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Thomas Cotterill

1779 - 1823 Person Name: Cotterell Hymnal Number: 995 Author of "O'er the realms of pagan darkness" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Thomas Cotterill (b. Cannock, Staffordshire, England, 1779; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1823) studied at St. John's College, Cambridge, England, and became an Anglican clergyman. A central figure in the dispute about the propriety of singing hymns, Cotterill published a popular collection of hymns (including many of his own as well as alterations of other hymns), Selection of Psalms and Hymns in 1810. But when he tried to introduce a later edition of this book in Sheffield in 1819, his congregation protested. Many believed strongly that the Church of England should maintain its tradition of exclusive psalm singing. In a church court the Archbishop of York and Cotterill reached a compromise: the later edition of Selection was withdrawn, and Cotterill was invited to submit a new edition for the archbishop's approval. The new edition was published in 1820 and approved as the first hymnal for the Anglican church of that region. Cotterill's suppressed book, however, set the pattern for Anglican hymnals for the next generation, and many of its hymns are still found in modern hymnals. Bert Polman =============== Thomas Cotterill was born in 1779; studied at S. John's College, Cambridge, graduating M.A.; ordained in 1806, and enterred upon parochial work at Tutbury; afterwards removed to Lane End, where he remained for nine years among the Potteries; in 1817, became perpetual Curate of S. Paul's, Sheffield. He died in 1823. He was the author of several books; among them, "A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, adapted to the Services of the Church of England." In the preparation of this collection (the 8th ed., 1819), he had the assistance of Montgomery, who in this work did what he condemned in others, viz., altering and remodeling other authors' hymns. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ====================== Cotterill, Thomas, M.A., was the son of a woolstapler at Cannock, Staffordshire, where he was born Dec. 4, 1779. After attending the local boarding-school of the Rev. J. Lomax, he proceeded to the Free School, Birmingham. He graduated at St. John's College, Cambridge (B.A. 1801, M.A. 1805), of which he became a Fellow. Taking Holy Orders, he became Curate of Tutbury in June, 1803 (not 1806, as stated by Miller in Singers & Songs of the Church). His subsequent charges were the Incumbency of Lane End, Staffordshire, 1808-17, and the Perpetual Curacy of St. Paul's Sheffield, 1817-23. He died at Sheffield Dec. 29, 1823 (not Jan. 5, 1824, as in the Gentleman’s Magazine), aged 44. His volume of Family Prayers attained to the sixth edi¬tion in 1824. As a hymn-writer, Cotterill is less known than as the compiler of a Selection of Psalms and Hymns which has had a most marked effect on modern hymnals. The first edition of that Selection was published in 1810, and the 9th in 1820. All subsequent issues were reprints of the last. The most important edition is the 8th, 1819. To that Selection Cotterill contributed at various dates 25 original hymns and versions of individual psalms. These, in common with all the hymns in the Selection, are given without author's name. Through the aid, however, of marked copies [in the collections of Brooke and Julian] and of members of Cotterill's family, we are enabled to identify most, if not all, of his original productions. In addition to those which are annotated under their first lines, we have— i. In his Selection of Psalms & Hymns for Public and Private Use, adapted to the Festivals of the Church of England, &c, 1st ed., 1810:— 1. Awake, O sword, the Father cried. Atonement. 2. Before Thy throne of grace, O Lord. Lent. 3. From Sinai's mount, in might array'd. The Law and the Gospel. 4. From Thine all-seeing Spirit, Lord. Ps. 139. 5. In all the ways and works of God. Ps. 145. 6. Out of the deeps, O Lord, we call. Ps. 130. 7. The Lord, who once on Calvary. The Intercessor. This is based on “Where high the heavenly temple stands," q. v. ii. In the Appendix to the 6th ed. of the same Selection, Staffordshire, 1815:— 8. Blessed are they who mourn for sin. Lent. 9. Father of mercies, let our songs [way, ways]. Thanksgiving. 10. I was alive without the law. Lent. 11. Lord of the Sabbath, 'tis Thy day. Sunday. iii. In the 8th edition of the same, 1819 :— 12. Help us, O Lord, Thy yoke to wear. Charity Sermons. This is sometimes given as "Lord, let us learn Thy yoke to wear," as in Kennedy, 1863, &c. 13. I love the Lord, for He hath heard. Ps. 116. 14. Lo in the East a star appears. Epiphany. This in an altered form begins in Kennedy, 1863, No. 188, with stanza ii., "The ancient sages from afar." 15. Lord, cause Thy face on us to shine. For Unity. 16. When Christ, victorious from the grave. Easter. The 9th ed. of the Selection, 1820, was practically a new work. It was compiled by Cotterill, but revised by Dr. Harcourt, the Archbishop of York, and was dedi¬cated to him. It was the outcome of the compromise in the legal proceedings over the 8th ed., 1819. The 8th ed. contained 367 hymns in addition to 128 versions of the Psalms and 6 Doxologies, the 9th only 152. Its full title was A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, Lond., T. Cadell, 1820. It may be noted that copies of the 8th ed., 1819, are found with two distinct title-pages. One of these, accompanied with the preface, was for the general public, the second, without the preface, for the use of the congregations of St. James's and St. Paul's, Sheffield. Of Cotterill's hymns the most popular are, "O'er the realms of pagan darkness," "Let songs of praises fill the sky," and "Jesus exalted far on high," but these are not distinguished by any striking features of excellence. He was more happy in some of his alterations of older hymns, and in the com¬piling of centos. Many of the readings introduced into the great hymns of the Church first appeared in his Selection. The most notable amongst these are, "Rock of Ages," in 3 stanzas, as in Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861, the Wesleyan Hymn Book, and other collections; "Lo! He comes with clouds descending;" and “Great God, what do I see and hear." Cotterill's connection with the Uttoxeter Psalms & Hymns, 1805, is given in detail in the article on Staffordshire Hymn-books, and his lawsuit over the 8th ed. of his Selection, 1819, in the article on England Hymnody, Church of. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon

1707 - 1791 Person Name: Huntingdon Hymnal Number: 322 Author of "Come, sinner, to the gospel feast" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Born: August 24, 1707, Astwell House, Nottinghamshire, England. Died: June 17, 1791, London, England. Buried: St. Helen’s Church, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicester, England. Selena Huntingdon, née Shirley, Countess of, daughter of Washington, Earl Ferrers, was born Aug. 24, 1707; married to Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntindon, June, 1728; and d. in London, June 17, 1701. At an early age she received serious religious impressions, which continued with her, and ruled her conduct through life. She was a member of the first Methodist Society, in Fetter Lane, London, and the first Methodist Conference was held at her house in June, 1744. Her sympathies, however, were with the Calvinism of G. Whitefield, and when the breach took place between Whitefield and Wesley she joined the former. Her money was freely expended in chapel building, in the founding of Trevecca College, South Wales (now Cheshunt), and in the support of her preachers. A short time before her death the Connection which is known by her name was founded; and at her death it numbered more than sixty chapels. For use in these chapels she compiled A Select Collection of Hymns. Her own part in hymn-writing is most uncertain. The hymns, "Come, Thou Fount of every blessing," and "O when my righteous Judge shall come", have been specially claimed for her, but upon insufficient testimony. No mention of these hymns as being by her is made in her Life and Times, 1839. Miller says, "although the Countess was not much known as a hymn-writer, yet it is proved beyond doubt that she was the author of a few hymns of great excellence" (Singers & Songs, 1869, p. 183): but he neither names the hymns, nor submits the evidence. It is most uncertain that she ever wrote a hymn; and it is quite clear that upon reliable evidence not one has yet been ascertained to be of her composing. Her history and that of her Connexion are elaborately set forth in The Life and Times of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon, London, Painter, 1839. --Dictionary of Hymnology, John Julian, 1907.

Henry Ware

1794 - 1843 Person Name: H. Ware Hymnal Number: 971 Author of "Oppression shall not always reign" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Henry Ware was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1793. His father was a Unitarian minister; afterwards a Professor in Harvard College. Young Ware graduated at Harvard, studied theology, and became minister of the Second Unitarian Society, in Boston, in 1817. After a ministry of twelve years, he made a foreign tour, and on his return was elected "Parkman Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Theology" in Harvard College. In this position he obtained eminence. He died in September, 1843. His collected works in four volumes, were edited after his death, by the Rev. Chandler Robbins. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872 =================== Ware, Henry, D.D., son of Dr. H. Ware, pastor of the Unitarian congregation at Hingham, Massachusetts, and afterward Hollis Professor of Divinity at Cambridge, U.S.A., was born at Hingham, April 21, 1794. Before going to Harvard College, in 1808, he was under the care of Dr. Allyn, at Duxbury, and then of Judge Ware, at Cambridge. He graduated at Harvard in high honours, in 1812; and was then for two years an assistant teacher in Exeter Academy. He was licensed to preach by the Boston Unitarian Association, July 31, 1815; and ordained pastor of the Second Church of that city, Jan. 1, 1817. In 1829, in consequence of his ill health, he received the assistance of a co-pastor in the person of Ralph Waldo Emerson. In the same year Ware was appointed Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Care in the Cambridge Theological School. He entered upon his duties in 1830, and resigned in 1842. He removed to Framingham, and died there, Sept. 25, 1843. His D.D. degree was conferred upon Memoir, published by his brother John Ware, M.D., were numerous and on a variety of topics. He edited the Christian Disciple, which was established in 1813, and altered in title to the Christian Examiner in 1824, for some years before the change of title, and gave it his assistance subsequently. The Rev. Chandler Robbins collected his works and published them in four volumes, in 1847. His hymns, many of which are of more than usual excellence, are given in vol. i. Of these the following are in common use: 1. All nature's works His praise declare. Opening of an Organ. Dated Nov. 9, 1822. It is in Horder's English Congregational Hymns, 1884. 2. Around the throne of God The host angelic throngs. Universal Praise. Dated 1823, and printed in the Christian Disciple, vol. v., and in Putnam, 1874. A fine hymn of praise. 3. Father of earth and heaven, Whose arm upholds creation. Thanksgiving for Divine Mercies. Appeared in Cheever's American Common Place Book, 1831; and in Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. 4. Father, Thy gentle chastisement. In Sickness. Dated March, 1836; and in Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. 5. Great God, the followers of Thy Son. Ordination. Written for the Ordination of Jared Sparks, the historian, as pastor of the Unitarian Church, Baltimore, 1819. Given in Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868, and Putnam, 1874. 6. In this glad hour when children meet. Family Gatherings. Dated Aug. 20, 1835. In Lyra Sac. Americana, 1868, and Putnam, 1874. 7. Lift your glad voices in triumph on high. Easter. Dated 1817, and was published in the Christian Disciple of that year, in 2 stanzas of 8 lines. It is in Lyra Sac. Americana, 1868; Putnam, 1874, and numerous hymnbooks. Sometimes stanza ii. is given separately as, "Glory to God, in full anthems of joy." 8. Like Israel's hosts to exile driven. American National Hymn. Written for the Centennial Celebration of the Boston Thursday Lecture, Oct. 17,1833, and given in Lyra Sac. Americana, 1868, and Putnam, 1874. It is a quasi American National Hymn in praise of the Pilgrim Fathers. 9. 0 Thou in Whom alone is found. Laying Foundation Stone of a Place of Worship. In Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868, and Thring's English Collection, 1882. 10. 0 Thou Who on Thy chosen Son. Ordination. Written for an Ordination, March, 1829. In Putnam, 1874, and Dale's English Hymn Book, 1874. 11. Oppression shall not always reign. Against Slavery. "This was Mr. Ware's last composition in verse. It bears date March 15, 1843. In its original form it is longer than as presented here [in 3 stanzas of 8 lines], and is unsuited to a church-book. The following stanzas, taken from one of the Collections [stanzas i., ii. are in Longfellow and Johnson's Book of Hymns, 1848] are a part of the original, altered and transposed, and thus adapted to sacred worship." 12. To prayer, to prayer; for the morning breaks. Prayer. This poem of 10 stanzas of 6 lines is dated 1826, and is given in Lyra Sac. Americana, 1868, and Putnam, 1874. Two centos therefrom are in common use The first begins with stanza i., adapting it for Morning, and the second with stanza ii., "To prayer, for the glorious sun is gone," for Evening. 13. We rear not a temple, like Judah of old. Dedication of a Place of Worship. This is dated 1839, and is given in Putnam, 1874. 14. With praise and prayer our gifts we bring. Opening of a Place of Worship. In Dale's English Hymn Book. 1874. With American Unitarians Dr. Ware ranks very high, and by them his hymns are widely used. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Ware, H., p. 1233, i. Another of his hymns in common use is "Great King of all, our nation's God" (National Humiliation). His hymn "To prayer, to prayer," is in Cheever's American Common-Place Book of Poetry, 1831. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Helen Maria Williams

1762 - 1827 Person Name: Miss H. M. Williams Hymnal Number: 687 Author of "While Thee I seek, protecting Power" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Miss Helen Maria Williams was born in the north of England, in 1762. At the age of eighteen, she went to London, and soon after took position in the literary world, publishing several poems. Subsequently she resided in Paris, where she published works in prose and poetry. She died in 1827. The eminent French preacher, Athanase Coquerel was her nephew, and received from her his early training. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ================== Williams, Helen Maria, daughter of Charles Williams, an officer in the Army, was born in the North of England in 1762. Through the influence of Dr. A. Kippis whose help she sought in London, her first poem, Edwin and Eltruda, a legendary tale, was published in 1782. This was followed by An Ode on the Peace, 1783, and Pern, a Poem. These were all included in her Poems, 2 vols., 1786, 2nd edition 1791. Being connected by her sister's marriage with a French Protestant family, she resided in Paris during the period of the Revolution and the reign of Terror. There she became well known as a political writer of strong republican sympa-thies, but her too independent expressions of opinion led to her temporary imprisonment by Robespierre. Her Letters from France, 1790, were published in England and America, and in a French translation, in France. She also published Letters containing a Sketch of the Politics of France from the 31st May, 1793, till the 28th of July, 1794, 2 vols., 1795, and other works of a like kind; some additional Poems, and a translation of Humboldt's Personal Narratives of his Travels, 1815. The closing years of her life were spent at Amsterdam, in the house of her nephew, Athanase Coquerel, a pastor of the Reformed Church there. Miss Williams died in 1827. From her Poems, 1786, the following hymns have come into common use:— 1, My God, all nature owns Thy sway. Nature speaks of God. In Martineau's Hymns, 1840. 2. While Thee I seek, protecting Power. Safety in God. This hymn was in Dr. Priestley's Birmingham Collection, 1790; in Kippis's Collection, 1795; the Exeter Collection, 1801; and almost every other Unitarian collection to the present time. In the New Congregational Hymn Book , 1859, it begins "While Thee I seek, Almighty Power;" and in several collections a cento beginning "Father, in all our [my] comforts here," is given as in Stowell's Psalms & Hymns, 1831 and 1877, and several others. [Rev. Valentine D. Davis, B.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Williams, Helen Maria, was born in the North of England in 1762. She published a volume of poems when only twenty-one years old, and in 1786 her Poems appeared in two small volumes. She visited Paris in 1788, and lived there for some years with a sister who had married a French Protestant. This was during the period of the Revolution and the Reign of Terror. She was an outspoken republican in her sympathies, 448 and was imprisoned by Robespierre because of some of her utterances in advocacy of the Girondist cause, being released from prison only after his death, in 1794. Her Letters from France (1790 and 1795) were published in England, America, and France. They dealt with political, religious, and literary questions, and showed her to be a woman of more than ordinary intellectual strength. She published many volumes between 1786 and 1823, when her last volume appeared, titled Poems on Various Occasions, being a collection of all her previously published poems. She lived partly in England, but mostly in France, though the closing years of her life were spent in Holland in the home of a nephew who lived at Amsterdam and was pastor of the reformed Church there. Her death occurred at Paris December 14, 1827. Hymn Writers of the Church Wilbur F. Tillett and Charles S. Nutter, 1915

Mrs. Hemans

1793 - 1835 Person Name: Hemans Hymnal Number: 1243 Author of "Answer me, burning stars of night!" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Hemans, Felicia Dorothea, née Browne, was born in Liverpool, Sep. 25, 1793. In 1800, her father having suffered severe losses in business, removed with his family near to Abergele, N. Wales, where he died sometime after. In 1812 she was married to Captain Hemans, who, on retiring from the army sometime after, removed to Bronnylfa, near St. Asaph. Some years after he left his wife and children and proceeded to Italy, where he died. In 1828 Mrs. Hemans removed to Wavertree, near Liverpool, and in 1831 to Dublin, where she died May 16, 1835, and was buried in St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, in that city. From 1808, when at 15 she published Poems, to 1834, when her Scenes & Hymns of Life appeared, she produced a great number of poems and other works, including: (1) The Domestic Affections and Other Poems, 1812; (2) The Sceptic, 1820; (3) Dartmoor, 1821; (4) Vespers of Palermo, 1823; (5) The Siege of Valenciav, 1823; (6) Voice of Spring, 1823; (7) Forest Sanctuary, 1825; (8) Hymns for Childhood, 1827 (English edition, 1834; first published in America); (9) Records of Woman and Miscellaneous Poems, 1828; (10) Songs of the Affections, 1830; (11) Scenes and Hymns of Life (dedicated to the poet Wordsworth), 1834. Then followed (12) The Works of Mrs. Hemans; with a Memoir of her Life by her Sister [Mrs. Hughes]. Edinburgh, W. Blackwood & Sons, 1839, in 3 volumes. Her Poems were collected and published by Blackwood in 1849, and again as one of the Chandos Classics, 1886. Three distinct ideas pervade Mrs. Hemans's poetry, the Fatherhood of God, Heaven as our Home, and mutual recognition when there. The work of the Atonement has a very subordinate place; and the Holy Spirit is scarcely recognized. The rhythm, even in her most popular pieces, is often disappointing, and a tone of sadness pervades most of her work. The gloom of disappointment and the traces of shadowed memories run like black threads through the web and woof of her productions. As a writer of hymns she holds a subordinate place. The best are "Answer me, burning stars of light," "Calm on the bosom of thy God," “Come to the land of peace," and "Fear was within the tossing bark." [Rev. James Davidson, B.A.] Mrs. Hemans's hymns which have come into common use include;— 1. Answer me, burning stars of light. Trust in God. Written after the death of a sister-in-law, and published in her Records of Woman, &c, 1828, p. 242, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines. (P. Works, N.Y., 1828, vol. ii. pp. 144, 268). 2. Calm on the bosom of thy God. Death and Burial. This hymn appears in the closing scene of her dramatic poem, The Siege of Valencia, 1823, p. 235, in 2 stanzas of 4 lines. (Works, vol. iii. p. 379). It is supposed to be sung over the bier of Ximena, daughter of Gonzalez, the Governor of Valencia, during the final struggle of the siege. Mrs. Hemans subsequently added a third stanza ("Lone are the paths, and sad the bowers"); and in this form it is published separately as "A Dirge" in her Works, vol. iv. p. 330. It is one of the best known of her hymns. 3. Child, amidst the flowers at play. Hour of Prayer. This is given in her P. Works, 1828, vol. ii. p. 85, amongst the "Miscellaneous Pieces," in 3 stanzas of 8 lines, as a hymn for The Hour of Prayer. Dr. Martineau in his Hymns, &c, 1873, dates it 1825. 4. Come to me, dreams [thoughts] of heaven. Aspiration. Appeared in her National Lyrics, 1834, p. 251, and again in her Works, 1839, vol. vii. p. 88. 5. Come to the land of peace. The Angel's Greeting. Published in her Works, 1839, vol. vi. p. 186. 6. Earth! guard what here we lay in holy trust. Burial. Given in her Works, 1839, vol. iv. p. 327. This is a poem, and not a hymn. 7. Father! that in the olive shade. Gethsemane. Written at the death-bed of her mother, Jan., 1827, and published in her Hymns for Childhood, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, as a Hymn by the sick-bed of a Mother. (Works, 1839, vol. vi. p. 147.) Sometimes as "O Thou, Who in the olive shade." 8. Father, Who art on high. Prayer. This is part of her "Cathedral Hymn," published in her Scenes and Hymns of Life, 1834. (Works, 1839, vi. p. 142.) 9. Fear was within the tossing bark. Stilling the Tempest. This hymn appeared in her Hymns for Childhood, 1827; her Poetical Works, N. Y., 1828, ii. p. 124; and her Works, 1839, vol. iv. p. 325. 10. He knelt, the Saviour knelt and prayed. Gethsemane. This hymn appeared in The Almut (an annual) 1n 1825, and her Poetical Works, N.Y., 1828, ii. p. 125. It is also introduced in her dramatic poem, The English Martyrs: a Scene of the days of Queen Mary, published in her Scenes and Hys. of Life, 1834, p. 16. A betrothed couple are condemned to death: but are allowed a short intercourse before execution. This they employ in prayer and the singing of this hymn, which is based upon the sacred scene in Gethsemane. "The English Martyrs" is the opening piece of the Scenes and Hymns of Life, 1834. (Works, vii. p. 130.) 11. I hear thee speak of the better land. Heaven. Published in her Poetical Works, N. York, 1828, ii. p. 193, and her Songs of the Affections, 1830, p. 225, in 4 stanzas of 7 lines, and headed “The Better Land." (Works, 1839, vi. p. 123.) Popular as a sacred song, but not much used as a hymn. 12. Leaves have their time to fall. The Hour of Death Published in her Poet. Works, N. Y., 1828, ii. p. 114, and in her Forest Sanctuary , 2nd edition, 1829, p. 276, in 10 stanzas of 4 lines. (Works, 1839, iv. p. 177.) It is usually given in an abbreviated form. 13. Lowly and solemn be Thy children's cry to Thee. Burial. This hymn, in 9 stanzas of 6 lines, forms the closing portion of her poem on The Funeral Day of Sir Walter Scott. [He d. Sept. 21, 1832.] The poem was given in her Scenes and Hymns of Life, 1834, p. 99. (Works, vii. p. 178.) In an abbreviated form this Burial hymn is in extensive use in Great Britain and America, and is found in more hymn-books than all the rest of Mrs. Hemans's hymns put together. 14. No cloud obscures the summer's sky. Ps. xix. Appeared in her Hymns for Childhood, in 10 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled “The Stars." (Works, 1839, iv. p. 253.) It is usually given in an abbreviated form, beginning with stanza ii., "Child of the earth, Oh lift thy glance." 15. Now autumn strews on every plain. Harvest. One of her juvenile pieces, published in her Poems, Liverpool, 1808, p. 94, as a "Harvest Hymn." 16. O lovely voices of the sky. Christmas Carol. Appeared in her Hymns for Childhood, 1827, in 3 stanzas of 8 lines, and her Poet. Works, N. Y., 1828, ii. p. 123. (Works, v. p. 307. 17. Praise ye the Lord on every height. Ps. cxlviii. Published in her Hymns for Childhood, in 7 stanzas of 4 lines. (Works, 1839, iv. p. 264.) 18. Saviour, now receive him. Burial. Scenes and Hys. of Life, 1834, p. 70, is a hymn entitled, "The Funeral Hymn" in the Burial of an Emigrant's Child in the Forest. It begins "Where the long reeds quiver." This extract opens with stanza ii. altered. 19. The breaking waves dashed high. Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. Published in her Records of Woman, &c, 1828, p. 261, in 10 stanzas of 4 lines, and in her Works, 1828, p, 261, "The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England." (Works, 1839, v. p. 280.) Popular as a sacred song, but not much used as a hymn. 20. The Church of our fathers so dear to our souls. The Holy Church. This hymn has not been traced to date. Snepp, in Songs of Grace & Glory, says 1834. 21. The kings of old have shrine and tomb. The Graves of Martyrs. In The Forest Sanctuary, 2nd edition, 1829, p. 284, "The Graves of Martyrs" in 7 stanzas. Also Poet. Works, N. Y., 1828, ii. p. 150. 22. Where is the tree the prophet threw? Faith. Appeared in her Poet. Works, N. Y., 1828, ii. p. 170, and headed "The Fountain of Marah." Also in her Works, 1839, vi. p. 176. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology ================ Hemans, Felicia D., p. 509, i. No. 11, "I hear thee speak of the better land," and No. 12, "Leaves have their time to fall," appeared in J. Curtis's Union Collection, 1827, p. 274, i., and then in her Poetical Works, 1828. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Simon Browne

1680 - 1732 Person Name: Browne Hymnal Number: 198 Author of "Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly Dove" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Simon Browne was born at Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, about 1680. He began to preach as an "Independent" before he was twenty years of age, and was soon after settled at Portsmouth. In 1716, he became pastor in London. In 1723, he met with some misfortunes, which preyed upon his mind, and produced that singular case of monomania, recorded in the text-books of Mental Philosophy; he thought that God had "annihilated in him the thinking substance, and utterly divested him of consciousness." "Notwithstanding," says Toplady, "instead of having no soul, he wrote, reasoned, and prayed as if he had two." He died in 1732. His publications number twenty-three, of which some are still in repute. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ================== Browne, Simon. A contemporary of Dr. Watts, born at Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, cir. 1680, and died in 1732. After studying for the Independent Ministry under the Rev. John Moore, of Bridgewater, he became pastor of an Independent charge in Portsmouth, and then, in 1716, of the Independent-Chapel in Old Jewry, London. His lateryears were clouded by a peculiar malady, under the influence of which "he imagined that God had in a gradual manner annihilated in him the thinking substance, and utterly divested him of consciousness." It is supposed that the death of a highwayman at his hands during a violent struggle, followed by that of his wife and son a short time after, had much to do in producing this sad result. Whilst thus contending that he had no power to think, he produced a work in defence of Christianity, another in defence of the Trinity, a third as an Exposition of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, and a fourth in the form of a Dictionary. His publications number over 20. Of these works, he is known to hymnology through his:— Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in Three Books, designed as a Supplement to Dr. Watts, &c, 1720, 2nd edition 1741, 3rd edition 1760. It contains 166 hymns, 7 doxologies, and a Preface of some historical interest. In the old collections Simon Browne's hymns (all of which are from the above collection) held a prominent position, but in modern hymnals they are fast passing out of use. The best known and most widely used are "Come, Holy [gracious] Spirit, Heavenly Dove," "O God, on Thee we all depend," and "Lord, at Thy feet we sinners lie." In addition the following are also in common use:— 1. Eternal God, Almighty Cause. Unity of God. 2. Eternal God, of beings First. God all in all . 3. Frequent the day of God returns. Sunday. 4. Great First of beings, Mighty Lord. Creation. 5. Great God, my joyful thanks to Thee. Thanksgiving. 6. Great God, Thy peerless excellence. Imitation of God. 7. Great Lord of earth and seas and skies. Providence. 8. Great Ruler of the earth and sky. Providence. 9. Hail, Holy Spirit, bright, immortal, Dove. Whitsuntide. 10. Hail, happy day, the [thou] day of holy rest. Sunday. 11. I cannot shun the stroke of death. Death. 12. Lord, Thou art good; all nature shows. Divine Goodness. 13. Lord, what a feeble frame is ours. Frailty of Life. 14. O God, on Thee we all depend. Confidence in God. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

William Cullen Bryant

1794 - 1878 Person Name: Bryant Hymnal Number: 1071 Author of "Close softly, fondly, while ye weep" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Bryant, William Cullen. First in order of time of the great American poets, Bryant was born at Cummington, Mass., Nov. 3, 1794, and was educated at Williams College. In 1815 he'was called to the Bar, and practised for a time at Great Barrington. In 1825 he retired from the Bar, settled at New York, and devoted himself to literary pursuits, founding the New York Review, and editing for a short time the New York Evening Post. He died June 12, 1878. His poetical and other works are well known. His hymns were written at intervals during his long life. They were collected and privately printed in 1869, and number over 20. Those in common use are:— 1. Almighty, listen while we raise. Praise. This is given as "Almighty hear us,” &c, in the Unitarian Hymn and Tune Book, Boston, 1868. It was introduced into Great Britain through Beard's Collection, 1857. 2. Deem not that they are blest alone. Mourning. In this form it is in Beard's Collection, 1837. It is best known as "0 deem not they are," &c, and in this form it is No. 964 in Songs for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865-72, No. 452, in Dr. Martineau's Hymns of Prayer and Praise, Lond., 1873, &c. 3. Father, to Thy kind love we owe. God's Lovingkindness. This is given in several modern collections, including the Unitarian Hymn and Tune Book, Boston, 1868, Martineau, 1873, &c. 4. 0 God, whose dread and dazzling brow. Compassion desired. Is No. 57 in the Boston Hymn and Tune Book, 1868, as above. 5. When he who from the scourge of wrong. Hope of the Resurrection. This is seldom found in modern hymnals. Text in Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. The above hymns (1-5) appeared in Dr. H. D. Sewall's (Unitarian) Psalms & Hymns for Social and Private Worship, 1820, and were written at the instance of a Miss Sedgwick. Following as near as possible the chronological order of the hymns we have next:— 6. O Thou Whose own vast temple stands. Opening of a Place of Worship. Written in 1835 for the Dedication of a Chapel in Prince Street, N. Y. This is the most widely known of this author's hymns. It was introduced into Great Britain as early as 1837, when it was included in Beard's Collection, No. 405. It is in 4 stanzas of 4 lines. Orig. text in Songs for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865, No. 1017, and Martineau, 1873, No. 727. Another form of the hymn is "Thou, Whose unmeasured temple stands," This is No. 569 in the American Presb. Psalms and Hymns, Richmond, 1867, Horder's Congregational Hymns, Lond. 1884, No. 747, and others. 7. All that in this wide world we see. Omnipresence. This is dated 1836. In his Collection in 1837, No. 17, Beard gives it as an original contributed thereto, thus fixing its first publication. 8. Thou unrelenting past. The Past. Dates from 1836. Also in Martineau, 1873, No. 508. 9. Not in the solitude. God in the City. Dates from 1836, and is No. 26 in Martineau, 1873. 10. Whither, midst falling dew. Divine Guidance. This, in common with Nos. 8 and 9, is more a poem than hymn. It is addressed "To a Waterfowl," and dates from 1836. In Martineau, 1873. 11. Dear ties of mutual succour bind. Charity Sermons. No. 905 in the Amer. Methodist Episcopal Hymnal, 1878. It dates from about 1836. 12. 0 Thou whose love can ne'er forget. Ordination. Given (but not as an original contributed thereto) in Beard's Collection (Eng.), 1837. 13. Mighty One, before Whose face. Ordination. This is dated 1840 (but is probably earlier), and is given in several collections, including Mr. Beecher's Plymouth Collection, 1855, and others. 14. Look from Thy sphere of endless day. Home Missions. This hymn has also attained to considerable use both in Great Britain and America. It dates from 1840. It is in the Song. for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865, Horder's Congregational Hymns, 1884, &c. 15. Lord, who ordainest for mankind. Thanks for a Mother's love. Written at Dr. Osgood's suggestion, and printed in his Christian Worship, 1862. It is repeated in Martineau, 1873. 16. All praise to Him of Nazareth. Holy Communion. Dr. Hatfield in his Church Hymn Bk., 1872, No. 736, gives this in 3 stanzas of 4 lines. In the Songs for the Sanctuary it is in its full form of 5 stanzas. It dates from 1864. 17. As shadows cast by cloud and sun. Epiphany. In the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal, N. Y., 1878. It was contributed to that Hymnal, 1877, but was composed for the Semi-Centennial Celebration of the Church of the Messiah, Boston, March 19, 1875. 18. When doomed to death the Apostle lay. On behalf of Drunkards. Also in the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal, 1878. In addition to the above the following hymns by Bryant are in limited use:— 19. All things that are on earth. Love of God. In Beard's Collection, 1837. 20. Close softly, fondly, while ye weep. Death. In Mr. Beecher's Plymouth Coll., 1855. 21. How shall I know thee in the sphere which keeps? The Future Life. In the Supplement to the Boston Hymns for the Church of Christ, 1853. 22. Standing forth in life's rough way. On behalf of Children. In Dr. Alton's Children's Worship, 1878; Horder's Congregational Hymns, 1884, and others. 23. When this song of praise shall cease. Death anticipated. In his Hymns, 1869, and W. R. Stevenson's School Hymnal, 1880, No 313. 24. When the blind suppliant in the way. Opening the eyes of the blind. In the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal, 1878, N. Y., No. 201. It dates from 1874. 25. Wild was the day, the wintry sea. The Pilgrim Fathers. In Hymns of the Spirit, by Longfellow and Johnson. Boston, 1864. In 1869, Hymns by W. C. Bryant, 12mo, were privately printed. In this work the texts of many of the older hymns are altered. The dates of his hymns are difficult to determine, and many of those given above are approximate only. Bryant's genius was cool, meditative, and not distinguished by lyric fire. His hymns are correct and solid, but none reach the highest rank. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

William Augustus Muhlenberg

1796 - 1877 Person Name: Muhlenberg Hymnal Number: 1183 Author of "I would not live alway; I ask not to stay" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations Mühlenberg, William Augustus, D.D., son of the Rev. Dr. Mühlenberg, and grandson of Henry Melchior Mühlenberg, the patriarch of Lutheranism in America, was born in Philadelphia Sept. 16, 1796. He graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1814. Entering Holy Orders in 1817, he was successively Assistant Rector of St. James's Lancaster, 1823; Rector of the Church of the Holy Communion, New York, 1843; St. Paul's College, Flushing (1828); St. Luke's Hospital, New York (1855); St. John's and Long Island (1865), were established by him. He died April 6, 1877. His poetical gift was genuine, but not largely used. In 1826 he contributed four hymns to the Prayer Book Collection (of which he was one of the Committee). His Poems appeared in 1859. He had previously published Church Poetry, 1823; and The People's Psalter, 1858. I would not live alway followed in 1859 (revised in 1871). This last contains 26 pieces, the hymns in the Prayer Book Collection, 1826, with the exception of "I would not live alway," being omitted. The following are his principal lyrics:— 1. Carol, brothers, carol. Christmas Carol. "Made for the boys of St. Paul's College—-the Chorus adapted from one of the Rev.[Bishop] A.C. Coxe's Christian Ballads"-—in 1840. 2. How short the race our friend has run. Death of a Young Person. Contributed to the Prayer Book Collection, 1826. 3. I would not live alway. Eternal rest desired. Four texts of this poem are extant: 1st the Original; 2nd the version given in the Prayer Book Collection, 1826; 3rd the author's revised version of 1859; and 4th his rewritten text of 1871, the second of these being that known to the hymnbooks. The history of the poem is somewhat complicated. We quote it here as given by us in the History of the American Episcopal Church, 1885, p.637, as we have nothing further to add thereto:-— "The most famous of these (Dr. Mühlenberg's hymns) was probably first written. 'I will not live alway' has an intricate history, which was not simplified by the author's lapse of memory in his later years. In his brief ‘story of the hymn,' printed with its ‘evangelized’ text in 1871, every date is wrong by two or three years; and his assertion, ‘The legend that it was written on an occasion of private grief is a fancy,' hardly agrees with the clear and minute recollections of persons of the highest character, still living, and who knew the circumstances thoroughly. The date of composition assigned, 1824, is probably (not certainly) correct; it was written at Lancaster, in a lady's album, and began:— I would not live alway; no, no, holy man, Not a day, not an hour, should lengthen my span.' In this shape it seems to have had six eight-line stanzas. The album was still extant in 1876, at Pottstown, Pa., and professed to contain the original manuscript. Said the owner's sister, ‘It was au impromptu. He had no copy, and, wanting it for some occasion, he sent for the album.' In 1826 he entrusted his copy to a friend, who called on him on the way from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, to carry to the Episcopal Recorder, and in that paper it appeared June 3, 1826 (not 1824). For these facts we have the detailed statement of Dr. John B. Clemson, of Claymont, Del., the Ambassador mentioned, who also chances to have preserved that volume of the paper. Thus appearing (without name) it was adopted by the sub-committee [of the Prayer Book Collection, 1826]. When their report was presented to the entire committee in 1826—-not 1829, as Dr. Mühlenberg had it—-'each of the hymns was passed upon. When this came up one of the members remarked that it was very sweet and pretty, but rather sentimental, upon which it was unanimously thrown out. Not suspected as the author, I voted against myself. That, I supposed, was the end of it.’ The committee, which sat until late at night at the house of Bishop White, agreed upon their report to the Convention, and adjourned. But the next morning Dr. Onderdonk (who was not one of their number, but who, on invitation, had acted with the sub-committee, which in fact consisted of him and myself), called on me to inquire what had been done. Upon my telling him that among the rejected hymns was this one of mine, he said, 'That will never do,' and went about among the members of the committee soliciting them to restore the hymn in their report, which accordingly they did; so that to him is due the credit of giving it to the Church.' As thus adopted it was a small and altered selection from the original lines, made by Dr. Onderdonk ‘with some revision' by the author. He was never satisfied with these texts, but revised the poem in 1859, and re¬wrote it in 1871….The authorship of this, as of many another popular lyric, has been disputed. The claim of Henry Ward, a printer of Lichfield, Conn., has been vehemently urged, and revived but a few years ago. Of course it is unsupported by adequate evidence. When Dr. Mühlenberg was asked to assure ‘some of his brethren, editors of Church papers,' of his paternity, his manly reply was, ‘If they thought I was capable of letting the work of another pass for so many years as my own, they would not be sure of anything I might say.'" 4. Jesus' Name shall ever be. The Holy Name, Jesus. This is entitled "The Blessed Name of Jesus. An Evangelical Rosary." It was written in 1842, and revised for Schaff's Christ in Song in Aug., 1868. 5. King of kings, and wilt Thou deign. Submission to Jesus. Appeared in his Poems, 1859. 6. Like Noah's weary dove. The Ark of the Church. Contributed to the Prayer Book Collection, 1826, No. 24, in 5 st. of 4 1. It sometimes begins with st. ii., "0 cease, my wandering soul;" and again with st. in., "Behold the Ark of God." 7. Saviour, Who Thy flock art feeding. Holy Baptism. This is the most widely known of Dr. Mühlenberg's hymns. It was contributed to the Prayer Book Collection, 1826, No. 86, in 4 st. of 4 1. It is sometimes given as "Jesus, Who Thy flock art feeding." 8. Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing. Christmas. Contributed to the Prayer Book Collection, 1826, No. 46, in 3 st. of 4 1., with the chorus :— "Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing, Jerusalem triumphs, Messiah is King;" the opening lines, followed by the first stanza, and a repetition of the chorus, and so on to the end. Sometimes the hymn opens with st. i.: "Zion, the marvellous story be telling," or as “Sion the marvellous story be telling," instead of the chorus. Dr. Mühlenberg says that the hymn was written— "at the particular request of Bishop Hobart, who wanted something that would go to the tune by Avison, then popular, to the words of Moore, ‘Sound the loud timbrel,' &c. He liked the verses I made so well that he had them struck off before the hymns (Prayer Book Collection] were published, and sung in Trinity Church on Christmas day." 9. Since o'er Thy footstool here below. Earth and Heaven. Appeared in the Episcopal Register, 1824, and in his Poems, 1859. 10. The mellow eve is gliding. Evening. Dated 1825 (?) and published in his Poems, 1859. 11. The throne of his glory—-as snow it is white. Advent. Dated 1839, and published in his Poems, 1859. 12. Thine handmaid,Saviour, can it be? Admission of a Nursing Sister. Written on the words, "Come, follow me," for the reception of a Sister at St. Luke's Hospital, New York, 1859. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church

Henry Kirke White

1785 - 1806 Person Name: H. K. White Hymnal Number: 1256 Author of "Much in sorrow, oft in woe" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations White, Henry Kirke, a gifted English poet who died early in life, was born in Nottingham, England, March 21, 1785. Very early he manifested a remarkable love for books and a decided talent for composition. But his parents were poor, and he was apprenticed in early boyhood to a stocking weaver, from which uncongenial servitude he escaped as soon as he could and began the study of law; but later he was converted and felt called to the ministry. The story of his conversion from deism to Christianity is briefly but beautifully told in the poem titled "The Star of Bethlehem." He entered St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1805 as a servitor; but died October 19, 1806, in the second year of his college course, when only twenty-one years of age. In 1803 he published a small volume of poems. Some of them are very fine, but no doubt he would have produced others far better if he had lived to the ordinary age of man. His rare poetic genius, his victory over skepticism and subsequent faith and piety, his hard struggle with poverty and early death invest the story of his life with more than ordinary pathos. His hymns, ten in number, appeared in Collyer's Collection, 1812. Oft in danger, oft in woe 412 The Lord our God is clothed with 99 When marshaled on the mighty 124 Hymn Writers of the Church, 1911 ============================ White, Henry Kirk, remarkable both for the early development of his genius and for the untimely termination of his brief life of splendid promise, was born at Nottingham, March 21, 1785. His father was a butcher, but his mother must have been a superior woman, since for a number of years she successfully conducted a boarding-school for girls. The writing-master in her establishment was for some time Henry's teacher, and under his instruction he made remarkable progress in Latin and other subjects. At the age of 13 he composed the lines "To an early Primrose," which were subsequently printed with his poems. At 14 he left school, and was put to the stocking-frame in order to learn prac¬tically the business of a hosier; but, disliking the employment, he was removed to an attorney's office in Nottingham, with a view to the legal profession. All his spare time was now devoted to literary pursuits, the acquisition of languages, and the composition of poetical and other contributions for the periodicals of the day. At the age of 15 he obtained from the Monthly Preceptor a silver medal for a translation from Horace, and a pair of globes for the best description of an imaginary tour from London to Edinburgh. When only 17 he was encouraged to publish his Clifton Grove and other Poems, which were certainly excellent as the compositions of a mere boy. About this time he was inclined to scepticism, but. through the perusal of Scott's Force of Truth and the arguments and appeals of a young friend, R. W. Almond (afterwards Rector of St. Peter's, Nottingham), he was led to earnest faith in Christianity. His well-known hymn "When marshall'd on the nightly plain" is understood to be a figurative description of his spiritual experience at this period. He now desired to become a Christian minister, and through the generosity of his employers he was released from his articles in 1804. With the help of the Rev. C. Simeon and other friends, he became a student of St. John's College, Cambridge. There he speedily distinguished himself, and the highest honours seemed within his grasp; but over application to study destroyed his health, and he fell ill and died Oct. 19, 1806, in the 22nd year of his age. Universal regret was expressed at his untimely end. Southey published his Remains, accompanied by a short memoir. Lord Byron composed some beautiful lines on the sad event. Josiah Conder and others wrote commemorative verses. The entire literary young manhood of England and America seemed moved with sympathy. A monumental tablet, with a medallion by Chantrey, was erected in All Saints Church, Cambridge, at the expense of a citizen of Boston, in the United States. Ten hymns are ascribed to H. K. White, which were printed by the Rev. Dr. W. B. Collyer in his Supplement to Dr. Watts's Psalms & Hymns, London, 1812. Of these four of the most popular are annotated as follows: "Awake, sweet harp of Judah, wake"; "Christians, brethren, ere we part"; "Much in sorrow, oft in woe"; “When marshalled on the nightly plain." These are all in extensive use. The rest, all in common use at the present time, are:— 1. 0 Lord, another day has flown. Evening. From this the hymn "0 let Thy grace perform its part" is taken. 2. 0 Lord, my God, in mercy turn. Penitence and Faith. 3. The Lord our God is full [clothed in] of might. Divine Sovereignty. 4. The Lord our God is Lord of all. Divine Sovereignty. 5. Through sorrow's night and danger's path. The Resurrection. Sometimes given as "When sorrow's path and danger's road." 6. What is this passing scene? Human Frailty. This hymn consists of selected stanzas from his “Ode on Disappointment." [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Saint Francis Xavier

1506 - 1552 Person Name: F. Xavier Hymnal Number: 424 Author of "Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me" in Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations St. Francis Xavier, the great missionary saint of the Roman Catholic Church, was the son of Don John Giasso and Donna Maria d'Azpilqueta y Xavier; he was born at the castle Xavier, near Pampeluna, Spain, on April 7, 1506, and is known to history by his mother's name. At the age of eighteen he entered the University of Paris, where in due course he graduated, and then devoted himself to teaching. It was here that he became acquainted with Ignatius Loyola the founder of the Jesuits, who was then planning the colossal work which he afterwards accomplished. Xavier became one of the first nine of Loyola's converts, and the most enthusiastic of the little band. The date of the formation of the Order of the Jesuits is given as Aug. 15, 1534, and the place as Montmartre near Paris. We find Xavier at Venice with Loyola in 1537, where the visitation of a hospital for incurables was assigned to him. Here in the discharge of his duties he gave early evidence of his enthusiasm and self-devotion. He subsequently visited Rome, where with Loyola and others of the Order he was brought, through the influence of the Rector of the University of Paris, who was then at Rome, to the notice of John III. of Portugal, who desired some of them for mission work in India. Circumstances led to the selection of Xavier for the work. He left Rome in March 1540, and set sail on April 7, 1541, for Goa, the chief city of the Portuguese possessions, where he arrived on May 6, 1542. From that time to the day of his death at Sancian, near Canton, on Dec. 22, 1552, he devoted himself to his work in a most heroic and devoted manner, visiting Travancore, Ceylon, Malacca, Japan, and other heathen lands with Cross in hand, and a burning zeal in his heart. Xavier's life has been written by many hands. The roll of deeds which he is said to have done, and the miracles he is said to have wrought, even to the raising of the dead, is long, but many of the alleged facts are open to the gravest doubt, and others are beyond belief. The hymns which are associated with Xavier's name are, "O Deus ego amo Te, Nam prior Tu amasti me," and "O Deus ego amo Te, Nee amo Te ut salves me.” That the first was written by him is most improbable, the evidence in his favour being absolutely nil. The second may possibly be his (see as above), it breathes his abnegation of self in every word, his spirit in every line. See Murray's Magazine for Oct. 1890, for an interesting account of Goa and its Cathedral, where Xavier lies buried. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ============== See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church