The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-25
oLEAD, KINDLY LIGHT"
Newman Called His Hymn nm Expression
OF IMAGINATION md Sentiment.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: Several
Roman Catholic BishoDs in this country have
issued distinct orders that the hymn Lead.
Kindly Light" must not be sung during divine
service, and one Of the Bishops has gone 80
far as to affirm that Cardinal Newmah's Dopu-
lar hymn In merely a sentimental song and
altogether devoid Of Christian teaching. IL
may be OF interest to some OF your readers
TO know that this seems to have been pre-
cisely the view which John n. Newman
formed OF his own production. Cardinal
Newman wrote this poem when he was traV-
elling in Italy. and at a time when he was con-
templating leaving the Church OF England Tor
the Church OF Rome. probably in the summer
Of the year ISaS. Thirty-fOur years after
ward Mr.. Greenhill wrote to Cardinal New
man and asked him II he could explain the
last two lines OF the hymn:
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since and lost a while
Cardinal Newman in q letter dated January
10, 1879, replied.
MT DEAR Mr.. GREMNHnL: You Hatter me by your
question. but | think II was Keble who, when asked
II In his own case. answered that poets were not
bound TO be critics. or to give a sense 10 what they
had written: and though l am not like INN. . poet
at least I may plead that Am not bound 10 remem
Der my own meaning. whatever II was AZ the emu
OF almost forty years. Anyhow there must OS =
statute OF limitation for writer's OF verse, or Would
De quite a tyranny H. IN an II WulCu 10 sV
sion not OF truth but OF Imagination and sentiment
one we're obliged 70 be ready for examination ON
the transient state Of mind which came upon ono
when homeslck. or seaslck. OF in any other way SELL
sitive or excited. Yours most truly.
JOHN II. NEWMAN.
II Is an interesting fact that within a year
or two Of each other, between isiS and ls47.
| three English clergymen who were hymn
writer's left the Church of England Tor the
Church OF R~ome-Newman. Caswell and
Faber. Newman is not only the author OF
Lead, Kindly Light, but also Praise to the
Holiness in the Height" Caswell wrote
Days and Moments Quickly Fly" and The
Sun il Sinking Fast" Faber Ii the author OF
five hymns which are great favorites among
both Protestants and Romanlsts. namely.
Sweet Saviour, Bless Us Ere We Go. % Para
disc, o Paradise. - "Hark. Hark. My Soul. %
Come and Mourn With Me a While" and NJesu,
Gentlest Saviour"
It has been said that Faber wss a poet hrst
and a theolosian afterward. And when ne
told Wordsworth that he was going to be
ordained into the Anglican Church the poet
laureate exclaimed: Il do not say that you
are wrong. but England loses a poet" In
November. is45, Mr.. Faber Joined the Church
OF Rome. and il was as a Roman priest, and
not as an Anglican. that he wrote the popu-
lar hymns to which I have referred. He
introduced them into the oratory OF st. Philip
Neri. OF which John Henry Newman was the
head, and afterward in the Brompton ora
tory over which Father Faber presided until
his death. September 20. 1888. Very many
Professionals have found fault with the two
hymns Lead. Kindly Light" and Nearer. NV
God. to Thee for the same reason for which
they have been excluded from the services
| of the Roman Church. They are. as Newman
wrote OF his own verses, expressions not OF
truth but of Imagination and sentiment"
NEW YORK, October -. b. ID. OxoN.