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George P. Simmonds

1890 - 1991 Person Name: G. Paúl S. Translator of "Oh Amor, Divino e Inmortal" in El Himnario Used pseudonyms G Paul S., J. Paul Simon, and J. Pablo Símon

1802 - 1881 Person Name: L. Bacon Author of "Hail, Tranquil Hour of Closing Day" in Gloria Deo Leonard Bacon, D.D., was born in Detroit (where his father was a missionary to the Indians), February 19, 1802, and educated at Yale college and at Andover. In 1825 he was ordained Pastor of the Centre Church, New Haven, and retained that charge until 1866, when he was appointed Professor of Theology in Yale Divinity School. This professorship he resigned in 1871; but till his death in 1881, he was Lecturer on Church Polity. He died December 23, 1881. Dr. Bacon rendered important service to hymnology both as writer and compiler. While a student at Andover, he edited an important and now rare tract entitled Hymns and Sacred Songs for the Monthly Concert [of Prayer for Missions], Andover, September 1823. This contained the three hymns following, which are his:- Weep not for the saint that ascends. Death of a Missionary. Land where the bones of our father are sleeping. Missions. This was brought into notice in Great Britain through its insertion in the Evangelical Magazine, March, 1824. Wake the song of jubilee. Missions. Of these No. 1 is found in Lyra Sac. Amer., p. 6 and No. 3 was adopted, with alterations, by Pratt in his Ps. and Hys. (Lond. Seeley & Co,. 1829), fro which it passed into Greene and Mason's Church Psalmody, 1831, and the Church Psalmist of the Evangelical Christians (N. Y., 1845, 7th ed.). This altered text, with some further changes, was adopted by the author in his Appendix to T. Dwight's revised ed. of Watt's Psalms, 1833. This Appendix also contained three newe hymns by him, viz.:- Though now the nations sit beneath. Missions. This is based on a hymn by Sarah Slinn, "Arise in all Thy splendour, Lord" (q.v.), which Dr. Bacon had partly rewritten for his Andover Tract, above noted. In the Appendix to Dwight he substituted new verses for what remained of her's in the Tract, and then justly claimed the whole as his own. O Thou Who hast died to redeem us from hell. Holy Communion. God of our fathers, to Thy throne. Thanksgiving. In 1845 Dr. Bacon was joint compiler with Dr. E. T. Fitch, and several others, of Psalms & Hymns for Christian Use and Worship,, pub. "by the General Association of Connecticut." To this collection he contributed the four hymns following:- Here, Lord of life and light, to Thee. Institution of a Minister. This was written March 9, 1825, for his installation as pastor of the First Church, New Haven, and first published as above, No. 559, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed "Ordination in an ancient New England Church." O God, beneath They guiding hand. American Anniversary Hymn. This is a favorite American Anniversary hymn. It is abbreviated and altered from his hymn, "The Sabbath morn is as bright and calm," which he wrote for the Bicentenary of New Haven, 1833. In this revised form it was first published as above, No. 619, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and appointed "For the twenty-second of December." O God of Abraham, ever sure. Prayer on behalf of the Young. This was written as a substitute for Mrs. Hyde's "Dear Saviour, if these lambs should stray," the use of which was refused by the owners of the copyright of Nettleton's Village Hymns (1824). In the Psalms & Hymns, it is No. 635, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed "Prayer for the children of the Church." Hail, tranquil hour of closing day. Evening. This popular hymns was written under the same circumstances as the preceding, and as a substitute for Mr.s Brown's Twilight hymn, "I love to steal awhile away." It is No. 706 of the Psalms & Hymns, 1845, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines, and entitled "Evening Twilight." How sweet, thro' long remembered years. Evening. In the Church Praise Book., N.Y., 1882, No. 15, is composed of stanzas iii.-v. of No. 10. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

William Crosswell

1804 - 1851 Person Name: Crosswell Author of "Lord, lead the way the Saviour went" in Good-Will Songs Crosswell, William, D.D., was born at Hudson, N.Y., Nov. 7, 1804; graduated at Yale College, 1822; entered for a time upon law studies, but eventually he entered Hartford College as a Theological Student, and then took Holy Orders in the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1829. In 1829 he became Rector of Christ Church, Boston; in 1840, of St. Peter's, Auburn, New York; and in 1844, of the Church of the Advent, Boston. Died suddenly at Boston, Nov. 9, 1851. Whilst at Hartford he assisted, during 1827-28, in editing The Watchman, and contributed to it many of his poetical pieces. His Memoir was written by his father, the Rev. Dr. Crosswell, of New Haven; and his Poems, collected by his father, were edited, with a short Memoir, by Dr. (now Bishop) Coxe, and published at Boston in 1800. Of his hymns the folowing are in common use:— 1. Lord, go with us, and we go. Journeying. This in Hymns for the Church and Home, 1860, No. 212, is a portion of his "Traveller's Hymn," first published in 1833. Concerning it Dr. Coxe says, "When on a journey with him, I reminded him of his 'Traveller's Hymn,' which I had seen but could not remember; and he told me, if I recollect aright, that it was a sort of Impromptu, which bubbled up when he was going with Dr. Wainwright from Boston to New York to attend the General Convention" (Memoir, p. xlii.); and in his notes, p. 282, he indirectly fixes the date of composition as 1832. Orig. text in 2 stanzas of 8 lines, in Poems, p. 255. 2. Lord, lead the way the Saviour went. For Sisters of Mercy. Written in 1831 for the Howard Benevolent Society of Boston. Dr. Coxe has entitled it "Hymn forSisters of Mercy," and says he "ventured to give it a name suited to the present state of the Church, in which Deaconesses and Sisters of Mercy are among other realizations of the poet's ardent hopes. Perhaps we owe them to his faithful prayers." (Notes to the Poems, p. 283.) It is generally accepted as the best American hymn for benevolent occasions. Original text, Poems, p. 256. 3. Now gird your patient loins again. Advent. This hymn for Advent is in 3 stanzas of 4 lines. Poems, p. 209; Hymns for Church and Home, No. 55. 4. 0 Saviour, leave us not alone. Lent. This is from his hymn for Lent beginning, "Thou who, for forty days and nights," in 4 stanzas of 4 double lines. In its abbreviated form it is found in Hymns for Church and Home, No. 85. Original in Poems, p. 219, in 4 stanzas of 4 double lines. 5. We come not with a costly store. Epiphany. For the Epiphany, from his Poems, p. 215, and based upon the Gospel of the day, in 2 stanzas of 8 lines. 6. And now the solemn rite is past. Ordination. This is composed of stanzas vii., viii. of his poem, "The Ordinal," in Poems, pp. 69-71, slightly altered. "The Ordinal" was written in 1828, and describes minutely his own ordination at his father's church, at New Haven, and the feel¬ings inspired, by the solemnity. It was printed in The Watchman, 1828. (Poems, Preface, p. xxvii.) The portion given as "And now the solemn rite is past" was included in Hall's Mitre, 1836. Dr. Crosswell also translated the "Veni, Creator Spiritus" as "Creator, Spirit, come and bless us." His hymns are mostly unknown to the English collections. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================= Crosswell, W., p. 269, ii. On the title-page of his Poems, 1861, this author is given as W. Croswell, and the best authorities are in favour of this spelling of the name. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

William Vincent Wallace

1812 - 1865 Person Name: W. Vincent Wallace Composer of "SERENITY" in Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.)

Benjamin Cleveland

1733 - 1811 Author of "O could I find, from day to day" in Songs of Praise and Prayer Cleveland, Benjamin. Probably a Baptist, but known only by his Hymns on Different Spiritual Subjects, in Two Parts, whereof the 4th ed. appeared in Norwich, Connecticut, 1792. He is the author of:— 0 could I find from day to day. [Longing for Christ.] This was preserved from oblivion by the Hartford Selection 1799, and is now in general use as altered and abridged to 4 stanzas by Nettleton, in his Village Hymns, 1824, No. 145. What is supposed to be the original text of the first four stanzas is found in Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, 1872, No. 876. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ============================ Cleveland, Benjamin. (Windham, Connecticut, August 30, 1733--March 9, 1811, Horton [now Wolfville], Nova Scotia). Baptist. Son of Benjamin Cleveland. The name is sometimes spelled "Cleavland" or "Cleaveland" in family records. He was a layman and a Baptist deacon; little else is known of his life except that of his twelve children, one, Nathan Cleveland, became a Baptist minister. He published in 1792 his Hymns on Different Subjects. In Two Parts in Norwich, Connecticut. His hymn, "O could I find from day to day," was widely reprinted through most of the nineteenth century. In his 1792 collection, it had six stanzas. Joshua Smith reprinted it in 1797, and it was altered for the Hartford Selection of 1799. Asahel Nettleton abridged it to four stanzas and altered it for his Village Hymns in 1824. It was in this form that it was widely sung; it was reprinted in the same for in Edwin Francis Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, 1872. the original first four stanzas treat the desire to "find from day to day a nearness to my God" throughout the course of life, ending in stanza 4 "Thus, till my last expiring breath, Thy goodness I'll adore . . ." --Thomas W. Hunt, DNAH Archives

Philip Doddridge

1702 - 1751 Author of "See Israel's Gentle Shepherd Stand" in Hymns for the Living Church Philip Doddridge (b. London, England, 1702; d. Lisbon, Portugal, 1751) belonged to the Non-conformist Church (not associated with the Church of England). Its members were frequently the focus of discrimination. Offered an education by a rich patron to prepare him for ordination in the Church of England, Doddridge chose instead to remain in the Non-conformist Church. For twenty years he pastored a poor parish in Northampton, where he opened an academy for training Non-conformist ministers and taught most of the subjects himself. Doddridge suffered from tuberculosis, and when Lady Huntington, one of his patrons, offered to finance a trip to Lisbon for his health, he is reputed to have said, "I can as well go to heaven from Lisbon as from Northampton." He died in Lisbon soon after his arrival. Doddridge wrote some four hundred hymn texts, generally to accompany his sermons. These hymns were published posthumously in Hymns, Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures (1755); relatively few are still sung today. Bert Polman ======================== Doddridge, Philip, D.D., was born in London, June 26, 1702. His grandfather was one of the ministers under the Commonwealth, who were ejected in 1662. His father was a London oilman. He was offered by the Duchess of Bedford an University training for ordination in the Church of England, but declined it. He entered Mr. Jennings's non-conformist seminary at Kibworth instead; preached his first sermon at Hinckley, to which Mr. Jennings had removed his academy. In 1723 he was chosen pastor at Kibworth. In 1725 he changed his residence to Market Harborough, still ministering at Kibworth. The settled work of his life as a preceptor and divine began in 1729, with his appointment to the Castle Hill Meeting at Northampton, and continued till in the last stage of consumption. He sailed to Lisbon, in 1751, where he died October 26, the same year. Two hundred pupils in all, gathered from England, Scotland and Holland, were prepared in his seminary, chiefly for the dissenting ministry, but partly for professions. The wide range of subjects, including daily readings in Hebrew and Greek, Algebra, Trigonometry, Watts' Logic, outline of Philosophy, and copious Divinity, is itself a proof of Doddridge's learning. He was presented with his D.D. degree by the University of Aberdeen. His fame as a divine, combined with his wide sympathies and gentle, unaffected goodness, won for him the friendship of Watts, Col. Gardiner and Hervey, and the esteem of Seeker and Warburton. He welcomed the work of Wesley and Whitefield, and entertained the latter on his visit to Northampton. His Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul and The Family Expositor both did good work in their day. For criticism of his hymns see English Hymnody, Early, § XIV. [Rev. H. Leigh Bennett, M.A.] After Dr. Doddridge's death his hymns were published by his friend Job Orton, in 1755, as:— "Hymns founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures. By the late Reverend Philip Doddridge, D.D. Published from the Author's Manuscript by Job Orton . . . Salop. Printed by J. Eddowes and J. Cotton, &c. MDCCLV." Concerning the text of the hymns, Orton says in his Preface:— "There may perhaps be some improprieties, owing to my not being able to read the author's manuscript in particular places, and being obliged, without a poetical genius, to supply those deficiencies, whereby the beauty of the stanza may be greatly defaced, though the sense is preserved." The 1st edition contained 370 hymns; the 2nd, 1759, 374; and the 3rd, 1766, and later editions, 375. In 1839 Doddridge's great-grandson re-edited the hymns from the original manuscript and published the same as:— Scriptural Hymns by the Rev. Philip Doddridge, D.D. New and corrected edition containing many hymns never before printed. Edited from the Original Documents by the Author's great-grandson, John Doddridge Humphreys, Esq. Lond. Darton & Clark, 1839. This work contains 22 additional hymns. The text differs in many instances from Orton's, but these changes have not come into common use. In addition to the manuscript used by Orton and J. D. Humphreys, another containing 100 hymns (five of which are not in any edition of the Hymns), all in the author's handwriting, and most of them dated, is referred to in this Dictionary as the "D. Manuscripts." It is the property of Mr. W. S. Booker and family. A manuscript, not in Doddridge's handwriting, of 77 "Hymns by P. Doddridge, Mar. 16, 1739/1740," is in the possession of Mr. W. T. Brooke. The existence of these manuscripts is accounted for from the fact that Doddridge's hymns were freely circulated in manuscript during his lifetime. It is from his correspondence with R. Blair (q.v.) that the few compositions traceable to him in the Scottish Trans. & Paraphrases were derived. The hymns by Doddridge which have attained to the greatest popularity are:— “Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve"; " Do not I love Thee, O my Lord? " "Grace 'tis a charming sound”; " Hark, the glad sound, the Saviour comes"; "My God, and is Thy table spread?" "O happy day, that fixed my choice"; "O God of Jacob [Bethel], by Whose hand”; " See Israel's gentle Shepherd stand"; "Ye servants of the Lord." These hymns, with many besides, are annotated under their respective first lines. Of the rest, taken from the Hymns, &c, 1755, the following are also in common use:— 1. Behold the gloomy vale. Death anticipated. 2. Behold the Great Physician stands. Christ the Physician. 3. Captives of Israel, hear. Spiritual Deliverance. 4. Eternal God, our wondering souls. Enoch's Piety and Translation. 5. Eternal Source of life and thought. Subjection to the Father. G. Exalted Prince of Life, we own. Christ the Prince and Saviour. 7. Father Divine, the Saviour cried. Christ's Submission to the Father. 8. Father Divine, Thy piercing eye. Secret Prayer. 9. Father of mercies, send Thy grace. Sympathy. The Good Samaritan. 10. Go, saith the Lord, proclaim my grace. Forgiveness. 11. God of Eternity, from Thee. Redeeming the Time. 12. God of my life, through all its [my] days. Praising God continually. 13. God. of salvation, we adore. Praise to God for Redemption. 14. Great Father of mankind. Gentiles brought into the Church. 15. Great God, we sing that mighty hand. The New Tear. 16. Great Leader of Thine Israel's host. During Persecution. 17. Great Lord of angels, we adore. Ordination. 18. Great Spirit of immortal love. Purity of Heart desired. 19. Great Teacher of Thy Church, we own. The Divine Precepts. 20. Hail, everlasting Prince of Peace. Sympathy. 21. Hail to the Prince of life and peace. Praise to Christ. 22. Hear, gracious [Saviour] Sovereign, from Thy throne. The Blessings of the Holy Spirit desired. 23. How gentle God's commands. God's Care of His Own. 24. How rich Thy favours, God of grace. God and His Living Temple. 25. How swift the torrent flows [rolls]. Our Fathers, where are they? 26. Jesus the Lord, our souls adore. Christ the Forerunner. 27. Jesus, we own Thy Sovereign hand. Christ to be fully known hereafter. 28. Loud let the tuneful trumpet sound. Gospel Jubilee. 29. My gracious Lord, I own Thy right. Life in Jesus. 30. My [Dear] Saviour, I am [we are] Thine. Joined to Christ through the Spirit. 31. My soul, with all thy waking powers. The Choice of Moses. 32. Now let our voices join. Singing in the ways of God. 33. 0 injured Majesty of heaven. Lent. 34. 0 Zion, tune thy voice. Glory of the Church of Christ. 35. Peace, 'tis the Lord Jehovah's hand. Resignation. 36. Praise the Lord of boundless might. The Father of Lights. 37. Praise to Thy Name, Eternal God. Growth in Grace desired. 38. Remark, my soul, the narrow bounds. The New Year. 39. Repent, the Voice celestial cries. Lent. 40. Return, my roving heart, return. Heart communing. 41. Salvation, O melodious sound. God our Salvation. 42. Saviour of men, and Lord of love. Ministry and Death of Christ. 43. Searcher of hearts, before Thy face. Peter to Simon Magus. 44. Shepherd of Israel, Thou dost keep. Induction or Settlement of a Minister. 45. Shine forth, eternal Source of light. Knowledge of God desired. 46. Shine on our souls, eternal God. Sunday. 47. Sing, ye redeemed of the Lord. Joy on the Homeward Way. 48. Sovereign of life, before Thine eye. Life and Death in God's hands. 49. The darkened sky, how thick it lours. Sorrow followed by Joy. 50. The day approacheth, O my soul. Judgment anticipated. 51. The King of heaven His table spreads. The Gospel Feast. 52. The promises I sing. The unchanging promises of God. 53. The swift-declining day. Walk in the Light. 54. These mortal joys, how soon they fade. Treasures, Perishable and Eternal. 55. Thy judgments cry aloud. Retributive Providence. 56. Thy presence, Everlasting God. Omnipresence of the Father. 57. 'Tis mine, the covenant of His grace. Death anticipated. 58. To Thee, my God; my days are known. Life under the eye of God. 59. Tomorrow, Lord, is Thine. Uncertainty of Life. 60. Triumphant Lord, Thy goodness reigns. The Divine Goodness. 61. Triumphant Zion, lift thy head. The Church Purified and Guarded. 62. Unite my roving thoughts, unite. Peace. 63. What mysteries, Lord, in Thee combine. Christ, the First and Last. 64. While on the verge of life I stand. Death anticipated with Joy. 65. With ecstacy of Joy. Christ the Living Stone. 66. Ye golden lamps of heaven, farewell. Heaven opening. 67. Ye hearts with youthful vigour warm. The Young encouraged. 68. Ye humble souls, that seek the Lord. Easter. 69. Ye sons of men, with joy record. Praise of the Works of God. 70. Yes, the Redeemer rose. Easter In Dr. Hatfield's Church HymnBook, N. Y., 1872, Nos. 9, 12, 14, 15, 21, 23, 25, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 39, 40, 44, 47, 51, 61, 64, 65, 67, 69, 70, as above, are dated 1740. What authority there may be for this date we cannot say, these hymns not being in any “D. MSS." with which we are acquainted, and no dates are given in the Hymns, &c, 1755. Some later American editors have copied this date from Dr. Hatfield. Doddridge's hymns are largely used by Unitarians both in Great Britain and America. As might be expected, the Congregationalists also draw freely from his stores. The Baptists come next. In the hymnals of the Church of England the choicest, only are in use. Taken together, over one-third of his hymns are in common usage at the present time. -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================ Doddridge, Philip, D.D. At p. 305 an account is given of a manuscript volume of Doddridge's Hymns, which is the property of the Rooker family. Since that article was written another manuscript vol. has been found. It was the property of Lady Frances Gardiner, née Erskine, an intimate friend of Doddridge, and wife of Col. Gardiner. It is a copy of the Rooker manuscipt, with the revised text, as in the margin of that ms., and is in Doddridge's hand¬writing. It was from this manuscript that the Doddridge hymns were taken for the Scottish Translationsand Paraphrases, 1745. Additional hymns by Dr. Doddridge still in common use include:— 1. My God, how cheerful is the sound. All in Christ. 2. My Saviour, let me hear Thy voice. Pardon desired. 3. My soul, triumphant in the Lord. Divine Guidance assured. 4. No «iore, ye wise, your wisdom boast. Glorying in God alone. From Hymns, No. 128. 5. Now be that Sacrifice survey'd. Christ our Sacrifice. 6. 0 Israel, blest beyond compare. Happiness of God's Israel. 7. Our fathers, where are they? Considering the Past. From Hymns, No. 164. 8. Praise to the Lord on high. Missions. 9. Praise to the radiant Source of bliss. Praise for Divine Guidance. 10. Return, my soul, and seek thy rest. Rest in Jesus. 11. Salvation doth to God belong. National Thanksgiving. 12. Sovereign of Life, I own Thy hand. On Recovery from Sickness. 13. The sepulchres, how thick they stand. Burial. 14. There is a Shepherd kind and strong. The Good Shepherd. From Hymns, No. 216. 15. Wait on the Lord, ye heirs of hope. Waiting on God. 16. We bless the eternal Source of light. Christ's care of the Church. 17. With transport, Lord, our souls proclaim. Immutability of Christ. 18. Ye mourning saints, whose streaming tears. Death and Burial. These all appeared in Dr. Doddridge's Hymns, 1755. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

W. W. Coe

b. 1862 Person Name: William V. Wallace, 1814-1865 Composer of "SERENITY" in Elmhurst Hymnal

U. C. Burnap

1834 - 1900 Person Name: Uzziah C. Burnap Arranger of "SERENITY" in Hymns for the Living Church Burnap ran a dry goods business in Brooklyn, though he graduated from the University of Paris with a music degree, and for 37 years played the organ at the Reformed Church in Brooklyn Heights. He was a prolific composer, and helped edit the following: Hymns of the Church, 1869 Hymns of Prayer and Praise, 1871 Hymns and Songs of Praise, 1874 --The Cyber Hymnal™ There is uncertainty about his middle name. Reynolds and the Library of Congress say it was Christopher. A contemporary obituary relied on by "The Cyber Hymnal™" says it was Cicero. It appears that there was another Uzziah C[icero] Burnap who lived (per LOC) 1794-1854.

Richard Burnham

1749 - 1810 Author of "Jesus! Thou Art the Sinner's Friend" in The Greatest Hymns Burnham, Richard, b. 1749, d. 1810, was for many years pastor of a Baptist Church in London, first in Little Chapel Street, and afterwards in Grafton Street, Soho. He is said to have been an excellent preacher. His hymns, 452 in all, were published as follows:— New Hymns on Divers Subjects, Lond., Gilbert and Plummer, 1783. This contained 141 hymns. A 2nd edition with 74 additional hymns as New Hymns on Various Subjects (same publishers), 1785. To this was added New Hymns on Divine Love, chiefly designed for Love Feasts or Christian Societies (25 hymns and 2 poetical pieces), Lond., W. Smith, but no date (cir. 1787). The 3rd edition of the Hymns, &c, is dated 1794, the 4th 1796, and the 5th, 1803. This last contains 452 hymns. In addition 3 hymns were printed at the end of a Sermon on Believer's Baptism, 1805, and many others on leaflets which have not been reprinted. Burnham's hymns rank with the most intensely Calvinistic in the English language, and have been much used by congregations of Calvinistic sentiments. In the last edition of Gudsbey’s Selection there are 20; in Denham's Selection 82; and in Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory. 10. His best known hymns are, “Jesus! Thou art the sinner's Friend," and "O glorious God of grace." The following, from the editions of his Hymns, &c, indicated in brackets, are still in common use:— 1. Free grace, melodious sound [1794]. Grace. 2. God in Three appears all glorious [1796]. Holy Trinity. 3. Great Jehovah's love endureth [1794]. God unchangeable. 4. How truly glorious is the love [1803]. Love of God. In Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory, 1872, this is altered by Miss Havergal. 5. Jesus draws the chosen race [1794]. Election. 6. Love will I ever sing [1796]. Love of God. 7. Now 1 know the great Redeemer [1794]. The Advocate. 8. The goodness of our glorious God [1794]. Divine Goodness. 9. The people of the Lord were chosen, &c. [1796], Election. 10. Who can e'er fathom God's rich love [1803]. Love of God. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

William Bourn Oliver Peabody

1799 - 1847 Person Name: William B. O. Peabody Author of "Who is thy neighbor?" in The Evangelical Hymnal Peabody, William Bourne Oliver, D.D., twin brother of Oliver William Bourne, was born at Exeter, New Hampshire, July 9, 1799, and educated in his native town and at Harvard College. Leaving Harvard in 1817, he taught for a year at an academy in Exeter, and then proceeded to study theology at the Cambridge Divinity School. He began to preach in 1819, and became the Pastor of the Unitarian Congregation at Springfield, Massachusetts, in October, 1820. This charge he held to his death on May 28, 1847. His Memoir (written by his brother) was published with the 2nd ed. of his Sermons, 1849; and his Literary Remains followed in 1850. "He was a man of rare accomplishments, and consummate virtue," whose loveliness of character impressed many outside his own sect. In 1823 he published a Poetical Catechism for the Young to which were appended some original hymns. He also edited The Springfield Collection of Hymns for Sacred Worship, Springfield, 1835. A few of his hymns also appeared in that collection. His hymns in common use are:— 1. Behold the western evening light. Death of the Righteous, or Autumn Evening. Published in his Catechism, 1823, in 6 st. of 4 1., and again in his Springfield Collection, 1835, No. 484. It is in common use in its original form; also as altered in the Leeds Hymn Book, 1853; and again as altered by George Rawson in the Baptist Psalsm & Hymns, 1858, where it reads "How softly on the western hills." 2. God of the earth's extended plains. Hymn of Nature. This is in Griswold's Poets and Poetry of America, in 6 st. of 8 1. This is thought by some to be the production of his brother Oliver; but Putnam assigns it to William. It is given abbrevi¬ated in a few collections. The hymn "God of the rolling orbs above," in the Boston Unitarian Hymns [and Tune"] Book, 1868, and others, begins with st. v. 3. 0 when the hours of life are past. The Hereafter. This hymn, in 6 st. of 4 1., was given in his Catechism, 1823, as the Answer to "Question xiv. What do you learn of the Future State of Happiness." It is in use in its original form, and also altered as "When all the hours of life are past." 4. The moon is up: how calm and slow. Evening. A poem rather than a hymn, in 6 st. of 4 1., appended to his Catechism, 1823. 5. When brighter suns and milder skies. Spring. Appended to his Catechism, 1823, in 6 st. of 4 1. The full texts of all these hymns are in Putnam's Singers and Songs of the Liberal Faith, Boston, U. S. A., 1875. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.] -- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)