Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!

Here is another hymn for the common times!

Title: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!

Tune: Nicaea

Meter: 11.12.12.10

Composer: John Baccus Dykes (10th March, 1823-22nd January, 1876)

Author: Reginald Heber (21st April, 1783-3rd April, 1826)

               Written using apocalyptic language, this hymn is closely associated with the scripture text from Revelations 4, which in England's Book of Common Prayer, is marked as the scripture reading for Trinity Sunday. Written by Reginald Heber (1783-1826), in 1826, the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!" was first published in A Selection of Psalms and Hymns for the Parish Church of Banbury, which was published in 1826, the same year of Heber's sudden and unexpected death. Though Heber had passed away, he had nearly 60 hymn texts that he had written. Feeling it was her duty to share the hymns, Heber's wife published his hymn texts posthumously in the collection Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Services of the Year (1827). This collection of Hymns is credited with starting the tradition of arranging the contents of a hymn collection according to the church year (http://www.hymnary.org/text/holy_holy_holy_lord_god_almighty_early, Par. 3). 

               Born in Malpas, England, it was clear from an early age that Reginald Heber had a gift for versification. Educated at Brasenose College in Oxford, England, Heber was named the Vicar of Hodnet in 1807, where he would remain for 16 years. Heber's time at Hodnet was marked by his literary successes, and his great care for the people as the Parish Priest. While he was in Hodnet, Heber was seen as being halfway in-between a person, and a squire. It was in his years at Hodent that Heber became very infatuated with India, so much so that he had envisioned himself becoming a missionary in Calcutta. Along with being the Vicar in Hodnet, Heber was one of the original staff members of the Quarterly Review; Bampton Lectures (1815), as well as a preacher at Lincoln's Inn (1822). During his time in Hodnet, Heber wrote several hymns, some of which were collected in The Christian Observer (1811-1816), which contained not only hymns of his own, but a few hymns of a close friend of Heber's. The first idea of compiling a hymnal came from The Olney Hymns (Newton, Cowper, 1779), which was noted in a letter written by Heber in 1809. Several years later, the collection was published and was originally meant only for the use of the church in Hodnet. In 1823, several years after the hymnal was published, Heber was named a Missionary in Calcutta, and ordained the first Christian Native, Christian David. 

               During his first visit to Calcutta, Heber traveled through Bengal, Bombay, and Ceylon, and eventually through Delhi and Lucknow, which is where he was diagnosed with suffering from some type of fever. In his second visit to Calcutta, Heber traveled the scenes of Schwartz's labours in Madras Presidency to Trichonopoly (John Julian, Hymnary.org, par. 1). On April 3rd, 1826, Heber participated in a church service in Trichonopoly where he confirmed 42 people into the faith. It was said that Heber was so moved by the events, that he had no signs of any bodily exhaustion (John Julian, Hymnary.org, par. 1). After Heber finished the service, he retired back to his room where he wrote on the back of his sermon " Trichonopoly, April 3rd, 1826." This would prove to be the last act of Heber's life. After a long absence, one of the servants went to check on the status of Heber, and was surprised to find Heber laying lifeless in his bathtub. Though Heber's life was cut short, he had many successes, both in the world of hymns, and in the world of his Missionary work in Calcutta. 

For information on John B, Dykes, see "Searcher of Hearts, From Mine Erase."

The Text: 

1. Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!
 Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
 Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,
 God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

2. Holy, holy, holy!  All the saints adore thee,
 casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
 cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
 which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy!  Though the darkness hide thee,
 though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
 only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
 perfect in power, in love and purity.

4. Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!
 All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
 Holy, holy, holy!  Merciful and mighty,
 God in three persons, blessed Trinity.

My Take on the Hymn: 

              This hymn is a good example of a hymn of unending praise. Each verse discusses another aspect of God being worshiped. The text coming from Revelations 4 says that there were four creatures seated in front of the throne in Heaven, and each one, day and night, never ceased saying "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Like these creatures, it is our duty to worship the triune God with the same reverence as the beasts do in the scripture. Each and every day, we are given the opportunity to make a decision. We can choose who we want to live our lives for, God, or for the things on Earth. The only thing that God asks of us is that we choose to live out all of our days on earth, for Him. Everything that we do on earth, is done by God, for God, and with the help of God!

the Hymn:

If you cannot read music, Just start the Youtube Video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "Reginald Heber." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

Psalter, Handbook Hymnal. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

Julian, John. "Nicaea." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

Julian, John. "John Bacchus Dykes." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

Sing With All the Saints in Glory

Here is another hymn for the wonderful time after Easter! This hymn is dedicated to a very good friend of mine, Matt!

Title: Sing with All the Saints in Glory

Tune: Hymn to Joy

Meter: 8.7.8.7. D

Composer:  Arranged from Ludwig Van Beethoven (16^th December, 1770- March 26^th, 1827), arranged by Edward Hodges, (20^th July, 1796- 1^st September, 1867)

Author: William J. Irons (12^th September, 1812- 18^th June, 1883)

                The first time this hymn appeared was in 1873, where it was published in the first edition of William J. Irons’ Psalms and Hymns for the Church (London, 1873; second edition, 1875). This collection of hymns was supposed to provide hymns for offering, epistles, and gospels, and also was labeled for use as an Advent and Lenten hymn. Though these are the official uses that are named for the hymn, often times this hymn is sung for Easter. The hymn “Sing with All the Saints in Glory” is found in several different denominations of the Christian faith and each one has the hymn listed in a different section of the hymnal. The Catholic hymnal Gather, from GIA Publications (Chicago, Illinois, 1994) has the hymn listed under “Easter (#442),” the United Methodist Hymnal (Nashville, Tennessee, 1989) has the hymn listed under “New Heaven and New Earth (#702),” and the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2006) has the hymn listed under “Festivals and Commemorations (#426).” Though each denomination, Catholic, Lutheran, and Methodist, have this hymn in their collections, the Methodist church has been publishing this hymn for the longest time in their hymnals. “Sing with All the Saints in Glory” has been published in a Methodist hymnal since 1878, only three years after the second edition of the hymns original publication. Though “Sing with All the Saints in Glory” seems to fit best in the category of “Easter,” the meaning can be flexible, and therefore can be placed in several different categories depending on the season. Though the original version of the hymn has four stanzas, the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, takes the first two lines of the last two stanzas, and combines them to create on final stanza, leaving the hymn with only three total stanzas.

                Born in England in 1812, William J. Irons was the son of Joseph Irons, who happened to be a good friend of John Newton (See Amazing Grace). Irons was educated at Queens college, Oxford, where he graduated with a BA in 1833, and eventually, a DD in 1854 (Westermeyer, 2010, p.246). In 1835, Irons took Holy Orders which led him to become Incumbent of St. Peter’s in Walworth in 1837. Throughout his life, Irons held many different positions at several churches, including Vicar of Barkway, Incumbent of Brompton, Rector of Wadingham, and in 1872, he became Rector of St. Mary-Woolnoth, which the position formerly was held by John Newton himself (Hymnary.org/persons/Irons_WJ, para. 1). W.J. Irons played a small, but prominent role in the ecclesiastical debates that were raging on during his time. He published numerous documents on the topic in the form of sermons, pamphlets, and letters, which all accumulated into his work, The Bampton Lectures, which was written in 1870. The work covered Christianity as it was taught by St. Paul. W.J. Irons’ hymn writing began during his curacy at St. Mary Newington, from 1835-1837, and continued until his death in 1883 (Hymnary.org/persons/Irons_WJ, para. 1). Many of Irons’ hymns were first printed on broadsheets (large sheets of paper with only one side printed on, often times referring to a newspaper that is more serious than some), and were published in R.T. Rowe’s (Rector of Lea, Lincolnshire) Hymns for the Christian Seasons, (Gainsburgh,  1^st ed. 1854)(Gainsborough, written in Westermeyer’s Hymnal Companion), and also in his own collection. Iron’s published a metrical psalter in 1857 and also 100 hymns in Hymns for the Church (1866).

                Perhaps one of the reasons for the great popularity of this hymn can be traced to the very recognizable tune written by none other than Ludwig Van Beethoven. Though he did not do so intentionally, Beethoven is one of only a few composers who wrote hymn tunes (Ralph Von Williams, and Orlando Gibbons being an exception). The tune “Hymn to Joy” was originally composed by Beethoven for J.C.F. von Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” Which Beethoven wrote for a full chorus in the fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony (Westermeyer, 719).  The first performance of the chorus was in 1824, when Beethoven had gone completely deaf. Though the full piece was not performed until 1824, the tune can be traced to sketches that extend as far back as 1797. The tune to “Ode to Joy” was eventually adapted as a hymn tune by Elam Ives (1802-1862) in his Mozart Collection (New York, 1846), and by Edward Hodges (1796-1867) in his The Trinity Collection of Church Music (New York, 1864)(Westermeyer, p. 719). One of the more famous hymns that this tune was published with was Henry Van Dyke’s “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Evangelical Book of Worship, #836). The hymn paired with the tune in The Hymnal (1911) of the Presbyterian Church. 

                The tune “Hymn to Joy” follows the form of AA’BA’, which is very simple, and common for the time in which it was written. The melody is simple, and is built off of the first five notes of a diatonic scale, with the exception of one note that dips below the tonic, but the melody quickly returns to the first five notes. The difficulty of this hymn, for many congregations, lies within the slight syncopation of the beginning of the last line, or the second statement of A’. Because most congregations cannot manage this syncopation, most hymnals have published the tune with the last line square, instead of syncopated. According to Paul Westermeyer, the removal of the syncopation “drains the tune of its life (Westermeyer, p. 720).” Westermeyer believes that with a slight coaching of the congregation, or with the organist playing the melody through as an introduction, the congregation should be able to pick up on the syncopation and sing it through with no trouble. Because many hymnals have been publishing the current version of the hymn, it is difficult for those hymnals who publish the original to catch wind and become popular.  

                Beethoven was a very interesting man, with lots of history to his name. Though I could go on about his story, I will keep it brief for the sake of your time (and mine too! This is a busy semester!). Ludwig Van Beethoven grew up in a very poor and unstable home in Bonn, Germany. Both Beethoven’s Father and Grandfather were musicians as well (Westermeyer, p. 720).  The first time Beethoven suited music was with his father (who was abusive to him as a child), who was a court singer looking to exploit his son’s musical abilities. Later, Beethoven would continue his musical studies with Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748-1798). The next few years of Beethoven’s life seemed to follow with one position after the other. At the age of eleven, he was substitute court organist; at age twelve, Beethoven was accompanist for the court orchestra; at age fourteen, he was assistant court organist, and from 1788-1792, a violist in the theater orchestra. After these positions, Beethoven studied with famous composer Franz Joseph Haydn, and several other composers throughout Vienna, although he was not always happy with his teachers. Eventually, Beethoven became known as Europe’s favorite and most eccentric composer, pianist, and improviser. Beethoven is best known for being the important link between the Classical period and the Romantic period, having lived in the transition between the two. Though Beethoven was a brilliant composer, starting in the year 1798, he began losing his hearing (the cause is not known, but it is known that he suffered from severe Tinnitus, or a high pitched ringing in the ears), and eventually he became deaf all together. Despite his limitations due to hearing, Beethoven arguably did some of his best work after his hearing was gone completely (his Ninth Symphony being one of his works composed completely deaf).

The Text:

1.            Sing with all the saints in glory,

                sing the resurrection song!

                Death and sorrow, earth's dark story,

                to the former days belong.

                All around the clouds are breaking,

                soon the storms of time shall cease;

                in God's likeness we, awaking,

                know the everlasting peace.

2.            O what glory, far exceeding

                all that eye has yet perceived!

                Holiest hearts, for ages pleading,

                never that full joy conceived.

                God has promised, Christ prepares it,

                there on high our welcome waits.

                Every humble spirit shares it;

                Christ has passed th'eternal gates.

3.            Life eternal! heaven rejoices;

                Jesus lives, who once was dead.

                Join we now the deathless voices;

                child of God, lift up your head!

                Patriarchs from the distant ages,

                saints all longing for their heaven,

                prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages,

                all await the glory given.

4.            Life eternal! O what wonders

                crowd on faith; what joy unknown,

                when, amidst earth's closing thunders,

                saints shall stand before the throne!

                O to enter that bright portal,

                see that glowing firmament;

                know, with thee, O God Immortal,

                "Jesus Christ whom thou has sent!"

My Take on the Text:

                This hymn is one of great praise. The whole setting of the text is for praising God and all of the glories he has promised us in heaven above! The love that God displays for us is never ceasing and never failing, and we will live to see it in our lives each and every day! This hymn not only covers the things that we are given here on earth, but it also tells of the promises that Christ has given us through his death on the cross. I can see where each different denomination has reasoning to place this hymn in different categories. The song fits Easter time because it discusses Christ defeating the grave, and rising up to be with God; the song fits New Heaven and New Earth, because it talks about the old Earth being defeated by the glory of God; the song fits festivals/commemorations, because it is glorious, and sings the praises of things still to come in heaven above! Though the meaning and category of this hymn is fairly scattered, there is no doubt that this hymn is glorious and full of life! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me through the rest of my days on Earth, and I look forward even more to seeing the glories he has promised me in Heaven above when my time here has come to a close!

The Hymn:

if you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

"Sing, with All the Sons of Glory." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 11 Apr.                 2013.

Julian, John. "William J. Irons." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 11 Apr.    2013.

"HYMN TO JOY." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.

Westermeyer, Paul. "Festivals, Commemorations." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran   Worship. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 246-47. Print.

Ah, Holy Jesus

Here is another hymn during the wonderful time after Easter! He is Risen!

Title: Ah, Holy Jesus

Tune: Herzliebster Jesu

Meter: 11.11.11.5.

Composer: Johann Cruger (1598-1662)

Author: Johann Heermann (1585-1657), Trans. Robert Bridges (1844-1930)

Based off the text from Isaiah 53, this hymn sets the tone for the Christian doctrine of Christ's atonement: Christ died for the sin of the world in a substitutionary death on the cross (hymnary.org par. 1). By using text such as "It was for my sin that Christ died!" this text becomes extremely personal, and turns a plain and simple doctrine into a deep and personal meditation on the effects that Christ has had on our lives. Stemming from the seventh meditation in the Latin Liber Meditationum, which is most often credited to Augustine (354-430), and sometimes ascribed to Jean de Fecamp (d. 1078), this hymn was written in fifteen stanzas in sapphic prose meter (11.11.11.5.) by Johann Heermann. Written in German, the text was first published in Heermann's collection, Devoti Musica Cordis, Haus und Hertz-musica, published in 1630. Eventually, the text was translated from German into English by Robert Bridges (1844-1930), as a five stanza paraphrase of the text, keeping the meter the same. Attributing the original Latin text to Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033-1109), the English translation was published in Bridges' Yattendon Hymnal (1899).

Evangelical Lutheran Worship follows the same text published in Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), using Bridges' five stanzas and keeping the old Elizabethan English (Westermeyer, 2010, p 151). By making slight modifications to both of the texts, the hymn we sing today is a combination of Bridges' meter, and Heermann’s rhymes scheme. Bridges' text follows the same rules for Sapphic meter, keeping the same syllable count 5+6, where 5 is a dactyl and trochee (metric feet, dactyl being a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed, and a trochee being a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable), and the 6 is all trochees. Heermann's rhyming scheme follows the AABB rhyming form, and stresses the rhyme on the Penultimate syllable, for example: of-fen-ded, and pre-tend-ded; Pay thee and pray thee; un-swer-ving and de-serv-ing (Westermeyer, p. 151). A few points made by Mary Louise Bringle (Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy and Religion Chair, Humanities Division, Brevard College, Brecard North Carolina), show Bridges' effortless quality in the feminine rhymes which are difficult to construct in English, the emphasis on the beginning dactyl, almost turning it into a spondee (a metric foot that uses two stressed syllables in a row), and finally the repetition of words in the beginning of successive phrases. Anaphora is the triple use of "I" in the second stanza, and the quadruple use of "Thy" in the fourth (Westermeyer, p. 151-52).

Life for Johann Heermann was anything but easy. Coming from the same time as the well-known poet, Paul Gerhardt (see "Oh Sacred Head, Now Wounded"), Heermann also suffered through the tragedies of the Thirty Year's War. Born the son of a poor furrier in the small Polish town, Raudten (near Wolau in Lower Silesia), Heermann was the only one of five children to survive. Because of early childhood illnesses, Heermann's mother vowed that if he would survive, she would educate him in the ministry, even though she had to beg for the money to do so. As it happens, Heermann did survive his childhood ailments, and began studying in Fraustadt, Breslau Brieg, and at the University of Straussberg. After only a year of studies at Straussberg, Heermann suffered an affection of the eye, forcing him to retire from his studies and return to Raudten in 1610. Shortly after his return, at the recommendation of Baron Wenzel, Heermann was appointed Diaconus of Koben, a small town nearby to Raudten and to Fraustadt. On Ascension Day in 1611, Heermann began his duties at the church, and later, on St. Martin's Day, Heermann was appointed Pastorate of the church (Hymnary.org, Johann Heermann, par. 1). From here on out, things started going down a slippery slope for Heermann. In 1613, the town of Fraustadt was struck by the plague, and three years later a fire struck Koben and nearly destroyed the town. With things already looking difficult, more strife struck Heermann. In 1617, Heermann’s wife died; 1618 the Thirty Year’s War began; in 1623, throat troubles began affecting Heermann and his ability to preach; and finally between 1629 and 1634, Koben was raided four times. Though Heermann lost almost everything he owned, and was almost killed several times, it was during these difficult times that this hymns (Ah, Holy Jesus), and 48 others, were published in Heermann’s collection Devoti Musica Cordis (Westermeyer, p. 152).

                Devoti Musica Cordis was, as the title indicates, intended for “house and heart,” and not for public use. Finally, in 1631, the plague struck Koben, and in 1634, Heermann’s throat troubles caused him so much pain that he could no longer preach, causing him to retire in 1638. Though he was no longer preaching, Heerman continued to produce hymns, publishing another collection in 1636 containing hymns on the gospel readings for Sundays and Festivals. Among his hymns, Heermann also had many poems which he had written in Latin starting in 1605. It wasn’t, however, until 1608 that he became a Poet at Brieg. Finally, skipping ahead half a century, in 1656, nine years after Heermann’s death, his poetical works were published. Considered one of the greatest German Hymn writers, Heermann is often times cited as being second only to the great Paul Gerhardt (Hymnary.org, Johann Heermann, par. 2).

                Robert Bridges (the translator), was born in England, and studied at Corpus Christi College, in Cambridge, as well as at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. Planning on having an early retirement, Bridges became a doctor in London, hoping to be able to retire by the age of 40, and spending the rest of his life writing poetry. In 1881, Bridges was forced to retire due to lung disease, which was only three years earlier than he had originally intended. Eventually, Bridges was married to Mary Monica Waterhouse and upon marriage, they moved to Yattendon, England. During his time Yattendon, with his wife and his friend Harry Ellis Woodridge (1845-1917), who was professor of fine arts at Oxford and had revised William Chappell’s 1893 collection Popular Music of the Olden Time, Bridges edited the Yattendon Hymnal. Finally, in 1913, Bridges earned the prestigious title of Poet Laureate.

                The tune “Herzliebster Jesu” first appeared in Johann Cruger’s predecessor volume to Praxis Pietatis Melica, which was his collection Newes Vollkomliches Gesangbuch Augsburgischer Confession (Berlin, 1640). In this case, the influences for this hymn are numerous and can be traced back to a melody from the Genevan Psalter for Psalm 23, as well as another melody written by Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630), who was one of the cantors in Leipzig at the St. Thomas Church before J.S. Bach (Westermeyer, p. 153). The tune is fitting for this text, outlining the last few phrases such as: “I crucified thee,” “God interceded,” and “for my salvation.” Smoothing out what would have been a traditional 16^th century, rugged choral, this tune is a typical 17^th century piece of music. The music, written in a minor key, seems to parallel the introspective texts of authors such as Heermann and Gerhardt (Westermeyer, p. 153). Stimulating many different composers, this tune, as well as the text, has made appearances in many famous works, such as J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and Bach’s St. John Passion.

                Johann Cruger was born in 1598 at Grosse-Breese, near Guben, Brandenburg. As a child, Cruger studied at the schools in Gubem, Sorau and Breslau, the Jesuit College at Olmutz, as well as at the poet’s school in Regensburg, and in 1615, finally settled in Berlin after a short time in Austria. For a short while, after a stint at the University of Wittenburg, Cruger worked as a private tutor from 1620 until 1622. It was in 1622 that Cruger was appointed Cantor of St. Nicholas’s Church in Berlin Germany, as well as one of the Masters of the Greyfriars Gymnasium. Cruger would hold these positions until his death in 1662, where he passed away in Berlin. Though Cruger never wrote any hymns, his name does appear as “Johann Kruger, 1610” as the original author of Charles Wesley’s “Hearts of Stone, Relent, Relent.” Cruger is known for writing many different hymn tunes, only twenty of which are still in common use today.

The Text:

1.       Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
          that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?
          By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
          O most afflicted!

2.       Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
          Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!
          'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
          I crucified thee.

3.       Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
          the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered.
          For our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
          God interceded.

4.       For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
          thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation;
          thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
          for my salvation.

5.       Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
          I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
          think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
          not my deserving.

My Take on the Hymn:

                This hymn is very reflective, forcing us to take a look at what the real reason Christ was crucified truly is. It was because of our sins that Christ was put up on the cross, but this hymn asks Christ to forgive us for the pain that we have caused him. Without Christ dying on the cross, and without Him rising from the dead, there would be no Christian faith. It is this very reason that we are saved today, and that we as Christians can say that we no longer fear death, for it has no hold over us! This hymn does, however, seem to take an incident that was brought on by thousands of people, and turns it back onto ourselves. Though we were not around back when Christ was crucified, it was each one of our sins that hammered the nails farther into the cross. Even though we did this, it is because Christ died that we can take heed an know that Christ is there to forgive us our sins, no matter how far we have turned away from him. As is said in Psalm 139, no matter how far we run from Christ, we can’t hide from Him!

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of        Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2013.

Westermeyer, Paul. "Holy Week/Three Days." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran          Worship. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 151-54. Print.

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Please enjoy another wonderful hymn!

Title: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Tune: Near the Cross

Meter: 6.6.7.6

Composer: William H. Doane (February 3^rd, 1832-December 24^th, 1915

Author: Fanny J. Crosby (March 24^th 1820-February 12^th, 1915)

               This hymn first appeared in the collection Bright Jewels for the Sunday School (New York, 1869), which was edited by Robert Lowry and W.F. Sherwin (see “Break Thou the Bread of Life”). For the author of this text, Fanny J. Crosby, the cross held special meaning. Edith Blumhofer says, “for Crosby the cross held a special appeal as a place for centering proximity to Christ. Since something good happened to one near there, what better place to 'Linger'?” (Westermeyer, 2010, p. 129). Known as one of the best gospel hymn writers, Crosby was born into a Puritan Reformed world in northern Connecticut, near the New York Border. Her lineage can be traced back to the time of Magna Carta in the early thirteenth century. Much of her family also can be found in the Massachusetts Bay colony in the early 17^th century. From her family, we can tracer her descendants to the 20^th century crooner, Bing Crosby. When Crosby was only six weeks old, she went completely blind due to maltreatment of her eyes during a bout of illness. At the age of eight, Crosby moved with her family to Eidgefiled, Connecticut, around the same time she began writing verse. Seven years later, in 1835, Crosby entered into the New York City institution for the Blind. After studying at the school for over ten years, Crosby eventually became a teacher at the institution (1847-1858).

               While serving as a teacher at the institution, Crosby met her husband, Alexander Van Alstyne, who was also a blind musician. The two were married in 1858 when Crosby was 38 years old, and she is sometimes known (mostly in England) by her married name. Crosby began writing hymns when she was only 24 (1844) years old, but it wasn't until she was 44 years old (1864) that she discovered her true vocation as a hymn writer. Her first hymn was a Sunday-School hymn written for Wm. B. Bradbury entitled We are Going, We are Going, to a Home Beyond the Skies. The hymn was written on February 5^th of that year, and was also performed at Bradbury's funeral in 1868. From that point on, Crosby supported herself with her writings for the publishing company, Biglow & Maine Co., where she wrote nearly 4,000 hymns. Her hymns were very popular, and were inspiring to many prominent composers of that time (Rev. Robert Lowry, Wm. B. Bradbury, Geo F. Root, and many others). Crosby was so proficient at writing hymns, she did not need to wait for any sort of inspiration to come to her. She always composed with an open book in her hand, most times with a copy of Golden Hymns, held closely over her eyes and upside down (http://www.hymnary.org/person/Crosby_Fanny, Paragraph 7).

               Though Crosby grew up with connections in the Presbyterian church as well as being influence by the Holiness movement, she did not formally join a church until 1887—Cornell Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City, New York. Crosby was a very small women, standing only four feet, nine inches, and weighing less than 100 pounds. Because she worked among many who were marginalized, Crosby kept her language simple and idiomatic, making it easy for others to understand. Having spent most of her life writing hymns, it is said that Crosby has written around 8,000 hymns, but this number could be more. Some of Crosby's hymns may have been lost in the nearly 200 different pseudonyms she published her work under. Before the age of ten, Crosby had the first four books of the bible, as well as the four gospels, committed to memory. Her mental capacity was astounding, often times editing her poems in her head while dictating several others, allowing her to compose nearly seven hymns a day. Edith Blumhofer has divided Crosby's hymns into four distinct categories: salvation, consecration, service, and heaven. Through out all 95 years of Crosby's life, she has come across many important figures, including Henry Clay, of who she wrote a special poem for clay on the anniversary of his son's death in the Civil War. To learn more about Crosby, see “Blessed Assurance: Jesus is Mine.”

               As Crosby did several times, the text of this hymn was written to fit the tune, which then took its name from the text. The tune, written by William H. Doane uses a compound rhythm with a very simple harmonic structure. Doane, who often signed his name as W. Howard, was one of the most prominent collaborators with Fanny Crosby for providing tunes to accompany her texts. Much like Crosby, Doane's lineage can be traced back to English settlers in the early 1700's from Cape Cod Massachusetts, soon after the Mayflower. Born to the head of the cotton manufacturer Doane & Treat, Doane grew up in Connecticut as well. From an early age, Doane's interest in music was very clear, being influence by singing schools and learning to play many different instruments including the Violin, Flute, and Double Bass. At the age of 14, Doane attended the Woodstock Academy, where he directed the student choir. Though he never abandoned music entirely, Doane became a very successful businessman who gave generously as a Baptist lay person, having followed his mothers Baptist roots instead of his fathers Congregational roots. In 1851, Doane joined J.A. Fay & Company, which was a company that manufactured woodworking machinery. For the next several years, Doane would have many different jobs as well as events. In 1857, he married Francis Treat, the daughter of his father's business partner, in 1858, Doane moved to Chicago to continue his work for the Fay company filing patent claims. In 1861, he moved as a partner to the company headquarters in Cincinnati, and finally in 1866 was named president of the company.

               During his time in Cincinnati, Doane became a civic leader as well as a benefactor, and for 25 years, he held the position of superintendent of the Sunday School at Mount Auburn Baptist Church. In his home in Mount Auburn, Doane included a music room, which contained a pipe organ and many pianos. His home also had a large library with manuscripts from composers such as Haydn, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn (Westermeyer, p. 130). Having written nearly 200 pieces of music throughout his career, most of them being hymn tunes, Doane was able to publish over 40 different song books. After the death of William B. Bradbury, Doane resumed Bradbury's work, with the help of Robert Lowry, composing Sunday School hymns. The collection Silver Spray, published in 1869. outsold all other similar collections, allowing Lowry and Doane to donate enough money to the YMCA in Cincinnati so that they may buy a large pipe organ.

The Text:

1. Jesus, keep me near the cross,
   there a precious fountain,
   free to all, a healing stream,
   flows from Calvary's mountain.
   
   Chorus:
   In the cross, in the cross,
   be my glory ever;
   'til my raptured soul shall find,
   rest beyond the river.
   
   (2) Near the cross, a trembling soul,
   love and mercy found me;
   there the bright and morning star
   sheds its beams around me.
   
   Chorus
   
   (3) Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
   bring its scenes before me;
   help me walk from day to day,
   with its shadows over me.
   
   Chorus
   
   (4) Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
   hoping, trusting ever,
   'til I reach the golden strand,
   just beyond the river.
   
   

My Take on the Hymn:

               This hymn is incredibly powerful, asking Christ to take us and keep us near to him every day. This him is a reminder of what happened on the Cross, both when we as humans failed to see what we were doing, and what God was doing for us in that moment. The first verse tells us that the river of life flows from Christ's side and down Calvary to all of us. If we are not near the Cross, we would not be able to feel the stream of life that comes from the river that Christ sheds for us. The second verse reminds us that we are all lost until we find Christ. When we come to the Cross, we find that we are nervous, we are lost, and we are weak, but through Christ on the Cross, we become found, and we are shown the light, the truth, and the way. The third verse talks about the Cross giving us strength in every day life. Each and every one of us has been given something in life that we may consider a burden  That burden is our Cross to bear. Through finding our Cross, we will see how strong we can truly become by facing our problems with the help of Christ. The fourth verse shows reverence for the Cross. Until our dying day, we must turn towards the Cross and face Christ. It is in facing Christ and seeing God within his only son that we can see our true potential, and know God gave his only son so that we may be free of sin and be taken into our heavenly home, if we only face what we have done!

The Hymn:

If you cannot read music, just start the Youtube video and follow along!

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "Near the Cross." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

Julian, John. "Fanny Crosby." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

Psalter, Hymnal Handbook. "NEAR THE CROSS (Doane)." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

Julian, John. "W. Howard Doane." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

"Hymn Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross Lyrics." JESUS KEEP ME NEAR THE CROSS Lyrics. Elyrics.net, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.

Westermeyer, Paul. "Lent." Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Vol. 1. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2010. 129-31. Print.

Lord, to Thee Alone We Turn

As we begin this Lenten season, don’t forget we are not alone through our journey!

Title: Lord, to Thee Alone we turn

Tune: Ramoth

Meter: 7.7.7.7. Doubled

Composer: John Baptiste Calkin (March 16^th, 1827-April 15^th, 1905)

Author: Albert Eubule Evans (1839-1896)

                Very little is actually known about this hymn, but it is apparent that in his day, Albert E. Evans was a busy man. Having published numerous hymns throughout the latter half of the 19^th century, Evans was a well-known protestant writer. Evans was educated in St. Mary’s Hall in Oxford, England, where he earned his B.A. in 1866. Two years prior to earning his degree, Evans took holy orders, holding Curacies at Slough, New Windsor, and Walmer. A few years later, Evans became the Secretary of the South American Missionary Society, and eventually became an assistant Examiner to the Civil Service Commissioners. In 1875, Evans became Rector of Kirk-Hallam, Ilkston which would be his last post of note. Some of his most known works are Pietas Peurilis (1865), and The Fourfold Message of Advent (1870). Several of Evans’ hymns were found in a collection published by Rev. R Brown-Brothwick entitled Sixteen Hymns (1870), Brown-Brothwick’s Select Hymns for Church and Home (1871), Dr. Martineau’s Hymns (1873), and in the Society for Christian Knowledge’s Church Hymns (1871).

                The tune “Ramoth,” was composed by John Baptiste Calkin, who got most of his early musical training from his father, James Calkin (1786-1862), who was a well-known pianist, cellist, and composer.  In 1853, Calkin began working as the Organist, Preceptor, and Choirmaster at the St. Collumba’s College in Dublin. After some time in Dublin, Calkin returned to London where he held the post of Church Organist at several different churches. During his life, Calkin became a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, as well as a professor at the Croydon Conservatory in London. Though not much is known about Calkin, he is known for writing the setting for the famous Christmas hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” which the text was composed by Henry Wadsworth.

The Text:

(1)    Lord, to Thee alone we turn,
To Thy cross for safety fly;
There, as penitents, to learn
How to live and how to die.
Sinful on our knees we fall;
Hear us, as for help we plead;
Hear us when on Thee we call;
Aid us in our time of need.

(2)    In the midst of sin and strife,
In the depths of mortal woe,
Teach us, Lord, to live a life
Meet for sojourners below.
Though the road be oft times dark,
Though the feet in weakness stray,
Lead us, Savior as the ark
Led Thy chosen on their way.

(3)    Weak and weary and alone
When the vale of death we tread,
Then be all Thy mercy shown,
Then be all Thy love displayed;
Guard us in that darksome hour,
Lead us to the land of rest,
Where, secure from Satan’s power,
We may lie upon Thy breast.

My Take on the Hymn:

                The title of this hymn says it all for me. We come across strife each and every day of our lives, but we can never truly deal with our struggles without Christ. The text of this hymn asks Christ to help us stay true to him and stay focused on Him alone. For many people, lent is very difficult, especially having to sacrifice something for 40 days (I gave up my laptop, so all of these posts will be coming to you from the first floor of the Minnesota State University, Mankato library!). If we simply turn our hearts to Christ and let Him take our struggles, we will live a life free of regret, free of sin, and free of stress from things that are menial. The first stanza offers up the first sign of faithfulness when the author says “to thy cross for safety fly.” Christ asks us to come to the cross with our sins so that we may, through his death, be rid of all of our sins. The second stanza shows reverence to Christ by asking Him to teach us how to live out our lives as faithfully as possible. By asking Christ to show us his mercy and show his light on the road ahead of us, we are giving Him control and letting our lives be lead to a greater purpose! The third stanza is the most desperate of all. In the darkest hour of our lives, we must turn to Christ to take away our pain, but that is when turning to Christ is the hardest. We can turn from God, and look to the world for comfort, but everything on this earth is a temporary fix, and it is only through Christ that our struggles will end, and we will find an eternal home to rest when it is our time!

The Hymn:

Unfortunately, there is no Youtube video to accompany the music.

Bibliography:

Julian, John. "A. Eubule Evans." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Unkown. "RAMOTH." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Unkown. "John Baptiste Calkin." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

"Lord, to Thee Alone We Turn." Lord, to Thee Alone We Turn. Cyber Hymnal, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Searcher of Hearts, From Mine Erase

Here is another hymn at the beginning of the season of Lent!

Title: Searcher of Hearts, From Mine Erase         

Tune: Beatitudo

Meter: 8.6.8.6.

Composer: John Bacchus Dykes (March 10^th, 1826-January 22^nd, 1876)

Author: George Pope Morris (October 10^th, 1802-July 6^th 1864)

                Born in Philadelphia in 1802, George Pope Morris was a well-known American poet. Early in his life, Morris moved to New York, where he became the editor of a Magazine entitled the Mirror (1823-42). From this magazine, several other periodicals were published as well, such as the New Mirror, and the Night Mirror. These short periodicals played an important role in publishing early works by several American poets such as Bryant, Poe, Halleck, Paulding, Willis, Hoffman, and many others. In 1845, three years after the Mirror was finished, Morris started writing another periodical entitled National Press. This periodical was short lived and lasted only until Morris began collaborating with N.P. Willis to create a new periodical in 1846 entitled the Home Journal. Morris is known for being a song writer, especially for composing the ballade “Woodman, Spare That Tree,” which was a story based off of true events. Though Morris doesn’t have many hymns published, “Searcher of Hears, From Mine Erase” was published in Songs for the Sanctuary (1865) and Methodist Hymnal (1878). Morris would have lived in New York from 1822 until his death in 1864.

                The tune “Beatitudo” was composed by John B. Dykes, and was original published in the second edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875), where the tune was originally coupled with Isaac Watts’ text “How Bright Those Glorious Spirits Shine.” The word Beatitudo was originally coined by Cicero and means “the condition of blessedness.” The tune offers up a chromatic harmonization to the verses, and is usually sung in harmony for the outside stanzas, and in unison for the inner stanzas. John B. Dykes was born in Hull, England in 1826, where he would eventually become a successful musician and composer. Dykes began studying in Wakefield at St. Catherine’s Hall in Cambridge in 1843. While Dykes was attending St. Catherine’s, he became one of the foremost recognized students in the Music School. Before Dykes began his college career, he studied under Skelton, the organist at St. John’s Church (Hull), which was built by his grandfather, Reverend Thomas Dykes. In 1847, Dykes graduated from St. Catherine’s college, and was appointed Curate at Malton, Yorkshire. In 1849, Dykes became the minor canon and precentor at Dunham Cathedral. To learn more about Dykes and his hymns, see “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.”

The Text:

(1)    Searcher of hearts, from mine erase

All thoughts that should not be,

And in its deep recesses trace

My gratitude to Thee.

(2)    Hearer of prayer, O guide aright

Each word and deed of mine;

Life’s battle teach me how to fight,

And be the vict’ry Thine.

(3)    Giver of allfor ev’ry good

In the Redeemer came

For raiment, shelter, and for food,

I thank Thee in His Name.

(4)    Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost,

Thou glorious Three in One,

Thou knowest best what I need most,

And let Thy will be done.

My Take on the Text:

                This hymn is a good reminder to give everything up to Christ. Without Christ and without God, we would be nothing at all, and to them, we owe everything we have. The first verse asks God to help the voice focus on what is important, and not on the trivial things. Life is very difficult for people at some points, because there is so much going on. When life gets distracting or hectic, our minds tend to stray from what we should be focusing on, God. C.S. Lewis shows a great example of this in his book A Grief Observed (1961). In this book, Lewis discusses his reactions to the death of his wife. Throughout the book, one of the main themes is focusing on God, and how that will help you heal. God never leads us astray, and if we ask Him to rid our mind of thoughts that are harmful, we will find a clear and distinct message to how we should be living our lives. The second verse asks God to show us how to be victorious over everyday life. Sometimes our thoughts are clear, but life will throw things at us without warning, and it is because we have God on our side that we can handle these Challenges. The third verse thanks God for everything He has given us, and reminds us all that we should pray and be thankful for the things that God has placed in our lives in order to honor his name! The fourth verse is the most prominent to me, because it is surrendering to God’s will. God knows best. God will not leave us hanging, and He will not lead us astray. Sometimes, we spend so much time trying to hear what it is God is telling us, that we forget to stop and listen to him. We all are blessed to be a part of God’s greater plan, and when we accept that he loves us for that plan, we can accept the plans he has for us, and see how we fit in to the plan with others as well. God will guide us, we just need to focus our mind on what is important, ask God to guide us through our ever y day struggles, thank God for the gifts He has given us, and surrender our hearts to God’s will and testament!

The Hymn:

Here is the Hymn. unfortunately there is no Youtube video to accompany the image.

Bibliography:

Psalter, Hymnal Handbook. "Searcher of Hearts, from Mine Erase." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Julian, John. "George P. Morris." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Julian, John. "BEATITUDO." Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Julian, John. "John Bacchus Dykes." - Hymnary.org. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Dyer, Arthur Edwin. "Dykes, Rev. John Bacchus." Grande Musica • A Digital Library for Music Lovers • Musical Biographies. Grande Musica, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Unkown. "Searcher Of HeartsHymn Lyrics." Searcher Of Hearts Hymn Lyrics. Hymns.Me, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.