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Short Name: | H. W. Baker |
Full Name: | Baker, H. W. (Henry Williams), 1821-1877 |
Birth Year: | 1821 |
Death Year: | 1877 |
Baker, Sir Henry Williams, Bart., eldest son of Admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker, born in London, May 27, 1821, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated, B.A. 1844, M.A. 1847. Taking Holy Orders in 1844, he became, in 1851, Vicar of Monkland, Herefordshire. This benefice he held to his death, on Monday, Feb. 12, 1877. He succeeded to the Baronetcy in 1851. Sir Henry's name is intimately associated with hymnody. One of his earliest compositions was the very beautiful hymn, "Oh! what if we are Christ's," which he contributed to Murray's Hymnal for the Use of the English Church, 1852. His hymns, including metrical litanies and translations, number in the revised edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern, 33 in all. These were contributed at various times to Murray's Hymnal, Hymns Ancient & Modern and the London Mission Hymn Book, 1876-7. The last contains his three latest hymns. These are not included in Hymns Ancient & Modern. Of his hymns four only are in the highest strains of jubilation, another four are bright and cheerful, and the remainder are very tender, but exceedingly plaintive, sometimes even to sadness. Even those which at first seem bright and cheerful have an undertone of plaintiveness, and leave a dreamy sadness upon the spirit of the singer. Poetical figures, far-fetched illustrations, and difficult compound words, he entirely eschewed. In his simplicity of language, smoothness of rhythm, and earnestness of utterance, he reminds one forcibly of the saintly Lyte. In common with Lyte also, if a subject presented itself to his mind with striking contrasts of lights and shadows, he almost invariably sought shelter in the shadows. The last audible words which lingered on his dying lips were the third stanza of his exquisite rendering of the 23rd Psalm, "The King of Love, my Shepherd is:"—
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His Shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."
This tender sadness, brightened by a soft calm peace, was an epitome of his poetical life.
Sir Henry's labours as the Editor of Hymns Ancient & Modern were very arduous. The trial copy was distributed amongst a few friends in 1859; first ed. published 1861, and the Appendix, in 1868; the trial copy of the revised ed. was issued in 1874, and the publication followed in 1875. In addition he edited Hymns for the London Mission, 1874, and Hymns for Mission Services, n.d., c. 1876-7. He also published Daily Prayers for those who work hard; a Daily Text Book, &c. In Hymns Ancient & Modern there are also four tunes (33, 211, 254, 472) the melodies of which are by Sir Henry, and the harmonies by Dr. Monk. He died Feb. 12, 1877.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Texts by H. W. Baker (64)![]() | As | Authority Languages | Instances |
---|---|---|---|
¡Alabad al Dios y Rey! Cante himnos nuestra grey | H. W. Baker (Author) | Spanish | 3 |
Almighty God, Whose only Son | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 21 |
Angels we have heard on high | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 3 |
Blest Trinity, from mortal sight | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 13 |
Captains of the saintly band | H. W. Baker, 1821-77 (Translator) | English | 16 |
Come see the place where Jesus lay, And hear the angelic watchers say | Henry W. Baker (Alterer) | English | 2 |
Dia vorto restas | K-ro Henry Williams Baker (Author) | Esperanto | 3 |
El rey de amor es mi pastor, Su amor es verdadero | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Author) | Spanish | 5 |
Father, who didst fashion me | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 4 |
From highest heaven the eternal Son, With God the Father ever One | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 2 |
God made me for Himself, to serve Him here | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 9 |
God of God, and Light of light | Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 1 |
God, the Father, from Thy throne | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 4 |
God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, Three in One, Spare us, Holy Trinity (Baker) | Rev. Sir H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 2 |
Good it is to keep the fast | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Translator) | English | 3 |
Great God, who, hid from mortal sight | H. W. Baker (Paraphraser) | English | 5 |
Hodiaŭ ĝoju ĉies kor' | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | Esperanto | 2 |
How welcome was the call | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 24 |
I am not worthy, holy Lord | Rev. Sir H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 62 |
In prayer together let us fall | Rev. Sir Henry Williams Baker, 1821- (Alterer) | English | 4 |
Jerusalem, my happy home, O how I long for thee | H. W. Baker, died 1877 (Translator) | English | 1 |
Jesus, for the beacon light | Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 3 |
Jesus, grant me this, I pray | Henry W. Baker (Translator (from Latin)) | English | 21 |
Jesús en grande amor | H. W. Baker (Author) | Spanish | 2 |
Kun ama zorgo paŝtas min | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | Esperanto | 3 |
Lo the angels food is given | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 2 |
Lord Jesus, God and man, On this our festal day | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-77 (Author) | English | 19 |
Lord Jesus, God and man, For love of man a child | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 5 |
Lord, Thy word abideth, And our footsteps guideth | Rev. Sir H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 170 |
மற்றோர் இராவும் நல் ஓய்வுமே (Maṟṟōr irāvum nal ōyvumē) | H. W. Baker (Author) | Tamil | 2 |
Mfalme wa upendo ndiye | H. W. Baker, 1821-1877 (Author) | Swahili | 2 |
My Father, for another night | Sir W. H. Baker (Author) | English | 43 |
Now, my soul, thy voice upraising, Tell in sweet and mournful strain | H. W. Baker (Translator) | English | 27 |
O Christ, Redeemer of our race | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 7 |
O God of love, O King of peace | Sir Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 216 |
O Holy Ghost, Thy people bless | Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 20 |
O Holy Spirit, come to bless | H. W. Baker (Author) | 3 | |
O praise our God today, His constant mercy bless | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 57 |
Sing praise to the Lord! Praise Him in the heights | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 59 |
O sacred head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down | H. W. Baker (Translator (st. 5)) | English | 3 |
O sacred head surrounded By crown of piercing thorn | Baker (Translator) | English | 63 |
One Father, who's giving me life | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Translator) | 1 | |
O what, if we are Christ's | Sir Henry William Baker (Author) | English | 103 |
ඔබගේ වදන (Obagē vadana) | H. W. Baker (Author) | Sinhala | 2 |
Of the Father's heart begotten | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Translator) | English | 1 |
Of the Father's love begotten, ere the worlds began to be | Henry W. Baker (Translator) | English | 110 |
Oh, Dios de Amor, oh Rey de Paz | H. W. Baker (Author) | Spanish | 2 |
O perfect life of love | Henry W. Baker, 1821-77 (Author) | English | 73 |
On this day, the first of days | Henry Williams Baker 1821-77 (Translator) | English | 66 |
Out of the deep I call To Thee, O Lord, to Thee | Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 47 |
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven | Rev. Sir Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Alterer) | English | 14 |
Praise, O praise our God and King | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 100 |
Redeemed, restored, forgiven | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 13 |
Rejoice today with one accord | Rev. Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877) (Author) | English | 50 |
Remember, Lord, Thy works of old | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 2 |
Shall we not love thee, mother dear | H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 9 |
Sweet flowerets of the martyr band | H. W. Baker (Translator) | English | 4 |
The King of love my Shepherd is | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 623 |
There is a blessed home Beyond this land of woe | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 147 |
'Tis done, that new and heavenly birth | Henry W. Baker (Author) | English | 3 |
We love the place, O God | Sir H. W. Baker (Author) | English | 50 |
We love Thy Church, O Lord | Henry Williams Baker, 1821-1877 (Author) | English | 1 |
What our Father does is well | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 24 |
Zion's daughter, weep no more | Henry Williams Baker (Author) | English | 9 |