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Hymn Almanac October

Today in 1517 – Luther’s 95 Theses Posted

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So many in North America recognize this day as Hallowe’en. Costumes and candy have become big money-makers in the retail trade. But the emphasis, more and more, seems to be on gruesome death and the occult. As a result, many Christians have either restricted their children’s involvement or have forbidden it altogether.

Wittenberg Church Doors (bronze)

But there is another event, largely unrecognized, for which this day should be remembered. On this day, nearly five centuries ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (subjects for debate) on the door of Wittenberg Church. (Church doors in those days served as community bulletin boards.) The wooden doors from Luther’s time are gone. They have been replaced by the bronze doors, pictured here, which have been engraved with the text of Luther’s theses.

Martin Luther wanted to debate the abuses and false doctrines of the church of his day. And though he originally hoped to bring about reform in the Church of Rome, he was eventually forced to break with it. There were scattered reformers before this (such as Wyclif and Hus), but the day is usually recognized as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

The changes that followed affected our hymnody profoundly. Not only did Luther himself write hymns. He encouraged congregational singing, which had been abandoned by the Church of Rome for a thousand years. Further, his emphasis on the authority of the Scriptures, and salvation by God’s grace, through personal faith in Christ, laid the foundation for the Golden Age of Hymnody, the two centuries between 1700 and 1900.

(2) Today in 1875 – Lawrence Tuttiet Born

English hymn writer Lawrence Tuttiet was the son of a surgeon in the British Navy. He trained to be a physician himself, but abandoned this goal to become a clergyman in the Church of England. He also wrote many hymn texts. Among them is his fine New Year’s hymn, Father, Let Me Dedicate, written, he said, to remedy a lack of good hymns for that occasion. (For the full hymn and the tune, see the Cyber Hymnal.)

Father, let me dedicate, all this year to Thee,
In whatever worldly state Thou wilt have me be:
Not from sorrow, pain or care, freedom dare I claim;
This alone shall be my prayer, glorify Thy name.

Can a child presume to choose where or how to live?
Can a Father’s love refuse all the best to give?
More Thou givest every day than the best can claim
Nor withholdest aught that may glorify Thy name.

(3) Today in 1907 – Daniel Roberts Died

Daniel Crane Roberts served as a private in the American Civil War. Later, he became an American clergyman, and also president of the New Hampshire State Historical Society. Only one hymn is credited to him, God of Our Fathers, a strong national hymn written for the July 4th celebration in 1876. Any nation would do well to espouse the prayer of the second stanza below that God would be “our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,” and that our lives would be directed according to His Word and in His paths. (For a bit more detail on the hymn, see Today in 1828.)

God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendour through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

Today in 1807 – Christopher Wordsworth Born

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Christopher Wordsworth was the nephew of famed English poet William Wordsworth. He was both a fine student and an athlete in his school days. He became headmaster of Harrow Boys School, which Winston Churchill would attend many years later. He later was appointed a bishop in the Church of England. A recognized Greek scholar, he wrote a number of theological works, as well as many hymns. Wordsworth said, “It is the first duty of a hymn to teach sound doctrine and thence to save souls.” (A statement worth pondering, given the shallow nature of some of our songs of worship and testimony!)

Christopher Wordsworth has given us a good hymn in praise of the Lord’s Day. Several songs in our hymnals confuse the Jewish Sabbath with the Lord’s Day, but this hymn does not fall into that trap. His hymn celebrates Sunday, the first day of creation, and the day of Christ’s resurrection.

O day of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness, most beautiful, most bright:
On Thee, the high and lowly, through ages joined in tune,
Sing holy, holy, holy, to the great God Triune.

On Thee, at the creation, the light first had its birth;
On Thee, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth;
On Thee, our Lord, victorious, the Spirit sent from heaven,
And thus on Thee, most glorious, a triple light was given.

(2) Today in 1934 – Andrew Skoog Died

Skoog called himself Andrew L. Skoog, adopting a middle initial, though he had no middle name! His family came to America in 1869. In his adult years Andrew Skoog became the director of music in a Chicago church, and taught in a parochial school. For several years he served on the City Council of Minneapolis, and edited a Swedish language paper, as well as several hymnals. Mr. Skoog wrote over 300 hymns himself, but his name comes into our English hymnody more as a translator. (All of this with only a sixth grade education!) He gave us the English version of Lina Sandell’s lovely song, Day by Day.

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Today in 1768 – Joseph Grigg Died

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Born around 1720, Joseph Grigg was the son of poor parents. He worked as a mechanic until he was 25 years old. (A “mechanic” in those days was a manual labourer, or an artisan.) At that point, he turned to full-time Christian ministry, becoming the assistant of a Presbyterian pastor in London. When the pastor died, Grigg retired from pastoral work. He married a wealthy widow and spent his latter years writing. At the time of his death, a friend described him as “the friend of the poor, the charm of the social circle, and the attractive and useful preacher.”

Joseph Grigg wrote quite a number of hymns, but few remain in use today. One that does is Jesus, and Shall It Ever Be, said to have been written when the author was only 10 years old. He called the hymn, Ashamed of Me, and the poetry was rather rough–understandable, given his age. For example, his opening stanza said:

Jesus! and shall it ever be!
A mortal man ashamed of Thee?
Scorn’d be the thought by rich and poor;
O may I scorn it more and more!

However, the basis of a powerful and important message was there. Later revisions improved upon Grigg’s poetry, while retaining his message. It issues a challenge to us to be faithful witnesses for Christ.

Jesus, and shall it ever be,
A mortal man, ashamed of Thee?
Ashamed of Thee, whom angels praise,
Whose glories shine through endless days?

Ashamed of Jesus! yes, I may
When I’ve no guilt to wash away;
No tear to wipe, no good to crave,
No fears to quell, no soul to save.

Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend
On whom my hopes of heav’n depend!
No; when I blush, be this my shame,
That I no more revere His name.

(2) Today in 1869 – Ernest Sellers Born

Graphic Bible in Hand

Ernest Orlando Sellers worked for a time as a surveyor and civil engineer, becoming city engineer and superintendent of public works in Lansing, Michigan. In 1895, he became a student at Moody Bible Institute. Then Sellers joined the faculty, serving in both the music and Christian education departments. Later in life he became director of music at the Baptist Bible Institute, in New Orleans. The school named the E. O. Sellers Music Building after him.

Mr. Sellers had a part in the production of the New Baptist Hymnal. He wrote a number of hymn tunes. But the one song still in common use, for which he wrote both words and music, is Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart. It is based on several verses of Scripture, including Ps. 119:105, 9  and 11.

Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,
A light to my path alway,
To guide and to save me from sin,
And show me the heav’nly way.

Thy Word have I hid in my heart,
That I might not sin against Thee;
That I might not sin, that I might not sin,
Thy Word have I hid in my heart.

Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word
Established and fixed on high;
Thy faithfulness unto all men
Abideth forever nigh.

(3) Today in 1954 – Anna Russell Died

Anna Belle Russell lived in Corning, New York, where she belonged to the First Methodist Church. She and her sister Cora wrote a number of hymns. One of these is Wonderful, Wonderful Jesus, for which Ernest Sellers (see above) wrote the tune. He wrote to the author some years later to ask if there was any story behind the writing of the hymn, but she said there was nothing she could tell him. The song became a favourite of evangelist Gypsy Smith, and was much used in his meetings.

There is never a day so dreary,
There is never a night so long,
But the soul that is trusting in Jesus
Will somewhere find a song.

Wonderful, wonderful Jesus,
In the heart He implanteth a song:
A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength,
In the heart He implanteth a song.

Today in 1817 – Henry Harbaugh Born

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A farmer’s son, Henry Harbaugh worked as a carpenter, a teacher, and a writer. Then, after theological training, he became the pastor of a series of German Reformed Churches in the northeastern United States. Around 1863, he became professor of didactic and practical theology at Mercersburg Theological Seminary, the school from which he had graduated.

Ted Cottrill

Dr. Harbaugh wrote or translated several hymns, among them is a lovely little song of his own, Jesus, I Live to Thee, which became popularly known as the Mercersburg Hymn.

A personal note on this one. My father, Edward Cottrill (pictured here), was organist and choir director for Garside Bible Church (then Garside Gospel Church) in Hamilton, Ontario, for nearly 20 years. Around 1955, he wrote his own tune for Harbaugh’s hymn, and it was sung by the choir. Why not take a few moments to read the full hymn, and hear my father’s tune, Garside.

Jesus, I live to Thee,
The loveliest and best;
My life in Thee, Thy life in me,
In Thy blest love I rest.

Whether to live or die,
I know not which is best;
To live in Thee is bliss to me,
To die is endless rest.

(2) Today in 1820 – John Hopkins Born

John Henry Hopkins Jr. worked in New York City as a reporter, intending to pursue a career in law. But instead he decided to attend the General Theological Seminary there, from which he graduated in 1850. He became the seminary’s first music teacher, and edited the Church Journal, as well as serving later as a clergyman at Trinity Church, Plattsburg, New York.

Hopkins wrote a number of hymns, but he is best known for the carol, We Three Kings, written for a Christmas Pageant at the General Theological Seminary. The hymn is supposed to describe the visit of the wise men to the young Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. It is difficult to imagine, however, that a scholar of his stature could make so many mistakes in the opening line of the song–unless he simply didn’t care!

First, the biblical text nowhere tells us how many men there were. They are referred to in the plural, which could mean there were two or twenty-two. We don’t know. That there were three gifts presented  tells us nothing. (If you receive three gifts for Christmas, will that without doubt prove there were three separate gift-givers?)

Second, they were not from the “Orient,” which refers to the Far East, or Eastern Asia. Rather, they were likely from Persia (present day Iraq), in the Middle East. [A reader quite rightly corrected me on this. Before the Orient meant the Far East, it was simply applied to countries east of the Mediterranean. On this one, Hopkins was on solid ground.]

Third, they were not kings at all, but “wise men” or magi. The magi were men expert in the study of the stars. The Persians placed much faith in astrology, which is the reason they needed men trained to know the location and movement of the stars.

To Hopkins’s credit, however, he correctly identifies the symbolic meaning of the three gifts presented to Jesus. Whether the visitors fully comprehended it or not, in the providence of God, each of them is appropriate to the person of Christ.

  • As Hopkins indicates, gold speaks of Christ’s kingly majesty–“Gold I bring, to crown Him again.”
  • And “incense [frankincense] owns a Deity nigh,” because its rising smoke symbolizes prayer and worship.
  • Myrrh’s “bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom,” and points to the Lord’s death, because it was used as an embalming spice. (cf. Jn. 19:39-40).

As John Hopkins’s song says of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Glorious now behold Him arise: / King and God and Sacrifice.” At least in that, he got it right!

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Today in 312 – Constantine Converted

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Graphic Constantine

The professed conversion of the Roman emperor likely took place on this date. Constantine was a worshiper of Mithra, the Persian sun god. But on the eve of an important battle he claimed he had a vision of a cross above the setting sun, suggesting to him the superiority of Christ over Mithra. In letters of light, the cross bore the words Hoc Signo Vinces–“In this sign conquer!” And when Constantine won the battle the next day–in spite of his forces being greatly outnumbered–he believed he had received help from the Christian God, and declared himself to be a Christian. Or so the story goes.

Did he have some kind of genuine religious experience? Or was it a political ploy, conceived later, to curry the favour of Christians in the empire? Opinions differ. Not everything the emperor did afterward is consistent with his claim to faith in Christ. (He refused Christian baptism until near the end of his life.) However, he did become a strong supporter of the church. The Edict of Milan, published in 313 is a significant milestone in church history. From the latter years of the Apostolic Church (30-100 AD), until the edict, believers had endured wave after wave of persecution. But, across the Roman Empire, with the stroke of a pen, the era of the Heroic Church (100-313) ended, and that of the Institutional Church (313-590) began.

Constantine’s edict said in part:

It has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever…and now any one of these who wishes to observe the Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without disturbance or molestation.

Christians were now allowed to build churches and hold property. Their worship (and their sacred music) could be shared openly. But not all the changes accompanying the edict were beneficial. Constantine took leadership in summoning the bishops to discuss and rule on church business, and the line between church and state was blurred. Further, it suddenly became popular to say you were a Christian. The emperor made that claim, and it was always healthy to agree with the emperor! As a result, thousands joined the local churches, but numbers aren’t everything. Many were not truly born again, and they brought the baggage of their paganism with them.

(2) Today in 1782 – Robert Williams Born

Born in North Wales, and blind from birth, Robert Williams supported himself by his skill as a basket maker, in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He was also a capable amateur musician, and had a fine singing voice. Perhaps his blindness sharpened his memory, as is the case with many who have this disability. It was said he could write out a tune, without a mistake, after hearing it only once. Robert Williams composed the tune (Llanfair) often used with Charles Wesley’s ascension hymn, Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise. 

Christ’s return to heaven is an important event. It is recognized in the church calendar of liturgical churches, but many other congregations miss it.  The Lord Jesus Christ’s return to Glory signified the Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice. And as our great High Priest, seated at the Father’s right hand, He represents us there (Rom. 8:34; I Jn. 2:1). Wesley’s hymn on the subject alludes to the prophetic words of Ps. 24:7-10.

Hail the day that sees Him rise, Alleluia!
To His throne above the skies, Alleluia!
Christ, awhile to mortals given, Alleluia!
Re-ascends His native heaven, Alleluia!

There the glorious triumph waits, Alleluia!
Lift your heads, eternal gates, Alleluia!
Christ hath conquered death and sin, Alleluia!
Take the King of glory in, Alleluia!

Circled round with angel powers, Alleluia!
Their triumphant Lord, and ours, Alleluia!
Conqueror over death and sin, Alleluia!
“Take the King of glory in! Alleluia!”

(3) Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen (Data Missing)

In 1788, the first independent African-American church was established in Savannah, Georgia. As well as singing the traditional Protestant hymns with which we are familiar, these churches developed their own genre of music that they called “Spiritual Himes.” They added new words to existing melodies, often changing the words each time the song was used!

At the time, there were laws prohibiting slaves from having drums, horns or other loud instruments. It was felt they might be used to signal rebelling slaves or call them to an illegal assembly. Instead, hand clapping and foot stomping commonly accompanied the singing.

There are various versions of the lyrics of the song Nobody Knowns the Trouble I’ve Seen. Below is a simple one. We don’t know who wrote the song, but its plaintive theme is typical of the black slave songs of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It speaks of the personal nature of each person’s struggle. We may be going through similar circumstances, but pain and suffering is an individual thing. Yet, as well as voicing the miseries of slave life, there is a gleam of Christian faith and hope in the words sometimes included in the song, “Nobody knows but Jesus.” Truly He understands our trials, and invites us to seek help at the throne of grace (cf. Heb. 4:14-16).

Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,
Nobody knows my sorrow;
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,
Glory hallelujah!
Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down–
Oh, yes, Lord!
Sometimes I’m almost to the ground–
Oh, yes, Lord!
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,
Nobody knows but Jesus;
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen,
Glory hallelujah!

Here is a version of this spiritual sung by the incomparable Paul Robeson. Robeson (1898-1976) was a college football star, and later a stage and film actor, and an opera and concert singer. The recognition of his amazing achievements was clouded for many years by reaction to his political activism and controversial views. However, recordings of his voice demonstrate that he belongs in the highest rank as one of the greatest bass-baritones ever.

Today in 1751 – Philip Doddridge Died

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Philip Doddridge was the youngest of 20 children. (Only he and one sister survived past childhood.) In later years, he became a non-conformist clergyman in England, in addition to being known as an educator and author. As one of the dissenting clergy who did not associate themselves with the Church of England, he served an independent congregation, and tutored at a seminary for dissenting ministers from 1739 until his death.

Doddridge was also a prolific hymn writer, and quite a number of his songs are still found in our hymnals. (For more on Philip Doddridge and his hymns, see Today in 1702.) Among the hymns he gave us are:

Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve
Grace, ‘Tis a Charming Sound
Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand
How Gentle God’s Commands
O God of Bethel, By Whose Hand
O Happy Day
See Israel’s Gentle Shepherd Stand

Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand was originally headed by the words:

Help obtained of God. Acts xxvi:22
For New Year’s-Day.

And it would make a fine New Year’s song indeed! The text referenced is from the testimony of the Apostle Paul:

Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come-that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.

Acts 26:22-23

Great God, we sing that mighty hand
By which supported still we stand;
The opening year Your mercy shows,
That mercy crowns it ’til its close.

By day, by night, at home, abroad,
Still are we guarded by our God,
By His incessant bounty fed,
By His unerring counsel led.

With grateful hearts the past we own;
The future, all to us unknown,
We to Thy guardian care commit,
And peaceful leave before Thy feet.

(2) Today in 1909 – Francis Pott Died

Francis Pott was an English clergyman. He wrote several original hymns, but is better known for his translation work, especially of ancient hymns in Latin and Syriac. But one original hymn of Pott’s bears mention here, as it concerns sacred music. It was written for the occasion of the dedication of a new church organ. He says, in Angel Voices Ever Singing:

Angel voices, ever singing, round Thy throne of light,
Angel harps, forever ringing, rest not day or night;
Thousands only live to bless Thee, and confess Thee Lord of might.

Thou who art beyond the farthest mortal eye can scan,
Can it be that Thou regardest songs of sinful man?
Can we feel that Thou art near us and wilt hear us? Yea, we can.

Here, great God, today we offer of Thine own to Thee;
And for Thine acceptance proffer, all unworthily,
Hearts and minds, and hands and voices, in our choicest melody.

In 1859, Francis Pott translated from Latin into English the resurrection hymn The Strife Is O’er. There is some question about the origin of the Latin song in the beginning. Some attribute it to the twelfth century. Others believe it was written by a German Jesuit in the seventeenth century. Likely its first publication, by an anonymous author, was in Colgne, in 1695.

The strife is o’er, the battle done;
The victory of life is won;
The song of triumph has begun: Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

The powers of death have done their worst;
But Christ their legions hath dispersed;
Let shouts of holy joy outburst: Alleluia!

The three sad days are quickly sped;
He rises glorious from the dead;
All glory to our risen Head! Alleluia!

Today in 1564 – Hans Hassler Born

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Hans Leo Hassler followed in his father Isaac’s footsteps as a skilled church organist. In the sermon preached at his father’s funeral, the speaker said Isaac had “carefully brought up and trained his son, Hans Leo, in the fear of God, in the free arts, and especially in the praiseworthy art of music.” The son is also considered one of the best German composers of the time.

In 1601, Hans Leo Hassler published a secular love song entitled, My Heart is Distracted by a Gentle Maid. A decade later, the tune for this ballad was adopted for use with a German hymn. Another 30 years passed, and the tune was used for a beautiful hymn by Paul Gerhardt. To enhance the singing of Gerhardt’s hymn, Johann Sebastian Bach harmonized Hassler’s tune in 1729, and it became Passion Chorale, which we still use with the English translation of Gerhardt’s reverent text, O Sacred Head Now Wounded.

I note this rather complicated history to indicate that though the music came from a secular source, long ago, it has been delivered from that association for nearly 400 years. There is a myth abroad that many (or most) of our hymn tunes began is melodies used with “barroom songs.” But such is not the case. This is one of the few examples found in most of our hymn books of a hymn tune that originally began as the melody for a secular song. Whether it was ever sung in a bar, I don’t know. But it has entirely lost any such association today.

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine.

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Saviour! ’Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favour, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

(2) Today in 1808 – Placide Cappeau Born

When he was only 8 years old, Placide Cappeau lost a hand in a firearms accident. He went on to become a wine merchant in the town of Roquemaure, in France, and later mayor of the town. He wrote poetry for his own enjoyment, and it is Cappeau who gave us the original French version of the carol, O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel). You can hear the great Enrico Caruso sing it here.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Today in 1794 – William Tappan Born

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Hymn writer William Bingham Tappan was trained first as a clockmaker, in his youth. Later, he was licensed to preach by the Congregational denomination. He had a fruitful evangelistic ministry in America. Tappan also took special interest in the work of the Sunday School, and had a lifelong association with the American Sunday School Union. He published ten books of poetry, and a number of his poems were turned into hymns. William Tappen died of cholera in 1849, at the age of 55.

The hymn of his in widest use today is ‘Tis Midnight and on Olives Brow, a stirring picture of Christ in Gethsemane.

’Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
’Tis midnight, in the garden now
The suffering Saviour prays alone.

’Tis midnight, and from all removed
Emmanuel wrestles lone with fears
E’en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.

(2) Today in 1932 – Palmer Hartsough Died

Palmer Hartsough’s parents were Wells and Thankful Palmer. The son had a full life of employment and ministry for the Lord. He traveled widely for a time as a singing teacher, in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Then he opened a music studio in Rock Island, Illinois around 1877, taught vocal and instrumental music, and also directed music at a Baptist church.

In 1893 he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and was employed by the Fillmore Music Company. He was later ordained as a pastor. After several brief church ministries, he became the pastor of the Baptist church in Ontario, Michigan, at the age of seventy, and had a fruitful ministry for fourteen years, until his retirement. Palmer Harsough wrote more than a thousand gospel song texts, often using the pen name Uncle Frank. Only one or two of his songs are remembered today.

Gospel musician James Fillmore wrote words and music for a song to be used at a Christian Endeavour convention. Afterward, he asked Hartsough, then a writer on the staff of Fillmore’s music company, if he could write words for the tune that would be more widely useful. Hartsough responded with the challenging gospel song I Am Resolved.

I am resolved no longer to linger,
Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay,
Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
We’ll walk the heav’nly way.

Today in 1844 – Robert Bridges Born

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Robert Seymour Bridges attended Oxford, and studied medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. Later, because of ill health, he gave up his goal to become a doctor but, discovering he had a special gift for writing, he turned his career in that direction. Bridges published three volumes of poetry, several plays, and other works. He was also esteemed as a literary critic, and was named British Poet Laureate in 1913.

Mr. Bridges wrote a great deal about hymns and hymn writing, as well as contributing some hymns of his own. But his place in hymnody comes more from his translation work. He translated a number of hymns from German, for example, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, by Martin Janus, and Ah, Holy Jesus, How Has Thou Offended? by Johann Heerman.

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.

And from Latin Robert Bridges has given us the fourth-century hymn by Ambrose of Milan, O Splendour of God’s Glory Bright.

O splendour of God’s glory bright,
O Thou that bringest light from light;
O Light of light, light’s living spring,
O day, all days illumining.

O Thou true Sun, on us Thy glance
Let fall in royal radiance;
The Spirit’s sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.

(2) Today in 1862 – August Storm Born

August Ludvig Storm was a Salvation Army officer in Sweden. In 1891 he wrote a hymn of thanksgiving which is, to say the least, unusual. Unusual because it perceptively thanks the Lord for pains as well as pleasures. Most of us are ready and willing to thank the Lord for what we see as positive blessings. But it takes a deeper spiritual insight and faith to see our problems and burdens as something for which we can thank God as well.

The Apostle Paul provides an example of the latter. He reached the point where he realized that if God was glorified through his suffering, he could rejoice in that. Depending on the Lord in his times of weakness brought greater glory to God, and for that he was thankful.

A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

II Cor. 12:7-10

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Today in 1697 – Katharina von Schlegel Born

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Graphic Jesus on the Sea

Little is known of this hymn writer with the impressive name, Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel. She was attached to a small ducal court at Cothen, Germany. (One source says she headed an evangelical Lutheran nunnery there.) Before she died in 1768, she apparently wrote 29 hymns, but only one of them has been translated (by Jane Borthwick) and remains in common use. That is the beautiful Be Still, My Soul, which likely draws its inspiration in part from Ps. 46:10-11.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah [Think of that!]

As the Lord came to the disciples walking on the stormy sea, so He has proven Himself abundantly able to meet the needs of so many in the storms of life. Be Still, My Soul was the favourite hymn of Eric Liddell, the gold medalist in the 1924 Olympics, who later went to China as a missionary, and ended his life in a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War. It also proved a personal blessing to me at the time of a long stay in the hospital for a double surgery. Have you found it a blessing too? Post a comment and let us know.

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

The boys’ choir Libera, of St. Philip’s Church in South London, has produced a haunting video of this hymn. It juxtaposes the audio with images of British servicemen from the Second World War, making the point of the song in a powerful way. I encourage you to take a few moments to listen to this memorable performance on YouTube:

(2) More from Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) is justly called “the Father of English Hymnody.” His approximately 600 hymns and paraphrases of the Psalms paved the way for Charles Wesley and others, beginning the Golden Age of English Hymnody (1700-1900). Here are two more of the songs he gave us: Come, We That Love the Lord, and Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed.

Notice the second stanza of the first hymn. It is not usually included in our hymnals, but it fits the next stanza logically. Watts had to confront many who thought only the Psalms should be sung in church, not newly written hymns. Further, the reference here to “pleasures” would have stunned many a staid Puritan in his day!

Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.

The sorrows of the mind
Be banished from this place!
Religion never was designed
To make our pleasures less.

Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God;
But children of the heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad.

Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.

And now for something completely different. Are you familiar with Sacred Harp, shaped note singing? (The “sacred harp” is the human voice. The shaped notes involve a form of music notation in which each tone of the scale is given a unique shape.) The genre has been traced back to music in the country parishes of England, in the eighteenth century. If you’ve never heard it before, it may be a little startling! But I personally find it has a haunting quality that is memorable. Singing is unaccompanied, and singers sit around the leader, with many of them beating time themselves.

Robert Lowry added a refrain, and turned the above into a jubilant gospel song, but Watts’s version, using the traditional tune St. Thomas, should not be abandoned. And speaking of gospel song arrangements of great hymns, I have dealt elsewhere with Ralph Hudson’s mutilation of Isaac Watts’s Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed?

Briefly, Hudson’s jaunty tune, with refrain, completely ignores the somber, penitent mood of the original hymn. (Notice the second to last stanza, not usually included. It connects logically to the one that follows.) Watts originally called the hymn Godly Sorrow Arising from the Sufferings of Christ. The text should be sung with reverent awe, and the traditional tune Martyrdom suits that well.

Alas! and did my Saviour bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

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