Today in 1859 – Kate Wilkinson Born

Relatively little is known of English hymn writer Kate Barclay Wilkinson. She was the daughter of a mechanical engineer, and married in 1891. She ministered to young women in west London, and was apparently associated with the Keswick “deeper life” movement. We have only one hymn from her pen, but it’s a fine one.

May the Mind of Christ, My Saviour was written in the early twentieth century. It is based on the words of the Apostle Paul in Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” There follows a description of the way the Lord Jesus surrendered His rights and took the place of humble service, even unto death (vs. 6-8). It is a theme the Bible addresses a number of times, perhaps because the tendency of our sinful nature is to do just the opposite, to cling to what we see as our rights, and expect others to serve us!

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

(2) The Lord Is Coming (Data Missing)

Over the years, many hymns have been written about the return of Christ, and about our heavenly home. (Ira Sankey’s hymnal, Sacred Songs and Solos, has about 150 of them, out of the 1200 songs in the book.)

Many of these have been long forgotten, not being used in most churches today. That is understandable, and sometimes is an outcome of inferior quality. However, they are at least of historical interest, having blessed the people of God in years gone by.

One of these is the little second-coming hymn The Lord Is Coming. An unknown author gave us the first stanzas and the refrain in the 1840s. The last stanza was added by Mary Steward, about 40 years later. (We know nothing of her but the name.) You can see the full hymn and hear William Bradbury’s tune on the Cyber Hymnal.

The Lord is coming, let this be
The herald note of jubilee;
And when we meet and when we part
The salutation from the heart.

The Lord is coming, let this be
The herald note of jubilee,
The herald note of jubilee.

The Lord is coming! sound it forth
From east to west, from south to north;
Speed on! speed on the tidings glad,
That none who love Him may be sad.

The earth, with her ten thousand wrongs
Will soon be tuned in nobler songs;
Our praise shall then, in realms of light,
With all His universe unite.