James Hamilton

Hamilton, James, M.A., was born at Glendollar, Scotland, April 18, 1819, and educated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Taking Holy Orders in 1845, he held various charges until 1866, when he became Incumbent of St. Barnabas's, Bristol. In 1867 he was preferred to the Vicarage of Doulting, diocese of Bath and Wells. Mr. Hamilton is the author of a few hymns of great merit. Of these the following are in common use:—

1. Across the sky the shades of night. New Year's Eve. "Written to the old chorale introduced by Mendelssohn into his St. Paul, ‘To God on High be thanks and praise.' " (Hymns Ancient & Modern, tune to 104 by Decius.) It is in Thring's Collection, 1882, &c.
2. O Jesu! Lord most merciful. Passiontide. Contributed to the People's Hymnbook, 1867. In the Hymnary, 1872, it was altered to "O Jesu, our Salvation, Low at Thy Cross," &c. This was repeated in the Parish Hymnbook, 1875, Thring's Collection, 1882, and others, and is the most popular form of the hymn. It was written to Hassler's Passion Chorale, as in Hymns Ancient & Modern, 111.
3. Praise, O praise the Lord of harvest. Harvest. Appeared in Thring's Collection, 1881 and 1882.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)