of earth and heaven," with corresponding and appropriate ref- erences in the closing lines of each stan- za. In verse two one of the most pre- cious truths about heaven is brought out in these words: There in love's unclouded reign Severed friends shall meet again. But the highest merit of the hymn consists in the beautiful threefold ex- pression it gives to the thought that it is God's presence and smile that can alone make life happy, whether we be on earth or in heaven. 470 c. m. LORD, it belongs not to my care Whether I die or live ; To love and serve thee is my share, And this thy grace must give. 2 If life be long, I will be glad That I may long obey ; If short, yet why should I be sad To soar to endless day? 3 Christ leads me through no darker rooms Than he went through before; lie that into God's kingdom comes Must enter by this door. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 249 4 Come, Lord, when grace hath made me meet Thy blessed face to sec; For, if thy work on earth be sweet, What will thy glory be? 5 My knowledge of that life is small ; The eye of faith is dim ; But 'tis enough that Christ knows all, And I shall be with him. Richard Baxter. This hymn on "The Covenant and Con- fidence of Faith" the author wrote for himself, but in a note he adds: "This covenant my dear wife, in her former sickness, subscribed with a cheerful spir- it." It is found in his Poetical Frag- ments, 1681. It has, as there published, eight double stanzas. The original has been improved by a few verbal changes. In verse one above, which is the fourth verse of the original, the author wrote: "Xoiv it belongs not to my care." In verse two, line four, he wrote: "That shall have the same pay." It is based on Philippians i. 21: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." It is indeed a beautiful hymn of love, trust, and hope. A generation ago Baxter's Saints' Ev- erlasting Rest was one of the most widely read and popular of religious books. It was written at a time when he was so feeble in body that two men had to sup- port him in the pulpit. The subtitle of his Poetical Fragments is: "Heart Im- ployment with God and Itself; the Con- cordant Discord of a Brokenhearted Heart." The preface is dated: "London, at the Door of Eternity, August 7, 1681." Among his utterances these are worth quoting: Weakness and pain helped me to study how to die. That set me on studying how to live, and that on studying the doctrine from whicn I must fetch my motives and comforts. Be- ginning with necessities, I proceeded by de- grees, and am now going to see that for which I have lived and studied. I have made a psalm of praise in the holy assembly, the chief delightful exercise of my religion and my life, and have helped to bear down all the objections which I heard against church music. These lines by Richard Baxter suggest the following verses by John Bunyan: He that is down need fear no fall, He that is low, no pride ; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his guide. I am content with what I have, Little be it or much ; And, Lord, contentment still I crave, Because thou savest such. Fullness to such a burden is That go on pilgrimage ; Here little, and hereafter bliss, Is best from age to age. 471 S. M. JESUS, my Truth, my Way, My sure, unerring Light, On thee my feeble steps I stay, Which thou wilt guide aright. 2 My Wisdom and my Guide, My Counselor thou art ; O never let me leave thy side, Or from thy paths depart ! 3 I lift mine eyes to thee, Thou gracious, bleeding Lamb, That I may now enlightened be, And never put to shame. 4 Never will I remove Out of thy hands my cause ; But rest in thy redeeming love, And hang upon thy cross. 5 Teach me the happy art In all things to depend On thee ; O never, Lord, depart, But love me to the end ! Charles Wesley. Title: "For Believers." The original contains seven eight-lined stanzas. This hymn is made up of the first two and the first half of the fifth. The only change is a slight transposition in the fourth stanza. Wesley's order was: "I never will remove." Filled with devocion, this hymn is of special value for private and home use. From Charles Wesley's Hymns and Sa- cred Poems, 1749. 250 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 472 C. M. D. I BOW my forehead In the dust, I veil mine eyes for shame, And urge, in trembling self-distrust, A prayer without a claim. No offering of mine own I have, Nor works my faith to prow ; I can but give the gifts He gave, And plead His love for love ! 2 I dimly guess, from blessings known, Of greater out of sight ; And, with the chastened psalmist, own His judgments too are right. And if my heart and flesh are weak To bear an untried pain, The bruised reed he will not break, But strengthen and sustain. 3 I know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise, Assured alone that life and death His mercy underlies. And so beside the silent sea I wait the muffled oar : No harm from him can come to me On ocean or on shore. 4 I know not where his islands lift Their fronded palms in air ; I only know I cannot drift Beyond his love and care. And thou, O Lord, by whom are seen Thy creatures as they be, Forgive me if too close I lean My human heart on thee. John G. Whittier. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin &, Co. "The Eternal Goodness" is the title of the poem of twenty-two stanzas (of four lines each) from which this hymn is taken. The stanzas have been consider- ably transposed in making the above hymn, which is composed of the ninth, eighteenth, fourteenth, seventeenth, six- teenth, nineteenth, twentieth, and twen- ty-second stanzas of the original. Per- haps no lines that Whittier ever wrote are more universally admired than those found in the second half of verse three and the first half of verse four above. Whittier more than any other of all our great poets recognizes always and everywhere the goodness and love of God. His poems abound in the most tender and beautiful references to God's never-failing love for us — a love so wide and free as to make love for him in return and love for our fellow-man to be the crowning at- tribute of the Christian religion. His poems are one loud and long protest against that type of theology and religion, long dominant in New England and else- where, that so obscured the divine good- ness and love as to constitute, not a reve- lation, but a caricature of the true nature of God as the loving Father of all men. The following lines, culled from different poems, are but a few of the many strik- ing and beautiful verses expressive of God's love that are found scattered here and there throughout his writings: "The riddle of the world is understood Only by him who feels that God is good, As only he can feel who makes his love The ladder of his faith, and climbs above On the rounds of his best instincts ; draws no line Between mere human goodness and divine ; But, judging God by what in him is best, With a child's trust leans on a Father's breast." "That more and more a Providence Of love is understood, Making the springs of time and sense Sweet with eternal good ; That death seems but a covered way Which opens into light, Wherein no blinded child can stray Beyond the Father's sight." " 'O child,' he said, 'thou teachest me There is no place where God is not ; That Love will make, where'er it be, A holy spot.' " "O brother man ! fold to thy heart thy broth- er; Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there ; To worship rightly is to love each other, Each smile a hymn, each kindly deed a prayer." "Let me find, in Thy employ, Peace that dearer is than joy; Out of self to love be led, And to heaven acclimated, Until all things sweet and good Seem my natural habitude." Lines like these not only reveal the heart of Whittier, but explain why it is HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 251 that he is coming to be more and more admired and loved by Christian people everywhere. 473 8, 6, 8, 6, 8, 8. I LOOK to Thee in every need, And never look in vain ; I feel thy strong and tender love, And all is well again : The thought of thee is mightier far Than sin and pain and sorrow are. 2 Discouraged in the work of life, Disheartened by its load, Shamed by its failures or its fears, I sink beside the road : But let me only think of thee, And then new heart springs up in me. 3 Thy calmness bends serene above, My restlessness to still ; Around me flows thy quickening life, To nerve my faltering will ; Thy presence fills my solitude ; Thy providence turns all to good. 4 Embosomed deep in thy dear love, Held in thy law, I stand ; Thy hand in all things I behold, And all things in thy hand ; Thou leadest me by unsought ways, And turn'st my mourning into praise. Samuel Longfellow. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Title: "Looking Unto God." It was contributed to Hymns of the Spirit, Bos- ton, 1864, which the author compiled in connection with Rev. Samuel Johnson. It is unaltered and complete. In a letter dated Cambridge, February 11, 1890, Mr. Longfellow said: "My two favorites among my hymns are the ves- per hymn, 'Again as evening's shadow falls,' and one beginning, 'I look to Thee in every need.' " 474 C. M. OUR highest joys succeed our griefs, And peace is born of pain ; Smiles follow bitter, blinding tears, As sunshine follows rain. 2 We gain our rest through weariness, From bitter draw the sweet : Strength comes from weakness, hope from fear, And victory from defeat. 3 We reap where we have sown the seed ; Gain is the fruit of loss; Life springs from death and, at the end, The crown succeeds the cross. Author Unknown. This hymn, which is not contained, so far as is known, in any other Church col- lection, was found by a member of the Commission that compiled this Hymnal in the columns of a religious periodical, where it was published anonymously. When we think of how many good and useful hymns are of unknown authorship, there comes to mind the familiar couplet of Ellen H. Gates: Though they may forget the singer, They will not forget the song. In no other hymn is the idea so strik- ingly brought out as here that pain must often precede peace, that the defeat of to- day may pave the way for the victory of to-morrow, and that life's brightest crowns are often gained only as a result of losses and crosses that are hard to bear. 475 10s. ' LEAD us, O Father, in the paths of peace ; Without thy guiding hand we go astray, And doubts appall, and sorrows still in- crease ; Lead us through Christ, the true and liv- ing Way. 2 Lead us, O Father, in the paths of truth ; Unhelped by thee, in error's maze we grope, While passion stains, and folly dims our youth, And age comes on, uncheered by faith and hope. 3 Lead us, O Father, in the paths of right ; Blindly we stumble when we walk alone, Involved in shadows of a darksome night, Only with thee we journey safely on. 4 Lead us, O Father, to thy heavenly rest, However rough and steep the path may be, Through joy or sorrow, as thou deemest best, Until our lives are perfected in thee. William H. Burleigh. ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Title: "A Prayer for Guidance." Two lines have been changed. The author wrote line three of verse three: Involved in shadows of a moral night. And line two of verse four: However rough and steep the pathway be. From the author's Poems, New York, 1871. 4TG L. M. 61. LEAVE God to order all thy ways, And hope in him whate'er betide ; Thou'lt find him, in the evil days, Thine all-sufficient strength and guide. Who trusts in God's unchanging love Builds on the rock that naught can move ! 2 Only thy restless heart keep still, And wait in cheerful hope, content To take whate'er his gracious will, His all-discerning love hath sent ; Nor doubt our inmost wants are known To him who chose us for his own. 3 He knows when joyful hours are best, He sends them as he sees it meet, When thou hast borne the fiery test, And now art freed from all deceit, He comes to thee all unaware, And makes thee own his loving care. 4 Sing, pray, and swrerve not from his ways ; But do thine own part faithfully. Trust his rich promises of grace, So shall they be fulfilled in thee. God never yet forsook at need The soul that trusted him indeed. Georg Neumark. Tr. by Catherine Winkivorth. The title which the author gave this hymn was: "A Hymn of Consolation." This title is followed by the words: "That God will care for and preserve his own in his own time." It is based on Psalm lv. 2. It was written by the au- thor in grateful acknowledgment of the providential blessing that came to him in a time of great trial, and is therefore in no small degree autobiographical. The circumstances that called it forth are de- scribed by Dr. Telford as follows: Neumark was the son of a clothier in Thu- ringia, and was born in 1621. In the au- tumn of 1G41 he was on his way to matricu- late at the University of Konigsberg, when the party with which he traveled was at- tacked by a band of highwaymen, who robbed him of all he had, save his prayer book and a little money sewed up in his clothes. He could find no employment in Magdeburg, near which city he was robbed, or in three other cities to which he went. In December he came to Kiel, where he found a friend in the chief pastor, a native of Thuringia. Still no employment was to be had. About the end of the month, however, the tutor in the family of a judge fell into disgrace and fled from Kiel. The pastor's recommendation secured the place for Neumark, who expressed his gratitude to God in this hymn, which soon became popular all over Germany. He saved enough to go to Konigsberg, where he ma- triculated as a student of law in June, 1G43. In 1646 he lost all he had by fire. In 1652 he was appointed court poet, librarian, and registrar at Weimar, and in 1656 was made secretary of the Fruit-Bearing Society, a fa- mous literary union. He became blind in 1681, and died that year in Weimar. In the last year of his life Neumark speaks of this hymn : "Which good fortune coming suddenly, and as if fallen from heaven, great- ly rejoiced me, and on that very day I com- posed to the honor of my beloved Lord the here and there well-known hymn, fWer nur den lieben Gott lasst icalten;' and had cer- tainly cause enough to thank the divine com- passion for such unlooked-for grace shown to me." A baker's boy in New Brandenburg used to sing this hymn over his work, and soon the whole town and neighborhood flocked to him to learn "this beautiful new song." The hymn was sung, by his own request, at the funeral of Friedrich Wilhelm I. of Prussia in 17 40. J. S. Bach composed a cantata based on Neumark's own tune. Mendelssohn used it in his St. Paul, "To thee, O Lord, I yield my spirit." 477 L. M. N OT always on the mount may we Rapt in the heavenly vision be ; The shores of thought and feeling know The Spirit's tidal ebb and flow. 2 Lord, it is good abiding here We cry, the heavenly presence near; The vision vanishes, our eyes Are lifted into vacant skies! HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 253 3 Yet hath one such exalted hour, Upon the soul redeeming power, And in its strength through after days We travel our appointed ways ; 4 Till all the lowly vale grows bright, Transfigured in remembered light, And in untiring souls we bear The freshness of the upper air. 5 The mount for vision — but below The paths of daily duty go, And nobler life therein shall own The pattern on the mountain shown. Frederick L. Hosmer. Author's title: "On the Mount." Al- though written in 1882, it was first pub- lished in Unity, Chicago, April 1, 1884. It is based upon the story of the trans- figuration, Matthew xvii. The lesson that the author gives us here in metrical form is wholesome and inspiring. We cannot abide upon the "mount of vision;" there is work for us in the valley. But to see the real Christ once is not only neces- sary, but a lifelong inspiration. 478 8, 8, 6. 0 HOLY Saviour, Friend unseen, Since on thine arm thou bidd'st me lean, Help me, throughout life's changing scene, By faith to cling to thee. 2 What though the world deceitful prove, And earthly friends and hopes remove ; With patient, uncomplaining love, Still would I cling to thee. 3 Though oft I seem to tread alone Life's dreary waste, with thorns o'ergrown, Thy voice of love, in gentlest tone, Still whispers, "Cling to me !" 4 Though faith and hope are often tried, I ask not, need not, aught beside ; So safe, so calm, so satisfied, The soul that clings to thee. Charlotte Elliott. This hymn on ''Clinging to Christ" was written in 1834, shortly after the death of the author's father, and was first pub- lished in the 1834 edition of her Invalid's Hymn Book, where it begins: "Holy Sav- iour, Friend unseen." It is, as a rule, only when one has had experience in suf- fering and sorrow that he realizes the need of "clinging to Christ." This song was learned in suffering. 479 C. M. 0 LOVE ! O Life ! Our faith and sight Thy presence maketh one, As through transfigured clouds of white We trace the noonday sun. 2 So, to our mortal eyes subdued, Flesh-veiled, but not concealed, We know in thee the fatherhood And heart of God revealed. 3 We faintly hear, we dimly see, In differing phrase we pray ; But, dim or clear, we own in thee The Light, the Truth, the Way ! 4 Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord, What may thy service be? — Nor name, nor form, nor ritual word, But simply following thee. 5 Thy litanies, sweet offices Of love and gratitude ; Thy sacramental liturgies, The joy of doing good. John G. Whittier. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Part of a sweet and majestic poem of thirty-eight stanzas, entitled: "Our Mas- ter." It is made up of verses twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, thirty-two, and thirty-four, unaltered. No. 128 in this book is a part of the same grand poem. Whittier once said to the writer of this note that he had not undertaken to write hymns because he was no musician and did not know what was singable. But, taught by intuition, without technical knowledge, he wrote some poems easily set to music, and, without trying, pro- duced some lyrics that will be sung in the Christian Church long after his more ambitious work shall have become neg- lected. 480 C. M. ' WORSHIP thee, most gracious God, And all thy ways adore ; And every day I live, I seem To love thee more and more. !54 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. ■2 When obstacles and trials seem Like prison walls to be, I do the little I can do, And have the rest to thee. 3 I have no cares, O blessed Will, For all my cares are thine; I live In triumph, Lord, for thou Hast made thy triumphs mine. 4 lie always wins who sides with God, To him no chance is lost ; God's will is sweetest to him when It triumphs at his cost. 5 111 that he blesses is our good, And unblest good is ill ; And all is right that seems most wrong, If it be his sweet will. Frederick W. Falter. "The Will of God" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Hymns, published in various editions from 1848 to 1884, and it there begins: "I worship thee, swreet wall of God." The original contains fourteen stanzas, the above be- ing the first, seventh, ninth, thirteenth, and fourteenth. The sweet, flowing rhythm and confiding trust that charac- terize this hymn and so many others that Faber wrote have made him one of the most beloved of modern hymn-writers. 481 !, 8, 8, 6. 0 LOVE that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee ; I give thee back the life I owe, That in thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be. 2 O Light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee ; My heart restores its borrowed ray. That in thy sunshine's blaze its day May brighter, fairer be. 3 O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee ; I trace the rainbow through the rain, And feel the promise is not vain That morn shall tearless be. 4 O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee ; I lay in dust life's glory dead, And from the ground there blossoms red Life that shall endless be. George Matheson. The trust, joy, and glad surrender in this hymn are admirable. Stories of its origin like the following are* circulated in this country: We sing sometimes that hymn of Mathe- son's : "O Love that wilt not let me go." But it is worth while to remember how Ma- theson came to write those beautiful lines. Nay, wre need to know how he came to the i \- perience out of which he could write them. He had loved a woman as only a fine-grain. <1 man can ever love. But when blindness cam- upon him the woman gave him up. Her r< - nouncement broke his heart, but it drove him to the heart of One who icould not let him go. And so he sang of what he had found : "O Love that wilt not let me go." This cannot be true. The author be- came blind at the age of fifteen; he was forty years old when he wrote the hymn. Dr. Matheson's own account of the com- position of this hymn is very interesting, and is as follows: My hymn was composed in the manse of Innellan on the evening of June 6, 1SS2. 1 was at that time alone. It was the day of my sister's marriage, and the rest of the family were staying overnight in Glasgow. Some- thing had happened to me which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression rather of having it dic- tated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself. ILife of George Ma- theson, by D. Macmillan.] 482 ■s. 61. JESUS, Saviour, pilot me Over life's tempestuous sea ; Lmknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treacherous shoal ; Chart and compass came from thee : Jesus, Saviour, pilot me. 2 As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild ; Boisterous wraves obey thy will When thou sayest to them "Be still !' Wondrous Sovereign of the sea, Jesus, Saviour, pilot met. 3 When at last I near the shore, And the fearful breakers roar 'Twixt me and the peaceful rest, Then, while leaning on thy breast, HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 255 May I hear thee say to me, "Fear not, I will pilot thee." Edward Hopper. This beautiful hymn was first published in the Sailor's Magazine, 1871, anony- mously. The original has six stanzas, the above being the first, fifth, and sixth. It was published in the Baptist Praise Book, 1871, and in Dr. C. S. Robinson's collec- tion of Spiritual Songs, 1878, as of un- known authorship. The author was pas- tor of the "Church of the Sea and Land" during the last eighteen years of his life. A great many sailors attended this church. On May 10, 1880, the Seamen's Friend Society held its anniversary in the Broadway Tabernacle, New York City, and Dr. Hopper, the author of this hymn, was requested to write a special hymn for the occasion. Instead of so doing he brought this hymn with him and gave it out, thinking that this was the first use of it in public worship. He afterwards learned, however, that it had already been published in two or more Church hym- nals. This was the first that the public knew of the real authorship of the hymn. For some years before he died (April, 1888) the author suffered with heart dis- ease, and his death was very sudden. He had just finished some lines on "Heaven," and while he still sat upright in his study chair and his pencil still lay on the fresh- written page of the manuscript, he sud- denly heard and answered the voice that said: "Fear not, I will pilot thee." The tune to which it is universally sung is beautifully adapted to the words. The hymn suggests the inspiring lines of an- other poet: Then courage, O ye mariners ; Ye cannot suffer wreck, While up to God your fervent prayers Are rising from the deck. Sail bravely on, O manners, To daylight and to land ; The breath of God is in your sail, Your rudder in his hand ! 483 C. M. M Y God, I love thee, not because I hope for heaven thereby, Nor yet because, if I love not, I must forever die. 2 Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me Upon the cross embrace : For me didst bear the nails, and spear, And manifold disgrace. 3 Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ, Should I not love thee well? Not for the hope of winning heaven, Nor of escaping hell ; 4 Not with the hope of gaining aught, Not seeking a reward ; But as thyself hast loved me, O ever-loving Lord ! 5 So would I love thee, dearest Lord, And in thy praise will sing; Solely because thou art my God, And my eternal King. Francis Xavier (?). Tr. by Edward Caswall. Slightly altered from the translator's text as found in Lyra Catholica, 1849, where it has this heading: "Hymn of St. Francis Xavier. 0 Deus, ego amo Te." The third stanza is omitted from the hymn. It is valuable because it brings out the idea that it was "while we were yet sinners" that Christ died for us. And griefs and torments numberless ; And sweat of agony ; E'en death itself — and all for one Who was thine enemy. Recent investigation has shown that this hymn was not written by Xavier. The authorship is unknown. 484 C. M. 0 THOU, in all thy might so far, In all thy love so near, Beyond the range of sun and star, And yet beside us here, — 2 What heart can comprehend thy name, Or, searching, find thee out, Who art within, a quickening flame, A presence round about? 3 Yet though I know thee but in part, I ask not, Lord, for more : Enough for me to know thou art, To love thee and adore. i2r,:; ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 O sweeter than aught els.- besides. The tender tnj st< ry That like a veil of shadow hides The light I may noi 5 And dearer than all things I know Is childlike faith to me, That makes the darkest way I go An open path to thee. Frederick L. Hosmer. ihThe Mystery of God" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's volume titled The Thought of God, 1885. It was written, however, in 1876, and was first published in the New York Inquirer. Re- plying to a letter inquiring as to what circumstances may have led him to write this and other hymns in this volume, the author says: Aside from occasional hymns, such as were written for church dedications, festivals, etc., my hymns have come to me rather as the expression of devouter moods and a widening experience of life than as the direct reflection of any one event or experience ; and they were written for the most part less with any view to publication than for the satisfaction such expressions gave me at the time. All the more gratifying has it been to me that they have found response in other minds and hearts of different denominational folds. 185 8, 8, 8, 4. FIERCE raged the tempest o'er the deep, Watch did Thine anxious servants keep, But thou wast wrapped in guileless sleep, Calm and still. 2 "Save, Lord, we perish," was their cry, "O save us in our agony !" Thy word above the storm rose high, "Peace, be still." 3 The wild winds hushed, the angry deep Sank, like a little child, to sleep ; The sullen billows ceased to leap, At thy will. 4 So, when our life is clouded o'er, And storm-winds drift us from the shore, Say, lest we sink to rise no more, "Peace, be still." Godfrey Thring. Title: "Stilling the Sea. 37-41.) Date, 1681. (Mark iv This fine lyric reminds us of the Greek hymn of Anatolius, Patriarch of Con- stantinople, who died in 458. The trans- lation is by Dr. John Mason Neale: Fierce was the wild billow, Dark was the night ; Oars labored heavily, Foam glimmered white; Mariners trembled, Peril was nigh : Then said the God of God, "Peace! It is I!" Ridge of the mountain wave, Lower thy crest ! Wail of Euroclydon, Be thou at rest. Peril can none be, Sorrow must fly, Where saith the Light of Light: "Peace ! It is I !" Jesu, Deliverer ! Come thou to me ; Soothe thou my voyaging Over life's sea ! Thou when the storm of death Roars sweeping by, Whisper, O Truth of Truth : "Peace ! It is I !" 486 n> 10> n' 6- STILL will we trust, though earth seem dark and dreary, And the heart faint beneath his chasten- ing rod ; Though rough and steep our pathway, worn and weary, Still will we trust in God ! 2 Our eyes see dimly till by faith anointed, And our blind choosing brings us grief and pain ; Through him alone who hath our way ap- pointed, We find our peace again. 3 Choose for us, God ! nor let our weak pre- fer ring- Cheat our poor souls of good thou hast designed : Choose for us, God ! thy wisdom is unerring, And we are fools and blind. 4 Let us press on, in patient self-denial, Accept the hardship, shrink not from the loss ; Our portion lies beyond the hour of trial, Our crown beyond the cross. William II. Burleigh. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 257 This hymn first appeared in Lyra Sa- cra Americana, 1868. The sentiment of it is such as to call forth from Dr. C. S. Robinson this significant comment: "Sometimes it requires more real piety to be still under commonplace worries, to be patient in prosaic drudgeries than to go straight into battle. A great many Christians are dissatisfied unless they can be set about doing some big thing:' -18 T P- M. WHATE'ER my God ordains is right; His will is ever just ; Howe'er he orders now my cause, I will be still and trust. He is my God ; Though dark my road, He holds me that I shall not fall, Wherefore to him I leave it all. 1 Whate'er my God ordains is right; He never will deceive ; He leads me by the proper path, And so to him I cleave, And take content What he hath sent ; His hand can turn my griefs away, And patiently I wait his day. 3 Whate'er my God ordains is right ; Though I the cup must drink That bitter seems to my faint heart, I will not fear nor shrink ; Tears pass away With dawn of day ; Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart, And pain and sorrow all depart. 4 Whate'er my God ordains is right ; My light, my life is he, Who cannot will me aught but good ; I trust him utterly ; For well I know, In joy or woe, We soon shall see, as sunlight clear, How faithful was our guardian here. 5 Whate'er my God ordains is right ; Here will I take my stand, Though sorrow, need, or death make earth For me a desert land. My Father's care Is round me there, He holds me that I shall not fall ; And so to him I leave it all. Samuel Rodigast. Tr, by Catherine Winkworth. 17 From the German. The translation, six stanzas, is found in Lyra Germanica, Sec- ond Series, 1858, under the title: "The Quiet Hoping Heart.' It has this pref- ace: "Written for the comfort of a sick friend, who set it to music, and on his re- covery frequently caused it to be sung be- fore his house by the school choir." The date of the German hymn is 1675. 488 ' ," and that was the first time I knew my hymn had found a place among the songs of the Church. The hymn is not altered, save that the last two lines of the chorus have been added by another hand. 490 7s, 9s. SAVIOUR, more than life to me, I am clinging, clinging close to thee; Let thy precious blood applied, Keep me ever, ever near thy side. Refrain. Every day, every hour, Let me feel thy cleansing power ; May thy tender love to me Bind me closer, closer, Lord, to thee. 2 Through this changing world below, Lead me gently, gently as I go ; Trusting thee, I cannot stray, I can never, never lose my way. 3 Let me love thee more and more, Till this fleeting, fleeting life is o'er : Till my soul is lost in love, In a brighter, brighter world above. Fanny J. Crosby. This was first published in the author's volume titled Brightest and Best. 1875, where it bears the title. "Jesus. All and in All." In Sankey s Story of the Gospel Hymns, published in 1906, is the following note on this hymn: The tune preceded the words in this in- stance. It was in 1S75 that Mr. Doane sent the tune to Fanny Crosby and requested her to write a hymn entitled: •■Every Day and Hour." Her response in the form of this hymn gave the blind hymn-writer great com- fort and filled her heart with joy. She felt sure that God would bless the hymn to many hearts. Her hope has been most fully ver- ified, for millions have been refreshed and strengthened as they have sung it. At the suggestion of Mr. D. TV. Mc Williams, who was superintendent of Dr. Cuyler's Sunday school for twenty-five years, it was put into Gospel Hymns. While several of the authors most beau- tiful hymns were written at the request of composers to accompany special tunes, HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 259 this was not usually the case. Speaking once of her habits of hymn-writing, she said: "After the hymn is finished and transcribed by some friend, it generally waits for its tune, and steadfastly hopes that it will succeed in making a matrimo- nial alliance and a good one. I have had the advantage, for the most part, of very sympathetic and talented composers." Among the many composers and singers who have enjoyed her friendship and de- lighted to sing her songs and compose tunes for them when requested may be named Ira D. Sankey, W. B. Bradbury, Philip Phillips, Theodore E. Perkins, Rob- ert Lowry, W. H. Doane, W. T. Sherwin, J. R. Sweeney, W. J. Kirkpatrick, Silas Vail, L. H. Biglow, and others. The popu- larity of Fanny Crosby's hymns is due in no small degree to the tunes written by these composers. 491 P. M. JESUS, let thy pitying eye Call back a wandering sheep ; False to thee, like Peter, I Would fain, like Peter, weep. Let me be by grace restored ; On me be all long-suffering shown Turn, and look upon me, Lord, And break my heart of stone. 2 Saviour, Prince, enthroned above, Repentance to impart, Give me, through thy dying love, The humble, contrite heart ; Give what I have long implored, A portion of thy grief unknown ; Turn, and look upon me, Lord, And break my heart of stone. 3 See me, Saviour, from above, Xor suffer me to die ; Life, and happiness, and love Drop from thy gracious eye ; Speak the reconciling word, And let thy mercy melt me down ; Turn, and look upon me, Lord, And break my heart of stone. 4 Look, as when thy languid eye Was closed that we might live ; "Father," at the point to die lly Saviour prayed, "forgive !" Surely, with that dying word, He turns, and looks, and cries: " 'Tia done !" O my bleeding, loving Lord, Thou break'st my heart of stone ! Charles Wesley. Part of one of several hymns, titled "For One Fallen from Grace." The orig- inal has twelve stanzas, of which these are verses one. two, six, and twelve. One word has been changed. In the fourth line of the last stanza Wesley wrote: My Saviour gasped, "forgive." For this improvement we are indebted to the editors of the 1849 edition of the Methodist hymn book. From Hymns and Sacred Poems. By Charles Wesley, 1749. 492 C. Iff. OFOR a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame ; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb ! 2 Where is the blessedness I knew, When first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view Of Jesus and his word? 3 What peaceful hours I once enjoyed ! How sweet their memory still ! But they have left an aching void The world can never fill. 4 Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest ! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from my breast. 5 The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that, idol be, Help me to tear it from thy throne, And worship only thee. 6 So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame ; So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb. William Cowper. As found in the Olney Hymns, 1779, this bears the title "Walking with God" It was first published in Conyers's Collec- tion of Psalms and Hymns, second edi- tion, 1772. It is based on Genesis v. 24: "And Enoch walked with God." 200 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. n the English periodical titled Notes and Queries, for July 30, 1904, some hith- erto unpublished letters of Cowper ap- peared which throw not a little light on three or four of his hymns, this hymn be- ing one of those referred to in those let- ters. It appears that it was written when the author was in deep distress of mind over the serious illness of his dearest friend and companion, Mrs. Mary Unwin. In a letter written on December 10, 1769, Cowper says: When I consider the great meetness to which the Lord has wrought her for the in- heritance in light, her most exemplary pa- tience under the sharpest sufferings, her tru- ly Christian humility and resignation, I am more than ever inclined to believe that her hour has come. Let me engage your prayers for her and for me. You know what I have most need of upon an occasion like this. Pray that I may receive it at His hands from whom every good and perfect gift cometh. She is the chief of blessings I have met with in my journey, since the Lord was pleased to call me, and I hope the influence of her edify- ing and excellent example will never leave me. Her illness has been a sharp trial to me. O that it may have a sanctified effect, that I may rejoice to surrender up to the Lord my dearest comforts the moment he shall require them. O for no will but the will of my Heav- enly Father ! I return you thanks for the verses you sent me, which speak sweetly the language of a Christian soul. I wish I could pay you in kind; but must be contented to pay you in the best kind I can. I began to compose them yesterday morning [December 9, 1769] be- fore daybreak, but fell asleep at the end of the first two lines. "When I awaked again, the third and fourth verses were whispered to my heart in a way which I have often ex- perienced : "O for a closer walk with God, A calm and heavenly frame ; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the lamb." [Here follows the entire hymn as found above.] I am yours, my dear aunt, in the bands of that love which cannot be quenched. W. C. This is certainly an interesting letter, in that it not only gives important informa- tion concerning the hymn under consider- ation, but also because it reveals so beau- tifully the modesty and piety of the poet, who spent so large a part of his life in the shadow of insanity, in which sad state Mrs. Unwin ever proved to be a true and sympathetic friend. "O that the ardor of my first love had continued!" wrote Cowper in one of his melancholy, depressed spiritual moods that followed the ecstatic experience of his early love. It is a curious fact that one who had no real occasion for mourning de- parted joys, at least so far as the contin- uance of the divine love to him was con- cerned, should have written this most ap- propriate and popular of all hymns for a backslidden state. Few hymns have ever gone into the hymn books of all Churches with absolutely no change from the origi- nal, as this has done. 493 S. M. M Y soul, be on thy guard ; Ten thousand foes arise ; The hosts of sin are pressing hard To draw thee from the skies. 2 O watch, and fight, and pray; The battle ne'er give o'er ; Renew it boldly every day, And help divine implore. 3 Ne'er think the victory won, Nor lay thine armor down ; The work of faith will not be done, Till thou obtain the crown. 4 Fight on, my soul, till death Shall bring thee to thy God ; He'll take thee, at thy parting breath, To his divine abode. George Heath. Title: "Fight the Good Fight of Faith." It has been altered in seven lines, and im- proved by the changes. Verse one, line three: An host of sins are pressing hard. Verse three, lines two, three, and four: Nor once at ease sit down. Thij arduous work will not be done, Till thou hast got thy crown. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 261 Verse four, lines two, three, and four: God will the work applaud, Reveal his Love at thy last breath, And take to his abode. From Hymns and Poetic Essays Sacred to the Public and Private Worship of the Deity, and to Religious and Christian Im- provement, by the Rev. George Heath. Bristol, 1781. A most worthy lyric; it is a challenge to watchfulness and perseverance. It will always be needed. Christ said: "I say unto all, Watch." 494 7, 7, 7, 3. CHRISTIAN, seek not yet repose, Cast thy dreams of ease away; Thou art in the midst of foes : Watch and pray. 2 Gird thy heavenly armor on, Wear it ever night and day; Near thee lurks the evil one ; Watch and pray. 3 Hear the victors who o'ercame ; Still they watch each warrior's way; All with one deep voice exclaim, Watch and pray. 4 Hear, above all these, thy Lord, Him thou lovest to obey ; Hide within thy heart his word, Watch and pray. 5 Watch, as if on that alone Hung the issue of the day ; Pray that help may be sent down; Watch and pray. Charlotte Elliott. First published in the author's Morn- ing and Evening Hymns for a Week, 1839, where it is appointed for Wednesday morning. It is based on Matthew xxvi. 41: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." 495 L. M. FROM every stormy wind that blows, From every swelling tide of woes, There is a calm, a sure retreat : 'Tis found beneath the mercy seat. 2 There is a place where Jesus sheds The oil of gladness on our heads ; A place than all besides more sweet : It is the blood-bought mercy seat. 3 There is a scene where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend : Though sundered far, by faith they meet Around one common mercy seat. 4 Ah ! whither could we flee for aid, When tempted, desolate, dismayed; Or how the hosts of hell defeat, Had suffering saints no mercy seat? 5 There, there on eagle wings we soar, And sin and sense molest no more ; And heaven comes down our souls to greet, While glory crowns the mercy seat. Hugh Stowell. A Selection of Psalms and Hymns Suited to the Services of the Church of England, by the Rev. H. Stowell, M.A., Manchester, England, 1831, contained this hymn and a few others by the same writ- er. Changes are found in four lines. Verse two, line four: It is the blood-stained mercy-seat. Verse three, line one: There is a spot where spirits blend. Verse five, lines two and four: And time and sense seem all no more ; And glory crowns the mercy-seat. The last stanza is omitted: 6 Oh ! may my hand forget her skill, My tongue be silent, stiff, and still ; My bounding heart forget to beat, If I forget the mercy-seat. The author's son wrote: "My father's last utterances abundantly showed his love of and delight in prayer. Almost ev- ery word was prayer, couched for the most part in the language of holy Scripture or the Book of Common Prayer, and these prayers were characterized by the deep- est humility and most entire self-distrust." 496 L. M. W HAT various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy seat ! Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, But wishes to be often there? 2 Prayer makes the darkened cloud with- draw ; Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw ; Gives exercise to faith and love ; Brings every blessing from above. 262 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 lit straining prayer, wo cease to fight; Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright; And Satan trembles wrhen he The weakest saint upon his kne< s. 4 Were half the breath that's vainly spent, To heaven in supplication sent, Our cheerful song would oftener be, "Hear what the Lord has done for me." William Cowper. "Exhortation to Prayer" is the title to this in the Olney Hymns. 1779. The fourth and fifth stanzas of the original are omit- ted: 4 While Moses stood with arms spread wide, Success was found on Israel's side ; But when through weariness they failed, That moment Amalek prevailed. 5 Have you no words? Ah! think again: Words flow apace when you complain, And fill your fellow-creature's ear With the sad tale of all your care. Cowper was noted for his power in pub- lic prayer. Said one wrho knew him well: "Of all the men I ever heard pray, no one equaled Mr. Cowper." One who knew the sweetness of closet prayer, as he did, and who was always in his place at the week- night cottage prayer meetings of his pas- tor, as he was, might be expected to have power in public prayer. 497 C. M. PRAYER is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed ; The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. 2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near. 3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try ; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. 4 Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice, Returning from his ways ; While angels in their songs rejoice And cry, "Behold, he prays!" 5 Prayer Is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air, His watchword at the gates of death ; He enters heaven with prayer. 6 O Thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way ; The path of prayer thyself hath trod : Lord, teach us how to pray ! James Montgomery. This fine didactic hymn was written in 1818, at the request of the Rev. E. Bicker- steth, for his Treatise on Prayer^ Two stanzas, the sixth and seventh, have been omitted: 6 In prayer, on earth the saints are one, In word, in deed! and mind ; While with the Father and the Son Sweet fellowship they find. 7 Nor prayer is made by man alone, The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus, on the eternal throne For sinners intercedes. This is Montgomery's masterpiece. He said himself: "The most attractive hymn I ever wrote is that on prayer." The first part is an elaborate description of the na- ture of prayer in its various forms. The last stanza is itself a magnificent prayer which illustrates the whole poem. The authorship of valuable poems is fre- quently claimed by unprincipled or irre- sponsible parties. Some years ago a wom- an claimed this poem on prayer, not know- ing its date. It was published in England before she was born. 498 C. M. I LOVE to steal awhile away From every cumbering care, And spend the hours of setting day In humble, grateful prayer. 2 I love in solitude to shed The penitential tear, And all his promises to plead Where none but God can hear. 3 I love to think on mercies past, And future good implore, And all my cares and sorrows cast On him whom I adore. HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 263 4 I love by faith to take a view Of brighter scenes in heaven ; The prospect doth my strength renew, While here by tempests driven. 5 Thus, when life's toilsome day is o'er, May its departing ray Be calm as this impressive hour, And lead to endless day. Phoebe H. Brown. Few hymns have a more interesting and pathetic history than this "Twilight Hymn." It was not originally written as a hymn. The authoress, beset by the lim- itations of poverty, and having no place or opportunity for retirement in her humble little house, crowded as it was with little children, was accustomed at the twilight hour to retire to a grove near by for reli- gious meditation and prayer. A wealthy lady neighbor, near whose garden this wooded place of retirement was located, and who totally misinterpreted the object of these visits, meeting Mrs. Brown, ac- cused her of having some evil intent in thus daily prowling about her premises at the twilight hour. Stinging under the ac- cusation, Mrs. Brown went home and wrote the following: An Apology for My Twilight Rambles, Addressed to a Lady. (Ellington, August, 1818.) Yes, when the toilsome day is gone, And night with banners gray, Steals silently the glade along In twilight's soft array, I love to steal awhile away From little ones and care, And spend the hours of setting day In gratitude and prayer. I love to feast on Nature's scenes When falls the evening dew, And dwell upon her silent themes, Forever rich and new. I love in solitude to shed The penitential tear, And all God's promises to plead Where none can see or hear. I love to think on mercies past, And future ones implore, And all my cares and sorrows cast On him whom I adore. I love to meditate on death ! When shall his message come, With friendly smiles to steal my breath, And take an exile home? I love by faith to take a view Of blissful scenes in Heaven : The sight doth all my strength renew, While here by storms I'm driven. I love this silent twilight hour Far better than the rest ; It is, of all the twenty-four, The happiest and the best. Thus, when life's toilsome day is o'er, May its departing ray Be calm as this impressive hour, And lead to endless day. The following is Mrs. Brown's own ac- count of the origin of this beautiful and popular hymn: It was in Ellington that I wrote the "Twi- light Hymn." My baby daughter was in my arms when I wrote it. I had been out on a visit to Dr. Hyde's, and several were present. After tea one of my neighbors, who I had ever felt was my superior in every way, came and sat down near me, chatting with anoth- er lady without noticing me. Just as I was rising to go home, she turned suddenly upon me and said : "Mrs. Brown, why do you come up at evening so near our house and then go back without coming in? If you want any- thing, why don't you come in and ask for it? I could not think who it was, and sent my girl down to the garden to see ; and she said it was you — that you came to the fence, but, seeing her, turned quickly away, muttering something to yourself." There was some- thing in her manner, more than her words, that grieved me. I went home, and that evening was left alone. After my children were all in bed except my baby, I sat down in the kitchen with my child in my arms, when the grief of my heart burst forth in a flood of tears. I took pen and paper and gave vent to my oppressed heart in what I called "My Apology for My Twilight Ram- bles, Addressed to a Lady." It will be found in its original form in an old manuscript among my papers. In preparing it (some years after) for Nettleton's Village Hymns (1824), some three or four verses were sup- pressed and a few expressions altered. In the original the first stanza was : "I love to steal awhile away From little ones and care." 2(>4 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. This was strictly true I had four little chil- dren, a small, unfinished house, a sick Bister In the only finished room, and there was not a place, above or below, where I could re- tire for devotion without a liability to be in- terrupted. There was no retired room, rock, or grove where I could go as in former days, but there was no dwelling between our house and the one where that lady lived. Her gar- den extended down a good way below her house, which stood on a beautiful eminence. The garden was highly cultivated, with fruits and flowers. I loved to smell the fragrance of both (though I could not see them), when I could do so without neglecting duty ; and I used to steal away from all within doors, and, going out of our gate, stroll along un- der the elms that were planted for shade on each side of the road. And as there was sel- dom any one passing that way after dark, I felt quite retired and alone with God. I of- ten walked quite up that beautiful garden, and snuffed the fragrance of the peach, the grape, and the ripening apple, if not the flowers. I never saw any one in the garden, and felt that I could have the privilege of that walk and those few moments of uninter- rupted communion with God without en- croaching upon any one; but after once know- ing that my steps were watched and made the subject of remark and censure. I never could enjoy it as I had done. I have often thought Satan had tried his best to prevent me from prayer by depriving me of a place to pray. For this hymn her son wrote the tune called "Monson," and William B. Brad- bury the tune called "Brown." One of these "little ones" became Rev. S. R. Brown, D.D., the first Christian mission- ary from America to Japan. Two of Mrs. Brown's grandchildren are now mission- aries in Japan. 499 c m. TALK with us, Lord, thyself reveal, While here o'er earth we rove ; Speak to our hearts, and let us feel The kindling of thy love. 2 With thee conversing, we forget All time, and toil, and care ; Labor is rest, and pain is sweet, If thou, my God, art here. 3 Here, then, my God, vouchsafe to stay, And bid my heart rejoice ; My bounding heart shall own thy sway, And echo to thy voice. 4 Thou callest me to seek thy fact — 'Tie all I wish to seek : To attend the whispers of thy grace, And hear thee inly speak. 5 Let this my every hour employ, Till I thy glory see ; Enter into my Blaster's joy, And find my heaven in thee. Charles Wesley. A recent writer quaintly and truly says: "He that talks with God will hear something worth while." Author's title: "On a Journey." The first stanza of the original has been omitted: 1 Saviour, who ready art to hear, (Readier than I to pray,) Answer my scarcely uttered prayer, And meet me on the way. Verses one and two were written in the singular number: "Talk with me." etc. In the second stanza the author, per- haps unconsciously, quoted Milton: "With thee conversing, I forget all time," is what Eve says to Adam in Paradise Lost, Book iv., line 639. Prom Hymns and Sacred Poems. 1740. 500 7s. D. SAVIOUR, when, in dust, to thee Low we bend the adoring knee ; When, repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our weeping eyes ; O by all thy pains and woe Suffered once for man below, Bending from thy throne on high, Hear our solemn litany ! 2 By thy helpless infant years ; By thy life of want and tears ; By thy days of sore distress, In the savage wilderness ; By the dread mysterious hour Of the insulting tempter's power; Turn. O turn a favoring eye, Hear our solemn litany ! 3 By the sacred griefs that wept O'er the grave where Lazarus slept; By the boding tears that flowed Over Salem's loved abode ; By the anguished sigh that told Treachery lurked within thy fold ; From thy seat above the sky, Hear our solemn litany ! HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 265 4 By thine hour of dire despair ; By thine agony of prayer ; By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear, and torturing scorn ; By the gloom that veiled the skies O'er the dreadful sacrifice ; Listen to our humble cry, Hear our solemn litany ! 5 By thy deep, expiring groan ; By the sad sepulchral stone ; By the vault whose dark abode Held in vain the rising God ; O from earth to heaven restored, Mighty, reascended Lord, Listen, listen to the cry Of our solemn litany ! Robert Grant. This was first published in the Chris- tian Observer, 1815, where it hears the title "Litany." It also appears among the au- thor's Sacred Poems, 1839, which were col- lected and published by his brother, Lord Glenelg, the year after his death, 1838. This hymn appears in an abridged and al- tered form in No. 280. 501 8, 8, 8, 4. M Y God, is any hour so sweet, From blush of morn to evening star, As that which calls me to thy feet, The hour of prayer? 2 Blest is that tranquil hour of morn, And blest that solemn hour of eve, When, on the wings of prayer upborne, The world I leave. 3 Then is my strength by thee renewed ; Then are my sins by thee forgiven ; Then dost thou cheer my solitude With hopes of heaven. 4 No words can tell what sweet relief Here for my every want I find ; What strength for warfare, balm for grief, What peace of mind. 5 Hushed is each doubt, gone every fear ; My spirit seems in heaven to stay ; And e'en the penitential tear Is wiped away. 6 Lord, till I reach that blissful shore, No privilege so dear shall be, As thus my inmost soul to pour In prayer to thee. Charlotte Elliott. Author's title: "The Hour of Prayer." One verse, the third, has been omitted: 3 For then a Day-spring shines on me, Brighter than morn's ethereal glow ; And richer dews descend from Thee Than earth can know. From Hours of Sorroiv Cheered and Comforted, by Charlotte Elliott, 1836. The author of "Just as I Am" here speaks of her appreciation of secret prayer. It would seem from the second stanza that this writer had two hours of prayer every day, a "tranquil" hour in the morning and a "solemn" hour in the even- ing when she found strength, hope, and comfort in prayer. It is safe and wise for all Christians to have a place and reg- ular times to indulge in and to cultivate communion with God. 502 L- M. PRAYER is appointed to convey The blessings God designs to give : Long as they live should Christians pray ; They learn to pray when first they live. 2 If pain afflict, or wrongs oppress ; If cares distract, or fears dismay ; If guilt deject ; if sin distress ; In every case, still watch and pray. 3 'Tis prayer supports the soul that's weak ; Though thought be broken, language lame, Pray, if thou canst or canst not speak ; But pray with faith in Jesus' name. 4 Depend on him ; thou canst not fail ; Make all thy wants and wishes known ; Fear not ; his merits must prevail : Ask but in faith, it shall be done. Joseph Hart. "Pray without Ceasing" is the author's title to this in the Appendix to Hart's Hymns on Various Subjects, 1762. It is based upon 1 Thessalonians v. 17: "Pray without ceasing." The author wrote in verse one, line one, "was" instead of "is;" line four, "For only while they pray" in- stead of "They learn to pray when first;" in verse two, line four, "The remedy's be- fore thee," instead of "In every case, still 2GG ANNOTATED HYMNAL. watch and;" in verse four, line four, "Ask what thou wilt," instead of "Ask but in faith." Two stanzas are omitted: 2 The Christian's heart his prayer indites : He speaks as prompted from within, The Spirit his petition writes: And Christ receives and gives it in. 3 And wilt thou in dead silence lie, When Christ stands waiting for thy prayer? My soul, thou hast a Friend on high, Arise, and try thy interest there. Prayer has its paradoxes no less than other experiences of the religious life. He does most in prayer who realizes most perfectly his utter powerlessness to do anything of himself. Among the author's hymns is to be found the following cu- rious and interesting poem titled "The Paradox:" How strange is the course that a Christian must steer ! How perplexed is the path he must tread ! The hope of his happiness rises from fear, And his life he receives from the dead. His fairest pretensions must wholly be waived, And his best resolutions be crossed ; Nor can he expect to be perfectly saved, Till he finds himself utterly lost. When all this is done, and his heart is as- sured Of the total remission of sins, When his pardon is signed, and his peace is procured, From that moment his conflict begins. 503 L. M. LORD of our life, God whom we fear, Unknown, yet known ; unseen, yet near Breath of our breath, in thee we live ; Life of our life, our praise receive. 2 Thine eye detects the sparrow's fall ; Thy heart of love expands for all ; Our throbbing life is full of thee, Throned in thy vast infinity. 3 Shine in our darkness, Light of Light, Our minds illume, disperse our night ; Make us responsive to thy will, Our souls with all thy fullness fill. 4 We love thy name, we heed thy rod, Thy word, our law; O gracious God! We wait thy will; on thee we call; Our light, our life, our love, our all. Samuel F. Smith. Title: "God icith Us." A genuine hymn. It is prayerful and scriptural. It illus- trates the very important thought that "in him we live, and move, and have our being;" and, in the last stanza, that loving obedience, doing the will of God from the heart, is the highest type of piety. This hymn was contributed by Dr. Smith to Historic Hymnists, A Portrait Gallery of Great Hymn Writers, Novem- ber 24, 1891, and was first published in that book. Boston, 1892. 504 C. M. SINCE without Thee we do no good, And with thee do no ill, Abide with us in weal and woe, In action and in will ; 2 In weal that while our lips confess The Lord who gives, we may Remember with an humble thought The Lord who takes away; 3 In woe, that while the drowning tears Our hearts their joys resign, We may remember who can turn Such water into wine ; 4 By hours of day, that when our feet O'er hill and valley run, We still may think the light of truth More welcome than the sun ; 5 By hours of night, that when the air Its dew and shadow yields, We still may hear the voice of God In silence of the fields. 6 Abide with us, abide with us, While flesh and soul agree ; And when our flesh is only dust, Abide our souls with thee. Elizabeth B. Browuing. This is taken from the Poetical Works of Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, where it bears the title "Hymn." It is prefaced by two passages from the Psalms: "Lord, I cry unto thee: make HYMXS OX THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 267 haste unto me" (Ps. cxli. 1); 'The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him" (Ps. cxlv. 18). The sixth stanza, omitted above, is: Oh ! then sleep comes on us like death, All soundless, deaf and deep : Lord, teach us so to watch and pray, That death may come like sleep. 10, 4, 10, 4, 10, 10. 505 LIGHT of the world ! whose kind and gentle care Is joy and rest ; Whose counsels and commands so gracious are, Wisest and best — Shine on my path, dear Lord, and guard the way, Lest my poor heart, forgetting, go astray. 2 Lord of my life ! my soul's most pure de- sire, Its hope and peace ; Let not the faith thy loving words inspire Falter, or cease ; But be to me, true Friend, my chief delight, And safely guide, that every step be right. 3 My blessed Lord ! what bliss to feel thee near, Faithful and true ; To trust in thee, without one doubt or fear, Thy will to do; And all the while to know that thou, our Friend, Art blessing us, and wilt bless to the end. 4 And then, O then ! when sorrow's night is o'er, Life's daylight come, And we are safe within heaven's golden door, At home ! at home ! How full of glad rejoicing will we raise, Saviour, to thee our everlasting praise. Henry Bateman. Title: "Jesus the Guide." It is found in Dale's English Hymn Book. 1874. This is called the author's best hymn. "It is a prayer of more than usual merit for Di- vine guidance," says the Dictionary of Hymnology. 506 6s, 4s. I NEED thee every hour, Most gracious Lord ; No tender voice like thine Can peace afford. Refrain. I need thee, O I need thee ; Every hour I need thee ; O bless me now, my Saviour, I come to thee ! 2 I need thee every hour ; Stay thou near by ; Temptations lose their power When thou art nigh. 3 I need thee every hour, In joy or pain ; Come quickly and abide, Or life is vain. 4 I need thee every hour ; Teach me thy will ; And thy rich promises In me fulfill. 5 I need thee every hour, Most Holy One ; O make me thine indeed, Thou blessed Son ! Annie S. Haicks. This hymn was written in 1872, the tune being composed for it by Dr. Robert Low- ry. It first appeared in a small collection of songs prepared by Dr. Lowry and Mr. W. H. Doane for the Xational Baptist Sunday School Association, which met at Cincinnati, Ohio, Xovember, 1872. It is one of the most popular of modern songs, being adapted alike to social meetings, re- vival services, and the Sunday school. It is a simple but sincere expression in song of the Christian believer's ever-present sense of need of divine help and guidance. 507 7s. COME, my soul, thy suit prepare, Jesus loves to answer prayer ; He himself has bid thee pray, Therefore will not say thee nay. 2 Thou art coming to a King ; Large petitions with thee bring ; For his grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much. 3 Lord, I come to thee for rest ; Take possession of my breast ; There thy blood-bought right maintain, And without a rival reign. 4 While I am a pilgrim here, Let thy love my spirit cheer ; As my guide, my guard, my friend, Lead me to my journey's end. 268 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 5 Show me what I have to do; ry bour my strength renew; In t me live a life of faith, Let me die thy people 's d< ath. John Neicton. This familiar and valuable prayer song was written upon 1 Kings iii. 5, the words of God to Solomon: "Ask what I shall give thee." It is from the Olney Hymns. 1 771'. Two stanzas, the third and fifth, have been omitted: 3 With my burden I begin, Lord, remove this load of sin ! Let thy blood, for sinners spilt, Set my conscience free from guilt. 5 As the image in the glass Answers the beholder's face; Thus unto my heart appear, Print thine own resemblance there. r>os Ss, 7s. TAKE the name of Jesus with you, Child of sorrow and of woe ; It will joy and comfort give you ; Take it, then, where'er you go. Refrain. Precious name, O how sweet ! Hope of earth and joy of heaven ; Precious name, O how sweet ! Hope of earth and joy of heaven, 2 Take the name of Jesus ever, As a shield from every snare ; If temptations round you gather, Breathe that holy name in prayer. 3 O the precious name of Jesus ! How it thrills our souls with joy, When his loving arms receive us, And his songs our tongues employ ! 4 At the name of Jesus bowing, Falling prostrate at his" feet, King of kings in heaven we'll crown him, When our journey is complete. Lydia Baxter. This beautiful and popular hymn on "The Xame of Jesus" was written in 1870 for a collection of hymns prepared and published in 1871 by W. H. Doane, the composer, whose tune is inseparably asso- ciated with it and has done much to give it the widespread popularity which it en- joys. The author of this hymn was an invalid confined to her room for many years, dur- ing which she exhibited not only a sweet spirit of resignation but a Christian cheerfulness and joy not often seen even among those who are never called on to suffer. The secret of this constant cheer- fulness and sunshine of spirit is revealed in the sentiment contained in the above hymn. It is a secret as good for the sing- er as for the author of the hymn. r>09 P. M. WHEN the weary, seeking rest, To thy goodness flee ; When the heavy-laden cast All their load on thee ; When the troubled, seeking peace, On thy name shall call ; When the sinner, seeking life, At thy feet shall fall: Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high. 2 When the worldling, sick at heart, Lifts his soul above ; When the prodigal looks back To his Father's love ; When the proud man, in his pride, Stoops to seek thy face ; When the burdened brings his guilt To thy throne of grace : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high. 3 When the stranger asks a home, All his toils to end ; When the hungry craveth food, And the poor a friend ; When the sailor on the wave Bows the fervent knee ; When the soldier on the field Lifts his heart to thee : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high. ■4 When the man of toil and care In the city crowd ; When the shepherd on the moor Names the name of God : When the learned and the high, Tired of earthly fame, Upon higher joys intent, Xame the blessed name : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high. HYMNS OX THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 2G9 5 When the child, with grave fresh lip, Youth or maiden fair ; When the aged, weak and gray, Seek thy face in prayer ; When the widow weeps to thee, Sad and lone and low ; When the orphan brings to thee All his orphan-woe ; Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high. Horatius Bonar. '■'Intercession for All Conditions of Men." From Dr. Bonar's Hymns of Faith and Hope. Third Series, 1867. It is evidently modeled after the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the tem- ple, 1 Kings viii. 23-53, a prayer that all who pray in public would do well to study. The last stanza is omitted; even now it is too long for singing. The author's son, Rev. H. N. Bonar, gives the history of this hymn as follows : My father was asked to provide words to the music, and was specially requested to fur- nish a fitting refrain to the two lovely lines of Mendelssohn's with which Callcott's tune, "Intercession," ends. In searching for a Scripture theme containing some reiterated phrase almost of the nature of a refrain, he was struck with Solomon's prayer at the ded- ication of the temple (2 Chron. vi.), in which every separate petition concludes with sub- stantially the same words. This idea was taken for his starting point, and Solomon's words, "Hear thou from heav- en thy dwelling place and forgive," became the familiar couplet : "Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry In heaven, thy dwelling place on high." This foundation once provided, the rest of the hymn was built upon it. Dr. Bonar said that he liked this hymn as well as any he had ever written. 510 4s. D. LORD, for to-morrow and its needs I do not pray ; Keep me, my God, from stain of sin Just for to-day. Help me to labor earnestly, And duly pray ; Let me be kind in word and deed, Father, to-day. 2 Let me no wrong or idle word Unthinking say ; Set thou a seal upon my lips Through all to-day. Let me in season, Lord, be grave, In season gay ; Let me be faithful to thy grace, Dear Lord, to-day. 3 And if, to-day, this life of mine Should ebb away, Give me thy sacrament divine, Father, to-day. So for to-morrow and its needs I do not pray ; Still keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, Through each to-day. S. M. X. This hymn, titled "Strength for To- Day,'" has been generally (as in the ear- lier editions of this Hymnal) attributed to Ernest R. Wilberforce; but this is a mistake, as will be shown by the follow- ing note in Julian's Dictionary : The authoress, who desires to remain anonymous, informs me that this poem was written in 1877, and was first printed in the English Messenger of the Sacred Heart for January, 1880, and signed "S. M. X." It has been widely used, but generally altered and abridged. The full and correct form is in her In Hymnis et Canticis, Verses Sacred and Profane, by a Sister of Notre Da Die (S. M. X.), 1903. These verses were mostly written at Liverpool for the students of the Liverpool Training College. 511 L. M. 61. C'OME, O thou Traveler unknown, ' Whom still I hold, but cannot see ; My company before is gone, And I am left alone with thee : With thee all night I mean to stay, And wrestle till the break of day. 2 I need not tell thee who I am, My sin and misery declare ; Thyself hast called me by my name, Look on thy hands, and read it there : But who, I ask thee, who art thou? Tell me thy name, and tell me now. 3 In vain thou strugglest to get free, I never will unloose my hold : Art thou the Man that died for me? The secret of thy love unfold : Wrestling, I will not let thee go, Till I thy name, thy nature know. 270 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 Wilt thou not yet to me reveal Thy new, unutterable name? Tell me, I still beseech thee, tell; To know it now resolved I am: Wrestling, I will not let thee go, Till I thy name, thy nature know. 5 Field to me now, for I am weak, But confident in self-despair ; ik to my heart, in blessing spoak. Be conquered by my instant prayer: Speak, or thou never hence shalt move, And tell me if thy name be Love. 6 'Tis Love ! 'tis Love ! thou diedst for me ! I hear thy whisper in my heart ; . The morning breaks, the shadows flee ; Pure, universal love thou art : To me, to all, thy mercies move ; Thy nature and thy name is Love. 7 I know thee, Saviour, who thou art, Jesus, the feeble sinner's Friend ; Nor wilt thou with the night depart, But stay and love me to the end : Thy mercies never shall remove ; Thy nature and thy name is Love. Charles Wesley. Title: "Wrestling Jacob." Wesley's hymn contains fourteen stan- zas. These are the first four, the eighth, ninth, and eleventh. We print here the rest of the hymn that the reader may see the whole of one of the grandest sacred lyrics in the English language: 5 'Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue, Or touch the hollow of my thigh : Though every sinew be unstrung, Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly ; Wrestling, I will not let Thee go, Till I Thy name, Thy nature know. 6 What though my shrinking flesh complain, And murmur to contend so long? I rise superior to my pain ; When I am weak then I am strong: And when my all of strength shall fail, I shall with the God-man prevail. 7 My strength is gone, my nature dies : I sink beneath Thy weighty hand ; Faint to revive, and fall to rise : I fall, and yet by faith I stand. I stand, and will not let Thee go, Till I Thy name, Thy nature know. 1 0 My prayer hath power with God ; the grace Unspeakable I now receive. Through faith I see Thee face t-» face ; se to face, and live : In vain I have not wept and strove ; Thy nature and Thy name is Love. 12 The Sun of righteousness on me Hath risen with healing in his wings: Withered my nature's strength, from thee My soul its life and succor brings: My help is all laid up ab Thy nature and Thy name is Love. 13 Contented now, upon my thigh I halt, till life's short journey end; All helplessness, all weakness. 1 On thee alone for strength depend, Nor have I power from thee to n. Thy nature and Thy name is Love. 14 Lame as I am, I take the prey ; Hell, earth, and sin, with ease o'ercome ; I leap for joy, pursue my way, And as a bounding hart fly home, Through all eternity to prove Thy nature and Thy name is Love. This is doubtless the most celebrated lyric poem that Charles Wesley ever wrote, It is founded upon Genesis xxxii. 24-26: And Jacob was left alone ; and there wres- tled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh : and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Light is thrown upon the character of Jacob's wrestling with the angel by a pas- sage in Hosea xii. 4: "He wept, and made supplication unto him." The climax of the hymn is reached in the sixth verse (ninth of the original), a stanza that is sublime indeed and some- thing more. Charles Wesley's brief obituary (Min- utes of the Methodist Conferences. 1788), probably written by his brother John, closes as follows: "His least praise was his talent for poetry, although Dr. Watts did not scruple to say that 'that single poem. "Wrestling Jacob," was worth all the verses he himself had written.' " HYMNS ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 271 Dr. Watts, however, must be understood "poetically." He simply meant that he greatly admired the production. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742. 512 s. M. TO God your every want In instant prayer display : Pray always ; pray, and never faint ; Pray, without ceasing, pray. 2 His mercy now implore ; And now show forth his praise ; In shouts, or silent awe, adore His miracles of grace. 3 Pour out your souls to God, And bow them with your knees ; And spread your hearts and hands abroad, And pray for Zion's peace. 4 Your guides and brethren bear Forever on your mind ; Extend the arms of mighty prayer In grasping all mankind. Charles Wesley. This is from a poem of sixteen double stanzas found in the author's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, under the Scripture title: "The Whole Armour of God." (Ephesians vi. 13.) The first two stan- zas of this poem are found in the hymn beginning, "Soldiers of Christ, arise." The above are the second half of the twelfth, the second half of the fourteenth, and the fifteenth stanza entire. 513 8s, 7s. D. COURAGE, brother ! do not stumble, Though thy path be dark as night ; There's a star to guide the humble, Trust in God, and do the right. Though the road be long and dreary, And the end be out of sight, Tread it bravely, strong or weary, Trust in God, and do the right. 2 Perish policy and cunning, Perish all that fears the light, Whether losing, whether winning, Trust in God, and do the right. Shun all forms of guilty passion, Fiends can look like angels bright ; Heed no custom, school, or fashion, Trust in God, and do the right. 3 Some will hate thee, some will love thee, Some will flatter, some will slight ; Cease from man, and look above thee, Trust in God, and do the right. Simple rule and safest guiding, Inward peace and shining light, Star upon our path abiding, Trust in God, and do the right. Norman Macleod. Title: "Right Doing." It appeared in the Edinburgh Christian Magazine in January, 1857. A few slight changes have been made and four lines omitted: Trust no party, church, or faction, Trust no leaders in the fight, But in every word and action Trust in God, and do the right. This is neither psalm, hymn, nor spir- itual song. It is an earnest and whole- some exhortation in verse. 514, 7s. LORD, I cannot let thee go, Till a blessing thou bestow : Do not turn away thy face, Mine's an urgent, pressing case. 2 Dost thou ask me who I am? Ah ! my Lord, thou know'st my name ; Yet the question gives a plea To support my suit with thee. 3 Thou didst once a wretch behold, In rebellion blindly bold, Scorn thy grace, thy power defy : That poor rebel, Lord', was I. 4 Once a sinner, near despair, Sought thy mercy seat by prayer; Mercy heard, and set him free : Lord, that mercy came to me. 5 Many days have passed since then, Many changes I have seen ; Yet have been upheld till now ; Who could hold me up but thou? 6 Thou hast helped in every need ; This emboldens me to plead : After so much mercy past, Canst thou let me sink at last? 7 No ; I must maintain my hold ; 'Tis thy goodness makes me bold ; I can no denial take, When I plead for Jesus' sake. John Newton. Title: "Nay, I Cannot Let Thee Go." From the Olney Collection, 1779. It is based on Genesis xxxii. 24-27: ANNOTATED HYMNAL. And Jacob was left alone; and there wres- a man with him until the breaking of the day. . . . And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said. I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And la- said, Jacob. The annotation of Dr. C. S. Robinson upon this hymn is well worth quoting in full, and is as follows: This hymn by Rev. John Newton may prof- itably be compared with the magnificent poem of Charles Wesley known as "Wr< s- tling Jacob." Both are founded upon the ex- perience of the patriarch at Penuel (.Gen. xxxii. 2G). This one in particular pictures to us the matchless mercy of God. We can talk to him in our own plain, artless, uncon- strained way, and he takes pleasure in listen- ing to us. Here in the inspired history a poor mortal of no higher fame or name than a herdsman had power to prevail in a con- test for a blessing with the omnipotent God, and received a new name as a princely pre- vailer with the Highest. There is no hope of advantage in any attempt to follow up this mere historic incident as a fact. When the wrestle ends, that ends its instruction. But this was no ordinary part of Jacob's biog- raphy. It is evident that it was so truly in- tended to be an emblem of wistful and im- portunate supplication that the prophet Ho- sea was inspired, full a thousand years after- wards, to suggest its interpretation. The Christian Church has taken it up at once, and now the expression, "Wrestling with the an- gel of the covenant," is as familiar as any of our household words the world over. ''Tea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed ; he wept, and made supplication unto him ; he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us ; even the Lord God of hosts ; the Lord is his memorial." (See No. 511.) 515 79 8, S, 6. D. LO ! on a narrow neck of land, Twlxt two unbounded seas, I stand, sible: A point of time, a moment's space, Removes me to that heavenly place, Or shuts me up in belL 2 O God, mine inmost soul convert, And deeply in my thoughtful heart Eternal things imp: Give me to feel their solemn weight, And tremble en the brink of fate, And wake to righteousness. 3 Be this my one great business here, With serious industry and fear Eternal bliss to insure ; Thine utmost counsel to fulfill, And suffer all thy righteous will, And to the end endure. 4 Then, Saviour, then my soul receive,- Transported from this vale, to live And reign with thee above, Where faith is sweetly lost in sight, And hope in full, supreme delight, And everlasting love. Charles Wesley. Title: "An Hymn for Seriousness." This is certainly one of the grandest, most perfect, and most poetical of all Charles Wesley's hymns. Tradition says that the imagery of the second stanza was suggested by a visit to Land's End, England. This cannot now be verified. All we can say with certainty is that the hymn was written not long after a visit to that famous spot. Standing on Land's End, with the broad English Cnannel on the one hand and the wide Atlantic on the other, may have reminded him of the thought, which is older than his time and has been us°d by more than one au- thor. Addison says (Spectator, Xo. 590): "Many witty authors compare the present time to an isthmus or narrow neck of land that rises in the midst of an ocean immeasurably diffused on either side of it." The first and fourth stanzas were as follows: 1 Thou God of glorious majesty, To thee, against myself, to thee, A worm of earth, I cry ; A half-awakened child of man, An heir of endless bliss or pain, A sinner born to die. 4 Before me place in dread array, The pomp of that tremendous day, When thou with clouds shalt come To judge the nations at thy bar; And tell me, Lord, shall I be there To meet a joyful doom ! A few years ago • (1894) it was an- nounced that this hymn was written in America when Charles Wesley was sec- retary to General Oglethorpe, Governor of Georgia. A magazine writer reported a remarkable "find" of manuscripts in the Georgia Historical Society. In his article he claimed to quote from letters of Charles Wesley and others. It was so cir- cumstantial that it deceived for a time "even the very elect." A letter to the magazine writer brought the reply, writ- ten by his amanuensis: "There is not a bit of truth in that whole Jekyll Island article." The fact is, it was not intended seriously. It was fiction from beginning to end. From Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749. 580 S. M. HOW swift the torrent rolls That bears us to the sea, The tide that hurries thoughtless souls To vast eternity ! Our fathers, where are they, With all they called their own? Their joys and griefs, and hopes and cares. And wealth and honor gone. God of our fathers, hear, Thou everlasting Friend ! While we, as on life's utmost verge, Our souls to thee commend. Of all the pious dead May we the footsteps trace, Till with them, in the land of light, We dwell before thy face. Philip Doddridge. "Practical Reflections on the State of Our Fathers" is the curious title which this hymn bears in the author's Hymns on Various Texts in the Holy Scripture. 1755. It is based on Zechariah i. 5: "Your fathers, where are they?" The third and HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 303 fourth stanzas of the original, omitted above, are: 3 But Joy or Grief succeeds Beyond our mortal Thought ; While the poor Remnant of their Dust Lies in the Grave forgot. 4 There where the Fathers lie, Must all the Children dwell ; Nor other Heritage possess, But such a gloomy Cell. 581 L. M. W HY should we start and fear to die? What timorous worms we mortals are ! Death is the gate to endless joy, And yet we dread to enter there. 2 The pains, the groans, the dying strife, Fright our approaching souls away ; And we shrink back again to life, Fond of our prison and our clay. 3 O if my Lord would come and meet, My soul would stretch her wings in haste, Fly fearless through death's iron gate, Nor feel the terrors as she passed ! 4 Jesus can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are, While on his breast I lean my head, And breathe my life out sweetly there. Isaac Watts. Title: "Christ's Presence Makes Dealh Easy.'" Hymn editors have tried to improve the first part of the third stanza, and have only made a botch of it. Read the lines as the author wrote them, and compare with those of the hymn: Oh ! if my Lord would come and meet My soul ! she'd stretch her wings in haste [etc.]. The last stanza has been used as a beautiful and victorious testimony by many a departing Christian. From Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707. 582 L. M. H OW blest the righteous when he dies ! When sinks a weary soul to rest, How mildly beam the closing eyes, How gently heaves th' expiring breast ! 2 So fades a summer cloud away ; So sinks the gale when storms are o'er ; So gently shuts the eye of day ; So dies a wave along the shore. 3 A holy quiet reigns around, A calm which life nor death destroys ; And naught disturbs that peace profound Which his unfettered soul enjoys. 4 Life's labor done, as sinks the clay, Light from its load the spirit flies, While heaven and earth combine to say, "How blest the righteous when he dies.'" Anna L. Barbaukl. ''The Death of the Virtuous" is the ti- tle which this hymn bears in the author's Works, 1825. It was first published in the Leisure Hour Improved (1809) anony- mously, and was first used as a hymn in Cotterill's Selection, 1819, in an altered form, the alterations being made by James Montgomery- The hymn appears above in this altered form. The third stanza as given above was not written by Mrs. Bar- bauld. The first two lines of the hymn in the original are as follows: Sweet is the scene when Virtue dies ! When sinks a righteous soul to rest. The third and fourth stanzas of the original, omitted above, are: 3 Triumphant smiles the victor brow, Fanned by some angel's purple wing : Where is, O Grave! thy victory now? And where, Insidious Death! thy sting? 4 Farewell, conflicting joys and fears, Where light and shade alternate dwell ; How bright the unchanging morn appears ! Farewell, inconstant world, farewell ! In verse four, line one, the author wrote "Its duty done" instead of "Life's labor done;" and the last line as she wrote it is, "Sweet is the scene when virtue dies." This hymn seems to have been called forth from the author by the death of her husband, Rev. Rochemont Barbauld, which occurred'on November 11, 1808. Mrs. Barbauld's little ode to life is one of the most exquisite bits of verse in the English language: Life ! we've been long together, Through pleasant and through cloudy weath- er ; 304 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. "Tis hard to part when friends are dear — Perhaps 'twill cost a sigh, a t< Then Bteal away, give little warning, Choose thine own time ; not "Good night,-' but in some brighter clime Bid me "Good morning." 583 L- K ASLEEP ia Jesus! blessed sleep, From which none ever wakes to weep ! A calm and undisturbed repose, Unbroken by the last of foes. L' Asleep in Jesus ! O how sweet To be for such a slumber in< With holy confidence to sing, That death hath lost his venomed sting. 3 Asleep in Jesus ! peaceful rest, "Whose waking is supremely blest ! No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour That manifests the Saviour's power. 4 Asleep in Jesus ! O for me May such a blissful refuge be ! Securely shall my ashes lie, Waiting the summons from on high. 5 Asleep in Jesus ! far from thee Thy kindred and their graves may be : But thine is still a blessed sleep, From which none ever wakes to weep. Margaret Mackay. Title: "Burial of the Dead." The burden of this song was suggested to the writer by an inscription that she saw on a tombstone in the retired bury- ing ground of Pennycross Chapel, in Dev- onshire: Sleeping in Jesus. One stanza, the fifth, has been omitted: 5 Asleep in Jesus ! time nor space Debars this precious "hiding place;" On Indian plains or Lapland snows Believers find the same repose. This hymn was first published in the Amethyst, an annual published in Edin- burgh, 1832. 584 lis. r WOULD not live alway ; I ask not to stay L Where storm after storm rises dark o'er the way : The few lurid mornings that dawn on us here Are enough for life's woes, full enough for it? cheer. '1 I would not live alway; no, welcome the tomb : Since Jesus hath lain there, I dread not its gloom ; The: • my rest till he bid me arise, To hail him in triumph descending the skies. 3 Who, who would live alway, away from his God? Away from yon heaven, that blissful abode, Where the rivers of pleasure flow o'er the bright plains, And the noontide of glory eternally reigns ; 4 Where the saints of all ages in harmony mt Their Saviour and brethren transported to greet ; While the anthems of rapture unceasingly roll, And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul. William A. Muhlenberg. This hymn, dear to so many lovers of sacred song, was compiled from a poem of six double stanzas for the Hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 1826. The original was written in 1824 in a lady's album at Lancaster, Pa., the author being at the time assistant rector of St. James Protestant Episcopal Church in that city. It was first published anonymously in the Episcopal Recorder June 3, 1826. It is based on Job vii. 16: "I would not live al- way: let me alone: for my days are vani- ty."' The author revised his poem in 1S59, and in 1S71 he rewrote it. The edition which is found in Church hymnals gener- ally is that wmich was prepared by Bish- op Onderdonk for the Episcopal Hymnal of 1826. The circumstances under which this hymn was introduced into the Hym- nal are unique and interesting: In 1S26 — as a result, perhaps, of interest in the subject awakened throughout the Church by Dr. Muhlenberg's articles in the religious press on "Church Poetry" and "A Plea for Christian Hymns," addressed to the authorities of the Church — the General Con- vention of the Episcopal Church appointed a committee to prepare a collection to be add- ed to the fifty-six then contained in the prayer book. One of this committee. Dr. (afterwards Bishop) H. U. Onderdonk. him- self a poet of no mean capacity, had been pleased with the hymn. and. having abridged HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 30.J it, submitted it — in all ignorance as to its authorship — to Dr. Muhlenberg himself, who was also upon the committee. At a general meeting of the committee the report of the subcommittee came up, and the hymns were separately considered. One of the members said that "I would not live alway" was very good, but somewhat sentimental. It was re- jected forthwith, and Dr. Muhlenberg him- self voted against it. Dr. Onderdonk was not present, and the action seemed final. The next morning brought the absentee to Dr. Muhlenberg's house to hear what had been done. Learning that the hymn had met with disapproval, he instantly remarked, "This will not do," and personally interceded with the rest of the committee until they restored it. To him, therefore, the credit belongs. Other hymns by Dr. Muhlenberg also found place in this Hymnal, of which he makes the following mention in his diary: On the score of my own compositions, amendments, etc., I have every reason to be satisfied. "Saviour, who thy flock art feed- ing," and "How short the race our friend has run," "Shout the glad tidings," "I would not live alway," and "Like Noah's weary dove" are those of mine which are wholly original. I am aware that they are wanting in the chief excellence of a hymn — devotional spir- it. "I would not live alway" was at first re- jected by the committee, in which I, not sus- pected of being the author, agreed, knowing it was rather poetry than an earnest song of redemption. It was restored at the urgent re- quest o£ Dr. Onderdonk. The third line of the first stanza is sometimes printed, "The few lucid morn- ings," instead of "lurid" Dr. Muhlenberg was asked on one occasion which was the correct reading. "Either or neither," he replied with some feeling. "I do not be- lieve in the hymn at all. It does not ex- press the better feelings of the saint, and I should not write it now." There is an unauthenticated tradition to the effect that it was written just after the author had been rejected in a love suit, as was Watts's "How vain are all things here below!" This hymn was written when the author was only twenty-eight years old. He lived fifty-three years after writing it. 20 585 s. m. IT is not death to die, To leave this weary road, And midst the brotherhood on high To be at home with God. 2 It is not death to close The eye long dimmed by tears, And wake, in glorious repose To spend eternal years. 3 It is not death to fling Aside this sinful dust, And rise, on strong exulting wing, To live among the just. 4 Jesus, thou Prince of life, Thy chosen cannot die ! Like thee, they conquer in the strife, To reign with thee on high. H. A. Ccesar Malan. Tr. by George W. Bethune. Title: "It Is Not Death to Die." From the French of Dr. Malan. The name of this French clergyman is sometimes pub- lished incorrectly. He evidently thought that his name was too long, and usually signed it "Caesar Malan" or "C. Malan;" but his son and biographer gave it "Hen- ri Abraham Caesar Malan." The translation is from Dr. Bethune's Lays of Love and Faith, Philadelphia, 1847. This beautiful and triumphant hymn was sung at Dr. Bethune's funeral in ac- cordance with his special request. One verse of his translation, the third, has been omitted: It is not death to bear The wrench that sets us free From dungeon-chain, to breathe the air Of boundless liberty. 586 l. m. UNVEIL thy bosom, faithful tomb, Take this new treasure to thy trust, And give these sacred relics room To slumber in the silent dust. 2 Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear Invades thy bounds ; no mortal woes Can reach the peaceful sleeper here, While angels watch the soft repose. 3 So Jesus slept : God's dying Son Passed through the grave, and blessed the bed : 306 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Rest here, blest saint, till from his throne The morning break and pierce the shade. 4 Break from his throne, illustrious morn ! Attend, O earth! his sovereign word: Restore thy trust : a glorious form Shall then ascend to meet the Lord ! Isaac Watt*. "A Funeral Ode at the Interment of the Body, Supposed to Be Sung by the Mourn- ers" is the title of this in the author's Miscellaneous Thoughts in Prose and Verse, 1734. It is the last of a series of five entitled ''Death and Heaven in Five Lyric Odes." The author wrote in verse one, line four, "seek a slumber in the dust" in- stead of "slumber in the silent dust;" in verse two, line three, "lovely" instead of "peaceful," and in line four, "And" and "her" instead of "While" and "the;" in verse three, line three, "fair" instead of "blest;" and in verse four, line four, "She must ascend to meet her Lord" instead of the closing line above. 58' 6, 6, 8, 6, FRIEND after friend departs ; Who hath not lost a friend? There is no union here of hearts, That finds not here an end : Were this frail world our final rest, Living or dying, none were blest. 2 Beyond the flight of time, Beyond this vale of death, There surely is some blessed clime Where life is not a breath, Nor life's affections, transient fire, Whose sparks fly upward and expire. 3 There is a world above, Where parting is unknown, A long eternity of love, Formed for the good alone ; And faith beholds the dying here Translated to that happier sphere. 4 Thus star by star declines, Till all are passed away, As morning high and higher shines To pure and perfect day ; Nor sink those stars in empty night, But hide themselves in heaven's own light. James Montgomery. Written in 1824. The author's title, as given in his Original Hymns. London. 1859, page 339, is: "Parting on Earth, Meeting in Heaven." Two words have been changed. The author wrote, verse one, line five, "Were this frail world our only rest;" and, verse three, line three, "A whole eternity of love." This is a fine and pathetic poem. It cannot be called a hymn except, as in many other instances, by courtesy. Mont- gomery was a Christian poet rather than a hymn-writer. 58$ C. M. H EAR what the voice from heaven proclaims For all the pious dead ! Sweet is the savor of their names, And soft their sleeping bed. 2 They die in Jesus, and are blest ; How kind their slumbers are ! From sufferings and from sins released, And freed from every snare. 3 Far from this world of toil and strife, They're present with the Lord : The labors of their mortal life End in a large reward. Isaac Watts. "Blessed Are the Dead that Die in the Lord" (Rev. xiv. 13) is the title of this hymn in the author's Hymns and Spir- itual Songs. 1707. It is only those who "hear what the voice from heaven pro- claims" that can ever find any comfort as they bury their dead. 589 11. io. 11. 6. TT7HEN on my day of life the night is fall- And, in the wind from unsunned spaces blown, I hear far voices out of darkness calling My feet to paths unknown ; 2 Thou, who hast made my home of life so pleasant, Leave not its tenant when its walls de- cay ; O Love Divine, O Helper ever present, Be thou my strength and stay. 3 I have but thee, my Father ! let thy Spirit Be with me then to comfort and uphold ; No gate of pearl, no branch of palm I mer- it, Nor street of shining gold. HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 307 4 Suffice it if — my good and ill unreckoned, And both forgiven through thy abound- ing grace — I find myself by hands familiar beckoned Unto my fitting place — 5 Some humble door among thy many man- sions, Some sheltering shade where sin and striving cease, And flows forever through heaven's green expansions The river of thy peace. 6 There, from the music round about me stealing, I fain would learn the new and holy song, And find at last, beneath thy trees of heal- ing, The life for which I long. John G. Whittier. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Title: "At Last." Written in 1882. The third stanza has been omitted from this hymn: Be near me when all else is from me drifting ; Earth, sky, homes, pictures, days of shade and shine, And kindly faces to my own uplifting The love which answers mine. This poem was recited by one of the little group of friends who stood about the poet's bed as the last moment of life approached. 590 S. M. D. AND am I born to die? To lay this body down? And must my trembling spirit fly Into a world unknown, A land of deepest shade, Unpierced by human thought, The dreary regions of the dead, Where all things are forgot? 2 Soon as from earth I go, What will become of me? Eternal happiness or woe Must then my portion be : Waked by the trumpet's sound, I from my grave shall rise, And see the Judge, with glory crowned, And see the flaming skies ! 3 Who can resolve the doubt That tears my anxious breast? Shall I be with the damned cast out, Or numbered with the blest? I must from God be driven, Or with my Saviour dwell ; Must come at his command to heaven, Or else — depart to hell ! 4 O thou who wouldst not have One wretched sinner die ; Who diedst thyself my soul to save From endless misery ; Show me the way to shun Thy dreadful wrath severe, That when thou comest on thy throne I may with joy appear. Charles Wesley. Published without title in Hymns for Children, 1763. Two stanzas, the third and last, are omitted: 3 How shall I leave my tomb? With triumph or regret? A fearful or a joyful doom, A curse or blessing meet? Shall angel bands convey Their brother to the bar? Or devils drag my soul away, To meet its sentence there? 6 Thou art Thyself the way : Thyself in me reveal, So shall I pass my life's short day, Obedient to Thy will ; So shall I love my. God, Because He first loved me, And praise Thee in Thy bright abode, Through all eternity. The original has "darkest" instead of "deepest" in verse one, line five. In a later edition of the Hymns for Children, from which this hymn is taken, the author very properly added to this ti- tle the words: ''And Others of Riper Years." In the preface to the 1790 edition of Hymns for Children John Wesley says: There are 'two ways of writing or speaking to children. The one is to let ourselves down to them ; the other, to lift them up to us. Dr. Watts wrote in the former way, and has succeeded admirably well, speaking to chil- dren as children and leaving them as he found them. The following hymns are writ- ten on the other plan. They contain strong and manly sense, yet expressed in such plain and easy language as even children may un- derstand. But when they do understand them, they will be children no longer — only in years and in stature. 308 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. After all this has been said, we must still pronounce this a curious hymn for a child. Either children were very dif- ferent in Wesley's day from what they are now, or else his views of hymns suit- ed to children were different from the views held to-day by most Christian peo- ple. Not only is it a hymn for mature minds rather than for children, but it is really one of the most deeply serious med- itations and one of the most solemn hymns anywhere to be found in the en- tire range of lyric poetry. 591 C. M. W HY should our tears in sorrow flow When God recalls his own, And bids them leave a world of woe For an immortal crown? 2 Is not e'en death a gain to those Whose life to God was given? Gladly to earth their eyes they close, To open them in heaven. 3 Their toils are past, their work is done, And they are fully blest ; They fought the fight, the victory won, And entered into rest. 4 Then let our sorrows cease to flow ; God has recalled his own ; But let our hearts, in every woe, Still say, "Thy will be done." Author Unknown. Original title: ''Death of a Minister." This fine ode is frequently used on fu- neral occasions. It is sometimes accred- ited to Pratt, as it appeared in his Collec- tion, 1829. Sometimes it is given to Bath- urst, as in the earlier editions of this Hymnal, but without good authority. Eng- lish hymnologists have traced it to the Missionary Minstrel, London, 1826. W. T. Brooks, in the Dictionary of Hymnology. says: "It was by 'O. P.,' the anonymous compiler of that collection of missionary hymns." The fourth and fifth stanzas, as it ap- peared in Pratt's collection of Psalms and Hymns. 1829, have been omitted. 592 C. M. w HAT though the arm of conquering death Does God's own house invade? What though the prophet and the priest Be numbered with the dead? 2 The Eternal Shepherd still survives, New comfort to impart; His eye still guides us, and his voice Still animates our heart. 3 "Lo ! I am with you," saith the Lord, "My church shall safe abide ; For I will ne'er forsake my own, Whose souls in me confide." 4 Through every scene of life and death, This promise is our trust ; And this shall be our children's song, When we are cold in dust. Philip Doddridge. ''Support in the Gracious Presence of God under the Loss of Ministers and Oth- er Useful Friends" is the author's title to this hymn. It is taken from the au- thor's Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, 1755, and is based on Joshua i. 2, 5: Moses my servant is dead ; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. . . . There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life : as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee : I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. The first and third stanzas of the orig- inal have been omitted. The omission of the latter stanza is to be regretted, as it is necessary in order to bring out the full significance of the second stanza above, which immediately follows it in the orig- inal: 1 Now let our mourning hearts revive, And all our tears be dry ; Why should those eyes be drowned in grief Which view a Saviour nigh? 3 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust, The aged and the young, The watchful eye, in darkness closed, And mute th' instructive tongue. HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 309 593 S. M. SERVANT of God, well done ! Thy glorious warfare's past ; The battle's fought, the race is won, And thou art crowned at last ; 2 Of all thy heart's desire Triumphantly possessed ; Lodged by the ministerial choir In thy Redeemer's breast. 3 In condescending love, Thy ceaseless prayer he heard ; And bade thee suddenly remove To thy complete reward. 4 With saints enthroned on high, Thou dost thy Lord proclaim, And still to God salvation cry, Salvation to the Lamb ! 5 O happy, happy soul ! In ecstasies of praise, Long as eternal ages roll, Thou seest thy Saviour's face. 6 Redeemed from earth and pain, Ah ! when shall we ascend, And all in Jesus' presence reign With our translated friend? Charles Wesley. "An Hymn on the Death of the Rev. George Whitefield." This valuable hymn has found no place in the Wesleyan Collection to this day. It came into the Methodist Episcopal hymn book in 1849. It was published at the end of John Wesley's funeral sermon on Whitefield, preached November 18, 1770. Eight lines are omitted. The whole hymn is found in Wesley's Sermons, Volume I., page 480 (American Edition). It is not altered. The omitted lines were as follows. Be- tween the third and fourth stanzas: Ready to bring the peace, Thy beauteous feet were shod, When mercy signed thy soul's release, And caught thee up to God. Following the last stanza above: Come, Lord, and quickly come ! And, when in thee complete, Receive thy longing servants home, To triumph at thy feet. Charles Wesley and George Whitefield became acquainted at Oxford University, and the friendship there formed contin- ued until the death of Whitefield. He called Charles Wesley his "never-to-be-for- gotten friend." 594 8s. D. WEEP not for a brother deceased, Our loss is his infinite gain ; A soul out of prison released, And freed from its bodily chain ; With songs let us follow his flight, And mount with his spirit above, Escaped to the mansions of light, And lodged in the Eden of love. 2 Our brother the haven hath gained, Outfiying the tempest and wind ; His rest he hath sooner obtained, And left his companions behind, Still tossed on a sea of distress, Hard toiling to make the blest shore, Where all is assurance and peace, And sorrow and sin are no more. 3 There all the ship's company meet, Who sailed with the Saviour beneath ; With shouting each other they greet, And triumph o'er sorrow and death : The voyage of life's at an end ; The mortal affliction is past ; The age that in heaven they spend, Forever and ever shall last. Charles Wesley. From the author's Funeral Hymns, 1744, where it appears without title. If evor a hymn ought to be marked "al- tered" on account of the change of one word, this should be so marked. Wesley wrote: Rejoice for a brother deceased. There is a wonderful difference between simply refraining from weeping for the dead and rejoicing for them. One char- acteristic of the early Methodists was their remarkable triumph in and over death. This change well illustrates the toning down that has taken place since it was written. From Telford's Methodist Hymn Book Illustrated we take the following para- graph : 310 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. The Rev. Henry Moore says that the poet in his old age rod a little horse, gray with age, which was brought every morning from the Foundry to his house, in Chesterfl* Id Street, Marylebone. He would Jot down any thoughts that struck him in shorthand on a card which he had iii his pocket. "Not un- frequ< ntly he has come to our house, in the City Road, and, having left the pony in the garden in front, he would enter, crying out: •Pen and ink! pen and ink!' These being supplied, he wrote the hymn he had been composing. When this was done, he would look round on those present and salute them With much kindness, ask after their health, give out a short hymn, and thus put all in mind of eternity. He was fond upon these occasions of giving out the lines: 'There all the ship's company meet.' " :><):> C. M. W 111" do we mourn departing friends, Or shake at death's alarms? Tis but the voice that Jesus sends, To call them to his arms. 2 Are we not tending upward too, As fast as time can move? Nor should we wish the hours more slow To keep us from our Love. 3 The graves of all his saints he blest, And softened every bed : Where should the dying members rest, But with their dying Head? 4 Then let the last loud trumpet sound, And bid our kindred rise : Awake, ye nations under ground ; Ye saints, ascend the skies ! Isaac Watts. Title: "The Death and Burial of a Saint." From Hymns and Spiritual Songs. 1707, where it has six stanzas. These are the first two, the fourth, and last verses. We detect only one change. Watts wrote verse two, line three: "Nor would we wish the hours more slow." This hymn, full of faith and hope, was sung for many years to "China," a dole- ful time not at all adapted to these words. 596 L- M. SHALL, man, O God of light and life, Forever molder in the grave? Canst thou forget thy glorious work. Thy promise, and thy power to save? 2 In those dark, solemn realms of night, Shall peace and hope no more arie No future morning light the tomb, No day-star gild the darksome skies? 3 Cease, cease, ye vain, desponding fears: When Christ, our Lord, from darkness sprang, Death, the last foe, was captive led, And heaven with praise and wonder rang. 4 Faith sees the bright, eternal doors Unfold, to make his children way ; They shall be clothed with endless life, And shine in everlasting day. Timothy Dxcight. This is taken from Dr. Dwight's edi- tion of Watts's Psalms, 1800, where it is titled "Death Xot the End of Our Being." There are ten stanzas in the original, these being the first, fourth, seventh, and ninth. For the first line of the second stanza the author wrote: "But in those si- lent realms of night." The hymn is based on Psalm lxxxviii. 10-12: Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy right- eousness in the land of forgetfulness? 597 s. M. d. SERVANT of God, well done! Rest from thy loved employ ; The battle fought, the victory won, Enter thy Master's joy." The voice at midnight came ; He started up to hear ; A mortal arrow pierced his frame : He fell ; but felt no fear. 2 Tranquil amid alarms, It found him on the field, A veteran, slumbering on his arms, Beneath his red cross shield. His sword was in his hand, Still warm with recent fight, Ready that moment, at command. Through rock and steel to smite. 3 The pains of death are past, Labor and sorrow cease ; And, life's long warfare closed at last, His soul is found in peace. Soldier of Christ, well done! Praise be thy new employ; And while eternal ages run, Rest in thy Saviour's joy. James luontgomery. HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 311 Published in Cotterill's Selection, 1819. Six stanzas. These are the first two and last verses, with only two slight changes. It here has this heading: "The Sudden Death of a Good Soldier of Jesus Christ:'' The poem also appeared in Montgom- ery's Greenland and Other Poems, 1819, with the following extended title: "The Christian Soldier. Occasioned by the sud- den death of the Rev. Thomas Taylor, aft- er having declared in his last sermon on a preceding evening that he hoped to die as an old soldier of Jesus Christ, with his sword in his hand." The "good soldier" could not have been Thomas Rawson Taylor, as has been claimed, because his death did not take place until 1835, and this hymn was pub- lished in 1819. 598 p- M- STAND the omnipotent decree ! Jehovah's will be done ! Nature's end we wait to see, And hear her final groan. Let this earth dissolve, and blend In death the wicked and the just ; Let those ponderous orbs descend, And grind us into dust : 2 Rests secure the righteous man ; At his Redeemer's beck, Sure to emerge and rise again, And mount above the wreck : Lo ! the heavenly spirit towers, Like flames o'er nature's funeral pyre, Triumphs in immortal powers, And claps his wings of fire ! 3 Nothing hath the just to lose, By worlds on worlds destroyed : Far beneath his feet he views, With smiles, the flaming void ; Sees the universe renewed, The grand millennial reign begun ; Shouts, with all the sons of God, Around the eternal throne. Charles Wesley. This was first published in a pamphlet containing seventeen hymns and entitled Hymns for the Year 1156, Particularly for the Fast Day, February 6. Montgomery calls this hymn "one of the most daring and victorious flights" of the author. Robert Southey pronounced it the finest lyric in the English language. The first stanza above bears a close re- semblance in thought and language to the following lines in Dr. Young's Night Thoughts: If so decreed, th' Almighty Will be done, Let earth dissolve, yon ponderous orbs de- scend, And grind us into dust. In writing the second stanza above he also drew upon the following lines of Dr. Young: The soul is safe, The man emerges ; mounts above the wreck, As towering flame from Nature's funeral pyre ; O'er devastation, as a gainer smiles. There is an additional stanza: 4 Resting in this glorious hope, To be at last restored, Yield we now our bodies up, To earthquake, plague, and sword ; Listening for the call Divine, The latest trumpet of the seven, Soon our soul and dust shall join, And both fly up to heaven. The earthquake referred to was that which destroyed the city of Lisbon on November 1, 1755; the plague had refer- ence to a fatal disease that had been de- stroying the cattle by the thousands; and the war referred to was the threatened in- vasion of the French, which was immi- nent at that time. These three circum- stances gave unprecedented solemnity to the fast day that called the people to pub- lic confession and prayer on February 6, 1756. Wesley makes the following entry in his Journal for this date: The fast day was a glorious day, such as London has scarce seen since the Restora- tion. Every church in the city was more than full, and a solemn seriousness sat on every face. Surely God heareth the prayer, and there will yet be a lengthening of our tran- quillity. Even the Jews observed this day with a peculiar solemnity. Hymns like this can make even a fast day a "glorious day." 312 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 599 D 7s. 01. AY of wrath, O dreadful day ! When this world shall pass away, And the heavens together roll, Shriveling like a parched scroll, Long foretold by saint and sage, David's harp and sibyl's page. Day of terror, day of doom, When the Judge at last shall come ! Through the deep and silent gloom, Shrouding every human tomb, Shall the archangel's trumpet tone Summon all before the throne. 3 O just Judge, to whom belongs Vengeance for all earthly wrongs, Grant forgiveness, Lord, at last, Ere the dread account be past : Lo, my sighs, my guilt, my shame ! Spare me for thine own great name. 4 Thou, who bad'st the sinner cease From her tears and go in peace — Thou, who to the dying thief Spakest pardon and relief — Thou, O Lord, to me hast given, E'en to me, the hope of heaven. Thomas of Celano. Tr. by Arthur P. Stanley. Part of a translation of the Dies Ir, 7, 4, 7. LO ! He comes, with clouds descending, Once for favored sinners slain ; Thousand thousand saints attending, Swell the triumph of his train : Hallelujah ! God appears on earth to reign. 2 Every eye shall now behold him Robed in dreadful majesty ; Those who set at naught and sold him, Pierced and nailed him to the tree, Deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see. 3 Yea, Amen ! let all adore thee, High on thy eternal throne ; Saviour, take the power and glory ; Claim the kingdom for thine own : Jah ! Jehovah ! Everlasting God, come down ! Charles Wesley. Author's title: "Thy Kingdom Come.''' This grand hymn has been called the English Dies Inc. Its authorship has been ascribed to various men. Lyra Ca- tholiea gives it to Matthew Bridges, a Roman Catholic hymn writer. McClin- tock and Strong credit it to John Cennick. But his hymn, "Lo, He Cometh, Countless Trumpets" (1752), is very different from this. Thomas Jackson ascribes it to Thomas Olivers. The latter was the au- chor of a long hymn in the same meter, and one of his stanzas began in the same way as the first line of this hymn. In some collections a hymn is found made up of part of this hymn and a part of Ol- ivers'. The original is found in Charles Wesley's Hymns of Intercession for all Mankind, 1758. The third stanza is omit- ted. It is evidently founded on the impress- ive words found in Revelation i. 7: Behold, he cometh with clouds ; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him : and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Telford, in his Methodist Hymn Book Illustrated, gives an account of the happy death of a girl of thirteen after a very brief illness: From the moment of her seizure she knew that she was dying, and surely never has death been more gloriously swallowed up in victory. She exclaimed : "O, this is nice dy- ing!" And then, fixing her eyes upward, as if she saw the Redeemer coming to receive her, she cried, "Yea, Amen ! let all adore thee," repeating the whole of the third stanza. These were her last words. 602 8, 7, 8, 7, 4, 7. CHRIST is coming ! let creation Bid her groans and travail cease ; Let the glorious proclamation Hope restore and faith increase ; Christ is coming ! Come, thou blessed Prince of Peace ! 2 Long thy exiles have been pining, Far from rest, and home, and thee ; 314 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. But, in heavenly vesture shining, Soon they shall thy glory see ; Christ is coming ! Haste the joyous jubilee. 3 With that blessed hope before us, Let no harp remain unstrung; Let the mighty advent chorus Onward roll from tongue to tongue ; Christ is coming ! Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come ! John R. Macduff. Title: "Second Advent." It first ap- peared in the author's Altar Stones, 1853. The text here is the same as is found in his Gates of Praise. 1876, except that the second stanza has been omitted: Earth can now but tell the story Of Thy bitter cross and pain; She shall yet behold Thy glory, When Thou comest back to reign — Christ is coming ! Let each heart repeat the strain. The hymn is prefaced by the Scripture quotations Revelation i. 7 and Revelation xxii. 20: "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come. Lord Jesus." Dr. Macduff held what are knowm as premil- lennial views as to the second coming of Christ. 003 L- M. THE day of wrath, that dreadful day, When heaven and earth shall pass away ! What power shall be the sinner's stay? How shall he meet that dreadful day? 2 When, shriveling like a parched scroll, The flaming heavens together roll ; And louder yet, and yet more dread, Swells the high trump that wakes the dead ; 3 O on that day, that wrathful day, When man to judgment wakes from clay, Be thou, O Christ, the sinner's stay. Though heaven and earth shall pass away ! Walter Scott. This is without doubt the most familiar of the many translations of Dies Ir 6s. D. Irregular. RISE, my soul, and stretch thy wings, Thy better portion trace ; Rise from transitory things Toward heaven, thy native place : Sun, and moon, and stars decay ; Time shall soon this earth remove ; Rise, my soul, and haste away To seats prepared above. 2 Rivers to the ocean run, Nor stay in all their course ; Fire ascending seeks the sun ; Both speed them to their source : So a soul that's born of God, Pants to view his glorious face ; Upward tends to his abode, To rest in his embrace. 3 Cease, ye pilgrims, cease to mourn, Press onward to the prize ; Soon our Saviour will return Triumphant in the skies : Yet a season, and you know Happy entrance will be given ; All our sorrows left below, And earth exchanged for heaven. Robert Seagrave. Title: "The Pilgrim's Song.", The third stanza of the original has been omitted: 3 Fly me Riches, fly me Cares, Whilst I that coast explore ; Flattering World, with all thy snares, Solicit me no more : Pilgrims fix not here their Home ; Strangers tarry but a Night, When the last dear Morn is come, They'll rise to joyful Light. This hymn first appeared in Hymns for Christian Worship, Partly Composed and Partly Collected from Various Authors, by Robert Seagrave, London, 1742. 624 8, 8, 6. D. HOW happy is the pilgrim's lot, How free from every anxious thought, From worldly hope and fear ! Confined to neither court nor cell, His soul disdains on earth to dwell, He only sojourns here. 2 This happiness in part is mine, Already saved from low design, From every creature-love ; Blest with the scorn of finite good, My soul is lightened of its load, And seeks the things above. 3 There is my house and portion fair ; My treasure and my heart are there, And my abiding home ; For me my elder brethren stay, And angels beckon me away, And Jesus bids me come. 4 I come, thy servant, Lord, replies, I come to meet thee in the skies, And claim my heavenly rest ! Now let the pilgrim's journey end ; Now, O my Saviour, Brother, Friend, Receive me to thy breast ! John Wesley. "The Pilgrim" is the title of this superb poem in Hymns for Those that Seek and Those that Have Redemption in the Blood of Jesus, 1747, of which volume Dr. 328 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Osborn, editor of the collected Poetical Work* of J. and C. Wesley, remarks: "It has supplied a larger number of hymns to the 'Large Hymn Book' than any other of the publications of the two brothers." In verse two, line one, the author wrote "His" instead of "This," and in line two "self-design" instead of "low design." As this poem of nine stanzas is one of the most noted of all the Wesleyan hymns and is a production of exceptional poetic merit, especially if read in its entirety, we give here the five omitted stanzas: 3 The things eternal I pursue ; A happiness beyond the view Of those that basely pant For things by nature felt and seen ; Their honors, wealth, and pleasures mean, I neither have nor want. 4 I have no sharer of my heart, To rob my Saviour of a part, And desecrate the whole : Only betrothed to Christ am I, And wait His coming from the sky, To wed my happy soul. 5 I have no babes to hold me here ; But children more securely dear For mine I humbly claim : Better than daughters or than sons, Temples divine of living stones, Inscribed with Jesus' name. G Xo foot of land do I possess, No cottage in this wilderness: A poor wayfaring man, I lodge awhile in tents below ; Or gladly wander to and fro, Till I my Canaan gain. 7 Nothing on earth I call my own ; A stranger, to the world unknown, I all their goods despise : I trample on their whole delight, And seek a city out of sight, A city in the skies. Of course verses four and five of the original have no place in a hymnal for public worship. Verse four presents an utterly un-Protestant and unscriptural view of matrimony. We think the hymn ' is properly credited here to John Wesley. As hymnologists, however, are by no means agreed as to its authorship, and as there is considerable difference of opin- ion among them as to the extent of John Wesley's contributions to the Wesleyan hymns, it may not be amiss to present the following facts, which will help the read- er to form his own opinion on this ques- tion: This hymn is written in a meter that was a favorite with both Jchn and Charles Wesley. George John Stevenson and some other Eng- lish authorities in hymnology and well-nigh all American students of hymnology have uniformly referred it to John Wesley as its author. But the evidence that he rather than Charles Wesley wrote it is inferential and not direct and positive. The volume from which it is taken, though known to be one of the publications of the Wesley brothers, bears the name of neither of them. It was probably one of their joint publications. All that can be definitely known of hymns taken from these joint volumes is that they are Wes- leyan. It has long been a custom of editors and writers on hymnology to attribute all translations of hymns from the German and other languages to John Wesley and all other Wesleyan hymns to Charles Wesley unless there should be some positive evidence that John Wesley wrote some particular hymn, as, for example, is true of that beginning "We lift our hearts to thee." Following this rule, this hymn is attributed by Telford and some other writers and editors to Charles Wesley. Julian marks it "Wesleyan," and does not undertake to decide which of the two brothers wrote it. John Wesley once said, referring to the joint publications of himself and his brother, that they had agreed between themselves not to distinguish their respective hymns. Now, such a remark would be not only gratuitous but positively misleading if it were true that John Wesley's contribution to these numer- ous Wesleyan volumes of hymns was limited, as many claim, wholly to translations. Dr. Osborn and other discriminating students of Wesleyan hymnology therefore give it as their judgment that John Wesley is the au- thor of many hymns that are commonly ac- credited to Charles Wesley. This hymn was written in 1746. Neither of the brothers was married or was, so far as known, contemplating marriage at that time. In matters pertaining to love and matrimony John Wesley was much more likely than Charles to have given expression to senti- ments like that contained in verse four of the original hymn. Neither of the brothers could have written such a verse three years later : HYMNS ON TIME AND ETERNITY. 329 for Charles Wesley was most happily mar- ried in 1749, and John Wesley that same year became deeply attached to Grace Murray, and planned to marry her. But Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, thinking his choice un- wise, managed to break up the marriage, very much to his sorrow. After his unfortunate marriage to Mrs. Vazeille, in 1751, they re- gretted having interfered to prevent his mar- riage to Grace Murray. We think the hymn is properly credited in the text above, but we know of no reason for affirming, as some have suggested, that it had its origin in a dis- appointment with regard to matrimony. Bating the sentiments contained in verse four of the original, it may be pro- nounced one of the finest lyrics in the English language. Has any poet written anything finer than verse three above, which the saintly Mrs. Fletcher quoted so touchingly on her deathbed? 625 S. M. FOREVER with the Lord !" Amen, so let it be ! Life from the dead is in that word, 'Tis immortality. 2 Here in the body pent, Absent from him I roam, Yet nightly pitch my moving tent A day's march nearer home. 3 "Forever with the Lord !" Father, if 'tis thy will, The promise of that faithful word, E'en here to me fulfill. 4 So when my latest breath Shall rend the veil in twain, By death I shall escape from death, And life eternal gain. 5 Knowing as I am known, How shall I love that word, And oft repeat before the throne, "Forever with the Lord !" James Montgomery. Title: "At Home in Heaven.'' This is no doubt the most valuable and widely used hymn that the author wrote. It is founded on 1 Thessalonians iv. 17: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." The original contains twenty-two stan- zas. This hymn is made up of verses one, two, fourteen, sixteen, and seventeen, ver- batim. From A Poet's Portfolio, London, 1835. Some of the omitted stanzas are too good to be forgotten. We give from the third to the sixth, inclusive. They would make a good hymn. My Father's house on high, Home of my soul how near, At times, to faith's foreseeing eye, Thy golden gates appear. Ah ! then my spirit faints To reach the land I love, The bright inheritance of saints, Jerusalem above. Yet clouds will intervene, And all my prospect flies ; Like Noah's dove, I flit between Rough seas and stormy skies. Anon the clouds depart, The winds and waters cease, While sweetly o'er my gladdened heart Expands the bow of peace. 626 7, 6, 8. 6. D. I SAW the holy city, The New Jerusalem, Come down from heaven a bride adorned With jeweled diadem : The flood of crystal waters Flowed down the golden street ; And nations brought their honors there, And laid them at her feet. 2 And there no sun was needed, Nor moon to shine by night, God's glory did enlighten all, The Lamb himself, the light ; And there his servants serve him, And, life's long battle o'er, Enthroned with him, their Saviour, King, They reign for evermore. 3 O great and glorious vision ! The Lamb upon his throne ; O wondrous sight for man to see ! The Saviour with his own : To drink the living waters And stand upon the shore, Where neither sorrow, sin, nor death Shall ever enter more. 4 O Lamb of God who reignest, Thou bright and morning Star, Whose glory lightens that new earth Which now we see from far ; ::::n ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 0 worthy Judge Eternal, When thou dost bid us come, Then open wide the gates of pearl And call thy servants home. Godfrey Thring. This hymn, titled "The Song of the Re deemed" was written in 1886, and was published that same year with music by H. S. Irons. It was sung in choral festi- vals for several years before it found a place in Church Hymns. 1903. The first two stanzas of the original are as follows: 1 heard a sound of voices Around the great white throne, With harpers harping on their harps To Him that sat thereon ; Salvation, glory, honor ! I heard the song arise, As through the courts of heaven it rolled In wondrous harmonies. From every clime and kindred, And nations from afar, As serried ranks returning home In triumph from a war ; I heard the saints upraising The myriad hosts among, In praise of Him who died, and lives, Their one glad triumph-song. 62 B \ P. M. EYOXD the smiling and the weeping, I shall be soon ; Beyond the waking and the sleeping, Beyond the sowing and the reaping, I shall be soon. Refrain. Love, rest, and home ! Sweet, sweet hope ! Lord, tarry not, but come ! 2 Beyond the blooming and the fading, I shall be soon ; Beyond the shining and the shading, Beyond the hoping and the dreading, I shall be soon. 3 Beyond the rising and the setting, I shall be soon ; Beyond the calming and the fretting, Beyond remembering and forgetting, I shall be soon. 4 Beyond the parting and the meeting, I shall be soon ; Beyond the farewell and the greeting, Beyond the pulse's fever beating, I shall be soon. 5 Beyond the frost chain and the fever, I shall be soon ; •nd the rock waste and the river, Beyond the ever and the never, I shall be soon. Horattus Bonar. Title: "A Little While.91 It is from Bonar's Hymns of Faith and Hope. First Series, 1857. The fourth stanza of the original is as follows: Beyond the gathering and the strowing I shall be soon ; Beyond the ebbing and the flowing, Beyond the coming and the going I shall be soon. Dr. Bonar was a premillenarian, and, like all who hold that belief, his daily prayer was: "Lord, tarry not, but come." This hymn was printed in the Quarter- ly Journal of Prophecy in April, 1S49. MY heavenly home is bright and fair : Xor pain nor death can enter there ; Its glittering towers the sun outshine ; That heavenly mansion shall be mine. Refrain. I'm going home, I'm going home, I'm going home to die no more ; To die no more, to die no more, I'm going home to die no more. 2 My Father's house is built on high, Far, far above the starry sky. When from this earthly prison free, That heavenly mansion mine shall be. 3 While here, a stranger far from home, Affliction's waves may round me foam ; Although, like Lazarus, sick and poor, My heavenly mansion is secure. - 4 Let others seek a home below, Which flames devour, or waves o'erflow. Be mine the happier lot to own A heavenly mansion near the throne. 5 Then fail the earth, let stars decline, And sun and moon refuse to shine, All nature sink and cease to be, That heavenly mansion stands for me. WiUia)n Hunter. This hymn was first published in Se- Melodies, Pittsburg. 1S38. It was re- vised by the author a short time before his death. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS 629 6> G' 4> 6> G> 6> 4- THOU, whose almighty word Chaos and darkness heard, And took their flight ; Hear us, we humbly pray, And where the gospel day Sheds not its glorious ray, Let there be light ! 2 Thou who didst come to bring On thy redeeming wing, Healing and sight, Health to the sick in mind, Sight to the inly blind ; O now, to all mankind, Let there be light ! 3 Spirit of truth and love, Life-giving, holy Dove, Speed forth thy flight ; Move o'er the waters' face Bearing the lamp of grace ; And in earth's darkest place, Let there be light ! 4 Holy and blessed Three, Glorious Trinity, Wisdom, Love, Might ; Boundless as ocean's tide Rolling in fullest pride, Through the world far and wide, Let there be light ! John Marriott. Title: "A Missionary Hymn." It was written about 1813 and first printed in the Friendly Visitor, July, 1825. There are two slightly differing texts. One is given in Lyra Britannica, 1867, and claims to be the original. The other is given by Dr. Raffles in his Hymns, Liverpool, 1853. 630 L- m. SOON may the last glad song arise Through all the millions of the skies, That song of triumph which records That all the earth is now the Lord's. 2 Let thrones, and powers, and kingdoms be Obedient, mighty God, to thee ; And over land, and stream, and main, Wave thou the scepter of thy reign. 3 O that the anthem now might swell, And host to host the triumph tell, That not one rebel heart remains, But over all the Saviour reigns ! Mrs. Yokes (f). This hymn first appeared, according to Duffield, in the Baptist Magazine in 1816. Prof. P. M. Bird attributed it to Mrs. Vokes on purely internal and conjectural evidence; and while it is generally ac- credited to her, there is no conclusive proof that she wrote it. Its Scripture ba- sis is Revelation xi. 15: The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 631 L. M. JESUS shall reign where'er the sun Does his successive journeys run ; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, Till moons shall wax and wane no more. 2 From north to south the princes meet To pay their homage at his feet ; While western empires own their Lord, And savage tribes attend his word. 3 To him shall endless prayer be made, And endless praises crown his head ; His name like sweet perfume shall rise With every morning sacrifice. 4 People and realms of every tongue Dwell on his love with sweetest song, And infant voices shall proclaim Their early blessings on his name. 5 Let every creature rise and bring Peculiar honors to our King ; Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud Amen. Isaac Watts. Title: "Christ's Kingdom among the Gentiles." Founded on the last part of the seventy- second Psalm. The second stanza is made out of the second and third of Watts's: 2 Behold the islands with their kings, And Europe, her best tribute brings ; From north to south the princes meet To pay their homage at his feet. 3 There Persia, glorious to behold, There India shines in Eastern gold, And barbarous nations at his word Submit and bow, and own their Lord. (331) 332 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Watts wrote the first couplet of the third stanza: For him shall endless prayer be made, And praises throng to crown his head. There are two other stanzas that are too good to be forgotten: 6 Blessings abound where'er he reigns ; The pris'ner haps to lose his chains, The weary find eternal rest, And all the sons of want are blest. 7 Where he displays his healing power Death and the curse are known no more; In him the tribes of Adam boast More blessings than their father lost. It is probable that this is the most widely used missionary hymn in the Hymnal. From the author's Psalms, etc., 1719. (>32 C- M. JESUS, immortal King, arise! Assert thy rightful sway, Till earth, subdued, its tribute brings, And distant lands obey. 2 Ride forth, victorious Conqueror, ride, Till all thy foes submit, And all the powers of hell resign Their trophies at thy feet. 3 Send forth thy word and let it fly The spacious earth around, Till every soul beneath the sun Shall hear the joyful sound. 4 O may the great Redeemer's name Through every clime be known, And heathen gods, forsaken, fall, And Jesus reign alone ! 5 From sea to sea, from shore to shore, Be thou, O Christ, adored, And earth with all her millions shout Hosannas to the Lord ! A. C. Hobart Seymour. ''Hymn for the Spread of the Gospel" is the original title. It is taken from the author's Vital Christianity. 1810. In verse one, line two, the author wrote: ''Assume, assert Thy sway." In verse four, line one, he wrote "dear" instead of "great," and in line three "like Dagon" instead of "forsaken." Verses five and six. omitted above, are: 5 O hasten, Lord, the happy* time, That long expected day; When every kingdom, every tribe Shall own Thy gentle sway. 6 When all the untutored tribes Shall the Redeemer own, And crowds of willing converts come To worship at Thy throne. 633 6, 6, 8, 6, 6, 8. FROM all the dark places Of earth's heathen races, O see how the thick shadows fly ! The voice of salvation Awakes every nation, "Come over and help us," they cry. Refrain. The kingdom is coming, O tell ye the story, God's banner exalted shall be '. The earth shall be full of his knowledge and glory, As waters that cover the sea ! 2 The sunlight is glancing O'er armies advancing To conquer the kingdoms of sin ; Our Lord shall possess them, His presence shall bless them, His beauty shall enter them in. 3 With shouting and singing, And jubilant ringing, Their arms of rebellion cast down, At last every nation, The Lord of salvation Their King and Redeemer shall crown ! Mary B. C. Slade. "The Kingdom Coming" is the title of this serviceable missionary hymn. It was written for Prof. R. Bl Mcintosh, of Emory College (Georgia), who composed the tune for it. It is said to be very pop- ular in many parts of the South. 631 P- ^ TELL it out among the heathen that the Lord is King; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out among the nations, bid them shout and sing; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out with adoration that he shall In- crease, SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 333 That the mighty King of glory is the King of Peace ; Tell it out with jubilation, let the song ne'er . cease ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! 2 Tell it out among the heathen that the Sav- iour reigns ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out among the nations, bid them break their chains ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out among the weeping ones that Je- sus lives, Tell it out among the weary ones what rest he gives, Tell it out among the sinners that he still receives ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! 3 Tell it out among the heathen, Jesus reigns above ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out among the nations that his reign is love ; Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Tell it out among the highways and the lanes at home, Let it ring across the mountains and the ocean's foam, Like the sound of many waters, let our glad shout come ! Tell it out ! Tell it out ! Frances R. Havergal. This hymn was written on April 19, 1872, and was first published in Evening Hours, 1872. It is based on Psalm xcvi. 10: "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth." In the Memorials of the author by her sister the following account is given of the origin of this hymn: Written at Winterdyne when unable to go to church one snowy Sunday morning. She asked for her prayer book (in bed), always liking to follow the services of the day. On Mr. Shaw's return from church he heard her touch on the piano. "Why, Frances, I thought you were upstairs!" "Yes; but I had my prayer book, and in the Psalms for to-day I read : 'Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King.' I thought : 'What a splendid first line !' And then words and music came rushing in to me. There, it's all written out !" The sound of church bells, as well as the words of the Psalmist, it is said, helped to inspire within the heart of the sick poet this hymn, which is so full of inspiration to others. It seems to peal forth its gospel message like bells that would ring out and tell to all the world that Christ is King. It is one of the most successful and inspiring of modern mis- sionary hymns. It is well suited to the needs of the great missionary gatherings that are now so frequently held in all parts of the Church. When sung with feeling by a vast audience, it gives tri- umphant expression to the enthusiasm and optimism that characterize the faith of those wiio have caught the vision of Christ's kingship among the nations. 635 6> 6> 4- 6, 6, 6, 4. CHRIST for the world we sing ; The world to Christ we bring With loving zeal ; The poor and them that mourn, The faint and overborne, Sin-sick and sorrow-worn, Whom Christ doth heal. 2 Christ for the world we sing ; The world to Christ we bring With fervent prayer : The wayward and the lost, By restless passions tossed, Redeemed at countless cost From dark despair. 3 Christ for the world we sing ; The world to Christ we bring With one accord ; With us the work to share, With us reproach to dare, With us the cross to bear, For Christ our Lord. 4 Christ for the world we sing ; The world to Christ we bring With joyful song; The newborn souls, whose days Reclaimed from error's ways, Inspired with hope and praise, To Christ belong. Samuel Wolcott. The author gives the following account of the writing of this lyric: The Young Men's Christian Associations of Ohio met in one of our churches with their motto in evergreen letters over the pulpit : 334 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. "Christ Cor the world, and the world for Christ." This suggested the hymn "Christ for the world we sing." it was on my way home from this service in 1869, walking alone through the streets, that I put together the four stanzas of the hymn. 03G 7s. D. WATCHMAN, tell us of the night, What its signs of promise are. Traveler, o'er yon mountain's height See that glory-beaming star ! Watchman, does its beauteous ray Aught of hope or joy foretell? Traveler, yes ; it brings the day, Promised day of Israel. 2 Watchman, tell us of the night ; Higher yet that star ascends. Traveler, blessedness and light, Peace and truth, its course portends: Watchman, will its beams alone Gild the spot that gave them birth? Traveler, ages are its own, See, it bursts o'er all the earth ! 3 Watchman, tell us of the night, For the morning seems to dawn. Traveler, darkness takes its flight ; Doubt and terror are withdrawn. Watchman, let thy wandering cease ; Hie thee to thy quiet home ! Traveler, lo, the Prince of Peace, Lo, the Son of God is come ! John Bow ring. This was first published in the author's volume of Hymits, 1825, and is based on Isaiah xxi. 11: "Watchman, what of the night?" The note of Dr. C. S. Robinson is worth quoting in full: Perhaps no piece can be found' which is more familiar to the American Churches than this hymn. The brief prediction in Isaiah xxi. 11, 12, however, on which it is based, is one of the most obscure in the Bible. The entire prophecy is contained in two verses of the chapter, and appears to bear no rela- tion to what goes before it or what follows. But the image it presents is singularly dra- matic and picturesque. The scene is laid in the midst of the Babylonish captivity. A lonely watchman is represented as standing on the ramparts of some tower along the de- fenses of the citadel. He seems to be anx- iously looking for the issues of the siege lev- eled against it. The time is midnight. Ca- lamity is over the land. The people are af- flict" d. Their enemies are pressing them hard. That solitary Bentinel sadly remains at his post, peering into the unlit gloom, trying to discern signs of deliverance. But the heav- ens are starl< ss, and the impenetrable clouds keep lolling on. Suddenly an unknown voice pierces the air. Whether In wailing sorrow or in bitter taunt, is not evident ; but out of the stillness aln ady grown oppressive breaks the question with repetitious pertinacity: "Watch- man, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" The sentinel waits through a mo- ment of surprised meditation, and then tran- quilly answers : "The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." Then the dialogue lapses into silence again, and the night gathers its un- broken shadows deeper than ever. This was at one time the most familiar and popular of the author's hymns, but in recent years "In the cross of Christ I glo- ry" has become more closely associated with the name and fame of Bowring as a hymn-writer. Besides, the missionary night of a half century ago has so far given way to the light of the new mission- ary day, whose increasing brightness is now seen and felt everywhere the world over, that the hymn is happily not now so needed or so appropriate as it once was. "Watchman, what of the clay?" is the question which it is most appropriate to ask and answer in this day of missionary conquest and triumph. 637 r> o N this stone now laid with prayer Let thy church rise, strong and fair Elver, Lord, thy name i><- known, Where we lay this corner stone. Let thy holy Child, who came Man from error to reclaim, And for sinners to atone, Bless, with thee, this corner stone. :: May thy Spirit here give rest To the heart by sin oppressed, And the seeds of truth be sown, Where we lay this corner stone. 4 Open wide, O God, thy door For the outcast and the poor, Who can call no house their own, Whore we lay this corner stone. 5 By wise master-builders squared, Here be living stones prepared For the temple near thy throne, Jesus Christ its Corner Stone. John Pierpont. Written for and first sung at the laying of the corner stone of the Suffolk Street Chapel, in Boston, for the ministry to the poor, May 23. 1S39. This hymn has a Trinitarian cast, which has been given to it largely by changes of the text. The second stanza the author wrote thus: Let the "holy child" who came Man from error to reclaim, And the sinner to atone, With thee, bless this Corner Stone. The next stanza is made up of verses three and four of the author: 3 Let the spirit from above, That once hovered like a dove O'er the Jordan, hither flown Hover o*er this Corner Stone. 4 In the sinner's troubled breast, In the heart by care oppressed, Let the seeds of truth be sown Where we've laid this Corner Stone. The words "corner stone" in the origi- nal begin with capital letters, the words "Child" and "Spirit" with small letters. This may illustrate the genius of Unitari- anism. From Airs of Palestine and Other Poems. Boston, 1840. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. ur, 658 L- M- OLORD of hosts, whose glory fills The bounds of the eternal hills, And yet vouchsafes, in Christian lands, To dwell in temples made with hands ; 2 Grant that all we, who here to-day Rejoicing this foundation lay, May be in very deed thine own, Built on the precious Corner Stone. 3 Endue the creatures with thy grace That shall adorn thy dwelling place ; The beauty of the oak and pine, The gold and silver, make them thine. 4 To thee they all belong ; to thee The treasures of the earth and sea ; And when we bring them to thy throne We but present thee with thine own. 5 The heads that guide endue with skill ; The hands that work preserve from ill ; That we, who these foundations lay, May raise the topstone in its day. John M. Neale. This is from the author's Hymns for the Young, 1854, where it hears the title: "Laying the First Stone of a Church.-' It is hased on Isaiah lx. 13: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary." There is one additional stanza: 6 Both now and ever Lord, protect The temple of Thine own elect ; Be Thou in them, and they in Thee O Ever-blessed Trinity ! Amen ! In the original the first couplet of the fifth stanza reads: Endue the hearts that guide with skill, Preserve the hands that work from ill. 659 C. M. THOU, whose unmeasured temple stands, Built over earth and sea, Accept the walls that human hands Have raised, O God, to thee ! 2 Lord, from thine inmost glory send, Within these courts to bide, The peace that dwelleth without end Serenely by thy side ! 3 May erring minds that worship here Be taught the better way ; And they who mourn, and they who fear, Be strengthened as they pray. 4 May faith grow firm, and love grow warm, And pure devotion rise, While round these hallowed walls the storm Of earthborn passion dies. William C. Bryant. Written in 1835 for the dedication of a church on Prince Street, New York. It has been widely used in Great Britain, as well as in America. Prof. F. M. Bird, in the Dictionary of Hymnology, says that the hymn as given above is the original text. The author revised some of his hymns, and nineteen of them were privately print- ed in a thin volume without date, said to be 1869. The following is the text of the hymn as given in this book: Hymns, by William Cull en Bryant: "How Amiable Are Thy Tabernacles!" Thou, whose unmeasured temple stands, Built over earth and sea, Accept the walls that human hands Have raised, Oh God ! to thee. And let the Comforter and Friend, Thy Holy Spirit, meet With those who here in worship bend Before thy mercy seat. May they who err be guided here To find the better way, And they who mourn, and they who fear Be strengthened as they pray. May faith grow firm, and love grow warm, And hallowed wishes rise, While round these peaceful walls the storm Of earth-born passion dies. 660 L. M. THE perfect world, by Adam trod, Was the first temple built by God ; His fiat laid the corner stone, And heaved its pillars one by one. 2 He hung its starry roof on high, The broad expanse of azure sky ; He spread its pavement, green and bright, And curtained it with morning light. ;;n; ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 The mountains in the ir places stood, The sea, the sky ; and all was good; And when Its first pure praises rang, The morning stars together sang. 4 Lord, 'tis not ours to make the sea, And earth, and sky, a house for thee; But in thy sight our offering stands, A humbler temple, made with hands. Nathaniel P. Willis. This hymn was written to be sung at the consecration of Hanover Street Uni- tarian Church, Boston, in 1826, at which time the author was only nineteen years of age, having just graduated at Yale Col- lege. In the author's Sacred Poems. 1843, it bears the title: "Dedication of a Place of Worship" In verse two, line two, the author wrote "illimitable" instead of "ex- panse of azure." 661 6, 6, 4, 6, G, 6. 4. COME, O thou God of grace, Dwell in this holy place, E"en now descend ! This temple reared to thee, O may it ever be Filled with thy majesty, Till time shall end ! 2 Be in each song of prais^ Which here thy people raise With hearts aflame ! Let every anthem rise Like incense to the skies, A joyful sacrifice, To thy blest name ! 3 Speak, O eternal Lord, Out of thy living word, O give success ! Do thou the truth impart Unto each waiting heart ; Source of all strength thou art, Thy gospel bless ! 4 To the great One and Three Glory and praises be In love now given ! Glad songs to thee we sing, Glad hearts to thee we bring, Till we our God and King Shall praise in heaven ! William E. Evans. Our Hymns and Their Authors. Nash- ville, 1S90. has the following note concern- ing this hymn: This hymn was written for the dedication of Park Place Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Richmond, Va., by the author, who was then pastor of the Church. The Church was built largely by the liberality of Mr. James B. Pace, and was dedicated in 188S, the dedication sermon being preached by Rev. John E. Edwards, D.D., of the Virginia Con- ference. Since writing this hymn Dr. Evans has connected himself with the Protestant Episcopal Church. 662 8s, 7s. 61. CHRIST is made the sure Foundation, Christ the Head and Corner Stone, Chosen of the Lord, and precious. Binding all the church in one ; Holy Zion's help forever, And her confidence alone. 2 To this temple, where we call thee, Come, O Lord of hosts, to-day With thy wonted loving-kindness, Hear thy servants as they pray ; And thy fullest benediction Shed within its walls alway. 3 Here vouchsafe to all thy servants What they ask of thee to gain, What they gain from thee forever With the blessed to retain, And hereafter in thy glory Evermore with thee to reign. From the Latin. Tr. by John 31. Xeale. This is a translation of a part of an an- cient Latin hymn of the sixth or seventh century beginning: "Urbs beat a Hierusa- lem." The author is unknown. The translation as first published in Dr. Neale's Mediwval Hymns. 1S51, contains nine stanzas. These are verses five, seven, and eight. They contain no less than nine alteration? made by the editors of Hymns Ancient and Modern. 1861, all of them improve- ments on the original. The doxology of this hymn is worth quoting: Laud and honor to the Father ; Laud and honor to the Sox ; Laud and honor to the Spirit ; Ever Three, and ever One ; Consubstantial, coeternal, While unending ages run. Amen. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 347 663 L- M. AND will the great eternal God On earth establish his abode? And will he, from his radiant throne, Accept our temples for his own? 2 These walls we to thy honor raise ; Long may they echo with thy praise : And thou, descending, fill the place With choicest tokens of thy grace. 3 Here let the great Redeemer reign, With all the graces of his train ; While power divine his word attends, To conquer foes, and cheer his friends. 4 And in that great decisive day, When God the nations shall survey, May it before the world appear That crowds were born to glory here. Philip Doddridge. Title: "The Church the Birthplace of the Saints; and God's Care of It." The Scripture basis of this valuable dedication hymn is Psalm lxxxvii. 5: "And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the Highest himself shall establish her." One word has been altered. The au- thor wrote, verse one, line four: Avow our temples for his own. The second and third stanzas of the original are omitted: 2 We bring the Tribute of our Praise, And sing that condescending Grace, Which to our Notes will lend an Ear, And call us sinful Mortals near. 3 Our Father's watchful Care we bless Which guards our Synagogues in Peace, That no tumultuous Foes invade, To fill our Worshipers with Dread. Prom Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, London, 1755. 664 6. D. 0 LORD, our God, almighty King, We fain would make this temple rin^ With our adoring praise ; And joining with the ransomed host, To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Our grateful songs we raise. 2 The heaven of heavens cannot contain Thy majesty, and in thy train Thy archangel veils his face ; Yet curtained tent or temple fair, If humble, contrite hearts be there, May be thy resting place. 3 We sing thy wondrous works and ways ; We sing the glorious displays Of love and power divine ; In all our past, thy matchless grace Hath been vouchsafed within this place ; The glory e'er be thine. 4 These courts renewed and made more neat For thine abode, low at thy feet With prayer, to thee we bring; Hear and forgive ; thy love distill ; This temple with thy glory fill ; Our Father and our King ! Airs. F. K. Stratton. This was written in 1901 for the rededi- cation of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, Lowell, Mass., by the wife of the pastor of the Church, Rev. F. K. Stratton. She spoke of it as a song from the heart — "a song of gratitude and praise for the ac- complishment of a difficult task." It was afterwards used on an occasion when Dr. S. F. Upham preached the dedicatory ser- mon. Dr. Upham was one of the com- pilers of this Hymnal, and his words of encouragement and appreciation of her work led the author to place the hymn in his hands for submission to the Commis- sion who were preparing the new volume. It was voted in unanimously by the Com- mission, being regarded by them as a hymn especially suited (see the last stan- za) to services for the rededication of a church in connection with extensive im- provements or the rebuilding of a church that had been previously dedicated. 665 C. M. JEHOVAH, God, who dwelt of old In temples made with hands, Thy power display, thy truth unfold, Where this new temple stands. 2 Vouchsafe to meet thy children here, Nor ever hence depart ; From sorrow's eye wipe every tear, And bless each longing heart. 348 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 The rich man's gift, the widow's mite Are blended in these walls; These altars welcome all alike Who heed God's gracious calls. 4 From things unholy and unclean We separate this place ; May naught here ever come between This people and thy face ! 5 Now with this house we give to thee Ourselves, our hearts, our all, Tlie pledge of faith and loyalty, Held subject to thy call. 6 And when at last the blood-washed throng Is gathered from all lands, We'll enter with triumphant song The house not made with hands. Leicis R. Amis. A useful hymn, written in 1904 espe- cially for this Hymnal, the author being at the time pastor of Arlington Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Nashville, Tenn. It was written in response to an invitation extended by a member of the Commission preparing the Hymnal who knew of the author's poetic gifts. As first submitted to the Commission it closed with the fifth verse. It was not consid- ered altogether satisfactory, the subcom- mittee venturing, in returning it to the author, to suggest that it lacked a good poetic ending and could be much im- proved by an additional stanza which should furnish the poetic climax that seemed to be needed. The author took kindly to the suggestion and soon re- turned it to the Commission with the ad- dition of the sixth and last stanza given above. It will be readily seen how greatly the hymn is improved by this stanza, which is perhaps the most beautiful of the six. With this improvement all ob- jection to its having a place in the Hym- nal was removed. But, alas! ere the Hym- nal had come from the press the author's final summons had come, and he had himself gone to join that "blood-washed throng" in "the house not made with hands" of which that last stanza sings so beautifully. It is one of the most frequently used of the new hymns written especially for Church dedications, and is likely to find a place in other hymnals than this. GGG lis. W E rear not a temple, like Judah's of old, Whose portals were marble, whose vault- ings were gold ; No incense is lighted, no victims are slain, No monarch kneels praying to hallow the fane. 2 More simple and lowly the walls that we raise, And humbler the pomp of procession and praise, Where the heart is the altar whence incense shall roll, And Messiah the King who shall pray for the soul. 3 O Father, come in ! but not in the cloud Which filled the bright courts where thy chosen ones bowed : But come in that Spirit of glory and grace, Which beams on the soul and illumines the face. 4 O come in the power of thy life-giving word. And reveal to each heart its Redeemer and Lord ; Till faith bring the peace to the penitent given, And love fill the air with the fragrance of heaven. Henry Ware, Jr. This was written for the dedication of a church, April, 1S39. It is published in the author's Miscellaneous lYritings. 1846, where it is titled: "Hymn for the Dedica- tion of a Church." The fifth verse, omit- ted above, is well worth quoting: The pomp of Moriah has long passed away. And soon shall our frailer erection decay ; But the souls that are builded in worship and love Shall be temples of God, everlasting above. GG7 C. M. SINCE Jesus freely did appear To grace a marriage feast, O Lord, we ask thy presence here, To make a wedding giv SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 349 2 Upon the bridal pair look down, Who now have plighted hands ; Their union with thy favor crown, And bless the nuptial bands. 3 With gifts of grace their hearts endow, Of all rich dowries best ; Their substance bless, and peace bestow, To sweeten all the rest. 4 In purest love their souls unite, That they, with Christian care, May make domestic burdens light, By taking mutual share. John Berridge. This hymn is slightly altered. It ap- peared in Sion's Songs; or. Hymns Com- posed for the Use of Them That Love and Follow the Lord Jesus Christ in Sinceri- ty, by John Berridge, M.A., London, 1785. It is found earlier in the Gospel Magazine for August, 1775, where it was signed "Old Everton." The original contained six stanzas. These are the first four. The last verse is as follows: As Isaac and Rebecca give A pattern chaste and kind ; So may this new-met couple live In faithful friendship join'd. Isaac and Rebecca have figured in the marriage ritual of the Church of England from the beginning. Why they should be held up as patterns of fidelity is rather difficult to understand since Rebecca in- stigated and carried out a cruel conspir- acy to deceive Isaac, her husband, and to rob Esau, her firstborn, of his birthright. The author of this marriage hymn was never himself married. 0 668 lls> 10s- PERFECT Love, all human thought tran- scending, Lowly we kneel in prayer before thy throne, That theirs may be the love which knows no ending, Whom thou for evermore dost join in one. 2 O perfect Life, be thou their full assurance Of tender charity and steadfast faith, Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance, With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death. 3 Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow ; Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife, And to life's day the glorious unknown mor- row That dawns upon eternal love and life. Dorothy F. Gurney. This hymn was written in 1883 by Miss Dorothy F. Blomfield in celebration of the marriage of a younger sister. It was published in Supplemental Hymns to Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1889, where it is titled "Holy Matrimony ." While this marriage hymn, like the preceding, was written by one who was not married, it is interesting to know that since writing the hymn the author has become Mrs. Gur- ney. She has herself given an interesting account of the origin of the hymn: We were all singing hymns one Sunday evening, and had just finished "O Strength and Stay," the tune to which was an especial favorite of my sister's, when some one re- marked what a pity it was that the words should be unsuitable for a wedding. My sis- ter, turning suddenly to me, said : "What is the use of a sister who composes poetry if she cannot write me new words to this tune?" I picked up a hymn book and said : "Well, if no one will disturb me, I will go into the li- brary and see what I can do." After about fifteen minutes I came back with the hymn, "O perfect Love," and there and then we all sang it to the tune of "Strength and Stay." It went perfectly, and my sister was delight- ed, saying that it must be sung at her wed- ding. For two or three years it was sung pri- vately at many London weddings, and then it found its way into the hymnals. The writing of it was no effort whatever after the initial idea had come to me of the twofold aspect of perfect union, love and life ; and I have al- ways felt that God helped me to write it. The tune to which it was first sung was composed by John B. Dykes. Sir J. Barn- by composed a special tune to it for use at the marriage of the Duke of Fife to Princess Louise of Wales July 27, 1889. It could be wished that such appropriate and beautiful words as these were oftener sung at Christian marriages among our people. 350 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 669 L- m THOr gracious God whose mercy lends The light of home, the smile of friends, Our gathered flock thine arms enfold, As in the peaceful days of old. _ Wilt thou not hear us while we raise, In sweet accord of solemn praise, The voices that have mingled long In joyous flow of mirth and song? ."> For all the blessings life has brought, For all its sorrowing hours have taught, For all we mourn, for all we keep, The hands we clasp, the loved that sleep, 4 The noontide sunshine of the past, These brief, bright moments fading fast, The stars that gild our darkening years, The twilight ray from holier spheres, 5 We thank thee, Father ; let thy grace Our loving circle still embrace, Thy mercy shed its heavenly store, Thy peace be with us evermore. Olive)- W. Holmes. Copyright, Houghton, Mirtiin A Co. Written by Dr. Holmes for the meeting of his college class in 1869. It has not been altered except in the first line, which he wrote, Thou Gracious Poicer whose mercy lends, and so it should have been printed here. 670 L. M. FATHER of all, thy care we bless, Which crowns our families with peace : From thee they spring ; and by thy hand They are, and shall be still sustained. 2 To God, most worthy to be praised, Be our domestic altars raised ; Who, Lord of heaven, yet deigns to come And sanctify our humblest home. 3 To thee may each united house Morning and night present its vows ; Our servants there, and rising race, Be taught thy precepts and thy grace. 4 So may each future age proclaim The honors of thy glorious name, And each succeeding race remove To join the family above. Philip Doddridge. This is the second hymn in the author's Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures. 1755. Title: ''God's Gra- cious Approbation of a Religious Care of Our Families." Genesis xviii. 19 furnish- es its Scripture basis: "For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." This hymn has been al- tered more extensively by the editors than is found necessary usually with Dod- dridge's hymns, as will be seen by com- paring the first verse above with the orig- inal: Father of in en, Thy care we trace, That crowns icith love our infant race ; From Thee they sprung, and by Thy power Are still maintain'd through every hour. 671 lis, 10s. 0 HAPPY home, where thou art loved the dearest, Thou loving Friend, and Saviour of our race, And where among the guests there never cometh One who can hold such high and honored place ! 2 O happy home, where two in heart united In holy faith and blessed hope are one, Whom death a little while alone divideth, And cannot end the union here begun ! 3 O happy home, whose little ones are given Early to thee, in humble faith and prayer, To thee, their Friend, who from the heights of heaven Guides them, and guards with more than mother's care ! 4 O happy home, where each one serves thee, lowly, Whatever his appointed work may be, Till every common task seems great and holy, When it is done, O Lord, as unto thee ! 5 O happy home, where thou art not forgotten When joy is overflowing, full, and free ; O happy home, where every wounded spirit Is brought, Physician, Comforter, to thee, 6 Until at last, when earth's day's work is ended All meet thee in the blessed home above. From whence thou earnest, where thou hast ascended, Thy everlasting home of peace and love ! Carl J. P. S pitta. Tr. by Sarah Borthicick Findlater. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 351 From the German. The translation is not by Mrs. Alexander, as given by mis- take in the early editions of the Hymnal. It is altered from the translation of Mrs. Sarah Borthwick Findlater given in Hymns from the Land of Luther. The Dictionary of Hymnology, Second Edition, says: "It was altered, by the per- mission of Mrs. Findlater, to a more sing- able meter." 672 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. SHEPHERD of tender youth, Guiding in love and truth Through devious ways ; Christ our triumphant King, "We come thy name to sing ; Hither our children bring To shout thy praise. 2 Thou art our holy Lord, The all-subduing Word, Healer of strife ; Thou didst thyself abase, That from sin's deep disgrace Thou mightest save our race, And give us life. 3 Thou art the great High Priest; Thou hast prepared the feast Of heavenly love ; "While in our mortal pain None calls on thee in vain ; Help thou dost not disdain, Help from above. 4 Ever be thou our guide, Our shepherd and our pride, Our staff and song; Jesus, thou Christ of God, By thy perennial word Lead us where thou hast trod, Make our faith strong. 5 So now, and till we die, Sound we thy praises high, And joyful sing ; Infants, and the glad throng Who to thy Church belong, Unite to swell the song To Christ our King. Clement of Alexandria. Tr. by Henry M. Dexter. This is supposed to be the oldest Chris- tian hymn extant. There was a fitness in Clement's writing a hymn to the "Shep- herd of tender youth," as he was for many years at the head of the first Chris- tian school known to have been estab- lished in the early Church — the celebrated Catechetical School of Alexandria. The original Greek is found at the close of his Paidagogus, with the title: "Hymn of the Saviour Christ." It was written about 200 A.D. The following is a word-for- word rendering of the first verse of the original: Bridle of colts unbroken ; Wing of birds unwandering ; Helm of ships trusty ; Shepherd of lambs royal ; Thy simple Children assemble To praise holily, To hymn guilelessly, With innocent mouths, The children's Leader, Christ. The above translation was made by Dr. Dexter in 1846 while he was pastor of a Church in Manchester, N. H., and was first sung by the choir from manuscript in connection with a sermon on the early Christians. It was first published in the Congregationalist, of Boston, December 21, 1849, of which periodical Dr. Dexter became editor in 1867. "I first translated it literally into prose,"* says Dr. Dexter, "and then transfused as much of its lan- guage and spirit as I could into the hymn." And so much of Christian faith and phraseology did he tranfuse into it that his translation is universally regard- ed as the best ever made of the original into English. It has found its way into many modern hymnals. 673 7, 7, 5. D. BEAUTEOUS are the flowers of earth, Flowers we bring with holy mirth, Bright and sweet and gay ; Will our Father deign to own Gifts we lay before his throne, On this happy day? 2 Yes, he will ; for all things bright Are most precious in his sight, And he loves to see Children come with flowers for him, Whom the flaming seraphim Worship ceaselessly. 35! ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 Y.s, he will; for children's love Makes this world like heaven above, Where no evil reigns, And where all unite to bring Purest offerings, and sing Love's unending strains. 4 Yes, he will ; for hearts that turn To tla- sick and poor, and learn 1 f i »w to make them glad. Shine like beacons on the strand Of the far-off, happy land, To the lost and sad. 5 So our lowly gifts to thee, Lord of earth and sky and sea, Thou wilt kindly take ; Every little flower we bring, Every simple hymn we sing, And not one forsake. William C. Dix. This hymn is especially adapted for a floral Sunday or a Children's Day service. It is exceedingly desirable that children should early and intelligently become Christian disciples. To secure this end care should be taken to interest them in the services of the Church. The singing of suitable hymns is a part of the service that they can understand and greatly en- joy. 67-4 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8. HUSHED was the evening hymn, The temple courts were dark, The lamp was burning dim, Before the sacred ark : When suddenly a voice divine Rang through the silence of the shrine. 2 The old man, meek and mild, The priest of Israel, slept ; His watch the temple child, The little Levite, kept; And what from Eli's sense was sealed, The Lord to Hannah's son revealed. 3 O give me Samuel's ear, The open ear, O Lord, Alive and Quick to hear Each whisper of thy word ! Like him to answer at thy call, And to obey thee first of all. 4 O give me Samuel's heart, A lowly heart, that waits Where in thy house thou art, Or watches at thy gates ! By day and night, a heart that still Moves at the breathing of thy will. 5 O give me Samuel's mind. A sweet, unmurmuring faith, Obedient and resigned To thee in life and death ! That I may read with childlike eyes Truths that are hidden from the wise. James D. Burns. This is taken from the author's little volume titled The Evening Hymn. 1857< which consists of an original hymn and an original prayer for every evening in the month. "The hymns and prayers alike," says Julian's Dictionary, "are characterized by reverence, beauty, simplicity, and pathos.'' The above hymn, which is appropriately titled The Child Samuel, is one of the fin- I est examples of a prayer-hymn in the en- tire range of modern hymnology, as will appear from a special study of the last three stanzas. No poet has made more ef- fective and beautiful use for devotional purposes of the familiar Scripture story of the child Samuel than has the author of this hymn. WILT thou hear the voice of praise Which the little children raise, Thou who art, from endless days, Glorious God of all? While the circling year has sped, Thou hast heavenly blessings shed, Like the dew, upon each head ; Still on thee we call. 2 Still thy constant care bestow ; Let us each in wisdom grow, And in favor while below, With the God above. In our hearts the Spirit mild, Which adorned the Saviour-child, Gently soothe each impulse wild To the sway of love. 3 Thine example, kept in view, Jesus, help us to pursue ; Lead us all our journey through By thy guiding hand; And when life on earth is o'er, Where the blest dwell evermore, May we praise thee and adore, An unbroken band. Mrs. Caroline L. Rice. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 353 This hymn, written originally for a Sunday school celebration, was contrib- uted to the hymnal of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, 1878. It is devout, musical, and wholesome. 676 7s. SAVIOUR, teach me day by day, Love's sweet lesson to obey ; Sweeter lesson cannot be, Loving him who first loved me. 2 With a childlike heart of love, At thy bidding may I move ; Prompt to serve and follow thee, Loving him who first loved me. 3 Teach me all thy steps to trace, Strong to follow in thy grace ; Learning how to love from thee ; Loving him who first loved me. 4 Love in loving finds employ, In obedience all her joy ; Ever new that joy will be, Loving him who first loved me. 5 Thus may I rejoice to show That I feel the love I owe ; Singing, till thy face I see, Of his love who first loved me. Jane E. Leeson. The burden of this fine children's hymn seems to be 1 John iv. 19: "We love him because he first loved us." It is here ab- breviated. The original has four stanzas of eight lines. It is taken from the au- thor's Hymns and Scenes of Childhood, London, 1842. This makes an ideal hymn for a child to learn by heart as well as to sing. "Love's sweet lesson" has perhaps never been more beautifully presented to the young than in this little love-lyric of one who was preeminently gifted in writ- ing hymns for the young. 677 8s, 7s. 61. SAVIOUR, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need thy tenderest care ; In thy pleasant pastures feed us, For our use thy folds prepare ; Blessed Jesus ! Thou hast bought us, thine we are. 23 2 We are thine, do thou befriend us, Be the guardian of our way ; Keep thy flock, from sin defend us, Seek us when we go astray : Blessed Jesus ! Hear, O hear us, when we pray. 3 Thou hast promised to receive us, Poor and sinful though we be ; Thou hast mercy to relieve us, Grace to cleanse, and power to free : Blessed Jesus ! We will early turn to thee. 4 Early let us seek thy favor, Early let us do thy will ; Blessed Lord and only Saviour, With thy love our bosoms fill : Blessed Jesus ! Thou hast loved us, love us still. Author Unknown. This fine and popular hymn dates back to 1836. It is of English origin, and has sometimes been attributed to Lyte and sometimes to D. A. Thrupp. The author- ship is at present unknown. This is great- ly to be regretted. It has been sung with great profit and satisfaction by millions of people who would be glad to know who gave them such an excellent hymn. 678 C. M. B Y cool Siloam's shady rill How fair the lily grows ! How sweet the breath, beneath the hill, Of Sharon's dewy rose ! 2 Lo ! such the child whose early feet The paths of peace have trod ; Whose secret heart, with influence sweet, Is upward drawn to God. 3 By cool Siloam's shady rill The lily must decay ; The rose that blooms beneath the hill Must shortly fade away. 4 And soon, too soon, the wintry hour Of man's maturer age Will shake the soul with sorrow's power, And stormy passion's rage. 5 O Thou whose infant feet were found Within thy Father's shrine, Whose years with changeless virtue crowned, Were all alike divine ; 354 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 6 Dependent on thy bounteous breath, We seek thy grace alone, In childhood, manhood, age, and death, To keep us still thine own. Reginald Ilcbcr. First published in the Christian Observ- er (England) in 1812. It was later re- written by the author. It appeared in its present form in Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year, 1827. Its title is "Christ a Pat- tern for Children.9* It is founded on Luke ii. 40: "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." (>T9 C. M. H OSANNA ! be the children's song, To Christ, the children's King ; His praise, to whom our souls belong, Let all the children sing. Hosanna ! sound from hill to hill, And spread from plain to plain, While louder, sweeter, clearer still, Woods echo to the strain. 3 Hosanna ! on the wrings of light, O'er earth and ocean fly, Till morn to eve, and noon to night, And heaven to earth, reply. 4 Hosanna ! then, our song shall be ; Hosanna to our King ! This is the children's jubilee ; Let all the children sing. James Montgomery. Title: "Children Singing Hosanna to Christ." Seven stanzas. Verses two, three, and six have been omitted: 2 From little ones to Jesus brought, Hosannas now be heard ; Let infants at the breast be taught To lisp that lovely word. 3 Hosanna here, in joyful bands, Maidens and youths proclaim, And hail with voices, hearts, and hands, The Son of David's name. 6 The city to the country call ; Let realm with realm accord; And this their watchword one and all: Hosanna — praise the Lord. Unaltered. From the author's Original Hymns. 1853. 080 5s- D- BRIGHTLY gleams our banner, Pointing to the sky, Waving wanderers onward To their home on high. Journeying o'er the desert, Gladly thus we pray, And with hearts united Take our heavenward way. Refrain. Brightly gleams our banner, Pointing to the sky, Waving wanderers onward To their home on high. 2 Jesus, Lord and Master, At thy sacred feet, Here with hearts rejoicing See thy children meet ; Often have we left thee, Often gone astray ; Keep us, mighty Saviour, In the narrow way. 3 All our days direct us In the way we go ; Lead us on victorious Over every foe : Bid thine angels shield us When the storm clouds lower; Pardon, Lord, and save us In the last dread hour. Then with saints and angels May we join above, Offering prayers and praises At thy throne of love ; When the toil is over, Then come reot and peace ; Jesus in his beauty ; Songs that never cease. Thomas J. Potter. Alt. A part of a popular processional hymn which first appeared in England in The Holy Family Hymns, 1860. It has been abbreviated and altered because the orig- inal was too Romanistic for the use of Protestant singers. As it stands here it is well adapted for general use. 682 P- M. I THINK when I read that sweet story of old, When Jesus was here among men, How he called little children as lambs to his fold, I should like to have been with him then. I wish that his hands had been placed on my head, That his arms had been thrown around me, That I might have seen his kind look when he said, Let the little ones come unto me. 2 Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go And ask for a share in his love ; And if I thus earnestly seek him below, I shall see him and hear him above : In that beautiful place he has gone to pre- pare, For ail who are washed and forgiven ; And many dear children shall be with him there, For of such is the kingdom of heaven. Jemima T. Luke. This hymn was written by Miss Thomp- son in 1841 before her marriage (in 1843) to Rev. Samuel Luke, a Congregational minister of England. It is perhaps the most popular of all modern hymns for children. It was first published in the Su?iday School Teacher's Magazine in 1841. We have from Mrs. Luke's own pen the following account of its origin: 356 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. l w> nt in the year 1841 to the norma] In- fant school, in Gray's Inn Road, to obtain some knowledge of the system. Mary Mof- fat (afterwards Mrs. Livingstone) was there at tli»' sainr time, and Sarah Roby, whom Mr. and .Mrs. .Moffat had rescued in infancy when buried alive, and had brought up with their own children. Among the marching pieces at Gray's Inn Road was a Greek air the pathos of which took my fancy, and I searched Watts and Jane Taylor and several Sunday school hymn books for words to suit the measure, but in vain. Having been called home, I went one day on some missionary business to the little town of Wellington, five miles from Faunton, in a stagecoach. It was a beautiful spring morning, it was an hour's ride, and there was no other inside pas- senger. On the back of an old envelope I wrote in pencil the first two of the verses now so well known, in order to teach the tune to the village school supported by my step- mother, and which it was my province to vis- it. The third verse was added afterwards to make it a missionary hymn. This "missionary verse' above, and is as follows: is omitted But thousands and thousands who wander and fall Never heard of that heavenly home ; I should like them to know there is room for them all, And that Jesus has bid them to come. I long for that blessed and glorious time, The fairest, the brightest, the best, When the dear little children, of every clime, Shall crowd to his arms and be blest. 683 6s, 5s. D. CHRIST, who once among us As a child did dwell, Is the children's Saviour, And he loves us well ; If we keep our promise Made him at the font, He will be our Shepherd, And we shall not want. 2 There it was they laid us In those tender arms, Where the lambs are carried Safe from all alarms ; If we trust his promise, He will let us rest In his arms forever, Leaning on his breast. 3 Though we may not see him For a little while, We shall know he holds us, Often feel his smile ; Death will be to slumber In that sweet embrace, And we shall awaken To behold his face. 4 He will be our Shepherd After as before, By still heavenly waters Lead us evermore, Make us lie in pastures Beautiful and green. Where none thirst or hunger, And no tears are seen. 5 Jesus, our good Shepherd, Laying down thy life. Lest thy sheep should perish In the cruel strife, Help us to remember All thy love and care, Trust in thee, and love thee Always, everywhere. W. St. Hill Bonnie. A scriptural and wholesome hymn for children. It was written in 1868 and first published in Hymns Ancient and Modern, London, 1875. The text is the same here as given in that popular book. 681 L. M. THERE was a time when children sang The Saviour's praise with sacred glee, And all the hills of Judah rang With their exulting jubilee. 2 O to have joined their rapturous songs, And swelled their sweet hosannas high, And blessed him with our feeble tongues, As he, the Man of grief, went by ! 3 But Christ is now a glorious King, And angels in his presence bow ; The humble songs that we can sing, O wrill he, can he, hear them now? 4 He can, he will, he loves to hear The notes which loving children raise : Jesus, we come with trembling fear, O teach our hearts and tongues to praise ! 5 We join the hosts around thy throne, Who once, like us, the desert trod ; And thus we make their song our own, Hosanna to the Son of God ! Thomas R. Taylor. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 357 One of the author's Hymns for Sabbath School Children, published in his Memoirs and Select Remains, 1836. The "time when children sang" referred to in the first verse was in Jerusalem at the tri- umphal entry of Christ (Matt. xxi. 15.) The author's most popular hymn is that beginning: "I'm but a stranger here; heaven is my home." When he wrote in one line of this hymn, "Short is my pil- grimage," he was indeed writing of him- self more truly than he then knew, for he died when he was only twenty-seven years of age. 685 6s, 5s. JESUS, meek and gentle, Son of God most high, Pitying, loving Saviour, Hear thy children's cry. 2 Give us holy freedom, Fill our hearts with love ; Draw us, holy Jesus, To the realms above. 3 Lead us on our journey, Be thyself the way Through the earthly darkness To the heavenly day. George R. Prynne. Written in 1856. Published in the au- thor's Hymnal Suited to the Services of the Church, 1858. Afterwards it appeared in Hymns Ancient and Modern and in many other collections. It is here placed among hymns for chil- dren, but the author says that it was not specially written for them. It is indeed very appropriate for Christians of all ages. The second stanza is omitted: Pardon our offences, Loose our captive chains, Break down every idol Which our soul detains. 686 JC- m. THE Lord our God alone is strong; His hands build not for one brief day ; His wondrous works, through ages long, His wisdom and his power display. 2 His mountains lift their solemn forms, To watch in silence o'er the land ; The rolling ocean, rocked with storms, Sleeps in the hollow of his hand. 3 Beyond the heavens he sits alone, The universe obeys his nod ; The lightning rifts disclose his throne, And thunders voice the name of God. 4 Thou sovereign God, receive this gift Thy willing servants offer thee ; Accept the prayers that thousands lift, And let these halls thy temple be. 5 And let those learn, who here shall meet, True wisdom is with reverence crowned, And science walks with humble feet To seek the God that faith hath found. Caleb T. Winchester. This hymn, which combines in a rare degree literary merit with the spirit of true religious devotion, was written in 1871 to be sung at the dedication of the Orange Judd Hall of Natural Science, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., in which institution the author gradu- ated in 1869 and has been Professor of English Literature since 1873. In the en- tire collection there is perhaps no other hymn so well adapted in thought and phraseology for use at the dedication of a Christian institution of learning. Professor Winchester was a most val- ued and useful member of the Commis- sion that prepared this Hymnal. The vote to give the above hymn a place in the Hymnal lacked only one vote of being- unanimous — that of the author. 687 C. M. ALMIGHTY Lord, with one accord We offer thee our youth, And pray that thou would'st give us now The warfare of the truth. 2 Thy cause doth claim our souls by name, Because that we are strong ; In all the land, one steadfast band, May we to Christ belong. 3 Let fall on every college hall The luster of thy cross, That love may dare thy work to share And count all else as loss. 358 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 4 Our hearts 1>«' ruled, our spirits schooled Alone thy will to se< k ; And win ii we find thy blessed mind, Instruct our lips to speak. M. Woolsey Stryker. "A College Hymn." One stanza has been omitted. It was written in 1896 and fust printed in the Neio York Evangelist of February 27 the same year. It was published in the College Hymnal (Biglow and Main Company) in 1896. It is appropriate for frequent use in college chapels, as it is vastly important that our educated young people should be active Christians. (>88 S. M. w E give thee but thine own, Whate'er the gift may be ; All that we have is thine alone, A trust, O Lord, from thee. 2 May we thy bounties thus As stewards true receive, And gladly, as thou blessest us, To thee our first fruits give. 3 O hearts are bruised and dead, And homes are bare and cold, And lambs for whom the Shepherd bled Are straying from the fold ! 4 To comfort and to bless, To find a balm for woe, To tend the lone and fatherless, Is angels' work below. 5 The captive to release, To God the lost to bring, To teach the way of life and peace — It is a Christlike thing. 6 And we believe thy word, Though dim our faith may be ; Whate'er for thine we do, O Lord, We do it unto thee. William W. How. This hymn was written about 1858, and was first published in the 1864 edition of Psalms and Hymns, edited by Thomas B. Morrell and William W. How. It is based on Proverbs xix. 17: "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord." John Wesley said once: "You will have no re- ward in heaven for what you lay up: you will for what you lay out. Every pound you put into the earthly bank is sunk; it brings no interest above. But every pound you give to the poor you put into the bank of heaven. And it will bring glorious interest." 089 L. M. D EAR ties of mutual succor bind The children of our feeble race, A.nd if our brethren were not kind, This earth were but a weary place. 2 We lean on others as we walk Life's twilight path, with pitfalls strewn ; And 'twere an idle boast to talk Of treading that dim path alone. 3 Amid the snares misfortune lays Unseen beneath the steps of all, Blest is the love that seeks to raise, And stay and strengthen those who fall ; 4 Till, taught by Him who for our sake Bore every form of life's distress, With every passing year we make The sum of human sorrow less. William C. Bryant. Copyright, D. Appleton & Co. Title: "Mutual Kindness." This little poem was contributed by the author to Singers and Songs of the Liber- al Faith, edited by Alfred P. Putnam, Bos- ton, 1875. It emphasizes the importance of broth- erly love, and calls attention to the fact that Christ was the great teacher of this principle. 690 C. M. W HO is thy neighbor? He whom thou Hast power to aid or bless ; Whose aching heart or burning brow Thy soothing hand may press. 2 Thy neighbor? 'Tis the fainting poor, Whose eye with want is dim ; O enter thou his humble door, With aid and peace for him. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 359 3 Thy neighbor? He who drinks the cup When sorrow drowns the brim ; With words of high, sustaining hope, Go thou and comfort him. 4 Thy neighbor? Pass no mourner by ; Perhaps thou canst redeem A breaking heart from misery ; Go, share thy lot with him. William Cutter. The title of this fine hymn, "Who 7s My Neighbor," is a quotation from the para- ble of the good Samaritan. In the poem the author answers the question. It first appeared in the Christian Mirror, Port- land, Maine, May 30, 1828, where the first line reads: "Thy neighbor? It is he whom thou." A comparison of the above with the original reveals the fact that quite half the lines have been altered. In this altered form it had appeared anony- mously in print in a number of period- icals when Rev. W. B. O. Peabody, a Uni- tarian pastor of Springfield, Mass., insert- ed it in his Springfield Collection of Hymns for Sacred Worship, 1835. This led to its being erroneously accredited to Mr. Peabody as its author. One of three omitted stanzas is: Thy neighbor? Yonder toiling slave, Fettered in thought and limb ; Whose hopes are all beyond the grave, Go thou, and ransom him. 691 L. M. HELP us, O Lord, thy yoke to wear, Delighting in thy perfect will ; Each other's burdens learn to bear, And thus thy law of love fulfill. 2 He that hath pity on the poor Lendeth his substance to the Lord; And, lo ! his recompense is sure, For more than all shall be restored. 3 Teach us, with glad, ungrudging heart, As thou hast blest our various store, From our abundance to impart A liberal portion to the poor. 4 To thee our all devoted be, In whom we breathe and move and live ; Freely we have received from thee ; Freely may we rejoice to give. Thomas Cotterill. Title: "For a Charitable Occasion.'''' These stanzas are not altered. Two stanzas, the third and sixth, are omitted: 3 Who sparingly his seed bestows, He sparingly shall also reap ; But whoso plentifully sows, The plenteous sheaves his hand shall heap. 6 And while we thus obey thy word, And every call of want relieve ; Oh ! may we find it, gracious Lord, More bless'd to give than to receive. From the author's Sheffield Hymn Book, 1819. In some collections it begins: "Lord, let us learn thy yoke to wear." 692 i. 0 LORD of heaven and earth and sea, To thee all praise and glory be ! How shall we show our love to thee, Who givest all? 2 The golden sunshine, vernal air, Sweet flowers and fruit thy love declare ; When harvests ripen, thou art there, Who givest all. 3 For peaceful homes, and healthful days, For all the blessings earth displays, We owe thee thankfulness and praise, Who givest all. 4 Thou didst not spare thine only Son, But gav'st him for a world undone, And freely with that blessed One Thou givest all. 5 Thou giv'st the Spirit's holy dower, Spirit of life and love and power, And dost his sevenfold graces shower • Upon us all. 6 For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven, For means of grace and hopes of heaven, What can to thee, O Lord, be given, Who givest all? 7 We lose what on ourselves we spend, We have, as treasure without end, Whatever, Lord, to thee we lend, Who givest all. 8 Whatever, Lord, we lend to thee, Repaid a thousandfold will be ; Then gladly will we give to thee Who givest all. ar»o ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 9 To thee, from whom we all derive Our life, our gifts, our powvr to giv.- ; O may we ever with thee live,. Who givest all ! Christopher Words worth. This was first published in the 1863 edi- tion of the author's Holy Year, where it bears the title, "Charitable Collections." Telford pronounces it "the finest of all of- fertory hymns." "It is not in the least poetical," says Canon Ellerton; "it is full of halting verses and prosaic lines. And yet it is such true praise, so genuine, so comprehensive, so heartfelt that we forget its homeliness." Over against Canon Ellerton we express the judgment that verses seven and eight are both poetical and beautiful in the ex- pression which they give to the noble Christian sentiment which they contain. 693 7s. D POUR thy blessings, Lord, like showers, On these barren lives of ours ; Warm and quicken them with grace Till they bloom and bear apace Fruit of prayer and fruit of praise, Holy thoughts and kindly ways, Loving sacrifices shown Wheresoever need is known. 2 Chiefest, Lord, to-day may we In the sick and suffering see, Those whom thou would'st have us bless With fraternal tenderness, With our treasure freely poured, With compassion's richer hoard, ■ With these ministries most dear To thy stricken children here. 3 Heavy is the cross they bear, But our love that cross can share ; Dark thy Providence must seem, But our cheer can cast a gleam On their lot ; and in our turn Holiest lessons we may learn, Where thine own revealing light Streams through pain's mysterious night. Harriet M. Kimball. The first line of this hymn the author wrote: Pour thy blessing, Lord, in showers. Also line seven in verse two: With the ministries most dear. In an autographic letter under date of March 13, 1908, Miss Kimball gives the history of this hymn as follows: I cannot tell you when the hymn was writ- ten. It must be a dozen years or more ago. The then chaplain of St. Luke's Hospital, New York, in behalf of a committee, offered one hundred dollars for the best hymn to be sung on "Hospital Saturday and Sunday'* in the churches where offerings were to be made for the benefit of hospitals in that city. This hymn, written in response, was selected as the best by the committee, and was sung ac- cordingly. I do not remember the music us< d for the words, but think it was not written specially for the hymn. It subsequently ap- peared in our Church papers ; also in others of a religious character. 694: C. M. SHE loved her Saviour, and to him Her costliest present brought ; To crown his head, or grace his name, No gift too rare she thought. - So let the Saviour be adored, And not the poor despised ; Give to the hungry from your hoard, But all, give all to Christ. 3 Go, clothe the naked, lead the blind, Give to the weary rest ; For sorrow's children comfort find, And help for all distressed ; 4 But give to Christ alone thy heart, Thy faith, thy love supreme ; Then for his sake thine alms impart, And so give all to him. William Cutter. This hymn first appeared in the Chris- tian Mirror, of Portland, Maine, April 23, 1829. It is based upon the story of Mary and the alabaster box of precious oint ment as recorded in Matthew xxvi. 6-13. Two stanzas are omitted: 2 And though the prudent worldling Crowned, And thought the poor bereft : Christ's humble friend sweet comfort found, For he approved the gift. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 3fil 4 The poor are always with us here, 'Tis our* great Father's plan That mutual wants and mutual care May bind us man to man. 695 L- M. WHEN Jesus dwelt in mortal clay, What were his works, from day to day, But miracles of power and grace, That spi'ead salvation through our race? 2 At his command, from rayless night Redeemed, the blind receive their sight ; The deaf in rapture hear his voice, The dumb in songs of praise rejoice. 3 Teach us, O Lord, to keep in view Thy pattern, and thy steps pursue ; Let alms bestowed, let kindness done, Be witnessed by each rolling sun. 4 Teach us to mark, from day to day, In generous acts our radiant way, Tread the same path our Saviour trod, The path to glory and to God. Thomas Gibbons. Part of Hymn No. 128 in Hymns Adapt- ed to Divine Worship, by Thomas Gibbons, D.D., London, 1784. Nine stanzas; these are one, two, seven, and nine. The last stanza has been slightly changed. This lyric, based upon Acts x. 38, is vigorously written throughout. The next to the last stanza of the original is as follows: That man may last but never lives, Who much receives, but nothing gives, Whom none can love, whom none can thank, Creation's Blot, Creation's Blank. A warm discussion arose in the Joint Commission about admitting this stanza, which had a place in the hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. When put to vote, it failed to carry. 696 C. M. 0 HOW can they look up to heaven, And ask for mercy there, Who never soothed the poor man's pang, Nor dried the orphan's tear? 2 The dread omnipotence of heaven We every hour provoke ; Yet still the mercy of our God Withholds the avenging stroke : 3 And Christ was still the healing friend Of poverty and pain ; And never did imploring soul His garment touch in vain. 4 May we with humble effort take Example from above ; And thence the active lesson learn Of charity and love ! John Browne. In the earlier editions of the Hymnal this hymn was erroneously attributed to Simon Browne. It has had a place in the hymnals of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, since 1847, when the first official collection of hymns was published by this Church. It had already appeared in an English hymnal titled A Collection of Hymns for Public and Private Worship, compiled by Dr. Andrew Kippis, which was published in various editions, begin- ning in 1795. A supplement was added in the edition of 1807, and continued to be included in subsequent editions, this hymn being one of those published in the supplement. It has two additional verses: 5 But chiefly be the labour ours To shade the early plant ; To guard from ignorance and guilt The infancy of want ; 6 To graft the virtues, ere the bud The canker worm has gnawed, And teach the rescued child to lisp Its gratitude to God. 697 P. M. RESCUE the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave Weep o'er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save. Refrain. Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. 2 Though they are slighting him, Still he is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive : Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them gently : He will forgive if they only believe. 36: ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 3 Down In the human heart, Crushed by the tempter, Feelings tie buried that grace can restore: Touched by a loving heart. Wakened by kindn< Chords that were broken will vibrate once more 4 Rescue the perishing. Duty demands it : Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide: Back to the narrow way Patiently win them : Tell the poor wanderer a Saviour has died. Fanny J. Crosby. Title: "Home Missions." From Songs of Devotion, 1870. Mrs. Van Alstyne has been interested in mission work in New York City for many years. Mr. Doane sent her the top- ic. It is a rally song for mission and temperance work. It is hopeful, full of faith and power, and has been unspeak- ably useful in gospel work. Mr. William T. Stead, the English ed- itor, in his preface to Hymns That Have Helped, says: It would be difficult to overestimate the ex- tent to which the religious life of the English- speaking world has been quickened and glad- dened by the Songs and Solos of Mr. Sankey. And before Mr. Sankey the American Sacred Songster of Mr. Phillips had done much to en- liven our service of song. To this day the American hymns and spiritual songs are more popular among our masses than any others. When mission services are held or a revival is under way. in the majority of cases the American hymns are used as a matter of course. 60S S. M. M OURX for the thousands slain, The youthful and the otrong ; Mourn for the wine cup's fearful reign, And the deluded throng. Mourn for the ruined soul — Eternal life and light Lost by the fiery, maddening bowl, And turned to hopeless night. o Mourn for the lost ; but call, Call to the strong, the free : Rouse them to shun that dreadful fall, And to the refuge flee. 4 Mourn for the lost; but pray, I*i ay to our God above, To break the fell destroyer's sway, And show his saving love. Seth C. Brace. "Temperance Hymn" is the author's title to these verses. Some years ago a correspondent of the Christian Advocate raised the question as to the authorship of this hymn. Not long afterwards the editor received the fol- lowing letter: The Rev. Dr. Buckley: The hymn, "Mourn for the thousands slain," etc., No. S90 in the Methodist Hymnal, was written in 1S43 for the Parish Hymns (published that year in Philadelphia) by S. C. Brace, whose name may be found in the Congregational Yearbook. It was marked "original," as were all the hymns composed for that collection, and was signed "C," the author choosing to afh\ middle initial. If further information should be required, it may be obtained from Mr. Henry Perkins, 142$ Pine Street, Philadel- phia, who published the Parish Hymns, but who knows nothing of this communication. S. C. B. Philadelphia, June 10, 1SS2. The second stanza has been omitted: Mourn for the tarnished gem- For reason's light divine, Quenched from the soul's bright diadem. Where God had bid it shine. In a letter written in 1S84 the author of the above hymn says: My deep interest in the temperance reform movement has led me to regret that any meth- ods should have been adopted which depress that work in the estimation of many of our most highly educated men. The whole strug- gle to find total abstinence explicitly com- manded in the Bible and the resort to the "two kinds of wine" theory have been in my view exceedingly unfortunate and injurious. I have opposed that whole struggle and op- pose it still. I do not know of a single first- class scholar in the Methodist or any other denomination who does not oppose it. The temperance work is too important and too strong in its foundations to be trifled with by bogus arguments and the torturing of history and of the Bible. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 363 However differently some temperance drops of water' in 1845, and it was print- workers may interpret the doctrine of "total abstinence" and the "two kinds of wine" theory as related to New Testament exegesis, all will agree with the author in his estimate of the strength of the foun- dations of the temperance cause and in the sentiment set forth in his hymn — viz., that we must not only mourn for those who have come under the dominion and curse of the "wine cup's fearful reign," but also work and pray for the absolute eradication and destruction of the demon of intemperance in every form and in ev- ery land. 699 C. M. THINK gently of the erring one ; O let us not forget, However darkly stained by sin, He is our brother yet ! 2 Heir of the same inheritance, Child of the selfsame God, He hath but stumbled in the path We have in weakness trod. 3 Speak gently to the erring ones : We yet may lead them back, With holy words, and tones of love, From misery's thorny track. 4 Forget not, brother, thou hast sinned, And sinful yet may'st be ; Deal gently with the erring heart, As God hath dealt with thee. Julia A. Carney. Title: "Deal Gently with the Erring." Four double stanzas. These are the sec- ond and fourth. Slight changes have been made in some lines, but the merits of the little poem — and they are not slight — all belong to the author. Written in 1844, and first printed in the Orphan's Advocate. About the same time she wrote the fa- miliar poem for children beginning: "Lit- tle drops of water." We give below the author's text of that classic production. In a communication dated March 17, 1892, Mrs. Carney said: "I wrote 'Little ed in the Sunday school paper now named the Myrtle the same week with my well- known signature, 'Julia.' " Mrs. Julia A. Carney (nee Fletcher) died at Galesburg, 111., November 1, 1908. "Little drops of water" and this hymn have been used in England for fifty years, but not in connection with the name of the author. It is to be hoped that here- after when used they may be properly ac- credited. Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean, And the pleasant land. So the little moments, Humble though they be, Make the mighty ages Of Eternity. So our little errors Lead the soul away From the path of virtue, Far in sin to stray. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Help to make earth happy, Like the Heaven above. 00 C. M. 0 LORD, our fathers oft have told, In our attentive ears, Thy wonders in their days performed, And in more ancient years. 2 'Twas not their courage nor their sword To them salvation gave ; 'Twas not their number nor their strength That did their country save ; 3 But thy right hand, thy powerful arm, Whose succor they implored, Thy providence protected them Who thy great name adored. 4 As thee their God our fathers owned, So thou art still our King ; O, therefore, as thou didst to them, To us deliverance bring ! 5 To thee the glory we ascribe, From whom salvation came ; In God, our shield, we will rejoice, And ever bless thy name. Tate and Brady. :m ANNOTATED HYMNAL. From A A < w Pi rsion of the Psalms of David, Fitted to thi Turns Used in Churches, by N. Tate and N. Brady, Lon- don, 1696. It is the rendering of the first part of the forty-fourth Psalm: We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them ; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because' thou hadst a favor unto them. Thou art my King, O God : com- mand deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever. The original has been much changed; only six lines in the entire hymn remain as the authors wrote them. 701 C. M. LORD, while for all mankind we pray, Of every clime and coast, O hear us for our native land, The land we love the most. 2 O guard our shores from every foe ; With peace our borders bless, Our cities with prosperity, Our fields with plenteousness. 3 Unite us in the sacred love Of knowledge, truth, and thee ; And let our hills and valleys shout The songs of liberty. 4 Lord of the nations, thus to thee Our country we commend ; Be thou her refuge and her trust, Her everlasting Friend. John R. W re ford. Title: "Prayer for Our Country." This was one of fifty-five hymns which the author contributed to a Unitarian col- lection, edited by Dr. J. R. Beard, entitled A Collection of Hymns for Public and Private Worship, 1837. Verse two, line three, the author wrote: With prosperous times our cities crown. Two stanzas, the second and fifth, have been omitted: 2 Our father's sepulchers are here, And here our kindred dwell ; Our children too; how should we love Another land so well? 5 Here may religion pure and mild Upon our Sabbaths smile ; And piety and virtue reign, And bless our native isle. It was written in England and for En- gland about the time of the coronation of Queen Victoria, but it is appropriate for the use of Christian patriots in other lands. 02 M 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. Y country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing: Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring ! My native country, thee, Land of the noble, free, Thy name I love ; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills ; My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above. Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song: Let mortal tongues awake ; Let all that breathe partake ; Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. Our fathers' God, to thee, Author of liberty, To thee we sing ; Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light ; Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King. Samuel F. Smith. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 365 The facts concerning the origin of this most popular of all our patriotic and na- tional hymns are familiar to all. It was written, we are told, in less than a half hour on February 2, 1832, while the au- thor was a student at Andover Theolog- ical Seminary. It was first sung at a Fourth of July celebration for children in Park Street Church, Boston, the year it was written. "This song," says the author, "was written in 1832. I found the tune ('Amer- ica') in a German music book brought to this country by the late Mr. William C. Woodbridge and put into my hands by Lowell Mason, Esq., because, he said, I could read German books and he could not. It is not, however, a translation, but the expression of my thought at the mo- ment of glancing at the tune." See note under "Come, thou Almighty King" (No. 2), which was written in this same meter and for this tune. The author had not the remotest idea that the words which he dashed off thus hurriedly would ever become a favorite with any lovers of music and song, much less become the national hymn of a great and growing nation. National hymns do not become such by virtue of their lofti- ness of poetic thought and expression, but because they have in them that indefin- able, simple something that gets into the hearts of the people. Greater national songs than this have been written — hymns surpassing it in dignity and nobility of thought — but it is doubtful if we shall ever have in America a national hymn more popular with the people than this. For more than a century the tune for which these words were written (called with us "America") has been sung in Germany, France, Sweden, Russia, En- gland, and perhaps other countries. This tune, in spite of its unknown origin, ought to be, as indeed it is, especially dear to all Anglo-Saxons in view of the fact that the words which were composed for it in both England and America have come, by vir- tue of their simple and universal popu- larity, to be recognized in each case as the national hymn. On one occasion some one, in the presence of the author of this hymn, ventured to express a regret that our national hymn should have the same meter and tune that the national hymn of England has. "I do not share this re- gret," said Dr. Smith in reply. "On the contrary, I deem it a new and beautiful bond of union between the mother coun- try and her daughter." And every Chris- tian patriot can but hope and pray that the time may come in the not distant fu- ture when there shall be such a bond of international love and cooperation be- tween all the great nations of the earth that they shall not only together take up "the white man's burden," but be able to- gether to voice their common Christian faith and fraternity in songs that shall tell to all the world that the highest and truest patriotism is not simply nation- wide or race-wide, but world-wide. 703 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 6, 4. GOD bless our native land ! Firm may she ever stand, Through storm and night : When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave, Do thou our country save By thy great might ! 4 For her our prayer shall rise To God, above the skies ; On him we wait : Thou who art ever nigh, Guarding with watchful eye, To thee aloud we cry, God save the State ! Charles T. Brooks. John S. Dwight. This hymn was translated from the German by the Rev. Charles T. Brooks while a member of the Divinity School at Cambridge, Mass. Soon after that it was altered in some of its lines, especially tuose of the last stanza, by Rev. John Sul- livan Dwight, and came into popular use. 306 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. We give below the original translation of Mr. Brooks. By comparison the reader can see just what changes were made by Mr. D wight. Our Country. God bless our native land! Firm may she ever stand Through storm and night ! When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave, Father Eternal, save Us by thy might ! Lo ! our hearts' prayers arise Into the upper skies, Regions of light ! He who hath heard each sigh, Watches each weeping eye : He is forever nigh, Venger of Right ! John S. Dwight is the author of the fol- lowing beautiful verse: Rest is not quitting the busy career; Rest is the fitting of self to its sphere : "Tis loving and serving the highest and best ; 'Tis onward, unswerving, and that is true rest. 704 10s. GOD of our fathers, whose almighty hand Leads forth in beauty all the starry band Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies, Our grateful songs before thy throne arise. 2 Thy love divine hath led us in the past, In this free land by thee our lot is cast ; Be thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay, Thy word our law, thy paths our chosen way. 3 From war's alarms, from deadly pestilence, Be thy strong arm our ever sure defense ; Thy true religion in our hearts increase, Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace. 4 Refresh thy people on their toilsome way, Lead us from night to never-ending day ; Fil4 all our lives with love and grace divine, And glory, laud, and praise be ever thine. Daniel C. Roberts. This is one of the many patriotic hymns called forth by celebrations held during the American "centennial" year, 1876. It was written for a Fourth of July celebra- tion held that year at Brandon, Vermont. It was published in various papers at the time, and was given a place in the Hym- nal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1892, since which time it has appeared in several other Church hymnals. 705 L. M. 0 GOD of love, O King of Peace, Make wars throughout the world to cease The wrath Of sinful man restrain ; Give peace, O God, give peace again. 2 Remember, Lord, thy works of old, The wonders that our fathers told ; Remember not our sin's dark stain ; Give peace, O God, give peace again. 3 Whom shall we trust but thee, O Lord? Where rest but on thy faithful word? None ever called on thee in vain ; Give peace, O God, give peace again. 4 Where saints and angels dwell above, All hearts are knit in holy love ; O bind us in that heavenly chain ; Give peace, O God, give peace again. Henry W. Baker. This noble hymn of peace is unaltered and complete as found in Hymns Ancient and Modern, to which it was contributed by the author, who was the editor in chief of that famous book. It is very desirable that peace should be- come universal, but it can be secured only with the progress of Christianity. The jealousy of nations is so fierce and the selfishness and belligerency of men so universal that we cannot yet count upon long-continued peace. God alone can give it. "He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth." 106 L. M. GREAT God of nations, now to thee Our hymn of gratitude we raise ; With humble heart and bending knee We offer thee our song of praise. 2 Thy name we bless, Almighty God, For all the kindness thou hast shown To this fair land the pilgrims trod. This land we fondly call our own. SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 367 3 Here freedom spreads her banner wide And casts her soft and hallowed ray ; Here thou our fathers' steps didst guide In safety through their dangerous way. 4 We praise thee that the gospel's light Through all our land its radiance sheds, Dispels the shades of error's night, And heavenly blessings round us spreads. 5 Great God, preserve us in thy fear ; In danger still our guardian be ; O spread thy truth's bright precepts here ; Let all the people worship thee. Alfred A. Woodhull. This hymn was written in 1828, when the author was only eighteen years old, for the Presbyterian Psalms and Hymns, published at Princeton, N. J., in 1829, where it is titled: "Thanksgiving Hymn." There have been alterations in every verse. The fifth stanza of the original, omitted above, is: 5 When foes without and foes within, With threatening ills our land have pressed, Thou hast our nation's bulwark been, And, smiling, sent us peaceful rest. 707 P- m. GOD, the All-Terrible ! thou who ordainest Thunder thy clarion, and lightning thy sword ; Show forth thy pity on high where thou reignest ; Give to us peace in our time, O Lord. 2 God, the Omnipotent ! mighty Avenger, Watching invisible, judging unheard; Save us in mercy, O save us from danger ; Give to us peace in our time, O Lord. 3 God, the All-Merciful ! earth hath forsaken Thy ways all holy, and slighted thy word ; Let not thy wrath in its terror awaken ; Give to us pardon and peace, O Lord. 4 So will thy people, with thankful devotion, Praise him who saved them from peril and sword, Shouting in chorus, from ocean to ocean, Peace to the nations, and praise to the Lord. Henry F. Chorley. Dr. Julian says: "Written for a Rus- sian air and printed in four stanzas of four lines in Hullah's Part Music. 1842." It has appeared in several collections with more or less changes. 708 L. M. GREAT God ! beneath whose piercing eye The earth's extended kingdoms lie ; Whose favoring smile upholds them all, Whose anger smites them, and they fall ; 2 We bow before thy heavenly throne ; Thy power we see, thy greatness own ; Yet, cherished by thy milder voice, Our bosoms tremble and rejoice. 3 Thy kindness to our fathers shown Their children's children long shall own ; To thee, with grateful hearts, shall raise The tribute of exulting praise. 4 Led on by thine unerring aid, Secure the paths of life we tread ; And, freely as the vital air, Thy first and noblest bounties share. 5 Great God, our Guardian, Guide, and Friend ! O still thy sheltering arm extend ; Preserved by thee for ages past, For ages let thy kindness last ! William Roscoe. Alt. This was written in 1788 for a centen- nial celebration of the English Revolution. It has been extensively altered. It was written in a long meter of six-lined stan- zas. The first stanza of the original is: Great God, beneath whose piercing eye The world's extended kingdoms lie, We bow before thy heavenly throne ; Thy favoring smile upholds them all ; Thine anger smites them and they fall ; Thy power we see, thy greatness own. 709 8s, 7s. DREAD Jehovah ! God of nations ! From thy temple in the skies, Hear thy people's supplications ; Now for their deliverance rise. 2 Lo ! with deep contrition turning, In thy holy place we bend ; Hear us, fasting, praying, mournins Hear us, spare us, and defend. 368 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. o Though our sins, our hearts confounding, Long and loud for v< ngeance call, Thou hast mercy more abounding; Jesus' blood can cleanse them all. 4 Let that mercy veil transgression ; Let that blood our guilt efface : Save thy people from oppression; Save from spoil thy holy place. C. F. This hymn appeared in the Christian Observer (England), 1804, with the signa- ture "C. F." The original had eight more lines. One line has been changed. Verse two, line three, was: Fasting, praying, weeping, mourning. The first edition of this Hymnal gives the authorship to Thomas Cotterill, but without sufficient warrant. It is found in his Selection, 1819, fifteen years after Its appearance in the Observer. Dr. Julian says: At that time Bonaparte was First Consul and meditating an immediate invasion of En- gland. A day of humiliation and prayer was appointed. In anticipation of this day the following editorial note appeared in the Chris- tian Observer: "His Majesty has been gra- ciously pleased to appoint Friday, the 25th of May next, to be observed throughout England and Ireland as a day of public humiliation and fasting. We earnestly hope it may be ob- served in a proper manner. We subjoin a hymn for the occasion, which has just reached us in time to obtain a place in this number." 710 61. GOD of our fathers, known of old, Lord of our far-flung battle line, Beneath whose awful hand we hold Dominion over palm and pine : Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget ! 2 The tumult and the shouting dies ; The captains and the kings depart Still stands thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart : Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget ! 3 Far-called our navies melt away, On dune and headland sinks the fire; Lo, all our pomp of yesterday Is one with Nineveh and Tyre ! Judge of the nations, spare us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget! 4 If, drunk with sight of power, we loose Wild tongues that have not thee in awe, Such boasting as the Gentiles use Or lesser breeds without the law : Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget! 5 For heathen heart that puts her trust In reeking tube and iron shard ; All valiant dust that builds on dust, And guarding calls not thee to guard : For frantic boast and foolish word, Thy mercy on thy people, Lord ! Rudyard Kipling. This poem, titled ''The Recessional" is perhaps the greatest single production of Rudyard Kipling's pen. It was written in 1897 in celebration of the Diamond Jubi- lee of Queen Victoria, and was first pub- lished in the London Times on July 17, 1897. Its first appearance in a hymnal was in Dr. E. H. Johnson's collection ti- tled Sursum Corda, issued by the Ameri- can Baptist Publication Society, 1898. We have from the author's own pen an ac- count of the circumstances that led to his writing this poem: That poem gave me more trouble than any- thing I ever wrote. I had promised the Times a poem on the Jubilee, and when it became due I had written nothing that had satisfied me. The Times began to want that poem bad- ly, and sent letter after letter asking for it. I made many more attempts, but no further progress. Finally the Times began sending telegrams. So I shut myself in a room with the determination to stay there until I had written a Jubilee poem. Sitting down with all my previous attempts before me, I searched through those dozens of sketches till at last I found just one line I liked. That was : "Lest we forget." Round these words "The Recessional" was written. Next to "The Recessional" the most not- able contribution which Kipling has made to the larger Christian patriotism of the world — that patriotism which is in- SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 309 ternational and recognizes the debt which the stronger nations owe the weaker — is found in his poem titled "The White Man's Burden," from which we quote the following lines. The poem is an appeal to Christian statesmanship, a high call to international love and altruistic service, to which our Anglo-Saxon race snould first of all and most of all give heed. Take up the White Man's burden ! Send forth the best ye breed; Go bind your sons to exile, To serve your captives' need. By open speech and simple, An hundred times made plain, To seek another's profit, And work another's gain. Take up the White Man's burden ! Ye dare not stoop to less, Nor call too loud on Freedom To cloak your weariness ; By all ye cry or whisper, By all ye leave or do, The silent, sullen peoples Shall weigh your God and you. 711 7s. D. SWELL the anthem, raise the song; Praises to our God belong ; Saints and angels join to sing Praises to the heavenly King. Blessings from his liberal hand Flow around this happy land : Kept by him no foes annoy ; Peace and freedom we enjoy. 2 Here, beneath a virtuous sway May we cheerfully obey ; Never feel oppression's rod, Ever own and worship God. Hark ! the voice of nature sings Praises to the King of kings ; Let us join the choral song, And the grateful notes prolong. Nathan Strong. Alt. Title: "Thanksgiving Hymn." This is the last hymn in the Hartford Selection, edited in 1799 by Dr. Strong and others. Several lines have been changed. 24 Verse one, line four: Praise to heav'n's Almighty King. Verse two, lines two, three, and four: Pour around this happy land ; Let our hearts beneath his sway, Hail the bright, triumphant day. Verse three, lines two, three, and four: Subjects cheerfully obey, Here we feel no tyrant's rod, Here we own and worship God. Verse four, line four: And the heav'nly notes prolong. In the Hartford Selection the hymn ap- pears in six stanzas of four lines each. The third and fourth have been omitted. As a national hymn it has intrinsic mer- its. It acknowledges God and gives praise to him for the many blessings we enjoy in this happy land. 712 L. M. OUR thought of thee is glad with hope, Dear country of our love and prayer ; Thy way is down no fatal slope, But up to freer sun and air. 2 Tried as by furnace fires, and yet By God's grace only stronger made ; In future tasks before thee set Thou shalt not lack the old-time aid. 3 Great, without seeking to be great By fraud or conquest ; rich in gold, But richer in the large estate Of virtue which thy children hold. I With peace that comes of purity, And strength to simple justice due, So runs our loyal dream of thee. God of our fathers ! make it true. 5 O land of lands ! to thee we give Our love, our trust, our service free ; For thee thy sons shall nobly live, And at thy need shall die for thee. John G. Whittier. Copyright, Houghton, Mifflin & Co. At Concord, Mass., August 14, 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Lothrop gave a reception complimentary to Mrs. John A. Logan. 370 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. The venerable poet. John G. Whittier, was invited to attend this reception. As he was not able to do so, he sent an original poem entitled "Our Country." This patri- otic hymn is composed of the first two and the last three stanzas of the poem of ten verses. The poem was accompanied by a letter which closed as follows: I cannot be with you on the 14th, owing to the state of my health ; but I send you some lines which I hope may not seem inappropri- ate I am very truly thy friend, John G. Whittier. This song by our Quaker poet snows how truly Christianity is conducive to pa- triotism. But the most perfect patriotism is international as well as national. Songs of patriotism that inculcate virtue and righteousness as the foundation of nation- al greatness should hold an honored and influential place in the literature and life of every Christian nation. The flag of a truly Christian nation stands for peace and not for war, for the reign of Christian ethics and altruism and not for selfishness and greed. The writer takes the liberty of quoting here a song of American pa- triotism, of recent composition, by his col- league, Dr. C. S. Nutter, which, though not claiming to be a hymn for religious worship, yet abounds in sentiments the singing of which cannot fail to make bet- ter patriots and better Christians of all who sing it. It celebrates in song the things for which "Old Glory." the flag of the American Union, should always stand: Old glorj-, old glory, up rising on high, We borrow thy hues from the tints of the sky ; Thy red from the glow of the morning and night, Thy white from the clouds so fleecy and light, Thy blue from the dome that arches o'erhead The land that we love in its beauty outspread. Refrain. Old glory, old glory, bright flag of the brave ! O'er land and o'er sea, high and long may it wave. Old glory, old glory, now floating above ! The flag of our land is the flag that we love. Other flags other colors present to our view, But the colors we own are the rod, white, and blue. Other lands other emblems unfold with a cheer, But the stars and the stripes is the flag we hold d< -ar. Old glory, old glory, the flag of our might ! The flag that we hail is the flag of the right. For error and wrong let it ne'er be unfurled, But for freedom and law, and the peace of the world. All war we deplore, we can fight if we must, But the cause that we choose is the cause of the just. Copyrighted, 1908. This "Flag Song" was set to music by Wilbur Hascall, of Boston. 713 L. M. OUR fathers' God, to thee we raise, In cheerful song, our grateful praise ; From shore to shore the anthems rise ; Accept a nation's sacrifice. 2 Incline our hearts with godly fear To seek thy face, thy word revere ; Cause thou all wrongs, all strife to cease, And lead us in the paths of peace. 3 Here may the weak a welcome find, And wealth increase with lowly mind ; A refuge, still, for all oppressed, O be our land forever blest : 4 Thy wisdom, Lord, thy guidance lend, Where'er our widening bounds extend ; Inspire our wills to speed thy plan : The kingdom of the Son of man ! 5 Through all the past thy truth we trace, Thy ceaseless care, thy signal grace ; O may our children's children prove Thy sovereign, everlasting love. Benjamin Copeland. Written during the stirring events that took place at the close of the Spanish- American War, when Porto Rico on the east and the Philippines in the far west came under the stars and stripes. Refer- ence is made to our "widening bounds" in the fourth verse. It wras written while the author was pastor of the Richmond Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, Buffalo. N. Y.. and was first published in Zion's Herald. Boston, SPECIAL SUBJECTS AND OCCASIONS. 371 under the title, Thanksgiving Day, Novem- ber 18, 1903. It is a wholesome and truly Christian hymn of thanksgiving. 714 C. M. D. OKING of kings, O Lord of hosts, Whose throne is lifted high Above the nations of the earth, The armies of the sky, The spirits of the perfected May give their nobler songs ; And we, thy children, worship thee, To whom all praise belongs. 2 Thy hand has hid within our fields Treasures of countless worth ; The light, the suns of other years, Shines from the depths of earth ; The very dust, inbreathed by thee, The clods all cold and dead, Wake into beauty and to life, To give thy children bread. 3 Thou who hast sown the sky with stars, Setting thy thoughts in gold, Hast crowned our nation's life, and ours, With blessings manifold ; Thy mercies have been numberless ; Thy love, thy grace, thy care, Were wider than our utmost need, And higher than our prayer. 4 O King of kings, O Lord of hosts, Our fathers' God and ours ! Be with us in the future years ; And if the tempest lowers, Look through the cloud with light of love, And smile our tears away, And lead us through the brightening years To heaven's eternal day. Henry Burton. This hymn was written in 1887 at the request of Sir John Staine^, composer of the tune "Rex Regum," who requested the author to furnish him with words that were especially suited to be permanently associated with the tune. The first hym- nal to appropriate it for the uses of pub- lic worship was The Methodist Hymn Book, published at the Wesleyan Confer- ence Office, London, 1904. The author's account of the origin of the hymn is as follows: In the late Queen's jubilee year, 1887, I composed an ode which was set to music by Sir J. Stainer and sung at a jubilee festival in the Royal Albert Hall, London. As the ode could not be sung at any other time, Sir J. Stainer requested me to compose a hymn to which the same music should be set. This led me to write the hymn. The second and third verses have been omitted: 2 Thou who didst lead thy people forth, And make the captive free, Hast drawn around our native land The curtain of the sea, To make another holy place, Where golden lamps should shine, And human hearts keep loving watch Around the ark divine. 3 Our bounds of empire thou hast set In many a distant isle, And in the shadow of our throne The desert places smile ; For in our laws and in our faith 'Tis thine own light they see — The truth that brings to captive souls The wider liberty. Dr. Burton is the author of the follow- ing beautiful and oft-quoted lines: Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on. It was not given to you alone, Pass it on. Let it travel through the years ; Let it wipe another's tears ; Till in heaven the deed appears, Pass it on. 715 L. M. ETERNAL Source of every joy, Well may thy praise our lips employ, While in thy temple we appear, Whose goodness crowns the circling year. 2 Seasons, and months, and weeks, and days, Demand successive songs of praise ; Still be the cheerful homage paid, With opening light and evening shade. 3 Here in thy house shall incense rise, And circling Sabbaths bless our eyes, Still we will make thy mercies known Around thy board, around our own. 4 O may our more harmonious tongue In worlds unknown pursue the song ; And in those brighter courts adore, Where days and years revolve no more ! Philip Doddridge. 372 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Title: "For New Y< .) 8s. I). 723 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; TTp to thee our hearts we raise: When we reach' our blissful station. Then we'll give thee nobler praise. Robert Hawker (?). This closing hymn is more than a hun- dred years old. Its early history is very obscure. The date, text, and authorship are all uncertain. This can he said in its favor: it is about the only one of the ten doxologies here given that uses the form of direct ad- dress to Deity. S. 4, 7. 7>4 GREAT Jehovah ! we adore thee, God the Father. God the Son, God the Spirit, joined in glory On the same eternal throne: Endless praises To Jehovah, Three in One ! William Goode. From the author's An Entire New Ver- sion of the Book of Psalms. London, 1811. In the first line he wrote "Lo" instead of "Great," and in the last line "To the Three, in Godhead One." ily | art — | holy || thou \ on-ly | art the | Lord. 10 Thou only, O Christ with the | Ho-ly | Ghost I art most high in the I glory ■ of | God the | Father. These words are a part of the ritual for the administration of the Lord's Supper. They come at the close, ueing followed by the benediction. In the English Prayer Book they are preceded by these words: "Then shall be said or sung, all standing, Gloria in excelsis ; or some proper hymn from the selection." The opening sen- tence is taken from the song of the an- gels at the nativity of our Lord, Luke ii. 14. It is not known who first arranged these words for public worship. They are in use in the Greek, Latin, English, and American Churches. 43 10s LATE, late, so late ! and dark the night, and chill ! Late, late, so late ! But we can enter still. "Too late, too late ! ye cannot enter now." 2 No light had we ; — for that we do repent, And learning this, the Bridegroom will re- lent. "Too late, too late ! ye cannot enter now." 3 No light ! so late ! and dark and chill the night — • O let us in, that we may find the light. "Too late, too late ! ye cannot enter now." 4 Have we not heard the Bridegroom is so sweet? O let us in, though late, to kiss his feet ; "No ! no ! too late ! ye cannot enter now !" Alfred Tennyson. This plaintive song is found in Idyls of the King, imbedded in ''Guinevere." The unhappy queen had fled from King Ar- thur's court to the convent at Almesbury. Here, unknown to all, she found sanctu- ary among the nuns. She was attended by a little maid, a novice, who one day was humming snatches of song. To her Queen Guinevere said: "O maiden, if indeed you list to sing, Sing, and unbind my in-art that I may weep." Whereat full willingly sang the little maid, "Late, late, so late! and dark the night, and chill!" [etc.] So sang the novice, while full passionately, Her head upon her hands remembering Her thought when first she came, wept the sad queen. 744 Crossing the Bar. SUNSET and evening star, And one clear call for me ! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the bound- less deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark ! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark ; For, though from out our bourne of time and place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar. Alfred Tennyson. This was first published in the author's Dcmeter and Other Poems. 1889. The au- thor told Dr. Butler, of Cambridge, that a favorite nurse who had been with him for eighteen months and had great influence over him requested him to write a hymn. "Hymns are often such dull things," was his only reply to her. Nevertheless, the suggestion, he said, bore fruit, and her re- quest was the cause of his writing this hymn. "They say," he added, "that I com- pose very slowly; but I knocked that off in ten minutes." His son, the present Lord Tennyson, in his Memoir of his fa- ther has the following to say concerning this hymn: CHANTS AND OCCASIONAL PIECES. 381 '•Crossing the Bar" was written in his eighty-first year on an October day (1SS9), as he crossed from Aldworth to Farringford. His son says : "Before he reached Farring- ford he had the moaning of the bar in his mind, and after dinner he showed me this poem written out. I said : 'That is the crown of your life's work.' He answered : 'It came in a moment.' He explained the 'Pilot' as 'that Divine and Unseen who is always guid- ing us.' A few days before my father's death, in 1892, he said to me : 'Mind you put ''Cross- ing the Bar" at the end of all editions of my poems.' My father considered Edmund Lush- ington's translation into Greek of 'Crossing the Bar' one of the finest translations he had ever read." It is not strange that one who wrote In Memoriam at forty should write "Cross- ing the Bar" at eighty. Tennyson's pro- nounced faith in the "ftrong Son of God, immortal Love," and in the Christian doc- trine of immortality gave him a foremost place among the positively Christian poets of the nineteenth century, and this none the less because his writings and his bi- ography reveal the fact that he had to fight his way through many honest doubts in order to attain that faith. His great- est production, In Memoriam, is preemi- nently a poem of immortality. "I am al- ways amazed, when I read the New Testa- ment, at the splendor of Christ's purity and holiness and at his infinite pity," Tennyson once said. "And I can hardly understand how any great, imaginative man, who has deeply lived, suffered, thought, and wrought, can doubt of the soul's continuous progress in the after life." Nothing which the great poet laureate ever wrote has done more to embalm his name, in the affectionate remembrance of the Anglo-Saxon race and of the Chris- tian world than this brief swan song of immortality which he wrote in ten min- utes. While hymns have been made out of verses culled from his poems (see Hymns No. 139 and 743), yet these are the only words he ever wrote distinctly as a hymn. 745 P- M. INTO the woods my Master went, Clean forspent, forspent; Into the woods my Master came, Forspent with love and shame. But the olives they were not blind to him, The little gray leaves were kind to him, The thorn tree had a mind to him, When into the woods he came. 2 Out of the woods my Master went, And he was well content ; Out of the woods my Master came, Content with death and shame. When death and shame would woo him last, From under the trees they drew him last, 'Twas on a tree they slew him last, When out of the woods he cam.'. Sidney Lanier. Copyright by Mary D. Lanier. Title: "A Ballad of Trees and the Mas- ter." Dated at Baltimore November, 1880, and published soon after in the Independ- ent. New York. A grove, mountain, or desert was a fa- vorite place with Christ to retire for prayer and rest. After the murder of John the Baptist he said to his disciples: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest awhile." The author of this unique and meritori- ous poem brings out the same truth. When burdened almost beyond endur- ance there is no place of rest like the woods, and when heartbroken there is no remedy but repeated prayer. Into the groves of Gethsemane the Master went with a soul "exceeding sor- rowful" and a burden that threatened im- mediate dissolution; but after soothing intercourse with nature and earnest and repeated prayer to the God of nature he came out "content" and calm, ready for the judgment hall and the cross. The commissioners knew that this was not a hymn, but they knew also that it was a gem of poetic composition and taught a great lesson. The musical setting is ex- ceedingly happy. It is a very appropriate selection to use at any grove meeting of a religious char- acter. 382 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. 46 The Last Wish. IX & : bleness extreme, Who shall a helpless worm redeem? Jesus, my only hup.- thou art, Strength of my failing flesh and heart. O could I catch one smile from thee, And drop into eternity ! Charles Wesley. "The Last Wish" is the title given to these lines that were dictated by the au- thor to his wife on his deathbed in March, 1788. It is a genuine swan song, a noble sentiment and prayer with which to close a long life devoted to making music and songs for the world to sing. Charles Wesley is understood to have written nearly seven thousand Christian hymns — more than any poet that ever lived. Of these beautiful lines one has said: They are Charles "Wesley's legacy to Meth- odism. He died as he lived : prizing above all else a smile from Christ. Mr. Prothero says that on his deathbed "the train of thought suggested by Ps. lxxiii. 2 5 ('My flesh and my heart faileth ; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever') took shape in verse. It was the last exercise of his wonderful gift." The music that accompanies this dy- ing prayer-song of the sweet singer of Methodism in the tune edition of our Hymnal was composed especially for it by Sir Hubert H. Parry at the request of Sir Frederick Bridge, the musical editor of the Wesleyan Methodist Hymn Book. published in 1904, from which volume it was secured for use in our Hymnal. Con- cerning this hymn and tune Dr. Telford gives us the following interesting note: In editing the music for the Methodist Hymn Book, 1904, Sir Frederick Bridge was quick to discern the significance of this pre- cious relic. The Tune Book Committee looked on it rather as an interesting and pathetic historical memento than a verse for congrega- tional use. Many of them had never heard it sung, and felt that it could be sung only un- der very special circumstances. 'But Frederick Bridge, to our intense astonish- ment, took an entirely different view. 'This,' said he, 'is one of your treasures. Any Church might be proud to possess a little hymn with such a history, and in itself so beautifuL Let me ask my friend, Sir Hubert H. Parry, to compose a tune for it. It is just such a hymn as will appeal to his gen- ius.'" Mr. Curnock adds: "When, some lit- tle time afterwards, the tune was forwarded from the Royal College of Music to the Com- mittee, we all felt thankful that our editor had been so insistent. It is one of those hymn-anthems that now and then a congre- gation may be glad to hear, especially when rendered by an organist and choir who have made a careful study of the twin souls — the soul of the dying poet's hymn, and the soul in the great musician's tune. One competent critic, after playing the tune several times, made the remark : 'You can see the old man leaning on his staff.' " The name "Maryle- bone" was given to the tune in memory of the place where the poet spent the last years of his life (1771-SS), and where he was laid to rest in the graveyard of the old parish church. 747 L. M. 31. D AY of Wrath ! O day of mourning ! See fulfilled the prophets' warning, Heaven and earth in ashes burning 1 2 O what fear man's bosom rendeth, When from heaven the Judge descendeth, On whose sentence all dependeth ! 3 Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth ; Through earth's sepulchers it ringeth ; All before the throne it bringeth. 4 Death is struck, and nature quaking, All creation is awaking, To its Judge an answer making. 5 Lo ! the Book exactly worded, Wherein all hath been recorded : Thence shall judgment be awarded. 6 When the Judge his seat attaineth, And each hidden deed arraigneth, Nothing unavenged remaineth. 7 What shall I, frail man, be pleading? Who for me be interceding, When the just are mercy needing? 8 King of Majesty tremendous, Who dost free salvation send us, Fount of pity, then befriend us '. 9 Think, good Jesu, my salvation Cost thy wondrous Incarnation ; Leave me not to reprobation ! CHANTS AND OCCASIONAL PIECES. 383 10 Faint and weary, thou hast sought me, On the cross of suffering bought me. Shall such grace be vainly brought me? 11 Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution Grant thy gift of absolution, Ere that day of retribution. 12 Guilty, now I pour my moaning, All my shame with anguish owning; Spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning ! 13 Thou the sinful woman savedst ; Thou the dying thief f orgavest ; And to me a hope vouchsafest. 14 Worthless are my prayers and sighing, Yet, good Lord, in grace complying, Rescue me from fires undying ! 15 With the favored sheep O place me ! Nor among the goats abase me ; But to thy right hand upraise me. 16 While the wicked are confounded, Doomed to flames of woe unbounded, Call me with thy saints surrounded. 17 Low I kneel, with heart submission, See, like ashes, my contrition ; Help me in my last condition. 18 Ah! that day of tears and mourning! From the dust of earth returning Man for judgment must prepare him ; 19 Spare, O God, in mercy spare him! Lord, all-pitying, Jesu blest, Grant us thine eternal rest. Tr. from Latin by W. J. Irons. A new translation of the Dies Irce from the Paris Missal, published in 1849. This is the text given in Hymns Ancient and Modern. At the Revolution in Paris in 1848 one of the distinguished victims was the archbishop of the city, who was shot by the insurgents while endeavoring to persuade them to cease firing. A solemn and impressive funeral service was held not long after in Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Dies Irce was chanted by a large body of priests. Dr. Irons was present, and of course was deeply moved by what he saw and heard. After the service he wrote out this translation, which is one of the finest modern renderings of the grandest of mediaeval hymns. 748 Benediction. THE Lord bless you and keep you, The Lord lift his countenance upon you, and give you peace ; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. This is what is known as the Old Tes- tament benediction. Its threefold bless- ing is thought by some to foretoken the New Testament benediction in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is found in Numbers vi. 22-27: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying : Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee ; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee ; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them. It makes a very appropriate and im- pressive benediction to have the choir chant the above words at the close of pub- lic worship in the Church. And it is also fitting that the*closing verses in this col- lection of hymns and chants should con- sist of inspired words of benediction and divine blessing upon all who love the songs of Zion, and who, speaking to them- selves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, do sing and make melody in their hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — "And so make life, death, and the vast for- ever One grand, sweet song!" HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH 25 HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH BIOGBAPHICAL INDEX Adams, Sarah Flower, was born at Harlow, England, February 22, 1805; and died in London August 21, 1S4S. Sarah Flower was the younger daughter of Benjamin Flower, editor and proprietor of the Cam- bridge Intelligencer. In 1S34 she married John Brydges Adams, a civil engineer and inventor. She is represented by her friends as being beautiful, intelligent, and high- minded. Mrs. Adams had a gift for lyric poetry, and wrote thirteen hymns for her pastor, the Rev. William Johnson Fox, an Independent minister. These were all pub- lished in Hymns and Anthems, London, 1S41. Several of these hymns have come into common use, but her masterpiece is the one found in this book : Nearer, my God, to thee 315 Addison, Joseph, whose fame is coextensive with English literature, was the son of Rev. Lancelot Addison, Dean of Lichfield, En- gland, and was born May 1, 1672. He was educated at Oxford, and early developed po- etic talent. His literary contributions were made chiefly to the Tattler, the Guardian, and the Spectator. He is the author of five hymns, all of which appeared in the Spec- tator in 1712. It has been claimed that An- drew Marvell is the author of two of these hymns ("The spacious firmament on high" and "When all thy mercies, O my God"), but this claim is not justified by the his- torical facts, which are too lengthy to pre- sent here. Addison died June 17, 1719, be- ing a devout and consistent member of the Church of England. His last effort at writ- ing was on an article upon the Christian Religion. At the time of his death he was contemplating a poetic version of the Psalms. "The piety of Addison," says Ma- caulay. "was in truth of a singularly cheer- ful kind. The feeling which predominates in all his devotional writings is gratitude ; and on that goodness to which he as- cribed* all the happiness of his life he relied in the hour of death with a love which cast- eth out fear." The three hymns by Addi- son are among the finest in this collection : How are thy servants blest, O Lord. . 102 The spacious firmament on high 84 When all thy mercies, O my God. ... 105 Alexander, Cecil Prances, daughter of Maj. John Humphreys, was born in Ireland in 1823. In 1850 she married the Rt. Rev. William Alexander, Bishop of Derry. She wrote "The Burial of Moses," and was the author of several books of poetry. Among them were: Verses for Holy Seasons, 1846; Hymns for Little Children, 1S48 ; Hymns Descriptive and Devotional, 1858; and The Legend of the Golden Prayers, 1859. She was the author of many hymns, several of which have been widely used, as, for exam- ple, "There is a green hill far away." She died at Londonderry October 12, 1895. Jesus calls us o'er the tumult 545 Alexander, James Waddell, an eminent cler- gyman of the Presbyterian Church and the son of a no less distinguished divine (Rev. Archibald Alexander, D.D.), was born at Hopewell, Va., March 13. 1804. After grad- uating at Princeton College, he entered the ministry and was a pastor in Charlotte County, Va., and later in Trenton, X. J. He then became a professor in Princeton Col- lege, and in 1844 a pastor in New York City. In 1849 he returned to Princeton, be- coming a professor in the Theological Sem- inary, which position he resigned at the end of three years, his heart yearning to get back into the regular work of the ministry. He now became pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, in New York City. He died July 31, 1S59. Dr. Alexander's only hymn in this collection is a transla- tion : C sacred Head, now wounded 151 Alford, Henry, widely known as the author of The Greek Testament with Notes and other volumes, was born in London Octo- ber 7. 1810; was pious from his youth, and in his sixteenth year wrote the following dedication in his Bible : "I do this day, in the presence of God and my own soul, re- new my covenant with God, and solemnly determine henceforth to become his and to do his work as far as in me lies." He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, or- dained in 1833, and soon made a reputation (387) :>>s,s ANNOTATED HYMNAL. as an eloquent preacher and sound biblical critic. He was appointed Dean of Canter- bury in 1S57, which distinction he held to the day of his death, in 1871. Dean Al- ford's Poetical Works (two volumes) were published in London in 1845. An American edition was published in Boston in 1853. He was the editor of The Year of Praise, a hymn and tune book intended primarily for use In Canterbury Cathedral, 18G7. Four of his hymns appear in this collection : Come, ye thankful people, come 717 Forward be our watchword 384 My bark is wafted to the strand.... 451 Ten thousand times ten thousand. ... 618 Amis, Lewis Randolph, a Southern Meth- odist minister, was born in Maury County, Tenn., December 7, 1856 ; graduated at Vanderbilt University in IS 78, and that same year joined the Tennessee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as an itinerant preacher. He filled many important appointments, being pastor at Pulaski, Tenn., when he died, in 1904. A useful and greatly beloved minister. Jehovah, God, who dwelt of old 665 Andrew of Crete, so called because he was bishop of the. island of Crete, was born in Damascus in 660. He died about 732. He was deputed by Theodore, Patriarch of Je- rusalem, to attend the sixth General Coun- cil at Constantinople (680). He was also a member of the Pseudo-Synod of Constan- tinople, held in 712, which revived the Mo- nothelite heresy. Afterwards he returned to the faith of the Church. Seventeen of his homilies remain to us. His most ambitious poem is called "The Great Canon." It con- tains more than three hundred stanzas, yet it is sung right through on Thursday of mid-lent week in the Greek Church. Christian, dost thou see them 616 Anstice, Joseph, was born in Shropshire, En- gland, in 1808. Soon after leaving Oxford University, where he took a high stand as a student, he became Professor of Classical Literature in King's College, London. He was a member of the Church of England. He died February 29, 1836, being twenty- eight years old. It was during the last evenings of his ilfe, when he was a great sufferer, that he dictated to his wife the hymns (fifty-two in number) which were collected and published the year_he died for private distribution. From this collection the following hymn was taken : O Lord, how happy should we be. . . . 519 Auber, Harriet, was born October 4, 1773; and died January 20, 1862. She led a quiet and contented life, writing much, but pub- lishing only one volume. The full title of this book was: The Spirit of the Psalms; A Compressed Version of Select Portions of the Psalms of David. It was published anonymously in 1829. It is not entirely original ; some pieces were selected from well-known writers. This book is some- times confounded with The Spirit of the Psalms, by the Rev. H. F. Lyte, but it is en- tirely different. The author became known through the Rev. Henry Auber Harvey. In a note to Daniel Sedgwick, dated November 25, 1862, he wrote: 'The Siririt of the Psalms was partly a compilation and partly the composition of the late Miss Harriet Auber, an aunt of my mother's ; and the preface to the book was drawn up by the editor, my late father, Mr. Harvey, a canon of Bristol." Julian, in the Diction- ary of H ymnolog\j, gives the first lines of twenty-five of Miss Auber's hymns which he says are in common use. This Hymnal con- tains only three : Hasten, Lord, the glorious time 637 Our blest Redeemer, ere he breathed. 189 With joy we hail the sacred day. ... 65 Eabcock, Maltbie Davenport, an American Presbyterian clergyman, was born in Syra- cuse, N. Y., August 3, 1S58 ; and died at Naples, Italy, May 18, 1901. He was grad- uated at Syracuse University in 1879, and Auburn Theological Seminary in 18S3. He filled most successful and popular pastor- ates at Lockport, N. Y., Baltimore, Md., and at the Brick Presbyterian Church, in New York. While on a visit to the Levant in 1901 he was seized with the Mediterranean fever, and died under pathetic circum- stances in the International Hospital, at Naples. He was a man of extraordinary personality and influence both in the social circle and in the pulpit. A volume of his prose and verse, edited by his wife, ap- peared soon after his death, entitled Thoughts for Every-Day Living, 1901. Dr. Babcock's writings show strength, delicacy of thought, and great originality. Be strong; we are not here to play. . 407 Baker, Sir Henry Williams, an eminent Eng- lish clergyman, son of Sir Henry L. Baker, born in London May 27, 1S21 ; educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where be grad- uated B.A. in 1844. He took holy orders in 1S44, and became vicar of Monkland, Here- fordshire, in 1851, which benefice he held until his death. He succeeded to the bar- onetcy in 1851. He is best known as editor HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 389 in chief of Hymns Ancient and Modern, to which he contributed several of his hymns. Dr. Julian says : "Of his hymns four only are in the highest strain of jubilation, an- other four are bright and cheerful, and the remainder are very tender but exceedingly plaintive, sometimes even to sadness." The language of his hymns is smooth and sim- ple, the thought is correct and sometimes very beautifully expressed. He died Feb- ruary 12, 1877. His last audible words were a quotation of the third stanza of his own exquisite rendering of the twenty- third Psalm, No. 136 in this book: Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me, And on His shoulder gently laid, And home rejoicing brought me. O God of love, O King of Peace 705 O perfect life of love 155 The King of love my Shepherd is. . . . 13 6 Bakewell, John, a Wesley an lay preacher, was born at Brailsford, in Derbyshire, in 1721. He was a man of piety, earnestness, and consecration. He was made a lay preacher in 1749, and proved to be one of Mr. Wesley's most efficient workers. He was for several years Master of the Green- wich Royal Park Academy. It was in his house that Thomas Olivers wrote his just- ly famous and much-admired hymn, "The God of Abraham praise." He wras an emi- nently useful man, and lived to a ripe old age, being ninety-eight years old when he died, in 1819. He was buried in City Road Chapel not far from the tomb of John Wes- ley. The epitaph upon his tombstone states that "he adorned the doctrines of God our Saviour eighty years, and preached his glorious gospel about seventy years." He composed many hymns "which remain in the manuscript beautifully written," but only one finds a place in modern Church hymnals : Hail, thou once despised Jesus 171 Barbauld, Anna Letitia, was a daughter of the Rev. John Aikin, D.D., an English Dis- senting minister. She was born June 20, 1743, and early in life gave evidence of po- etic 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 Rev. Rochemont Barbauld, a young man of French descent, who attend- ed a school at Warrington, where her fa- ther was a classical instructor. Mr. Bar- bauld had charge of a Dissenting congre- gation at Palgrave. They also opened a boarding school, wiiich they carried on suc- cessfully for eleven years. Mr. Barbauld afterwards held other pastoral relations, and died in 1808. Mrs. Barbauld occupied her time and mind in literary pursuits, ed- iting various works and contributing to the press. She died March 9, 182 5. Come, said Jesus' sacred voice 257 How blest the righteous when he dies. 582 Barber, Mary Ann Serrett, was an English- woman, the daughter of Thomas Barber. She wrote many poems for the Church of England Magazine, and was the author of several books. One of these, Bread Win- ning; or, The Ledger and the Lute, an Au- tobiography, by M. A. S. Barber, was pub- lished in 1865. Miss Barber died in Brigh- ton, England, March 9, 1864, at the age of sixty-three years. Prince of Peace, control my will. . . . 337 Baringr-Gould, Sabine, an English clergy- man, was born in Exeter, England, Janu- ary 2 8, 1834. He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge, receiving the degrees of B.A., 1854, and M.A., 1856. He took or- ders in 1S64. His prose works are numer- ous and well known : Lives of the Saints, in fifteen volumes, 1872-77 ; Curious Myths of the Middle Ages, in two series, 1866-68 ; The Origin and Development of Religious Belief, two volumes, 1869-70. He is the author of a number of fine hymns, the best-known of which is "Onward, Christian soldiers." He published a volume of orig- inal Church Songs in 1884. From 1854 to 1906 he had published eighty-five volumes. His present address is Lew-Trenchard House, North Devon. Now the day is over 59 Onward, Christian soldiers 383 Through the night of doubt 567 Barton, Bernard, widely known as the "Quaker Poet," was born in London Janu- ary 31, 1784, and was educated at a Quak- er school at Ipswich. In 1810 he was em- ployed at a local bank at Woodbridge, Suf- folk, where he remained forty years. He was the author of eight .or ten small vol- umes of verse between 1812 and 1845. From these books some twenty pieces have come into common use as hymns. He died at Woodbridge in 1849. His daughter pub- lished his Poems and Letters, 1849, after his death: His writings show a familiarity with the Scriptures and a love for good 300 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. men. "Light" is the keynote to each of hia three hymns found in this volume: Lamp of our feet, whereby we trace. 205 Walk in the light, so shalt thou 3G1 We journey through a vale of tears. . 447 Bateman, Henry, an English layman and successful business man, Mas born March G, 1S02; and died in 1872. He was much interested in literary and religious work. He was the author of several volumes of verse, the most successful of which was Sunday Sunshine: New Hymns and Poems for the Young, 1S5S. From this book some forty hymns have come into common use. Light of the world ! whose kind 505 Batliurst, "William Hiley, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born at Cleve Dale, near Bristol, England, August 28, 1796. He was the son of Charles Bragge, who was member of Parliament for Bristol, and who, upon inheriting his uncle's estate, assumed his name, Bathurst. He graduated at Christ Church College, Oxford, and was or- dained a priest of the Church of England in 1819. The following year he became rector of Barwick-in-Elmet, Yorkshire, where he remained thirty-two years. His biographer, speaking of these years of ministerial serv- ice, says : "Faithfully devoting himself to the spiritual welfare of his parishioners, he greatly endeared himself to them all by his eminent piety, his great simplicity of character, his tender love, and his abun- dant generosity." In 1852 he resigned his living and retired to private life because of conscientious scruples in relation to parts of the baptismal and burial services of the Church. In 1863, upon the death of his elder brother, he succeeded to the family es- tate of Sidney Park, Gloucestershire, where he died November 2 5, 1S77. His published works are: Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, 1831 (which volume con- tains 132 psalms and 206 hymns from his pen) ; The Georgics of Virgil, 1849; Metric- al Musings; or, Thoughts on Sacred Sub- jects in Verse, 1849. O for a faith that will not shrink. . . 42 4 O for that flame of living fire 187 Baxter, Lydia, the writer of "There is a gate that stands ajar" and other popular hymns, was born in Petersburg, N. Y., Sep- tember 2, 1809. She was converted early in life, and united with the Baptist Church. Later in life she resided in New York City. She was an invalid for many years, but a patient and cheerful sufferer.. She died June 22, 1874. A volume of her poems, titled Gems by the Wayside, was published in 1855. Take the name of Jesus with you. . . . 508 Baxter, Richard, an eminent Puritan divine and voluminous author of the seventeenth century, is best known to Christians of the present day by his Call to the Unconverted and his Saint's Everlasting Rest. When about twenty-five years of age he ent. n d the ministry, and was appointed to the par- ish of Kidderminster (1640). Here he re- mained until "for conscience' sake" he, along with many other Nonconformist di- vines, was driven out from his weeping flock by the "Act of Uniformity" passed in 1662. He now ceased to preach ; but being caught holding family prayers "with more than four persons," he was, under the con- ditions of the "Conventicle Act" (1564), ar- rested and imprisoned for six months. He lived in retirement until 1672, when the "Act of Indulgence" gave him liberty to preach and to publish. But in 1685 the in- famous Jeffries had him arrested and shamefully convicted of sedition, the foun- dation for the charge being found in his Paraphrase of the New Testament, for which he was imprisoned two years. He endured this unjust and cruel imprisonment with Christian patience and resignation, which finds illustration in the hymn below. His pastorate of twenty-two years at Kid- derminster was faithful and untiring in the ministry of the Word, and was followed by rich spiritual fruits in the improved lives and characters of his six hundred parish- ioners. He exemplified his own couplet : I preached as though I ne'er should preach again, And as a dying man to dying men. In few hymns are the faith and fidelity of the author more truly expressed than in this hymn by Baxter. Lord, it belongs not to my care 4 70 Beddome, Benjamin, an English Baptist minister, was born in Warwickshire Janu- ary 23, 1717. He was apprenticed to an apothecary in Bristol ; but when he was twenty years of age he was converted, and soon after began to prepare for the minis- try. In 1743 he was ordained and became the pastor of a small Baptist Church at Bourton. Later he received an urgent call to a Church in London ; but he refused the call and remained at Bourton fifty-two years — until his death, September 3, 1795. It was a frequent custom with him to write a hymn to be sung after his morning ser- mon. A number of these hymns were pub- HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 391 lished in Rippon's Selection, 1787, and so came into common use. A volume of his hymns, over eight hundred in number, was published in 1818. James Montgomery, in the preface to his Christian Psalmist, quotes the first stanza of one of Beddome's hymns as follows, Let party names no more The Christian world o'erspread ; Gentile and Jew, and bond and free Are one in Christ their head, and makes this just remark : "His name would deserve to be held in everlasting re- membrance if he had left no Other memo- rial of the excellent spirit which was in him than these few humble verses." Beddome's hymns have been more highly appreciated in America than in his native country. The honorary degree of Master of Arts was con- ferred upon him in 1770 by Rhode Island College, now Brown University. Come, Holy Spirit, come 182 Did Christ o'er sinners weep 2 76 How great the wisdom, power, and. . 8 Bernard of Clairvaux, an eminent monk, the- ologian, scholar, preacher, and poet, was born at Fontaine, near Dijon, in Burgundy, France, in 1091. Aletta, his mother, was a devotedly pious woman, and consecrated her son to God from his birth. "Her death chamber was his spiritual birthplace." He was educated at Paris. Being naturally fond of seclusion, meditation, and study, and living in the twelfth century, it is not surprising that one so piously inclined as he soon sought a home in the cloister. At twenty-two years of age he entered the small monastery of Citeaux, and later he founded and made famous that of Clair- vaux, where by fasting and self-mortifica- tion he became an emaciated monk, but with it all one of the most conspicuous and influential characters in Europe. Kings and popes sought his advice. His enthusiasm and impassioned eloquence were all but ir- resistible. He died August 20, 1153. His life was pure, his faith strong, his love ar- dent, his courage unflinching, his piety un- questioned. Luther greatly admired him and thought him "the greatest monk that ever lived." His published works are in five folio volumes. His Sacred Songs of Praise have long been the admiration of the Church. Christ crucified was the theme of his preaching and of his song, as the four hymns here given will testify. His love for Christ amounted to a deep and ardent pas- sion that was unconscious of using terms of endearment not altogether becoming to so divine a theme. Jesus, the very thought of thee 533 Jesus, thou Joy of loving hearts 536 O sacred Head, now wounded 151 Of Him who did salvation bring 289 Bernard of Cluny was a monK of the twelfth century ; the exact dates of his birth and death are not known. His par- ents were English, but he was born at Mor- laix, France. He was an inmate of the Abbey of Cluny, and dedicated his famous poem to Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny from 1122 to 1156. His long poem, about three thousand lines, was a satire against the vices and follies of his time. Dr. Neale, who gives a translation of four hundred lines in the third edition of his Mediaeval Hymns, 1868, says of this poem: "The greater part is a bitter satire on the fearful corruptions of the age. But, as a contrast to the misery and pollution of earth, the poem opens with a description of the peace and glory of heaven of such rare beauty as not easily to be matched by any mediaeval composition on the same subject." It is this part of the poem that Dr. Neale translated and from which our hymns- are taken. For thee, O dear, dear country 614 Jerusalem the golden 612 Berridgfe, John, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born in Nottinghamshire March 1, 1716. He became Vicar of Ever- ton in 1755, and remained there until his death, January 22, 1793. His preaching was at first sadly lacking in spirituality ; but being happily converted, he became one of the most earnest of the evangelical cler- gymen who sympathized with and aided the Methodist revival. Frequent allusions to him are found in the writings of John Wes- ley, who esteemed him highly and found in him a helpful coworker. He was never married. In 1785 he published a volume of hymns titled Zion's Songs. His "wedding hymn," a prayer in song for the divine blessing on the bridal couple, is the only one of his ' three hundred and forty-two hymns that finds a place in this collection : Since Jesus freely did appear 667 Bethune, George Washing-ton, an eminent di- vine of the Reformed Dutch Church, was born in New York March 18, 1805. He was graduated at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., in 1823, and studied theology at Princeton, N. J. In 182 7 he became pastor of a Reformed Dutch Church at Rhinebeck, 392 AXXOTATED HYMNAL. N. Y. ; in 1S30, at Utica, N. Y. ; in 1834 he passed to Philadelphia, and in 1850 to Brooklyn, N. Y. In 1861 be went abroad for his health. He died at Florence, Italy, April 2 7, 1S62, suddenly after preaching. Dr. Bethuno wrote occasional hymns and poems for more than thirty years. One of his first compositions was a sailor's hymn beginning, "Tossed upon life's raging bil- low," which appeared in The Christian Lyre, 1S30. A collection of his poems, Lays of Love and Faith, was published in Philadelphia in 1S4 7. It is not death to die 585 When time seems short and death is. 296 Bickersteth, Edward Henry, a bishop of the Church of England, son of Edward Bick- erstetli, rector of Walton, was born at Is- lington, England, January 25, 1825. He was graduated at Cambridge University (B.A. 1847, M.A. 1S50). Taking holy or- ders in the Church of England in 1S48, he became curate first at Banningham, Nor- folk, and then at Tunbridge Wells ; and in 1852 became rector of Hinton-Martell and vicar of Christ Church, Hampstead, in 1S55. He became Dean of Gloucester in 1885, and that same year he was appointed Bishop of Exeter. Beginning with a volume of Poems in 1S49, he published successively no less than twelve volumes, the most widely known being his extended poem titled Yes- terday, To-Day, and Forever, 1S67, and The Spirit of Life, 1868. He edited and published in 1858 a volume titled Psalms and Hymns. His Hymnal Companion (first edition 1870, last edition 1S90) called forth from Dr. Julian, editor of the Dic- tionary of Hymnology, these high words of praise : "Of its kind and from its theologic- al standpoint, as an evangelical hymn book, it is in poetic grace, literary excellence, and lyric beauty, the finest collection in the Anglican Church ;" and the author's con- tributions to this volume are pronounced "very beautiful and of much value." He retired from active work in 1900, and died May 16, 1906. Four of his hymns are in this collection : O God, the Rock of Ages 18 Peace, perfect peace, in this dark. ... 528 Stand, soldier of the cross 413 "Till He come !" O let the words 240 Blacklock, Thomas, was born in Dumfries- shire, Scotland, November 10, 1721. He lost his sight by smallpox when an infant, but was nevertheless well educated and or- dained 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 ele- gant mediocrity, was published in 1793. He died July 7, 1791. Come, O my soul, In sacred lays 23 Bode, John Ernest, a clergyman in the Church of England, was born in 1816. He was educated at Eton and at Oxford, grad- uating at Christ's Church in 1S3 7, and took orders in 1841. He was a rector several years, and for a time a tutor of his col- lege. He delivered the Bampton Lectures in 1855. He published Short Occasional Poems, 1858, and Hymns from the Gospel of the Day for Each Sunday and Festivals of Our Lord, 1S60. He died October 6, 1874. O Jesus, I have promised 350 Boehm, Anthony Wilhelm, a German writer, was born in 1673; and died in 1722. Very little is known of him. He translated and published Arndt's True Christianity in 1712, in which volume was a translation of St. Bernard's ''Jesu, Dulcis Memoria" which J. C. Jacobi altered and published in his Psalmodia Germanica, 1732. Jacobi's ver- sion was in turn altered by others, and among these alterations the one found in Madan's Psalms and Hymns, 1760, begin- ning, "Of Him who did salvation bring," has long been a favorite with American Methodists. If any hymn in our Hymnal has to be traced back through a long gene- alogy, this one surely has. Of Him who did salvation bring. ... 2S9 Bonar, Horatius, a distinguished Presbyte- rian divine, was born in Edinburgh, Scot- land, December 19, IS 08 ; and was edu- cated at the high school and University of Edinburgh. He was ordained in 1S37, and be- came a minister of the Established Church of Scotland at Kelso. At the Disruption in 1S43 he became one of the founders of the Free Church of Scotland. The University of Aberdeen gave him the doctorate in IS 53. In 1S66 he became the minister of the Chalmers Memorial Church, in Edinburgh. Dr. Bonar died July 31, 1889. He was a voluminous writer of sacred poetry, and more than one hundred of his hymns are in common use. He published the following books, in which most of his hymns are found: Songs of the Wilderness, 1S43-44 ; The Bible Hymn Book, 1S45 ; Hymns Orig- inal and Selected. 1S46; Hymns of Faith and Hope, first series, 1S57 (second series, 1864; third series, 1867); Hymns of the HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 393 Nativity, 1S79; Communion Hymns, 1S81. Dr. Bonar was an able, pious man and a sweet singer, though as a premillenarian some of his poems are plaintive and sad al- most to pessimism. Twelve of his hymns are found in this book. He died July 31, 1889. A few more years shall roll 578 Beyond the smiling and the weeping. 62 7 Go, labor on ; spend and be spent. ... 399 Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to. 23 7 I heard the voice of Jesus say 304 I lay my sins on Jesus 488 I was a wandering sheep 300 Make haste, O man, to live 399 No, not despairingly come I to thee. 453 O Love of God, how strong and true. 83 Thy way, not mine, O Lord 52 7 "When the weary, seeking rest 509 Bonar, Jane Catherine, the wife of Dr. Hora- tius Bonar, was the youngest daughter of Rev. Robert Lundie, of Kelso, Scotland (where she was born, December, 1821), and sister of that devotedly pious woman, Mary Lundie Duncan, whose Memoir was writ- ten by her gifted mother. She was married to Dr. Bonar in 1843, and died at Edin- burgh December 3, 1885. Her hymns, which are few in number, appeared in her husband's Songs for the Wilderness, 1843- 44, and Bible Hymn Book, 1S45. Fade, fade each earthly joy 529 Borthwick, Jane, was born in Edinburgh April 9, 1813. In connection with her sis- ter, Mrs. Sarah Findlater, wife of Rev. Eric J. Findlater, she translated Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1854. Miss Borthwick not only translated many German hymns, but wrote a number of original poems. Many of them were collected and published under the title of Thoughts for Thoughtful Hours, 1857. She died September 7, 1S97. My Jesus, as thou wilt . . . . 524 Bourigfnon, Antoinette, a gifted and pious, but eccentric, mystic of the seventeenth century, was born January 13, 1616. She became fascinated at an early age with books of devotion and with a life of celi- bacy. She twice fled from home to escape marriage, into which relation her parents wished her to enter. Her father died in 1648, leaving her possessed of considerable wealth. Wishing to do good with her worldly means, she took charge of a found- ling hospital in 1653. She joined the or- der of Augustines in 1667. She attracted great attention by her tracts and dis- courses. Renouncing Roman Catholicism, she declared herself divinely called to found a new and pure communion. She became an object of persecution, and fled from place to place. She died at Franeker, in Friesland, October 30, 1680. Her works were published in nineteen volumes in 1686. One of her works, The Light of the World, was translated into English, and met with such a large sale and was of such influence in Great Britain that at one time all the candidates for the Presbyterian ministry were required to disavow all belief in or sympathy with "Bourignonism." The fact that for twenty years she boasted that she had not read a word of the Holy Scripture shows the erratic character of her piety. But by John W7esley's (or possibly John By- rom's?) rare power of translation we have from her a most useful hymn, which was written in 1640., at the time when she re- nounced the world for a religious life. Come, Saviour Jesus, from above. ... 379 Bourne, William St. Hill, a Church of En- gland clergyman, was born in 1846. He was educated at the London College of Di- vinity, and took orders in 1869. He is the author of a number of hymns and poems, only one of which is fou*nd in this collec- tion. He published A Supplementary Hym- nal in 1898. He became rector of Finchley in 1900. Christ, who once amongst us 6S3 Bowring", Sir John, an eminent English pol- itician, statesman, foreign minister, and literary man, was born at Exeter, En- gland, October 17, 1792. He held many official positions of responsibility under the English government, and was knighted in 1854. He was a genius in the acquisition of languages. He made translations from no less than thirteen modern languages, most- ly of poetry. For many years he represent- ed the English government in China and other portions of the Orient. He was a Unitarian in faith. He died at Exeter No- vember 23, 1872, being eighty years old. His hymns are found in his Matins and Vespers, 1823, and in his Sequel to the Mat- ins, 182 5. His published volumes are very numerous, no less than ten of them con- taining poetic translations from foreign languages or disquisitions on poetry. Al- though a Unitarian, he is the author of two of our most popular and useful hymns on Christ, one on the life of Christ (No. 290) and the other on the cross of Christ (No. 143) ; while two others (Nos. 199 and 636) are among our best missionary hymns, 304 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. striking it triumphant note concerning the beneficent and universal Bpread of th< pel of l !hrist God is love; his mercy brightens.... 8S ii.iw sweetly flowed the gospel sound 290 In the cross of Christ I glory'. L43 Upon the gospel's sacred page 199 Watchman, tell us of the night 636 Brace, Setli Collins, a Congregational cler- gyman, son of Rev. Joab Brace, was born at Newington, Conn., August 3, 1S11 ; was graduated at Yale College, class of 1S32, and received his theological education at the Yale Theological Seminary. He en- tered the Presbyterian ministry in 1S42, but became a Congregationalist later. For many years he was engaged in teaching and literary work, preaching occasionally. In 1S61 he was installed pastor of a Con- gregational Church at Bethany, Conn. Sub- sequently he was compelled by illness to retire from active work in the ministry. He died in Philadelphia January 25, 1897. Mourn for the thousands slain 69S Brady, Nicholas, an English divine, was born at Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, October 28, 1659; was educated at West- minster, Oxford^ and Trinity College, Dub- lin. He was a Prebendary of Cork, Ire- land. In 1702-05 he was incumbent at Stratford-on-Avon. Later, while incum- bent at Richmond, he taught school in ad- dition to his ministerial work. He died May 20, 172 6. He published two volumes of poetry, one being a translation of Vir- gil's JEneid. His association with Xahum Tate in making a New Version of the Psalms of David, 1696, which long held a dominant place in the Church of England, has given him a permanent and honored place in the history of hymnology. From this Version we have four selections : As pants the hart for cooling streams 316 O Lord, our fathers oft have told. . . 700 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 720 While shepherds watched their flocks 115 Brewer, Leig-h Richmond, the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Montana since 1880, was born at Berkshire, Vt., January 2 0, 1S39; educated at Hobart College and Gen- eral Theological Seminary ; ordained in IS 66; rector of Grace Church, Carthage, N. Y., 1866-72, and of Trinity Church, Wa- tertown, N. Y., 1872-S0 ; was consecrated Missionary Bishop of Montana in 1S80 ; re- sides at Helena, Mont. Abundant in la- bors, Bishop Brewer has found time to write occasional poems. Long years ago o'er Bethlehem's... 120 Bridges, Matthew, was an Englishman born at Miklon, Essex, England, July 14, 1800. He was educated in the Church of En- gland, but became a convert to the Church of Rome in connection with the famous Tractarian movement led by Cardinal N< \v- man and others. For several years before his death he resided in the province of Quebec, Canada, where he died October 6, l 594. He was the author of several books, the most valuable of which is JI yarns of the Heart, 1S48. Crown him with many crowns 17 9 My God, accept my heart this day.. 369 Rise, glorious Conqueror, rise 161 Bromehead, Joseph, was born in 1748, and after his graduation at Queen's College, Oxford (B.A. 176S, M.A. 1771), he became curate of Eckington, Derbyshire, remaining there until his death, January 30, 1826. His Melancholy Student reached a second edition in 1776. He translated some of the Psalms into English verse, and was editor of the Eckington Collection, in which vol- ume the hymn beginning "Jerusalem, my happy home," first appeared in its present familiar form. From this collection of hymns it passed into the Williams and Bo- den Collection of 1801, and thence into many modern hymnals — from which cir- cumstance several hymnologists have in- ferred that Bromehead gave that hymn its present form when he inserted it in the Eckington Collection. See full discussion of authorship under the hymn. Jerusalem, my happy home 608 Brooks, Charles Timothy, a Unitarian di- vine and a poet and author of more than ordinary ability, was born at Salem, Mass., in 1813 ; graduated at Harvard College in 1832 and at the Harvard Divinity School in 1S35; was pastor of a Unitarian Church in Newport, R. L, from 1S36 to 1S71 ; pub- lished quite a number of volumes, many " being translations from the German ; he died June 14, 1883. God bless our native land 703 Brooks, Phillips, a bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born in Boston De- cember 13, 1S35; graduated at Harvard College in IS 55, and then attended the Episcopal School of Theology, at Alexan- dria, Va. He was ordained in 1S59, and became the rector of the Church of the Advent, in Philadelphia. In IS 69 he be- et me the rector of Trinity Church, Boston. This church was on Summer Street ; but the great fire of 1S72 destroyed it, and a KYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 395 new church was erected in Copley Square. He was greatly beloved by his people, and his fame and influence were widely spread. In 1S91 he was elected Bishop of Massa- chusetts, but he did not long serve in this position. He died January 23, 1S93. Bish- op Brooks was a great soul in a gigantic body. He made friends of all with whom he came in contact. His influence was positive, strong, and good. Besides the carol in this book, he wrote at least four Christmas and two Easter carols, all of which are very fine. 0 little town of Bethlehem 121 Brown, Plicebe Hinsdale, was the daughter of George Hinsdale, and was born May 1, 1783, at Canaan, N. Y. Being left an or- phan and moneyless when only two years of age, her early life was one of want, hardship, and drudgery. When nine years of age she went to live with a relative who kept a county jail. "These were years of intense and cruel suffering," says her son. "The tale of her early life which she has left her children is a narrative of such deprivations, toil, and cruel treatment as it breaks my heart to read." Not until she was eighteen years of age did she escape from this bondage and find a home among kind and sympathetic people. Her educa- tion was limited to three months in the public school at Claverack, N. Y., where she learned to write. She made at this time a profession of faith in Christ and joined the Congregational Church. She did not improve her worldly fortune when, in IS 05, she married Thomas H. Brown, a journeyman house painter, after which she lived successively at East Windsor and El- lington, Conn., Monson, Mass., and at Mar- shall, 111., where she died October 10, 1861. "Despite all her disadvantages," says Prof. F. M. Bird in Julian's Dictionary, "Mrs. Brown's talents and work are superior to those of any other early female hymnist of America." Fifteen of her hymns have found a place in the different Church hym- nals of America, though only one is given a place in this collection — her famous "Ticilight Hymn/3 the origin of which is deeply interesting. The "little ones" to whom she referred in this hymn all became eminent for piety and usefulness. 1 love to steal awhile away 498 Browne, Simon, an English Independent min- ister and contemporary of Dr. Isaac Watts, was born at Shepton Mallet, in Somerset- shire, about 1680 ; and died in 1732. He was the pastor of a Church in Portsmouth and later in London. While living in Lon- don he published his original Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1720. He was also the author of a number of prose volumes, among them a Defence of Christianity. Near the close of life he suffered from a peculiar mental disease. He imagined that God in his displeasure had gradually anni- hilated in him the thinking substance — that he had no reasoning soul. At the same time he was so acute a disputant that his friends said he could reason as if he had two souls. In the old hymn books a number of his hymns were in common use. And now, my soul, another year. ... 570 Browning", Elizabeth Barrett, scarcely less famous as a poet than her illustrious hus- band, Robert Browning, was born in Lon- don March 4, 1809, being the eldest daugh- ter of Edward Moulton, a country gentle- man, who took the name of Barrett soon after her birth. On September 12, 1846, she was married to Robert Browning, and the remainder of her life was spent in Italy, chiefly at Florence, where she died June 30, 1861. In all literature there is no parallel case where husband and wife have each attained such distinction as poets and hold so high a place in the world of letters. As a poet she stands foremost among English literary women. Beginning at eight years of age to write poetry and being a great reader and a tireless worker, she produced during the forty years of her literary life, although much of the time an invalid, poems of rare intellectual power, artistic beauty, and ethical force ; and a beautiful Christian faith pervades them all, which is also true of the writings of her illus- trious husband. The happy married life and literary fellowship of Mrs. Browning and her husband constitute one of the most beautiful things in the biography of litera- ture. This volume contains two lyrics from her pen : Of all the thoughts of God that are. . 541 Since without Thee we do no good. . 504 Bryant, William Cullen, eminent American editor and poet, was born in Cummington, Mass., November 3, 1794 ; spent two years at Williams College, after which he stud- ied law and practiced about ten years. In 1S2 6 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, June 12, 1S78. Bryant is known 300 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. as one of the ablest and sweetest of Amer- ican poets. Many editions of his poems have been published. He also made an ex- cellent translation of Homer's Iliad and! Odyssey. Nineteen of his hymns were pri- vately printed and circulated among his friends in 1S69. A number of them are in common use. Dear ties of mutual succor bind.... 6S9 Deem not that they are blest alone . 456 Look from thy sphere of endless day. 644 Thou whose unmeasured temple.... 659 Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, a Unitarian minister, was born in Boston June 18, 1809. His father, Charles Bulfinch, a well-known architect, was the designer of the national capitol at Washington, where he lived and where his son Stephen was graduated at Columbian College in 1827. He was also a graduate of the Theological School at Cam- bridge, Mass., 1S30. He was ordained in 1S31, and began his ministry at Augusta, Ga. Later he was the pastor of Unitarian Churches in several places. Dr. Bulfinch died at East Cambridge, Mass., October 12, 1S70. The Boston Transcript just after his decease said: "Of a beautiful spirit, earnest convictions, sympathetic and de- vout nature, he won the respect and love of the people wherever he served." Most of his poems are found in his Lags of the Gos- pel, Boston, 1S4 5. Hail to the Sabbath day 66 Burleig-h, William Henry, a social reformer and member of the Unitarian Church, was born at Woodstock, Conn., February 12, IS 12. He was brought up on his father's farm, and attended the district school. He was a born reformer, and living in New England in his time and with his disposi- tion, naturally identified himself with the radical abolitionists and prohibitionists. His business was that of editor and lec- turer. In 1S37 he began at Pittsburg, Pa., the publication of the Christian Witness and Temperance Banner. In 1S43 he be- came editor of the Christian Freeman at Hartford, Conn. From 1849 to IS 5 5 he was agent of the New York State Temperance Society, and was harbor master at New York from 1S55 to 1S70. He died at Brook- lyn, N. Y., March IS, 1871. Poetry was his recreation. His poems were collected and published in 1S41 ; second and enlarged edition, 1S71. The poem titled "Blessed Are Then That Mourn" was born of sor- row. Within the space of two years he buried his father, wife, eldest daughter, and eldest son. Let no one imagine that the strong, calm faith of this hymn was at- tained without difficulty. In a letter to a friend he said : "It is not without strong wrestlings that doubt and murmurings are put under my feet and I am enabled to struggle up into the purer atmosphere of faith." He is one of the few American hymn writers whose hymns are more ex- tensively used in England than in America. Of fourteen hymns by him in common use, only two are here given : ad us, O Father, in the paths of . . 4 7.", Still will we trust 486 Burns, James Drummond, a Scotch Presby- terian divine, was born in Edinburgh F\ te- rnary IS, 1S23. He was a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. In 1845 he be- came a pastor of the Free Church of Scot- land at Dunblane. In 1S48 he took charge of a Presbyterian Church at Funchal, Ma- deira. In 1S55 he became pastor of a Presbyterian Church in London. He died at Mentone November 27, 1S64. He was the author of about one hundred hymns, only a few of which have come into com- mon use. He was also the translator of thirty-nine German hymns. His Memoir was written by the Rev. James Hamilton, D.D., 1869. Hushed was the evening hymn 674 Still with thee, O my God 525 Burton, Henry, a Methodist minister, born in 1S40 at Swannington, Leicestershire, in the house where his grandmother, Mrs. James Burton, in ISIS organized the first Wesleyan juvenile missionary society. His parents moving to America in his boyhood, he was educated at Beloit College, Wiscon- sin. After his graduation he became a lo- cal preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church and acted as a supply for the brother of Miss Frances E. Willard and also for six months as pastor at Monroe, Wis., after which he returned to England, and in 1S65 entered the Wesleyan minis- try. His labors have been chiefly in Lan- cashire and London. He married the sis- ter of Rev. Mark Guy Pearse, the well- known Wesleyan preacher and author. He is the author of the commentary on St. Luke in the Expositor's Bible series of com- mentaries and also of Gleanings in the Gospels and Wayside Songs, 1SS6. In 1900 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Beloit College. His famous little poem titled "Pass It On" has been set to music by no less than ten different com- HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 397 posers. His present address is Charnwood, West Kirby, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. O King of kings, O Lord of hosts. . . 714 Campbell, Jane Montgomery, an English lady, a writer and teacher of music, daugh- ter of the Rev. A. Montgomery Campbell, of the Church of England, was born in London in 1S17 ; and died November 15, 1S78. She was a teacher in her father's parish school, a writer of English verse, and a translator of German hymns, some of which were published in C. S. Bere's Garland of Songs, 1862, and Children's Choral Book, 1S69. She is the author of A Handbook for Singers. We plow the fields and scatter 716 Campbell, Margaret Cockburn. She was the eldest daughter of Sir John Malcolm. In 182 7 she was married to Sir Alexander Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, who was one of the founders of the Plymouth Brethren in England. Some of her hymns appeared in the collection of the Plymouth Brethren in IS 42, and so came into general use. She died February 6, 1841. Praise ye Jehovah! praise the Lord. 20 Carney, Julia A., was Miss Fletcher when she wrote the hymn contained in this col- lection, beginning: "Think gently of the erring one." She was born at Lancaster, Mass., April 6, 1823 ; began writing verses in early childhood, contributing poems to juvenile periodicals when she was only fourteen ; became a teacher in one of the primary schools of Boston in 1844 ; wrote the familiar little poem beginning, "Little drops of water, little grains of sand," in 18 45 ; married Rev. Thomas J. Carney in IS 49. She died at Galesburg, 111., Novem- ber 1, 190S. Mr. and Mrs. Carney were members of the Lniversalist Church. Think gently of the erring one 699 Cary, Phoebe, and her sister Alice hold an honored place among the female poets of America. Phoebe (her sister Alice being four years her senior) was born in the Miami Valley, Ohio, September 4, 1824. The sisters began writing poetry at a very early age. Their collected Poems were first published in 1850. They moved to New York City in 1852, and soon had bought and paid for with their pens a very delightful home on Twentieth Street, where they lived until their death. The death of the elder sister preceded and hastened that of the younger, which occurred in 1871 while on a visit to Newport, R. I. Miss Cary was at the time of her death a mem- ber of the Church of the Strangers (Inde- pendent), in New York City. In 1869, in cooperation with her pastor, Dr. Charles F. Deems, she published a collection of sa- cred songs titled Hymns for All Christians. She published Poems and Parodies in 1854 and Poems of Faith, Hope, and Love in 1868. The deep devotion of these two sis- ters to each other and their intimate fel- lowship in literary work attracted wide- spread and admiring attention on the part of all who knew them. Three other hymns by Phoebe Cary and seven hymns by Alice Cary are found in Church hymnals. One sweetly solemn thought 620 Caswall, Edward, is the translator of many popular hymns. He comes of a literary family. His father and a brother were both clergymen of distinction in the Church of England. He was born at Yateley, in Hampshire, July 15, 1814; graduated at Oxford in 1836 ; was ordained deacon in the Church of England in 1838; became perpetual curate of Stratford-and-Castle, near Salisbury, in 1840 ; resigned his ec- clesiastical position in the Church of En- gland in 1846 with a view to joining the Roman Catholic Church, which he and his wife did in 1S4 7 ; became a priest in the Congregation of the Oratory, which Cardi- nal Newman had established at Birming- ham, where he remained until his death, January 2, 1878. His biographer says: His life was marked by earnest devotion to his clerical duties and a loving interest in the poor, the sick, and in little children. . . His translations of Latin hymns have a wider circulation in modern hymnals than those of any other translator, Dr. Neale alone excepted. This is owing to his general faithfulness to the originals and the purity of his rhythm, the latter feature specially adapting his hymns to music and for congregational purposes. His translation from St. Bernard, begin- ning, "Jesus, the very thought of thee," is one of the finest in the entire Hymnal. Most of his original hymns are so Romish in doctrinal teaching as to make them un- fitted for use in Protestant hymnals. His hymns are found in his Lyra Catholica, 1849 ; Masque of Mary and Other Poems, 1858; A May Pageant and Other Poems, 1865. The contents of all these volumes are contained in his Hymns and Poems, 1873, many of his hymns being rewritten or revised for this final volume. Four of his translations are in our Hymnal : Jesus, the very thought of thee 533 My God, I love thee, not because. . . . 4S3 398 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. O come, all ye faithful 1-5 When morning gilds the skies 32 Cawood, John, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born at Matlock, In Der- byshire, March 18, 1775. He was a farm- er's son, and his early educational ad- vantages were limited. By private study he succeeded in entering St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, in 1797, obtaining his degree four years later. He took holy orders in 1801. In IS 14 he became perpetual curate in Bewdely, Worcestershire, remaining there until his death, November 7, 1852. Ca- wood wrote only a few hymns. Nine were published in Cotterill's Selection, eighth edi- tion, 1819. Three others arc found in Lyra Britannica, 1867. Only one appears in this collection : Hark! what mean those holy voices. 109 Cennick, John, was born in Berkshire, En- gland, December 12, 1718. Being convert- ed in his seventeenth year, he connected himself first with the Methodists and be- came a preacher among them, and was placed in charge of the Kingswood School ; but his theological views undergoing a change, he separated from them in 1741, carrying several members with him and founding an independent society of his own, which, however, was soon gathered into the Whitefield, or Lady Huntingdon, Connec- tion. A few years later he joined the Mo- ravians, and spent most of the remainder of his life in the northern part of Ireland, returning to London in 1755, where he died July 4 of that same year, at the age of thirty-seven. He was a man of sincere and earnest piety. His first hymns were written for the use of the Methodists, and were altered and probably improved by the Wesleys. He published Sacred Hymns in three parts and in various editions, 1741- 49, and in 1754 his Hymns to the Honor of Jestis Christ, Composed for Such Little Children as Desire to be Saved. "I would not have any," says Cennick, "who read these hymns look to find either good poetry or fine language, for indeed there is none." To which Dr. Hatfield says : "It was the truth. The few hymns from his pen that are now used have been considerably modi- fied to fit them for the service of song, and are known at present almost wholly in these altered forms." He is the author of two well-known "Graces" before and after meat, commencing, "Be present at our ta- ble, Lord," and "We thank thee, Lord, for this our food." (See notes under Nos. 306 and 532 for further biographical facts.) His three best hymns are: Children of the heavenly King 547 Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone.... 306 Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb... 532 Charles, Elizabeth Bundle, the daughter of John Rundle, a banker and member of Par- liament, was born at Tavistock, Devonshire, England, January 2, 1828. In 1851 she was married to Andrew Baton Charles, a barrister at law, who died in 1868. For some years previous to her death (March 28, 1896) she signed her name "Rundle- Charles." She is described in Allibone's Dictionary of Authors as one who had rep- utation as a linguist, painter, musician, poet, and preeminently as the author of The Chronicles of the Schbnberg-Cotta Family, 1863, and more than twenty-five other volumes, several of which were po- etry. No books written in the past cen- tury designed to popularize the notable epochs in modern Church history have had a wider reading or a greater and more healthful influence than The Schonberg- Cotta Family and the series of historic vol- umes that followed it. Among her many volumes discussing poetry and containing poems from her pen, none has attained such widespread recognition and influence as The Voice of Christian Life in Song in Many Lands and Ages, 1865. Her Poems were published in New York in 1867. Many of her works have had an immense circula- tion in England and America. Before her death she had won a high and permanent place in English literature as one of the purest and most wholesome of modern Christian authors. Some half dozen of her hymns are found in the hymnals of dif- ferent Churches. Never farther than thy cross 14 4 Chorley, Henry Fothergill, an English ed- itor and author, was born at Blackleyhurst, Lancashire, December 15, 1S08. He was educated at the Royal Institution, Liver- pool. In 1834 he went to London to take a place on the staff of the Athenceum, and retained this editorial position for thirty- five years. He was the author of several novels and a large number of songs. He died February 15, 1872. God, the All-Terrible ! thou who 707 Claudius, Matthias, the son of a Lutheran pastor, was born at Reinfeld, near Lubeck, August 15, 1740. He entered the universi- ty at Jena in 1759 as a student of theolo- gy, but later turned to law and literature. HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 399 While residing at Darmstadt he associated with a circle of freethinking philosophers, but a severe sickness caused him to return to the faith of his childhood. He did not intentionally write hymns for the Church, but much of his poetry is Christian in spir- it and a few pieces have been utilized as hymns. He died at Hamburg- January 21, 1815. We plow the fields and scatter 716 Clement of Alexandria, whose real name was Titus Flavius Clemens, was born about 160 or 170 A.D., at either Athens or Alex- andria; and died about 215 or 220. A dili- gent student of Greek literature and philos- ophy, he was also as a young man an ear- nest seeker after the truth, and at length found it in the Christian faith. He traveled far and Made, seeking instruction from Christian teachers. He seemed to have been most influenced by Pantamus, the head of the celebrated Catechetical School at Alexandria, and succeeded him about 19 0. While in this position he was ordained a presbyter. He continued to teach and preach at Alexandria until driven away by the persecution of Severus in 202. Ori- gen and Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem, were both pupils of Clement at Alexandria. The last knowledge of him is in 211, when he bore a letter of commendation and confi- dence from Bishop Alexander, his former pupil, to the Christians at Antioch. It is not known whether he died in the East or returned to Alexandria. Three of his theo- logical works are extant ; also one sermon and one hymn to Christ, which, as found in this collection, owes as much to the translator as it does to the author. Shepherd of tender youth 672 Codner, Elizabeth, was the wife of an En- glish clergyman, the author of Among the Brambles and Other Lessons from Life, in which her hymn, "Lord, I hear of showers of blessing," was printed. She published two small volumes titled The Missionary Ship and The Bible in the Kitchen, and ed- ited . the periodical, Woman's Work in the Great Harvest Field. She was associated for some years with the Mildmay Prot- estant Mission, London. Hymnologists do not give the date of her birth or death. Lord, I hear of showers of blessing. . 346 Cog-hill, Annie Louisa, daughter of Robert Walker, was born in Kiddermore, England, in 1836. In 1884 she was married to Harry Coghill. "Work, for the night is coming," was written in 1854, which was before her marriage and when she was only eighteen years of age. She was then residing in Canada, and the hymn was first printed in a Canadian newspaper. The author's text is found in her Oak and Maple, 1890. Her occasional poems printed in various Cana- dian newspapers were gathered together and published in 1859 in a volume titled Leaves from the Backwoods. In 1898 Mrs. Coghill edited and published the Autobiog- raphy and Letters of her cousin, Mrs. Oli- phant. Work, for the night is coming 422 Collyer, William Bengo, was the pastor of an Independent or Congregational Church from 1801, when he was ordained, until his death, January 8, 1854. He was born at Blackheath, near London, April 14, 1782. He was educated at Homerton College, which he entered at the age of sixteen. Dr. Collyer' s Church was at Peckham, England. Dr. Falding, in the Dictionary of Hy mixolo- gy, says he "was eminent in his day as an eloquent evangelical preacher when formal- ism in worship and Arianism in doctrine prevailed. He was a man of amiable dispo- sition, polished manners, and Christian courtesy, popular with rich and poor alike." He edited a hymn book which was pub- lished in London, 1812, Hymns Partly Col- lected and Partly Original. To this book he contributed fifty-seven of his own hymns. He also contributed thirty-nine pieces to Dr. Leifchild's book of Original Hymns, 1843. A few of his hymns have been useful, but none of them have reached the first rank. Haste, traveler, haste, the night.... 251 Return, O wanderer, return 255 Colquhoun, Prances Sara, daughter of Mrs. Ebenezer Fuller-Maitland, of Stanstead Hall, Henley-on-Thames, was born at Shin- field Park, near Reading, England, June 20, 1809; on January 29, 1834, she was married to John Colquhoun. She died May 27, 1877. She contributed to her mother's volume titled Hymns for Private Devotion, 1827, one original hymn, and also some ad- ditional lines to Henry Kirke White's in- complete hymn beginning, "Much in sor- row, oft in woe." Oft in danger, oft in woe 412 Conder, Josiah, the son of Thomas Conder, a London bookseller, and the grandson of Dr. John Conder, an eminent Dissenting clergyman, was born in London September 17, 1789. At an early age he lost the sight of his right eye. At the age of fifteen he 400 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. entered his father's bookstore, whore he was thrown much with intellectual people; and this increased and confirmed the interest which he already had In literature. At the early age of twenty-one we find him, con- jointly with several other young aspirants for literary fame (one of whom, Eliza Thomas, became his wife), issuing a vol- ume of poetry called The Associate Min- strels, which attained sufficient popularity to justify a second edition two years later (1812). This same year he contributed three hymns to Dr. Collyer's collection. In 1814 he obtained control of the Eclectic Re- view, and from this time on he devoted all his time to literature and journalism. In 1832 he started the Patriot newspaper, which he continued to edit and publish until his death, December 27, 1855. He pub- lished more than a dozen scholarly volumes during his life, and these show him to have been a devout and pious believer. His Congregational Hymn Book, published in 1S36, attained a widespread popularity which lasted for many years. Just before he died he collected all the hymns he had ever written with a view to publication. They were issued the year after his death under the title : Hymns of Praise, Prayer, and Devout Meditation. "His friends in- cluded most of the literary and Christian men of eminence living in the first half of the nineteenth century." A larger number of Conder's hymns are said to be in com- mon use in England and America at this time than those of any other writer of the Congregational body, Watts and Doddridge alone excepted. Day by day the manna fell . 438 How shall I follow Him I serve 339 The Lord is King! lift up thy voice. . 90 Copeland, Benjamin, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, residing at present (1911) in Buffalo, N. Y., was born in 1855. He has filled various important stations in his Church since entering the ministry. The two useful hymns which we have here from his pen show that he has fine poetic ability. They are both hymns of more than ordi- nary merit. The first of the two especially meets a real need in the Hymnal and fills a place not filled by any other hymn. Christ's life our code, his cross our. . 138 Our Father's God, to thee we raise. . 713 Cotterill, Jane, was the daughter of a min- ister, Rev. John Book, the wife of a min- ister, Rev. Joseph Cotterill, and the moth- er of a minister, Rt. Rev. Henry Cotterill, Bishop of Edinburgh. She lived but thir- ty-five years. Born in 1790, married in 1811, died in 1825. She wrote only a few hymns, which appeared first in Thomas Cot- terill's Selection, 1815, without name; and later they appe red in Montgomery's Chris- tian Psalmist, 1825, with the name of the author. O Thou, who hast at thy command. . 341 Cotterill, Thomas, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born at Cannock, Staffordshire, December 4, 1779; gradu- ated at Cambridge in 1801, and entered the ministry of the Church of England. In 1817 he became perpetual curate of St. Paul's, at Sheffield, where he spent the rest of his life, teaching a small school part of the time in connection with his pastoral work. It was here that he met and formed an intimate friendship with James Mont- gomery, the poet and hymn writer, who helped him in the preparation of a volume of hymns under the following title : A Se- lection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, Adapted to the Services of the Church of England. So popular was this book that it reached its eighth edition by 1819. This work contained one hundred and fifty psalms and three hundred and sixty-seven hymns, of which Montgomery furnished fifty and Cotterill thirty-two, though the authors' names were not in any cases attached to the hymns. This book brought Cotterill into trouble with the ec- clesiastical authorities, and was actually carried into the courts ; but the suit was settled through the mediation of the arch- bishop, who revised Cotterill's selections and added several of his own, reducing the number to one hundred and forty-six. In spite of ecclesiastical influence, however, this "suppressed" volume continued to be used and to have widespread influence. "It did more," says Julian, "than any oth- er collection in the Church of England to mold the hymn books of the next period ; and nearly nine-tenths of the hymns there- in, and usually in the altered form given them by Cotterill or James Montgomery, who assisted him, are still in common use in Great Britain and America." Cotterill died December 29, 1823. Montgomery's sorrow over his death found expression in the well- known hymn beginning "Friend after friend departs." Help us, O Lord, thy yoke to wear. . 691 Our God is love; and all his saints. . 552 HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 401 Cowper, Frances Maria, was born in En- gland in 1727 ; and died in 1797. She was the wife of Major Cowper, a sister of the Rev. Martin Madan, and a cousin, through her mother, of William Cowper, the poet. Her poems, Original Poems on Various Oc- casions, by a Lady, were published in 1792. My span of life will soon be done. . . 42 6 Cowper, William, one of the most popular poets and letter writers of the English lan- guage, was born in Berkhampstead, Hert- fordshire, November 26, 1731. His fa- ther, Rev. John Cowper, was a chaplain to George II. He spent ten years in Westmin- ster School, and then began reading law, but abandoned it for literature after a very brief practice. He became the most dis- tinguished poet of the English language in the latter half of the eighteenth century. His poetic works are too numerous and too well known to need mention here. His life is invested with a peculiar and sorrowful interest, owing to his constitutional tend- ency to mental and moral despondency, which brought on frequent attacks of in- sanity. His disappointment in not being permitted to marry his cousin added to his malady. His melancholia had come upon him and placed its dark limitations upon his life before he went, in 1765, to live at Huntingdon, where his association with and love for Mrs. Mary Unwin became one of the tenderest and holiest attachments of his life. In 1767 he moved to Olney, the home of Rev. John Newton. An intimate friend- ship between the two at once began. Cow- per was a constant and prayerful attend- ant upon Newton's Church services, espe- cially his cottage prayer meetings, for which nearly all of his hymns were written at Newton's request. The Olney Hymns, 1779, was their joint production, seventy- eight of them coming from Cowper. He also translated many of the hymns of Ma- dame Guyon, one of which is found in this volume. He died April 25, 1S00, at East Dereham. He is regarded as the greatest letter writer in English literature. None of his great poems show signs of melan- cholia, but breathe a healthful and cheer- ful piety. No other great poet has written so many hymns as he. His hymns give expression to sentiments of peace and grat- itude, of trust and submission, rather than of hope and joy. A plaintive and refined tenderness runs through them all. A glory gilds the sacred page 198 God moves in a mysterious way. ... 96 Hark, my soul, it is the Lord 307 26 Hear what God the Lord hath 211 Jesus, where'er thy people meet 37 My Lord, how full of sweet content. . 518 O for a closer walk with God 492 Sometimes a light surprises 454 There is a fountain filled with blood. 291 What various hindrances we meet. . . 496 Cox, Christopher Christian, an eminent physician, son of Rev. Luther J. Cox, a Methodist preacher, was born in Baltimore August 28, 1816; was graduated at Yale College in 1835, and at a medical school in his native city in 1838. In 1861 he was ap- pointed brigade surgeon in the United States army, and resided in Washington. He died November 25, 1882. He was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was a brother of Rev. Samuel K. Cox, D.D., author of Hymn No. 347. Silently the shades of evening 52 Cox, Samuel Keener, a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Baltimore, Md., July 16, 1823; and died at Harrisonburg, Va., November 27, 19 09. He was the son of Rev. Luther J. Cox, a Meth- odist local preacher, and was a first cous- in of Bishop John C. Keener. He enjoyed fine educational advantages in early life, and in 1844 he joined the Maryland Con- ference of the Methodist Protestant Church, of which his father was one of the organ- izers in 182 8. After filling various pastor- al charges in Washington City and else- where, he became in 1853 Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy in Madison College, Uniontown, Pa., which position he filled for some years, and then was en- gaged in educational work in Virginia and Alabama until 1S66, when he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in which Church he served as educator, pas- tor in Baltimore, Washington City, and elsewhere and as editor of the Episcopal Methodist, the Baltimore Christian Advo- cate, and the Baltimore and Richmond Christian Advocate. He was a member of the committee of nine which in 1886-88 compiled the hymn book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which was the of- ficial hymnal of that Church until this present book became the joint hymnal of both branches of American Episcopal Meth- odism. Dr. Cox was a brother of Dr. Chris- topher C. Cox, the author of Hymn No. 52. Lord, thou hast promised grace for. . 347 Coxe, Arthur Cleveland, a bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born at Mendham, N. J., May 10, 1818; gradu- 402 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. ated at the UiuVeraity of New York in t; took orders in the ministry in 1841, and served as rector at Hartford, Balti- more, and New York. In 16 65 he was elect- ed Bishop of Western New York. He died Jul; Bishop Coxe was the author of several small volumes of poems : vent, 1S37; Christian Ballads, 1S40 ; Atha- nasion, 15-42 ; Hallowe'en and Other Poe>ns, 1>4 4 ; Saul, a Mystery, 1S45. A few of his best hymns are found in many collections. As a member of the Hymnal Commission that prepared the official hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1S69-71 he refused to allow any of his own hymns to be inserted in that volume, which, Prof. F. Iff. Bird thinks, was a case of "too scrupu- lous modesty." How beauteous were the marks 12 7 O where are kings and empires now. 214 Crewdson, Jane, the daughter of George Fox, was born at Perraw, Cornwall, En- gland, in October, 1S09, and was married to Thomas Crewdson, of Manchester, in 1836. Always delicate in health, toward the close of her life she became a con- firmed invalid and a great sufferer ; and most of her hymns were written during this period of suffering. She died at Summer- lands, near Manchester, September 14, 1863, "leaving behind her the memory of a beautiful Christian life and many ad- mirable verses." She truly learned in suf- fering what she taught in song. Her hus- band wrote beautifully of her : "As a con- stant sufferer, the spiritual life deepening and the intellectual life retaining all its power, she became well prepared to testi- fy as to the all-sufficiency of her Saviour's love. Many felt that her sick room was the highest place to which they could re- sort for refreshment of spirit and even for mental recreation. From that apartment came many a letter of earnest sympathy or of charming playfulness." She pub- lished anonymously several small volumes of poetry, and the year after her death a book of her poems was published under the title: A Little While and Other Poems, 1864. A verse, written just before she died, titled •During Sickness," is a gem worthy of immortality : O Saviour, I have naught to plead In earth beneath or heaven above, But just my own exceeding need And thy exceeding love : The need will soon be past and gone, Exceeding great but quickly o'er; The love, unbought. is all Thine own. And lasts for evermore. O Thou, whose bounty fills my cup. . 531 Croly, George, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born at Dublin August 17, 1780. In l^u4 he took the degree of Mas- ter of Arts at Dublin University, which in- stitution also conferred on him in 1S31 the degree of LL..D. After receiving holy or- ders he labored in Ireland until 1S10, when he removed to London and devoted himself largely to literature. He died November 2 4, I860. Dr. Croly's hymns were pub- lished in his Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, 1>54. Spirit of God, descend upon my heart. 197 Crosby, Tanny Jane (Mrs. Van Alstyne), is the most prolific and perhaps the most pop- ular writer of Sunday school hymns that America has ever produced. She was born at South East, Putnam County, N. Y.. March 24, 1820. When only six weeks old she lost her eyesight. Her first poem was written when she was only eight years old. At the age of fifteen she entered the Insti- tution for the Blind in New York City, where she spent seven years as a pupil and eleven years (1847-58) as a teacher. In IS 44 she published a volume entitled The Blind Girl and Other Poems, and in 1S49 Monterey and Other Poems. In 1S51 she was happily converted, and united with the Old John Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1S5S she was married to Mr. Alexander Van Al^Lyne, who was also, like herself, blind, had been a teacher in the Institution, and was possessed of rare mu- sical talent, and thus eminently fitted to be a congenial and helpful life companion. As a hymn writer, however, she has continued since her marriage to bear her maiden name. A third volume of her poems was issued the year of her marriage : A Wreath of Columbia's Floicers, 1858. She was in the employ of Mr. William B. Bradbury for the last four years before he died, and she was for some years regularly employed by Biglow and Main to write "three hymns a week the year round." She has written about six thousand hymns, considerably less than half of which number have been published. In 1S9S she published Bells at Evening and Other Poems, and in 1906 Memories of Eighty Years. Revered, hon- ored, and loved by millions, she resides at Bridgeport, Conn., being at this writing (1911) ninety-one years of age. Fanny Crosby's hymns and the tunes to which they are sung have a peculiar charm for the young and for the masses of the peo- ple There are thousands of religious homes where her sweet and simple songs HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 4u:* are sung daily, and are scarcely less famil- iar than the words of Scripture. In sun- shine and darkness alike and in all lands her songs are sung "with a glad heart and free." Few women that have ever lived can claim a higher honor than belongs to Fanny Crosby in being permitted to wit- ness the world-wide popularity of so many of her hymns. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine... 54$ Pass me not, O gentle Saviour 32 9 Rescue the perishing 697 Saviour, more than life to me 490 Thou, my everlasting portion 332 Cross, Ada Cambridge, the daughter of Hen- ry Cambridge, was born at Norfolk,' En- gland, November 21, IS 44. In IS 70 she married Rev. George Frederick Cross, a clergyman of the Church of England. The same year she removed with her husband to Australia, where she has since resided. She published Hymns on the Holy Communion, 1866, and Hymns on the Litany, 1S65. A few of her hymns have become popular. Her hymns, says Dr. Julian, "are charac- terized by great sweetness and purity of rhythm, combined with naturalness and simplicity." The dawn of God's dear Sabbath. ... 72 Cummins, James John, was born in Cork, Ireland, May 5, 1795. He moved to London in 1834. He was for many years a direc- tor of the Union Bank of Australia. He died at Wildecroft, Buckland, Surrey, No- vember 23, 1S67. He was a devout mem- ber of the Church of England. He took a deep interest in the study of Hebrew and of theology. His volume titled Seals of the Covenant Opened in the Sacraments, 1839, was prepared with a view to meeting the needs of his own children in their prepa- ration for assuming the vows of Church membership. It contained poetical medita- tions and hymns which were also published separately the same year and republished ten years later under the title, Hymns, Meditations, and Other Poems, 1S49. the ti- tle on the cover being Lyra Evangelica. Shall hymns of grateful love 26 Cutter, William, an editor and publisher, was born in North Yarmouth, Me.. May 15, 1801. He was educated at Bowdoin Col- lege, where he was graduated in 1821. He belonged to the Congregational Church. He was engaged in business in Portland, Me., for several years, and then in Brook- lyn, N. Y. His hymns were contributed to the Christian Mirror, a periodical pub- lished at Portland. He died February 8, 1S67. Professor Bird describes Mr. Cutter as "a deserving writer who has hitherto missed his due meed of acknowledgment." She loved her Saviour, and to him. . 694 Who is my neighbor? He whom. ... 690 Davies, Samuel, an eminent Presbyterian di- vine, was born near Summit Ridge, New- castle, Del., November 3, 1723. He was li- censed in 1745 and ordained to the minis- try in 1747, and labored for several years as a missionary and evangelist in the State of Virginia. He succeeded Jonathan Ed- wards as President of Princeton College in 1759, but died February 4, 1761, in his thirty-seventh 3Tear. His published ser- mons show him to have been a man of great intellectual vigor, piety, and useful- ness. They have been frequently reprinted. In Dr. Thomas Gibson's Hymns Adapted to Divine Worship (London, 1769) there are sixteen hymns by Mr. Davies, one of which is the following: Lord, I am thine, entirely thine 342 Decius, Nicolaus, was born in Upper Fran- conia, Bavaria, toward the close of the fif- teenth century. He was first a monk in the Roman Catholic Church, being in 1519 Probst of the cloister at Steterburg, near YTolfenbiittel ; but becoming a convert to Luther's views, he left the Romish Church in 1522 and moved to Brunswick, where he taught school for one year. He became an Evangelical preacher at Stettin in 1523, and was for many years pastor of the Church of St. Nicholas. He died suddenly March 21, 1541. His work was carried on under constant opposition from the Church of Rome, but he was a popular and influen- tial preacher among the early Protestants. He was a good musician, and composed tunes for three hymns that he wrote, only one of which is contained in this collection : To God on high be thanks 93 Deems, Charles Force, was for a number of years a minister in the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, and from 1S66 till his death, in 1S93, pastor of the Church of the Strangers, an independent congregation in New York City. He was born in Balti- more, Md., December 4, 1820; graduated at Dickinson College in 1839, after which he settled in North Carolina, entering the min- istry of the Methodist Episcopal Church and serving as Agent of the American Bi- ble Society in that State for 1840-41 ; Pro- fessor of Logic and Rhetoric in the Univer- sity of North Carolina, IS 42-5 ; Professor 404 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. of Chemistry In Randolph-Macon Colli ge, Virginia, 1845-46. He served as pastor of several Churches in the North Carolina Conference. He was President of the Greensboro Female College, North Caro- lina, 1846-50. In 1SGG he moved to New York, where he died November 18, 1893. Dr. Deems was a popular preacher and forcible public speaker. He was the au- thor of a valuable life of Christ, titled The Light of the Nations. In connection with Miss Phcebe Cary he edited Hymns for All Christians, 1869. As pastor of Commodore Vanderbilt he had, in connection with Bish- op II. N. McTyeire, not a little to do with influencing that man of princely wealth to give a million dollars to the "Central Uni- versity of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South" (now Vanderbilt University), at Nashville, Tenn. He was the founder and for many years the President of the Amer- ican Institute of Christian Philosophy, and also editor of its organ, Christian Thought. I shall not want; in deserts wild. . . . 436 Denny, Sir Edward, was born at Tralee Cas- tle, County Kerry, Ireland, October 2, 1796, and succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his father, in 1831. He owned a large estate in Ireland, though his princi- pal residence was in London. His Church membership was with the Plymouth Breth- ren. He published A Selection of Hymns in 1839 and a volume of Hymns and Poems in 1848. His Millennial Hymns, 1870, is a republication of his former work. It con- tains a long preface on prophecy, in which he advocates millenarianism. He died in London June 13, 1889. What grace, O Lord, and beauty. ... 126 Dessler, Wolfgang- Christopher, was born at Nuremberg February 11, 1660. His father was a jeweler, and wished his son to follow the same trade. But the son was devoted to study, and at length entered the Uni- versity of Altdorf as a student of divinity. On account of ill health, he was obliged to give up his course ; but he continued his literary work as he was able. He was head master of a school at Nuremberg some fifteen years. Dessler was the au- thor of fifty-six hymns, an accurate schol- ar, and a devout Christian. He died March 11, 1722. Into thy gracious hands I fall 305 Dexter, Henry Martyn, an eminent Congre- gational divine and editor of the Congrega- tionalist, of Boston, was born at Plymouth, Mass., August 13, 1821; graduated at Yale College in 1840, and at Andover Theologic- al Seminary in 1S4 4 ; was pastor in Man- chester, N. H., and in Boston; resigned his pastoral charge in 1867 to become editor of the Congregationalist and Recorder. He is the author of a large number of pub- lished volumes. He died November 13, 1890. His only hymn in this collection is a translation of the primitive hymn of Clement of Alexandria: Shepherd of tender youth 672 Dix, William Chatterton, an eminent Eng- lish author, was born at Bristol June 14, 1837. He was manager of a marine insur- ance company in Glasgow. His contribu- tions to hymnody are valuable. Some twenty or thirty of them are in common use in Great Britain and America; a few of them are of first rank. He published Hymns of Love and Joy, 1861; Altar Songs, 1867; Vision of All Saints, 1871; and Seekers of a City, 1878. Many of his hymns were contributed to Hymns Ancient and Modern and other English hymnals. Among his best-known volumes are two ti- tled The Risen Christ, 1883, and The Pat- tern Life, 1885. He died September 9, 1898. Beauteous are the flowers of earth. . 673 Come unto me, ye weary 295 Hallelujah ! sing to Jesus 176 Doane, George Washington, a bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born in Trenton, N. J., May 27, 1799 ; graduated at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., in 1818; entered the ministry in 1821, and served as an assistant minister at Trinity Church, New York, until 1824, when he was called to a chair in Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., where he remained until 1828, when he became rector of Trinity Church, Bos- ton, being in this position when he was elected in 1832 to the bishopric of New Jersey. St. Mary's Hall, Burlington, was founded by him in 1S3 7, and Burlington College in 1846. A man of great energy and force of character, of rare warmth of heart, and of exceptional learning, he was regarded as one of the most able and in- fluential prelates of the Episcopal Church in America. He had not only warm friends and ardent admirers, but bitter enemies and numerous controversies. He died April 2 7, 1859. His Songs by the Way, 1S2 4, published when he was only twenty-five years old, gave evidence of unusual gifts as a poet and hymn writer. Just after his death his son published his Works, in four volumes, and an enlarged edition of HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 405 his Songs by the Way. There are some who claim that his hymn beginning "Thou art the Way" is the greatest hymn that America has yet produced. Fling out the banner! let it float... 639 Softly now the light of day 53 Thou art the Way; to Thee alone. . . 133 Doane, William Crosswell, a bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the son of Bishop George Washington Doane, was born in Boston, Mass., March 2, 1832. He was educated for the ministry. He was or- dained a deacon in 1853, a priest in 1856. His first work was as assistant to his fa- ther in St. Mary's Church, Burlington, N. J. From 1865 to 1867 he was rector of St. John's Church, Hartford, Conn. In 1869 he was consecrated bishop of the new diocese of Albany. In 1902 his fugitive poems were collected and published in a volume titled Rhymes from Time to Time. Bishop Doane received the title of D.D. from Oxford and LL.D. from. Cambridge. His residence is Albany, N. Y. Ancient of days, who sittest throned. 76 Doddridge, Philip, one of the most distin- guished Dissenting ministers of the eight- eenth century, was the youngest of twenty children. He was born June 2 6, 1702. He entered the ministry when only nineteen years old. In 1729 he moved to Northamp- ton, where he became pastor of the Dis- senting Church and also, by the urgent ad- vice of Isaac Watts and others, organized and conducted a theological school for young preachers ; and as many as a hun- dred and fifty studied theology with him during the twenty years he was there. His Family Expositor and Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul have been translated into many languages, and are still widely read, while his Sermons attest his vigor and piety as a preacher. He died of con- sumption at Lisbon, Portugal, October 26, 1751, in the fiftieth year of his age. It was Dr. Doddridge's custom immediately after finishing a sermon, while his mind was yet aglow with the warmth and unc- tion of earnest, prayerful study and the thought and plan of the sermon were fresh in his mind, to write a hymn embodying the doctrinal and devotional sentiment of the discourse, and have it sung immediately after the conclusion of his sermon. This gives to his hymns a doctrinal unity not found in many hymns. Hence his hymns, as a rule, are suitable for one subject, not for any subject or occasion. They are the hymns of a pastor and preacher, written to meet his own needs. Dr. Doddridge's hymns were circulated only in manuscript during his lifetime. It was not until four years after his death that they (three hun- dred and seventy in all) were collected and published under the title : Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, 1755. A later edition (1766) contained five additional hymns; and in 1839 a great- grandson of Dr. Doddridge published a "new and corrected edition," which con- tained twenty-two additional hymns. Dr. Julian states in his Dictionary that over one-third of Dr. Doddridge's hymns are in common use at the present time. Twenty- two only are found in this collection : And will the great, eternal God 663 Awake, my soul ! stretch every nerve. 396 Beset with snares on every hand. ... 425 Do not I love thee, O my Lord 338 Eternal Source of every joy 715 Father of all, thy care we bless 670 God of my life, though all my days. 322 Grace ! 'tis a charming sound 288 Hark, the glad sound! the Saviour.. 108 How gentle God's commands 100 How rich thy bounty, King of kings. 224 How swift the torrent rolls 580 Jesus, my Lord, how rich thy grace. . 406 Let Zion's watchmen all awake 223 Lord of the Sabbath, hear our vows. 73 My gracious Lord, I own thy right. . 336 O happy day, that fixed my choice.. 312 See Israel's gentle Shepherd stand. . . 230 The King of heaven his table spreads 233 To-morrow, Lord, is thine 253 What though the arm of conquering. 592 Ye servants of the Lord 429 Dryden, John, the distinguished English poet, was born at Aldwinkle August 9, 1631. He attended Westminster School and entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1650, taking his A.B. in 1654. He was of Puritan blood, and his first great poem was Heroic Stanzas on the Death of Oliver Cromwell, 1658. Soon after the restora- tion he became a Royalist, and was made Poet Laureate in 1670. He did not remain, however, in the Church of England, but in 17 S 5 he became a Romanist. He died May 18, 1701. Creator, Spirit, by whose aid 194 Dumeld, George, was born at Carlisle, Pa., September 12, 1818 ; graduated at Yale in 1837, and at Union Theological Seminary, New York, in 1840 ; was ordained an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and became a pastor successively of many of the leading 4im; ANNOTATED HYMNAL. -ian Churches in the North and rthwest — viz., Brooklyn. X. Y.. 184 mofield, X. J.. 1^47-52; Philadelphia, . Adrian. Mich.. * laksburg, 111-. Ann Arbor and Lan- sing, Mich., I 1 from the active work of the mini- -4, and set- tled at Detroit, Mich. He died July 6, at Bloomfield, X. J., while on a visit to his son's widow. He was the son" of Rev. ■rge Duffield, D.D., the "patriarch of -Michigan,"' who was born in 1796 ?lnd died at Detroit in 1S6S, and the father of the late Rev. Samuel \Y. Duffield, D.D., of Bloom- held. X. J., author of English Hymns, Their Authors and History, 1SS6, and Lat- in Hymn Writers and Their Hymns, 1SS9. Stand up, stand up for Jesus o^'j Dwight, John Sullivan, a Unitarian minis- ter and musician, was born in Boston May 13, IS 13. He entered Harvard College in 1S2S, and was graduated in 1S32. He stud- ied for the ministry at the Harvard Divin- ity School, and was ordained in 1S3G as pastor of the Unitarian Church at Xorth- ampton. In a few years lie gave up the ministry and devoted himself to literature and music. In IS 52 he established D wight's Journal of Music, which he owned and ed- ited for thirty years, making it one of the foremost musical journals of the time. He died September 5, 1 I God bless our native land 703 Dwight, Timothy, a distinguished Congre- gational minister and educator, was born at Northampton, Mass., May 14, 17 52. His mother was a daughter of Jonathan Ed- wards. He entered Yale College at the age of thirteen, and, graduating four years later, became a tutor, which position he re- signed in 17 77 to become chaplain in the Revolutionary army. He next became a pastor at Greenfield, Conn., and in 1795 was elected President of Yale College, and remained in this position until his death. January 11, 1 SI 7. He is best known by his theological works, which are numerous and strong and show him to be a moderate Cal- vinist in faith. In IS 00 he prepared and published a revised edition of Watts's Psalms, which was approved and adopted by the General Association of Connecticut (Congregational). This volume contained several other hymns from various sources, some of which were written by himself. He is the author of about a dozen hymns found in modern Church hymnals. "This is the most important name." says Prof. F. M. Bird, "in early American hymnology, as it is also one of the most illustrious in American literature and education." I love thy kingdom, Lord I | Shall man, O God of light and life. . 596 While life prolongs its precious ligi. _ . Edmeston, James, an Englishman, born Sep- tember 1", 17l<1. He was educated as an architect and surveyor, and practiced callings until his death, January 7. He was a member of the Church of En- gland. Edmeston wrote nearly two thou- sand hymns, mostly for children. Some of them have be- n v. ry popular. B-. I Is 17 and 1847 he was the author of twelve small volumes composed of hymns and oth- er short poems on religious subjects. S viour, breathe an evening blessing. Ela, David Hough, a minister of the Metho- Episcopal Church, was born in Canaan, Me., in 1831. He was converted in child- hood, and joined the Church at the age of nine years. While yet a youth he learned the trade of printing and that of a machin- ist also. In IS 54 he became a student and Christian worker in Wesleyan University, from which he graduated with honors in IS 57. He was a successful pastor and pre- siding elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church in New England for many ; Cornell College gave him the degree of Doc- tor of Divinity in 1S7 6. His death took place October 7, 1907. The chosen three on mountain height. 129 Ellerton, John, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born in London December 16, 1S26. He was educated at Trinity Col- lege, Cambridge, graduating in 1S49. From till his death, June 15, 1S93, he filled various positions in the Church of England as vicar and rtctor, being appointed Canon of St. Albans in 1S92. He was the author of some prose writings, but is b^st known as a hymnologist. His contributions to hymnody are not numerous — about fifty original hymns and ten translations. Many of these are in common use, and a few are of special value. Dr. Julian says of his hymns : "His verse is elevated in tone, de- votional in spirit, and elegant in diction." He published his Hymns for Schools and Bible Classes in 1S59, and in 1871, in con- nection with Bishop How, Church Hymns. His Xotes and Illustrations of Church Hymns, IS SI. was a valuable popular con- tribution to hymnology. Behold us. Lord, a little space 394 Saviour, again to thy dear name we. 3S HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 407 The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended. 60 Welcome, happy morning-, age to... 166 Elliott, Charlotte, one of the sweetest though saddest of Christian singers, was the daughter of Charles Elliott, of Clapham and Brighton, England, and the grand- daughter of Rev. Henry Venn, an eminent Church of England divine of apostolic char- acter and labors. She was born March 18, 1789. Reared amid refined, cultured Chris- tian surroundings, she developed at quite an early age a piission for music and art. She was unusually well educated. From her thirty-second year until her death, which occurred September 22, 1871, in her eighty-third year, she was a confirmed in- valid and oftentimes a great sufferer. She was a member of the Church of England. Her hymns have in them a tenderness and sweetness born of suffering and resignation. Although an invalid, she did a large amount of literary work in her lifetime, publishing several volumes. Her Invalid's Hymn Book was published in various editions from 1834 to 1854, and contained altogether one hun- dred and fifteen of her hymns. Other poet- ic volumes by her containing hymns were : Hours of Sorrow, 1836 ; Hymns for a Week, 1839; Thoughts in Verse on Sacred Sub- jects, 1869. Her hymns number about one hundred and fifty, a large percentage of which, according to Julian's Dictionary, are in common use. "Her verse is character- ized by tenderness of feeling, plaintive sim- plicity, deep devotion, and perfect rhythm. For those in sickness and sorrow she has sung as few others have done." It is doubt- ful if any hymn written in the past cen- tury is more widely sung and popular the world over than "Just as I am, without one plea." Miss Elliott shrank from publicity, nearly all her books being published in the first instance anonymously. Christian, seek not yet repose 494 Just as I am, without one plea 272 O holy Saviour, Friend unseen 478 My God, is any hour so sweet 501 My God, my Father, while I... 521, 736 Elliott, Emily Elizabeth Steele, an English- woman, a daughter of the Rev. Edward B. Elliott and a niece of Miss Charlotte El- liott, was born at Brighton July 22, 1836. She published Chimes of Consecration, a volume of seventy original hymns, in IS 73, and Chimes for Daily Service, seventy-one hymns, in 1880. A few of her hymns have obtained wide acceptance. She edited the Church Missionary Juvenile Instructor for several years. She died at Mildmay, Lon- don, August 3, 1897. Thou didst leave thy throne 122 Esling, Catherine Harbison, who first wrote and published poems under her maiden name (Waterman), was born in Philadel- phia April 12, 1S12. In 1S40 she married Captain George J. Esling, of the Merchant Marine, and resided from that date till the death of her husband, in 1S44, at. Rio de Janeiro, after which she returned to Phila- delphia. In 1S50 her poems were collected and published under the title The Broken Bracelet and Other Poems. She was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, where she died in 1897. Come unto me when shadows darkly. 462 Evans, William Edwin, a clergyman of the Frotestant Episcopal Church, was born in Baltimore July 11, 1851 ; was converted in early life and joined the Methodist Church ; educated at Randolph-Macon College, which he entered in 1869. He was licensed to preach in 1870, and joined the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1872, but was immediate- ly transferred to the Virginia Conference. After filling various appointments in this Conference, he transferred his Church rela- tionship in 1892 to the Protestant Episco- pal Church. Dr. Evans is at present rector of an Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Ala. Come, O thou God of grace 661 Everest, Charles William, an Episcopal clergyman, was born at East Windsor, Conn., May 27, 1814 ; graduated at Trinity College, Hartford, in 1838 ; was ordained priest in 1842, and became at once rector of the parish of Hampden, near New Haven, Conn., where he remained for thirty-one years. He died at Waterbury, Conn., Janu- ary 11, 187 7, being at the time an officer in the Society for the Increase of the Minis- try- His volume is titled Visions of Death and Other Poems, 1833. "Take up thy cross," the Saviour. . . 433 Faber, Frederick William, was born in Yorkshire, England, June 28, 1814. He was of Huguenot origin. He was educated at Harrow School and Balliol College, Oxford, which he entered in 1832. At Oxford he came under the influence of the Rev. John Henry Newman, then vicar of St. Mary's. He entered the ministry of the Church of England, taking deacon's orders in 1837 and priest's orders two years later. Most of his time for the next four years was 408 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. spent in traveling on the Continent, where he further developed his leaning toward Romanism. On his return to England he became rector of Elton, where he was pop- ular and highly useful. Sunday evening, November 16, 1845, he told his people that he could no longer remain in communion with the Church of England. The next day he was admitted into the Roman Catholic Church at Northampton. In April, 1849, he went to London and took charge of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, where he re- mained until his death, September 26, 1863. In the preface to the 1849 edition of his Hymns he wrote : "It seemed then in every way desirable that Catholics should have a hymn book for reading, which should con- tain the mysteries of the faith in easy verse or different states of heart and conscience depicted with the same unadorned simplici- ty, for example, as the 'O for a closer walk with God' of the Olney Hymns." It was to supply this need that Dr. Faber wrote his hymns, and he not only succeeded in large measure in his undertaking to give Roman Catholics good modern hymns, but he wrote many which have had a wide circulation among Protestant Churches. It has been found necessary, however, to eliminate ob- jectionable Romish expressions from many of his hymns in order to adapt them to use in Protestant worship. Faith of our fathers! living still. ... 415 Hark, hark, my soul! angelic songs. . 621 I worship thee, most gracious God. . . 4S0 My God, how wonderful thou art... 86 O come and mourn with me awhile. . 152 O God, thy power is wonderful 87 O how the thought of God attracts. . 363 O it is hard to work for God 442 O Paradise ! O Paradise 622 There's a wideness in God's mercy. . . 98 Workman of God ! O lose not heart. . 392 Fabricius, Jacob, a chaplain in the army of King Gustavus Adolphus, was born in 1593, and died in 1654. There is some doubt as to the authorship of the hymn here cred- ited to him. Some hymnologists have at- tributed it to Johann Michael Altenburg (1584-1640), a preacher, teacher, and musi- cian of Erfurt, and others attribute it to Gustavus Adolphus. Fear not, O little flock, the foe 445 Farrar, Frederick William, a distinguished divine of the Church of England, was the son of Rev. C. P. Farrar, a missionary to India, and was born in Bombay, India, Au- gust 7, 1831. He had the best educational opportunities that England could furnish ; received the degree of B.A. at the Universi- ty of London, and then passed to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with high honors in 1854. He took ord< ra the same year and served in various posi- tions. In IS 76 he was made a Canon of. Westminster Abbey and rector of St. Mar- garet's Church. Dr. Farrar became Dean of Canterbury in 1895, and died there March 22, 1903. As a preacher and lecturer he was a man of first rank. He was the au- thor of many books. The best known per- haps are his Life of Christ and Life and Work of St. Paul. In the field with their flocks abiding. 117 Fawcett, John, a Baptist divine of England, was born at Lidget Green, near Bradford, Yorkshire, January 6, 1739. He was con- verted under the preaching of Whitefield in 17 55 and fellowshiped with the Methodists until 1758, when he joined the Baptist Church at Bradford. In 1765 he became pastor of the Baptist Church at Wainsgate ; and although he received many flattering calls to go elsewhere, he remained here, or in the neighborhood at least, living on a pitifully small salary, until his death, July 25, 1817. He was an honored and useful minister of the gospel. He published many volumes on religious subjects, his poetic publications being: Poetic Essays, 1767; The Christian's Humble Plea, a Poem in Answer to Dr. Priestly (a Unitarian), 1772; The Death of Eumenio, a Divine Poem, 1779; The Reign of Death, 1780; Hymns Adapted to the Circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, Leeds, 1782. He wrote altogether one hun- dred and sixty-six hymns. Most of these hymns were written in the midnight hours of Saturday nights, and, like those of Dr. Doddridge, were composed especially to be sung at the conclusion of his sermons on the Sabbath following. His hymn begin- ning, "Blest be the tie that binds," because of its popular note of Christian love and fellowship, intensified by its exceedingly pa- thetic origin, is one of the most universally popular hymns in the Christian world. Blest be the tie that binds 556 How precious is the book divine 201 Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing. . . 39 Religion is the chief concern 314 Sinners, turn ; why will ye die 246 Fortunatus, Venantius, a Latin poet, was born in Italy about 530 ; was naturally of a gray disposition, and spent the earlier part of his life in France, either in idleness or HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 409 in writing fashionable literature. He was past middle life when he entered the minis- try. In 599 he was appointed Bishop of Portiers, 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, "Pange, lin- gua, gloriosi, proelium certaminis," which has been translated by Dr. Neele and oth- ers. Welcome, happy morning 166 Trancis, Benjamin, an English Baptist min- ister, born in Wales in 1734. He united with the Baptist Church at fifteen years of age, and began preaching when only nine- teen. He was educated at the Bristol Bap- tist College. After a brief ministry at Sod- bury, he accepted a call to the Baptist Church at Shortwood in 1757, and remained there until his death, December 14, 1799. An earnest and popular preacher and inde- fatigable worker, he received flattering calls from London and elsewhere, but refused them all in deep devotion to his flock at Shortwood. He published several small volumes of poetry, among them two vol- umes of Welsh hymns, 1774 and 1786. Five of his hymns were published in Rippon's Selection, 1787. Joseph Grigg's well-known hymn beginning, "Jesus, and shall it ever be," owes its present popular form to Fran- cis. Great King of glory, come 656 Jesus, and shall it ever be 443 Praise the Saviour, all ye nations. . . 649 Freckelton, Thomas Wesley, an English Unitarian, for several years pastor of Uni- ty Church, Islington, was born in 182 7, and died in 1903. These are all the facts we have at present concerning the author of one of our most useful hymns on Christian service. Other facts, it is hoped, will be learned in time to be inserted in later edi- tions of this volume. The toil of brain, or heart, or hand. . 414 Gerhardt, Paul, a distinguished Lutheran minister, and, next to Luther, the most popular hymn writer of Germany, was born in Saxony March 12, 1607. He matricu- lated as a student at the University of Wittenberg January 2, 162 8, and seems to have resided in Wittenberg until 1642 or 1643, when he went to Berlin, where he be- came a tutor in the family of the advocate, Andreas Barthold. whose daughter he mar- ried in 16 55. In the meantime he had be- gun to preach, and on November 18, 1651, he was ordained as chief pastor at Mitten- walde, near Berlin. Several of his hymns were published in 1653 in the Berlin Hymn Book, and later in other collections in, Bran- denburg and Saxony ; and became at once very popular with the people. In 1657 he was appointed to the large and influential Church of St. Nicholas, in Berlin, where he preached to large crowds and was happy and useful in his ministry until ejected in 1666 by the edict of the Elector Frederick William, which was designed to make all preaching conform to the Reformed (Calvin- istic) faith, and to which edict Gerhardt, believing in an unlimited atonement, re- fused to conform. As a consequence he was ejected and suffered many and great hard- ships. In 16 6-9 he was appointed archdea- con of Lubben, in Saxony. He died June 7, 1676. His hymns number only one hun- dred and twenty-three, of which number about fifty are in common use. Commit thou all thy griefs 435 Give to the winds thy fears 437 Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness 192 Jesus, thy boundless love to me.... 333 O sacred Head, now wounded 151 Gibbons, Thomas, an English Independent clergyman, was born at Reak, near New- market, May 31, 1720; was a friend of Dr. Watts, and wrote his memoir. In 1743 he accepted a call to a Church in Cheapside, London, and held this pastorate up to his death, February 22, 1785. Dr. Gibbons pub- lished a volume of sermons and two vol- umes of hymns of more than average merit titled Hymns Adapted to Divine Worship, 1769 and 1784. Great God, the nations of the earth. . 645 When Jesus dwelt in mortal clay. ... 695 Gilder, Richard Watson, a distinguished ed- itor and author, the son of Rev. William Henry Gilder, a Methodist minister, was born at Bordentown, N. J., February 8, 1844 ; educated at his father's seminary at Flushing, Long Island, and later studied Greek and Hebrew under the eminent schol- ar, Dr. James Strong. He was a private in the Civil War in 1863, and in railroad serv- ice in 1864-6 5, after which he took up liter- ary and editorial work, first on daily pa- pers at Newark, N. J., and then on Hours at Home, a New York monthly. In 1870 he became managing editor of Scribner's Monthly and later its editor in chief, re- taining this position after it became the Century Magazine (18S1). He was con- nected with various literary and social re- form clubs. He is the author of numerous 410 AXXOTATED HYMNAL. volumes of poetry. He received the honor- ary decree of Doctor of Laws from several of the leading universities! of America in n cognition of his scholarly attainments and splendid service to American literature. He died November 19, 1909. To thee, eternal Soul, he praise 14 Gill, Thomas Homblower, an English lay- man, was born in Birmingham February 10, 1S19, and died in 1906. He prepared for the University of Oxford, but could not enter because, having been trained in Uni- tarian principles, he could not subscribe to the Articles of the Church of England, as was then required. Later he left the Unita- rian Church. He wrote about two hun- dred hymns. Most of them were collected in his Golden Chain of Praise, London, 1S69. He was an original hymnist, and had some very correct ideas as to what a hymn should be. In his preface he said : "Hymns are not meant to be theological statements, expositions of doctrine, or enunciations of precepts ; they are utterances of the soul in its manifold moods of hope and fear, joy and sorrow, love, wonder, and aspiration. Hymns are meant and made to be sung. The best and most glorious hymns cannot be more exactly defined than as divine love songs." Break, newborn year, on glad eyes.. 572 Lord, when I all things would 343 Not only when ascends the song. ... 520 Gilman, Samuel, a Unitarian minister, born at Gloucester, Mass., February 16, 1791. He graduated at Harvard University in 1S11, and was a tutor there in 1817-19. From 1S19 to 1S5S he was pastor of the Unitarian Church at Charleston, S. C. His death occurred at Kingston, Mass., Febru- ary 9, 1858. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Harvard in 1837. He was the author of a volume of prose and poetry titled Contributions to Litera- ture, 1S56. This child we dedicate to thee 232 Gilmore, Joseph Henry, a Baptist minister, the son of Gov. Joseph A. Gilmore, was born in Boston April 29, 1S34 ; entered Brown University in 1S5 4, and was gradu- ated with high honors in IS 58. The same year he entered Newton Theological Semi- nary, graduating in 1S61. He was ordained in 1862 as pastor of a Baptist Church in Fisherville, N. H. In 1S63 and 1864 he was the private secretary to his father, at that time Governor of New Hampshire. He was pastor of the Second Baptist Church at Rochester, N. Y., in 1865-67, and acting Professor of Hebrew in Rochester Theolog- ical Seminary in 1867-6S. In 1S68 he be- came Professor of Logic, Rhetoric, and English Literature in the University of Rochester, a position which at this writ- ing (1911) he still retains as Professor Emeritus, having only recently retired from active work. Dr. Gilmore is the author of some half dozen or more published volumes on the subjects to which he has devoted his life as a teacher, his latest volume be- ing Outlines of English and American Lit- erature, 1905. He leadeth me, O blessed thought. . . 4S9 Gladden, Washington, a distinguished Con- gregational minister and author, son of Solomon Gladden, was born at Pottsgrove, Pa., February 11, 1836. Reared on a farm near Oswego, N. Y., and educated in a country district school and at Oswego Academy, he first learned the printer's trade and later entered Williams College, from which he graduated in 1859. He was licensed to preach in 1860. He was suc- cessively pastor of Congregational Church- es in Brooklyn, N. Y, I860 ; Morrisania, N. Y, 1861-66; North Adams, Mass., 1866- 71; Springfield, Mass., 1S75-S2 ; and from 1882 to the present date (1911) he has been pastor of the First Congregational Church of Columbus, Ohio, where he now resides. From 1S71 to 1S75 he was on the editorial staff of the New York Independent, and later, while pastor at Springfield, he was editor of the weekly periodical, Sunday Afternoon. Dr. Gladden is one of the most widely known and influential pastors, preachers, lecturers, and religious writers in America. In deep sympathy with the masses and the working people, his voice and pen have long been exercised in the work of social reform. He is the author of about thirty widely read volumes on reli- gious, ethical, and social subjects, among which may be mentioned: Plain Thoughts on the Art of Living, 1S68 ; Workingmen and Their Employers, 1S76; The Young Men and the Churches, 1SS5 ; Applied Chris- tianity, 18S7; Who Wrote the Bible f 1891; The Church and the Kingdom, 1S94 ; Ruling Ideas of the Present Age, 1S95; The Chris- tian Pastor, 1898; Social Salvation, 1901; Christianity and Socialism, 1905; Recollec- tions, 1909. O Master, let me walk with thee. ... 411 Goode, William, an English clergyman, was born at Buckingham April 2. 1762. He was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, gradu- HyMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 411 ating in 17 84. He took orders in the Church of England in ITS 6. His Works, edited by his son, were published in 1822. He was the author of An Entire New Version of the Book of Psalms, London, 1S11, which was somewhat widely used for a time. Most of his versions of the Psalms have fallen out of use. He is represented in this Hymnal by one doxology. He died April 15, 1816. Great Jehovah ! we adore thee 724 Grant, Robert, was born in India in 1785. His father, a stanch and pious Scotchman, was a leading officer of the East India Com- pany, and his brother Charles was Lord Glenelg. He graduated at Cambridge in 1804 ; was admitted to the bar in 1807, and filled various public official positions; was appointed Governor of Bombay in 1834. He died in India July 9, 1838. He is the au- thor of several volumes on the work of the East India Company and also of twelve hymns which his brother, Lord Glenelg, published the year after his death in a vol- ume titled Sacred Poems. It rarely hap- pens that a man engaged so deeply in pub- lic and political life as was Sir Robert Grant finds time and inclination to write Christian hymns. There are very few hymns of adoration and worship in the en- tire collection that surpass his hymn be- ginning : "O worship the King." By thy birth, and by thy tears 2 SO Lord of earth, thy forming hand. ... 469 O worship the King 106 Saviour, when, in dust, to thee 500 The starry firmament on high 203 When gathering clouds around 134 Greg", Samuel, an English layman, born at Manchester September 6, 1S04. He died May 14, IS 77. He was educated at Edin- ! burgh University, and later became a mill owner. He was the author of Scenes from the Life of Jesus, 185 4, in which some of i his short poems appeared. Some address- es given by him to his workmen at Boiling- ton were published in 1877 as A Layman's Legacy, for which volume Dean Stanley wrote the preface. He wrote only a few hymns. He was a member of the Church of England. Slowly, slowly dark'ning 46 4 Grig-gf, Joseph, an English Presbyterian min- ister, was born in 1720. He was the son of poor parents and brought up to mechanical pursuits. He began writing hymns when he was only ten years old. He entered the ministry in 1743, and became an assistant to Rev. Thomas Bures, pastor of the Sil- ver Street Presbyterian Church, London. He continued here only four years, when he married a woman of wealth and settled at St. Albans. He retired from the active work of the ministry at this time, but did much literary work thereafter, his published works numbering about forty. He died at Walthamstow, Essex, October 29, 1768. Two of his volumes were titled Miscellanies on Moral and Religious Subjects, 1756, and Four Hymns on Divine Subjects Wherein the Patience and Love of Our Divine Sav- iour Is Displayed, 1765. In 1806 his hymns were collected and published ; and again in IS 61, nearly a century after his death, a second edition of his hymns was published by Dr. Sedgwick. Only two of his forty- three hymns are found generally in mod- ern hymnals. Behold, a Stranger at the door 249 Jesus, and shall it ever be 443 Gurney, Dorothy Prances, the daughter of the late Rev. F. G. Blomfield, rector of St.. Andrew's Undershaft, London, and grand- daughter of Dr. Blomfield, Bishop of Lon- don, was born at Finsbury Circus October 4, 1858. The "marriage hymn" found in this volume was written before the author's marriage to Mr. Gerald Gurney, whose fa- ther, Rev. A. T. Gurnej', is author of sev- eral meritorious hymns. Mrs. Gurney is now living in England, but we do not know her present address. O perfect Love, all human thought.. 668 Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, is just- ly regarded as one of the greatest and no- blest figures in history. He was born at Stockholm in 1594; was slain in the battle of Liitzen November 6, 1632. His father died in 1611, and Gustavus ascended the throne of Sweden in his eighteenth year. In the Thirty Years' War, which began in 1618, he was hailed as the champion of Protestantism, and his untimely death at the age of thirty-eight years was an un- speakable loss to that cause. His armies were distinguished for bravery, discipline, and morality. Robbery and license were not allowed. Morning and evening the sol- diers gathered around their regimental chaplains for prayer. On the morning of the battle of Liitzen it is said the army sang Gustavus's battle hymn, "Fear not. O little flock, the foe." Such an army was a novelty in the history of war. Fear not, O little flock, the foe 44 5 41l> ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Guyon, Jeaune Marie Bouvier de la Motte, an eminent mystic writer of the seventeenth century, was bora at Montargis, France, April 13, 1648. Her father, Claude Bou- vier, was the Lord Proprietor of La Motte \ '• rgonville. She was religiously Inclined from her youth and desired to enter a con- vent ; but her parents prevented this by giving her in marriage in her sixteenth year to Jacques Guyon, a man twenty-two years lur s. nior and in e\ ery way uncongenial. An unhappy married life of twelve terminated in the death of her husband in 167G, leaving her three children, to whose education and to the care of her estate she now devoted herself. She later devoted her- self to religious works and to writing on her peculiar views of spiritual religion. Her pub- lished volumes soon brought on her the per- secution of the Roman Catholic Church. She was twice imprisoned, the first imprison- ment lasting eight months and the second seven years, ending in the Bastile. After her release she lived with her children and continued her writings. Most of her hymns were written during this imprisonment. Thirty-seven of the choicest of her hymns were translated by Cowper. She was a strong believer in the witness of the Spirit, perfect faith, and perfect love. She died June 9, 1717, in her seventieth year. Deep- ly religious, enthusiastic and impassioned in the advocacy of her views, whether by tongue or pen, pei-secuted by enemies, and ardently loved by friends, she was one of the most remarkable women in the entire range of religious biography. Though criti- cized and persecuted by Romanists through well-nigh her whole life, she heard mass daily and died in full communion with the Church of Rome. Her published works fill forty volumes. My Lord, how full of sweet content. . 51 S Hall, Christopher Newman, an English Con- gregationalist minister, was born at Maid- stone May 2 2, 1816. He was educated at the University of London, receiving the de- gree of Bachelor of Arts in IS 41. From 1S42 to 1854 he was minister at Albion Church, Hull. In 1854 he became the pas- tor of Surrey Chapel, London, and its suc- cessor, Christ Church, Westminster. He was the author of several prose works, and he edited the Christ Church Hymnal, 1S7G, to which he contributed eighty-two original hymns. His published volumes include the following: Hymns Composed at Bolton Ab- bey, 1858 ; Pilgrim Songs in Sunshine and Shade, 1S70; Songs of Earth and Heaven, 1SS6 ; Lyrics of a Long Life, 1S94 ; and oth- er volumes. His famous little tract, "Come to Jesus," has been translated into more than thirty different languages, and has reached a circulation of over two million. He died February 18, 1902. Friend of sinners, Lord of glory 130 Hammond, William, a Moravian minister of England, was born at Battle, Sussex, Jan- uary 6, 1719. He graduated at Cambridge in 1839. He was converted in 1740. He joined the Calvinistic Methodists in 1743, and began to preach. Two years later he united with the Moravians, and continued with them until his death. He died in London August 19, 17S3, leaving an auto- biography in Greek which has never been published. In 17 44 he published a volume titled Medulla Ecelcsia:, which was consid- ered of sufficient value and interest to be republished in England in 1779 and also in America in 1S16 under the title The Mar- of the Church. In 1745 he published a volume of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, containing 161 original hymns, which are said to have been "much above the hymnology of the period." He was as- sociated with John Cennick, author of "Children of the heavenly King." About twelve of his hymns are in common use. Lord, we come before thee now.... 35 Hankey, Xatherine, is known to the public as the author of two of the most popular of modern hymns. She published The Old, Old Story in 1S66, The Old, Old Story and Other Verses in 1S79, and Heart to Heart in IS 70. Many editions of these small books were sold, and some of her hymns have been translated into many languages. They are full of sweetness and faith. Miss Hankey is said to be the daughter of an English banker. The date of her birth we have not been able to learn. We hope to be able to present later additional facts concerning the life of the author of the very popular hymn which here bears her name. The hymn beginning, "Tell me the old, old story," is scarcely less popular than its companion hymn here given. I love to tell the story 544 Hart, Joseph, a Congregational minister of England, was born in 1712 of pious par- ents. He was well educated, and was for many years a teacher of the classics. In early life he was pious, but relapsed into sin and exerted a most pernicious influence upon all with whom he associated. While in this backslidden state he wrote a pam- KYMN WRITERS OP THE CHURCH. 413 phlet titled The Unreasonableness of Reli- gion, Being Remarks and Animadversions on the Rev. John Wesley's Sermon on Romans viii. 32. But he was deeply con- victed in his fortieth year, and betook himself to daily prayer and to reading the Scriptures. It was not, however, until he attended a service at the Moravian church in Fetter Lane, London, on Whitsunday, 1757, that he obtained peace. He now be- came an earnest and consecrated Christian, and many of his best hymns were written within the next two years following- his conversion. His Hymns Composed on Va- rious Subjects, with the Author's Experi- ence were published in several editions during his lifetime (first edition, 1759) and subsequent to his death. This volume led to his being importuned to become a preacher, which he did, although in his for- ty-eighth year, becoming pastor of an In- dependent congregation in Jewin Street, London, to which he ministered for eight years, "great crowds gathering to hear his fervid and eloquent discourses." He died May 24, 1768, in the midst of labors and successes almost unprecedented, his funeral being attended by twenty thousand people. Of his volume of Hymns a competent judge said: "Herein the doctrines of the gospel are illustrated so practically, the precepts of the Word enforced so evangelically, and their effects stated so experimentally that with propriety it may be styled a treasury of doctrinal, practical, and experimental di- vinity." One of the author's sons, who at- tained remarkable success as a barrister, was made a baronet by George IV., and was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Come, ye sinners, poor and needy... 2 59 O for a glance of heavenly day 274 Once more we come before our God. 33 Prayer is appointed to convey 502 Hastings, Thomas, editor, author, and Doc- tor of Music, was born at Washington, Conn., October 15, 17S4. In youth he re- moved with his father to Northern New York, and subsequently resided in New York City. He edited and largely contrib- uted to the following works : Spiritual Songs, 1832; Christian Psalmist, 1836; The Mother's Hymn Book, 1849 ; and Devotion- al Hymns and Religious Poems, 1850 ; and he was also the editor of a number of mu- sic books. He died in New York May 15, 1872. "His aim," says Prof. F. M. Bird, "was the greater glory of God through bet- ter musical worship ; and to this end he was always training choirs, compiling works, Come, ye disconsolate (Moore) . Gently, Lord, O gently lead us. 526 319 Hatch, Edwin, a Church of England clergy- man, was born at Derby September 4, 1835. He graduated at Oxford in 1857. After spending some years in Canada, he returned to England and became in 1S67 vice principal of St. Mary's Hall, Oxford. He delivered the Bampton Lectures in 1881 on "The Origin of Early Christian Church- es." He was rector of Purleigh from 1883 till his death, November 10, IS 89. His hymns and other poems were published in a posthumous volume titled Towards Fields of Light, 1890. Breathe on me, Breath of God 196 Hatfield, Edwin Prancis, a prominent cler- gyman of the Presbyterian Church, was born at Elizabethtown, N. J., January 9, 1807 ; was graduated at Middlebury College, and studied theology at Andover. He was ordained in 1832. He was a pastor in St. Louis three years; in New York (Seventh Church) twenty-one years; and of North Church, in the same city, seven years. Failing health compelled him to give up the pastorate. Dr. Hatfield was an able writer and a useful man. He died at Sum- mit, N. J., September 22, 18S3. He is the author of a valuable and well-known vol- ume titled The Poets of the Church, being a series of biographical sketches of hymn writers, with notes on their hymns. It was published in 1884, the year after his death. To God, the Father, Son 727 Havergal, Prances Ridley, the daughter of Canon W. H. Havergal, of the Church of England, was born at Astley, Worcester- shire, December 14, 1836. She is the most gifted and popular lady hymn writer that England has produced in the last half cen- tury, being the author of a larger number of hymns in this and other recent Church hymnals than any other woman. Her fa- ther was the author of about one hundred hymns, but was more distinguished as a musician and composer of Church music than as a poet. Everything that inherit- ance, a literary and musical environment, and a cultured Christian home could do to make a Christian singer and hymn writer belonged to Frances Havergal in her youth. "When fifteen years old," she says, "I com- mitted my soul to the Saviour, and earth and heaven seemed brighter from that mo- U4 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. nnni." This was the beginning of a beau- tiful Christian life. Her knowledge Ol w and Greek and modern languag - osive. I-', v.- poets have consecrated their gifts of head and heart and pen more fully to Christ than she did, ar. lives ending at forty-three years of age have left behind more pleasing and pre- cious literary treasures than are found in her poems of Christian faith and love and service. She died at Caswall Bay, Swan- . June 3, 1879. Her popularity and in- fluence as an author and hymn writer have Ldily increased ever since her death. About seventy-five of her hymns are in common use, and are taken from her vari- ous volumes: The Ministry of Song, Twelve Sacred Songs for Little Singers, 1870; Under the Surface, 1S74 ; Loyal Re- sponses, 1S7>; Life Mosaics, 1S79; Life Chords, 1880; Life Echoes, 1SS3 ; Poems, J4. Eight of her hymns are contained in this collection. (See note to Xo. 54 Another year is dawning 571 From glory unto glory 573 Golden harps are sounding 175 I could not do without thee 353 Lord, speak to me that I may speak. 410 Take my life, and let it be 34S Tell it out among the nations 63 4 True-hearted, whole-hearted 420 Haweis, Hugh Reginald, an eminent author and clergyman of the Church of England, son of Rev. J. TV. O. Haweis, canon of Chichester, was born in 1S3S at Egham, Surrey. He graduated at Cambridge in 1S61. For many years before his death he was incumbent of St. James's. Marylebone. London. He was a skilled musician, and drilled and led his own choir of boys and men. He was the author of many volumes, among them My Musical I . and Music and Morals, 1S71 (fifteenth edition. He was for a time editor of Cas- scll's Magazine. He died in 1901. It is very doubtful whether Dr. Haweis is prop- erly credited with the hymn here attrib- uted to him. The Homeland ! O the Homeland. ... 615 Hawker, Robert, a clergyman of the Church of England, was born at Exeter, England, in 1753, and was educated for the medical profession, becoming a doctor of medicine. After taking holy orders, he became in- cumbent of a Church in Plymouth, a: mained there until his death, April 6, 1827. He was noted as a polemical preacher and writer, and also as the author and com- piler of one of the earliest and most pop- ular of the hymn books for children called forth by the Sunday school movement. His Psalms and Hymns Sung by the Sunday ■
    Lord of all being, throned afar 82 O Love divine, that stooped to share. 457 Thou gracious God whose mercy ... 669 Hopper, Edward, a Presbyterian minister, born in the city of New York in ISIS. He graduated at New York University in 1S39, and studied theology at Union Seminary. For many years he was the popular pastor of the Church of the Sea and Land, in New York. Dr. Hopper died in 1888. Jesus, Saviour, pilot me 4^2 Hopps, John Paje, an English Unitarian minister, was born in London November 6, 1S34; and died at Shepperton-on-Thames April 6, 1911. He was educated at the Bap- tist College at Leicester, and began his pub- lic service as a Baptist minister in b Leicestershire, and was for a time a col- li ague of George Dawson in Birmingham. From 1S60 to IS 76 he served Unitarian congregations at Sheffield, Dukinfield, and Glasgow. His work in Leicester began in 1S76. As preacher, as editor of the Truth- seeker (1S63-S7) and of the Coming Day, (1891-1911), and as author of some fifteen or more volumes he exercised an extended influence among English Unitarians. Among his publications are no less than eight vol- umes of hymns which he compiled, and to which he made original contributions of his own. We praise thee, Lord, for hours of . . 550 Hosmer, Frederick Lncian, was born in Framingham, Mass., in 1S40: graduated at Harvard College in 1S62, and at the Di- HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 417 vinity School, Cambridge, in 1869. He has been pastor of Unitarian Churches at Quin- cy, 111., 1872-77; Cleveland, Ohio, 1878-92; St. Louis, 1894-99; and later at Berkeley, Gal., where he now resides. He was one of the editors of the Unity Hymns, 1880. In 1908 Dr. Hosmer delivered a course of lec- tures at Harvard University on "Church Hymnody." Among his published volumes are: The Way of Life, 1877; The Thought of God in Hymns and Poems (first series, 1885; second series, 1894). I little see, I little know 450 Not always on the mount may we. . 477 O thou in all thy might so far 4 84 Hoss, Elijah Embree, a bishop of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Washington County, Tenn., April 14, 1849, being the son of Henry and Anna M. (Se- vier) Hoss. He was educated at Ohio Wes- leyan University and Emory and Henry College (Virginia). Ordained to the min- istry in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1870, he was a pastor at Knox- ville, Tenn., 1870-72, San Francisco, 1872- 74, Asheville, N. C, 1875 ; professor and President Martha Washington College, Ab- ingdon, Va., 1876-81 ; Vice President and later President of Emory and Henry Col- lege, 1881-85 ; Professor of Church History in Vanderbilt University, 1885-90 ; editor Nashville Christian Advocate, 1890-1902 ; elected bishop at Dallas, Tex., in May, 1902. Residence at Nashville, Tenn. O God, great Father, Lord, and King. 231 How, William Walsham, a bishop of the Church of England, was born at Shrews- bury, England, December 13, 1823; was graduated Bachelor of Arts at Wadham Col- lege, Oxford, in 1845. He was ordained to the ministry in 1846, and held various positions in the Church of England before he became bishop, in 1888. He died Au- gust 10, 1897. In connection with Rev. T. B. Morrell, he compiled a book of Psalms and Hymns, 1854. He also contributed sev- eral hymns to Church Hymns, 1871. His sacred and secular pieces were collected and published in 1886 as Poems and Hymns. Bishop How's hymns are characterized by a simplicity of manner -and a warmth of feel- ing that have made some of them very pop- ular. Six of them are found in this collec- tion : For all the saints who from their. . . . 430 Lord Jesus, when we stand afar 145 * O Jesus, crucified for man 32 6 O Jesus, thou art standing 282 27 O Word of God incarnate 200 We give thee but thine own 688 Hunter, William, a minister of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, was born in Ireland May 26, 1811, and came to America when but a youth. He was graduated at Mad- ison College in 1833. Dr. Hunter was for a number of years Professor of He- brew and Biblical Literature in Alleghany College. He was editor of the Pittsburg Christian Advocate from 1844 to 1852, and again from 1872 to 1876. He was the au- thor of a large number of hymns, which he published in his Select Melodies (1838-51), Minstrel of Zion (1845), and Songs of De- votion (1860). He was one of the com- mittee of twelve appointed by the General Conference of 1876 to revise the Church hymnal. He died October 18, 1877. His brother, Rev. Andrew Hunter, D.D., was a highly honored and most useful minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and at the time of his death the greatly be- loved patriarch of his Church. My heavenly home is bright and fair. 628 Hutton, Prances A., is the English lady who altered two stanzas of James Montgom- ery's great hymn beginning: "In the hour of trial." Mrs. Hutton's altered edition of Montgomery's hymn was published in the 1867 Supplement to Hymns for the Church Service, 1862, edited by Prebendary H. W. Hutton, of Lincoln- We have no other facts concerning her life. We hope that we can obtain these facts for a later edi- tion of this volume. In the hour of trial 431 Ingfemann, Bernhardt Severin, a Danish teacher, poet, and novelist, was born on the island of Falster, Denmark, May 28, 1789. He was a Professor of the Danish Language and Literature at the Academy of Soro, Zea- land, Denmark, from 1822 till his death, in 1862. The only hymn by him in common use is that found in this volume ; but it pos- sesses more than ordinary merit, and is widely known in its English dress. It brings out very forcibly the brotherhood of man and the expectation of the Christian believ- er. Seven of his hymns have been trans- lated into English. His collected works were published in thirty-four volumes in 1851, Through the night of doubt and 567 Irons, William Josiah, a Church of England clergyman, was born at Hoddesdon Sep- tember 12, 1812 ; was graduated at Queen's College, Oxford, Bachelor of Arts, in 1833, 418 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. and took orders in 1S35. Dr. Irons died June 18, 1883. His most valuable prose work was his Bampton Lectures, 1870, on* "Christianity as Taught by St. Paul." He was also the editor or author of several books of hymns. Dr. Julian says of him : "Amongst modern hymn writers Dr. Irons ranks with the first. His hymns have not been largely used outside of his own con- gregation, but their high excellence, varie- ty of subjects and meters, intense earnest- ness, powerful grasp of the subject, and al- most faultless rhythm must commend them to the notice of hymn book compilers." Day of wrath! O day of mourning. . 747 Sing with all the sons of glory 160 Jacobi, John Christian, a native of Ger- many, was born in 1670. He was keeper of the Royal German Chapel, St. James's Palace, London, from 170S till his death, December 14, 1750. He published in 1720 a volume titled A Collection of Hymns, Translated from the High Dutch. It con- tained fifteen hymns. Two years later it was republished in enlarged form under the title Psalmodia Germanica; or, A Specimen of Divine Hymns. Translated from the High Dutch. This edition con- tained sixty-two hymns. The hymn here given is a translation of one of Paul Ger- hardt's hymns. Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness 192 Jacopone da Todi, also known as Jacobus de Benedictis, an Italian monk and poet, was born at Todi, in Umbria, early in the thir- teenth century. "He was descended from a noble family," says Julian, "and for some time led a secular life. Some remarkable circumstances which attended the violent death of his wife led him to withdraw him- self from the world and to enter the order of St. Francis, in which he remained as a lay brother till his death, at an advanced age, in 1306. His zeal led him to attack the religious abuses of the day. This brought him into conflict with Pope Boni- face VIII., the result being his imprison- ment for long periods." His oddities, ec- centricities, and extravagances were such as to leave neighbors in doubt as to wheth- er he was of a sound mind. Tradition at Todi, his birthplace, credits him with the authorship of the famous Latin hymn, "Stabat mater dolorosa," but it is by no means certain that he wrote it. Near the cross was Mary weeping. . 154 John of Damascus was the greatest theolo- gian 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 theology, Doc- trines of the Orthodox Church, is still a standard textbook 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 ordained priest of the Church at Jerusalem. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain.. 163 The day of resurrection 164 Johnson, E., is known only as the author of the hymn here attributed to him. We shall welcome any information concerning him or his hymn that may be in the pos- session of any one who may read these lines. The popular tune to which this hymn is sung was composed by William G. Fischer, who found the words in a news- paper. It is to be hoped that some facts concerning Mr. Johnson and his hymn may come to light in time to be incorporated in later editions of this volume. The hymn reads as if it had been called forth by an experience of suffering or sorrow, as if the author had learned in suffering what he teaches in song. It is, as a rule, only when storms and floods come that one flees for refuge to "the Rock that is higher than I." O sometimes the shadows are deep.. 434 Johnson, Samuel, an Independent preacher, was born in Salem, Mass., October 10, 1822 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1842, and at Cambridge Divinity School in 1S46. In 1S53 he established an Inde- pendent Church at Lynn, Mass., and con- tinued as its pastor until 1870. Although independent in Church relations, he was associated in the public mind with the Uni- tarians. He was a man of strong intellect, a voluminous writer, and published many pamphlets and books. In connection with Rev. Samuel Longfellow, he compiled a Book of Hymns, 1S46, and Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. He died in 1882. "His con- tributions to these collections." says Prof. F. M. Bird, "were less numerous but not less meritorious than those by Mr. Long- fellow." City of God, how broad and far 209 Jones, Edmund, an English Baptist minis- ter, son of Rev. Philip Jones, was born in 1722 in Gloucestershire; educated at the Baptist College at Bristol : was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church at Exeter, Devonshire, in 1743; died April 15, 17'65. The Church at Exeter, like many Baptist HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 419 Churches at that day, was opposed to "the service of song" in public worship, but it is not a matter of surprise that the author of so excellent a hymn as the following should have wrought a complete, revolution in their sentiments regarding this feature of divine worship. In 1760 he published a vol- ume titled Sacred Poems. Come, humble sinner, in whose 260 Julian, John, an eminent English clergy- man, was born at St. Agnes, in Cornwall, January 27, 1839; was educated privately; took orders in the Church of England in 1866; was vicar of Wincobanck, 1876-1905; since 1905, vicar of Topcliff. He received M.A. from Durham University, 1887 ; D.D. from Lambeth, 1894 ; LL.D. from Howard University, Washington, 1894. Dr. Julian was editor in chief of the Dictionary of Hymnology, published in London and New York in 1892. A second edition of this great and invaluable work, with a new supplement, was published in 190 7. This Dictionary is the most important work ever published in English hymnology. It is a truly monumental work, and to it all who now study or write in the department of hymnology must go for information not to be found in any other volume. Dr. Ju- lian has also published volumes titled : Concerning Hymns, 1874 ; History of the Use of Hymns hi Public Worship, and Their Proper Characteristics, 1894 ; Carols, Ancient and Modern, 1900. He is the au- thor of several hymns and translations found in English hymnals. A few years ago he presented his large collection of hymnological books and manuscripts to the Church House, Dean's Yard, London, where it forms the hymnological department of the library. O God of God ! O Light of Light 15 Keble, John, author of The Christian Year, was the son of a clergyman of the same name belonging to the Church of England, and was born April 25, 1792. He was graduated at Oxford in 1810, and was or- dained in 1815. In 1827 he published his well-known volume, The Christian Year, ninety-six editions of which appeared be- fore his death. In 1831 he was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford. A sermon preached by him on "National Apostasy" has been regarded as the real origin of the "tractarian movement of 1833." He wrote eight of the "Tracts for the Times." He was a pronounced High-Churchman. He was a contributor to the Lyra Apostolica, and in 1834 he united with Drs. Newman and Pusey in editing the Library of the Fathers. He was the author of several volumes, among them A Metrical Version of the Psalms, 1839, and Lyra Innocen- tium, 1846. He died March 29, 1866. Blest are the pure in heart. ...".... 360 New every morning is the love 42 Sun of my soul, thou Saviour dear.. 47 Keen, R., was a leader of music in the Bap- tist Church in London, of which Dr. John Rippon (1751-1836) was pastor, and in whose volume titled A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, 1787, the hymn be- ginning "How firm a foundation" was first published. The tune accompanying this hymn was composed by R. Keen (also spelled "Keene" in some collections), and the letter "K" is signed to the hymn. In a Baptist Collection of Hymns published by Dr. A. Fletcher in 1822 the signature at the end of the hymn is "Kn," and in the 1835 edition of Fletcher's Collection it is given as "Keen." Dr. Fletcher was assist- ed in the preparation of his hymn book by Thomas Walker, who was the compiler of the Tune Book accompanying Dr. Rippon's Selection, and who therefore not only knew Keen, but also knew, we may safely infer, what the "K" stood for at the end of this now famous hymn. Dr. Rippon was also living in 1835, when Fletcher and Walker assigned this hymn- to Keen. Putting all these facts together, it is not strange that Dr. Julian and other hymnologists have reached the conclusion that this hymn should be assigned to Keen and not to Kirkham (as in modern editions of Rip- pon's Selection, published since Dr. Rip- pon's death) or to George Keith, as was done by Daniel Sedgwick and others, acting wholly in doing so on the questionable tes- timony of an old woman in an almshouse. In view of these facts, we feel justified in giving Keen a place among the hymn writ- ers of the Church. We await the discovery of information concerning him. How firm a foundation, ye saints of. 461 Kelly, Thomas, the son of Right Hon. Bar- on Kelly, was born in Dublin, Ireland, July 13, 1769 ; was graduated at Trinity College, Dublin University ; studied law, but abandoned it in 1793 to enter the min- istry of the Established Church. His evan- gelical and heart - searching preaching proved too strong for the Established Church, and he was forbidden by Arch- bishop Fowler to preach in the city. For some time he preached in two "unconse- 420 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. crated places" in Dublin, and then he loft the Established Church and became an In- dependent. He was very wealthy, and as liberal as he was wealthy. He was a most pious, consecrated, and useful preacher. He labored in Dublin for more than sixty years, and lived to be eighty-five years old. He died May 14, 1854. His Scripture Hymns grew from a volume of ninety-six hymns as first published in 1804 to a col- lection of 765 in 1853, all original. Hark, ten thousand harps and voices. 177 Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious. 1G9 On the mountain's top appearing... 647 The head that once was crowned... 173 The Lord is risen Indeed 157 Zion stands with hills surrounded. . . 212 Ken, Thomas, a bishop of the Church of England, one of the gentlest, truest, and grandest men of his age, was born in Berk- hampstead, England, in July, 1637 ; was ed- ucated at Winchester School and Oxford University, graduating B.A. in 1661. He held several livings in different parts of England. In 16 SO he returned to Win- chester. In 1685 he was appointed by Charles II. Bishop of Bath and Wells. In connection with six other bishops, he re- fused to publish the "Declaration of In- dulgence" issued by James II. in 1688, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. After the revolution he became a nonjuror for conscience' sake, was superseded in of- fice, and spent the rest of his life in retire- ment. He died March 19, 1711, at the resi- dence of his friend, Lord Weymouth. In 1695 he published A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester Col- lege and All Other Devout Christians, to Which Is Added Three Hymns for Morn- ing, Evening, and Midnight. Awake, my soul, and with the sun.. 44 Glory to thee, my God, this night.. 49 Praise God, from whom all blessings. 718 Ketlie, William, was a Scotch divine of the sixteenth century. The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown. He is the author of the English versions of twenty- seven Psalms found in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter, 1561. The hundredth Psalm was one of these. He lived in the. days that tried men's souls, being one of that heroic num- ber of Protestants that were driven in ex- ile to Frankfurt and Geneva about the mid- dle of the sixteenth century. There is no more unique, quaint, and interesting hymn in our Hymnal than the version of the one hundredth Psalm which we owe to William Kethe. All people that on earth do dwell... 16 Kimball, Harriet McEwen, was born at Portsmouth, N. H., in November, 1834. She is a member of the Roman Catho- lic Church and the author of both sacred and secular verse. Among her publica- tions are: Hymns, 1866; Swallow Flights of Song, 1874; Poems (complete edition), 1889. Miss Kimball is the chief founder of the Cottage Hospital at Portsmouth, where she still resides. Pour thy blessing, Lord, like showers. 693 Kipling", K-udyard, the well-known English poet, was born at Bombay, India, Decem- ber 30, 1865. His father, John Lockwood Kipling (a retired officer of the British In- dian Educational Service, now living at Salisbury, England), is a son of the late Rev. Joseph Kipling and Alice Macdonald Kipling (a daughter of Rev. G. B. Mac- donald, a Wesleyan minister). It thus ap- pears that the grandfather of the poet, both on his father's and his mother's side, was a clergyman. There is no more familiar and honored name in contemporaneous English literature than that of Rudyard Kipling. His writings are so numerous, so well known, and so widely read as not to need mention here. He is a Christian pa- triot in the highest sense, his poems mak- ing for international peace and universal brotherhood among men. Most notable among the poems that promote this larger patriotism and international Christian al- truism among men may be mentioned "The White Man's Burden" and "The Recession- al," which is rapidly finding its place in all the great hymnals of the modern Church. What Kipling has done as a poet is so marked by poetic genius and moral strength as to make the English people hope for and expect yet greater contribu- tions in the future perhaps than anything he has yet written. He resides at Burwash, Sussex, England. God of our fathers, known of old. ... 710 Lanier, Sidney, an American poet, was born at Macon, Ga., February 3, 1812. He was educated at Oglethorpe College, Ga., where he was graduated in I860. He was a pri- vate in the Confederate army during the Civil War (1861-65) ; was captured in 1863, spending several months in a Federal pris- on, and his first published volume, titled Tiger Lilies, 186 7, was founded on his ex- periences in prison. After the close of the HYMN WRITERS OF THE CHURCH. 421 war he was a clerk, a teacher, and a law- yer ; but being by nature a musician and a poet, he found any calling but that of lit- erature and music irksome to him. He was noted as a flute player, and many of his best poems are enriched by his rare knowledge of music. In 187 7 he was ap- pointed lecturer on English Literature in Johns Hopkins University, and two of his most scholarly volumes contain lectures de- livered there — viz., The Science of English Verse, 18S0, and The English Novel, 1883. His Poems were first published in 1876, and a complete edition after his death. After a hard struggle against the inroads of consumption, he died September 7, 1881, in Western North Carolina, where he had gone in search of health. Many of his finest poems were written when he was al- most too weak to guide his pen. He is regarded as the greatest of Southern poets. The latest and best life of Lanier is that by Prof. Edwin Mims, and the best study of his poems for the distinctly Christian teaching they contain is found in a volume by President H. N. Snyder. Both Dr. Mims and Dr. Snyder were members of the Commission that prepared this Hym- nal. Lanier was a lover of nature scarcely less than Wordsworth, and much of what he taught in song he learned in suffering. His love of nature and his deep devotion to Christ, the great sufferer, are beauti- fully brought out in the little gem«here se- lected from his poems. Into the woods my Master went.... 745 Lathbury, Mary Artemisia, the daughter of Rev. John Lathbury, a Methodist minister, was born in Manchester, N. Y., August 10, IS 41. Two of her brothers, Albert Augus- tus and Clarence Lathbury, are ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her present address is East Orange, N. J. Aft- er leaving school she became an art teach- er, and later engaged in editorial work. For many years her work has been in gen- eral literature and illustration, being editor of a picture lesson paper. Miss Lathbury is the author of some eight or ten small volumes, but she is most widely and favor- ably known through her songs and hymns, which were composed especially for use in the religious exercises at Chautauqua. Among the new hymns added by the com- pilers to the Methodist Hymnal none are more universally admired than the two short hymns from her pen found in this collection. In both cases the tunes are beautifully suited to the sentiment of the hymns. It could be wished that we had a dozen or more hymns from her pen in our Hymnal if all of them could be as poetic and devotional as these two beautiful lyrics. Break thou the bread of life 325 Day is dying in the West 57 Leeson, Jane Elizabeth, an English lady hymn writer, born in 1807, and author of the following volumes : Hymns and Scenes of Childhood, 1842; Songs of Christian Chivalry, 1848; The Child's Book of Bal- lads, 1849 ; Paraphrases and Hymns for Congregational Singing, 1853. Miss Lee- son had rare gifts in writing for children. She died in 18S2. It is hoped that we may obtain additional facts concerning her life to add to this meager sketch, which embod- ies all that is at present known of her. Saviour, teach me day by day G76 Lloyd, William Freeman, an English lay- man and Sunday school worker, was born at Uley, in Gloucestershire, England, De- cember 22, 1791. In 1810 he became one of the secretaries of the Sunday School Union, and became connected with the Re- ligious Tract Society in 1816. He prepared a large number of small books for the use of children, writing, editing, or compiling them. He began the Sunday School Teach- er's Magazine. His Thoughts in Rhyme, a book of one hundred and six pages, was published in London in 1851. Mr. Lloyd died April 22, 1853. My times are in thy hand 449 Long-fellow, Samuel, a Unitarian minister, brother of the poet Henry W. Longfellow, was born in Portland, Me., June 18, 1819. He was graduated at Harvard in 1839, and at the Divinity School, Cambridge, in 1846. His first Church was at Fall River, Mass. In IS 53 he was installed pastor of the Sec- ond Unitarian Church in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he remained until 1860. After that he did not serve as a regular pastor. He preached occasionally and engaged in a variety of literary labor. He died at Port- land, Me., October 3, 1892. In connection with the Rev. Samuel Johnson, he com- piled A Book of Hymns, 1846, and Hymns of the Sjririt, 1864. Three of his hymns ap- pear in this book. They are of far more than average merit. Again as evening's shadow falls.... 48 I look to thee in every need 473 O still in accents sweet and strong. . 395 Luke, Jemima Thompson, the wife of Rev. Samuel Luke, an Independent minister of England, was the daughter of Thomas 422 ANNOTATED HYMNAL. Thompson, a philanthropist, and was born at Colebrook Ti rrace, Islington, August 19, 1813, When only thirteen years of age she i" gan writing for the Juvenile Magazine. She published a volume titled The Female S AXXOTATED HYMNAL. the Latin, Greek, and German. About fif- ty of his hymns are found in different Church hymnals. We march, we march to victory.... 418 Muhlenberg", William Augustus, an eminent Episcopal minister, was born In Philadel- phia September 16, 1796, being the son of Rev. Frederick Muhlenberg, D.D., who was at first a Lutheran clergyman, but en- tered Congress and became Speaker of the House of Representatives in the first Con- gress; and was the grandson of Rev. Hen- ry M. Muhlenberg, D.D., who was the re- vered patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1814, and was ordained priest in the Protestant Epis- copal Church in 1S20. Subsequently he established St. Paul's College at Flushing, Long Island. From 1846 to 1859 he was rectrr of the Church of the "Holy Commun- ion, in New York City. In 1855 he founded St. Luke's Hospital in New York City, and was its pastor and superintendent until his death. He also founded in 1865 St. John- land, a home for the needy. Dr. Muhlen- berg was one of the committee that edited Hyn.ns Suited to the Feasts and Fasts of the Church, 1826. He died April 6, 1877. I would not live alway 584 Shout the glad tidings, exultingly . . . 119 Neale, John Mason, an eminent English clergyman and author, the son of Rev. Cornelius Neale, wras born in London Jan- uary 24, 1818; was graduated at Cam- bridge in 1840, and the following year en- tered the ministry ; was appointed warden of Sackville College, Sussex, an institution for aged women, in 1846, which office he continued to fill until his death, in 1866. He was the author of numerous published volumes, many of them evincing his anti- quarian and ritualistic tastes. Among his works are fifteen volumes of hymns and translations. He is perhaps the most suc- cessful of all modern translators of hymns from the Latin and Greek. In translating the hymns of the Greek Church into Eng- lish Dr. Neale's work is not only more ex- tensive than, but incomparably superior to, that of any other translator. Indeed, this field is one which he occupies almost alone. The two original hymns and seven transla- tions by Dr. Neale in this volume are scarcely surpassed for poetic merit by any hymns in the entire collection. All glory, laud, and honor 31 Art thou w