The Story of Our Hymns Part 22

The appellation given to Grundtvig was not without reason, for it was he, above all others, who strove mightily in Denmark against the deadening spirit of rationalism which had dried up the streams of spirituality in the Church. No one as he labored with such amazing courage and zeal to bring about the dawn of a new day.

Nor did Grundtvig strive in vain. Before his life-work was ended, fresh Pentecostal breezes began to blow, the dry bones began to stir, and the Church, moved by the Spirit of G.o.d, experienced a new spiritual birth.

The spirit of rationalism had worked havoc with the most sacred truths of the Christian religion. As some one has said, "It converted the banner of the Lamb into a blue-striped handkerchief, the Christian religion into a philosophy of happiness, and the temple dome into a parasol."

Under the influence of the "new theology," ministers of the gospel had prost.i.tuted the church worship into lectures on science and domestic economy. It is said that one minister in preaching on the theme of the Christ-child and the manger developed it into a lecture on the proper care of stables, and another, moved by the story of the coming of the holy women to the sepulcher on the first Easter morning, delivered a peroration on the advantages of getting up early! G.o.d was referred to as "Providence" or "the Deity," Christ as "the founder of Christianity," sin as "error," salvation as "happiness," and the essence of the Christian life as "morality."

Grundtvig's father was one of the few Lutheran pastors in Denmark who had remained faithful to evangelical truth. The future poet, who was born in Udby, September 8, 1783, had the advantage, therefore, of being brought up in a household where the spirit of true Christian piety reigned. It was not long, however, before young Grundtvig, as a student, came under the influence of the "new theology." Although he planned to become a minister, he lost all interest in religion during his final year at school, and finished his academic career "without spirit and without faith."

A number of circ.u.mstances, however, began to open his eyes to the spiritual poverty of the people. Morality was at a low ebb, and a spirit of indifference and frivolity banished all serious thoughts from their minds. It was a rude shock to his sensitive and patriotic nature to observe, in 1807, how the population of Copenhagen laughed and danced while the Danish fleet was being destroyed by English warships and the capital city itself was being bombarded by the enemy.

In 1810 he preached his famous probation sermon on the striking theme, "Why has the Word of G.o.d departed from His house?" The sermon produced a sensation, and from this time Grundtvig came to be known as a mystic and fanatic. His career as a pastor was checkered, but throughout his life he exerted a powerful influence by his literary activity as well as by his preaching. His poetry and hymns attracted so much attention that it was said that "Kingo's harp has been strung afresh."

Grundtvig's strongest hymns are those that deal with the Church and the sacraments. The divine character of the Church is continually stressed, for Christ not only founded it, but, as the Living Word, He is present in it and in the sacraments unto the end of time. "Built on the Rock, the Church doth stand" is probably his most famous hymn. Grundtvig was more concerned about the thought he was trying to convey than the mode of expression; therefore his hymns are often characterized by strength rather than poetic beauty. They are also so deeply tinged by national spirit and feeling that they lose much of the color and fragrance of their native heath when translated. That Grundtvig could rise to lyrical heights is revealed especially in his festival hymns. There is a charming freshness in the sweet Christmas hymn:

Chime, happy Christmas bells, once more!

The heavenly Guest is at the door, The blessed words the shepherds thrill, The joyous tidings, "Peace, good will."

O let us go with quiet mind, The gentle Babe with shepherds find, To gaze on Him who gladdens them, The loveliest flower of Jesse's stem.

Come, Jesus, glorious heavenly Guest, Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast, Then David's harp-strings, hushed so long, Shall swell our jubilee of song.

The Danish hymnologist Brandt has pointed out the distinctive characteristics of his country's three great hymnists by calling attention to their favorite symbols. That of Kingo was the sun, Brorson's the rose, and Grundtvig's the bird. Kingo extols Christ as the risen, victorious Saviour--the Sun that breaks through the dark shades of sin and death. Brorson glorifies Christ as the Friend of the spiritually poor and needy. They learn to know Him in the secret prayer chamber as the Rose that spreads its quiet fragrance. Grundtvig's hymns are primarily hymns of the Spirit. They laud the Holy Spirit, the Giver and Renewer of life, who bears us up on mighty wings toward the mansions of light.

Among Danes and Norwegians there are few hymns more popular than Grundtvig's hymn on the Church. The first stanza reads:

Built on the Rock the Church doth stand, Even when steeples are falling; Crumbled have spires in every land, Bells still are chiming and calling; Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the soul distressed, Longing for rest everlasting.

Other noted hymns by Grundtvig include "Love, the fount of light from heaven," "As the rose shall blossom here," "The Lord to thee appealeth,"

"Splendid are the heavens high," "A Babe is born in Bethlehem," "From the grave remove dark crosses," "O let Thy Spirit with us tarry," "Fair beyond telling," "This is the day that our Father hath given," "Hast to the plow thou put thy hand," "The peace of G.o.d protects our hearts," "O wondrous kingdom here on earth," "With gladness we hail this blessed day," "He who has helped me hitherto," and "Peace to soothe our bitter woes."

Because of his intensive efforts to bring about reforms in the educational methods of his day, Grundtvig became known as "the father of the public high school in Scandinavia."

In 1861, when he celebrated his golden jubilee as pastor, Grundtvig was given the t.i.tle of bishop. The good old man pa.s.sed away peacefully on September 2, 1872, at the age of eighty-nine years. He preached his last sermon on the day before his death.

A distinguished contemporary of Grundtvig's who also gained renown as a Danish hymn-writer was Bernhardt Severin Ingemann, author of the famous hymn, "Through the night of doubt and sorrow." Ingemann was born in Falster, Denmark, in 1789, the son of a Lutheran pastor, Soren Ingemann.

The father died when Bernhardt was 11 years old, but the mother made it possible for the gifted lad to receive a liberal education. At the age of 22 years he published his first volume of poems, and three years later his famous epic, "The Black Knights," appeared. A number of dramas followed, and in 1822 he was appointed lector of Danish language and literature at the Academy of Soro. Here he remained for forty years, writing novels, secular poetry and hymns. He was a warm friend of Grundtvig's, who constantly encouraged him in his literary efforts.

Ingemann's "Morning Hymns" appeared in 1822, and in 1825 his "Hymns of Worship" was published. In 1854 he was charged with the task of completing the "Psalm Book for Church and Private Devotion," edited by the ministerial conference at Roskilde.

A Norwegian Miserere

Before Thee, G.o.d, who knowest all, With grief and shame I prostrate fall; I see my sins against Thee, Lord, The sins of thought, of deed, and word, They press me sore, I cry to Thee; O G.o.d, be merciful to me!

O Lord, My G.o.d, to Thee I pray: O cast me not in wrath away, Let Thy good Spirit ne'er depart, But let Him draw to Thee my heart, That truly penitent I be; O G.o.d, be merciful to me!

O Jesus, let Thy precious blood Be to my soul a cleansing flood; Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away, But grant that justified I may Go to my house with peace from Thee; O G.o.d, be merciful to me!

Magnus Brorstrup Landstad, 1861.

LANDSTAD, A BARD OF THE FROZEN FJORDS

This is the story of a man whose chance purchase of two books at an auction sale for the sum of four cents was probably the means of inspiring him to become one of the foremost Christian poets of the North.

Magnus Brorstrup Landstad was a poverty-stricken student at the University of Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, when he happened to pa.s.s a house in which a sale of books was being conducted. Moved by curiosity, he entered the place just as a package of old books was being offered. We will let him tell the remainder of the story:

"I made a bid of four cents, the deal was made, and I walked home with my package. It contained two volumes in leather binding. One was 'Freuden-Spiegel des ewigen Lebens' by Philipp Nicolai. On the last few pages of this book four of Nicolai's hymns were printed. The other book was Bishop A. Arrebo's 'Hexaemeron, The Glorious and Mighty Works of the Creation Day.' In this manner two splendid hymn collections, one German and the other Danish-Norwegian, unexpectedly came into my possession. I was not acquainted with either of these works before. Nicolai's hymns made a deep impression on me, and I at once attempted to translate them.... My experience with these hymn collections, I believe, gave me the first impetus in the direction of hymn writing. Furthermore, it gave me a deeper insight into the life and spirit of the old church hymns."

Two of the hymns of Nicolai that Landstad attempted to translate were "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" and "Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern," n.o.ble cla.s.sics that have never been excelled. The young student was so successful in his rendering of the former hymn that it subsequently found a place in the Norwegian church hymnary.

Landstad was born October 7, 1802, in Maaso, Finnmarken, Norway, where his father was pastor of the Lutheran church. This parish is at the extreme northern point of Norway, and so Landstad himself wrote, "I was baptized in the northernmost church in the world." Later the family moved to Oksnes, another parish among the frozen fjords of the Norse seacoast.

"The waves of the icy Arctic," he writes poetically, "sang my cradle lullaby; but the bosom of a loving mother warmed my body and soul."

The stern character of the relentless North, with its solitude, its frozen wastes, its stormy waters and its long months of winter darkness, no doubt left a profound and lasting impression upon the lad whose early years were spent in such environments. The Napoleonic wars were also raging, and it was a time of much sorrow and suffering among the common people. When the boy was nine years old the family removed to Vinje.

Although they continued to suffer many hardships, the natural surroundings at this place were more congenial, and in summer the landscape was transformed into a magic beauty that must have warmed the heart and fired the childish imagination of the future hymnist.

Magnus was the third in a family of ten children. Although sorely pressed by poverty, the father recognized unusual talent in the boy, and at the age of twenty years he was sent to the university in Christiania. During his first year at the inst.i.tution two of his brothers died. Young Landstad was greatly cast down in spirit, but out of the bitterness of this early bereavement came two memorial poems that are believed to represent his first attempt at verse-writing.

In 1827 he completed his theological studies at the university and the following year he was appointed resident vicar of the Lutheran church at Gausdal. During his pastorate at this place he wrote his first hymn. In 1834 he became pastor at Kviteseid, where he continued the writing of hymns and other poems. Five years later he became his father's successor as pastor of the parish at Seljord. It was here, in 1841, that he published his first work, a book of daily devotions that has been highly prized among his countrymen.

For centuries Norway and Denmark had been closely connected politically and culturally. The Lutheran Church was, moreover, the state church of both countries. As a consequence of this relationship Norway had always looked to Denmark for its hymn literature, and no hymnist of any note had ever risen in the northern country.

Now, however, it began to dawn on the Norwegians that a native singer dwelt in their own midst. The political ties with Denmark having been broken as a result of the Napoleonic wars, the spirit of nationalism began to a.s.sert itself and the demand for a new hymn-book for the Church of Norway constantly grew stronger. In 1848 the Norwegian ecclesiastical authorities requested Landstad to undertake the task, but not until four years later could he be prevailed upon to a.s.sume the arduous duties involved in so great an endeavor.

In 1861 the first draft of his "Kirke-Salmebog" was published. It did not meet with universal approval. In defense of his work, Landstad wrote: "We must, above all, demand that our hymns possess the elements of poetic diction and true song. We must consider the historical and churchly elements, and the orthodox objectivity which shows respect for church tradition and which appreciates the purity, clearness, and force of confession. But the sickly subjectivity, which 'rests' in the varying moods of pious feelings and G.o.dly longings, and yet does not possess any of the boldness and power of true faith such as we find in Luther's and Kingo's hymns--this type of church hymn must be excluded. Finally, we must also emphasize the aesthetic feature. Art must be made to serve the Church, to glorify the name of G.o.d, and to edify the congregation of worshipers. But it must always be remembered that art itself is to be the servant and not the master."

Nevertheless, Landstad continued for several years to revise his own work, and in 1869 the hymn-book was finally published and authorized for use in the Church of Norway. Within a year it had been introduced into 648 of the 923 parishes of the country.

In 1876 Landstad retired from active service after the Norwegian parliament had unanimously voted him an annual pension of 4,000 crowns in appreciation of the great service he had rendered his country. He died in Christiania, October 9, 1880.

Among the hymns of Landstad that have been translated into English are, "I know of a sleep in Jesus' Name," "I come to Thee, O blessed Lord,"

"There many shall come from the East and the West," "When sinners see their lost condition," and "Before Thee, G.o.d, who knowest all."

Although Landstad's hymns do not attain to lofty poetic heights, they are marked by a spirit of unusual intimacy, deep earnestness, and a warmth of feeling that make a strong appeal to the worshiper.

PART IV ENGLISH HYMNODY