ABIDE WITH ME (Lyte)

Composer: The Rev. Henry Francis Lyte, (1793-1847)

Lyte, Henry Francis, M.A., son of Captain Thomas Lyte, was born at Ednam, near Kelso, June 1, 1793, and educated at Portora (the Royal School of Enniskillen), and at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he was a Scholar, and where he graduated in 1814. During his University course he distinguished himself by gaining the English prize poem on three occasions. At one time he had intended studying Medicine; but this he abandoned for Theology, and took Holy Orders in 1815, his first curacy being in the neighbourhood of Wexford. In 1817, he removed to Marazion, in Cornwall. There, in 1818, he underwent a great spiritual change, which shaped and influenced the whole of his after life, the immediate cause being the illness and death of a brother cler… Go to person page >

THIRD TUNE

It is related, that in the Autumn of 1847, just before taking his final journey to Nice, the Rev. Mr. LYTE made an effort to preach to his congregation once more; that he addressed to them his solemn and affecting parting words, and administered to them the Lord's Supper, and on retiring to rest presented to a dear relative this Hymn, with the music (this third tune) he had adapted to it. The Tune is given here* only on account of its historical interest.              * The Evangelical Hymnal with Tunes #24C