Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-01-31
ORIGIN OF FAMOUS HYMNS.
Stories About the Writing of some
of the Ereatest Favorites.

Stories About the Writing of Some
of the Grentest Fnvorites.
Every one perhaps has his or her IA
yorite hymn, yet few know its author
and under what circumstances 1t was
composed. Hitherto there has been no
good book on the subject, but that de-
feet Is now remedled, thanks to the
patient industry OF Mr.. Francis a
Jones, whose volume, Famous Hymns
and Their Authors" has just been pub
lished by Alessrs. Holder & Stoughton
II is full of curious and interesting III
formation. Take the Chrls!lSls hymns,
for example. "Hark, the herald An
gels Singg" when originally published
by Charles Wesley in 1879 began
clark. how all the welkin rings"
christians, Awaken was composed
by John Byron In 1745 as carol for
his little daughter Dolly, "for her and
for no one else" In the original the
manuscript is headed christmas Day
For Dolly" 1t was first published In
1746 i'm Harrop's Manchester Mercury
and was set to music by the organlst OF
the Manchester parish church, John
wainwright. while Shepherds Watch
, ed" another carol, was written by
Nahum Tate 200 years ago. The pop
ular "Abde With Me" was written by
the Rev. III. Il. Lyle In 1S47 at BriX-
ham. He had become so Ill that he
was ordered to Nice. On the Sunday
evening prior to his leaving he walked
by the seashore alone for half an hour
after service. fully convinced that he
had spoken TO his congregation for the
last time. When the sun had set, he
went back to his study, and an hour
later the hymn was finished. DR.. Monk
composed its beautiful setting In an In
spired ten minutes.
Canon Elertons popular Saviour,
again to thy dear name" was COM
posed so recently as 1886. but has since
then been translated into nearly every
language and dialect. The story OF
how Newman wrote Lead, Kindly
Light" in an orange boat while be-
Gained In the strait of Bonifacio Is well
known. Rock OF Ages" probably the
most popular hymn in the English Ian
guage. was written by Toplady when
caught in q thunderstorm near bag
! don I'm the Mendips AS the London
went down in the bay Of Biscay IN
1866 the doomed passengers sang this
HYMN. 1t was once translated into
Hindoostance by an enthusiastic native
convert. and his rendering, literally
| translated, read thus:
Very old stone. split for my benefit.
Let me absent myself under one OF your
fragments.
Many stories are told Of the hymns
of Isaac Watts. 1t Is said that he
wrote Not All the Blood Of Beasts
after a visit to Smithfeld market. while
the charming hymn There Is a Land
of Pure Delight" was suggested by the
view of southampton water as seen
from the Isle Of Wight. lie is believed
to have written 500 hymns. Many are
mediocre: Il few will last as long as
the English language. Jesus, Lover
of My Soul" was suggested to Charles
Wesley by sea bird flying to him for
protection during a storm. 1t was one
of the earliest that he wrote. A good
story is told Of Keble and DR.. Neale,
both writer's Of hymns.
DR.. Neale was invited by Mr.. heble
and the bishop of Salisbury to assist
them with their new hymnal, and for
this purpose he paid visit to Hinsley
parsonage. On one occasion Mr.. keble,
having to 90 to another room to find
some papers. was detained short
time. On his return DR.. Neale said,
"Why, Keble. | thought you told me
that the Christian Year WIS entirely
original?" YES" he answered. ut GER
tainly is" Then how comes thisT
And Or. Neae placed before him the
Latin of one Of Keble's hymns. keble
professed himself utterly COMPOUNDED.
He protested that he had never seen
the original. After a few minutes OF
quiet enjoyment Neale relieved him by
owning that he had just turned 1t into
Latin during his absence.