Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-04-03
Origin OF Some Popular
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While Bishop Heber was rec
tor at the Episcopal church a
Hodnet, in Shropshire, he paid
a visit to his father-in-law, DIR.
Shipley, the vicar of Wrexham,
on the border of Wales. Or
the next day, which was Sab
bath, DR.. Shipley was to deliyeI
a discourse in behalf Of the
j]"Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel in Foreign Lands. "
Knowing his son-in-law's hap
Ipy gift in rapid composition, be
said to him: "Write something
for us to sing at the missionary
service tomorrow morning"
Short notice that, for man to
achieve bis immortality. Heber
retired to another part of the
room and in a little time pre-
pared three verses Of the popu-
lar hymn commencing:
'From GreenIand's icy mountains"
Dr.. Shipley was delighted
with the production. but Heber
was not satisfied, "The sense
is not complete" he said. In
spite of DR.. Shipley's earnest
protest, Heber retired for a few
moments longer, and then, COM
ing back, read the following
glorious bugle blast which rings
like the reyeille Of the mlllenial
morning.:
"Waft, wait, ye winds the stsry,
And you, ye waters, roll,
I'LL, like sea OF glory,
1t spreads from pole TO polel
Till Ger our ransomed nature,
The Lamb for sinners slain,
Redeemer, King, Creator,
In bliss returns to reign
The next morning the people
of Wrexham church listened to
the first rehearsal of a lyric
which has since been echoed by
millions of voices around the
globe.
No profane hymn-tinkcr has
ever dared to lay his bungling
finger on single syllable of
those foEr stanzas, which the
Holy Spirit moved Heber to
write.
On that Sabbath morning he
caught the first strain Of has
own Immortality. He "builded
better than he knew" He did
more to watt the story of Cal
vary around the earth than if he
had preached like Apollos, or
had founded a board of missions.
SIN the monthly concerts held
in the school houses Of New
England, in frontier cabins, on
the decks of missionary ships
bound to Ceylon's isle, and in
the vast assemblies OF Ameri-
can boards, Heber's trumpet
hymn has been sung with swell
ing voices and gushing tears"
Cowper's great Hymn of
Providence, too, had history.
He wrote it after those two
sweet dev otional gems, 90, for
a Closer Walk with God" and
"There's a Fountain Filled with
Blood" A foreboding impress
sion of another attack Of insani-
ty began 10 creep over him.
The presentiment grew deeper;
the clouds gathered fast.
He even meditated sclf-de- |
struction, and left his quiet
cottage to drown himself in the !
neighboring river. He was un-
der a pail of overwhelming
gloom. just while those black
clouds of despair were dartipg
their vivid lightnings into his
soul, the grandest inspiration Of
his life broke upon him, and he
began TO sing ont these wonder
full words:
"GOd moves in mysterious way,
His wonders to perform,
He plants His footsteps in The sea,
Andrides upon the Storm"
For several years Cowper's
splendid intellect was to be un-
der a total eclipse. The penum-
bra was already darkening its
disc. But in full view OF the
impending calamity, the inspir-
cd son Of song chanted forth
those strains of holy cheer:
"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind frowning providence
He hides smiling face"
Cowper never could have
sung that sublime anthem of
victory except under the imme-
diate inspiration of "power from
on high" The storm was COM
ing, but Cowper's eye of faith
saw Jehovah riding above the
Storm" This matchless hymn