The Midnight Cry

Representative Text

1 The Lord shall come in dead of night,
When all is stillness round;
How happy they whose lamps are bright,
Who hail the trumpet’s sound.

2 How blind and dead the world appears,
How deep her slumbers are,
Still dreaming that the day she fears
Is distant and afar.

3 Who spends his day in holy toil,
His talent used aright,
That he may haste, with heavenly spoil,
To meet his Lord that night?

4 Are you arousing from their sleep,
The saints who dare to rest,
And calling every one to keep
A watch more true and blest?

5 Wake up! my heart and soul, anew,
Let sleep no moment claim;
But hourly watch, as if ye knew
This night the Master came.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #10675

Author: Nicolaus Ludwig, Graf von Zinzendorf

Zinzendorf, Count Nicolaus Ludwig, the founder of the religious community of Herrnhut and the apostle of the United Brethren, was born at Dresden May 26, 1700. It is not often that noble blood and worldly wealth are allied with true piety and missionary zeal. Such, however, was the case with Count Zinzendorf. In 1731 Zinzendorf resigned all public duties and devoted himself to missionary work. He traveled extensively on the Continent, in Great Britain, and in America, preaching "Christ, and him crucified," and organizing societies of Moravian brethren. John Wesley is said to have been under obligation to Zinzendorf for some ideas on singing, organization of classes, and Church government. Zinzendorf was the author of some two thousand hymn… Go to person page >

Translator: Sarah B. Findlater

Sarah Laurie Borthwick Findlater United Kingdom 1823-1907. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, sister of Jane Laurie Borthwick, she married Erick John Findlater, a pastor in the Free Church of Scotland at Lochearnhead, Perthshire, and they had three daughters: Sarah Jemima, Mary Williamina, and Jane Helen. Findlater and her sister Jane's translations were collected in “German hymns from the land of Luther”, appearing in four volumes (1854-1862). As an author, Sarah wrote fiction, juvenile works, music scores, anthems, and musical parts. She died at Torquay, Devon, England. John Perry Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The Lord shall come in dead of night
Title: The Midnight Cry
German Title: Der Herr bricht an, um Mitternacht
Translator: Sarah B. Findlater
Author: Nicolaus Ludwig, Graf von Zinzendorf
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

SAWLEY (Walch)

This tune was composed by James Walch in 1857 for a children's anniversary, and was published in 1860 with other tunes for private circulation. It was wrongly assigned, in the early editions of [The Free Church Hymnal, 1888] to the Rev. F. Pigou. Scottish church music: its sources and composers, 189…

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Timeline

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The Cyber Hymnal #10675
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The Cyber Hymnal #10675

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