The Story of the Hymns and Tunes Part 30

_THE TUNE._

The grand harmony of "Portuguese Hymn" has always been identified with this song of trust.

One opinion of the date of the music writes it "about 1780." Since the habit of crediting it to John Reading (1677-1764) has been discontinued, it has been in several hymnals ascribed to Marco Portogallo (Mark, the Portuguese), a musician born in Lisbon, 1763, who became a composer of operas in Italy, but was made Chapel-Master to the Portuguese King. In 1807, when Napoleon invaded the Peninsula and dethroned the royal house of Braganza, Old King John VI. fled to Brazil and took Marco with him, where he lived till 1815, but returned and died in Italy, in 1830. Such is the story, and it is all true, only the man's name was Simao, instead of Marco. _Grove's Dictionary_ appends to Simao's biography the single sentence, "His brother wrote for the church." That the Brazilian episode may have been connected with this brother's history by a confusion of names, is imaginable, but it is not known that the brother's name was Marco.

On the whole, this account of the authors.h.i.+p of the "Portuguese Hymn"--originally written for the old Christmas church song "Adeste Fideles"--is late and uncertain. Heard (perhaps for the first time) in the Portuguese Chapel, London, it was given the name which still clings to it. If proofs of its Portuguese origin exist, they may yet be found.

"How Firm a Foundation" was the favorite of Deborah Jackson, President Andrew Jackson's beloved wife, and on his death-bed the warrior and statesman called for it. It was the favorite of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was sung at his funeral. The American love and familiar preference for the remarkable hymn was never more strikingly ill.u.s.trated than when on Christmas Eve, 1898, a whole corps of the United States army Northern and Southern, encamped on the Quemados hills, near Havana, took up the sacred tune and words--

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed."

Lieut. Col. Curtis Guild (since Governor Guild of Ma.s.sachusetts) related the story in the Sunday School Times for Dec. 7, 1901, and Dr. Benson quotes it in his book.

[Ill.u.s.tration: John Wesley]

"WHILE THEE I SEEK, PROTECTING POWER."

Miss Helen Maria Williams, who wrote this gentle hymn of confidence, in 1786, was born in the north of England in 1762. When but a girl she won reputation by her brilliant literary talents and a mental grasp and vigor that led her, like Gail Hamilton, "to discuss public affairs, besides clothing bright fancies and devout thoughts in graceful verse."

Most of her life was spent in London, and in Paris, where she died, Dec.

14, 1827.

While Thee I seek, Protecting Power Be my vain wishes stilled, And may this consecrated hour With better hopes be filled:

When gladness wings my favored hour, Thy love my thoughts shall fill, Resigned where storms of sorrow lower My soul shall meet Thy will.

My lifted eye without a tear The gathering storm shall see: My steadfast heart shall know no fear: My heart will rest on Thee.

_THE TUNES._

Old "Norwich," from _Day's Psalter_, and "Simpson," adapted from Louis Spohr, are found with the hymn in several later manuals. In the memories of older wors.h.i.+pers "Brattle-Street," with its melodious choral and duet arranged from Pleyel by Lowell Mason, is inseparable from Miss Williams' words; but modern hymnals have dropped it, probably because too elaborate for average congregational use.

Ignaz Joseph Pleyel was born June 1, 1757, at Ruppersthal, Lower Austria. He was the _twenty-fourth_ child of a village schoolmaster. His early taste and talent for music procured him friends who paid for his education. Haydn became his master, and long afterwards spoke of him as his best and dearest pupil. Pleyel's work--entirely instrumental--was much admired by Mozart.

During a few years spent in Italy, he composed the music of his best-known opera, "Iphigenia in Aulide," and, besides the thirty-four books of his symphonies and chamber-pieces, the results of his prolific genius make a list too long to enumerate. Most of his life was spent in Paris, where he founded the (present) house of Pleyel and Wolfe, piano makers and sellers. He died in that city, Nov. 14, 1831.

"COME UNTO ME."

Come unto Me, when shadows darkly gather, When the sad heart is weary and distressed, Seeking for comfort from your heavenly Father, Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.

This sweet hymn, by Mrs. Catherine Esling, is well known to many thousands of mourners, as also is its equally sweet tune of "Henley," by Lowell Mason. Melody and words melt together like harp and flute.

Large are the mansions in thy Father's dwelling, Glad are the homes that sorrows never dim, Sweet are the harps in holy music swelling.

Soft are the tones that raise the heavenly hymn.

Mrs. Catherine Harbison Waterman Esling was born in Philadelphia, Apr.

12, 1812. A writer for many years under her maiden name, Waterman, she married, in 1840, Capt. George Esling, of the Merchant Marine, and lived in Rio Janeiro till her widowhood, in 1844.

JOHN WESLEY'S HYMN.

How happy is the pilgrim's lot, How free from every anxious thought.

These are the opening lines of "John Wesley's Hymn," so called because his other hymns are mostly translations, and because of all his own it is the one commonly quoted and sung.

John Wesley, the second son in the famous Epworth family of ministers, was a man who knew how to endure "hardness as a good soldier of Christ."

He was born June 27, 1703, and studied at Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford, becoming a Fellow of Lincoln College. After taking holy orders he went as a missionary to Georgia, U.S., in 1735, and on his return began his remarkable work in England, preaching a more spiritual type of religion, and awakening the whole kingdom with his revival fervor and his brother's kindling songs. The following paragraph from his itinerant life, gathered probably from a page of his own journals, gives a glimpse of what the founder of the great Methodist denomination did and suffered while carrying his Evangelical message from place to place.

On February 17, 1746, when days were short and weather far from favorable, he set out on horseback from Bristol to Newcastle, a distance between three and four hundred miles. The journey occupied ten days.

Brooks were swollen, and in some places the roads were impa.s.sable, obliging the itinerant to go round through the fields. At Aldrige Heath, in Staffords.h.i.+re, the rain turned to snow, which the northerly wind drove against him, and by which he was soon crusted over from head to foot. At Leeds the mob followed him, and pelted him with whatever came to hand. He arrived at Newcastle, February 26, "free from every anxious thought," and "every worldly fear."

How lightly he regarded hards.h.i.+p and molestation appears from his verses--

Whatever molests or troubles life, When past, as nothing we esteem, And pain, like pleasure, is a dream.

And that he actually enjoys the heroic freedom of a rough-rider missionary life is hinted in his hymn--

Confined to neither court nor cell, His soul disdains on earth to dwell, He only sojourns here.

G.o.d evidently built John Wesley fire-proof and water-proof with a view to precisely what he was to undertake and accomplish. His frame was vigorous, and his spirit unconquerable. Besides all this he had the divine gift of a religious faith that could move mountains and a confidence in his mission that became a second nature. No wonder he could suffer, and _last_. The brave young man at thirty was the brave old man at nearly ninety. He died in London, March 2, 1791.

Blest with the scorn of finite good, My soul is lightened of its load And seeks the things above.

There is my house and portion fair; My treasure and my heart are there, And my abiding home.

For me my elder brethren stay, And angels beckon me away.

And Jesus bids me come.

_THE TUNE._

An air found in the _Revivalist_ (1869), in s.e.xtuple time, that has the real camp-meeting swing, preserves the style of music in which the hymn was sung by the circuit-preachers and their congregations--ringing out the autobiographical verses with special unction. The favorite was--

No foot of land do I possess, No cottage in this wilderness; A poor wayfaring man, I lodge awhile in tents below, Or gladly wander to and fro Till I my Canaan gain.

More modern voices sing the John Wesley hymn to the tune "Habakkuk," by Edward Hodges. It has a lively three-four step, and finer melody than the old.

Edward Hodges was born in Bristol, Eng., July 20, 1796, and died there Sept. 1876. Organist at Bristol in his youth, he was graduated at Cambridge and in 1825 received the doctorate of music from that University. In 1835 he went to Toronto, Canada, and two years later to New York city, where he was many years Director of Music at Trinity Church. Returned to Bristol in 1863.

"WHEN GATHERING CLOUDS AROUND I VIEW."

One of the restful strains breathed out of illness and affliction to relieve one soul and bless millions. It was written by Sir Robert Grant (1785-1838).