Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

John H. Hopkins

John H. Hopkins
www.hymntime.com/tch
Short Name: John H. Hopkins
Full Name: Hopkins, John H. (John Henry), 1820-1891
Birth Year: 1820
Death Year: 1891

John Henry Hopkins, Jr MA USA 1820-1891. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, having 12 siblings, the son of pioneer parents (his father from Dublin, his mother from Hamburg) he became an ecclesiologist. His father had been an ironmaster, school teacher, lawyer, priest and second Episcopal Bishop of Vermont, (becoming presiding bishop in 1865). When his father founded the Vermont Episcopal Institute, he needed an assistant to help run it, so he picked his son to become a tutor and disciplinarian. The younger Hopkins played the flute and bugle in the school orchestra and also taught Sunday school. John Henry reflected the artistic talents of both parents in music, poetry, and art. After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1839, he returned to help his father with the school, but a financial crisis hit that year and the school had to close. He worked as a reported in New York City while studying law. He developed a throat ailment and went south to be in a warmer climate. From 1842-1844 he tutored the children of Episcopal Bishop Elliott of Savannah, GA, returning to take his M.A. from Vermont in 1845. He graduated from General Theological Seminary in 1850 and was ordained a deacon, serving as first instructor in church music at the Seminary. He founded and edited the “Church Journal” from 1853 to 1868. Interested in New York’s Ecclesiological Society, his artistic talents were apparent in designing stained-glass windows, episcopal seals, and a variety of other church ornaments. At the same time, his musical talents led to the writing and composing of a number of fine hymns and tunes, as well as anthems and services. He was ordained a priest in 1872, and was Rector of Trinity Church, Plattsburg, NY, from 1872-1876, then of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, PA, from 1876-1887. He helped get the building debt paid off by 1879 with(in 10 years of its construction). During his time there a Sunday school building was also erected, having steam heat and a tiled floor. He designed some of the church furniture and bishop periphernalia as well as wrought iron tombs in Wildwood Cemetery. He also helped design two other church buildings in the area. A man of many talents, he was much beloved as a scholar, writer, preacher, controvertialist, musician, poet, and artist, excelling in all that he did. Totally devoted to his parish people, he especially loved children and was kind to anyone in need. He was considered very down-to-earth. He delivered the eulogy at the funeral of President Usysses S Grant in 1885. He was considered a great developer of hymnody in the Episcopal Church in the mid-19th century. His “Carols, hymns, and songs,”, published in 1863, had a 4th edition in 1883. In 1887 he edited “Great hymns of the church”. He wrote a biography of his father (the life of John Henry Hopkins, S.T.D.) He never married. He died at Hudson, NY.

John Perry

=======================

Hopkins, John Henry, D.D., Jun., son of J. H. Hopkins, sometime Bishop of Vermont, was born at Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 28, 1820, educated at the University of Vermont, ordained in 1850, Rector of Christ's Church, Williamsport, Pa., 1876, and died at Troy, New York, Aug. 13, 1891. He published Poems by the Wayside written during more than Forty Years, N.Y., James Pott, 1883; and Carols, Hymns, and Songs, 1862; 3rd ed. 1882. Of his hymns the following are in common use:
1. Blow on, thou [ye] mighty Wind. Missions.
2. Come with us, O blessed Jesus. Holy Communion.
3. Glory to God the Father be. (Dated 1867.) Holy Trinity.
4. God hath made the moon whose beam. (Dated 1840.) Duty.
5. Lord, now round Thy Church behold. (Dated 1867.) For the Reunion of Christendom.
These hymns are in his Poems by the Wayside, 1883. In the same volume there are translations of the O Antiphons.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

==============

Hopkins, J. H., p. 1571, ii. The following additional hymns by him are in the American Hymnal, revised and enlarged .... Protestant Episcopal Church. . . U.S.A., 1892:—
1. God of our fathers, bless this our land. National Hymn.
2. When from the east the wise men came. Epiphany.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Wikipedia Biography

John Henry Hopkins Jr. (October 28, 1820 – August 14, 1891) was an American clergyman and hymnodist, most famous for composing the song "We Three Kings of Orient Are" in 1857 (even though it does not appear in print until his Carols, Hymns, and Songs in 1863).

Texts by John H. Hopkins (57)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Alleluia! Christ is risen todayJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English2
At Bethlehem, in wintery coldJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)English2
Awake, awake, 'tis Easter mornJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English2
Blow on, Thou mighty WindJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)English2
Christ, our King, to heaven ascendethJ. H. Hopkins (Author)English12
Christmas comes again, and the merry, merry church bells ringJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
Come with us, O blessed JesusJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)English10
Dayspring of Eternity, Brightness of the Father's gloryJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English12
Del Oriente somos los tresJohn H. Hopkins, Jr., 1820-1891 (Author)Spanish12
동방박사 세 사람 귀한 예물 가지고 (Dongbangbagsa se salam gwihan yemul gajigo)John H. Hopkins (Author)Korean2
Early ere the dawn of the morningJohn H. Hopkins, Jr. (Author)English2
Eternity! Eternity! How long art thou, eternity? Swiftly, to gain thy boundless shoreJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
Forth from Egypt's house of bondageJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)2
Gather around the Christmas tree! Gather around the Christmas tree!John H. Hopkins (Author)English21
God bless our native land! Firm may she ever standJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)English1
God hath made the moon, whose beamJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English8
God of our fathers, Bless this our landJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English11
ها من الشرق ملوكJohn H. Hopkins (Author)Arabic1
Hail to the morn when Christ is bornJohn Henry Hopkins, Jr. (Author)English1
Hear our prayer, O blessed Lord!John Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
High Tower and Stronghold is our GodJohn H. Hopkins (Translator)English1
Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna! Thine, O Jesus, are honor, glory, powerJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
How bright appears our Morning StarJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
How bright appears the Morning-Star With grace and truth beyond compareJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
Jesus, Fount of PleasureJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English2
Let every heart now dance with joyJ. H. Hopkins (Author)English1
Mercy, good Lord, mercy I askHopkins (Author)1
Moses clave the sea in twainJohn H. Hopkins, Jr. (Author)English2
ഞങ്ങൾ മൂന്നു രാജാക്കന്മാർ (Ňaṅṅaḷ mūnnu rājākkanmār)John H. Hopkins (Author)Malayalam2
O Christ our King uplifted highJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
O come, Eternal WisdomJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
O, come to the Savior, for why will you dieJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English3
O God of love, Shine from aboveJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
O Jesus, my Savior, Thine agony and woeJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
O tell us, ye that from your homeJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English5
O turn ye, O turn ye, for why will ye die (Hopkins)John H. Hopkins (Author)English3
Omvend dig, omvend dig, hvorfor vil du, Sj'lJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)2
Our Lord is risen todayJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English2
Praise to the Father, the glorious King of creationJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English8
เราทั้งสามคือพวกโหรา (Reā thậng s̄ām khụ̄x phwk h̄orā)John H. Hopkins (Author)Thai2
Reyes de Oriente sonJohn H. Hopkins (Author)Spanish2
Roman soldier, tell us trueJohn H. Hopkins, Jr. (Author)English3
Sadly in the gathering gloomJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English5
Salvation comes O Savior dearJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
Slumberers, wake, the Bridegroom comethJohn H. Hopkins (Translator)English2
Somos del oriente los tresJohn H. Hopkins (Author)Spanish2
Thee we praise, O God of harvestJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English2
Thou shalt rise, my flesh, thou shalt ariseJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
Though faith at times may waverJohn Henry Hopkins (Translator)English1
Though wintry cold may chill the skiesJohn Henry Hopkins (Author)English1
Thy praise alone, O Lord, doth reignJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English1
Vamos Reyes tres a BelénJohn H. Hopkins, Jr. (Author)Spanish4
Volvéos, volvéos, ¿por que moriréis?J. Hopkins (Author)Spanish2
We three kings of Orient areRev. J. H. Hopkins, Jr. (Author)English270
When from the east the wise men cameJ. H. Hopkins (Author)English9
Why sleep we, my brethren? come, let us ariseJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English28
Ye righteous, in the Lord rejoice; It is a seemly sightJohn H. Hopkins (Author)English7

Data Sources

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.