Christ is our Corner-Stone; On Him alone we build, The courts of heaven are filled, O then with hymns of praise These hallowed courts shall ring; The Three-in-One to sing. And thus proclaim In joyful song But loud and long That glorious Namc. The Rev. John Chandler was born at Witley, Surrey, Eng. June 16, 1806. He took his A. M. degree at Oxford, and entered the ministry of the Church of England, was Vicar of Witley many years, and became well-known for his translations of hymns of the primitive church. Died at Putney, July 1, 1876. THE TUNE. Sebastian Wesley's "Harewood" is plainer and of less compass, but Zundel's "Brooklyn" is more than its rival, both in melody and vivacity. "OH LORD OF HOSTS WHOSE GLORY FILLS THE BOUNDS OF THE ETERNAL HILLS." A hymn of Dr. John Mason Neale Endue the creatures with Thy grace The heads that guide endue with skill, THE TUNE. "Welton," by Rev. Caesar Malan-author of "Hendon," once familiar to American singers. Henri Abraham Cæsar Malan was born at Geneva, Switzerland, 1787, and educated at Geneva College. Ordained to the ministry of the State church, (Reformed,) he was dismissed for preaching against its formalism and spiritual apathy; but he built a chapel of his own, and became a leader with D'Aubigne, Monod, and others in reviving the purity of the Evangelical faith and laboring for the conversion of souls. Malan wrote many hymns, and published a large collection, the "Chants de Sion," for the Evangelical Society and the French Reformed Church. He composed the music of his own hymns. Died at Vandosurre, 1864. "DAUGHTER OF ZION, FROM THE DUST." Cases may occur where an exhortation hymn earns a place with dedication hymns. The charred fragment of a hymn-book leaf hangs in a frame on the auditorium wall of the "New England Church," Chicago. The former edifice of that church, all the homes of its resident members, and all their business offices except one, were destroyed in the great fire. In the ruins of their sanctuary the only scrap of paper found on which there was a legible word was this bit of a hymn-book leaf with the two first stanzas of Montgomery's hymn, Daughter of Zion, from the dust, Exalt thy fallen head; Again in thy Redeemer trust, He calls thee from the dead. Awake, awake! put on thy strength, The day of freedom dawns at length, The third verse was not long in coming to every mind Rebuild thy walls! thy bounds enlarge! —and even without that added word the impoverished congregation evidently enough had received a message from heaven. They took heart of grace, overcame all difficulties, and in good time replaced their ruined Sabbath-home with the noble house in which they worship today.* If the "New England Church" of Chicago did not sing this hymn at the dedication of their new *The story is told by Rev. William E. Barton D.D. of Oak Park, Ill. temple it was for some other reason than lack of gratitude-not to say reverence. THE SABBATH. The very essence of all song-worship pitched on this key-note is the ringing hymn of WattsSweet is the day of sacred rest, No mortal cares disturb my breast, etc. -but it has vanished from the hymnals with its tune. Is it because profane people or thoughtless youth made a travesty of the two next lines— O may my heart in tune be found THE TUNE. Old "Portland" by Abraham Maxim, a fugue tune in F major of the canon style, expressed all the joy that a choir could put into music, though with more sound than skill. The choral is a relic among relics now, but it is a favorite one. "Sweet is the Light of Sabbath Eve" by Edmeston; Stennett's "Another Six Days' Work is Done," sung to "Spohr," the joint tune of Louis Spohr and J.E. Gould; and Doddridge's "Thine Earthly Sabbath, Lord, We Love" retain a feeble hold among some congregations. And Hayward's "Welcome Delightful Morn," to the impossible tune of "Lis cher," survived unaccountably long in spite of its handicap. But special Sabbath hymns are out of fashion, those classed under that title taking an incidental place under the general head of "Worship." COMMUNION. "BREAD OF HEAVEN, ON THEE WE FEED." This hymn of Josiah Conder, copying the physical metaphors of the 6th of John, is still occasionally used at the Lord's Supper. Vine of Heaven, Thy blood supplies Lord, Thy wounds our healing give, The hymn is notable for the felicity with which it combines imagery and reality. Figure and fact are always in sight of each other. Josiah Conder was born in London, September 17, 1789. He edited the Eclectic Review, and was the author of numerous prose works on historic and religious subjects. Rev. Garrett Horder says that more of his hymns are in common use now than those of any other except Watts and Doddridge. More in proportion to the relative number may be nearer the truth. In his lifetime Conder wrote about sixty hymns. He died Dec. 27, |
