The Story of Our Hymns Part 12

THE WuRTTEMBERG HYMN-WRITERS

The Pietistic movement quickly made its influence felt in all parts of Germany. In some quarters, especially in the latter stages of the movement, it a.s.sumed more radical forms. Sometimes it developed into emotionalism and mysticism. The hymns were often of a subjective type, which led the worshiper to think more about his own inner processes and feelings than to direct his thoughts to Him alone who can redeem and sanctify.

Some of the Pietistic hymnists, notably Woltersdorf, were given to the use of inordinate language and even sensuous descriptions for the purpose of arousing intense emotion. In one of Woltersdorf's pa.s.sion hymns, he dwells morbidly on every detail of the physical sufferings of Christ, and in another hymn he borrows Scheffler's figure which likens the soul to a bee deriving sustenance from the crimson wounds of Christ.

On the other hand, the Pietistic hymn is exemplified in its highest and n.o.blest form in the writings of the so-called Wurttemberg school of hymnists, the chief exponent of which was Philipp Friedrich Hiller.

Wurttemberg was blessed with the famous scholar and theologian, Johann Albrecht Bengel, whose sound doctrinal views and profound understanding of human nature not only led to a healthy development of Pietism in southern Germany, but also left a lasting impression on all the theological students who came under his influence at the training schools at Denkendorf, near Esslingen. Hiller was one of these.

Hiller's hymns and those of the other Wurttemberg hymnists never indulge in the weak emotional effusions of which the later Halle hymn-writers were often guilty.

Hiller was a man sorely tried in the school of adversity. Shortly after he began his pastorate at Steinheim, in 1748, he lost his voice and was unable to continue his pulpit duties. However, he believed implicitly in the Pauline teaching that "to them that love G.o.d all things work together for good," and, when his voice became silent, his spirit began to sing hymns richer and sweeter than ever. Witness, for example, the note of tenderness in the last stanza of his baptismal hymn, "G.o.d, in human flesh appearing":

Feeble is the love of mother, Father's blessings are as naught, When compared, my King and Brother, With the wonders Thou hast wrought; Thus it pleased Thy heavenly meekness; Pleasing also be my praise, Till my songs of earthly weakness Burst into celestial lays.

Hiller was a prolific writer, his hymns numbering no less than 1,075 in all. Most of these were written for his devotional book, "Geistliches Liederkastlein," a work that holds an honored place beside the Bible in many pious homes in southern Germany. Indeed, it has been carried by German emigrants to all parts of the world. It is related that when a Germany colony in the Caucasus was attacked by a fierce Circa.s.sian tribe about a hundred years ago, the parents cut up their copies of the "Liederkastlein" and distributed its leaves among their children who were being carried off into slavery. Hiller's hymns, though simple in form and artless in expression, have retained a strong hold on the people of Wurttemberg and are extensively used to this day. Among the more popular are "O boundless joy, there is salvation," "Jesus Christ as King is reigning," and "O Son of G.o.d, we wait for Thee."

Hiller's rule for hymn-writing, as set forth in one of his prefaces, could be followed with profit by many modern writers of sentimental tendencies. He says: "I have always striven for simplicity. Bombastic expressions of a soaring imagination, a commonplace and too familiar manner of speaking of Christ as a brother, of kisses and embraces, of individual souls as the particular Bride of Christ, of naive and pet images for the Christ-child,--all these I have scrupulously avoided, and serious-minded men will not blame me if, in this respect, I have revered the majesty of our Lord."

Another representative of the Wurttemberg school was Baron Christoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil, a diplomat of high attainments and n.o.ble, Christian character. In September, 1763, he was appointed by Frederick the Great as Prussian amba.s.sador to the Diets of Swabia and Franconia. He was created a baron by Emperor Joseph II shortly afterwards.

Pfeil began writing hymns at the age of eighteen years and continued it as his chief diversion throughout life. He was a prolific writer, his published hymns numbering about 850. He was a warm friend of Bengel, who wrote the introduction to one of Pfeil's hymn collections. Pfeil wrote hymns on various phases of civil life. His hymn on the Christian home is typical:

O blest the house, whate'er befall, Where Jesus Christ is All in all; Yea, if He were not dwelling there, How poor and dark and void it were!

The Silesian pastors, Johann Andreas Rothe and Johann Mentzer, also may be regarded as belonging to the more conservative Pietistic hymn-writers.

Rothe was pastor at Berthelsdorf, having been brought there through the influence of Count von Zinzendorf, who had heard him preach in Silesia.

The Moravian community of Herrnhut formed a part of Rothe's parish, and he took a keen interest in the activities of Zinzendorf and his followers. However, when Rothe, in 1737, found it necessary to report to the ecclesiastical authorities that the Moravians were deviating from sound Lutheran doctrine, the friendship between him and Zinzendorf ceased, and Rothe found it advisable to remove to Thommendorf, where he died in 1758.

Rothe wrote approximately forty hymns, the most famous of which is "Now I have found the ground wherein." This hymn was greatly admired by John Wesley and was translated by him in 1740. Because it first appeared in the Moravian hymn-book, the Lutherans suspected that Zinzendorf was the author. Upon discovering that it was by Rothe, they quickly adopted it.

The first stanza reads:

Now I have found the ground wherein My soul's sure anchor may remain: The wounds of Jesus, for my sin Before the world's foundation slain; Whose mercy shall unshaken stay When heaven and earth are fled away.

Mentzer, who has given us the beautiful hymn, "O would, my G.o.d, that I could praise Thee," was born at Jahmen, Silesia, in 1658. For thirty-eight years he was pastor at Kemnitz, Saxony, at which place he wrote his hymns, about thirty in number. There is an exalted strain in his hymns of praise:

O all ye powers that He implanted, Arise, keep silence thus no more, Put forth the strength that He hath granted, Your n.o.blest work is to adore; O soul and body, be ye meet With heartfelt praise your Lord to greet.

This hymn sometimes begins with the line, "O that I had a thousand voices."

A n.o.ble Hymn of Worship

Light of light, enlighten me, Now anew the day is dawning; Sun of grace, the shadows flee, Brighten Thou my Sabbath morning.

With Thy joyous sunshine blest, Happy is my day of rest!

Fount of all our joy and peace, To Thy living waters lead me; Thou from earth my soul release, And with grace and mercy feed me.

Bless Thy Word, that it may prove Rich in fruits that Thou dost love.

Kindle Thou the sacrifice That upon my lips is lying; Clear the shadows from mine eyes, That, from every error flying, No strange fire may in me glow That Thine altar doth not know.

Let me with my heart today, Holy, holy, holy, singing, Rapt awhile from earth away, All my soul to Thee upspringing, Have a foretaste inly given, How they worship Thee in heaven.

Benjamin Schmolck, 1715.

HOW A GREAT ORGANIST INSPIRED TWO HYMNISTS

While all the hymn-writers of Germany in the early part of the eighteenth century were more or less influenced by the Pietistic movement, there were some who nevertheless refused to be carried away by the emotional extravagances of which some of the Halle song-writers were often guilty.

In the hymns of these more conservative psalmists we find a happy blending of objective teaching and a warm, personal faith that reminds us of the earlier hymns of Gerhardt.

The chief representatives of this more typical Lutheran school were Benjamin Schmolck, a beloved pastor and a poet of rare ability, and Erdmann Neumeister, creator of the Church Cantata. It was the age in which John Sebastian Bach lived and wrought, and this prince of Lutheran organists, whose t.i.tle of "high priest of church music" has never been disputed, gave of his musical genius to help make the hymns of Schmolck and Neumeister immortal.

Next to Gerhardt, there is no German hymnist whose name is so frequently found in hymn-books today as that of Schmolck. Born at Brauchitzdorf, Silesia, where his father was pastor, he was sent to school at Lauban at the age of sixteen. After an absence of five years the young man returned home and was invited to fill his father's pulpit. The sermon he preached so pleased the father that he determined to send him to the University of Leipzig to study for the ministry. In 1697 he returned to Brauchitzdorf to be ordained as his father's a.s.sistant.

In 1702 Schmolck became pastor of Friedenskirche at Schweidnitz, in Silesia. According to the terms of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, all of the churches in this district had been turned over to the Catholics, and only a "meeting-house," built of timber and clay and without tower or bells, was allowed to the Lutherans. Here Schmolck labored patiently for thirty-five years under the most trying circ.u.mstances, not even being permitted to administer communion to the dying except by consent of the Catholic authorities.

Schmolck's hymns and spiritual songs, numbering 1,183 in all, brought him fame all over Germany. Many have been translated into English. His fervent love for the Saviour is beautifully reflected in the hymn:

My Jesus, as Thou wilt!

O may Thy will be mine!

Into Thy hand of love I would my all resign; Through sorrow or through joy, Conduct me as Thine own, And help me still to say, "My Lord, Thy will be done!"

"Light of light, enlighten me," a n.o.ble hymn of praise and adoration, has been happily wedded to a glorious chorale by Bach. Other hymns that have won renown throughout the Christian world include "Open now thy gates of beauty," "Welcome, Thou Victor in the strife," "Blessed Jesus, here we stand," "What our Father does is well," "My G.o.d, I know that I must die,"

"Hallelujah, Lo, He wakes," "My truest Friend abides in heaven," and "Precious Word from G.o.d in heaven." The joyous spirit in many of Schmolck's hymns may be seen reflected in the beautiful temple hymn:

Open now thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there.

Where my soul in joyful duty Waits for Him who answers prayer; O how blessed is this place, Filled with solace, light, and grace!

Neumeister followed the example of Schmolck in becoming an ardent champion of the older, conservative Lutheranism. Although he was greatly influenced as a youth by the writings of Francke, he later became convinced that there were dangerous tendencies in the Halle and Herrnhut movements, and he did not hesitate to issue violent polemics against them.

His hymns, on the other hand, offer a curious contrast to his other writings. Often they reveal a warmth and tenderness of feeling that would have merited a place for them in any Pietistic hymn-book. This may be seen in the hymn, "Jesus sinners doth receive," which has also been translated "Sinners may to Christ draw near:"

"Jesus sinners doth receive!"

Word of surest consolation; Word all sorrow to relieve, Word of pardon, peace, salvation!

Naught like this can comfort give: "Jesus sinners doth receive!"

Neumeister became pastor of St. James church in Hamburg in 1715, where he remained for forty-one years until his death in 1756. His fame does not rest merely upon his hymns, although he wrote 650 in all, but Neumeister will also be remembered as the originator of the Church Cantata. In this new field of musical art he was fortunate in having the cooperation of such a genius as Bach.

Bach belonged to the fifth generation of a remarkable family of musicians. As many as thirty-seven of the family are known to have held important musical positions. John Sebastian, who is by far the greatest musician the Protestant Church has produced, was born in Eisenach, on March 21, 1685. The greater part of his life was spent in Leipzig, where he labored from 1723 until his death in 1750 as cantor of the Thomas school and director of music at the Thomas and Nicolai churches.