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Vokes' name is attached; but only four in common use. It is not easy to discriminate, but probably the most popular of these hymns is the following:

"Ye Christian heralds, go proclaim

Salvation through Emmanuel's name;
To distant chimes the tidings bear,
And plant the Rose of Sharon there.

"God shield you with a wall of fire,
With flaming zeal your breasts inspire,
Bid raging winds their fury cease
And hush the tempests into peace.

"And when our labors all are o'er,
Then we shall meet to part no more;
Meet with the blood-bought throng to fall,
And crown our Jesus Lord of all."

But finer than this is another:

"Soon may the last glad song arise
Through all the millions of the skies-
That song of triumph which records
That all the earth is now the Lord's!

"Let thrones and powers and kingdoms be
Obedient, mighty God, to thee!

And over land and stream and main,
Wave thou the scepter of thy reign!

"Oh, let that glorious anthem swell,
Let host to host the triumph tell,
That not one rebel heart remains,

But over all the Saviour reigns!"

Her remaining hymns are:

and

"Sovereign of worlds, display thy power";

"Ye messengers of Christ."

JOHN MARRIOTT.-1780-1825

The Rev. John Marriott was a clergyman of the English Church, a graduate of Rugby, and of Christ Church, Oxford. He took high honors in college, and was then engaged as private tutor by the Duke of Buccleuch, who after two years presented him with the living of Church Lawford, Warwickshire. This he kept to the end of his life. He wrote but three hymns, of which only one is in use. But this one belongs in the first rank, and entitles him to a place among the great hymn-writers:

"Thou! whose almighty word
Chaos and darkness heard,

And took their flight,

Hear us, we humbly pray,

And, where the Gospel's day
Sheds not its glorious ray,

'Let there be light!'

"Thou! who didst come to bring,
On thy redeeming wing,

Healing and sight,

Health to the sick in mind,
Sight to the inly blind-
Oh, now to all mankind,
'Let there be light!'

"Spirit of truth and love,
Life-giving, holy Dove!

Speed forth thy flight:
Move o'er the waters' face,
Bearing the lamp of grace,
And in earth's darkest place,
'Let there be light!'

"Blessed and holy Three,
All-glorious Trinity-

Wisdom, Love, Might!

Boundless as ocean's tide,

Rolling in fullest pride,

Through the world, far and wide-
'Let there be light!'"

This hymn will richly repay careful study. It is founded on Genesis i. 3, but with a very fine and suggestive reference to the three persons of the Trinity. The Father uttered the original mandate “Let there be light"; the Son declared himself to be the "Light of the World"; the Spirit enlightens the soul. The poem is usually classed with the missionary hymns of the church, and very properly so. It is profoundly pervaded with the missionary spirit, not only in its separate expressions, but also in its majestic undertone. Its metaphors are striking-the "chaos" and "darkness" of creation and of heathenism; the "sick in mind"; the "lamp of grace"; the "ocean's tide" of Wisdom, Love, and Might, and the like. The action is vigorous "redeeming wing"; "speed forth thy flight"; "rolling in fullest pride." The survey and sweep are most comprehensive. Above all, the hymn is a broad, beautiful, and blessed evangel.

CHAPTER XI

HYMNS OF THE SECOND PERIOD. II

REGINALD HEBER.-1783-1826

With Bishop Heber we come again to a writer of the first rank, and to missionary hymns of the highest quality. In this particular class of sacred literature we rise with Heber to the very crest of the wave; his work is the climax.

Reginald Heber, the son of Rev. Reginald Heber, Sr., was born at Malpas, Cheshire, April 21, 1783. His father was a man of wealth and learning, and the boy enjoyed everything that ample means and generous culture could bestow upon him. He improved his opportunities. He added to rich native endowments and a genial, gentle spirit the most earnest devotion to the Saviour and laborious, systematic study. He entered Brazenose College, Oxford, at the age of seventeen. His first year he took the Chancellor's prize for the best Latin poem. Two years later he took the Newdigate prize for the best English poem, with his Palestine. He took other honors in addition to these. His student days were a series of brilliant successes.

After ordination to the ministry he settled at Hodnet, where he remained for sixteen years, during which period most of his hymns were composed. In

1822 he removed to London as the preacher of Lincoln's Inn. The next year he was made bishop of Calcutta, and entered upon his missionary career. He continued in this life only three years, but they were years of the holiest enthusiasm, filled with travel, administration, and various labors. It is worthy of note that he ordained the first native Hindu to the ministry-Christian David. April 3, 1826, he officiated at an unusually exhausting confirmation service, in which he admitted forty-two persons to the church. He became overheated, retired to his apartments, and went at once into a cold bath. He delayed so long that his servant was moved to enter the room only to find him dead.

Bishop Heber is not the greatest of hymn-writers, yet he is distinguished before them all in certain important particulars. Let us bear this in mind as we proceed to an examination of his hymns and recur to it when we have finished. He has given us, to begin with, that which is by common consent of Christendom the most inspiring of all missionary lyrics: "From Greenland's icy mountains,

From India's coral strand,
Where Afric's sunny fountains

Roll down their golden sand—
From many an ancient river,

From many a palmy plain,
They call us to deliver

Their land from error's chain.

"What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle;
Though every prospect pleases,
And only man is vile;

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