At Even, ere the Sun was Set

Author: Henry Twells

Twells, Henry, M.A., was born in 1823, and educated at St. Peter's College, Cambridge. B.A. 1848, M.A. 1851. Taking Holy Orders in 1849, he was successively Curate of Great Berkhamsted, 1849-51; Sub-Vicar of Stratford-on-Avon, 1851-54; Master of St. Andrew's House School, Mells, Somerset, 1854-56; and Head Master of Godolphin School, Hammersmith, 1856-70. In 1870 he was preferred to the Rectory of Baldock, Herts, and in 1871 to that of Waltham-on-the Wolds. He was Select Preacher at Cambridge in 1873-74, and became an Honorary Canon of Peterborough Cathedral in 1884. Canon Twells is best known by his beautiful evening hymn, "At even ere the sun was set." He also contributed the following hymns to the 1889 Supplemental Hymns to Hymns Ancie… Go to person page >

At even ere the sun was set. H. Twells. [Evening.] Written for and first published in the Appendix to Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1868, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines. It was originally in 8 stanzas. The omitted st, No. iv., which has since been reinstated in Church Hymns, 1871, Taring's Collection, 1882, and others, reads:—

"And some are pressed with worldly care, And some are tried with sinful doubt; And some such grievous passions tear, That only Thou canst cast them out."

Since the first publication of the hymn in Hymns Ancient & Modern in 1868, it has been included in almost every collection published from that date both in Great Britain and America. It ranks with the most popular of evening hymns. The text which has the widest acceptance is that of Hymns Ancient & Modern. Three changes, however, in the opening line are found in the collections. (1) "At even, ere 'the sun did set"; (2) "At even, when the sun was set"; and (3) "At even, when the sun did set." The last reading is adopted in Thring's Collection, and, together with the second, is based upon the passage in St. Mark i. 32, "At even, when the sun did set, they brought unto Him all that were diseased," &c, in preference to the reading in St. Luke iv. 40, “Now, (revised, ‘And’) when the sun was setting." This preference has the support of the majority of commentators both ancient and modern, the ground taken being the acknowledged unlawfulness (with the Jews) of such a gathering of diseased persons until the sun had gone down, and the Sabbath was ended. The question was discussed by Mr. Twells and another in the Literary Churchman, June 9 and 23, 1882. The weight of evidence given therein was strongly in favour of the amended reading. Authorized text in Church Hymns. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ==================== At even ere the sun was set , p. 88, ii. An abbreviated form of this is in M. W. Stryker's Church Song, 1889, as "O Saviour Christ, our woes dispel." --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)