Short Name: | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch |
Full Name: | Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, 1809-1870 |
Birth Year: | 1809 |
Death Year: | 1870 |
Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, D.D. This Unitarian minister was born at Boston, June 18, 1809, and removed to Washington in 1818, his father being the architect of the Capitol. He graduated at Columbian College and the Cambridge Theological School. In 1831 lie was ordained at Charleston, S.C., as assistant to Dr. Gilman. Subsequently he was pastor at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Washington, 1838; Nashua, New Hampshire, 1845; Dorchester, Mass., 1852; and "East Cambridge, Mass., 1865. He died at the last place, Oct. 12, 1870. His works include:—
(1) Contemplations of the Saviour; A Series of Extracts from the Gospel History, with Reflections and Original and Selected Hymns. Boston, Carter and Hendee, 1832. This has been reprinted in England. (2) Poems, Charleston, S.C., 1834. (3) Lays of the Gospel, 1845. In addition to these works, which contain his original hymns, he also published (4) The Harp and Cross, a selection of hymns, in 1857.
Those of his hymns which have attained ta the greatest popularity are:—
1. Hail to the Sabbath day. Sunday. In the Contemplations, &c, p. 45. It is appended to Sect. xii. on the “Walk through the corn¬fields," and is in 5 stanzas of 4 lines. It is in extensive use both in Great Britain and America, and is the best known of this author'ess hymns. In many collections it begins with st. ii., " Lord, in Thy [this] sacred hour."
2. Hath not thy heart within thee burned? Presence of Christ. In the Contemplations, &c, p. 148, as the accompanying hymn to the Reflections on Jesus appearing to His disciples on their way to Emmaus, It is in 5 stanzas of 4 lines and is given in the Collections of Beard, Martineau, and others in Great Britain.
3. 0 suffering friend of human kind. Passiontide. The hymn in 4 stanzas of 4 lines appended to Sect. xxxv. on "Peter's confession of Christ," in the Contemplations, &c, p. 109. It ranks next in popularity to ”Hail to the Sabbath day."
In addition to these hymns which best represent Dr. Bulfinch's power? as a sacred poet, the following are also in limited use:—
4. Burden of shame and woe. Crucifixion.
5. Holy Son of God most high. Miracles of Christ.
6. How glorious is the hour. The New Life.
7. It is finished! Glorious word. Good Friday.
8. There is a strife we all must wage. Life's Duty. These are from his Poems, 1834. The next—
9. What power unseen by mortal eye. Cure of Nobleman's Son. From the Contemplations, &c, p. 56.
10. In the Saviour's hour of death. Good Friday. Also from the Contemplations, p. 142:
Dr. Bulfinch's hymns were made known to English readers through Beard's Collection, 1837, in which 19 were given. His hymns throughout are noted for solid and tranquil piety, and deserve a wider circulation than has been accorded to them. They embrace some good hymns on the miracles of Christ. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, p. 191, ii. Several of this authors hymns, not noted in this Dictionary, were given in Longfellow and Johnson's Book of Hymns , 1846-8. Additional hymns by him in English common use are:—
1. Benignant Saviour! 'twas not Thine. The Compassion of Christ . From his Contemplations of the Saviour , &c, 1832. In Horder's Congregational Hymns. 1884, it reads “Most gracious Saviour! 'twas not Thine."
2. We gather to the sacred board. Holy Communion. This in Horder is from Bulfinch's Communion Thoughts, 2nd ed., 1852.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)
Texts by Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (36)![]() | As | Authority Languages | Instances |
---|---|---|---|
Benignant Savior, 'twas not thine | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 3 | |
Burden of shame and woe | Bulfinch (Author) | 9 | |
Children of light awake | Bulfinch (Author) | 14 | |
Father, when over our trembling hearts | Bulfinch (Author) | English | 10 |
Glory to God, the Lord, the Righteous | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 1 | |
Hail to the Sabbath day | S. Bulfinch (Author) | English | 81 |
Hail to this holy day | Stephen G. Bulfinch (Author) | English | 5 |
Hath not thy heart within thee burned | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | English | 40 |
Holy Son of God, most high | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | English | 6 |
Honor then to wear thy crown | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 1 | |
Honored they who firmly stand While the conflict presses round | Bulfinch (Author) | English | 3 |
How glorious is the hour | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 15 | |
In the Savior's hour of death | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 6 | |
It is finished! glorious word | Bulfinch (Author) | 8 | |
Lord, in this sacred hour | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | English | 29 |
Lord, in whose might the Savior trod | Bulfinch (Author) | English | 14 |
Lord, thou art not alone | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Most gracious Savior! 'twas not Thine | S. G. Bulfinch (Author) | English | 4 |
O, darkly on the path of life | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
O Lord, through Thee we own | Bulfinch (Author) | 3 | |
O not alone on the mount of prayer | Bulfinch (Author) | 5 | |
O suffering Friend of human kind | S. G. Bulfinch (Author) | English | 26 |
Our life is but a span | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Our pathway oft is wet with tears | Bulfinch (Author) | English | 1 |
Take, and eat, the Savior said | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
The Aged sufferer waited long | Bulfinch (Author) | 4 | |
There's a strife we all must wage | Bulfinch (Author) | English | 13 |
Through thee, O Lord, we own | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | English | 8 |
Toiling through the livelong night | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 5 | |
'Twas not in vain that Jesus prayed | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Was it in vain that Jesus prayed | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 3 | |
We gather to the sacred board | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | English | 4 |
Where the dark sea of Egypt throws | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Why should such sorrow come | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Year passeth after year, O Lord our God | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 | |
Yes, there were some among thy hearers | Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author) | 2 |