The Story of the Hymns and Tunes Part 54

"THE OCEAN HATH NO DANGER."

This charming sailors' lyric is the work of the Rev. G.o.dfrey Thring. Its probable date is 1862, and it appeared in Morell and Howe's collection and in _Hymns Congregational and Others_, published in 1866, which contained a number from his pen. Rector Thring was born at Alford, Somersetshire, Eng., March 25, 1823, and educated at Shrewsbury School and Baliol College, Oxford. In 1858 he succeeded his father as Rector of Alford.

He compiled _A Church of England Hymnbook_ in 1880.

The ocean hath no danger For those whose prayers are made To Him who in a manger A helpless Babe was laid, Who, born to tribulation And every human ill, The Lord of His creation, The wildest waves can still.

Though life itself be waning And waves shall o'er us sweep, The wild winds sad complaining Shall lull us still to sleep, For as a gentle slumber E'en death itself shall prove To those whom Christ doth number As worthy of His love.

The tune "Morlaix," given to the hymn by Dr. d.y.k.es, is simple, but a very sweet and appropriate harmony.

"FIERCE RAGED THE TEMPEST ON THE DEEP."

This fine lyric, based on the incident in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, is the work of the same writer and owes its tune "St. Aelred"

to the same composer.

The melody has an impressive rallentando of dotted semibreves to the refrain, "Peace, be still," after the more rapid notes of the three-line stanzas.

The wild winds hushed, the angry deep Sank like a little child to sleep, The sullen waters ceased to leap.

So when our life is clouded o'er And storm-winds drift us from the sh.o.r.e Say, lest we sink to rise no more, "Peace! be still."

"PULL FOR THE Sh.o.r.e."

When a shipwrecked crew off a rocky coast were hurrying to the long-boat, a sailor begged leave to run back to the ship's forecastle and save some of his belongings.

"No sir," shouted the Captain, "she's sinking! There's nothing to do but to pull for the sh.o.r.e." Philip P. Bliss caught up the words, and wrought them into a hymn and tune.

Light in the darkness, sailor, day is at hand!

See o'er the foaming billows fair Haven's land; Drear was the voyage, sailor, now almost o'er; Safe in the life-boat, sailor, pull for the sh.o.r.e!

CHORUS.

Pull for the sh.o.r.e, sailor, pull for the sh.o.r.e!

Heed not the rolling waves, but bend to the oar; Safe in the life-boat, sailor, cling to self no more; Leave the poor old stranded wreck and pull for the sh.o.r.e!

The hymn-tune is a buoyant allegro--solo and chorus--full of hope and courage, and both imagery and harmony appeal to the hearts of seamen. It is popular, and has long been one of the song numbers in demand at religious services both on sea and land.

"JESUS, SAVIOUR, PILOT ME."

The Rev. Edward Hopper, D.D. wrote this hymn while pastor of Mariner's Church at New York harbor, "The Church of the Sea and Land." He was born in 1818, and graduated at Union Theological Seminary in 1843.

Jesus, Saviour, pilot me Over life's tempestuous sea, Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treacherous shoal; Chart and compa.s.s come from Thee, Jesus, Saviour, pilot me!

Only three stanzas of this rather lengthy hymn are in common use.

_THE TUNE._

Without t.i.tle except "Savior, pilot me." A simple and pleasing melody composed by John Edgar Gould, late of the firm of Gould and Fischer, piano dealers, Phila., Pa. He was born in Bangor, Me., April 9, 1822.

Conductor of music and composer of psalm and hymn tunes and glees, he also compiled and published no less than eight books of church, Sunday-school, and secular songs. Died in Algiers, Africa, Feb. 13, 1875.

"THROW OUT THE LIFE-LINE."

This is one of the popular refrains that need but a single hearing to fix themselves in common memory and insure their own currency and _eclat_.

The Rev. E.S. Ufford, well-known as a Baptist preacher, lecturer, and evangelist, was witnessing a drill at the life-saving station on Point Allerton, Nantasket Beach, when the order to "throw out the life-line"

and the sight of the apparatus in action, combined with the story of a shipwreck on the spot, left an echo in his mind till it took the form of a song-sermon. Returning home, he pencilled the words of this rousing hymn, and, being himself a singer and player, sat down to his instrument to match the lines with a suitable air. It came to him almost as spontaneously as the music of "The Ninety and Nine" came to Mr. Sankey.

In fifteen minutes the hymn-tune was made--so far as the melody went.

It was published in sheet form in 1888, and afterwards purchased by Mr.

Sankey, harmonized by Mr. Stebbins, and published in _Winnowed Songs_, 1890. Included in _Gospel Hymns_, Nov. 6, 1891.

Ever since it has been a favorite with singing seamen, and has done active service as one of our most stirring field-songs in revival work.

Throw out the Life-line across the dark wave, There is a brother whom some one should save; Somebody's brother! oh, who, then, will dare To throw out the Life-line, his peril to share?

Throw out the Life-line with hand quick and strong!

Why do you tarry, why linger so long?

See! he is sinking; oh, hasten today-- And out with the Life-boat! away, then away!

CHORUS.

Throw out the Life-line!

Throw out the Life-line!

Some one is drifting away; Throw out the Life-line!

Throw out the Life-line!

Some one is sinking today.

One evening, in the midst of their hilarity at their card-tables, a convivial club in one of the large Pennsylvania cities heard a sweet, clear female voice singing this solo hymn, followed by a chime of mingled voices in the chorus. A room in the building had been hired for religious meetings, and tonight was the first of the series. A strange coolness dampened the merriment in the club-room, as the singing went on, and the gradual silence became a hush, till finally one member threw down his cards and declared, "If what they're saying is right, then we're wrong."

Others followed his example, then another, and another.

There is a brother whom some one should save.

Quietly the revellers left their cards, cigars and half-emptied gla.s.ses and went home.

Said the ex-member who told the story years after to Mr. Ufford, "'Throw Out the Life-line' broke up that club."

He is today one of the responsible editors of a great city daily--and his old club-mates are all holding positions of trust.

A Christian man, a prosperous manufacturer in a city of Eastern Ma.s.sachusetts, dates his first religious impressions from hearing this hymn when sung in public for the first time, twenty years ago.

Visiting California recently, Mr. Ufford sang his hymn at a watch-meeting and told the story of the loss of the Elsie Smith on Cape Cod in 1902, exhibiting also the very life-line that had saved sixteen lives from the wreck. By chance one of those sixteen was in the audience.