The Story of the Hymns and Tunes Part 21

"MY SOUL BE ON THY GUARD"

Strangely enough, this hymn, a trumpet note of Christian warning and resolution, was written by one who himself fell into unworthy ways.[12]

But the one strong and spiritual watch-song by which he is remembered appeals for him, and lets us know possibly, something of his own conflicts. We can be thankful for the struggle he once made, and for the hymn it inspired. It is a voice of caution to others.

[Footnote 12: I have been unable to verify this statement found in Mr.

b.u.t.terworth's "Story of the Hymns."--T.B.]

George Heath, the author, was an English minister, born in 1781; died 1822. For a time he was pastor of a Presbyterian Church at Honiton, Devons.h.i.+re, and was evidently a prolific writer, having composed a hundred and forty-four hymns, an edition of which was printed.

_THE TUNE._

No other has been so familiarly linked with the words as Lowell Mason's "Laban" (1830). It has dash and animation enough to reenforce the hymn, and give it popular life, even if the hymn had less earnestness and vigor of its own.

Ne'er think the vict'ry won Nor lay thine armor down: Thy arduous work will not be done Till thou hast gained thy crown.

Fight on, my soul till death Shall bring thee to thy G.o.d; He'll take thee at thy parting breath To His divine abode.

"PEOPLE OF THE LIVING G.o.d."

Montgomery _felt_ every line of this hymn as he committed it to paper.

He wrote it when, after years in the "swim" of social excitements and ambitions, where his young independence swept him on, he came back to the little church of his boyhood. His father and mother had gone to the West Indies as missionaries, and died there. He was forty-three years old when, led by divine light, he sought readmission to the Moravian "meeting" at Fulneck, and anch.o.r.ed happily in a haven of peace.

People of the living G.o.d I have sought the world around, Paths of sin and sorrow trod, Peace and comfort nowhere found:

Now to you my spirit turns-- Turns a fugitive unblest; Brethren, where your altar burns, Oh, receive me into rest.

James Montgomery, son of Rev. John Montgomery, was born at Irvine, Ayrs.h.i.+re, Scotland, Nov. 4, 1771, and educated at the Moravian Seminary at Fulneck, Yorks.h.i.+re, Eng. He became the editor of the _Sheffield Iris_, and his pen was busy in non-professional as well as professional work until old age. He died in Sheffield, April 30, 1854.

His literary career was singularly successful; and a glance through any complete edition of his poems will tell us why. His hymns were all published during his lifetime, and all, as well as his longer pieces, have the purity and polished beauty, if not the strength, of Addison's work. Like Addison, too, he could say that he had written no line which, dying, he would wish to blot.

The best of Montgomery was in his hymns. These were too many to enumerate here, and the more enduring ones too familiar to need enumeration. The church and the world will not soon forget "The Home in Heaven,"--

Forever with the Lord, Amen, so let it be.

Life from the dead is in that word; 'Tis immortality.

Nor--

O where shall rest be found,

--with its impressive couplet--

'Tis not the whole of life to live Nor all of death to die.

Nor the haunting sweetness of--

There is a calm for those who weep.

Nor, indeed, the hymn of Christian love just now before us.

_THE TUNE._

The melody exactly suited to the gentle trochaic step of the home-song, "People of the living G.o.d," is "Whitman," composed for it by Lowell Mason. Few Christians, in America, we venture to say, could hear an instrument play "Whitman" without mentally repeating Montgomery's words.

"TO LEAVE MY DEAR FRIENDS."

This hymn, called "The Bower of Prayer," was dear to Christian hearts in many homes and especially in rural chapel wors.h.i.+p half a century ago and earlier, and its sweet legato melody still lingers in the memories of aged men and women.

Elder John Osborne, a New Hamps.h.i.+re preacher of the "Christian"

(_Christ-ian_) denomination, is said to have composed the tune (and possibly the words) about 1815--though apparently the music was arranged from a flute interlude in one of Haydn's themes. The warbling notes of the air are full of heart-feeling, and usually the best available treble voice sang it as a solo.

To leave my dear friends and from neighbors to part, And go from my home, it affects not my heart Like the thought of absenting myself for a day From that blest retreat I have chosen to pray, I have chosen to pray.

The early shrill notes of the loved nightingale That dwelt in the bower, I observed as my bell: It called me to duty, while birds in the air Sang anthems of praises as I went to prayer, As I went to prayer.[13]

How sweet were the zephyrs perfumed by the pine, The ivy, the balsam, the wild eglantine, But sweeter, O, sweeter superlative were The joys that I tasted in answer to prayer, In answer to prayer.

[Footnote 13: The _American Vocalist_ omits this stanza as too fanciful as well as too crude]

"SAVIOUR, THY DYING LOVE."

This hymn of grateful piety was written in 1862, by Rev. S. Dryden Phelps, D.D., of New Haven, and first published in _Pure Gold_, 1871; afterwards in the (earlier) _Baptist Hymn and Tune Book_.

Saviour, Thy dying love Thou gavest me, Nor should I aught withhold Dear Lord, from Thee.

Give me a faithful heart, Likeness to Thee, That each departing day Henceforth may see Some work of love begun, Some deed of kindness done, Some wand'rer sought and won, Something for Thee.

The penultimate line, originally "Some sinful wanderer won," was altered by the author himself. The hymn is found in most Baptist hymnals, and was inserted by Mr. Sankey in _Gospel Hymns No. 1_. It has since won its way into several revival collections and undenominational manuals.

Rev. Sylvester Dryden Phelps, D.D., was born in Suffield, Ct., May 15, 1816, and studied at the Connecticut Literary Inst.i.tution in that town.

An early call to the ministry turned his talents to the service of the church, and his long settlement--comprising what might be called his princ.i.p.al life work--was in New Haven, where he was pastor of the First Baptist church twenty-nine years. He died there Nov. 23, 1895.

_THE TUNE._

The Rev. Robert Lowry admired the hymn, and gave it a tune perfectly suited to its metre and spirit. It has never been sung in any other. The usual t.i.tle of it is "Something for Jesus." The meaning and sentiment of both words and music are not unlike Miss Havergal's--

I gave my life for thee.

"IN SOME WAY OR OTHER."