1642 - 1699 Person Name: Fr. Funcke Author of "Draw Us To Thee" in American Lutheran Hymnal Funcke, Friedrich, was born at Nossen in the Harz, where he was baptised March 27, 1642. After receiving a general and musical education at Freiberg and Dresden, he became cantor at Perleberg, and then, in 1664, Stadt Cantor at Luneburg. He was, in 1694, appointed pastor at Römstedt, a few miles south of Lüneburg, and died there Oct. 20, 1699. He revised the Lüneburg Gesangbuch, 1686, and contributed to it 43 melodies and 7 hymns (Blätter für Hymnologie, 1884, pp. 115, 135, 146; 1885, p. 121).
One has passed into English, viz.:—
Zeuch uns nach dir, so kommen wir. [Ascensiontide!] First published in the Lüneburg Stadt Gesang-Buch, 1686, No. 593y? in 5 st. of 4 l., signed "F. F.," and founded on Canticles i. 4. Repeated in Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1705, No. 699, the Berlin Geistliche Lieder , ed. 1863, No. 341, and many other collections. Often wrongly ascribed to Ludämilia Elizabeth (q.v.), or to Friedrich Fabricius (b. April 20, 1642, at Stettin, and died there Nov. 11, 1703, as Pastor of St. Nicholas's Church).
The only translation in common use is:—
Draw us to Thee, Lord Jesus. A somewhat free translation omitting st. ii. by Miss Winkworth in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 68. Repeated in Dr. Thomas's Augustine Hymnbook, 1866, Marlborough College Hymnbook, 1889, and in America in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book, 1868.
Other translations are: (l) “Draw us, Saviour, then will we," by Miss Dunn, 1857, p. 102. (2) "Draw us to Thee, So shall we flee," by N. L. Frothingham, 1870, p. 275.
The hymn beginning, "Draw us to Thee, in mind and heart," by A. T. Russell, in 4 st., as No. 269 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851, while not a translation of, is based on this German hymn. Repeated in Dr. Pagenstecher's Collection, 1864, and in J. L. Porter's Collection, 1876. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology
Friedrich Funcke
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