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John Newton

1725 - 1807 Hymnal Number: d5 Author of "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds" in Gems of Song John Newton (b. London, England, 1725; d. London, 1807) was born into a Christian home, but his godly mother died when he was seven, and he joined his father at sea when he was eleven. His licentious and tumultuous sailing life included a flogging for attempted desertion from the Royal Navy and captivity by a slave trader in West Africa. After his escape he himself became the captain of a slave ship. Several factors contributed to Newton's conversion: a near-drowning in 1748, the piety of his friend Mary Catlett, (whom he married in 1750), and his reading of Thomas à Kempis' Imitation of Christ. In 1754 he gave up the slave trade and, in association with William Wilberforce, eventually became an ardent abolitionist. After becoming a tide-surveyor in Liverpool, England, Newton came under the influence of George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley and began to study for the ministry. He was ordained in the Church of England and served in Olney (1764-1780) and St. Mary Woolnoth, London (1780-1807). His legacy to the Christian church includes his hymns as well as his collaboration with William Cowper (PHH 434) in publishing Olney Hymns (1779), to which Newton contributed 280 hymns, including “Amazing Grace.” Bert Polman ================== Newton, John, who was born in London, July 24, 1725, and died there Dec. 21, 1807, occupied an unique position among the founders of the Evangelical School, due as much to the romance of his young life and the striking history of his conversion, as to his force of character. His mother, a pious Dissenter, stored his childish mind with Scripture, but died when he was seven years old. At the age of eleven, after two years' schooling, during which he learned the rudiments of Latin, he went to sea with his father. His life at sea teems with wonderful escapes, vivid dreams, and sailor recklessness. He grew into an abandoned and godless sailor. The religious fits of his boyhood changed into settled infidelity, through the study of Shaftesbury and the instruction of one of his comrades. Disappointing repeatedly the plans of his father, he was flogged as a deserter from the navy, and for fifteen months lived, half-starved and ill-treated, in abject degradation under a slave-dealer in Africa. The one restraining influence of his life was his faithful love for his future wife, Mary Catlett, formed when he was seventeen, and she only in her fourteenth year. A chance reading of Thomas à Kempis sowed the seed of his conversion; which quickened under the awful contemplations of a night spent in steering a water-logged vessel in the face of apparent death (1748). He was then twenty-three. The six following years, during which he commanded a slave ship, matured his Christian belief. Nine years more, spent chiefly at Liverpool, in intercourse with Whitefield, Wesley, and Nonconformists, in the study of Hebrew and Greek, in exercises of devotion and occasional preaching among the Dissenters, elapsed before his ordination to the curacy of Olney, Bucks (1764). The Olney period was the most fruitful of his life. His zeal in pastoral visiting, preaching and prayer-meetings was unwearied. He formed his lifelong friendship with Cowper, and became the spiritual father of Scott the commentator. At Olney his best works—-Omicron's Letters (1774); Olney Hymns (1779); Cardiphonia, written from Olney, though published 1781—were composed. As rector of St. Mary Woolnoth, London, in the centre of the Evangelical movement (1780-1807) his zeal was as ardent as before. In 1805, when no longer able to read his text, his reply when pressed to discontinue preaching, was, "What, shall the old African blasphemer stop while he can speak!" The story of his sins and his conversion, published by himself, and the subject of lifelong allusion, was the base of his influence; but it would have been little but for the vigour of his mind (shown even in Africa by his reading Euclid drawing its figures on the sand), his warm heart, candour, tolerance, and piety. These qualities gained him the friendship of Hannah More, Cecil, Wilberforce, and others; and his renown as a guide in experimental religion made him the centre of a host of inquirers, with whom he maintained patient, loving, and generally judicious correspondence, of which a monument remains in the often beautiful letters of Cardiphonia. As a hymnwriter, Montgomery says that he was distanced by Cowper. But Lord Selborne's contrast of the "manliness" of Newton and the "tenderness" of Cowper is far juster. A comparison of the hymns of both in The Book of Praise will show no great inequality between them. Amid much that is bald, tame, and matter-of-fact, his rich acquaintance with Scripture, knowledge of the heart, directness and force, and a certain sailor imagination, tell strongly. The one splendid hymn of praise, "Glorious things of thee are spoken," in the Olney collection, is his. "One there is above all others" has a depth of realizing love, sustained excellence of expression, and ease of development. "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds" is in Scriptural richness superior, and in structure, cadence, and almost tenderness, equal to Cowper's "Oh! for a closer walk with God." The most characteristic hymns are those which depict in the language of intense humiliation his mourning for the abiding sins of his regenerate life, and the sense of the withdrawal of God's face, coincident with the never-failing conviction of acceptance in The Beloved. The feeling may be seen in the speeches, writings, and diaries of his whole life. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] A large number of Newton's hymns have some personal history connected with them, or were associated with circumstances of importance. These are annotated under their respective first lines. Of the rest, the known history of which is confined to the fact that they appeared in the Olney Hymns, 1779, the following are in common use:— 1. Be still, my heart, these anxious cares. Conflict. 2. Begone, unbelief, my Saviour is near. Trust. 3. By the poor widow's oil and meal. Providence. 4. Chief Shepherd of Thy chosen sheep. On behalf of Ministers. 5. Darkness overspreads us here. Hope. 6. Does the Gospel-word proclaim. Rest in Christ. 7. Fix my heart and eyes on Thine. True Happiness. 8. From Egypt lately freed. The Pilgrim's Song. 9. He Who on earth as man was Known. Christ the Rock. 10. How blest are they to whom the Lord. Gospel Privileges. 11. How blest the righteous are. Death of the Righteous. 12. How lost was my [our] condition. Christ the Physician. 13. How tedious and tasteless the hours. Fellowship with Christ. 14. How welcome to the saints [soul] when pressed. Sunday. 15. Hungry, and faint, and poor. Before Sermon. 16. In mercy, not in wrath, rebuke. Pleading for Mercy. 17. In themselves, as weak as worms. Power of Prayer. 18. Incarnate God, the soul that knows. The Believer's Safety. 19. Jesus, Who bought us with His blood. The God of Israel. "Teach us, 0 Lord, aright to plead," is from this hymn. 20. Joy is a [the] fruit that will not grow. Joy. 21. Let hearts and tongues unite. Close of the Year. From this "Now, through another year," is taken. 22. Let us adore the grace that seeks. New Year. 23. Mary to her [the] Saviour's tomb. Easter. 24. Mercy, 0 Thou Son of David. Blind Bartimeus. 25. My harp untun'd and laid aside. Hoping for a Revival. From this "While I to grief my soul gave way" is taken. 26. Nay, I cannot let thee go. Prayer. Sometimes, "Lord, I cannot let Thee go." 27. Now may He Who from the dead. After Sermon. 28. 0 happy they who know the Lord, With whom He deigns to dwell. Gospel Privilege. 29. O Lord, how vile am I. Lent. 30. On man in His own Image made. Adam. 31. 0 speak that gracious word again. Peace through Pardon. 32. Our Lord, Who knows full well. The Importunate Widow. Sometimes altered to "Jesus, Who knows full well," and again, "The Lord, Who truly knows." 33. Physician of my sin-sick soul. Lent. 34. Pleasing spring again is here. Spring. 35. Poor, weak, and worthless, though I am. Jesus the Friend. 36. Prepare a thankful song. Praise to Jesus. 37. Refreshed by the bread and wine. Holy Communion. Sometimes given as "Refreshed by sacred bread and wine." 38. Rejoice, believer, in the Lord. Sometimes “Let us rejoice in Christ the Lord." Perseverance. 39. Salvation, what a glorious plan. Salvation. 40. Saviour, shine and cheer my soul. Trust in Jesus. The cento "Once I thought my mountain strong," is from this hymn. 41. Saviour, visit Thy plantation. Prayer for the Church. 42. See another year [week] is gone. Uncertainty of Life. 43. See the corn again in ear. Harvest. 44. Sinner, art thou still secure? Preparation for the Future. 45. Sinners, hear the [thy] Saviour's call. Invitation. 46. Sovereign grace has power alone. The two Malefactors. 47. Stop, poor sinner, stop and think. Caution and Alarm. 48. Sweeter sounds than music knows. Christmas. 49. Sweet was the time when first I felt. Joy in Believing. 50. Ten thousand talents once I owed. Forgiveness and Peace. 51. The grass and flowers, which clothe the field. Hay-time. 52. The peace which God alone reveals. Close of Service. 53. Thy promise, Lord, and Thy command. Before Sermon. 54. Time, by moments, steals away. The New Year. 55. To Thee our wants are known. Close of Divine Service. 56. We seek a rest beyond the skies. Heaven anticipated. 57. When any turn from Zion's way. Jesus only. 58. When Israel, by divine command. God, the Guide and Sustainer of Life. 59. With Israel's God who can compare? After Sermon. 60. Yes, since God Himself has said it. Confidence. 61. Zion, the city of our God. Journeying Zionward. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================= Newton, J., p. 803, i. Another hymn in common use from the Olney Hymns, 1779, is "Let me dwell on Golgotha" (Holy Communion). --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ----- John Newton was born in London, July 24, 1725. His mother died when he was seven years old. In his eleventh year he accompanied his father, a sea captain, on a voyage. For several years his life was one of dissipation and crime. He was disgraced while in the navy. Afterwards he engaged in the slave trade. Returning to England in 1748, the vessel was nearly wrecked in a storm. This peril forced solemn reflection upon him, and from that time he was a changed man. It was six years, however, before he relinquished the slave trade, which was not then regarded as an unlawful occupation. But in 1754, he gave up sea-faring life, and holding some favourable civil position, began also religious work. In 1764, in his thirty-ninth year, he entered upon a regular ministry as the Curate of Olney. In this position he had intimate intercourse with Cowper, and with him produced the "Olney Hymns." In 1779, Newton became Rector of S. Mary Woolnoth, in London, in which position he became more widely known. It was here he died, Dec. 21, 1807, His published works are quite numerous, consisting of sermons, letters, devotional aids, and hymns. He calls his hymns "The fruit and expression of his own experience." --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872 See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church =======================

Elizabeth Mills

1805 - 1829 Person Name: Elizabeth K. Mills Hymnal Number: d17 Author of "We speak of the realms of the blest" in Gems of Song Mills, Elizabeth, née King, daughter of Philip King, was born at Stoke Newington in 1805; married to Thomas Mills, M.P., and died at Finsbury Place, London, April 21, 1829. Her popular hymn:— We speak of the realms of the blest. [Heaven] is thus annotated in Miller's Singers and Songs, &c, 1869, p. 483: "We are much indebted to John Remington Mills, Esq., M.P. for information about this hymn, written by his accomplished relative. The original has 6 st. and was composed after reading ‘Bridges on the 119th Psalm' (on ver. 44, p. 116), ‘We speak of heaven, but oh! to be there.' . . . Already deservedly a favourite, new interest will be added to this hymn when we know that the authoress was early called to ‘the realms of the blest,' of which she sang so sweetly, and that she wrote this hymn a few weeks before her death." The text of this hymn is usually given in an imperfect form. The corrections are supplied by W. F. Stevenson in his Hymns for Church and Home, 1873, "Children's Hymns," No. 151, and the note thereon. Few children's hymns have been received with more favour. It is found in almost every hymn-book published for Children in Great Britain and America during the last fifty years. In some collections it begins, "We sing of the land of the blest"; and in others,"We talk of the land of the blest," --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

A. D. Fillmore

1823 - 1869 Hymnal Number: d1 Author of "As down the stream of time" in Gems of Song Fillmore, Augustus Damon. (Gallia County, Ohio, September 7, 1823--June 10, 1870, Cincinnati, Ohio). Minister, Christian Church. Co-editor (with Silas White Leonard, 1814-1870) or Christian Psalmist (1847), which "probably had a more general circulation than any other of his publications." Author of "Come, come, come to the Saviour" and composer of several hymn tunes. --George Brandon, DNAH Archives

Horatius Bonar

1808 - 1889 Hymnal Number: d2 Author of "Finish thy work, the time is short" in Gems of Song Horatius Bonar was born at Edinburgh, in 1808. His education was obtained at the High School, and the University of his native city. He was ordained to the ministry, in 1837, and since then has been pastor at Kelso. In 1843, he joined the Free Church of Scotland. His reputation as a religious writer was first gained on the publication of the "Kelso Tracts," of which he was the author. He has also written many other prose works, some of which have had a very large circulation. Nor is he less favorably known as a religious poet and hymn-writer. The three series of "Hymns of Faith and Hope," have passed through several editions. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872 ================================ Bonar, Horatius, D.D. Dr. Bonar's family has had representatives among the clergy of the Church of Scotland during two centuries and more. His father, James Bonar, second Solicitor of Excise in Edinburgh, was a man of intellectual power, varied learning, and deop piety. Horatius Bonar was born in Edinburgh, Dec. 19th, 1808; and educated at the High School and the University of Edinburgh. After completing his studies, he was "licensed" to preach, and became assistant to the Rev. John Lewis, minister of St. James's, Leith. He was ordained minister of the North Parish, Kelso, on the 30th November, 1837, but left the Established Church at the "Disruption," in May, 1848, remaining in Kelso as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. The University of Aberdeen conferred on him the doctorate of divinity in 1853. In 1866 he was translated to the Chalmers Memorial Church, the Grange, Edinburgh; and in 1883 he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly of of the Free Church of Scotland. Dr. Bonar's hymns and poems were, he tells us, composed amid a great variety of circumstances; in many cases he cannot himself recall these circumstances; they also appeared in several publications, but nearly all have boen published or republished in the following:— (i) Songs for the Wilderness, 1843-4. (2) The Bible Hymn Book, 1845. (3) Hymns, Original and Selected, 1846. (4) Hymns of Faith and Hope, First Series, 1857; Second Series, 1861; Third Series, 1866. (5) The Song of the New Creation, 1872. (6) My Old Letters, a long poem, 1877. (7) Hymns of the Nativity, 1879. (8) Communion Hymns, 1881. In addition to numerous prose works, he has also edited The New Jerusalem; a Hymn of the Olden Time, 1852, &c. Dr. Bonar's poems—-including many beautiful lyrics, several psalm versions, and translations from the Greek and Latin, a large number of hymns, and a long meditative poem—-are very numerous, too numerous, perhaps, for their permanent fame as a whole. Dr. Bonar's scholarship is thorough and extensive; and his poems display the grace of style and wealth of allusion which are the fruit of ripe culture. Affected very slightly by current literary moods, still less by the influence of other religious poetry, they reveal extreme susceptibility to the emotional power which the phases of natural and of spiritual life exercise; the phases of natural life being recognised chiefly as conveying and fashioning spiritual life, used chiefly for depicting spiritual life, and handled for this purpose with greater delicacy of touch than in the Olney Hymns, and with less conscious purpose than in the Christian Year. As a result of this susceptibility, and from habitual contemplation of the Second Advent as the era of this world's true bliss, his hymns and poems are distinguished by a tone of pensive reflection, which some might call pessimism. But they are more than the record of emotion; another element is supplied by his intellectual and personal grasp of Divine truth, these truths particularly:—The gift of a Substitute, our Blessed Saviour; Divine grace, righteous, yet free and universal in offer; the duty of immediate reliance upon the privilege of immediate assurance through that grace; communion with God, especially in the Lord's Supper, respecting which he insists on the privilege of cherishing the highest conceptions which Scripture warrants; and finally, the Second Advent of our Lord: by his vigorous celebration of these and other truths as the source and strength of spiritual life, his hymns are protected from the blight of unhealthy, sentimental introspection. To sum up: Dr. Bonar's hymns satisfy the fastidious by their instinctive good taste; they mirror the life of Christ in the soul, partially, perhaps, but with vivid accuracy; they win the heart by their tone of tender sympathy; they sing the truth of God in ringing notes; and although, when taken as a whole, they are not perfect ; although, in reading them, we meet with feeble stanzas, halting rhythm, defective rhyme, meaningless Iteration; yet a singularly large number have been stamped with approval, both in literary circles and by the Church. In Great Britain and America nearly 100 of Dr. Bonar's hymns are in common use. They are found in almost all modern hymnals from four in Hymns Ancient & Modern to more than twenty in the American Songs for the Sanctuary, N. Y., 1865-72. The most widely known are, "A few more years shall roll;" "Come, Lord, and tarry not;" "Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face;" "I heard the Voice of Jesus say;" "The Church has waited long;" and "Thy way, not mine, O Lord." In addition to these and others which are annotated under their respective first lines, the following are also in common use:— From Songs for the Wilderness, No. 1, 1843. 1. For Thee we long and pray. Sunday Morning. 2. Holy Father, hear my cry. A Child's Prayer. 3. I thought upon my sins and I was sad. Christ our Peace. 4. Peace to the world, our Lord is come. A Millennial Song. 5. Spirit of everlasting grace. The Vision of Dry Bones. ii. From Songs for the Wilderness, No. 2,1844. 6. Ho, ye thirsty, parched and fainting. Invitation. 7. 0 'tis not what we fancied it. The world renounced. 8. Sing them, my children, sing them still. Children exhorted to Praise. 9. Time's sun is fast setting. Advent. 10. Weep, pilgrim, weep, yet 'tis not for the sorrow. Faith. 11. Yes, for me, for me He careth. Christ the Elder Brother . iii. From The Bible Hymn Book, 1845. 12. Jesus, my sorrow lies too deep. Jesus, the Great High Priest. 13. There is a Morning Star, my soul. The Morning Star. 14. This is not my place of resting. Pressing towards heaven. iv. From Hymns, Original and Selected, 1845. 15. Let there be light, Jehovah said. Creation. v. From Hymns of Faith and Hope, 1st series, 1857. 16. Be brave, my brother. The Fight of Faith. 17. Blessed be God, our God. Good Friday. 18. Everlasting praises. Doxology. 19. Go up, go up, my heart. Heavenly aspirations desired. 20. I close my heavy eye. Evening. Sometimes given as "We close our heavy eyes." 21. I see the crowd in Pilate's hall. Good Friday. 22. Jesus, while this rongh desert soil. Strength by the Way. 23. Jesus, Whom angel-hosts adore. The Word made Flesh. From "The Son of God, in mighty love." 24. Make haste, 0 man, to live. Exhortation to lay hold of Life. 25. No seas again shall sever. Heaven. 26. Oppressed with noonday's scorching heat. Shadow of the Cross. 27. Rest for the toiling hand. Burial. From "Lie down, frail body, here." 28. Shall this life of mine be wasted? Exhortation to Duty. 29. These are the crowns that we shall wear. Heaven. 30. Thy works, not mine, O Christ [Lord]. The Sin-bearer. 31. Where the faded flower shall freshen. Heaven. vi. From Hymns of Faith and Hope. 2nd series, 1861. 32. Be still, my soul, Jehovah loveth Thee. Rest in the Love of God. 33. Christ has done the mighty work. Good Friday. 34. Come, mighty Spirit, penetrate. Whitsuntide. 35. Deep down beneath the unresting surge. Burial at Sea. 36. Fear not the foe, thou flock of God [thou little flock]. Battle-Song of the Church. 37. For lack of love I languish. Lent. 38. From this bleak hill of storms. Eternal Rest desired. 39. He liveth long who liveth well. The True Life. 40. Here shall death's triumph end: the rock-barred door. Easter. From "The tomb is empty: wouldst thou have it full." 41. Jesus, Sun and Shield art Thou. Jesus the First and Last. 42. Jesus, the Christ of God. Praise to Christ. 43. Light of the world, for ever, ever shining. Christ the Light of the World. From "Why walk in darkness? Has the dear light vanished?" 44. Make use of me, my God. Duty desired. 45. Not what I am, 0 Lord, but what Thou art. The Love of God. 46. 0 Light of Light, shine in. Cry of the Weary. 47. 0 love of God, how strong and true. Love of God. 48. 0 love that casts out fear. Love of God. 49. 0 strong to save and bless. Lent. 50. 0 this soul, how dark and blind. Lent. 51. Safe across the waters. Thanksgiving at end of a journey. 52. Silent, like men in solemn haste. Pressing onwards. 53. Speak, lips of mine. Exhortation to Praise. 54. The Bridegroom comes. Advent. vii. From Hymns of Faith and Hope. 3rd series, 1866. 55. Bear Thou my burden, Thou Who bar'st my sin. Lent or Passiontide. 56. Done is the work that saves. Easter. 57. Father, our children keep. Prayer on behalf of Children. 58. Fill Thou my life, 0 Lord my God. Life's Praise. 59. Finish Thy work, the time is short. Earnest labour to the end. 60. From the Cross the blood is falling. Good Friday. 61. He called them, and they left. Obedience. 62. Help me, my [0] God to speak. Truth desired. 63. Holy Father, Mighty God. Holy Trinity. 64. How are my troubles multiplied. Ps. iii. 65. How sweetly doth He show His face Flower Service. 66. Light hath arisen, we walk in its brightness. Sustaining power of Faith. 67. Lo, God, our God has come. Christmas. 68. Lord, give me light to do Thy work. Divine guidance desired. 69. No, not despairingly. Lent. 70. Not to ourselves again. Life in Christ, or, Living unto God. 71. Now in parting, Father, bless us. Post Communion. 72. Sounds the trumpet from afar. Battle-Song of the Church. 73. Thee in the loving bloom of morn. God in all. 74. Through good report and evil, Lord. Faithfulness. 75. To Jehovah, God of might. Praise to the Father. 76. To the name of God on high. Doxology. 77. Upward, where the stars are burning. Heavenward Aspirations. 78. We take the peace which He hath won. The Gift of Peace. 79. When the weary, seeking rest. Intercession for all Conditions of Men. viii. From The Song of the New Creation,1872. 80. For the Bread and for the Wine. Holy Communion. 81. Light of life so softly shining. Light of Life. 82. Yet there is room. The Lamb's bright hall of song. Home Missions. ix. From Hymns of the Nativity, 1879. 83. Great Ruler of the land and sea. Sailors' Liturgy. From Communion Hymns, 1881. 84. Beloved, let us love. Brotherly Love. In several instances these hymns are given in an abbreviated form, and sometimes alterations are also introduced. In this latter respect however Dr. Bonar has suffered less than most modern hymn-writers. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ==================== Bonar, Horatius, p. 161, i. He died at Edinburgh, July 31, 1889. In 1890 his son published a posthumous volume of his poetical pieces as Until the Day Break and other Hymns and Poems left behind. The following additional hymns are in common use:— 1. Almighty Comforter and Friend. (1866.) Whitsuntide. 2. Father, make use of me. An altered form of No. 44, p. 162, ii. 3. I ask a perfect creed. (1861.) Creed not Opinions. From this is also taken "O True One, give me truth." 4. Long, long deferred, now come at last. Marriage of the Lamb. Part of "Ascend, Beloved, to the joy." (1861.) 5. Nay 'tis not what we fancied it. (1857.) Vanity of the World. 6. No blood, no altar now. (1861.) The Finished Sacrifice. 7. No shadows yonder. (1857.) Heaven Anticipated. 8. Not with the light and vain. (1857.) Godly Companionship. 9. O Love invisible, yet infinite. (1866.) Divine Love. 10. On the great love of God I lean. (1866.) Love of God our Resting-place. 11. On Thee, O Jesus, strongly leaning. (1866.) Fellowship with Christ. 12. Peace upon peace, like wave on wave. (1866.) Divine Peace. 13. Sower divine, sow the good seed in me. (1857.) Heavenly Sowing. 14. Speaketh the sinner's sin within my heart. (1866.) Ps. xxxvi. 15. Still one in life and one in death. (1857.) Communion of Saints. Part of "'Tis thus they press the hand and part." 16. Surely, yon heaven, where angels see God's face. (1857.) Heaven Anticipated. 17. That city with the jewelled crest. (1857.) Heaven. Part of "These are the crowns that we shall wear." Another cento from the same is "Yon city, with the jewelled crest." 18. That clime is not like this dull clime of ours. (1843.) Heaven. 19. The Free One makes you free: He breaks the rod. (1857.) Freedom in Christ. From "Of old they sang the song of liberty." 20. There is a Morning-star, my soul. (1357.) Christ the Morning Star. 21. This is the day of toil. (1866.) Pressing Onwards. 22. Thy thoughts are here, my God. (1866.) Holy Scripture. 23. Till the day dawn. (1857.) Life's Journey. 24. To Him Who spread the skies. (1866.) Creation's Song. 25. Trustingly, trustingly. (1866.) Trust. 26. Unto th' eternal hills. (1866.) Ps. cxxi. The above dates are: 1843, Songs in the Wilderness; 1857, Hymns of Faith and Hope, 1st Series; 1861, same, 2nd Ser. (not 1864); 1866, same, 3rd Ser. (not 1867), The dates 1857, 1864,1867, were given by Dr. Bonar, but the British Museum copies are 1857, 1861, 1866 respectively. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ============== Bonar, H., pp. 161, i.; 1554, i. The Rev. H. N. Bonar, Dr. Bonar's son, published in 1904, Hymns by Horatius Bonar, Selected and Arranged by his Son H. N. Bonar, With a brief History of some of the Hymns, &c. (London: H. Frowde). From this work we must correct the date of his Song of the New Creation to 1872. We have also enriched our pages by additional and expanded notes on several of Dr. Bonar's most widely used hymns. In his biographical notes, Mr. Bonar refers to Dr. Bonar's work as editor of the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy, begun in 1848, to which he contributed a hymn for each number. We find that the number of hymns contributed thereto is 101. With Dr. Bonar's poetical productions great difficulty has been encountered by the historian and annotator because of his absolute indifference to dates and details. It was enough for him that he had written, and that the Church of Christ approved and gladly used what, out of the fulness of his heart, he had given her. --Excerpt from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Thomas Kelly

1769 - 1855 Hymnal Number: d14 Author of "Mourning captive, God himself shall loose thy bands" in Gems of Song Kelly, Thomas, B.A., son of Thomas Kelly, a Judge of the Irish Court of Common Pleas, was born in Dublin, July 13, 1769, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was designed for the Bar, and entered the Temple, London, with that intention; but having undergone a very marked spiritual change he took Holy Orders in 1792. His earnest evangelical preaching in Dublin led Archbishop Fowler to inhibit him and his companion preacher, Rowland Hill, from preaching in the city. For some time he preached in two unconsecrated buildings in Dublin, Plunket Street, and the Bethesda, and then, having seceded from the Established Church, he erected places of worship at Athy, Portarlington, Wexford, &c, in which he conducted divine worship and preached. He died May 14, 1854. Miller, in his Singers & Songs of the Church, 1869, p. 338 (from which some of the foregoing details are taken), says:— "Mr. Kelly was a man of great and varied learning, skilled in the Oriental tongues, and an excellent Bible critic. He was possessed also of musical talent, and composed and published a work that was received witli favour, consisting of music adapted to every form of metre in his hymn-book. Naturally of an amiable disposition and thorough in his Christian piety, Mr. Kelly became the friend of good men, and the advocate of every worthy, benevolent, and religious cause. He was admired alike for his zeal and his humility; and his liberality found ample scope in Ireland, especially during the year of famine." Kelly's hymns, 765 in all, were composed and published over a period of 51 years, as follows:— (1) A Collection of Psalms and Hymns extracted from Various Authors, by Thomas Kelly, A.B., Dublin, 1802. This work contains 247 hymns by various authors, and an Appendix of 33 original hymns by Kelly. (2) Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, Dublin, 1804. Of this work several editions were published: 1st, 1804; 2nd, 1806; 3rd, 1809; 4th, 1812. This last edition was published in two divisions, one as Hymns on Various Passages of Scripture, and the second as Hymns adapted for Social Worship. In 1815 Kelly issued Hymns by Thomas Kelly, not before Published. The 5th edition, 1820, included the two divisions of 1812, and the new hymns of 1815, as one work. To the later editions of 1820, 1826, 1836, 1840, 1846, and 1853, new hymns were added, until the last published by M. Moses, of Dublin, 1853, contained the total of 765. As a hymn-writer Kelly was most successful. As a rule his strength appears in hymns of Praise and in metres not generally adopted by the older hymn writers. His "Come, see the place where Jesus lay" (from "He's gone, see where His body lay"),"From Egypt lately come"; “Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious"; "On the mountain's top appearing"; "The Head that once was crowned with thorns"; "Through the day Thy love has spared us"; and “We sing the praise of Him Who died," rank with the first hymns in the English language. Several of his hymns of great merit still remain unknown through so many modern editors being apparently adverse to original investigation. In addition to the hymns named and others, which are annotated under their respective first lines, the following are also in common use:— i. From the Psalms and Hymns, 1802:— 1. Grant us, Lord, Thy gracious presence. Commencement of Divine Worship. 2. Jesus, Immortal King, go on [display]. Missions. 3. Saviour, through the desert lead us. Divine Guidance Desired. 4. The day of rest once more [again] comes round. Sunday. 5. We've no abiding city here. Seeking Heaven. ii. From the Hymns on Varous Passages of Scripture, first edition, 1804 :— 6. Boundless glory, Lord, be thine. Praise for the Gospel. 7. By whom shall Jacob now arise? Epiphany. 8. Glory, glory to our King. Praise to Christ as King. 9. How pleasant is the sound of praise. Praise for Redemption. 10. How sweet to leave the world awhile. In Retirement, or For a Retreat. 11. Inform I long had bowed the knee. Jesus, the Saviour, or Praise for Salvation. 12. It is finished! sinners, hear it. Good Friday. 13. Jesus, the Shepherd of the sheep. The Good Shepherd. 14. Let reason vainly boast her power. Death. 15. Poor and afflicted, Lord, are Thine. Affliction. 16. Praise we Him to Whose kind favour. Close of Service. 11. Spared a little longer. Safety in God. 18. Stricken, smitten, and afflicted. Passiontide. ii. From the Hymns, &c, second edition, 1806:— 19. Far from us be grief and sadness. Joy of Believers. 20. Give us room that we may dwell. Missions. 21. Glory, glory everlasting. Praise of Jesus. 22. God has.turned my grief to gladness. Joy after Sorrow. 23. Happy they who trust in Jesus. Peace in Jesus. 24. Hark, the notes of angels singing. Angels praising Jesus. 25. Hark! 'tis a martial sound. Christian Life a Warfare. 26. I hear a sound [voice] that comes from far. The Gospel Message. 27. Jesus is gone up on high. Divine Worship. 28. Now [O] may the Gospel's conquering power. Home Missions. In the 1853 edition of the Hymns it begins “O may the Gospel's conqu'ring force." 29. O Zion, when I think on thee. Desiring Heaven. 30. Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him. Praise of Jesus. 31. See from Zion's sacred mountain. The Fountain of Life. 32. The atoning work is done. Jesus the High Priest. 33. Zion is Jehovah's dwelling. The Church of God. 34. Zion stands by hills surrounded. The Safety of the Church. 35. Zion's King shall reign victorious. Missions. iv. From the Hymns, &c, 3rd edition, 1809:— 36. Behold the Temple of the Lord. The Church a Spiritual Temple. 37. Blessed Fountain, full of grace. Fountain for Sin. 38. Brethren, come, our Saviour bids us. Holy Communion. 39. Fly, ye seasons, fly still faster. Second Advent Desired. 40. God of Israel, we adore Thee. Evening. 41. Gracious Lord, my heart is fixed. Trust and Peace. 42. Hark, a voice! it comes from heaven. Death. 43. Hark, that shout of rapt'rous joy. Second Advent. 44. If our warfare be laborious. Labour and Rest . 45. Lo, He comes, let all adore Him. Missions. 46. Nothing know we of the season. Time of Second Advent uncertain. 47. O had I the wings of a dove. Holiness and Heaven desired. 48. O where is now that glowing love. Despondency. 49. Our Father sits on yonder throne. God the Father. 50. Ours is a rich and royal Feast. Holy Communion. 51. Shepherd of the chosen number. Safety in the Good Shepherd. 52. We're bound for yonder land. Life, a Voyage. 53. Welcome sight! the Lord descending. The Advent. 54. What is life? 'tis but a vapour. Death anticipated. 55. Who is this that comes from Edom? Ascension. 56. Why those fears ? Behold 'tis Jesus. Stilling the Sea. 57. Without blood is no remission. Passiontide. 58. Yes, we trust the day is breaking. Missions. v. FromHymns: Not before Published, 1815:— 59. Behold the Lamb with glory crowned. Exaltation of Christ. 60. God is love, His word has said it. God is Love. 61. God of our salvation, hear us. Opening or Close of Divine Worship. 62. In Thy Name, O Lord, assembling. Commencement of Divine Worship. 63. Keep us, Lord, O [and] keep us ever. Divine Worship. 64. Let sinners saved give thanks, and sing. Praise for Salvation. 65. Praise the Lord Who died to save us. Passiontide. 66. Salvation is of God alone. God the Author of Salvation. 67. Saviour, come, Thy [saints] friends await Thee [are waiting] . Second Advent desired. 68. Sweet were the sounds that reached our ears. Divine Mercy. 69. We'll sing of the Shepherd that died. The Lost Sheep. 70. When we cannot see our way. Trust and Peace. 71. Who is this that calms the ocean? Stilling the Sea. vi. From the Hymns on F. Passages of Scripture, &c, eds. 1820 and 1826 :-— 72. Grace is the sweetest sound. Divine Grace. 73. Now let a great effectual door. Missions. 74. Now may the mighty arm awake. Missions. 75. Now may the Spirit from above. Home Missions. 76. Sing, sing His lofty praise. Praise of Jesus. 77. Sound, 6ound the truth abroad. Missions. 78. Speed Thy servants, Saviour, speed them. Departure of Missionaries. vii. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, 1836:— 79. Come, O Lord, the heavens rending. Prayer for Blessings. 80. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. The Second Advent. viii. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, circa 1845:— 81. Joyful be the hours today. Sunday. 82. Lord, behold us few and weak. Opening of Divine Service. 83. Meet Thy people, Saviour, meet us. Meetings for Prayer. 84. Saviour, send a blessing to us. Prayer for Blessings. 85. Sing of Jesus, sing for ever. Praise of Jesus. ix. From the Hymns on Various Passages, &c, 1853:— 86. Precious volume, what thou doest. Holy Scripture. 87. Unfold to us, O Lord, unfold. Divine aid to reading Holy Scripture. All these hymns, together with those annotated under their respective first lines are in the 1853 edition of Kelly's Hymns published in Dublin by M. Moses, and in London by Simpkin, Marshall & Co. Kelly's musical editions are issued by the same publishers. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Kelly, Thomas, p. 615, i. Other hymns in common use are: 1. Behold the Man! How glorious He. (1809.) Good Friday. 2. Jesus the [Thou] Shepherd of the Sheep. (1804.) Good Shepherd. 3. Saved ourselves by Jesu's blood. (1802.) For a Revival. 4. Saviour, 'tis to [unto] Thee. (1853*.) Lent. 5. See the vineyard lately planted. (1806.) Missions. Sometimes given as "See, O Lord, the vineyard planted." 6. Sing aloud to God our strength. (1809.) Praise to the Father. 7. Sing, sing His lofty praise. (1820.) Praise to Jesus. Sometimes as "Hail our eternal King" (p. 615, No. 76). 8. Sing of Him Who bore our guilt. (1853*.) Praise to Jesus. 9. Sing we praise to God above, God our Saviour, &c. (1815.) Praise for Divine Mercy. 10. Sing we praise to God above, Sing we praise, &c. (1853*.) Praise. 11. Sons of Zion, raise your songs. (1820-26) The Exalted Saviour. 12. The Lord Himself will keep. (1809.) From “We're bound for yonder land" (sec p. 615, No. 52.) 13. The God [Lord] of glory dwells on high. (1809.) Humility and Love of Christ. 14. The people of the Lord Are on their way, &c. (1820.) Life a Pilgrimage. 15. Thus saith God of His Anointed. (1809.) Missions. 16. 'Tis to us no cause of sorrow. (1815.) Resignation. 17. To the Ark away, or perish. (1815.) Safety in Jesus only. 18. To our Lord a throne is given. (1838.) Christ the King. 19. Trust ye in the Lord for ever. (1853*.) Trust in God. 20. We'll sing in spite of scorn. (1806.) Christmas. From this "The long-expected morn" is taken. 21. What tongue can tell, what fancy paint. (1806.) Saints in Glory 22. What were Sinai's awful wonders. (1809.) Advent. 23. Whence those sounds symphonious? (1815.) Christmas. 24. While in the [this] world we still [yet] remain. (1806.) Communion of Saints. 25. Yes, 'tis a rough and thorny road. (1809.) Resignation. Sometimes given as "Though rough and thorny be the way." The dates given above are those of the various editions of Kelly's Hymns. The date 1853* indicates that the hymn is in the 1853 ed. of the Hymns, but had also appeared in a previous edition which we have not seen. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Isaac Watts

1674 - 1748 Person Name: Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 Hymnal Number: d15 Author of "There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign" in Gems of Song Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary labours. He did not retire from ministerial duties, but preached as often as his delicate health would permit. The number of Watts' publications is very large. His collected works, first published in 1720, embrace sermons, treatises, poems and hymns. His "Horae Lyricae" was published in December, 1705. His "Hymns" appeared in July, 1707. The first hymn he is said to have composed for religious worship, is "Behold the glories of the Lamb," written at the age of twenty. It is as a writer of psalms and hymns that he is everywhere known. Some of his hymns were written to be sung after his sermons, giving expression to the meaning of the text upon which he had preached. Montgomery calls Watts "the greatest name among hymn-writers," and the honour can hardly be disputed. His published hymns number more than eight hundred. Watts died November 25, 1748, and was buried at Bunhill Fields. A monumental statue was erected in Southampton, his native place, and there is also a monument to his memory in the South Choir of Westminster Abbey. "Happy," says the great contemporary champion of Anglican orthodoxy, "will be that reader whose mind is disposed, by his verses or his prose, to imitate him in all but his non-conformity, to copy his benevolence to men, and his reverence to God." ("Memorials of Westminster Abbey," p. 325.) --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872. ================================= Watts, Isaac, D.D. The father of Dr. Watts was a respected Nonconformist, and at the birth of the child, and during its infancy, twice suffered imprisonment for his religious convictions. In his later years he kept a flourishing boarding school at Southampton. Isaac, the eldest of his nine children, was born in that town July 17, 1674. His taste for verse showed itself in early childhood. He was taught Greek, Latin, and Hebrew by Mr. Pinhorn, rector of All Saints, and headmaster of the Grammar School, in Southampton. The splendid promise of the boy induced a physician of the town and other friends to offer him an education at one of the Universities for eventual ordination in the Church of England: but this he refused; and entered a Nonconformist Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, under the care of Mr. Thomas Rowe, the pastor of the Independent congregation at Girdlers' Hall. Of this congregation he became a member in 1693. Leaving the Academy at the age of twenty, he spent two years at home; and it was then that the bulk of the Hymns and Spiritual Songs (published 1707-9) were written, and sung from manuscripts in the Southampton Chapel. The hymn "Behold the glories of the Lamb" is said to have been the first he composed, and written as an attempt to raise the standard of praise. In answer to requests, others succeeded. The hymn "There is a land of pure delight" is said to have been suggested by the view across Southampton Water. The next six years of Watts's life were again spent at Stoke Newington, in the post of tutor to the son of an eminent Puritan, Sir John Hartopp; and to the intense study of these years must be traced the accumulation of the theological and philosophical materials which he published subsequently, and also the life-long enfeeblement of his constitution. Watts preached his first sermon when he was twenty-four years old. In the next three years he preached frequently; and in 1702 was ordained pastor of the eminent Independent congregation in Mark Lane, over which Caryl and Dr. John Owen had presided, and which numbered Mrs. Bendish, Cromwell's granddaughter, Charles Fleetwood, Charles Desborough, Sir John Hartopp, Lady Haversham, and other distinguished Independents among its members. In this year he removed to the house of Mr. Hollis in the Minories. His health began to fail in the following year, and Mr. Samuel Price was appointed as his assistant in the ministry. In 1712 a fever shattered his constitution, and Mr. Price was then appointed co-pastor of the congregation which had in the meantime removed to a new chapel in Bury Street. It was at this period that he became the guest of Sir Thomas Abney, under whose roof, and after his death (1722) that of his widow, he remained for the rest of his suffering life; residing for the longer portion of these thirty-six years principally at the beautiful country seat of Theobalds in Herts, and for the last thirteen years at Stoke Newington. His degree of D.D. was bestowed on him in 1728, unsolicited, by the University of Edinburgh. His infirmities increased on him up to the peaceful close of his sufferings, Nov. 25, 1748. He was buried in the Puritan restingplace at Bunhill Fields, but a monument was erected to him in Westminster Abbey. His learning and piety, gentleness and largeness of heart have earned him the title of the Melanchthon of his day. Among his friends, churchmen like Bishop Gibson are ranked with Nonconformists such as Doddridge. His theological as well as philosophical fame was considerable. His Speculations on the Human Nature of the Logos, as a contribution to the great controversy on the Holy Trinity, brought on him a charge of Arian opinions. His work on The Improvement of the Mind, published in 1741, is eulogised by Johnson. His Logic was still a valued textbook at Oxford within living memory. The World to Come, published in 1745, was once a favourite devotional work, parts of it being translated into several languages. His Catechisms, Scripture History (1732), as well as The Divine and Moral Songs (1715), were the most popular text-books for religious education fifty years ago. The Hymns and Spiritual Songs were published in 1707-9, though written earlier. The Horae Lyricae, which contains hymns interspersed among the poems, appeared in 1706-9. Some hymns were also appended at the close of the several Sermons preached in London, published in 1721-24. The Psalms were published in 1719. The earliest life of Watts is that by his friend Dr. Gibbons. Johnson has included him in his Lives of the Poets; and Southey has echoed Johnson's warm eulogy. The most interesting modern life is Isaac Watts: his Life and Writings, by E. Paxton Hood. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] A large mass of Dr. Watts's hymns and paraphrases of the Psalms have no personal history beyond the date of their publication. These we have grouped together here and shall preface the list with the books from which they are taken. (l) Horae Lyricae. Poems chiefly of the Lyric kind. In Three Books Sacred: i.To Devotion and Piety; ii. To Virtue, Honour, and Friendship; iii. To the Memory of the Dead. By I. Watts, 1706. Second edition, 1709. (2) Hymns and Spiritual Songs. In Three Books: i. Collected from the Scriptures; ii. Composed on Divine Subjects; iii. Prepared for the Lord's Supper. By I. Watts, 1707. This contained in Bk i. 78 hymns; Bk. ii. 110; Bk. iii. 22, and 12 doxologies. In the 2nd edition published in 1709, Bk. i. was increased to 150; Bk. ii. to 170; Bk. iii. to 25 and 15 doxologies. (3) Divine and Moral Songs for the Use of Children. By I. Watts, London, 1715. (4) The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, And apply'd to the Christian State and Worship. By I. Watts. London: Printed by J. Clark, at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry, &c, 1719. (5) Sermons with hymns appended thereto, vol. i., 1721; ii., 1723; iii. 1727. In the 5th ed. of the Sermons the three volumes, in duodecimo, were reduced to two, in octavo. (6) Reliquiae Juveniles: Miscellaneous Thoughts in Prose and Verse, on Natural, Moral, and Divine Subjects; Written chiefly in Younger Years. By I. Watts, D.D., London, 1734. (7) Remnants of Time. London, 1736. 454 Hymns and Versions of the Psalms, in addition to the centos are all in common use at the present time. --Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================================== Watts, I. , p. 1241, ii. Nearly 100 hymns, additional to those already annotated, are given in some minor hymn-books. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ================= Watts, I. , p. 1236, i. At the time of the publication of this Dictionary in 1892, every copy of the 1707 edition of Watts's Hymns and Spiritual Songs was supposed to have perished, and all notes thereon were based upon references which were found in magazines and old collections of hymns and versions of the Psalms. Recently three copies have been recovered, and by a careful examination of one of these we have been able to give some of the results in the revision of pp. 1-1597, and the rest we now subjoin. i. Hymns in the 1709 ed. of Hymns and Spiritual Songs which previously appeared in the 1707 edition of the same book, but are not so noted in the 1st ed. of this Dictionary:— On pp. 1237, L-1239, ii., Nos. 18, 33, 42, 43, 47, 48, 60, 56, 58, 59, 63, 75, 82, 83, 84, 85, 93, 96, 99, 102, 104, 105, 113, 115, 116, 123, 124, 134, 137, 139, 146, 147, 148, 149, 162, 166, 174, 180, 181, 182, 188, 190, 192, 193, 194, 195, 197, 200, 202. ii. Versions of the Psalms in his Psalms of David, 1719, which previously appeared in his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707:— On pp. 1239, U.-1241, i., Nos. 241, 288, 304, 313, 314, 317, 410, 441. iii. Additional not noted in the revision:— 1. My soul, how lovely is the place; p. 1240, ii. 332. This version of Ps. lxiv. first appeared in the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, as "Ye saints, how lovely is the place." 2. Shine, mighty God, on Britain shine; p. 1055, ii. In the 1707 edition of Hymns & Spiritual Songs, Bk. i., No. 35, and again in his Psalms of David, 1719. 3. Sing to the Lord with [cheerful] joyful voice, p. 1059, ii. This version of Ps. c. is No. 43 in the Hymns & Spiritual Songs, 1707, Bk. i., from which it passed into the Ps. of David, 1719. A careful collation of the earliest editions of Watts's Horae Lyricae shows that Nos. 1, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, p. 1237, i., are in the 1706 ed., and that the rest were added in 1709. Of the remaining hymns, Nos. 91 appeared in his Sermons, vol. ii., 1723, and No. 196 in Sermons, vol. i., 1721. No. 199 was added after Watts's death. It must be noted also that the original title of what is usually known as Divine and Moral Songs was Divine Songs only. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) =========== See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church

Mrs. T. J. Carney

1823 - 1908 Person Name: Julia A. Carney Hymnal Number: d10 Author of "Little things" in Gems of Song Carney, Julia Abigail (Fletcher). (Lancaster, Massachusetts, April 6, 1823--November 1, 1908, Galesburg, Illinois). Universalist. Married Rev. T.J. Carney, a Universalist minister. Author of many prose articles and poems, generally published in Universalist periodicals. In later life she lived in Galesburg, Illinois. Three of her hymns were included in Church Harmonies, New and Old, 1895: 1. Father, we pray for those who dwell 2. Our heaven is everywhere 3. Think gently of the erring --Henry Wilder Foote, DNAH Archives ======================= Carney, Julia A., née Fletcher, was born in 1823. She was a teacher for some time in one of the Boston Primary Schools, U.S.A., which was held in the vestry of Hollis Street Church, in that city. This Church was demolished in 1846. It was for use in these Primary Schools that her "Little drops of water" (q.v.) was written in 1845. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Edwin H. Nevin

1814 - 1889 Person Name: Edwin Henry Nevin Hymnal Number: d6 Author of "I was once a thoughtless wanderer" in Gems of Song Nevin, Edwin Henry, D.D., son of Major David Nevin, was born at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1814. He graduated in Arts at Jefferson College, 1833; and in Theology at Princeton Seminary, in 1836. He held several pastorates as a Presbyterian Minister from 1836 to 1857; then as a Congregational Minister from 1857 to 1868; and then, after a rest of six years through ill health, as a Minister of the Reformed Church, first at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then in Philadelphia. Dr. Nevin is the author of several hymns, the more important of which are:— 1. Always with me [us], always with [us] me. Jesus always present. 2. Come up hither, come away. Invitation Heavenward. 3. Happy, Saviour, would I be. Trust. This is given in the Lyra Sacra Americana as "Saviour! happy should I be." This change was made by the editor "with the consent and approbation of the author." 4. 0 heaven, sweet heaven. Heaven. Written and published in 1862 after the death of a beloved son, which made heaven nearer and dearer from the conviction that now a member of his family was one of its inhabitants" (Schaff’s Christ in Song, 1870, p. 539). 5. Live on the field of battle. Duty. Appeared in the Baptist Devotional Hymn Book, 1864. 6. I have read of a world of beauty. Heaven. 7. Mount up on high! as if on eagle's wings. Divine Aspirations. Of these hymns, Nos. 1, 2, 3 appeared in Nason's Congregational Hymn Book, 1857; and all, except No. 5, are in the Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. [Rev. F.M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)