Come, Thou soul-transforming Spirit. J. Evans. [Before Sermon.] This hymn was contributed to G. Burder's Collection of Hymns from Various Authors, 1784, No. 13, in 2 stanzas of 6 lines, and entitled, "Imploring the aid of the Spirit." In modern hymnals it is found in three forms as follows:—
1. The original. This was reprinted from Border, by W. Jay, of Bath, in his Selection, 1797, No. 220, but without signature. From Jay it passed into other hymnals, with the addition of "Jay" as tbe author, as in the American Methodist Episcopal Hymn Book, 1849. The original text is also in Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1872.
2. In the Williams and Boden Collection, 1801, the hymn was given in an altered form, and with the addition of the stanza, "Then, whene'er the signal's given," from "Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing." In Kemble's New Church Hymn Book, 1873, this is repeated with further alterations, and the omission of the added stanza.
3. In Bickersteth's Christian Psalmody, 1833, No. 382, is the original with the addition of two stanzas from "Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing." This cento has almost died out of use.
Although these three forms of the hymn exist, most modern editors are falling back upon the original, especially in America, where its popularity is greater than in Great Britain.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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