The Story of the Hymns and Tunes Part 19

One of the most beloved of English poets, this suffering man was also a true Christian, and wrote some of our sweetest and most spiritual hymns.

Most of these were composed at Olney, where he resided for a time with John Newton, his fellow hymnist, and jointly with him issued the volume known as the _Olney Hymns_.

_THE TUNE._

Music more or less closely identified with this familiar hymn is Gardiner's "Dedham," and also "Mear," often attributed to Aaron Williams. Both, about equally with the hymn, are seasoned by time, but have not worn out their harmony--or their fitness to Cowper's prayer.

William Gardiner was born in Leicester, Eng., March 15, 1770, and died there Nov. 11, 1853. He was a vocal composer and a "musicographer" or writer on musical subjects.

One Aaron Williams, to whom "Mear" has by some been credited, was of Welsh descent, a composer of psalmody and clerk of the Scotch church in London. He was born in 1734, and died in 1776. Another account, and the more probable one, names a minister of Boston of still earlier date as the author of the n.o.ble old harmony. It is found in a small New England collection of 1726, but not in any English or Scotch collection. "Mear"

is presumably an American tune.

"WHAT VARIOUS HINDRANCES WE MEET."

Another hymn of Cowper's; and no one ever suffered more deeply the plaintive regret in the opening lines, or better wrought into poetic expression an argument for prayer.

What various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy-seat!

Yet who that knows the worth of prayer But wishes to be often there?

Prayer makes the darkest clouds withdraw, Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw.

The whole hymn is (or once was) so thoroughly learned by heart as to be fixed in the church among its household words. Preachers to the diffident do not forget to quote--

Have you no words? ah, think again; Words flow apace when you _complain_.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent To Heaven in supplication sent, Our cheerful song would oftener be, "Hear what the Lord hath done for me!"

And there is all the lifetime of a proverb in the couplet--

Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees.

Tune, Lowell Mason's "Rockingham."

"MY GRACIOUS REDEEMER I LOVE."

This is one of Benjamin Francis's lays of devotion. The Christian Welshman who bore that name was a Gospel minister full of Evangelical zeal, who preached in many places, though his pastoral home was with the Baptist church in Shortwood, Wales. Flattering calls to London could not tempt him away from his first and only parish, and he remained there till his triumphant death. He was born in 1734, and died in 1799.

My gracious Redeemer I love, His praises aloud I'll proclaim, And join with the armies above, To shout His adorable name.

To gaze on His glories divine Shall be my eternal employ; To see them incessantly s.h.i.+ne, My boundless, ineffable joy.

Tune, "Birmingham"--an English melody. Anonymous.

"BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS."

Perhaps the best hymn-expression of sacred brotherhood, at least it has had, and still has the indors.e.m.e.nt of constant use. The author, John Fawcett, D.D., is always quoted as the example of his own words, since he sacrificed ambition and personal interest to Christian affection.

Born near Bradford, Yorks.h.i.+re, Jan. 6, 1739, and converted under the preaching of Whitefield, he joined the Methodists, but afterwards became a member of the new Baptist church in Bradford. Seven years later he was ordained over the Baptist Society at Wainsgate. In 1772 he received a call to succeed the celebrated Dr. Gill, in London, and accepted. But at the last moment, when his goods were packed for removal, the clinging love of his people, weeping their farewells around him, melted his heart. Their pa.s.sionate regrets were more than either he or his good wife could withstand.

"I will _stay_," he said; "you may unpack my goods, and we will live for the Lord lovingly together."

It was out of this heart experience that the tender hymn was born.

Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, Our comforts and our cares.

Dr. Fawcett died July 25, 1817.

Tune, "Boylston," L. Mason; or "Dennis," H.G. Nageli.

"I LOVE THY KINGDOM, LORD."

"Dr. Dwight's Hymn," as this is known _par eminence_ among many others from his pen, is one of the imperishable lyrics of the Christian Church.

The real spirit of the hundred and twenty-second Psalm is in it, and it is worthy of Watts in his best moments.

Timothy Dwight was born at Northampton, Ma.s.s, May 14, 1752, and graduated at Yale College at the age of thirteen. He wrote several religious poems of considerable length. In 1795 he was elected President of Yale College, and in 1800 he revised Watts' Psalms, at the request of the General a.s.sociation of Connecticut, adding a number of translations of his own.

I love Thy kingdom, Lord, The house of Thine abode, The Church our blest Redeemer saved With His own precious blood.

I love Thy Church, O G.o.d; Her walls before Thee stand, Dear as the apple of Thine eye, And graven on Thy hand.

Dr. Dwight died Jan. 11, 1817.

Tune, "St. Thomas," Aaron Williams, (1734-1776.)

Mr. Hubert P. Main, however, believes the author to be Handel. It appeared as the second movement of a four-movement tune in Williams's 1762 collection, which contained pieces by the great masters, with his own; but while not credited to Handel, Williams did not claim it himself.

"MID SCENES OF CONFUSION."

This hymn, common in chapel hymnbooks half a century and more ago, is said to have been written by the Rev. David Denham, about 1826.

_THE TUNE._

"Home, Sweet Home" was composed, according to the old account, by John Howard Payne as one of the airs in his opera of "Clari, the Maid of Milan," which was brought out in London at Drury Lane in 1823. But Charles Mackay, the English poet, in the London Telegraph, a.s.serts that Sir Henry Bishop, an eminent musician, in his vain search for a Sicilian national air, _invented_ one, and that it was the melody of "Home, sweet Home," which he afterwards set to Howard Payne's words. Mr. Mackay had this story from Sir Henry himself.

Mid scenes of confusion and creature complaints How sweet to my soul is communion with saints, To find at the banquet of mercy there's room And feel in the presence of Jesus at home.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home!

Prepare me, dear Savior for glory, my home.

John Howard Payne, author at least, of the original _words_ of "Home, Sweet Home," was born in New York City June 9, 1791. He was a singer, and became an actor and theatrical writer. He composed the words of his immortal song in the year 1823, when he was himself homeless and hungry and sheltered temporarily in an attic in Paris.

His fortunes improved at last, and he was appointed to represent his native country as consul in Tunis, where he died, Apr. 9, 1852.