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O God, Be Merciful

Author: Jeremiah Eames Rankin Appears in 2 hymnals First Line: Weary and heavy laden with my sins O Lord, I roam

[Weary and heavy laden]

Appears in 2 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: E. L. Ashford Incipit: 33343 23171 22123 Used With Text: O God be Merciful

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Author: J. E. Rankin Hymnal: Triumphant Songs No.4 #184 (1894) First Line: Weary and heavy laden Refrain First Line: O God, be merciful Lyrics: 1 Weary and heavy laden With my sins, O Lord, I roam, While I know Thou hast invited All such wand’rers to their home. Refrain: O God, be merciful, O God, be merciful, O God, be merciful, be merciful to me. 2 Make my stubborn spirit willing To obey Thy gracious voice, At the cross to leave its burden, And departing to rejoice. [Refrain] 3 Thy sweet yoke I’d take upon me, And would learn, O Lord, of Thee, Thou art meek in heart, and lowly, Teach me like Thyself to be. [Refrain] 4 Weary and heavy laden, Lord, no longer will I roam, Here I fix my habitation, In Thy sheltering love at home. [Refrain] Tune Title: [Weary and heavy laden]

O God be Merciful

Author: J. E. Rankin Hymnal: Triumphant Songs Nos. 3 and 4 Combined #351 (1894) First Line: Weary and heavy laden Refrain First Line: O God, be merciful Languages: English Tune Title: [Weary and heavy laden]

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Jeremiah Eames Rankin

1828 - 1904 Author of "O God, Be Merciful" Pseudonym: R. E. Jeremy. Rankin, Jeremiah Eames, D.D., was born at Thornton, New Haven, Jan. 2, 1828, and educated at Middleburg College, Vermont, and at Andover. For two years he resided at Potsdam, U.S. Subsequently he held pastoral charges as a Congregational Minister at New York, St. Albans, Charlestown, Washington ( District of Columbia), &c. In 1878 he edited the Gospel Temperance Hymnal, and later the Gospel Bells. His hymns appeared in these collections, and in D. E. Jones's Songs of the New Life, 1869. His best known hymn is "Labouring and heavy laden" (Seeking Christ). This was "written [in 1855] for a sister who was an inquirer," was first printed in the Boston Recorder, and then included in Nason's Congregational Hymn Book, 1857. Another of his hymns is "Rest, rest, rest, brother rest." He died in 1904. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ======================== Rankin, J. 33., p. 951, ii. Dr. Rankin, b. in N. H. (not New Haven), and received his D.D. 1869, LL.D. 1889 from his Alma Mater. He was President for several years of Howard University, Washington, D.C. His publications included several volumes of Sermons, German-English Lyrics, Sacred and Secular, 1897; 2nd ed. 1898, &c. In addition to his hymns noted on p. 951, ii., he has written and published mainly in sheet form many others, the most important and best-known being:— 1. God be with you till we meet again. [Benediction.] Dr. Rankin's account of this hymn, supplied to us, in common with Mr. Brownlie, for his Hymns and H. Writers of The Church Hymnary, 1899, is: "It was written as a Christian good-bye, and first sung in the First Congregational Church, of which I was minister for fifteen years. We had Gospel meetings on Sunday nights, and our music was intentionally of the popular kind. I wrote the first stanza, and sent it to two gentlemen for music. The music which seemed to me to best suit the words was written by T. G. Tomer, teacher of public schools in New Jersey, at one time on the staff of General 0. 0. Howard. After receiving the music (which was revised by Dr. J. W. Bischoff, the organist of my church), I wrote the other stanzas." The hymn became at once popular, and has been translated into several languages. In America it is in numerous collections; and in Great Britain, in The Church Hymnary, 1898, Horder's Worship Song, 1905, The Methodist Hymn Book, 1904, and others. It was left undated by Dr. Rankin, but I.D. Sankey gives it as 1882. 2. Beautiful the little hands. [Little ones for Jesus.] Given without date in Gloria Deo, New York, 1900. Dr. Rankin's translations include versions of German, French, Latin, and Welsh hymns. His contributions to the periodical press have been numerous. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Emma Louise Ashford

1850 - 1930 Person Name: E. L. Ashford Composer of "[Weary and heavy laden]" in Triumphant Songs No.4 Ashford, Emma Louise (Hindle). (Delaware state, March 27, 1850-- ). Sand and studied with father. Moved to Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1864; to Seymour, Connecticut, 1865; Organist, St. Peters (Episcopal) Church, 1865; married, 1867 to John Ashford; moved to Chicago, ca.1867; alto soloist (under Dudley Buck), St. James (Episcopal) Church, Chicago, 1867-1868; moved to Nashville, Tennessee, ca.1869. Studied pipe organ with Dr. Anderson; composition with Dr. R.H. Peters. 10 years, Mr. & Mrs. Ashford conducted choir work at Presbyterian Church and Jewish Temple in Nashville. Visited and studied in Europe, 1894, 1897, 1904. Publisher, Lorenz. See: Hall, J. H. (c1914). Biographies of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company. --Keith C. Clark, DNAH Archives