The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-17


They have but one. | think their
church is very near to God. Tenny-
son has been called great, grand
Universalist. We all know that his
muse is full of the loftiest and sweet
est strains-that his plea was for the
religion of the daily life rather than
Of the prayer book.
How many beautiful hymns Long
fellow wrote! In his "Psalm of Life"
he bids us all to be up and doing;
that we must not expect all enjoy
ment, nor yet all sorrow, but "learn to
labor and to wait"
The following hymns were written
by Sir John Bowring about the year
1926:
"How Sweetly Flowed the Gospels
Sound;" From the Recesses of
Lowly Spirit" "God is Love, His
Mercy Brightens;" "Watchmanl Tell
us of the Night" "In the Cross of
Christ I Glory"
Sir John Bowring was Unitarian.
Yet these charming, soul-stirring, rev.
erential hymns have been criticised
as wanting in that glowing inspira-
tion that characterizes the productions
of Trinitarian poets, and that he las
little to say of the adorable Redeemer;
that in common with Unitarians he
addresses the Father-as in the fol-
lowing:
Almighty one bend in dust before thee,
Even SO yelled cherubs bend:
In calm and still devotion adore thee
All-wise, all pres mt friend.
Thou to the earth Its emerald robes hast given,
Or curtained 1t in snow
And the bright sun, and the soft moon in heaven
Before thy presence bow"
But can the Redeemer ask for more
alteration? Can he ask for the Gospel
to be sung with more gentleness and
grace? What can be more divine
than the recesses of a lowly spirit9
What more can one say than "Thy
viii be done?" and to feel that God
is love and that "his mercy brightens"
all our pathways? Then in his re-
port of the Watchmen: "Let thy
Wanderings Cease, for 10! the Prince
of Peace, the Son of God, is Gomez"
and when he refers to the cross of
Christ, he says:
When the woes of life oertake me.
Hopes deceive and fears annoy;
Never shall the cross feSsake me
Lo! it glows with peace asad Joy.
From every Stormy Wind that
Blows" is one of the sweetest in the
English language, and is a great
favorite with devout people every
where. 1t was written about 1881 by
Rev. Hugh Stowell.
Joseph Addison wrote in his pasto-
raj hymn, "The Lord my Pasture shall
prepare" and "When all thy Mercies,
0 My God" so full of loving kindness
and tender grace. He also wrote that
hymn, so full of grandeur and sub
Unity" "The Spacious Firmament
on High" These were written in
1712.
"Just as l am Without one Plea" :"
first appeared in the Invalid's Hymn
book in 1886. 1t was the work of
Charlotte Elliott, an invalid, highly
gifted woman and one of great refine
ment and piety. What comfort this
one hymn has brought to many soul
in doubt renewed and strengthened by
the assurance that they will be well
coined and healed by tender Faith
er's love.
Henry Francis Lyte in 1847, few
days before his death, composed this
precious relic: "Abide with Me, Fast
falls the Eventide, - another COM
forter to many one who is passing
through the veil. Samuel Medley
was sailor boy. AS he grew older he
became much interested in the class
les and sacred literature. Having
great facility for versifcation, he
wrote many hymns; among the best
known are "Awake My Soul in JOY
full Lays" "Oh could speak the
Matchless Worth" The latter hymn
is full of the excellency of Christ. To
write such hymn one must be nearly
able to "touch the heavenly strings
in notes almost divine"
Rev. Benjamin Cough wrote many
hymns and poems for Sundays and
holy days. In this one, "Sweet is
the Hour of Prayer" you can almost
hear the chimes as they ring out their
welcome music over the land. What
is sweeter to the ear ON beautiful
Sabbath morning than the sound of a
chime of bells as they ring out the
familiar tones of praise and prayer7
AS we listen, we do not stop to think
of creeds, but of all the blessings of
lille that our Father has bestowed up
on us. There may be clouds, "for