The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-11-10
He is often called the father of sacred

He is often called the father of sacred
song. Among those sung in our
church are "Christ the Lord, is Risen
Today" "Hark! the Herald Angels
Sing;" "Jesus, Lover of NY Soul"
"Love Divine, All Love Excelling."
His jubilee hymn, "Come, Thou AL
mighty King" was written in 1850.
Also 'Blow Ye the Trumpet, Blow"
There is pleasing little anecdote
connected with the latter hymn. At
the great Gloucester Centenary of our
church, when the financial report of
the Woman's Centenary was recorded,
the sisters felt they had earned the
plaudit "Well DONE" Mrs. Soule, in
her own quiet way, arose and gave
out this hymn, feeling that it was
strictly appropriate to the occasion.
Gall Hail the Power of Jesus
Name" was writtenin 1779. 1t is u.s.
ually sung in this country to the tune
Coronation, composed expressly for it
by Oliver Holden, of Charleston, Mass,
in 1893. Who are they that have not
crowned him Lord of all at the top
of their voices? l do not say this in
sacrilegious way, but the words and
the tune are so perfectly united they
lift us up as on wings of eagles.
"Calm on the Listening Ear of
Night,"a Christmas hymn, by Edward
I'll. Sears, has been pronounced by
Oliver Wendell Holmes one of the
finest and most beautiful hymns ever
written.
Since writing this paper the vener-
able and gifted DR.. Holmes has
passed up the angels stairway, and
so has passed away the last represen-
tative of the "Golden Age" of Ameri-
can literature. With Emerson, Whit
tier, Longfellow and Lowell, his work
is done. and it is only in his writings
that he still speaks. AS poet he has
been called the happiest and finest of
our singers. Prose was his native ex-
preston, and the expression was al
ways that of the man of culture.
Another Christmas hymn by our
own DR.. Chaplin:
"Hark Hark! with harps of gold
What Anthem do they sing?"
1t is great pity that DR.. Chaplin
did not leave more hymns for the use
of the chuseh, for hiszAs1se never de-
serted him, even in the latest years
of his ministry. 1t has been said
that many of his songs begin in a
minor key, but sing themselves into a
major strain before the end,- the
muse serving him as comforter.
Then in what tones of melody he
could read them. Rev. Starr King
has said, "That the divine afflatus
moved through his nature, as gust
through an organ. All that his con-
scious thought did was to touch the
keys"
Rev. j. G. Adams wrote many fine
hymns. In connection with DIR.
Chaplin, he has left us many in their
compilation of "Hymns for Christian
Devotion" that will always live in the
hearts of Universalists.
Mrs. Gray, native, of Ireland, in
her Sabbath "reminiscences has de-
scribed the humble sanctuary of her
fathers:
Its low thatched roof.
Its floor of trodden clay.
And the old pastors time-worn face
And W of silver gray"
And she says
II remember. remember
When Sabbath morning rose
We changed our garments neat and clean
Our soiled weekday clothes.
And yet no gaudg fnery
Nor brooch, nor jewel rare
But hands and faces looking bright
And smoothly parted hair"
These lines have fragrance of the
past and will remind the older mem.
bers of the congregation of the Sab
bath stiffness of their childhood,
when Sabbath meant a day of rest
from worldly thoughts set Free" a
hallowed day when our minds were
turned to the more serious duties of
life. Would it not be better if the
present generation could have little
more of the old fashioned influence
of Sabbath stiffness and reverence,
to make the day more of holy-day
and lessa holiday2
TOPEKA, KAN.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHARITY
nDn INTO mTnM