The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-08-30
BOTH PREACHER AND POET.

1t usually happens that our Methodist
friends sing "Greenland's Icy Noun
tains" at some period of the conference
preferably when the missionary report
is made. The author of the hymn never
was a Methodist; and the Methodists
are Just big enough not TO care a whit
for that, but accept the good that is in
the poem. and sing it heartily to a
swinging measure that never fails of
an inspiring uplift.
The author of the hymn was Reginald
Heber, an Englishman, born in Ches-
hire in 1888; and he died in India in
1925. He was made bishop of Calcutta
in 1922, and that was d time that tried
the souls of Englishmen in that far
country. Bishop Heber must have been
Of the pioneer stuff, in spite of his early
training; for he Travelled all over India,
establishing and Strengthening mis-
sions.
But he was a poet, as well as a
preacher. There is more than rhythm
and melody in the lines:
From GreenIand's icy mountains,
From midas coral strand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand;
From many an ancient river,
From many a palmy plain,
They call US TO deliver
Their land from errors chain.
It is in the same hymn that he coined
a couplet which has garnished many an
argument: Where every prospect
pleases, and only man is vile"
In many old novels we found the
statement that the woman in the case
was false as fair" Bishop Heber is
the author Of that, though he never IN
tended to help in the construction of a
novel. Here is its setting:
Thus heavenly hope is all serene,
But earthly hope, how bright soccer,
Still fluctuates Ger this changing scene
And false and fleeing as tbs fair.
On many a tombstone in the older
sections of country is found the couplet
Thou art gone to the grave, but we will
not deplore thee,
Though sorrows and darkness encompass
the tomb.
And it may be there was something
| sonbre in the strain of the churchman
who could build successfully in a region
where even civilization was dead. Fol-
he reminds US that
Death rides on every passing breeze,
He turks in every flower.
But even the poppy could not lull his
fancy to perpetual rest, for he declares
that earth is fair when spring unlocks
the flowers to paint the laughing soil
Which is rather a fine thought, by the
way. And there may be added, as proof
of his love of life:
By cool Siloam's shady rill.
How sweet the lily grows!
And there is rapture and strength ii
the old number beginning:
Brightest and best of the sons of the
Dawn on our darkness and lend US thin,
aid.
BENJAMIN Disraeli once spoke o.
/ young men who have letters in theil
pockets, addressed to posterity-whict
they will fail to deliver" Bishop He
/ Der put it more briefly when he tells
one he FAILED the bright promise Of his
early day"
All of which may be interesting
enough: but what is more amusing Il
the fact that when the writer of this
article failed to remember the sixth lint
of that Missionary Hymn. and called
one after another, four protestant min
/ listers of Salt Lake. not one OF then
could quote the verse without getting
/ the hymnal.
And of course IT should be entirely
familiar in state that is still held "a
/ a mission.