Behold! how glorious is yon sky. [Eternal Life.] This hymn, in 2 stanzas, is No. 749 in the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859, and No. 611 in Dr. Alton's Congregational Psalmist Hymnal, 1886. It has evidently been written for or adapted to the fine German chorale, "Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern". But not one single line can be said to be translated either from the hymn of Nicolai, or from the recast of Nicolai’s hymn made by J. A. Schlegel (q.v.); and it must rank as an anonymous English hymn.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Philipp Nicolai (b. Mengeringhausen, Waldeck, Germany, 1556; d. Hamburg, Germany, 1608) lived an eventful life–he fled from the Spanish army, sparred with Roman Catholic and Calvinist opponents, and ministered to plague-stricken congregations. Educated at Wittenberg University, he was ordained a Lutheran pastor in 1583 in the city of Herdecke. However, he was soon at odds with the Roman Catholic town council, and when Spanish troops arrived to reestablish Roman dominance, Nicolai fled. In 1588 he became chief pastor at Altwildungen and court preacher to Countess Argaretha of Waldeck. During that time Nicolai battled with Calvinists, who disagreed with him about the theology of the real presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. These doctri… Go to person page >
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