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Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch
Short Name: Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch
Full Name: Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, 1809-1870
Birth Year: 1809
Death Year: 1870

Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, D.D. This Unitarian minister was born at Boston, June 18, 1809, and removed to Washington in 1818, his father being the architect of the Capitol. He graduated at Columbian College and the Cambridge Theological School. In 1831 lie was ordained at Charleston, S.C., as assistant to Dr. Gilman. Subsequently he was pastor at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Washington, 1838; Nashua, New Hampshire, 1845; Dorchester, Mass., 1852; and "East Cambridge, Mass., 1865. He died at the last place, Oct. 12, 1870. His works include:—
(1) Contemplations of the Saviour; A Series of Extracts from the Gospel History, with Reflections and Original and Selected Hymns. Boston, Carter and Hendee, 1832. This has been reprinted in England. (2) Poems, Charleston, S.C., 1834. (3) Lays of the Gospel, 1845. In addition to these works, which contain his original hymns, he also published (4) The Harp and Cross, a selection of hymns, in 1857.
Those of his hymns which have attained ta the greatest popularity are:—
1. Hail to the Sabbath day. Sunday. In the Contemplations, &c, p. 45. It is appended to Sect. xii. on the “Walk through the corn¬fields," and is in 5 stanzas of 4 lines. It is in extensive use both in Great Britain and America, and is the best known of this author'ess hymns. In many collections it begins with st. ii., " Lord, in Thy [this] sacred hour."
2. Hath not thy heart within thee burned? Presence of Christ. In the Contemplations, &c, p. 148, as the accompanying hymn to the Reflections on Jesus appearing to His disciples on their way to Emmaus, It is in 5 stanzas of 4 lines and is given in the Collections of Beard, Martineau, and others in Great Britain.
3. 0 suffering friend of human kind. Passiontide. The hymn in 4 stanzas of 4 lines appended to Sect. xxxv. on "Peter's confession of Christ," in the Contemplations, &c, p. 109. It ranks next in popularity to ”Hail to the Sabbath day."
In addition to these hymns which best represent Dr. Bulfinch's power? as a sacred poet, the following are also in limited use:—
4. Burden of shame and woe. Crucifixion.
5. Holy Son of God most high. Miracles of Christ.
6. How glorious is the hour. The New Life.
7. It is finished! Glorious word. Good Friday.
8. There is a strife we all must wage. Life's Duty. These are from his Poems, 1834. The next—
9. What power unseen by mortal eye. Cure of Nobleman's Son. From the Contemplations, &c, p. 56.
10. In the Saviour's hour of death. Good Friday. Also from the Contemplations, p. 142:
Dr. Bulfinch's hymns were made known to English readers through Beard's Collection, 1837, in which 19 were given. His hymns throughout are noted for solid and tranquil piety, and deserve a wider circulation than has been accorded to them. They embrace some good hymns on the miracles of Christ. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Bulfinch, Stephen Greenleaf, p. 191, ii. Several of this authors hymns, not noted in this Dictionary, were given in Longfellow and Johnson's Book of Hymns , 1846-8. Additional hymns by him in English common use are:—
1. Benignant Saviour! 'twas not Thine. The Compassion of Christ . From his Contemplations of the Saviour , &c, 1832. In Horder's Congregational Hymns. 1884, it reads “Most gracious Saviour! 'twas not Thine."
2. We gather to the sacred board. Holy Communion. This in Horder is from Bulfinch's Communion Thoughts, 2nd ed., 1852.

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

Wikipedia Biography

Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (June 18, 1809 - October 12, 1870) was a Unitarian clergyman, author and hymn writer.

Texts by Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (36)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Benignant Savior, 'twas not thineBulfinch (Author)3
Burden of shame and woeBulfinch (Author)9
Children of light awakeBulfinch (Author)14
Father, when over our trembling heartsBulfinch (Author)English10
Glory to God, the Lord, the RighteousStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)1
Hail to the Sabbath dayS. Bulfinch (Author)English82
Hail to this holy dayStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)English5
Hath not thy heart within thee burnedStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)English40
Holy Son of God, most highStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)6
Honor then to wear thy crownStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)1
Honored they who firmly stand While the conflict presses roundStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)English3
How glorious is the hourBulfinch (Author)15
In the Savior's hour of death Bulfinch (Author)6
It is finished! glorious wordBulfinch (Author)8
Lord, in this sacred hourRev. Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (1809-1870) (Author)English29
Lord, in whose might the Savior trodBulfinch (Author)English14
Lord, thou art not aloneStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
Most gracious Savior! 'twas not ThineS. G. Bulfinch (Author)English4
O, darkly on the path of lifeStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
O Lord, through Thee we ownStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)3
O not alone on the mount of prayerStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)5
O suffering Friend of human kindS. G. Bulfinch (Author)English26
Our life is but a spanStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
Our pathway oft is wet with tearsBulfinch (Author)English1
Take, and eat, the Savior saidStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
The Aged sufferer waited longStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)4
There's a strife we all must wageStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)English12
Through thee, O Lord, we ownBulfinch (Author)English8
Toiling through the livelong nightStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)5
'Twas not in vain that Jesus prayedBulfinch (Author)2
Was it in vain that Jesus prayedBulfinch (Author)3
We gather to the sacred boardStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)English4
Where the dark sea of Egypt throwsStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
Why should such sorrow comeStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
Year passeth after year, O Lord our GodStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2
Yes, there were some among thy hearersStephen Greenleaf Bulfinch (Author)2

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