Memorial Hymn

Representative Text

The mourners came, at break of day,
Unto the garden sepulchre,
With saddened hearts to weep and pray
For him, the loved one, buried there.
What radiant light dispels the gloom?
An angel sits beside the tomb.

The earth doth mourn her treasures lost,
All sepulchred beneath the snow,
When wintry winds and chilling frost
Have laid her summer glories low;
The spring returns, the flow’rets bloom,—
An angel sits beside the tomb.

Then mourn we not beloved dead,
E’en while we come to weep and pray;
The happy spirit hath but fled
To brighter realms of heavenly day;
Immortal hope dispels the gloom;—
An angel sits beside the tomb.



Source: A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #347

Author: Sarah Flower Adams

Adams, Sarah, nee Flower. born at Harlow, Essex, Feb. 22nd, 1805; died in London, Aug. 14, 1848, and was buried at Harlow, Aug. 21,1848. She was the younger daughter of Mr. Benjamin Flower, editor and proprietor, of The Cambridge Intelligencer; and was married, in 1834, to William B. Adams, a civil engineer. In 1841 she published Vivia Perpetua, a dramatic poem dealing with the conflict of heathenism and Christianity, in which Vivia Perpetua suffered martyrdom; and in 1845, The Flock at the Fountain; a catechism and hymns for children. As a member of the congregation of the Rev. W. J. Fox, an Unitarian minister in London, she contributed 13 hymns to the Hymns and Anthems, published by C. Fox, Lond., in 1841, for use in his chapel. Of thes… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The mourners came at break of day
Title: Memorial Hymn
Author: Sarah Flower Adams
Place of Origin: London
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

MELITA (Dykes)

The original chant melody associated with this text [i.e., "Eternal Father, strong to save"] is found in most hymnals of denominations where chant has played a role, including the Lutheran tradition, which has produced much organ music on this well-known chant. The setting here is by John B. Dykes (…

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ST. MARK (Elliott)


[The mourners came at break of day]


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #15566
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The Cyber Hymnal #15566

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