Title: - JESUS LOVES ME
Author: - Anna B. Warner, 1820-1915
Composer: - William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868
Meter: - 77.77 with Chorus
Text: - And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:16
Without doubt the hymn that has influenced children for Christ more than any other is this simply stated one, written in 1860 by Anna Bartlett Warner. Miss Warner wrote this text in collaboration with her sister Susan as a part of one of the best-selling novels of that day, a novel written by Susan entitled Say and Seal. Today few remember the plot of that novel, which stirred the hearts of many readers. But the simple poem spoken by one of the characters, Mr. Linden, as he comforts Johnny Fax, a dying child, still remains the favorite hymn of children around the world to this day.
Title: - ROCK OF AGES
Author: - Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778
Composer: - Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872
Tune: - Toplady
Meter: - 77.77.77
Text: - Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers ...did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rockthat followed them: And that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:1,4
This hymn has traditionally been ranked as one of the most popular hymns ever written. It is certainly one of the best-known in the English language. It has been described as a "hymn that meets the spiritual needs of all sorts and conditions of men from the derelict snatched from the gutter by the Salvation Army to Prime Minister Gladstone, at whose funeral it echoed through the dim spaces of Westminister Abbey."
Whereas most hymns have been written out of some deep personal need or experience, this hymn evidently was born in a spirit of passionate controversy. Augustus Toplady was converted to Christ as a young boy of sixteen years of age while visiting in Ireland. Of his conversion Toplady has written,
Strange that I, who had so long sat under the means of grace in England, should be brought right with God in an obscure part of Ireland, midst a handful of people met together in a barn, and by the ministry of one who could hardly spell his own name. Surely it was the Lord's doing and is marvellous. ering and translating into English many of the ancient Greek, Latin and German hymns. John Neale, born in London, England, on January 24, 1818, undoubtedly did more than any other person to make available the rich heritage of Greek and Latin hymns.
John M. Neale is also the translator of the hymns "The Day of Resurrection" (No. 89), "All Glory, Laud and Honor" (101 More Hymn Stories, No. 5), and "Art Thou Weary?" (ibid., No. 8).
Advent, beginning four Sundays before Christmas, is the season of the church year that emphasizes the anticipation of the first coming of Christ to this earth. His coming as the Messiah was first prophesied in the sixth century B.C. when the Jews were captive in Babylon. For centuries thereafter faithful Hebrews looked for their Messiah with great longing and expectation, echoing the prayer that He would "ransom captive Israel." The tragedy of tragedies, however, is the Biblical and historical fact that He did come "unto His own" to establish a spiritual kingdom of both redeemed Jew and Gentile, "but His own received Him not...."
Title: THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
Author: - Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
Music: - From a Gregorian Chant
Meter: - LM (88.88)
Scripture Reference: - Galatians 6:14
Text: - And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull,which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha.
This hymn by Isaac Watts, labeled by the well-known theologian Matthew Arnold as the greatest hymn in the English language, was written in 1707 for use at a communion service conducted by Watts. It first appeared in print that same year in Watts's outstanding collection, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Its original title was "Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ."
Isaac Watts was born on July 17, 1674, in Southampton, England. The eldest of nine children, he was the son of an educated deacon in a dissenting Congregational church. At the time of Isaac's birth, his father was in prison for his non-conformist beliefs. Young Watts showed an unusual aptitude for study and learned Latin at the age of five, Greek at nine, French at eleven and Hebrew at thirteen. He began to write verses of good quality when he was very young.
Watts is frequently referred to as the father of English hymnody. One of his early concerns was the deplorable state to which congregational singing had degenerated in most English-speaking churches. The singing consisted of slow, ponderous Psalms in which each line was first read by an appointed deacon and was followed by the droning of the congregation. The texts of these Psalm-hymns were often crude and inelegant. Typical doggeral of the time is this:
Ye monsters of the bubbling deep, your Master's priases spout; Up from the sands ye coddlings peep, and wag your tails about. Watts not only rewrote the Psalms in this way, but he also wrote a number of hymns based solely on personal feelings. These hymns were known as hymns of human composure. Such hymns were very controversial during his lifetime. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" is an example of this type of hymn written by Watts. In all Isaac Watts composed more than 600 hymns.
The tune for this text is known as the "Hamburg" tune. It was the work of Lowell Mason, who was often called the father of American public school and church music. Mason stated that he arranged this tune in 1824 from an ancient Gregorian chant, the earliest church music known. These church chants were inherited by the early Christians from the Hebrew Temple and Synagogue services. They represent some of the loveliest melodies known.
Pope Gregory, who lived during the latter part of the sixth century, was one of the first church leaders to be concerned about church music. He did much to improve and organize these chants, hence the term "Gregorian Chants." These chants still form the basic of Roman Catholic church music today. The "Hamburg" tune first appeared in the Boston's Handel and Haydn Society Collection of Church Music in 1825. It is interesting to note that the entire melody encompasses only a five note range.
Other hymns composed by Lowell Mason include "From Greenland's Icy Mountains" (No. 25), "Nearer My God, to Thee" (No. 61), "A Charge to Keep I Have" (101 More Hymn Stories, No. 1), "Joy to the World!" (ibid., No. 52), "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" (ibid., No. 60), and "O Day of Rest and Gladness" (ibid., No. 66).
Title: - DOXOLOGY
Author: - Thomas Ken, 1637-1711
Composer: - Louis Bourgeois, c. 1510-c. 1561
Tune: - Old Hundredth
Meter: - LM (88.88)
Scripture Reference: - Psalm 100
Text: - I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: And I will glorify Thy name forevermore. Psalm 86:12
The four lines of the Doxology have been the most frequently sung words of any known song for more than three hundred years. Even today nearly every English-speaking Protestant congregation still unites at least once each Sunday in this noble ascription of praise. It has been said that the doxology has done more to teach the doctrine of the Trinity than all the theological books ever written. It has often been called "the Protestant Te Deum Laudamus."
The author of this text was a bold, outspoken seventeenth century Anglican Bishop named Thomas Ken. He was born at Little Berkhampstead, England, in 1637. Left an orphan in early childhood, Ken was educated at Winchester School where he was raised under the care of his older sister and her famous husband, Izaak Walton, distinguished in history as the most eminent angler of his time. Later Ken attended Oxford University and was ordained in 1662 to the ministry of the Church of England.
His illustrious career in the ministry was stormy and colorful. Following ordination, he served as chaplain to the Bishop of Winchester. In 1679 he was sent to Holland, where he was the English chaplain at the royal court at the Hague. Ken, however, was so outspoken in denouncing the corrupt lives of those in authority in the Dutch capital that he was compelled to leave the following year. Upon his return to England Charles II appointed Ken as one of his own chaplains. Ken continued to reveal the same spirit of boldness in rebuking the moral sins of his dissolute English monarch. Despite these rebukes Charles always admired the courageous chaplain. He referred to him as "the good little man" and, when it was chapel time, he would usually say, "I must go in and hear Ken tell me my faults." Eventually, the King rewarded Thomas Ken by appointing him to the Bishopric of the Bath and Wells area.
and her famous husband, Izaak Walton, distinguished in history as the most eminent angler of his time. Later Ken attended Oxford University and was ordained in 1662 to the ministry of the Church of England.
His illustrious career in the ministry was stormy and colorful. Following ordination, he served as chaplain to the Bishop of Winchester. In 1679 he was sent to Holland, where he was the English chaplain at the royal court at the Hague. Ken, however, was so outspoken in denouncing the corrupt lives of those in authority in the Dutch capital that he was compelled to leave the following year. Upon his return to England Charles II appointed Ken as one of his own chaplains. Ken continued to reveal the same spirit of boldness in rebuking the moral sins of his dissolute English monarch. Despite these rebukes Charles always admired the courageous chaplain. He referred to him as "the good little man" and, when it was chapel time, he would usually say, "I must go in and hear Ken tell me my faults." Eventually, the King rewarded Thomas Ken by appointing him to the Bishopric of the Bath and Wells area.
Title: - O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL
Author: - Latin origin from c. 12th century
Tune: - Veni Emmanuel (Come God With Us)
Music: - A Plainsong/chant from c. 13th century
Meter: - LM (88.88) with Refrain
English Translation: - John M. Neale, 1818-1866
Scripture Reference: - Isaiah 7:14, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 1:23
Text: - The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David. Luke 1:32
The hymnal is truly an amazing collection of expressions regarding spiritual truths. It represents the experiences and feelings of people from many different religious backgrounds throughout various cultures and periods of history. This hymn, for example, finds its origin in the medieval Roman Church of the twelfth century and possibly even earlier. It began as a series of Antiphons-short statements sung at the beginning of the Psalm or of the Magnificat at Vespers during the Advent season. Each of the Antiphons greets the Savior with one of the many titles ascribed to Him in the Scriptures: Emmanuel, Lord of Might, Rod of Jesse, Day-spring, Key of David. The hauntingly catchy modal melody for this text was originally a Plainsong or Chant, the earliest form of singing in the Church.
During the nineteenth century there were a number of Anglican ministers and scholars, such as John M. Neale, who developed a keen interest in rediscovering and translating into English many of the ancient Greek, Latin and German hymns. John Neale, born in London, England, on January 24, 1818, undoubtedly did more than any other person to make available the rich heritage of Greek and Latin hymns. John M. Neale is also the translator of the hymns "The Day of Resurrection" (No. 89), "All Glory, Laud and Honor" (101 More Hymn Stories, No. 5), and "Art Thou Weary?" (ibid., No. 8).
Advent, beginning four Sundays before Christmas, is the season of the church year that emphasizes the anticipation of the first coming of Christ to this earth. His coming as the Messiah was first prophesied in the sixth century B.C. when the Jews were captive in Babylon. For centuries thereafter faithful Hebrews looked for their Messiah with great longing and expectation, echoing the prayer that He would "ransom captive Israel." The tragedy of tragedies, however, is the Biblical and historical fact that He did come "unto His own" to establish a spiritual kingdom of both redeemed Jew and Gentile, "but His own received Him not...."
Title: - PRAISE YE THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY
Author: - Joachim Neander, 1650-1680
Tune: - Lobe Den Herren
Music: - From Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665
Meter: - 14 14. 4 7 8
English Translation: - Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878
Scripture Reference: - Psalm 103:1-6; Psalm 150
Text: - Let the people praise Thee, O God; let all the people praise Thee. Psalm 67:3
Joachim Neander, called the greatest of all German-Calvinist Reformed hymn writers, was born in Bremen, Germany on May 31, 1650. He wrote approximately sixty hymns and composed many tunes. Nearly all of his hymns are triumphant expressions of praise. Neander, though only thirty years of age when he died, was a noted scholar in theology, literature and music, as well as pastor of the Reformed Church in Dusseldorf, Germany,. The Julian Dictionary of Hymnology calls this hymn "a magnificent hymn of praise, perhaps the finest production of its author and of the first rank in its class."
Catherine Winkworth was born in London, England, on September 13, 1827. She was a pioneer in the higher education of women. Miss Winkworth was regarded as one of the finest translators of the German language while expressing the text in English. Her translations helped to make German hymns popular in England during the nineteenth century. Prior to her work, very little of the German hymnody had been translated after the work of John Wesley in the eighteenth century. Miss Winkworth translated several books of German verse which became widely known.
One of these books, The Chorale Book for England, 1863, contained the translation of this hymn. She also translated the well-known German chorale, "Now Thank We All Our God" (No. 62). The tune, "Lobe Den Herren" ("Praise To the Lord"), first appeared in the Stralsund Gesanbuch, 2nd edition, in 1665. It is said that Joachim Neander personally chose this tune for his text, and his words have never been used with any other melody. The tune first appeared in England in the 1904 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern.
