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In the garden
 | I come to the garden aloneAuthor: C. Austin Miles (1913)Tune: GARDEN Songs of Response Published in 194 hymnals Printable scores: PDF, SibeliusAudio files: MIDI | |
Author: C. Austin Miles
Charles Austin Miles (1868-1946)
Born: January 7, 1868, Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Died: March 10, 1946, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Buried: Hillcrest Memorial Park, Sewell, New Jersey.
Pseudonym: A. A. Payn.
Miles attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1892, he abandoned his career as a pharmacist and wrote his first Gospel song, “List ’Tis Jesus’ Voice” which was published by the Hall-Mack Company. He served as editor and manager at the Hall-Mack publishers for 37 years. In his own words:
It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most… Go to person page >For Leaders
Text:
This text was written by C. Austin Miles in 1912. By his own account (as given in George Sanville's Forty Gospel Hymn Stories), he saw a vivid dream after reading John 20, and was then inspired to write this hymn about the first encounter between Mary Magdalene and her risen Lord.
Miles's hymn has been criticized for being overly sentimental and even erotic. When put in the context of the Scripture that inspired it, one can see that Miles wrote the song from Mary's point of view. In it, she expresses the great joy she must have felt on suddenly hearing and seeing her beloved Savior after witnessing His death and burial (Mark 15:40, 47). However, the long and loving communion to which the refrain alludes is not recorded or implied in the biblical account (John 20:14-18), which rather indicates that their conversation was quite short – as soon as Mary recognizes Jesus, He tells her to go. Perhaps Miles means that that moment was so overflowing with the sudden change of emotions from grief to joy that time seemed to stand still.
Tune:
The tune GARDEN was written at the same time as the text by C. Austin Miles. They were published for the first time together in The Gospel Message No. 2 in 1912. Originally, the tune had two-part treble harmony on the stanza and standard four-part harmony on the refrain, but in modern hymnals, the entire hymn is given in four-part harmony. Because the hymn was written from Mary's point of view, it might be good to have the women or a soloist sing the entire song, or just the stanzas (with the entire group on the refrain).
When/Why/How:
Because this hymn narrates and expands on part of the Resurrection account, it is best suited for Easter morning, whether in a simple handbell setting like “In the Garden” as a quiet prelude, or an organ setting for an offertory (as in “With Everlasting Alleluias”, or a choral anthem based on “In the Garden” before the sermon. Unlike many Easter hymns, which overflow with proclamations of victory well suited to brass and full organ, this hymn provides a relatively quiet reflection best suited to simple piano or light instruments.
Tiffany Shomsky Hymnary.org
