O Saviour of the faithful dead. Bishop R. Heber. [On Recovery from Sickness.] First published in the Christian Observer, Jan., 1816, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines, and headed, "View of Death." In Heber's posthumous Hymns, &c, 1827, p. 152, it is slightly altered, divided into 8 stanzas of 4 lines, and the heading is changed to "On Recovery from Sickness." It is usually given in an abridged form of 2 stanzas of 8 lines, or 4 stanzas of 4 lines, but its use is not extensive.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today.
-- Greg Scheer, 1995… Go to person page >
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