Cecil Frances Alexander

Cecil Frances Alexander
From: Cyberhymnal
Short Name: Cecil Frances Alexander
Full Name: Alexander, Cecil Frances, 1818-1895
Birth Year: 1818
Death Year: 1895

As a small girl, Cecil Frances Humphries (b. Redcross, County Wicklow, Ireland, 1818; Londonderry, Ireland, 1895) wrote poetry in her school's journal. In 1850 she married Rev. William Alexander, who later became the Anglican primate (chief bishop) of Ireland. She showed her concern for disadvantaged people by traveling many miles each day to visit the sick and the poor, providing food, warm clothes, and medical supplies. She and her sister also founded a school for the deaf. Alexander was strongly influenced by the Oxford Movement and by John Keble's Christian Year. Her first book of poetry, Verses for Seasons, was a "Christian Year" for children. She wrote hymns based on the Apostles' Creed, baptism, the Lord's Supper, the Ten Commandments, and prayer, writing in simple language for children. Her more than four hundred hymn texts were published in Verses from the Holy Scripture (1846), Hymns for Little Children (1848), and Hymns Descriptive and Devotional ( 1858).

Bert Polman
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Alexander, Cecil Frances, née Humphreys, second daughter of the late Major John Humphreys, Miltown House, co. Tyrone, Ireland, b. 1823, and married in 1850 to the Rt. Rev. W. Alexander, D.D., Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. Mrs. Alexander's hymns and poems number nearly 400. They are mostly for children, and were published in her Verses for Holy Seasons, with Preface by Dr. Hook, 1846; Poems on Subjects in the Old Testament, pt. i. 1854, pt. ii. 1857; Narrative Hymns for Village Schools, 1853; Hymns for Little Children, 1848; Hymns Descriptive and Devotional, 1858; The Legend of the Golden Prayers 1859; Moral Songs, N.B.; The Lord of the Forest and his Vassals, an Allegory, &c.; or contributed to the Lyra Anglicana, the S.P.C.K. Psalms and Hymns, Hymns Ancient & Modern, and other collections. Some of the narrative hymns are rather heavy, and not a few of the descriptive are dull, but a large number remain which have won their way to the hearts of the young, and found a home there. Such hymns as "In Nazareth in olden time," "All things bright and beautiful," "Once in Royal David's city," "There is a green hill far away," "Jesus calls us o'er the tumult," "The roseate hues of early dawn," and others that might be named, are deservedly popular and are in most extensive use. Mrs. Alexander has also written hymns of a more elaborate character; but it is as a writer for children that she has excelled.

- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Alexander, Cecil F., née Humphreys, p. 38, ii. Additional hymns to those already noted in this Dictionary are in common use:—
1. Christ has ascended up again. (1853.) Ascension.
2. His are the thousand sparkling rills. (1875.) Seven Words on the Cross (Fifth Word).
3. How good is the Almighty God. (1S48.) God, the Father.
4. In [a] the rich man's garden. (1853.) Easter Eve.
5. It was early in the morning. (1853.) Easter Day.
6. So be it, Lord; the prayers are prayed. (1848.) Trust in God.
7. Saw you never in the twilight? (1853.) Epiphany.
8. Still bright and blue doth Jordan flow. (1853.) Baptism of Our Lord.
9. The angels stand around Thy throne. (1848.) Submission to the Will of God.
10. The saints of God are holy men. (1848.) Communion of Saints.
11. There is one Way and only one. (1875.) SS. Philip and James.
12. Up in heaven, up in heaven. (1848.) Ascension.
13. We are little Christian children. (1848.) Holy Trinity.
14. We were washed in holy water. (1848.) Holy Baptism.
15. When of old the Jewish mothers. (1853.) Christ's Invitation to Children.
16. Within the Churchyard side by side. (1848.) Burial.
Of the above hymns those dated 1848 are from Mrs. Alexander's Hymns for Little Children; those dated 1853, from Narrative Hymns, and those dated 1875 from the 1875 edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern.
Several new hymns by Mrs. Alexander are included in the 1891 Draft Appendix to the Irish Church Hymnal.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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Alexander, Cecil F. , p. 38, ii. Mrs. Alexander died at Londonderry, Oct. 12, 1895. A number of her later hymns are in her Poems, 1896, which were edited by Archbishop Alexander.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

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Wikipedia Biography

Cecil Frances Alexander (April 1818 – 12 October 1895) was an Anglo-Irish hymnwriter and poet. Amongst other works, she wrote "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "There is a green hill far away" and the Christmas carol "Once in Royal David's City".
Featured Article:
Hymns for Little Children: the life and legacy of Cecil Frances Alexander by Vincent A. Lenti (from "The Hymn")

Texts by Cecil Frances Alexander (164)AsAuthority LanguagesInstancessort descending
Complete in Thee, no work of mineCecil F. Alexander (Author)English1
Cristo ha resucitado, ¡aleluya!Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895 (Author)Spanish1
Einstens ward zu Bethlehem JudaCecil Frances Alexander (Author)German1
Es steht ein' Hügel weit von hierCecil F. Alexander (Author)German1
لا تفعل الإثم ولا تنطق بقول غضبCecil F. Alexander (Author)Arabic1
قد بدا في بيت لحمCecil F. Alexander (Author)Arabic1
Upo mlima karibu Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)Swahili1
We may not know, we cannot tellCecil Frances Alexander (Author (attributed to))1
يسوع نادى حينماCecil F. Alexander (Author)Arabic1
A cada flor que se abreCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish2
Adda napintas a turodCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Tagalog2
All things beautiful and fairMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English2
Auferstanden, auferstanden, Sagt es allenCecil Frances Alexander (Author)German2
ഭംഗിയേറും സൃഷ്ടികൾ (Bhaṅgiyēṟuṁ sr̥ṣṭikaḷ)Cecil F. Alexander (Author)Malayalam2
Blessed were they who, in the days of oldCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
Come to our joyous marriage feastCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
Cristo chama nos tumultosCecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (Author)Portuguese2
Çdo lule t’but’ që hapetCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Albanian2
දාවිත්ගේ පුරෙහි වරක් (Dāvitgē purehi varak)Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)Sinhala2
Day by day the little daisyCecil F. Alexander (Author)English2
Dear Lord, on this Thy servant's dayCecil F. Alexander (Author)2
Each day we live the Christian lifeCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
En Belén hubo un establoCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish2
En el Calvario, con dolorCecil Alexander (Author)Spanish2
En la reĝa BetlehemoCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Esperanto2
En un lejano cerro fueCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish2
He cometh, on your hallowed boardCecil F. Alexander (Author)2
Ho, Wicoḣaŋ ṡicaMrs. C. F. Alexander, 1823-95 (Author)Dakota2
Hush, little Christian childMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English2
I bind this day to me for everHo, Wicoḣaŋ ṡica (Translator and Paraphraser)2
I think when I read that sweet story of old (Luke)Mrs. Jemima Thompson Luke (1813- ) (Author)English2
If hasty hand or bitter tongueCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
It was early in the morning of the first day of the weekCecil F. Alexander (Author)English2
Jerusalem, why are thy voices dumb?Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
Jesus calls us from the worshipCecil Frances Alexander (Author)2
Jesus came to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of allMrs. Alexander (Author)English2
Jesus, Holy, undefiled, Listen to a little childCecil F. Alexander (Author)English2
Jesus nehesevamaenėCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Cheyenne2
ജീവതത്തിൻ ആഴി മീതെ (Jīvatattin āḻi mīte)Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)Malayalam2
Mjini mwake DaudiCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Swahili2
Najiŋ! najiŋ ce! Iye ḥcaCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Dakota2
Ni Jesus ayabannatayCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Tagalog2
Numa estrebaria rudeCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Portuguese2
O, ever on our earthly pathCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
O monte verde ali estáCecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (Author)2
ஓர் குன்று தூர உண்டங்கே (Ōr kuṉṟu tūra uṇṭaṅkē)Cecil F. Alexander (Author)Tamil2
പട്ടണ-വാതിലപ്പുറം (Paṭṭaṇa-vātilappuṟaṁ)Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)Malayalam2
രാജൻ ദാ-വീദൂരിൽ പണ്ടു (Rājan dā-vīdūril paṇṭu)Cecil F. Alexander (Author)Malayalam2
Savior, blessed Savior, Listen while we singMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English2
Savior, to Thy cottage homeMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English2
The board is spread with meats divineCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
The flower that in the lowly valeCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
The sick man in his chamberCecil F. Alexander (Author)English2
The sunset falls on Isaac's tentCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
The waving fields of yellow cornCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
The wildflowers in their beautyCecil Frances Alexander (Author (vv. 2 alt., 5, and refrain))English2
There are no little things on earthCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
There was a little lowly upper roomCecil F. Alexander (Author)2
There's many a happy household bandCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
Through many a far and foreign landCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
Unnipi taja s'a etanCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Dakota2
We see the leaves fall withered from the treesCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
We seek a land of more delightCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
We walk amid a world of beauteous thingsCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English2
遠山迢迢,其色青青,(Yuǎnshān tiáotiáo, qí sè qīngqīng,)Cecil F. H. Alexander (Author)Chinese2
Child, ere thou wander forth to playMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
Cristo llama del tumultoCecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895 (Author)Spanish3
Do not quarrel, do not chideMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
From out the cloud of amber lightCecil F. Alexander (Author)3
Hallowed be our Father's nameCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
He pu'u omao aia ma oCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Hawaiian3
Hea Iesu ia kakou laCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Hawaiian3
How good is the Almighty GodCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English3
I knew a little, sickly childCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
I love the little snowdrop flowerMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
Ich kenne einen stillen OrtCecil F. Alexander (Author)German3
In the rich man's garden groundCecil F. Alexander (Author)3
Is there a little orphan childMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English3
Jesus calls us, Jesus calls usCecil F. Alexander (Author)3
Las flores y los pájaros criaturas son de DiosCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish3
Las flores y los pájaros Dios sólo pudo hacerCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish3
Little children must be quietCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
Maranatha, He is coming, Not as once He came beforeCecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
Now the dreary night is doneC. F. Alexander (Author)English3
O Christian child, in Christ's own churchCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
On the goods that are not thineMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English3
Once in baptismal waters brightMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
Put the spade and wheel awayCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
The heavenly Father loves the birdsCecil F. Alexander (Author)3
The raven builds her nest on highCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
The rich man did of Pilate craveMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English3
The saints of God are holy menMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
There are strange countries far awayCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
There is a land where flowers are fairMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
There is one God, but one aloneCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
Una vez en un establoCecil Frances Alexander (Author (st. 1-2, 4-6))Spanish3
Wake little child, the morn is gayMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
We need thee, Savior, when dear eyes are closingCecil Frances Alexander (Author)3
We were only little babiesCecil Francis Alexander (Author)English3
When thou art kneeling down at nightMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
When we speak of the Lord JesusMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English3
A gentle and a holy childCecil F. Alexander (Author)English4
Little birds sleep sweetly In their soft round nestsCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English4
每朶開放的小花 (Měi duǒ kāifàng de xiǎohuā)Cecil F. Alexander (Author)Chinese4
On the dark hill's western sideMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English4
So be it, Lord, the prayers are prayedMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English4
Still bright and blue doth Jordan flowCecil F. Alexander (Author)4
Un monte hay más allá del marCecil Frances Alexander (Author)Spanish4
Within the churchyard, side by sideMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English4
At Nazareth in olden timeCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English5
Christ is kind and gentleC. F. Alexander (Author)English5
I bind myself to God todayCecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895 (Translator)5
Saw ye never in the meadowsAlexander (Author)English5
The faithful men of every landMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English5
We were washed in holy waterMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English5
When Christ came down on earth of oldCecil F. Alexander (Author)English5
Why do we say, Thy kingdom comeMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English5
Within the temple's hallowed wallsCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English5
Blessed are the pure in heart, They have loved the better partCecil F. Alexander (Author)English6
Desde el cielo Cristo llamaCecil Francis Alexander (1818-1895) (Author)Spanish6
EN lando malproksime forCecil Frances Alexander (Author)6
The angels stand around thy throneCecil F. Alexander (Author)English6
When Jesus came to earth of oldMrs. Cecil F. Alexander, 1818- (Author)English6
All creatures bright and beautifulCecil F. Alexander (Author)English7
The blind man, in his darknessCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English7
The wise men to thy cradle throneCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English7
Beyond the wicked [holy] city wallCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English8
O come, dear child, along with meCecil F. Alexander (Author)English8
O for the pearly gates of heavenC. F. Alexander (Author)English8
Pain and toil are over nowC. F. Alexander (Author)English8
For all Thy saints, a noble throngCecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895 (Author)English9
The Son of God, so high, so greatCecil F. Alexander (Author)English9
Thy Temple is not made with handsCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English9
Forsaken once, and thrice deniedMrs. C. F. Alexander, 1823-95 (Author)English10
O happy home where Thou art loved the dearestMrs. C. F. Alexander (Transaltor)English10
O Son of God, in glory crownedMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English10
There is one way, and only oneC. F. Alexander (Author)English10
Thou Power and Peace, in whom we findCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English10
Christ be with me, Christ within meCecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) (Version by)English11
Christian children must be holyCecil F. Alexander (Author)English13
Up in heaven, up in heavenCecil F. Alexander (Author)English13
O Lord, the Holy InnocentsC. F. Alexander (Author)English14
When of old the Jewish mothersCecil F. Alexander (Author)English15
Once in Bethlehem of JudahMrs. Cecil Frances Alexander (1823- ) (Author)English16
O Jesus, bruised and wounded moreCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English19
We are little Christian children, We can run, and talk, and playMrs. Cecil Frances Alexander (Author)English20
Spirit of God, that moved of oldCecil Frances Alexander, 1823-1895 (Author)English21
His are the thousand sparkling rillsCecil F. Alexander (Author)English23
Forgive them, O my FatherCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English27
He is coming, He is coming, Not as once He came beforeCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English38
Souls in heathen darkness lyingCecil Frances Alexander (Author)English53
I bind unto myself todayCecil F. Alexander (Translator)English55
We are but little children weak (Alexander)Mrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English55
Do no sinful actionC. F. Alexander (Author)English61
Every morning the red sunC. F. Alexander (Author)English62
Saw you never, in the twilightMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English72
When wounded sore the stricken soulMrs. C. F. Alexander (Author)English82
He is risen, He is risen; Tell it out with joyful voiceCecil F. Alexander (Author)English99
The roseate hues of early dawnC. Frances Alexander (1823- ) (Author)English103
The golden gates are lifted upMrs. Cecil F. Alexander (Author)English124
Each little flower that opensCecil F. Alexander (Author)English287
Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle-shedCecil F. Alexander (Author)English340
There is a green hill far awayMrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823- (Author)English615
Jesus calls us, o'er the tumultC. F. Alexander (Author)English850

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