News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-02-04
SOME FAMOUS HYMNS.
Facts About Those Who Wrote Them,
And Some Famous Persons Who
Loved Them.

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thor and under what circumstances it
was composed. Take the Christmas
hymns, for example. "Harkl the Her
aid Angels Sing" when originally pub
lished by Charles Wesley, i'll 1870, be-
gan, clark How all the Welkin
Rings" Christians, Awake - was
composed by John Byron in 1745 as
a carol for his little daughter Dolly,
"for her and no one else" In the or
iginal tue manuscript is headed
christmas Day for Dolly" 1t was
first published in 1746 in Harrop's
Manchester Mercury, and was set to
music by the Organist OF the Man
chester parish church, John Vain
wright. "WhileShepherds Watched"
another carol, was written by Nahum
Tate 200 years ago. The popular
"Abide With Ne" was written by the
Rev H. e. Lyle in 1917 at Brixham.
He had become so ill that he was or
dered to Nice. On the Sunday even
ing 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 set
ting in an inspired ten minutes. Can
on Elerton's popular, Saviour,
Again to Thy Dear Name" was com
posed so recently as 1886, but has
since been translated into nearly
every language and dialect. The
story of how Newman wrote Lead,
Kindly Light" in an orange boat,
while becalmed in the Straits of BOni
facio, is we'll known. Crock of Ages"
probably the most popular hymn in
the English languag e-was written
by Toplady when caught in thunder
storm near Blagdon in Mendips. AS
the London went down in the Bay of
Biscay in 1866 the doomed passen-
gers sang this hymn. 1t was once
translated into Hindustani by an en-
thusiastic native convert, and his
rendering, literally translated, read
thus
Very old stone, split form 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 Isle of Wight. He is be-
lieved to have written 500 hymns
many are mediocre; few will last as
long as the English language. Jesus,
lover of my SOUL" was suggested to
Charles Wesley by seabird flying to
him for protection during thunder
storm. 1t was one of the earliest that
he wrote. A good story is told OF
hymns.
DR.. Neale was invited by Mr.. Keble
and the Bishop of Salisbury to assist
them with their new by mnal, and for
this purpose he paid a visit TO Hins
ley Parsonage. On one occasion Mr..
Keble, having togo 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 was
entirely original !" Yes" he ans
wered, sit certainly is "Then how
comes this?" and DR.. Neale placed be,
tore him the Latin of one of Keble's
hymns. Keble protested himself ut
terly COMPOUNDED. He protested that
hn q n no
a few minutes of quiet enjoyment
Neale relieved him by owning that he
had just turned it into Latin during
his absence.
The now popular wedding hymn
go Perfect Love-" was written in 'S3
by Mrs. Dorothy Quincy for her sis
ter's marriage, to be sung to the
tune 90 Strength and Stay" Sir
Joseph Barnby set it to music for the
wedding of Princess Louise of Wales.
Canon EIlertOn's 80 Father, all Great
ing" was composed at the request of
the late Duke of Westminster Tor the
marriage of his daughter to the Mar
quis of Ormonde in 1876. " From
Greenland's icy mountains" was
written by Heber in twenty minutes
in 1919, and the only correction he
made was to substitute "heathen" in
the second verse for savage"
A most interesting chapter is that
on children's hymns. Charles Wesley
wrote the best known of all, "Gentle
Jesus, Meek and Mild" in 1740. 1t
has been said that he wrote it for his
own children, but this is a mistake,
as he did not marry until some years
afterward. There is happy Land"
was written by Mr.. Andrew Young in
1888, at Rothesay, to go with a tune
which he had heard little girl play
ing. " There's a Friend for Little
Children" was written by Mr.. Midlane
at Newport, Isle of Wight, near the
house where Thomas Binney conpos-
ed his verses beginning Eternal |
Light, Eternal Light" The charm
ing child's hymn, " Now the Day is
Over" was written in 1865 by the |
Rev. S. Barring Gould, author of con
ward Christian Soldiers" The mag
nificent Eternal Father, Strong to |
Save" was composed by Mr.. William
Whiting. One of the most curious
stories in this admirable volume re-
q |