Whate'er to Thee, our Lord, belongs. [Holy Baptism.] This is the first of 13 "Single Verses on Baptism" given in Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787, Nos. 455-476. The authors of these stanzas are: stanzas i., iii.-v., B. Beddome; ii. xi., J. Stennett; vii.-ix., H. F.; x., H.; xii., G.; and vi. and xiii. anonymous, but possibly by Rippon. The object of this arrangement of these stanzas is thus stated by Rippon in a note:—
As it is now pretty common to sing by the water side, and as some of our brethren in the country give out a verse or two, while they are administering the ordinance, it is hoped these single verses will be acceptable."
In the American Baptist Hymn [and Tune] Book, Philadelphia, 1871, stanzas iii., iv. and vi. are given as "Behold the grave where Jesus lay." The same arrangement with the addition of stanza vii. had previously appeared in the Baptist edition of the Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
