THE BURIAL OF AUTHOR OF "THE LATIN HYMN-WRITERS AND THEIR HYMNS,' THE HEAVENLY LAND," BV 312 186 1886 7-20 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D.C. [Printed in the United States of America] ENGLISH HYMNS. A BROKEN heart, my God, my King. -WATTS. The many of the audi It is one of the truest tests of a hymn when it is found to possess the power of awakening and stimulating devotion. Dr. Doddridge on one occasion wrote to Dr. Watts that he had preached to a number of plain country folk in a large barn. The sermon was from Heb. 6: 12, and at its close he announced and read the hymn, "Give me the wings of faith to rise." The effect- he tells Dr. Watts was deep and pervading. clerk, who acted as precentor, could scarcely utter the words, and ence were in tears. "These," he continues, poor people who work for their living." They had found in the language of the hymn-as many have found in the words of this which is before us-the interpretation of their emotions. The present piece is Dr. Watts's version of Ps. 51-the third part, L. M. He entitled it "The Backslider Restored; or, Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ." It originally possessed eight stanzas. were most of them A CHARGE to keep I have. -WESLEY. This hymn is based on Lev. 8: 35; a fact which was definitely proven by Mr. James Grant in the Christian Standard, about 1872. Calvinists and Arminians had been in controversy over the views contained in it, and the debate had been somewhat acrimonious. The doctrine taught is that of obedience: that we should “abide at the door of the congregation, and keep the charge of the Lord." It is No. 188 of Charles Wesley's Short Scripture Hymns, 1762. The tune he selected for it was "Olney." A FEW more years shall roll. - Bonar. From Hymns of Faith and Hope, First Series, 1857. Its title is "A Pilgrim's Song," and it has six stanzas. Of that stanza commencing "A few more Sabbaths here," Dr. Bonar says, in a foot-note: "The old Latin hymn expresses this well : Illic nec Sabbato succedit Sabbatum, The Latin is Peter Abelard's, for whom see "The Latin Hymn Writers and their Hymns," where there is a full account of the discovery of Abelard's hymns. The present hymn ranks in popularity next to Dr. Bonar's “I lay my sins on Jesus." In the original form it contains six stanzas, the chorus varying only by a single word in each case, as great" day," blest" day, "calm" day, "sweet"' day, and "glad" day. 64 A MIGHTY fortress is our God.-Hedge, tr. There is no grander hymn in the German tongue than the "Ein Feste Burg" of Martin Luther. It has been frequently rendered into English, and these versions have been collected (1883) by Rev. Leonard W. Bacon, D. D., and published as an accompaniment to the Four Hundredth Commemoration of the great Reformer's birth. We venture to add to these another rendering, which has met with favor among Luther's fellow-countrymen resi dent in the United States. A firm defence our God is still, On earth no one can match him. By our own might is nothing done, |