The Story of the Hymns and Tunes Part 59

There are no acts of pardon pa.s.sed In the cold grave to which we haste.

[Footnote 44: One of Israel Holroyd's tunes. He was born in England, about 1690, and was both a composer and publisher of psalmody. His chief collection is dated 1746.]

"AND WILL THE JUDGE DESCEND?"

Is one of Doddridge's monitory hymns, once sung to J.C. Woodman's tune of "State St." with the voice of both the Old and New Testaments in the last verse:

Ye sinners, seek His grace Whose wrath ye cannot bear; Fly to the shelter of His Cross, And find Salvation there.

Jonathan Call Woodman was born in Newburyport, Ma.s.s., July 12, 1813, and was a teacher, composer, and compiler. Was organist of St. George's Chapel, in Flushing, L.I., and in 1858 published _The Musical Casket_.

Died January, 1894. He wrote "State St." for William B. Bradbury, in August, 1844.

"HASTEN SINNER, TO BE WISE"

Is one of the few unforgotten hymns of Thomas Scott, every second line repeating the solemn caution,--

Stay not for tomorrow's sun,

--and every line enforcing its exhortation with a new word, "To be wise," "to implore," "to return," and "to be blest" were natural c.u.mulatives that summoned and wooed the sinner careless and astray. It is a finished piece of work, but it owes its longevity less to its structural form than to its spirit. For generations it has been sung to "Pleyel's Hymn."

The Rev. Thomas Scott (not Rev. Thomas Scott the Commentator) was born in Norwich, Eng., in 1705, and died at Hupton, in Norfolk, 1776. He was a Dissenting minister, pastor for twenty-one years--until disabled by feeble health--at Lowestoft in Suffolk. He was the author of--

Angels roll the rock away.

"MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE?"

This emotional and appealing hymn still holds its own in the hearts of millions, though probably two hundred years old. It was written by a clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. Thomas Shepherd, Vicar of Tilbrook, born in 1665. Joining the Nonconformists in 1694, he settled first in Castle Hill, Nottingham, and afterward in Bocking, Ess.e.x, where he remained until his death, January, 1739. He published a selection of his sermons, and _Penitential Cries_, a book of sacred lyrics, some of which still appear in collections.

The startling question in the above line is answered with emphasis in the third of the stanza,--

_No_! There's a cross for every one, And there's a cross for _me_,

--and this is followed by the song of resolve and triumph,--

The consecrated cross I'll bear, Till death shall set me free.

And then go home my crown to wear, For there's a crown for me.

O precious cross! O glorious crown!

O Resurrection Day!

Ye angels from the stars flash down And bear my soul away!

The hymn is a personal New Testament. No one who a.n.a.lyzes it and feels its Christian vitality will wonder why it has lived so long.

_THE TUNE._

For half a century George N. Allen, composer of "Maitland," the music inseparable from the hymn, was credited with the authorship of the words also, but his vocal aid to the heart-stirring poem earned him sufficient praise. The tune did not meet the hymn till the latter was so old that the real author was mostly forgotten, for Allen wrote the music in 1849; but if the fine stanzas needed any renewing it was his tune that made them new. Since it was published n.o.body has wanted another.

George Nelson Allen was born in Mansfield, Ma.s.s., Sept. 7, 1812, and lived at Oberlin, O. It was there that he composed "Maitland," and compiled the _Social and Sabbath Hymn-book_--besides songs for the _Western Bell_, published by Oliver Ditson and Co. He died in Cincinnati, Dec. 9, 1877.

"AWAKE MY SOUL, STRETCH EVERY NERVE!"

This most popular of Dr. Doddridge's hymns is also the richest one of all in lyrical and spiritual life. It is a stadium song that sounds the starting-note for every young Christian at the outset of his career, and the slogan for every faint Christian on the way.

A _heavenly_ race demands thy zeal, And an immortal crown.

Like the "Coronation" hymn, it transports the devout singer till he feels only the momentum of the words and forgets whether it is common or hallelujah metre that carries him along.

A cloud of witnesses around Hold thee in full survey; Forget the steps already trod, And onward urge thy way!

'Tis G.o.d's all-animating voice That calls thee from on high, 'Tis His own hand presents the prize To thine aspiring eye.

In all persuasive hymnology there is no more kindling lyric that this.

As a field-hymn it is indispensable.

_THE TUNE._

Whenever and by whomsoever the brave processional known as "Christmas"

was picked from among the great Handel's Songs and mated with Doddridge's lines, the act gave both hymn and tune new reason to endure, and all posterity rejoices in the blend. Old "Christmas" was originally one of the melodies in the great Composer's Opera of "Ciroe" (Cyrus) 1738. It was written to Latin words (_Non vi piacque_) and afterwards adapted to an English versification of Job 29:15, "I was eyes to the blind."

Handel himself became blind at the age of sixty eight (1753).

"THERE IS A GREEN HILL FAR AWAY."

Written in 1848 by Miss Cecil Frances Humphreys, an Irish lady, daughter of Major John Humphreys of Dublin. She was born in that city in 1823.

Her best known name is Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander, her husband being the Rt. Rev. William Alexander, Bishop of Derry. Among her works are _Hymns for Little Children_, _Narrative Hymns_, _Hymns Descriptive and Devotional_, and _Moral Songs_. Died 1895.

"There is a _green_ hill" is poetic license, but the hymn is sweet and sympathetic, and almost childlike in its simplicity.

There is a green hill far away Without the city wall, Where our dear Lord was crucified Who died to save us all.

We may not know, we cannot tell What pains He had to bear; But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.

[Ill.u.s.tration: George Frederick Handel]

_THE TUNES._

There is no room here to describe them all. Airs and chorals by Berthold Tours, Pinsuti, John Henry Cornell, Richard Storrs Willis, George C.

Stebbins and Hubert P. Main have been adapted to the words--one or two evidently composed for them. It is a hymn that attracts tune-makers--literally so commonplace and yet so quiet and tender, with such a theme and such natural melody of line--but most of the scores indicated are choir music rather than congregational. Mr. Stebbins'