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Reginald Heber

1783 - 1826 Author of "By cool Siloam's shady rill" in University Hymns Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today. -- Greg Scheer, 1995 ==================== Heber, Reginald, D.D. Born at Malpas, April 21, 1783, educated at Brasenose College, Oxford; Vicar of Hodnet, 1807; Bishop of Calcutta, 1823; died at Trichinopoly, India, April 3, 1826. The gift of versification shewed itself in Heber's childhood; and his Newdigate prize poem Palestine, which was read to Scott at breakfast in his rooms at Brazenose, Oxford, and owed one of its most striking passages to Scott's suggestion, is almost the only prize poem that has won a permanent place in poetical literature. His sixteen years at Hodnet, where he held a halfway position between a parson and a squire, were marked not only by his devoted care of his people, as a parish priest, but by literary work. He was the friend of Milman, Gifford, Southey, and others, in the world of letters, endeared to them by his candour, gentleness, "salient playfulness," as well as learning and culture. He was on the original staff of The Quarterly Review; Bampton Lecturer (1815); and Preacher at Lincoln's Inn (1822). His edition of Jeremy Taylor is still the classic edition. During this portion of his life he had often had a lurking fondness for India, had traced on the map Indian journeys, and had been tempted to wish himself Bishop of Calcutta. When he was forty years old the literary life was closed by his call to the Episcopate. No memory of Indian annals is holier than that of the three years of ceaseless travel, splendid administration, and saintly enthusiasm, of his tenure of the see of Calcutta. He ordained the first Christian native—Christian David. His first visitation ranged through Bengal, Bombay, and Ceylon; and at Delhi and Lucknow he was prostrated with fever. His second visitation took him through the scenes of Schwartz's labours in Madras Presidency to Trichinopoly, where on April 3,1826, he confirmed forty-two persons, and he was deeply moved by the impression of the struggling mission, so much so that “he showed no appearance of bodily exhaus¬tion." On his return from the service ”He retired into his own room, and according to his invariable custom, wrote on the back of the address on Confirmation 'Trichinopoly, April 3, 1826.' This was his last act, for immediately on taking off his clothes, he went into a large cold bath, where he had bathed the two preceding mornings, but which was now the destined agent of his removal to Paradise. Half an hour after, his servant, alarmed at his long absence, entered the room and found him a lifeless corpse." Life, &c, 1830, vol. ii. p. 437. Heber's hymns were all written during the Hodnet period. Even the great missionary hymn, "From Greenland's icy mountains," notwithstanding the Indian allusions ("India's coral strand," "Ceylon's isle"), was written before he received the offer of Calcutta. The touching funeral hymn, "Thou art gone to the grave," was written on the loss of his first babe, which was a deep grief to him. Some of the hymns were published (1811-16) in the Christian Observer, the rest were not published till after his death. They formed part of a ms. collection made for Hodnet (but not published), which contained, besides a few hymns from older and special sources, contributions by Milman. The first idea of the collection appears in a letter in 1809 asking for a copy of the Olney Hymns, which he "admired very much." The plan was to compose hymns connected with the Epistles and Gospels, to be sung after the Nicene Creed. He was the first to publish sermons on the Sunday services (1822), and a writer in The Guardian has pointed out that these efforts of Heber were the germs of the now familiar practice, developed through the Christian Year (perhaps following Ken's Hymns on the Festivals), and by Augustus Hare, of welding together sermon, hymnal, and liturgy. Heber tried to obtain from Archbishop Manners Sutton and the Bishop of London (1820) authorization of his ms. collection of hymns by the Church, enlarging on the "powerful engine" which hymns were among Dissenters, and the irregular use of them in the church, which it was impossible to suppress, and better to regulate. The authorization was not granted. The lyric spirit of Scott and Byron passed into our hymns in Heber's verse; imparting a fuller rhythm to the older measures, as illustrated by "Oh, Saviour, is Thy promise fled," or the martial hymn, "The Son of God goes forth to war;" pressing into sacred service the freer rhythms of contemporary poetry (e.g. "Brightest and best of the sons of the morning"; "God that madest earth and heaven"); and aiming at consistent grace of literary expression.. Their beauties and faults spring from this modern spirit. They have not the scriptural strength of our best early hymns, nor the dogmatic force of the best Latin ones. They are too flowing and florid, and the conditions of hymn composition are not sufficiently understood. But as pure and graceful devotional poetry, always true and reverent, they are an unfailing pleasure. The finest of them is that majestic anthem, founded on the rhythm of the English Bible, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." The greatest evidence of Heber's popularity as a hymnwriter, and his refined taste as a compiler, is found in the fact that the total contents of his ms. collection which were given in his posthumous Hymns written and adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year. London, J. Murray, 1827; which included 57 hymns by Heber, 12 by Milman, and 29 by other writers, are in common in Great Britain and America at the present time. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] Of Bishop Heber's hymns, about one half are annotated under their respective first lines. Those given below were published in Heber's posthumous Hymns, &c, 1827. Some of them are in extensive use in Great Britain and America; but as they possess no special histories they are grouped together as from the Hymns, &c, 1827:— 1. Beneath our feet, and o'er our head. Burial. 2. Creator of the rolling flood. St. Peter's Day, or, Gospel for 6th Sunday after Trinity. 3. Lo, the lilies of the field. Teachings of Nature: or, Gospel for 15th Sunday after Trinity. 4. 0 God, by Whom the seed is given. Sexagesima. 6. 0 God, my sins are manifold. Forgiveness, or, Gospel for 22nd S. after Trinity. 6. 0 hand of bounty, largely spread. Water into Wine, or, Gospel for 2nd S. after Epiphany. 7. 0 King of earth, and air, and sea. Feeding the Multitude; or, Gospel for 4th S. in Lent. 8. 0 more than merciful, Whose bounty gave. Good Friday. 9. 0 most merciful! 0 most bountiful. Introit Holy Communion. 10. 0 Thou, Whom neither time nor space. God unsearchable, or, Gospel for 5th Sunday in Lent. 11. 0 weep not o'er thy children's tomb. Innocents Day. 12. Room for the proud! Ye sons of clay. Dives and Lazarus, or, Gospel for 1st Sunday after Trinity. 13. Sit thou on my right hand, my Son, saith the Lord. Ascension. 14. Spirit of truth, on this thy day. Whit-Sunday. 15. The feeble pulse, the gasping breath. Burial, or, Gospel for 1st S. after Trinity. 16. The God of glory walks His round. Septuagesima, or, the Labourers in the Marketplace. 17. The sound of war in earth and air. Wrestling against Principalities and Powers, or, Epistle for 2lst Sunday after Trinity. 18. The world is grown old, her pleasures are past. Advent; or, Epistle for 4th Sunday in Advent. 19. There was joy in heaven. The Lost Sheep; or, Gospel for 3rd S. after Trinity. 20. Though sorrows rise and dangers roll. St. James's Day. 21. To conquer and to save, the Son of God. Christ the Conqueror. 22. Virgin-born, we bow before Thee. The Virgin Mary. Blessed amongst women, or, Gospel for 3rd S. in Lent. 23. Wake not, 0 mother, sounds of lamentation. Raising the Widow's Son, or, Gospel for 16th S. after Trinity. 24. When on her Maker's bosom. Holy Matrimony, or, Gospel for 2nd S. after Epiphany. 25. When through the torn sail the wild tempest is streaming. Stilling the Sea, or, Gospel for 4th Sunday after Epiphany. 26. Who yonder on the desert heath. The Good Samaritan, or, Gospel for 13th Sunday after Trinity. This list is a good index of the subjects treated of in those of Heber's hymns which are given under their first lines, and shows that he used the Gospels far more than the Epistles in his work. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

James Montgomery

1771 - 1854 Author of "I Will Remember Thee" in The Celebration Hymnal James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854), the son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery inherited a strong religious bent, a passion for missions, and an independent mind. He was editor of the Sheffield Iris (1796-1827), a newspaper that sometimes espoused radical causes. Montgomery was imprisoned briefly when he printed a song that celebrated the fall of the Bastille and again when he described a riot in Sheffield that reflected unfavorably on a military commander. He also protested against slavery, the lot of boy chimney sweeps, and lotteries. Associated with Christians of various persuasions, Montgomery supported missions and the British Bible Society. He published eleven volumes of poetry, mainly his own, and at least four hundred hymns. Some critics judge his hymn texts to be equal in quality to those of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley . Many were published in Thomas Cotterill's Selection of Psalms and Hymns (1819 edition) and in Montgomery's own Songs of Zion (1822), Christian Psalmist (1825), and Original Hymns (1853). Bert Polman ======================== Montgomery, James, son of John Montgomery, a Moravian minister, was born at Irvine, Ayrshire, Nov. 4, 1771. In 1776 he removed with his parents to the Moravian Settlement at Gracehill, near Ballymena, county of Antrim. Two years after he was sent to the Fulneck Seminary, Yorkshire. He left Fulneck in 1787, and entered a retail shop at Mirfield, near Wakefield. Soon tiring of that he entered upon a similar situation at Wath, near Rotherham, only to find it quite as unsuitable to his taste as the former. A journey to London, with the hope of finding a publisher for his youthful poems ended in failure; and in 1792 he was glad to leave Wath for Shefield to join Mr. Gales, an auctioneer, bookseller, and printer of the Sheffield Register newspaper, as his assistant. In 1794 Mr. Gales left England to avoid a political prosecution. Montgomery took the Sheffield Register in hand, changed its name to The Sheffield Iris, and continued to edit it for thirty-one years. During the next two years he was imprisoned twice, first for reprinting therein a song in commemoration of "The Fall of the Bastille," and the second for giving an account of a riot in Sheffield. The editing of his paper, the composition and publication of his poems and hynms, the delivery of lectures on poetry in Sheffield and at the Royal Institution, London, and the earnest advocacy of Foreign Missions and the Bible Society in many parts of the country, gave great variety but very little of stirring incident to his life. In 1833 he received a Royal pension of £200 a year. He died in his sleep, at the Mount, Sheffield, April 30, 1854, and was honoured with a public funeral. A statue was erected to his memory in the Sheffield General Cemetery, and a stained glass window in the Parish Church. A Wesleyan chapel and a public hall are also named in his honour. Montgomery's principal poetical works, including those which he edited, were:— (1) Prison Amusements, 1797; (2) The Wanderer of Switzerland, 1806; (3) The West Indies, 1807; (4) The World before the Flood, 1813; (5) Greenland and Other Poems, 1819; (6) Songs of Zion, 1822; (7) The Christian Psalmist, 1825; (8) The Christian Poet, 1825; (9) The Pelican Island, 1828; (10) The Poet’s Portfolio, 1835; (11) Original Hymns for Public, Private, and Social Devotion, 1853. He also published minor pieces at various times, and four editions of his Poetical Works, the first in 1828, the second in 1836, the third in 1841, and the fourth in 1854. Most of these works contained original hymns. He also contributed largely to Collyer's Collection, 1812, and other hymnbooks published during the next 40 years, amongst which the most noticeable was Cotterill's Selections of 1819, in which more than 50 of his compositions appeared. In his Christian Psalmist, 1825, there are 100 of his hymns, and in his Original Hymns, 1853, 355 and 5 doxologies. His Songs of Zion, 1822, number 56. Deducting those which are repeated in the Original Hymns, there remain about 400 original compositions. Of Montgomery's 400 hymns (including his versions of the Psalms) more than 100 are still in common use. With the aid of Montgomery's MSS. we have given a detailed account of a large number. The rest are as follows:— i. Appeared in Collyer's Collection, 1812. 1. Jesus, our best beloved Friend. Personal Dedication to Christ. 2. When on Sinai's top I see. Sinai, Tabor, and Calvary. ii. Appeared in Cotterill's Selection, 1819. 3. Come to Calvary's holy mountain. The Open Fountain. 4. God in the high and holy place. God in Nature. The cento in Com. Praise, 1879, and others, "If God hath made this world so fair," is from this hymn. 5. Hear me, O Lord, in my distress. Ps. cxliii. 6. Heaven is a place of rest from sin. Preparation for Heaven. 7. I cried unto the Lord most just. Ps. cxlii. 8. Lord, let my prayer like incense rise. Ps. cxxxix. 9. O bless the Lord, my soul! His grace to thee proclaim. Ps. ciii. 10. Out of the depths of woe. Ps. cxxx. Sometimes "When from the depths of woe." 11. The world in condemnation lay. Redemption. 12. Where are the dead? In heaven or hell? The Living and the Dead. iii. Appeared in his Songs of Zion, 1822. 13. Give glory to God in the highest. Ps. xxix. 14. Glad was my heart to hear. Ps. cxxii. 15. God be merciful to me. Ps. lxix. 16. God is my strong salvation. Ps. xxvii. 17. Hasten, Lord, to my release. Ps. lxx. 18. Have mercy on me, O my God. Ps. li. 19. Hearken, Lord, to my complaints. Ps. xlii. 20. Heralds of creation cry. Ps. cxlviii. 21. How beautiful the sight. Ps. cxxxiii. 22. How precious are Thy thoughts of peace. Ps. cxxxix. 23. I love the Lord, He lent an ear. Ps. cxvi. 24. In time of tribulation. Ps. lxxvii. 25. Jehovah is great, and great be His praise. Ps. xlviii. Sometimes, "0 great is Jehovah, and great is His Name." 26. Judge me, O Lord, in righteousness. Ps. xliii. 27. Lift up your heads, ye gates, and wide. Ps.xxiv. 28. Lord, let me know mine [my] end. Ps. xxxi. 29. Of old, 0 God, Thine own right hand. Ps. lxxx. 30. O God, Thou art [my] the God alone. Ps. lxiii. 31. 0 Lord, our King, how excellent. Ps. viii. Sometimes, "0 Lord, how excellent is Thy name." 32. O my soul, with all thy powers. Ps. ciii. 33. One thing with all my soul's desire. Ps. xxvii. From this, "Grant me within Thy courts a place." 34. Searcher of hearts, to Thee are known. Ps. cxxxix. 35. Thank and praise Jehovah's name. Ps. cvii. 36. Thee will I praise, O Lord in light. Ps. cxxxviii. 37. The Lord is King; upon His throne. Ps. xciii. 38. The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know. Ps. xxiii. 39. The tempter to my soul hath said. Ps. iii. 40. Thrice happy he who shuns the way. Ps. i. 41. Thy glory, Lord, the heavens declare. Ps. xix. 42. Thy law is perfect, Lord of light. Ps. xix. 43. Who make the Lord of hosts their tower. Ps. cxxv. 44. Yea, I will extol Thee. Ps. xxx. iv. Appeared in his Christian Psalmist. 1825. 45. Fall down, ye nations, and adore. Universal adoration of God desired. 46. Food, raiment, dwelling, health, and friends. The Family Altar. 47. Go where a foot hath never trod. Moses in the desert. Previously in the Leeds Congregational Collection, 1822. 48. Green pastures and clear streams. The Good Shepherd and His Flock. 49. Less than the least of all. Mercies acknowledged. 50. Not to the mount that burned with fire [flame]. Communion of Saints. 51. On the first Christian Sabbath eve. Easter Sunday Evening. 52. One prayer I have: all prayers in one. Resignation. 53. Our heavenly Father hear. The Lord's Prayer. 54. Return, my soul, unto thy rest. Rest in God. 55. Spirit of power and might, behold. The Spirit's renewing desired. 56. The Christian warrior, see him stand. The Christian Soldier. Sometimes, "Behold the Christian warrior stand." 57. The days and years of time are fled. Day of Judgment. 58. The glorious universe around. Unity. 59. The pure and peaceful mind. A Children's Prayer. 60. This is the day the Lord hath made (q. v.). Sunday. 61. Thy word, Almighty Lord. Close of Service. 62. What secret hand at morning light ? Morning. 63. While through this changing world we roam. Heaven. 64. Within these walls be peace. For Sunday Schools. v. Appeared in his Original Hymns, 1853. 65. Behold yon bright array. Opening a Place of Worship. 66. Behold the book whose leaves display. Holy Scriptures. 67. Come ye that fear the Lord. Confirmation. 68. Home, kindred, friends, and country, these. Farewell to a Missionary. 69. Let me go, the day is breaking. Jacob wrestling. 70. Not in Jerusalem alone. Consecration of a Church. 71. Praise the high and holy One. God the Creator. In common with most poets and hymnwriters, Montgomery strongly objected to any correction or rearrangement of his compositions. At the same time he did not hesitate to alter, rearrange, and amend the productions of others. The altered texts which appeared in Cotterill's Selections, 1819, and which in numerous instances are still retained in some of the best hymnbooks, as the "Rock of Ages," in its well-known form of three stanzas, and others of equal importance, were made principally by him for Cotterill's use. We have this confession under his own hand. As a poet, Montgomery stands well to the front; and as a writer of hymns he ranks in popularity with Wesley, Watts, Doddridge, Newton, and Cowper. His best hymns were written in his earlier years. In his old age he wrote much that was unworthy of his reputation. His finest lyrics are "Angels from the realms of glory," "Go to dark Gethsemane," "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," and "Songs of praise the angels sang." His "Prayer is the soul's sincere desire," is an expanded definition of prayer of great beauty; and his "Forever with the Lord" is full of lyric fire and deep feeling. The secrets of his power as a writer of hymns were manifold. His poetic genius was of a high order, higher than most who stand with him in the front rank of Christian poets. His ear for rhythm was exceedingly accurate and refined. His knowledge of Holy Scripture was most extensive. His religious views were broad and charitable. His devotional spirit was of the holiest type. With the faith of a strong man he united the beauty and simplicity of a child. Richly poetic without exuberance, dogmatic without uncharitableness, tender without sentimentality, elaborate without diffusiveness, richly musical without apparent effort, he has bequeathed to the Church of Christ wealth which could onlv have come from a true genius and a sanctified! heart. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

James Edmeston

1791 - 1867 Author of "O thou whose mercy guides my way" in Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) Edmeston, James, born Sept. 10, 1791. His maternal grandfather was the Rev. Samuel Brewer, who for 50 years was the pastor of an Independent congregation at Stepney. Educated as an architect and surveyor, in 1816 he entered upon his profession on his own account, and continued to practice it until his death on Jan. 7, 1867. The late Sir G. Gilbert Scott was his pupil. Although an Independent by descent he joined the Established Church at a comparatively early age, and subsequently held various offices, including that of churchwarden, in the Church of St. Barnabas, Homerton. His hymns number nearly 2000. The best known are “Lead us, Heavenly Father, lead us” and "Saviour, breathe an evening blessing." Many of his hymns were written for children, and from their simplicity are admirably adapted to the purpose. For many years he contributed hymns of various degrees of merit to the Evangelical Magazine, His published works are:— (1) The Search, and other Poems, 1817. (2) Sacred Lyrics, 1820, a volume of 31 hymns and one poem. This was followed by a second Series, 1821, with 35; and a third Series, 1822, with 27 pieces respectively. (3) The Cottage Minstrel; or, Hymns for the Assistance of Cottagers in their Domestic Worship, 1821. This was published at the suggestion of a member of the Home Missionary Society, and contains fifty hymns. (4) One Hundred Hymns for Sunday Schools, and for Particular Occasions, 1821. (5) Missionary Hymns, 1822. (6) Patmos, a Fragment, and Other Poems, 1824. (7) The Woman of Shunam, and Other Poems, 1829. (8) Fifty Original Hymns, 1833. (9) Hymns for the Chamber of Sickness, 1844. (10) Closet Hymns and Poems, 1844. (11) Infant Breathings, being Hymns for the Young, 1846. (12) Sacred Poetry, 1847. In addition to those of his hymns which have attained to an extensive circulation, as those named above, and are annotated in this work under their respective first lines, there are also the following in common use in Great Britain and America:— 1. Along my earthly way. Anxiety. In his Sacred Lyrics, third set, 1822, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines. It is given in several collections, but usually in an abbreviated form, and generally somewhat altered. 2. Dark river of death that is [art] flowing. Death Anticipated. Given in his Sacred Lyrics, 3rd set, 1822, p. 39, in 9 stanzas of 4 lines. It is usually given in an abbreviated form, and sometimes as, "Dark river of death that art flowing." 3. Come, sacred peace, delightful guest. Peace. Appeared in his Closet Hymns, &c, 1844, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. 4. Eternal God, before thy throne, Three nations. National Fast. 5. For Thee we pray and wait. Second Advent. 6. God intrusts to all. Parable of the Talents. This is No. 13 of his Infant Breathings, 1846, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines. It is a simple application of the parable to the life of a child. It is widely used. 7. God is here; how sweet the sound. Omnipresence. Given as No. 9 in his Sacred Lyrics, 1st set, 1820, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. In the Baptist Hymnal, 1879, No. 45. St. i.-iii. are from this text, and iv. and v. are from another source. 8. How sweet the light of Sabbath eve. Sunday Evening. No. 10 in theCottage Minstrel, 1821, slightly altered. 9. Is there a time when moments flow. Sunday Evening. No. 5 of his Sacred Lyrics, 1st set, 1820, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines. 10. Little travellers Zionward. Burial of Children. No. 25 of his Infant Breathings, &c, 1846, in 3 stanzas of 8 lines. In the Leeds Hymn Book, 1853, it begins with stanza ii., "Who are they whose little feet?" 11. May we, Lord, rejoicing say. National Thanksgiving. Dated 1849 by the author in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymnbook, No. 1008. 12. Music, bring thy sweetest treasures. Holy Trinity. Dated 1837 by the author in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymnbook, No. 167. It is in his Sacred Poetry, 1847. 13. Roll on, thou mighty ocean. Departure of Missionaries. In his Missionary Hymns, 1822, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. It is in common use in America. 14. Sweet is the light of Sabbath eve. Sunday Evening. In 5 stanzas of 41., from the Cottage Minstrel, 1821, where it is given as No. 10, and entitled "The Cottager's Reflections upon the Sabbath Evening." 15. The light of Sabbath eve. Sunday Evening. In 5 stanzas of 4 lines, as No. 11 in the Cottage Minstrel, 1821, p. 14, and headed, "Solemn Questions for the Sabbath Evening." 16. Wake, harp of Zion, wake again. Missions to the Jews. Dated 1846 by the author in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymnbook. It is in his Sacred Poetry, 1847. 17. When shall the voice of singing? In his Missionary Hymns, 1822. It is in a few American collections. 18. When the worn spirit wants repose. Sunday. No. 18, of his Sacred Lyrics, 1st set, 1820, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. It is somewhat popular, and is given in several collections in Great Britain and America, as the Baptist Psalms & Hymns, 1858-80; the Church Praise Book, N. Y., 1881, &c. 19. Why should I, in vain repining? Consolation. No. 14 in the 1st set of his Sacred Lyrics, 1820, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ========================= Edmeston, James, p. 321, ii. Other hymns are:— 1. O Thou Whose mercy guides my way. Resignation. In his Sacred Lyrics, 1st set, 1820, p. 24, in 3 stanzas of 4 lines, and again in his Hymns for the Chamber of Sickness, 1844. 2. Parting soul, the flood awaits thee. Death anticipated. In his Sacred Lyrics, 1st set, 1820, p. 18, in 3 stanza of 8 lines, and based upon the passage in the Pilgrim's Progress:—"Now I further saw that betwixt them and the gate was a river, but there was no bridge to go over, and the river was very deep." 3. 'Tis sweet upon our pilgrimage. Praise. In hi3 Closet Hymns and Poems, 1846, in 3 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed "An Ebenezer Raided." 4. Welcome, brethren, enter in. Reception of Church Officers. Miller says, in his Singers and Songs, 1869, p. 420:—"This is No. 1 of five hymns supplied by Mr. Edmeston, at the request of a friend, for insertion in a provincial hymn-book, on the subject of admitting members," but he does not give the name of the book, neither have we identified It. The hymn, as given in the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859, No. 840, is in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, of which Millet says stanza iii. is by another hand. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

George Washington Doane

1799 - 1859 Person Name: George W. Doane Author of "Thou Art the Way" in The Young People's Hymnal No. 3 Doane, George Washington, D.D. Bishop Doane was born at Trenton, New Jersey, May 27, 1799, and graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York. Ordained in 1821, he was Assistant Minister at Trinity Church, New York, till 1824. In 1824 he became a Professor at Trinity College, Hartford, Conn.; in 1828 Rector of Trinity Church, Boston; and, in 1832, Bishop of New Jersey. He founded St. Mary's Hall, Burlington, 1837, and Burlington College, Burlington, 1846. Died April 27, 1859. Bishop Doane's exceptional talents, learning, and force of character, made him one of the great prelates of his time. His warmth of heart secured devoted friends, who still cherish his memory with revering affection. He passed through many and severe troubles, which left their mark upon his later verse. He was no mean poet, and a few of his lyrics are among our best. His Works, in 4 volumes with Memoir by his son, were published in 1860. He issued in 1824 Songs by the Way, a small volume of great merit and interest. This edition is now rare. A second edition, much enlarged, appeared after his death, in 1859, and a third, in small 4to, in 1875. These include much matter of a private nature, such as he would not himself have given to the world, and by no means equal to his graver and more careful lyrics, on which alone his poetic fame must rest.The edition of 1824 contains several important hymns, some of which have often circulated without his name. Two of these are universally known as his, having been adopted by the American Prayer Book Collection, 1826:-- 1. Softly now the light of day. Evening. This, in addition to its use in American hymnals, is also found in the English Collections, including Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory. Written in 1824. 2. Thou art the way, to Thee alone. Christ the Way. This, in the judgment of many, is the first of American hymns, and one of the most admirable and useful in the English language. In the United States its use is most extensive, and since its introduction into the English Collections by Bickersteth in 1833, Hall in his Mitre, in 1836, and others, it has grown in favour until it ranks with the most popular of the great English hymns. Near in merit to the foregoing stands a companion piece in the same work, which deserves to be better known :— 3. Lord, should we leave Thy hallowed feet. The next three have been overlooked at home, but have obtained considerable circulation in English Collections. 4. Father of mercies hear, Thy pardon we implore. Ash Wednesday or Lent. A translation of "Audi, benigne Conditor" q.v.), published in his Songs by the Way, 1824, together with several other translations, thus anticipating by twelve years the great English movement in that direction. Original translation in his Songs by the Way, 1875Miller (S. & S., p. 12) attributes this translation to Dr. Neale in error. 5. Return and come to God. Invitation. In his Songs, &c, 1824. It is found in Hall’s Mitre, 1836; the Baptist Hymnal, 1879, and several others. 6. To thee, 0 Lord, with dawning light. Morning. This hymn is attributed to Heber by Miller (S. & S. , p. 381) in error. It is included in the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Hymns, 1852; in Windle and others. It is from the Songs, &c, 1824. His later hymns, the dates of which are generally preserved in the last edition of his Songs by the Way, include the following, which are more or less in use :— 7. Beloved, it is well. All well in Christ. This is entitled "To my wife"; is dated Mar. 12, 1833, and was written in a copy of Dr. Bedell's "It is well." It is given in Kennedy, 1863. 8. Broken-hearted, weep no more. Assurance of Peace. The date of this hymn is not preserved. It is found as early as 1829, when it appeared in the 2nd edition of Cleland's (Baptist) Hymns. 9. Fling out the banner, let it float. Missions, Home & Foreign. This hymn, sometimes dated 1824 in error, was written at Riverside, 2nd Sunday in Advent, 1848, and is one of the author's latest effusions. It is in extensive use both in Great Britain and America. 10. He came not with His heavenly crown. The two Advents. In his Songs by the Way, edition 1875, this poem is dated Dec. 1827. In Dale's English Hymnbook, 1879, it is given with the omission of stanza iii., and in the American Protestant Episcopal Hymnal, 1871, it begins with stanza iv., "Once more, O Lord, Thy sign shall be." Full text in Lyra Sac. Amer., p. 92. 11. Lift not thou the wailing voice. Burial. A funeral hymn, adopted by the Anglican Hymnbook, but dated 1826 in error, for 1830. 12. What is that, mother? The lark, my child. This is not a hymn, but a familiar and long popular song. 13. "When darkness erst [once] at God's command. Israel in Egypt. In Kennedy, 1863, No. 722. 14. Young and happy while thou art. Youth for Christ. A favourite piece in many juvenile collections. It is dated Sept., 1827, and is given in Songs by the Way, 1875. The Lyra Sacra Americana also contains the following:— 15. Brightness of the Father's glory. Morning. A tr. of "Consors Paterni luminis " (q.v.). It is from the Songs, &c, 1824. 16. Child that kneelest meekly there. Child at Prayer. Suggested by a cast from a piece of sculpture by Greenough representing a child at prayer. 17. Grant me, Lord, Thy graces three. Faith, Hope, and Charity desired. 18. Perfect through suffering may it be. Uses of suffering. Dated in Songs by the Way, "The Breakers, June 1, 1853." 19. Yes, it is a faithful saying. Redemption. In his Songs, &c, 1824. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Carl Maria von Weber

1786 - 1826 Person Name: Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) Arranger of "MANOAH" in Carmina Sanctorum, a selection of hymns and songs of praise with tunes Carl Maria von Weber; b. 1786, Oldenburg; d. 1826, London Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal, 1908

Thomas Cotterill

1779 - 1823 Author (attributed to) of "Again Our Earthly Cares We Leave" in The Cyber Hymnal Thomas Cotterill (b. Cannock, Staffordshire, England, 1779; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1823) studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, England, and became an Anglican clergyman. A central figure in the dispute about the propriety of singing hymns, Cotterill published a popular collection of hymns (including many of his own as well as alterations of other hymns), Selection of Psalms and Hymns in 1810. But when he tried to introduce a later edition of this book in Sheffield in 1819, his congregation protested. Many believed strongly that the Church of England should maintain its tradition of exclusive psalm singing. In a church court the Archbishop of York and Cotterill reached a compromise: the later edition of Selection was withdrawn, and Cotterill was invited to submit a new edition for the archbishop's approval. The new edition was published in 1820 and approved as the first hymnal for the Anglican church of that region. Cotterill's suppressed book, however, set the pattern for Anglican hymnals for the next generation, and many of its hymns are still found in modern hymnals. Bert Polman =============== Thomas Cotterill was born in 1779; studied at S. John's College, Cambridge, graduating M.A.; ordained in 1806, and enterred upon parochial work at Tutbury; afterwards removed to Lane End, where he remained for nine years among the Potteries; in 1817, became perpetual Curate of S. Paul's, Sheffield. He died in 1823. He was the author of several books; among them, "A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, adapted to the Services of the Church of England." In the preparation of this collection (the 8th ed., 1819), he had the assistance of Montgomery, who in this work did what he condemned in others, viz., altering and remodeling other authors' hymns. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ====================== Cotterill, Thomas, M.A., was the son of a woolstapler at Cannock, Staffordshire, where he was born Dec. 4, 1779. After attending the local boarding-school of the Rev. J. Lomax, he proceeded to the Free School, Birmingham. He graduated at St. John's College, Cambridge (B.A. 1801, M.A. 1805), of which he became a Fellow. Taking Holy Orders, he became Curate of Tutbury in June, 1803 (not 1806, as stated by Miller in Singers & Songs of the Church). His subsequent charges were the Incumbency of Lane End, Staffordshire, 1808-17, and the Perpetual Curacy of St. Paul's Sheffield, 1817-23. He died at Sheffield Dec. 29, 1823 (not Jan. 5, 1824, as in the Gentleman’s Magazine), aged 44. His volume of Family Prayers attained to the sixth edi¬tion in 1824. As a hymn-writer, Cotterill is less known than as the compiler of a Selection of Psalms and Hymns which has had a most marked effect on modern hymnals. The first edition of that Selection was published in 1810, and the 9th in 1820. All subsequent issues were reprints of the last. The most important edition is the 8th, 1819. To that Selection Cotterill contributed at various dates 25 original hymns and versions of individual psalms. These, in common with all the hymns in the Selection, are given without author's name. Through the aid, however, of marked copies [in the collections of Brooke and Julian] and of members of Cotterill's family, we are enabled to identify most, if not all, of his original productions. In addition to those which are annotated under their first lines, we have— i. In his Selection of Psalms & Hymns for Public and Private Use, adapted to the Festivals of the Church of England, &c, 1st ed., 1810:— 1. Awake, O sword, the Father cried. Atonement. 2. Before Thy throne of grace, O Lord. Lent. 3. From Sinai's mount, in might array'd. The Law and the Gospel. 4. From Thine all-seeing Spirit, Lord. Ps. 139. 5. In all the ways and works of God. Ps. 145. 6. Out of the deeps, O Lord, we call. Ps. 130. 7. The Lord, who once on Calvary. The Intercessor. This is based on “Where high the heavenly temple stands," q. v. ii. In the Appendix to the 6th ed. of the same Selection, Staffordshire, 1815:— 8. Blessed are they who mourn for sin. Lent. 9. Father of mercies, let our songs [way, ways]. Thanksgiving. 10. I was alive without the law. Lent. 11. Lord of the Sabbath, 'tis Thy day. Sunday. iii. In the 8th edition of the same, 1819 :— 12. Help us, O Lord, Thy yoke to wear. Charity Sermons. This is sometimes given as "Lord, let us learn Thy yoke to wear," as in Kennedy, 1863, &c. 13. I love the Lord, for He hath heard. Ps. 116. 14. Lo in the East a star appears. Epiphany. This in an altered form begins in Kennedy, 1863, No. 188, with stanza ii., "The ancient sages from afar." 15. Lord, cause Thy face on us to shine. For Unity. 16. When Christ, victorious from the grave. Easter. The 9th ed. of the Selection, 1820, was practically a new work. It was compiled by Cotterill, but revised by Dr. Harcourt, the Archbishop of York, and was dedi¬cated to him. It was the outcome of the compromise in the legal proceedings over the 8th ed., 1819. The 8th ed. contained 367 hymns in addition to 128 versions of the Psalms and 6 Doxologies, the 9th only 152. Its full title was A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, Lond., T. Cadell, 1820. It may be noted that copies of the 8th ed., 1819, are found with two distinct title-pages. One of these, accompanied with the preface, was for the general public, the second, without the preface, for the use of the congregations of St. James's and St. Paul's, Sheffield. Of Cotterill's hymns the most popular are, "O'er the realms of pagan darkness," "Let songs of praises fill the sky," and "Jesus exalted far on high," but these are not distinguished by any striking features of excellence. He was more happy in some of his alterations of older hymns, and in the com¬piling of centos. Many of the readings introduced into the great hymns of the Church first appeared in his Selection. The most notable amongst these are, "Rock of Ages," in 3 stanzas, as in Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861, the Wesleyan Hymn Book, and other collections; "Lo! He comes with clouds descending;" and “Great God, what do I see and hear." Cotterill's connection with the Uttoxeter Psalms & Hymns, 1805, is given in detail in the article on Staffordshire Hymn-books, and his lawsuit over the 8th ed. of his Selection, 1819, in the article on England Hymnody, Church of. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John Fawcett

1740 - 1817 Person Name: Fawcett Author of "Thy way, O God, is in the sea" in New Manual of Praise An orphan at the age of twelve, John Fawcett (b. Lidget Green, Yorkshire, England, 1740; d. Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, 1817) became apprenticed to a tailor and was largely self-educated. He was converted by the preaching of George Whitefield at the age of sixteen and began preaching soon thereafter. In 1765 Fawcett was called to a small, poor, Baptist country church in Wainsgate, Yorkshire. Seven years later he received a call from the large and influential Carter's Lane Church in London, England. Fawcett accepted the call and preached his farewell sermon. The day of departure came, and his family's belongings were loaded on carts, but the distraught congregation begged him to stay. In Singers and Songs of the Church (1869), Josiah Miller tells the story associated with this text: This favorite hymn is said to have been written in 1772, to commemorate the determination of its author to remain with his attached people at Wainsgate. The farewell sermon was preached, the wagons were loaded, when love and tears prevailed, and Dr. Fawcett sacrificed the attraction of a London pulpit to the affection of his poor but devoted flock. Fawcett continued to serve in Wainsgate and in the nearby village of Hebden Bridge for the remainder of his active ministry. Bert Polman =============== Fawcett, John, D.D., was born Jan. 6, 1739 or 1740, at Lidget Green, near Bradford, Yorks. Converted at the age of sixteen under the ministry of G. Whitefield, he at first joined the Methodists, but three years later united with the Baptist Church at Bradford. Having begun to preach he was, in 1765, ordained Baptist minister at Wainsgate, near Hebden Bridge, Yorks. In 1772 he was invited to London, to succeed the celebrated Dr. J. Gill, as pastor of Carter's Lane; the invitation had been formally accepted, the farewell sermon at Wainsgate had been preached and the wagons loaded with his goods for removal, when the love and tears of his attached people prevailed and he decided to remain. In 1777 a new chapel was built for him at Hebden Bridge, and about the same time he opened a school at Brearley Hall, his place of residence. In 1793 he was invited to become President of the Baptist Academy at Bristol, but declined. In 1811 he received from America the degree of D.D., and died in 1817, at the age of 78. Dr. Fawcett was the author of a number of prose works on Practical Religion, several of which attained a large circulation. His poetical publications are:— (1) Poetic Essays, 1767; (2) The Christian's Humble Plea, a Poem, in answer to Dr. Priestley against the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1772; (3) Three hymns, in the Gospel Magazine, 1777; (4) The Death of Eumenio, a Divine Poem, 1779; (5) Another poem, suggested by the decease of a friend, The Reign of Death, 1780; and (6) Hymns adapted to the circumstances of Public Worship and Private Devotion, Leeds, G. Wright & Son. 1782. They are 166 in number, and were mostly composed to be sung after sermons by the author. Whilst not attaining a high degree of excellence as poetry, they are "eminently spiritual and practical," and a number of them are found in all the Baptist and Congregational hymn-books that have appeared during the last 100 years. The best known of these are, “Infinite excellence is Thine;" "How precious is the Book divine;" "Thus far my God hath led me on;" "Religion is the chief concern;" "Blest be the tie that binds;" “I my Ebenezer raise;" and "Praise to Thee, Thou great Creator." These hymns, together with others by Fawcett, are annotated under their respective first lines. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] In addition the following hymns, also by Fawcett, but of less importance, are in common use: 1. Behold the sin-atoning Lamb. Passiontide. No. 60 of his Hymns, 1782, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines. In several hymnals in Great Britain and America. 2. I my Ebenezer raise. Birthday. No. 102 of his Hymns, in 10 stanzas of 4 lines. Usually given in an abbreviated form. 3. Infinite excellence is Thine. Jesus the Desire of Nations. No. 42 of his Hymns, in 12 stanzas of 4 lines. In several hymn-books in Great Britain and America in an abridged form. 4. Jesus, the heavenly Lover, gave. Redemption in Christ. No. 10 of his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "The marriage between Christ and the Soul." In Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1872, it reads, “Jesus, the heavenly Bridegroom, gave," and stanza v. is omitted. 5. Lord, hast Thou made me know Thy ways? Perseverance. No. 122 of his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 8 stanza of 4 lines. In the Baptist Hymnal, 1879, No. 451, stanzas iv.-vii. are omitted. 6. 0 God, my Helper, ever near. New Year. No. 108 of his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines. The New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859-69 omits st. vi. 7. 0, my soul, what means this sadness? Sorrow turned to Joy. No. 111 of his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 5 stanzas of 6 lines, and based upon the words, "Why art Thou cast down, O my soul?" &c. It is in common use in America, and usually with the omission of stanza ii. as in Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, 1872. 8. Sinners, the voice of God regard. Invitation to Repentance. No. 63 of his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines on Isaiah lv. 7, "Let the wicked forsake his way," &c. It is in common use in America, but usually in an abbreviated form. 9. Thy presence, gracious God, afford. Before Sermon. No 165 in his Hymns, &c., in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and a chorus of two lines. In Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymnbook, 1872, No. 126, the chorus is omitted. Fawcett has another hymn on the same subject (No. 79) and beginning, "Thy blessing, gracious God, afford," but this is not in common use. 10. Thy way, 0 God, is in the sea. Imperfect Knowledge of God. No. 66 in his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines on 1 Corinthians xiii. 9, "We know in part," &c. It is in several American collections, usually abbreviated, and sometimes as, "Thy way, O Lord, is in the sea." In this form it is in The Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, &c. 11. With humble heart and tongue. Prayer for Guidance in Youth. No. 86 in his Hymns, &c., 1782, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines on Psalms cxix. 9. "Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way." It is No. 954 in the Baptist Psalms and Hymns, 1858-80. About 20 of Fawcett's hymns are thus still in common use. Two hymns which have been ascribed to him from time to time, but concerning which there are some doubts, are fully annotated under their respective first lines. These are," Humble souls that seek salvation," and "Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing." -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John Ryland

1753 - 1825 Author of "O Lord, I would delight in Thee" in The Evangelical Hymnal Ryland, John, D.D., son of Rev. John Collett Ryland, was born at Warwick, Jan. 29, 1753. At that time his father was Baptist minister at Warwick, but in 1759 removed to Northampton. "J. Ryland, junior," as for many years he was accustomed to subscribe himself, was in 1781 ordained co-pastor with his father at Northampton. In 1794 he accepted the presidency of the Baptist College and the pastorate of the church in Broadmead, Bristol, and these offices he retained until his death on June 25, 1825. Dr. Ryland was a man of considerable literary culture, and received the degree of D.D. from Brown University, Rhode Island. He was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society, and for the three years following the death of Rev. A. Fuller, in 1815, acted as its secretary. His prose works were Memoirs of Rev. B. Hall, Arnsby (2nd ed., 1852); A candid statement of the reasons which induce Baptists to differ from their Christian brethren; and many Sermons and Charges. After his death appeared 2 vols. of Discourses, selected from his manuscripts, and entitled Pastoral Memorial. To these discourses are appended many of his hymns, with their dates. Dr. Ryland's hymns were composed at different times, from his sixteenth year to the year of his death. The earliest were published when he was 16, in his Serious Essays, 1771. These 36 hymns were never republished. Several appeared in the Gospel Magazine from 1771 to 1782, and the Protestant Magazine, 1782-83; others in Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787; 2 in the Collection for the Monthly Prayer Meeting at Bristol, 1797 ; 2 in Andrew Fuller's Memoirs, 1831; and 25 in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825. His Hymns and Verses on Sacred Subjects, to the number of 99, were reprinted from his mss. by D. Sedgwick, and were published, with a Memoir, in 1862. The hymns are dated therein from the mss. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] Those of Dr. Ryland's hymns now in common use include:— 1. For Zion's sake I'll not restrain. Missions. Dated 1798, and printed by D. Sedgwick from Ryland's manuscripts, 1862. 2. Had not the Lord, my soul may say [cry] . Ps. cxxiv. From his Serious Essays, 1771. It is No. 124 in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, 1866. Not in Sedgwick's reprint. 3. Holy, holy, holy Lord, self-existent Deity. Holy Trinity. Dated 1796. It was given in the tenth edition of Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1800, Pt. 2, No. 22; in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825; and Sedgwick's reprint, 1862, in 5 stanzas of 8 lines. It is in common use in Great Britain and America. 4. Look down, my soul, on hell's domain. Gratitude for escape. This is No. 881 in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book. 1866, and dated 1777. We cannot trace it in any of Ryland's works or amongst his hymns. 5. Lord, teach a little child to pray. A Child's Prayer. Dated 1786. The note to this hymn by Dr. Ryland's son, in Sedgwick's reprint, 1862, p. 15, is:— "This and the following hymn ["God is very good to me “was composed at the request of Mrs. Fuller, wife of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, of Kettering, for the use of Miss Sarah Fuller, who died May 30th, 1789, aged six years and six months." It was published in Andrew Fuller's Memoirs, 1831, p. 442, andsin Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. 6. Now let the slumbering church awake. Activity in the Church desired. Dated "Feb. 20, 1798." Published in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825, and in Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. In Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, 1866. 7. O Lord, I would delight in Thee. Delight in Christ. Dated "Dec. 3, 1777." Dr. Ryland added this note to the ms.:—-" I recollect deeper feelings of mind in composing this hymn, than perhaps I ever felt in making any other." It was published in Rippon's Selection 1798, No. 248; in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825; and in Sedgwick's reprint, 1862, in 7 st. of 41. It is in extensive use in its original, or an abbreviated form; or as "O Lord we would delight in Thee." In the American Methodist Episcopal Hymns, 1849; and their Hymn, 1878, st. i., ii., vi., vii. are rewritten in S. M. as "Lord, I delight in Thee." 8. Out of the depths of doubt and fear. Ps. cxxx. From the Serious Essays, 1771 (misdated in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book 1775). It is not in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825, nor in Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. 9. Rejoice, the Saviour reigns. Missions. Dated "Jan. 19, 1792." In the 10th ed. of Rippon's Selection, 1800, 422 (2nd pt.) it is given in 6 st. of 6 1., as in the Ryland ms., and then after the word "Pause" two stanzas are added on, which are not in the ms. The 6 stanzas were repeated in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825; in Sedgwick's reprint, 1862; and in Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, 1866 (abbreviated), and other modern hymnals. 10. Sovereign Ruler of the skies. Guidance, Peace, and Security in God. Dated "Aug. 1,1777." Included in Rippon's Selection, 1787, No. 545 ; the Pastoral Memorials, 1825 ; and Sedgwick's reprint, 1862, in 9 st. of 4 1. 11. Thou Son of God, and Son of Man. Praise to God, the Son. This is undated. It was given in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825; and Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. 12. When Abraham's servant to procure. Onward, Heavenward. Dr. Ryland's son, under the date of Nov. 4, 1861, informed D. Sedgwick that this hymn "was written with a slate pencil on a rusty iron blower by moonlight, past twelve o'clock, Dec. 30, 1773," and he gives these words as a quotation from his father's manuscript. It is almost needless to add that this account does not agree with the generally received history of the hymn, as set forth in Miller's Singers and Songs, 1869, p. 313. In the May number of the Gospel Magazine, 1775, p. 235, the hymn was given in 9 st. of 4 1., with the heading" Hinder me not-—Gen. xxiv. 56," and signed "Elachistoteros." It was repeated in Rippon's Selection, 1787, No. 447; and Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. In Rippon a note is added, "This hymn may begin with 6th verse." This direction has been followed in some modern collections, the result being the hymn commonly known as "In all my Lord's appointed ways." 13. When the Saviour dwelt below. Compassion of Christ. Dated 1806. Included in the Pastoral Memorials, 1825, and Sedgwick's reprint, 1862. Dr. Ryland's hymns are plain and simple, but they lack poetry and passion, and are not likely to be largely drawn upon, for future hymnals. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

John Hampden Gurney

1802 - 1862 Person Name: J. H. Gurney, 1802-1862 Author of "Lord, as to Thy dear cross we flee " in Methodist Hymn and Tune Book Gurney, John Hampden, M.A., eldest son of Sir John Gurney, a Baron of the Exchequer, was born in Serjeants’ Inn, London, Aug. 15, 1802, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1824. On taking Holy Orders he became Curate of Lutterworth (1827-1844), and subsequently Rector of St. Mary's, Marylebone, and Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral. He died in London, March 8, 1862. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and other religious societies had his cordial sympathy, and received his active support. His publications include several small volumes in prose, and the following:— (1) Church Psalmody; Hints for the improvement of a Collection of Hymns published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1853; (2) A Collection of Hymns for Public Worship. Lutterworth, 1838. This contains 300 hymns, and is known as his Lutterworth Collection; (3) Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, selected for some of the Churches of Marylebone. London, 1851. This collection of 300 hymns and psalm versions is known as his Marylebone Collection. The Preface is signed by "Charles Baring," "Thomas Garnier," and "John Hampden Gurney," but the work was practically done by Gurney. To the Lutterworth Collection 1838, he contributed :— 1. Earth to earth, and dust to dust. Burial. 2. Great King of nations, hear our prayer. Fast Day. 3. Lord, as to Thy dear Cross we flee. Lent. 4. Lord, at Thy word the constant sun. Harvest. 5. Saviour, what wealth was Thine. Passiontide. 6. Soon to the dust we speed. Heaven anticipated. 7. Thou God of mercy and of might. Good Friday. 8. Thou plenteous source of light and love. Advent. 9. Thou Who of old didst raise. Ascension. 10. Through centuries of sin and woe. For Peace. 11. We praise Thee, everlasting God. Te Deum. These hymns were all signed "J. H. G.," and Nos. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 and 11, were repeated in the Marylebone Collection, 1851; and to these were added:— 12. Fair waved the golden corn. Child's Hymn. 13. How vast the debt we owe. Offertory. 14. Lord of the Harvest, Thee we hail. Harvest. This is No. 4 above rewritten. 15. Lord, we lift our eyes above. Love of Christ. In addition to these we are specially indebted to Gurney for, "We saw Thee not when Thou didst come" (q.v.), and "Yes, God is good," &c. (q.v.). Several of the above-named hymns are in extensive use in Great Britain and America. The most popular are annotated under their respective first lines. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Isaac Watts

1674 - 1748 Person Name: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Author of "Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear My voice ascending high" in The National Baptist Hymnal Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary labours. He did not retire from ministerial duties, but preached as often as his delicate health would permit. The number of Watts' publications is very large. His collected works, first published in 1720, embrace sermons, treatises, poems and hymns. His "Horae Lyricae" was published in December, 1705. His "Hymns" appeared in July, 1707. The first hymn he is said to have composed for religious worship, is "Behold the glories of the Lamb," written at the age of twenty. It is as a writer of psalms and hymns that he is everywhere known. Some of his hymns were written to be sung after his sermons, giving expression to the meaning of the text upon which he had preached. Montgomery calls Watts "the greatest name among hymn-writers," and the honour can hardly be disputed. His published hymns number more than eight hundred. Watts died November 25, 1748, and was buried at Bunhill Fields. A monumental statue was erected in Southampton, his native place, and there is also a monument to his memory in the South Choir of Westminster Abbey. "Happy," says the great contemporary champion of Anglican orthodoxy, "will be that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to imitate him in all but his non-conformity, to copy his benevolence to men, and his reverence to God." ("Memorials of Westminster Abbey," p. 325.) --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ================================= Watts, Isaac, D.D. The father of Dr. Watts was a respected Nonconformist, and at the birth of the child, and during its infancy, twice suffered imprisonment for his religious convictions. In his later years he kept a flourishing boarding school at Southampton. Isaac, the eldest of his nine children, was born in that town July 17, 1674. His taste for verse showed itself in early childhood. He was taught Greek, Latin, and Hebrew by Mr. Pinhorn, rector of All Saints, and headmaster of the Grammar School, in Southampton. The splendid promise of the boy induced a physician of the town and other friends to offer him an education at one of the Universities for eventual ordination in the Church of England: but this he refused; and entered a Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, under the care of Mr. Thomas Rowe, the pastor of the Independent congregation at Girdlers' Hall. Of this congregation he became a member in 1693. Leaving the Academy at the age of twenty, he spent two years at home; and it was then that the bulk of the Hymns and Spiritual Songs (published 1707-9) were written, and sung from manuscripts in the Southampton Chapel. The hymn "Behold the glories of the Lamb" is said to have been the first he composed, and written as an attempt to raise the standard of praise. In answer to requests, others succeeded. The hymn "There is a land of pure delight" is said to have been suggested by the view across Southampton Water. The next six years of Watts's life were again spent at Stoke Newington, in the post of tutor to the son of an eminent Puritan, Sir John Hartopp; and to the intense study of these years must be traced the accumulation of the theological and philosophical materials which he published subsequently, and also the life-long enfeeblement of his constitution. Watts preached his first sermon when he was twenty-four years old. In the next three years he preached frequently; and in 1702 was ordained pastor of the eminent Independent congregation in Mark Lane, over which Caryl and Dr. John Owen had presided, and which numbered Mrs. Bendish, Cromwell's granddaughter, Charles Fleetwood, Charles Desborough, Sir John Hartopp, Lady Haversham, and other distinguished Independents among its members. In this year he removed to the house of Mr. Hollis in the Minories. His health began to fail in the following year, and Mr. Samuel Price was appointed as his assistant in the ministry. In 1712 a fever shattered his constitution, and Mr. Price was then appointed co-pastor of the congregation which had in the meantime removed to a new chapel in Bury Street. It was at this period that he became the guest of Sir Thomas Abney, under whose roof, and after his death (1722) that of his widow, he remained for the rest of his suffering life; residing for the longer portion of these thirty-six years principally at the beautiful country seat of Theobalds in Herts, and for the last thirteen years at Stoke Newington. His degree of D.D. was bestowed on him in 1728, unsolicited, by the University of Edinburgh. His infirmities increased on him up to the peaceful close of his sufferings, Nov. 25, 1748. He was buried in the Puritan restingplace at Bunhill Fields, but a monument was erected to him in Westminster Abbey. His learning and piety, gentleness and largeness of heart have earned him the title of the Melanchthon of his day. Among his friends, churchmen like Bishop Gibson are ranked with Nonconformists such as Doddridge. His theological as well as philosophical fame was considerable. His Speculations on the Human Nature of the Logos, as a contribution to the great controversy on the Holy Trinity, brought on him a charge of Arian opinions. His work on The Improvement of the Mind, published in 1741, is eulogised by Johnson. His Logic was still a valued textbook at Oxford within living memory. The World to Come, published in 1745, was once a favourite devotional work, parts of it being translated into several languages. His Catechisms, Scripture History (1732), as well as The Divine and Moral Songs (1715), were the most popular text-books for religious education fifty years ago. The Hymns and Spiritual Songs were published in 1707-9, though written earlier. The Horae Lyricae, which contains hymns interspersed among the poems, appeared in 1706-9. Some hymns were also appended at the close of the several Sermons preached in London, published in 1721-24. The Psalms were published in 1719. The earliest life of Watts is that by his friend Dr. Gibbons. Johnson has included him in his Lives of the Poets; and Southey has echoed Johnson's warm eulogy. The most interesting modern life is Isaac Watts: his Life and Writings, by E. Paxton Hood. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] A large mass of Dr. Watts's hymns and paraphrases of the Psalms have no personal history beyond the date of their publication. These we have grouped together here and shall preface the list with the books from which they are taken. (l) Horae Lyricae. Poems chiefly of the Lyric kind. In Three Books Sacred: i.To Devotion and Piety; ii. To Virtue, Honour, and Friendship; iii. To the Memory of the Dead. By I. Watts, 1706. Second edition, 1709. (2) Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In Three Books: i. Collected from the Scriptures; ii. Composed on Divine Subjects; iii. Prepared for the Lord's Supper. By I. Watts, 1707. This contained in Bk i. 78 hymns; Bk. ii. 110; Bk. iii. 22, and 12 doxologies. In the 2nd edition published in 1709, Bk. i. was increased to 150; Bk. ii. to 170; Bk. iii. to 25 and 15 doxologies. (3) Divine and Moral Songs for the Use of Children. By I. Watts, London, 1715. (4) The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, And apply'd to the Christian State and Worship. By I. Watts. London: Printed by J. Clark, at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry, &c, 1719. (5) Sermons with hymns appended thereto, vol. i., 1721; ii., 1723; iii. 1727. In the 5th ed. of the Sermons the three volumes, in duodecimo, were reduced to two, in octavo. (6) Reliquiae Juveniles: Miscellaneous Thoughts in Prose and Verse, on Natural, Moral, and Divine Subjects; Written chiefly in Younger Years. By I. Watts, D.D., London, 1734. (7) Remnants of Time. London, 1736. 454 Hymns and Versions of the Psalms, in addition to the centos are all in common use at the present time. --Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================================== Watts, I. , p. 1241, ii. Nearly 100 hymns, additional to those already annotated, are given in some minor hymn-books. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ================= Watts, I. , p. 1236, i. At the time of the publication of this Dictionary in 1892, every copy of the 1707 edition of Watts's Hymns and Spiritual Songs was supposed to have perished, and all notes thereon were based upon references which were found in magazines and old collections of hymns and versions of the Psalms. Recently three copies have been recovered, and by a careful examination of one of these we have been able to give some of the results in the revision of pp. 1-1597, and the rest we now subjoin. i. Hymns in the 1709 ed. of Hymns and Spiritual Songs which previously appeared in the 1707 edition of the same book, but are not so noted in the 1st ed. of this Dictionary:— On pp. 1237, L-1239, ii., Nos. 18, 33, 42, 43, 47, 48, 60, 56, 58, 59, 63, 75, 82, 83, 84, 85, 93, 96, 99, 102, 104, 105, 113, 115, 116, 123, 124, 134, 137, 139, 146, 147, 148, 149, 162, 166, 174, 180, 181, 182, 188, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 197, 200, 202. ii. Versions of the Psalms in his Psalms of David, 1719, which previously appeared in his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707:— On pp. 1239, U.-1241, i., Nos. 241, 288, 304, 313, 314, 317, 410, 441. iii. Additional not noted in the revision:— 1. My soul, how lovely is the place; p. 1240, ii. 332. This version of Ps. lxiv. first appeared in the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, as "Ye saints, how lovely is the place." 2. Shine, mighty God, on Britain shine; p. 1055, ii. In the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, Bk. i., No. 35, and again in his Psalms of David, 1719. 3. Sing to the Lord with [cheerful] joyful voice, p. 1059, ii. This version of Ps. c. is No. 43 in the Hymns & Spiritual Songs, 1707, Bk. i., from which it passed into the Ps. of David, 1719. A careful collation of the earliest editions of Watts's Horae Lyricae shows that Nos. 1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, p. 1237, i., are in the 1706 ed., and that the rest were added in 1709. Of the remaining hymns, Nos. 91 appeared in his Sermons, vol. ii., 1723, and No. 196 in Sermons, vol. i., 1721. No. 199 was added after Watts's death. It must be noted also that the original title of what is usually known as Divine and Moral Songs was Divine Songs only. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) =========== See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church