Menu

Today in 1828 – George Warren Born

,

Graphic Pipe Organ

Men from two churches with the same name contributed to the writing of the patriotic hymn God of Our Fathers. Rev. Daniel Roberts of St. Thomas Church, Brandon, Vermont, wrote the words–the only hymn text he ever produced. And George Warren, the organist at St. Thomas Church, New York City, composed the tune (called National Hymn) some years later.

When Roberts wrote the hymn for the 4th of July celebration in 1876, he set it to the majestic tune Russian Hymn. Either tune works well, though the stirring trumpet fanfare at the beginning of each stanza makes Warren’s unique. An American master of the pipe organ, though largely self-taught, George William Warren also wrote a number of choral anthems and other hymn tunes. When he died in 1902, no organ music was played at his funeral, as mourners believed they could find no organist to approach his abilities!

As with many national hymns, this one is cast as a prayer. “Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way,” is a worthy aspiration, even though America continues to fall far short of it (as do all nations). The Word of God reminds us, “Righteousness exalts [lifts up] a nation, but sin is a reproach [a shame and disgrace] to any people” (Prov. 14:34). We need to pray for our national leaders that they will lead us wisely and well.

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.

Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.

Ignorance… Blissful or Otherwise

It continues to trouble me that an increasing number of Christians know very few of the great hymns and gospel songs of the faith. Not only that, but they seem not to care to correct the deficit. They have bought into the propaganda of the contemporary religious marketplace that tells them ad nauseum that those songs are too old-fashioned and out-of-date. That we must have something fresh and new. That we need to get with it!

Well, I’m certainly not suggesting we reject good quality newer songs simply because they’re new. But neither do I believe we should abandon our traditional hymnody. It is simply too much of a devotional treasury to be missed. Centuries of church history have been poured into our hymns. Godly men and women have written out of a rich experience with the Lord. They have things to teach us yet. Hang onto the hymn book! And let’s determine to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem!

If you have not read my article Ignorance…Blissful or Otherwise, please click on the link and give it a look. There are a number of suggestions there for increasing our awareness and appreciation for these old songs. (You might also check out 77 Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing.)

(2) When I See My Saviour (Data Missing)

Robert Harkness provided a tune for this song, with some lovely harmonies typical of his compositions. The words were written in 1911 by Maud Fraser Jackson, of whom we know nothing but her name. (It is a common name. But there is a Maud Fraser who was born around 1873 in Iowa that’s a possible match. She married a man named William Jackson in 1900.)

Many of our hymns and gospel songs call us to stand before the cross of Calvary, seeing with the eyes of faith the suffering Saviour. All the way from Watts’s exalted When I Survey the Wondrous Cross to Fanny Crosby’s Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross, these songs help us to keep Calvary in view. As we do so, we gain a fresh appreciation of what our salvation cost the Saviour, and a renewed desire to love and serve Him faithfully.

Maud Jackson’s song is not as well known, but it is worth a look and listen. You can hear the tune of When I See My Saviour played on the Cyber Hymnal.

When I see my Saviour, hanging on Calvary,
Bearing there for sinners bitterest agony.
Gratitude o’erwhelms me, makes mine eyes grow dim,
All my ransomed being captive is to Him.

I can see the blood drops, red ’neath His thorny crown,
From the cruel nail wounds now they are falling down;
Lord, when I would wander from Thy love away,
Let me see those blood drops shed for me that day.

“Why hast thou forsaken?” List to that sad, sad moan!
Oh, His heart was broken, suffering there alone;
Broken then that mortals ne’er need cry in vain
For God’s love and comfort, in the hour of pain.

Today in 1786 – John Wade Died

,

The song discussed here, written by Wade, is the only one for which we know him today. In the early part of the twentieth century it appeared among the “Top 10” songs on the American hit parade not once, but on three separate occasions! It has been translated into over 100 languages and is sung in churches across Christendom–and across a wide theological spectrum.

Yet it was not until after World War Two that we knew who the author was. Careful research finally revealed his identity. John Francis Wade (1711-1786) was a music teacher and a copier of music. We can thank him for his work of preserving some of the ancient music of the church. And around the year 1743 he created both words and music for a Christmas carol called in Latin Adeste Fideles (which could be translated: Be Near, Faithful Ones). A century after Wade wrote it, it became our carol O Come, All Ye Faithful.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created...

(2) Today in 1859 – Carl Boberg Born

The hymn How Great Thou Art was unknown in America until the Billy Graham team introduced it in Canada at their Toronto Crusade in 1955. However, it had a long journey before that.

Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940) was a Swedish pastor, and later a senator in the Swedish parliament. He went for a walk one summer day in 1886 and got caught in a sudden thunderstorm. The rolling thunder and torrents of rain, followed by the return of the sunshine and the singing of the birds, overwhelmed him. He dropped to his knees in worship. Later, out of that experience, Pastor Boberg created a lovely poem about the greatness of God.

Several years after he penned the words, Boberg attended a church service and was surprised to hear his poem sung to an old Swedish melody. Shortly after the hymn was introduced in Sweden, it was translated into German. Then the German version was translated into Russian and published in a Russian hymn book in 1922. That is how it came to the attention of English missionary Stuart Hine a year or so later. He and his wife were serving in Ukraine when they heard the song, and they began using it as a duet in evangelistic services.

When war broke out in Europe in 1939, the Hines returned to England.  There Mr. Hine translated the hymn into English, adding a verse of his own about the return of Christ. The song was printed in leaflet form, and one of those leaflets was given to Cliff Barrows in 1954. He introduced the “new” hymn to an appreciative audience, a year later. From that point, its popularity grew steadily. By 1974, it was voted the number one hymn in America.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout the universe displayed!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Carl Boberg’s original poem had nine stanzas. Here is the translation of another, which has not been included as part of the hymn.

When burdens press, and seem beyond endurance,
Bowed down with grief, to Him I lift my face;
And then in love He brings me sweet assurance,
“My child, for thee, sufficient is My grace.”

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Today in 1768 – Christoph von Schmid Born

,

Christoph von Schmid was a Bavarian priest who is mainly known as an educator and author of children’s stories. His purpose, in his writings, was to teach children Christian values and practical piety, and he is considered a pioneer in writing for young people. One of his most famous stories was entitled Easter Eggs. It became so widely popular that Schmid started writing “Author of Easter Eggs,” when called upon to sign his name! His literary works have been translated into many languages. He died of cholera at the age of 87.

Christoph von Schmid also wrote poetry. One of these poems, published in 1794, has become a Christmas carol for children called O Come, Little Children. Combined with a tune by Johann Schulz, a contemporary of Schmid’s, it sounds like a gentle Christmas lullaby.

Oh, come, little children, oh, come, one and all,
To Bethlehem’s stable, in Bethlehem’s stall.
And see with rejoicing this glorious sight,
Our Father in heaven has sent us this night.

Oh, there lies the Christ Child, on hay and on straw;
The shepherds are kneeling before Him with awe.
And Mary and Joseph smile on Him with love,
While angels are singing sweet songs from above.

(2) Fairest Lord Jesus (Data Missing)

The lovely hymn, Fairest Lord Jesus (also called Beautiful Saviour) is often used as a Christmas hymn, but it well suits any time of year. We do not know who wrote the song. It has been traced back to a German hymn called Schonster Herr Jesu (Loveliest Lord Jesus) written about 1662. An English translation appeared in the mid-nineteenth century.

The tune is called Crusader’s Hymn, and for a time some concluded that it was used by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem during the crusades of the Middle Ages. However, this is incorrect. Of much more recent origin, it was first heard in the hayfields of Germany in 1836. Composer Franz Liszt used the tune for what he called the Crusader’s March, in an oratorio entitled The Legend of St. Elizabeth.

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
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.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heav’n can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Saviour, art to me.

Beautiful Saviour! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honour, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

Today in 1810 – Samuel Wesley Born

,

Samuel Sebastian Wesley was a grandson of Charles Wesley, and a noted organist in his day. He wrote many hymn tunes, including the well crafted Aurelia, which is used with The Church’s One Foundation, and Another Year Is Dawning. It is alleged that Samuel Wesley, being an avid fisherman, chose the churches to which he would accept a call to play the organ according to which had the best fishing nearby!

The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heav’n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

Solid and sturdy like a foundation, this great tune seems to suit a pipe organ rendition.

Robert Cottrill as boy

(2) Today in 1948 – Robert Cottrill Saved

Over 60 years ago, a family camp was in progress, in Ontario, Canada. In fact, the particular occasion I’m thinking of was the chapel service that evening. And over to one side of the auditorium–which was actually just an old barn, fancied up a bit–there sat a young family–dad and mom, and a little boy. And as it came time, the speaker presented the message of the evening.

Now, he didn’t seem to be a particularly impressive individual. He’d never written any books that I know of. Or made any popular recordings. And he wasn’t highly educated, or particularly dynamic. And he was getting on, and deaf. (Wore one of those old hearing aids with a metal strap over his head, and a headphone fastened to one ear. The electronics, and the batteries, were housed in a box that was strapped to his chest.)

As I say, not particularly impressive. But he preached the gospel that night. And at the end of his message, he said something like this: “Is there anyone here who’s realized your need of a Saviour? And you want to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, tonight. Please raise your hand, so I can pray for you.”

And there was a pause. Then that little boy–only seven years old–raised his hand. And I know that because that little boy was me (pictured above). Young as I was, I realized that I was a sinner, and that Christ had suffered and died on the cross, taking the punishment in my place, so that I could be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. As my mother prayed with me afterward, I believe I became a child of God that night.

In later years, I would become a pastor, and a Bible college instructor. And I always had a keen interest in sacred music, also serving as a choir conductor and a song leader many times. On one occasion, I wrote a little song, A Prayer for God’s Blessing, for the camp where I was saved (see link to Fair Havens at the right).

They used to have a sign at the entrance that said, “Sir, we would see Jesus” (Jn. 12:21). On the back of the same sign, visible on your departure, were the words “We beheld His glory” (Jn. 1:14). My song about these texts has never been published–I make no claim that it’s worthy of that, but you can hear the tune by checking on the Cyber Hymnal.

Here we would see Jesus;
Wearied with the journey
We turn again to be renewed
And know His touch of pow’r.
Yes, we would see Jesus
Through the Scriptures shining.
Lord, lift the veil of earthly sense
And meet us in this hour.

We beheld His glory–
Thus, when homeward wending,
Our hearts will echo with the chorus
Of redeeming love.
We beheld His glory,
And go forth to serve Him,
Till faith gives way to joyous sight
In mansions up above.

Lord’s Day Meditation – The Need for Endurance

,

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.” (Heb. 10:35-37)

We “have need of endurance.” The Greek word is hupomone, and it refers to steady patience, or patient endurance. Literally, the word means to remain under, meaning to stay the course without faltering (as patient Job did, Jas. 5:11). It is a quality represented by the seed that fell on good ground in Jesus’ Parable of the Soils (Lk. 8:13)–which stays there till its job is done.

Having said that, it is important to note that the Bible’s patience, or endurance, is not a passive resignation to our fate. It is a characteristic of vital, active Christians, committed to serving the Lord in spite of obstacles and difficulties, and who understand that the positive effects of their service may not be immediately apparent. That is the thrust of the reminder in Hebrews 10:37 that Christ will come back in “a little while.” It is then our varied ministries will come to full flower, and we shall reap eternal rewards.

Such patient endurance leads to the further development of Christian character (cf. Rom. 5:3-4; Jas. 1:3; II Pet. 1:6). It is something to pray for (II Thess. 3:5), and to strive for. So “let us run with endurance (Heb. 12:1). And God is the source of this quality. He is “the God of patience [same Greek word]” (Rom. 15:5).

To lift some words of the author of Hebrews out of their context for a moment, “Let us go on!” (Heb. 6:1). As Philip Bliss’s 1870 gospel song puts it,

Ho, my comrades! see the signal waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.

“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

Today in 1878 – Elizabeth Prentiss Died

,

Elizabeth Payson started submitting her writings for publication at the age of 16. She went on to publish many books, including Stepping Heavenward, a unique work of fiction written in the form of a young lady’s journal. Though the story takes place in the nineteenth century, modern authors such as Joni Eareckson Tada, Elisabeth Elliot and Kay Arthur have recommended it to teen-aged girls today, as a challenge to a deeper walk with Christ. The possibility of a superficial devotion filled Elizabeth Payson Prentiss with dread. She wrote, “To love Christ more is the deepest need, the constant cry of my soul.”

In 1845, the author married George Prentiss, a Congregational pastor who became professor of Homiletics and Polity at Union Theological Seminary. Elizabeth was a contented homemaker, with a keen sense of humour. Then, a dark shadow descended upon her and her husband. Within a short space of time, two of their three children died. Elizabeth wrote in her diary of her “empty hands, worn-out, exhausted body, and unutterable longings to flee from a world that has so many sharp experiences.”

Yet it was during that time (in 1856) that this grieving mother wrote a poem entitled More Love to Thee. She did not think much of it. Did not even show it to her husband for some thirteen years. Then in 1869 it was put in print, and set to music. It has become a much-used hymn, translated into many languages.

Unfortunately, a number of hymn book editors have omitted the third stanza. It is startling in its boldness and depth of insight. With the Apostle Paul Elizabeth Prentiss had come to understand that the Lord can do a great work in us through suffering (II Cor. 12:7-10). If faith can accept that God knows best, and a love for Christ well up to fill the void, then tragic loss can be seen in a more positive light. As Prentiss’s astonishing prayer in the third stanza puts it,

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

(2) Today in 1908 – Ira Sankey Died

Ira David Sankey was one of the most significant gospel musicians of the late nineteenth century. Partnered with evangelist Dwight L. Moody, he carried on an effective ministry on both sides of the Atlantic for nearly 30 years. (In the picture, he is seated at a little reed organ. Mr. Moody is sitting behind, the second man from the right.) Sankey was not only a singer and song leader, but a gospel hymn writer and a publisher of sacred music.

To celebrate the Lord’s soon return, Ira Sankey wrote the words and music for a jubilant song he called The King Is Coming (not to be confused with the more recent composition by the Gaithers). The circumstances surrounding the writing of this particular hymn are rather unusual. Sankey says,

During one of my trips to Great Britain [this one was in 1888], a storm raged on the sea. The wind was howling through the rigging, and waves like mountains of foam were breaking over the bow of the vessel. A great fear had fallen upon the passengers. When the storm was at its worst we all thought that we might soon go to the bottom of the sea. The conviction came to me that the Lord would be with us in the trying hour and, sitting down in the reading room, I composed this hymn.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Our King is coming!
And the time will not be long,
Until we hail the radiant dawning,
And lift up the glad new song.

O wondrous day! O glorious morning
When the Son of Man shall come!
May we with lamps all trimmed and burning
Gladly welcome His return!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Our King is coming!
And the time will not be long,
Until we hail the radiant dawning,
And lift up the glad new song.

O may we never weary watching,
Never lay our armour down
Until He come, and with rejoicing
Give to each the promised crown.

Two other songs for which Mr. Sankey provided the tune, you can check out on the Cyber Hymnal: I Am Praying for You, and What a Gathering!.

Graphic Oswald Smith

(3) Today in 1911 – Deeper and Deeper written

It is in the discovery of the deeper things of God–I may even say through our immersion into the depths of them–that we ourselves gain spiritual maturity as we become a reflection of what He is (II Cor. 3:18).

In 1911, such thoughts came to the mind of Oswald Jeffrey Smith walking along a street in the town of Woodstock, Ontario. As he headed toward a church where he was to preach that Sunday morning, the words and melody for a new hymn formed themselves in his mind.

In four more years he would become the pastor of the People’s Church in Toronto, a position he would hold for nearly 45 years. Under his leadership the congregation would become Canada’s greatest missionary sending agency of the mid-twentieth century. But in 1911 he was just a young preacher, preparing to minister for the Lord.

Smith hoped he could get to his rented room after the service before forgetting the song that was singing itself into his heart. He did, later completing several more stanzas. The author says, “The writing of the hymn afforded me much joy, nor has it ever grown old.” The song, entitled Deeper and Deeper, carries us through several stages as we come to know more of the heart of Jesus, His will, His cross, His joy, and finally, His matchless love.

Into the heart of Jesus
Deeper and deeper I go,
Seeking to know the reason
Why He should love me so,
Why He should stoop to lift me
Up from the miry clay,
Saving my soul, making me whole,
Though I had wandered away.

Today in 1715 – Nahum Tate Died

,

Most often our hymn writers were spiritual men and women, whose songs grew out of their own experience with God. Usually, but not always. Nahum Tate was the son of an Irish clergyman named Faithful Tate, but in Nahum’s own life he proved anything but faithful. A heavy drinker, who wasted his substance to the point where he ended his days in a debtors’ refuge, he did not seem to fit the part of a hymn writer!

But Nahum Tate was a gifted author. He wrote largely for the London stage, sometimes producing his own works, sometimes revising the works of others, including Shakespeare. He was appointed poet laureate of England in 1690. His place in hymnody came about through a partnership with Nicolas Brady. The two men produced a fresh metrical version of the Psalms that became the standard in the Church of England for 200 years. Here is how their rendering of Ps. 42 begins:

As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee
And Thy refreshing grace.

Tate and Brady also added a supplement to their New Version of the Psalms of David, presenting 16 hymns of their own. This audacity was not appreciated by all, as many felt the church should sing only the Psalms. However, Tate’s rendering of the Christmas story from Luke Chapter 2 is close to being an exact quotation from the Scriptures, so this helped it gain acceptance. It is the only one of the hymns from the supplement still in use today. He wrote:

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.

“Fear not!” said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind.
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.”

(2) Today in 1827 – William Blake Died

English painter and poet William Blake created some most unsual lines of verse as part of a longer work. It cannot precisely be called a hymn, but it is inspirational–certainly for the people of Britain.

There is a legend (not supported by the Scriptures) that Jesus, in His youth, and accompanied by His “uncle,” Joseph of Arimathea, visited the British Isles. Neither the mythical visit nor the familial relationship to Joseph of Arimathea is biblical. And Blake is rather coy about defending it. (Notice how he deals with it in the first stanza using questions, rather than statements!)

Granted that Blake had some subversive ideas often not understood by those who sing his words, if we may summarize the point of the song, it is this. What if Jesus did come? When He came, did England receive a touch of heaven, and become like the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city (Rev. 21–22)? Whether or not that’s the case, says Blake, we need to take up the fight, here and now, to make our country all that it should be.

The song became great expression of social protest in Britain, for those opposed to the “dark satanic mills” of the industrial revolution, and the oppression of workers. In 1916, at a meeting in the Albert Hall of the supporters of Women’s Suffrage, the song was sung for the first time to Sir Hubert Parry’s superb tune.

Jerusalem was also used in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire (with the movie actually taking its title from the second stanza).

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land.

View the song, Jerusalem, sung and enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience.

(3) Today in 1859 – Katharine Bates Born

The father and grandfather of Katharine Lee Bates were both Congregational clergyman. After graduating from Wellesley College, she taught high school for 6 years, then returned to Wellesley as a teacher, eventually becoming head of the English department. She was either the author or editor of some 20 books.

Graphic Pikes Peak (by David Shankbone)

One summer in 1893, she and a group of friends scaled the top of Pike’s Peak in the American Rockies. A New Englander, this was her first trip to the West. In her diary, she wrote, “Gazed in wordless rapture over the expanse of mountain ranges and sea-like sweep of the plains.” The grandeur of the scene inspired her to write the national hymn America the Beautiful. Though it does not contain a strong expression of biblical doctrine, it provides a worthy prayer that the citizens of Miss Bates’s country need to ponder more carefully.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain;
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self control,
Thy liberty in law.

There are many many versions of this national hymn on the Web–some of them odd, others simply atrocious! But try this lush rendition by the Iowa All-State Chorus and Orchestra. (It works best with headphones.) Enjoy!

Today in 1778 – Augustus Toplady Died

,

Augustus Montague Toplady, was the son of a British army major, killed in action when Toplady was a baby. He was raised by his devout and capable mother.

It is reported that at the age of 16, he was travelling in Ireland with his mother and they passed a barn where he heard singing. Looking in, he saw a small group of country folk holding a service. When the singing concluded, a man began to preach on Eph. 2:13, “You who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” The Lord used the message to bring the young man to faith in Christ.

Augustus Toplady went on to become a clergyman in the Church of England. A strong Calvinist, he differed with his contemporaries, John and Charles Wesley, in doctrine, but he shared their love for the Lord. Not being of a strong constitution, he died at the age of 38.

Toplady wrote a number of hymns, but most are forgotten today. He is responsible for several stanzas of the hymn Grace, ‘Tis a Charming Sound. (The other stanzas come from the pen of Philip Doddridge.) But the hymn for which he is remembered widely is Rock of Ages. In the eyes of many hymnologists, this hymn claims the highest rank in English hymnody. It is said the only hymn that stands before it is When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, by Isaac Watts.

Graphic Rock of Ages rock
(From The Romance of Sacred Song)

Augustus Toplady was out walking one day, several miles from home, when a sudden thunderstorm caused him to take shelter in a crevice of the rocky cliff shown in the picture. Awaiting the end of the downpour, he thought of how the believer is sheltered from judgment in the Rock Christ Jesus. It gave him an idea for some lines of verse. Looking around for something to write on, he spied a playing card lying on the path. He picked it up and wrote on the back,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!
Foul, I to the fountain fly:
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

The above account has been challenged by some critics, but it is supported by others. Hymn historian W. J. Limmer Sheppard says that the playing card is still preserved in the United States. In any case, Toplady later fleshed out the hymn to what we know now, calling it A Living and Dying Prayer for the Holiest Believer in the World.

It has been suggested that this title was an intentionally sarcastic reference to John Wesley, but that cannot be proven. We do know that he attacked Wesleyan theology in his writings. And if the rumour is true, he was saying that John Wesley, in spite of his holy life, needed to be saved by grace, through faith in the finished work of Christ, just as we all do.

Even the best of us cannot get to heaven on our own merits. Our righteous standing is based on what Christ has done for us. That is what the Bible teaches. Christ “suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (I Pet. 3:18; cf. Rom. 3:21-28). When he lay dying, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, said, “If in this hour I had only my worldly honours and dignities to depend upon, I should be poor indeed!” And he repeated feebly the words of this hymn.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

Below is a pretty standard rendering of the hymn–nicely done, a cappella, by a Mennonite group. But if you’re looking for something different, click on the YouTube file to hear the beautiful voice of Lori Sealy, singing the hymn to a more contemporary tune she wrote herself.

 (2) Sing, My Soul, His Wondrous Love (Data Missing)

Here is another anonymous hymn, celebrating the boundless love of God. The text first appeared in print in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1800. You can hear the tune that accompanied it on the Cyber Hymnal. The melody was written by Theodore Wood, of whom nothing is known but his name.

Sing, my soul, His wondrous love,
Who from yon bright world above,
Ever watchful o’er our race,
Still to man extends His grace;
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love,
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love.

Heaven and earth by Him were made;
He by all must be obeyed;
What are we that He should show
So much love to us below?
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love,
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love.

God, thus merciful and good,
Bought us with the Saviour’s blood;
And to make our safety sure,
Guides us by His Spirit pure;
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love,
Sing, my soul, His wondrous love.

Sing, my soul, adore His name,
Let His glory be my theme;
Praise Him till He calls thee home;
Trust His love for all to come;
Praise, oh praise the God of love,
Praise, oh praise the God of love.

Today in 1810 – Mary James Born

,

Mary Dagworthy James became a Sunday School teacher at the age of 13, and went on to be a leading figure in the Wesleyan holiness movement in the United States. She wrote about 50 hymns, and a couple of them are still in use.

Most hymnals include Mary James’s hymn, All for Jesus, a fine song of dedication. A hymn with the same metre, but different words, was used to conclude Sir John Stainer’s oratorio The Crucifixion. The tune also fits Mary James’s song. And in my view, Stainer’s tune (now called Wycliff) is superior to the one found in most hymn books with James’s song. Give Wycliff a try, if you can. (You can hear it played on the Cyber Hymnal.)

Less familiar but worth a look is Mary James’s Sweetly Resting. Below is a beautiful rendering of the song by the Charity Homeschool Chorus, singing unaccompanied. With the music are visuals noting various martyrs for the faith, down through the centuries. It’s an interesting combination. As the Bible says, “Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8). And as Paul testified, “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

In the rifted Rock I’m resting;
Safely sheltered, I abide.
There no foes nor storms molest me,
While within the cleft I hide.

Now I’m resting, sweetly resting,
In the cleft once made for me.
Jesus, blessèd Rock of Ages,
I will hide myself in Thee.

(2) Today in 1897 – William How Died

William Walsham How was an Anglican clergyman in Britain. A humble and unassuming man, he was admired for his ministry in the slums of East London, where he was known as “the Poor Man’s Bishop.” He also wrote over 50 hymns, several of which remain in common use. Below are a few of the hymns he gave us.

For All the Saints
O Jesus, Thou Art Standing
O Word of God Incarnate
We Give Thee but Thine Own

O Jesus, Thou Art Standing depicts Christ knocking at the door as we have it recorded in Rev. 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine [fellowship] with him, and he with Me.” Sometimes this is used as a salvation verse, and sinners are called upon to invite the Lord Jesus into their hearts. But Rev. How has it right. In the context, these words are spoken to members of a church that has become self-satisfied and shut the Lord out (vs. 17-19).

O Jesus, Thou art standing, outside the fast closed door,
In lowly patience waiting to pass the threshold o’er:
Shame on us, Christian brothers, His Name and sign who bear,
O shame, thrice shame upon us, to keep Him standing there!

Published in 1867, How’s hymn O Word of God Incarnate was based on Ps. 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” It is addressed to Christ, the living, incarnate Word (Jn. 1:1, 14), but it concerns the written Word of God, the Bible.

O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky:
We praise Thee for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.

The Scripture is a banner before God’s host unfurled;
It is a shining beacon above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass that over life’s surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.

Today in 1712 – When All Thy Mercies published

,

Joseph Addison was the greatest English writer of his time, and one of the greatest of all time. He studied law and political science and became, for a time, the chief secretary for Ireland. As the eighteenth century dawned Addison was beginning to show his surpassing skill as an essayist. He helped to establish the Spectator, a daily paper, in which he published many of his writings.

Addison preceded the Wesleys by a generation, but they recognized the way in which his strong Christian influence paved the way for their ministry. As you read John Wesley’s comment, you may be thinking as I did, “We need another Joseph Addison today!” He wrote,

God raised up Mr. Addison and his associates to lash the prevailing vices and ridiculous profane customs of the country, and to show the excellence of Christianity and Christian institutions. The Spectators were the first instrument in the hands of God to check the mighty and growing profanity, and call men back to religion and decency and common sense.

When All Thy Mercies, O My God is a hymn about God’s loving care of us through every phase of our lives, from our conception in the womb and on to eternity. The lines of verse were included in an essay on gratitude appearing in the Spectator. I’ve quoted a couple of verses below, but it is worth your while to go to the Cyber Hymnal and read the full hymn text. (Incidentally, I like the tune Belmont for this hymn, though the Cyber Hymnal doesn’t list it as a possibility as yet.)

When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I’m lost
In wonder, love and praise.

Through ev’ry period of my life
Thy goodness I’ll pursue,
And after death, in distant worlds,
The glorious theme renew.

The other magnificent hymn of Addison’s in common use is The Spacious Firmament, concerning the glory of God revealed in creation.

(2) Today in 1813 – Christian Bateman Born

British clergyman Christian Henry Bateman served successively as a pastor in the Moravian church, as well as in Congregational and Anglican churches. He wrote many hymns, but only one remains in common use today, Come, Christians, Join to Sing. The song originally appeared in Bateman’s book, Sacred Melodies for Children, and the opening line was “Come, children, join to sing.” The change was made to render the hymn more widely useful.

Come, Christians, join to sing–Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King–Alleluia! Amen!
Let all with heart and voice, before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice: Alleluia! Amen!

Here’s a link to a virtuoso piano arrangement of the tune Madrid, in which the pianist seems to make use of every note on the piano several times over!

(3) Today in 1933 – William Draper Died

William Henry Draper was an Anglican clergyman who also wrote about 60 hymns. But the song for which he is best know was written by another. In 1919, for a children’s festival on Whitsuntide (Pentecost), Draper published a paraphrase of Francis of Assisi’s Italian hymn, All Creatures of Our God and King.

The hymn was written shortly before Francis’s death, but was not published for another 400 years, appearing in English nearly 700 years after he died. It was written during an unusually hot summer, when Francis was ill and losing his sight. He was in great pain, as his eyes were highly sensitive to the light. His misery was increased by some field mice that had infested his hut, likely finding a home in the straw walls. When he lay down to rest, they boldly ran back and forth over his face. Yet, writing in those desperate circumstances, Francis created a glowing masterpiece.

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

Load More