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Hymn Almanac June

Today in 1779 – Dorothy Thrupp Born

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Little is known today of this prolific author of hymns for children. Her work appeared in publications such as Hymns for the Young (published in 1830).

There has been some doubt expressed as to whether Dorothy Ann Thrupp truly is the source of the only one of her songs in common use today, Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us–though I believe we are safe in assuming her authorship. Part of the reason for the uncertainty is her own reluctance to use her name with her work. Some of her hymns appeared under the pen name Iota. Others were attributed to D.A.T. And many were left unsigned altogether.

In the excerpt below, notice the line describing the blessings God has made available to all who will turn to Him in faith–mercy to relieve, grace to cleanse, and power to free. Amen!

Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Early let us turn to Thee.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Early let us turn to Thee.

(2) Today in 1859 – William Sparrow-Simpson Born

Mr. Sparrow-Simpson was an Anglican clergyman, chiefly known today for the creation of the text for John Stainer’s oratorio The Crucifixion. It is for that work that the hymn Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow was written. It faces the mystery of Christ, the God-Man, suffering death. And it movingly portrays how He laid aside His eternal glory to save us. “Christ died for our sins” the Bible says (I Cor. 15:3). This hymn pictures something of the infinite cost of that. It says, in part:

Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow,
Where the blood of Christ was shed,
Perfect Man on thee did suffer,
Perfect God on thee has bled!

Here the King of all the ages,
Throned in light ere worlds could be,
Robed in mortal flesh is dying,
Crucified by sin for me.

From the “Holy, Holy, Holy,
We adore Thee, O most High,”
Down to earth’s blaspheming voices
And the shout of “Crucify.”

 (3) Today in 1904 – Joseph August Seiss Died

American clergyman Joseph Seiss (or Seuss) studied at Gettysburg College and Seminary and was ordained to the ministry in 1848. He served Lutheran churches in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Pastor Seiss translated the hymn Fairest Lord Jesus from German.

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honour,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Today in 1844 – John Wigner Born

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John Murch Wigner worked with the India Home Office in London. His father, a Baptist minister, was one of the compilers of an English hymnal called Psalms and Hymns for School and Home. The son was a lay preacher. He was active in the Children’s Special Service Mission (C.S.S.M.) with which W. G. Ovens (author of Wounded for Me) was later involved. Wigner’s interest in children began at home. He and his wife had 12 of them!

John Wigner penned a fine hymn of invitation in 1871 entitled Come to the Saviour Now. In succeeding stanzas it appeals to sinners to trust in Christ, to backslidden believers to return to God, and to all who are burdened to cast their cares on the Lord. The song begins:

Come to the Saviour now,
He gently calleth thee;
In true repentance bow,
Before Him bend the knee;
He waiteth to bestow
Salvation, peace, and love,
True joy on earth below,
A home in heav’n above.

(2) Today in 1954 – William Merrill Died

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries many churches in Christendom were emphasizing what they called the brotherhood of man [using that term generically to include women]. The movement was, as one publication put it, “concerned with man’s brotherly relation to man, and with the redemption through human effort of every sphere of man’s activity on earth.”

One who supported this concept was American pastor and hymn writer William Pierson Merrill. A magazine editor remarked to him one day that there was an urgent need for a hymn to express this philosophy. Shortly after reading an article entitled “The Church of Strong Men” in 1911, the lines for the hymn Rise Up, O Men of God came to him. It has since been included in many hymnals.

Most evangelicals would likely have no trouble with the first and last stanzas of the song. It is a ringing challenge to serve the Lord.

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

But notice carefully: the hymn addresses “men of God.” Various ones are described that way in the Bible. Moses is the first (Deut. 33:1), followed by a number of prophets, sometimes unnamed, as well as Elijah, Elisha, David, and Timothy. These are all godly leaders, men of faith. Men who walked in obedience to God’s Word. Servants of God. In fact, the Scriptures were specifically given “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Tim. 3:16-17).

Never is it suggested that everyone on earth is a “man [or woman] of God.” We are only “brothers” with all in the sense that we were created by God, and He “made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). But that is a physical relationship, not a spiritual kinship. Human beings, by nature, are “without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12), and “alienated from the life of God” (Eph. 4:18). And there is no “redemption through human effort” for anyone (Eph. 2:8-9).

In the two stanzas omitted above, Merrill calls us to: “Bring in the day of brotherhood / And end the night of wrong.” And picturing the church as being weak, the author says: “Her strength unequal to her task; / Rise up and make her great!” At the very least, this is a very one-sided look at things. How man-centred it seems! Where is the need for our utter reliance on the wisdom and power of Almighty God?

In contrast to Merrill’s view we hear the Lord declaring, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). “Christ also loved the church and [He] gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church” (Eph. 5:25-27, italics mine, for emphasis).

If the church is to be made great, it will not be feeble man’s doing, but the Lord’s. And it is only in dependence on Him that born again, Spirit-filled individuals can be instruments in His hands to accomplish this (Jn. 15:5; I Cor. 2:1-5). Then it is Christ who will finally “end the night of wrong” at His glorious return.

Listen to Rise Up O Men of God.

Today in 1677 – Johann Franck Died

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Johann Franck was born in Germany. After attending university, he was elected to the town council of his home city of Guben. In 1661, he was elected mayor. Respected as a lawyer and civil servant, he was also an ardent Christian, and he wrote 110 hymns.

Among the mostly commonly used today is the beautiful Jesus, Priceless Treasure, translated into English by Catherine Winkworth. It is patterned after a love song, and some Lutherans have considered it too subjective and emotional for congregational use. See what you think.

Jesus, priceless Treasure,
Source of purest pleasure,
Truest Friend to me.
Ah, how long in anguish
Shall my spirit languish,
Yearning, Lord, for Thee?
Thou art mine, O Lamb divine!
I will suffer naught to hide Thee,
Naught I ask beside Thee.

In Thine arms I rest me;
Foes who would molest me
Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking,
Every heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fear.
Lightnings flash and thunders crash;
Yet, though sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.

Evil world, I leave thee;
Thou canst not deceive me,
Thine appeal is vain.
Sin that once did bind me,
Get thee far behind me,
Come not forth again.
Past thy hour, O pride and power;
Sinful life, thy bonds I sever,
Leave thee now forever.

Hence, all thought of sadness!
For the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in.
Those who love the Father,
Though the storms may gather,
Still have peace within;
Yea, whatever we here must bear,
Still in Thee lies purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless Treasure!

(2) Today in 1830 – Elizabeth Clephane Born

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane was born in Melrose, Scotland. Although orphaned at an early age, and in poor health all of her brief life (she died when she was only 39), she loved the Lord and shared His love with those around her, often visiting the sick and dying. People in the community nicknamed her “Sunshine,” because of the joy she brought to others. So dedicated were she and her sister to helping the poor that they sold their horses and their carriage and used the money for that purpose.

The two songs for which she is known are The Ninety and Nine, and Beneath the Cross of Jesus. Both were published after Elizabeth Clephane’s death. Beneath the Cross of Jesus appeared in The Family Treasury, a popular magazine in Scottish homes in that day. Under the heading “Breathings from the Border,” the editor wrote the following introduction:

These lines express the experiences, the hopes and the longings of a young Christian lately released. Written on the very edge of this life, with the better land fully in view of faith, they seem to us footprints printed on the sands of time, where those sands touch the ocean of eternity. These footprints of one whom the Good Shepherd led through the wilderness into rest may, with God’s blessing, contribute to comfort and direct succeeding pilgrims.

That they certainly have done. The hymn says, in part:

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

The word “fain” in the opening line means gladly. And let me add two other comments on this lovely hymn. First, you will find that some hymn books have retained these original lines that end one of the stanzas (italics mine):

And from my stricken heart, with tears, two wonders I confess–
The wonders of redeeming love, and my own worthlessness.

But many take issue with the idea that God would ever create something worthless! We’re of great worth to the Lord. Worthless? No! But unworthy, yes. Only God’s grace could save us, because we could offer nothing in ourselves to merit His love (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). This has led many editors to alter the line to: “The wonders of redeeming love, and my unworthiness.”

As is often the case with older hymns, stanzas of this one are omitted from most hymnals. The following example shows us a woman who was not only literate, but had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. Elizabeth Clephane writes:

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where heaven’s love and heaven’s justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Saviour’s cross to me, a ladder up to heaven.

What a description of the cross this is! What worthy thoughts for our meditation–a “safe and happy shelter,” a “refuge tried and sweet.” And a “trysting place”! Not a term we see much today. It refers to an appointed meeting place, especially one arranged by those who love one another! And the meeting of love and justice? A whole treatise could be written on that! (Some have changed the word “trysting” to “holy,” which is certainly acceptable.)

Then, Miss Clephane takes us to the time when Jacob was fleeing from his brother Esau. Out in the wilderness, he slept on the bare ground with a stone for his pillow. During the night, God gave him a strange dream, described this way: “Behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Gen. 28:12).

The dream reassured Jacob that God was with him. However, it is given a particular New Testament application by the Lord Jesus. He says to Nathanael–who would later become one of Christ’s disciples–“Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (Jn. 1:51). It is in Christ Himself and His work on the cross, that we have a bridge to heaven and eternal life.

Today in 1703 – John Wesley Born

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John Benjamin Wesley was the founder of the Methodist movement. His ministry, along with that of his brother Charles was, by God’s grace, to have an immeasurable impact on the morally corrupt Britain of his day–and eventually on the entire world.

It is usually stated that John was the preacher, and his brother Charles was the hymn writer. While this is true in terms of the emphasis of their work, Charles too was a fine preacher, and John also wrote and translated a number of hymns.

Wesley’s father was a clergyman, and John was the fifteenth of nineteen children born to Samuel and Susanna Wesley. When John was five, there was a fire in the rectory and the boy was rescued as the flames engulfed the home. His escape made a deep impression on his mind. In later years he described himself as “brand plucked from the burning.” He prayed, “Lord, let me not live to be useless,” a prayer that was most certainly answered!

Many know the early efforts John Wesley made with regard to Christian service. Diligent, disciplined, yet spiritually empty. A largely frustrating work among the Indian tribes in America presented a severe “do right” morality that lacked the power of the Holy Spirit. After he returned to England, Wesley discovered the reason: he himself had never been truly born again. He attended a meeting of the Moravians on May 24, 1738 when all that changed.

During the meeting, someone read from the preface of Luther’s commentary on Romans. Wesley says, “About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given to me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

A new child of God and an ardent servant of Christ was born that night.

John Wesley made excellent translations of German, French, and Spanish hymns. Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness, and Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me, were translated from German by John Wesley. He also edited and revised the hymns written by his brother, and those of Isaac Watts. Most of the changes he made are recognized as improvements.

Wesley’s fine translation of a German hymn by Paul Gerhardt (written about a century earlier) could well be the testimony of the translator himself. It begins:

Jesus, Thy boundless love to me
No thought can reach, no tongue declare;
Unite my thankful heart to Thee
And reign without a rival there.
Thine wholly, Thine alone, I am;
Be Thou alone my constant flame.

 Here are two more translations by John Wesley. When we realize that the Methodists were often severely persecuted in England in his day, it will be seen why these songs meant so much to them. The first was written by Paul Gerhardt in 1656.

Give to the winds thy fears,
Hope and be undismayed.
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears,
God shall lift up thy head.

Through waves and clouds and storms,
He gently clears thy way;
Wait thou His time; so shall this night
Soon end in joyous day.

Leave to His sovereign sway
To choose and to command;
So shalt thou, wondering, own that way,
How wise, how strong this hand.

Far, far above thy thought,
His counsel shall appear,
When fully He the work hath wrought,
That caused thy needless fear.

The other song was written by Johann Winckler in 1708. You can see the ten stanzas on the Cyber Hymnal. It’s worth reading them all, but here is a sampling. (Very convicting!)

Shall I, for fear of feeble man,
The Spirit’s course in me restrain?
Or, undismayed, in deed and word
Be a true witness for my Lord?

Awed by a mortal’s frown, shall I
Conceal the Word of God Most High?
How then before Thee shall I dare
To stand, or how Thine anger bear?

Shall I, to soothe the unholy throng,
Soften Thy truths, and smooth my tongue,
To gain earth’s gilded toys, or flee
The cross, endured, my God, by Thee?

Yea, let men rage, since Thou wilt spread
Thy shadowing wings around my head;
Since in all pain Thy tender love
Will still my sure refreshment prove.

Give me Thy strength, O God of power;
Then let winds blow, or thunders roar,
Thy faithful witness will I be:
’Tis fixed; I can do all through Thee!

Today in 1833 – Lead, Kindly Light written

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The author, John Henry Newman, was a brilliant scholar. Following his graduation from Oxford University, he became a clergyman in the Church of England. John Newman did not approve of the style of evangelism practiced by the Wesleys a century earlier. It was his view that a true religious experience could only come through the rituals of the church. So he did his best to bring about what he saw as needed change.

It was not long, however, before his efforts began to tell on him, both physically and emotionally. Near burn-out at the age of 32, he was forced to spend months recuperating. While traveling in Italy, he came down with a fever and nearly died. At last he was able to secure passage back to England. But the voyage became a tedious one, due to thick fog and lack of a favourable wind. As he paced the deck, physical weakness and emotional despair tormented Newman. Like the ship, his life seemed to be going nowhere. It was then he penned the words of his hymn:

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!

In later life, Newman joined the Catholic Church–a group he had strongly opposed in earlier times. For their part his change of heart was at first viewed with suspicion. He was shunned for many years before his altered allegiance was recognized, but he finished his days as a prominent cardinal in the Church of Rome.

He was asked, decades after penning the above words, what he meant by the closing lines of the song:

And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Did he mean, for instance, that we’ll all turn into angels in heaven? Newman replied that he had no idea what he meant!

The hymn is a strong piece of poetry that speaks of spiritual darkness and the danger of pride. But it has no clear biblical message of hope for the future. Hymn writer E. H. Bickersteth added a stanza of his own to end the song with a ray of light. It says:

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path, Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith–home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life. 

(2) The King’s Highway (Data Missing)

A gospel song was published in 1881 for which we have no information at all regarding the author of the text. The words were set to music by John Sweney, a frequent collaborator with Fanny Crosby. The result is typical of what were called Sunday School songs, back in the nineteenth century. It captures a simple idea and expresses it in a way all can understand. (You can see the complete song, and hear to tune on the Cyber Hymnal.)

Living a godly life is described in Scripture as walking in the paths of righteousness. It is one of the blessings believers enjoy, that the Shepherd of our souls “leads [us] in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Ps. 23:3). But there are many temptations to turn aside, to stray from the path. This little song urges us to “keep to the middle of the King’s highway.”

Wherever you may be, whatever you may see,
That would lead you into evil, say you nay,
I will not turn aside; whatever may betide,
I’ll keep along the middle of the King’s highway.

The King’s highway, the King’s highway,
I’ll keep along the middle of the King’s highway;
I will not turn aside; whatever may betide,
I’ll keep along the middle of the King’s highway.

The meadows may be green, where bypath stile is seen,
Turn aside, the little flowers seem to say;
Be sure you take no heed—they’re trying to mislead—
Just keep along the middle of the King’s highway.

Our God will guide us right, and walking in the light,
We shall win a crown of glory in the day,
When Jesus calls His own together round the throne,
Who keep along the middle of the King’s highway.

Today in 1893 – John Ellerton Died

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Arecognized authority on the hymns of the church, John Ellerton was an Anglican clergyman who either wrote or translated about 80 hymns. He gave us The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended, and also added this fourth and strongly Trinitarian stanza to Dorothy Gurney’s O Perfect Love (see below):

Hear us, O Father, gracious and forgiving,
Through Jesus Christ, Thy coeternal Word,
Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living
Now and to endless ages art adored.

The Latin original of the resurrection hymn Welcome, Happy Morning was written by Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus. Precise dates for him are unknown. He lived about AD 530 to 609, and served as bishop of Poitiers, France, near the end of his life. The hymn of Fortunatus was translated into English by John Ellerton.

“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say:
“Hell today is vanquished, heav’n is won today!”
Lo! the dead is living, God forevermore!
Him, their true Creator, all His works adore!

“Welcome, happy morning!”
Age to age shall say;
“Hell today is vanquished!
Heaven is won today!”

Maker and Redeemer, life and health of all,
Thou from heaven beholding human nature’s fall,
Of th’eternal Father true and only Son,
Mankind to deliver, manhood didst put on.

Thou, of life the author, death didst undergo,
Tread the path of darkness, saving strength to show;
Come then, True and Faithful, now fulfil Thy Word;
’Tis Thine own third morning; rise, O buried Lord!

(2) Today in 1932 – Dorothy Gurney Died

The daughter of an English clergyman, Dorothy Gurney is known for one hymn only. She and some others were enjoying a time of hymn singing, and came to one called O Strength and Stay, written long ago by Ambrose of Milan (AD 340-397). Someone commented that the tune was a fine one, and they wished it had words that would particularly suit a wedding service. Dorothy’s sister was actually about to be married. The sister turned to Dorothy and said, What is the use of a sister who composes poetry if she cannot write new words to a favourite tune?”

Accepting the challenge, Mrs. Gurney left the room, returning within 15 minutes with the text for the hymn O Perfect Love. (It was later given its own tune, written by Joseph Barnby.)

Notice how the two words Light and Love are capitalized in the text. The author is using them as titles for the Lord Jesus Christ, expressing the thought that the full blessing of marriage requires His active presence in the couple’s lives. The song was for a time a common part of traditional Christian weddings. Not so much now. Perhaps the poetry is dated, and perhaps it has been overused, but the need for Christ-centred homes remains.

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne,
That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,
Whom Thou forevermore dost join in one.

O perfect Life, be Thou their full assurance,
Of tender charity and steadfast faith,
Of patient hope and quiet, brave endurance,
With childlike trust that fears nor pain nor death.

Today in 1837 – William Dix Born

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We are indebted to William Chatterton Dix, the manager of a marine insurance company in Glasgow, for a couple of fine Christmas carols: What Child Is This? and As with Gladness Men of Old. But he wrote other hymns as well. One of these is a hymn for the Lord’s Supper–which in the song is called “the Eurcharistic feast.” (The Greek word eucharisteo means to give thanks, as Jesus did at the meal, I Cor. 11:24.) The hymn is Alleluia! Sing to Jesus, and it says in part:

Alleluia! sing to Jesus! His the sceptre, His the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.
Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion thunder like a mighty flood.
Jesus out of every nation has redeemed us by His blood.

Alleluia! King eternal, Thee the Lord of lords we own;
Alleluia! born of Mary, earth Thy footstool, heav’n Thy throne:
Thou within the veil hast entered, robed in flesh our great High Priest;
Thou on earth both priest and victim in the Eucharistic feast.

Come Unto Me, Ye Weary (based on Matt. 11:28), a lesser known creation of William Dix, came to him in 1867, when he was, as he describes himself, ill and depressed. He says, “I had been ill for ma­ny weeks and felt weary and faint….Soon af­ter its com­po­si­tion I re­cov­ered, and I al­ways look back to that hymn as the turn­ing point in my ill­ness.”

“Come unto Me, ye weary, and I will give you rest.”
O blessèd voice of Jesus, which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of benediction, of pardon, grace and peace,
Of joy that hath no ending, of love which cannot cease.

“Come unto Me, dear children, and I will give you light.”
O loving voice of Jesus, which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts are filled with sadness, and we had lost our way;
But He hath brought us gladness and songs at break of day.

“Come unto Me, ye fainting, and I will give you life.”
O cheering voice of Jesus, which comes to aid our strife!
The foe is stern and eager, the fight is fierce and long;
But Thou hast made us mighty and stronger than the strong.

“And whosoever cometh I will not cast him out.”
O welcome voice of Jesus, which drives away our doubt,
Which calls us, very sinners, unworthy though we be
Of love so free and boundless, to come, dear Lord, to Thee.

(2) Today in 1901 – Ralph Hudson Died

Hudson had a widely varied career. He was a nurse during the American Civil War. Then after the war he taught music at a college. In addition, he was a licensed preacher with the Methodist Episcopal denomination, was an evangelist, a singer, song writer, and compiler of the songs of others. Usually, he composed the tunes. But he occasionally wrote lyrics too, as he did for the song I’ll Live for Him.

My life, my love I give to Thee.
Thou Lamb of God who died for me;
Oh, may I ever faithful be,
My Saviour and my God!

Hudson also formed his own publishing company. A busy life! But he is not without his critics. He liked to take traditional hymns and turn them into gospel songs, by giving them an upbeat tune and adding a refrain. In so doing, he sometimes forgot that the music needs to suit the mood and subject of the words. The most painful example that comes to mind is his treatment of Isaac Watts’s great hymn of worship, Alas! And Did My Saviour Bleed?

With eloquent passion, Watts pictures himself standing before the cross, wondering at the love that led Christ to die for “a worm” such as he was. (Notice especially the first stanza below, omitted from hymn books today.) He writes:

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine–
And bathed in His own blood–
While the firm mark of wrath divine
His soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I have 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.

When the usual tune (Martyrdom) is used, this becomes a worshipful meditation on the reason for Christ’s terrible agony on the cross. But Ralph Erskine Hudson felt the hymn needed some adjustment. He gave it a new tune, with a jolly, bouncing chorus:

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away (rolled away).
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!

Congregations may enjoy singing Hudson’s creation, but I believe it does grave injustice to the song’s purpose! It minimizes our confrontation with the horrific nature of crucifixion, requiring, as it does, an almost impossible 180 degree emotional turn each time singers move from the chorus to the next stanza. And the text of the chorus isn’t even biblical, at that! Even Jesus wasn’t “happy all the day!”

In my view, Mr. Hudson should have left well enough alone.

Today in 1592 – Thomas Ravenscroft Born

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Thomas Ravenscroft lived some 400 years ago. In his day, he was an acclaimed musician, who composed a great deal of church music. Unfortunately the main thing for which most know him today is the song Three Blind Mice! The rather gruesome ditty was written while he was still in his teens. (It is surely a warning to us that our legacy may not be quite what we’d hoped or expected!)

Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run. See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer’s wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a sight in your life,
As three blind mice?

(2) Today in 1976 – Earl Marlatt Died

Dr. Marlatt was an American educator who was professor of philosophy of religion and religious literature at Southern Methodist University in Texas. Though he wrote other poetry and hymn texts, he is mainly known for the hymn, “Are Ye Able,” Said the Master. The hymn was written for a service of consecration in 1926, while Mr. Marlatt was on the faculty of Boston University.

The song is unusual in that it lifts a verse of Scripture out of its context and misses the sad irony of the original. Just before Jesus went to the cross, the mother of James and John came to Him to ask if her sons could be given a prominent place in His coming kingdom. In response, the Lord asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”–a reference to His suffering and death. And the men answered, “We are able” (Matt. 20:22).

Knowing what was about to happen in coming days, we now see their self confidence as naive. In truth, when the time of testing came, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56). But we as learn that in later years, strengthened by the Spirit of God, one after another faced persecution and even death with holy boldness. To the later faithfulness of these “sturdy dreamers,” the hymn writer alludes with his use of the text. The hymn begins:

“Are ye able,” said the Master,
“To be crucified with Me?”
“Yea,” the sturdy dreamers answered,
“To the death we follow Thee.”

Lord, we are able. Our spirits are Thine.
Remold them, make us, like Thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
A beacon to God, to love and loyalty.

Today in 1798 – John Morrison Died

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John Morrison was one of a number of hymn writers in the 18th century who added to the Scottish Psalter paraphrases of other passages of Scripture in addition to the Psalms. One of the best and most beautiful of these, published in 1781, was by Morrison. It is a poetic paraphrase of Hosea 6:1-4, which begins, “Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.”

The prophet is speaking of the repentance of the believing remnant of Israel in the last days, But Morrison’s hymn of contrition is appropriate today for any backslidden child of God who desires to turn again to Him. The Word of God assures us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I Jn. 1:9). For the full hymn and the tune, check the Cyber Hymnal. Morrison’s hymn says, in part:

Come, let us to the Lord our God
With contrite hearts return;
Our God is gracious, nor will leave
The desolate to mourn.

His voice commands the tempest forth
And stills the stormy wave;
And though His arm be strong to smite,
’Tis also strong to save.

2) Today in 1919 – John Sammis Died

John Sammis was an American business man, and later a Presbyterian pastor and Bible teacher. This faithful servant of God wrote a number of hymns. For example, he gave us the text of the well-known gospel song Trust and Obey. And a less common offering from Pastor Sammis is his 1910 song, He’s a Friend of Mine.

Why should I charge my soul with care?
The wealth of every mine
Belongs to Christ, God’s Son and Heir,
And He’s a Friend of mine.

Yes, He’s a Friend of mine,
And He with me doth all things share;
Since all is Christ’s, and Christ is mine,
Why should I have a care?
For Jesus is a Friend of mine.

The composer of the tune of the above song is Daniel Towner. Less common still is Pastor Sammis’s song We Know Not Yet.

We know not yet what we shall be
Though now the sons of God;
When robed in immortality
We rise above the sod.

We know not what our eyes shall see
Among the starry spheres;
What sounds of heavenly melody
Shall greet our ravished ears.

We know not, though we now receive
The earnest long before
Our foolish hearts cannot conceive
The grace there is in store.

There are things about the heavenly kingdom that we are told in the Word of God. There are many more that we shall learn when the time comes. John Sammis focuses our attention on what we do know in his refrain, which begins, “But we know…” And we do know that we’ll be with Christ for all eternity (Jn. 14:3; I Thess. 4:16-17), and be clothed in glorified, resurrection bodies like His own (Phil. 3:20-21; I Jn. 3:2).

Today in 1884 – William Gaskell Died

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The Bible talks about Christian ministry as a process in which many have a part. Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (I Cor. 3:6). And sometimes a person who gains only limited recognition, or later fades into obscurity, can play an important part in God’s program all the same. For instance, it was his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball, who led evangelist D. L. Moody to Christ. Kimball is all but forgotten, but God used him to bring Moody to Himself, and Moody brought thousands more.

Another who had that kind of little-recognized influence was a man named William Gaskell. He served as pastor of the Cross Street Chapel in Manchester, England, for over 60 years. But since he was a Unitarian in doctrine, many of us would find ourselves opposed to some of the beliefs he held. Gaskell wrote many hymns, but they are long forgotten. However, it was in another area that he made an unexpected contribution.

William Gaskell was a teacher, as well as  being a pastor. He gave lectures on literature and other subjects in Manchester. But he went a step further. The city at that time had a large population of poor and underprivileged people. He took it upon himself to tutor both boys and girls who could not get an education elsewhere. Catherine Winkworth was among his students (as was her sister).

And if Gaskell’s contribution to hymnology is forgotten today, Catherine Winkworth’s certainly is not. Considered the foremost English translator of old German hymns, her name is found in nearly every hymn book. If you have ever sung hymns such as Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, or If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee, or Now Thank We All Our God, you have benefited from her service for the Lord.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

(2) Sitting at the Feet of Jesus (Data Missing)

From the 19th century comes a lovely little gospel song that is based on the occasion described in Luke when Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, sat at the feet of Christ to hear His teaching (Lk. 10:39).

We know nothing of the author. He or she is listed simply by the initials J.H. (or sometimes J.H.T.). Asa Hull’s tune is also used for All for Jesus. (You can hear it played on the Cyber Hymnal.)

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Where can mortal be more blest?
There I lay my sins and sorrows
And, when weary, find sweet rest.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
There I love to weep and pray,
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day.

Bless me, O my Saviour, bless me,
As I sit low at Thy feet.
Oh, look down in love upon me;
Let me see Thy face so sweet.
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus;
Make me holy as He is.
May I prove I’ve been with Jesus,
Who is all my righteousness.

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