The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-19
HYMNS AND THEIR AUTHORS.
REV. A. }. SMITH ON RELIGIOUS
pIODUCTIoNs OF ENGLISH POETS.

Eut Few of the Great Poets Have
Given Hymns to the Church-Man y
hymns written by Charles Wes-
ICY Mentioned-''God Moves in NTys-
acriops ways" the Hymn by Cow
DER. written After the Authors
attempt at Suicide.
There was an unusually large attend
,..ce at the service Of song at the First
presbyterian Church last night. The pas
Tor Rev Arthur J. Smith, spoke on early
Trslish hymns. He began by remarkinr
that very few of the great poets have
even many hymns to the church John
1tlton,' he said, was perhaps the great
.es Christian poet and there are very few
hyn,ns by him in use. Tennyson once
.sa.l. "A good hymn is a very difficult
.t g to write; in a good hymn you have
TO We commonplace and peetical' The
production ceased to be a hymn when il
ceased to be commonplace and poetical.
John Mason was one Of the earliest OF
tna English hymn writers. 1t is said he
exortcd quite an influence upon Dr. Isaac
Watts. who has given so many GOOD
HYMNS to the church. Richard Baxter
called him the glory of the Church of
l.. songs
said to have been household treasure
DR. Isaac Watts, one of England's
noted logicians Che wrote a text book
on iogic that was used al Oxford for many
years. and also an astronomer and mil
0sopher, wrote many useful and endurins.
hymns His hymns, When, / Survey the
WluJrous cross, has been a'help to many
CHRISTIANS and will doubtless live on q :
loug as the church remains in the earth
philip Doddudge, who wrote the world
D H.aar l.r...
c.rcu llion among Christian people. en-
hu,d. The Rise and Progress Of ReIir-
Ton iu Inc Soul, wrote many good hymns
one of his most widely sung is "Oh. Hann1.
Day. That Fixed My Choice" Ply
Charles Wesley was next introduced bD
the singing Of his. hymn, Jesus, Lover or
clergyman in the Church of ENGLAND. II
was he who organized the first BODY ~
Christians called Methodsts 1t was a
body OF students az Oxford. Johr., his
brother, fOstered the movement which,
has grown into world proportions. Jnhn
Wesley did not write many hvp,ns hi,
Charles is said to have published, 4l3O be-
fore he died, and he left 1000 in mann
script at his death. His hym Is were no
etic3l and lyrical They c.AuId he ana
have been sung by hundreds Of thousands
Glow Sweet the Name Of Jesus Sounds >,
was next sung. This hym'A was written Nv
man no al one llms was an infde. and
save ira Irauet- lie was converted by read
ms nos; A. Ken foas' Limitation of
Chris Wien he ought ordination the
Bishop of York he Afated. He was finally
q On. inca ana pee Arne a power for good
would know lhf At he had been an infdel
by reading thi' hymn.
Ihe mex ext ny fan, Ashamed of Jesus" is
/ NJ" 10 IdNe eeen written by Joseph Grisg
Nhgn ne w as but 10 years OF age. II
I T. , ne ehe production of a great master
Ii ne n Theological art.
W.n' n Cowper's hymn, God Moves in
FInfsV hT.r~
tls sTviees. Mr.. Smith referred TO Cow
p5r as the hymn writer who expressed
~ moods. He seemed TO be possessed
dth "A suicidal mania.. just before he
wrote this remarkable HMM he had at
tempted 10 commit suicide, but was pre-
vented. He seemed TO be thwarted in his
purpose, and because he could not I'M
derstand it he sat down and wrote the
hymn.