1840 - 1930 Person Name: Henry Burton, 1840-1930 Author of "Break, day of God, oh break" in The Methodist Hymnal Rv Alfred Henry Burton DD United Kingdom 1840-1930. Born at Swannington, Leicestershire, he emigrated with family to America and became a student at Beloit College, WI, graduating with honours. After a pastorate in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Monroe, WI, he returned to England and entered the Wesleyan Ministry in 1865. He married Ellen Pearse. He then ministered mostly in Lanca-shire and London. Published works include ”Gleanings in the gospels:, “Wayside songs”, “St. Luke in Expositor's Bible”.
John Perry
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Burton, H. In I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs and Solos, 1878, the hymns, "Come, for the feast is spread," (The Gospel Invitation), and "Look away to Jesus" (Looking unto Jesus) are attributed to the "Rev. H. Burton”
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)
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Burton, Henry, D.D., p. 1555, i., born at Swannington, Leicestershire, in 1840. His parents having emigrated to America, he became a student at Beloit College, and graduated in honours. After labouring as a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church for a time he returned to England, entered the Wesleyan Ministry in 1865, and has since laboured chiefly in Lanca¬shire and London. His published works include Gleanings in the Gospels, Wayside Songs, 1886, St. Luke in the Expositor's Bible, &c. His hymns in common use, in addition to those named on p. 1555, i., include:—
1. Break, day of God, 0 break. [Second Advent.] Written at Blundell Sauds, near Liverpool, on Christmas Eve, 1900, and included in The Methodist Hymn Book, 1904. "The opening stanza was composed on the Railway Bridge where I lingered on my way home" (Author's MS!.).
2. In the secret of His presence. [Peace in Christ.] Written at Acton, London, published in his Wayside Songs, 1886, and included in the Epworth Hymnal, U.S.A.
3. 0 King of Kings, 0 Lord of hosts. [National Hymn.] Dr. Burton's history of this hymn is: "In the late Queen's Jubilee year, 1887, I composed an Ode which was set to music by Sir J. Stainer, and sung at a Jubilee Festival in the Royal Albert Hall, London. As the Ode could not be sung at any other time, Sir J. Stainer requested me to compose a hymn to which the same music should be set [and of a national character]. This led me to write the hymn" Author's MS.). It is No. 975 in The Methodist Hymn Book, 1904.
4. Have you had a kindness shown? Pass it on. [Kind Deeds.] "This is based on a little incident in the life of my brother-in-law, the Rev. Mark Guy Pearse. When a boy returning home from a Moravian school in Holland, the steward of the boat on which he sailed from Bristol to Hayle showed him marked attention and kindness, because Mr. Pearse's father, years before, had proved a great friend to his mother. And so he was simply 'passing on' the kindness." (Author's MS.). The hymn was written at Acton on April 8, 1885, and first printed in The Christian Advocate, N.Y., 1886, and again in Wayside Songs, 1886, p. 81. The first stanza has been adopted as a motto by the "International Sunshine Society," of New York.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)
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