Beleb Dein Werk, o Herr

Author: Albert Midlane

Midlane, Albert, was born at Newport, Isle of Wight, Jan. 23, 1825, and was engaged in business in that town for many years. To his Sunday school teacher he ascribes the honour of prompting him to poetic efforts: and the same teacher did much to shape his early life. His first printed hymn, "Hark! in the presence of our God," was written in September, 1842, at Carisbrooke Castle, and printed in the Youth’s Magazine in November of the same year. Since then he has written over 300, and of these a large proportion are in common use. They appeared in magazines and small mission hymn-books, including:— (1) The Youth's Magazine; (2) The British Messenger; (3) The London Messenger; (4) Trotter's Evangelical Hymn Book, 1860; (5) The Ambassador… Go to person page >

Translator: Ernst Gebhardt

Ernst (Heinrich) Gebhardt (1832-1899), a Methodist minister of Germany, spent some time in South America and North America and England accompanying R. Pearsail Smith as song leader at his evangelistic meetings. Gebhardt wrote many original hymns and translated over 50 Gospel hymns from English into German, most of them Moody and Sankey songs. They appeared in his Frohe Botschaft and Evangeliums-Lieder (C. F. Spittler, Basel), which were distributed in Europe and America in innumerable volumes. He was the compiler and editor of many other songbooks. Gebhardt's translations of such songs as "Rock of Ages"—"Fels des Heils," and "Oh, Have You Not Heard"—"Ich weiss einen Strom" seem to have more poetic quality than the English. His contri… Go to person page >