Blest be the Tie that Binds Rev. JOHN FAWCETT (1772). 4 HANS GEORG Nageli. Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in JESUS' love; The This hymn which touches so frequently our emotional natures was born out of an interesting experience of the writer, Rev. John Fawcett, who was the pastor of a small country church near London, England, where he had long lived and had won the esteem of his whole parish. A call came to him to go to London. He accepted and while his furniture and books were on the wagon ready to move, on seeing the emotions of his faithful parishioners and his own wife weeping and saying, "Oh! John, I cannot bear this," said, "Neither can I, and we will not go," and he did not go, but unpacked his furniture and entering his study wrote this hymn. -bove. lo-dious son-net, Sung by flaming tongues a Here I'll raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I'm come; Oh, to grace how great a debtor Prone to leave the GOD I love; The following interesting story is told concerning the author of this hymn. He having been sent to London to become a barber and hairdresser, became a preacher and hymn writer instead. Later in life when he had lost some of his early piety, he was riding in a stage coach; a woman not knowing him to be the author of the hymn she was reading, asked him his opinion of it. He hesitated and then said: "Madam, I am the poor man who composed that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them to give, to enjoy the feelings I had then." This hymn represents the emotional type of hymns which were used much in the days of Wesley. Come, Ye Disconsolate THOMAS MOORE (1816). S. WEBBE. Come, ye dis-con- so - late, where-'er ye lan-guish, Come to the 26 mercy seat, fer · vently kneel; Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your an-guish; Earth has no sor-row that Heaven can-not heal. Joy of the desolate, light of the straying, "Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure." Here see the Bread of life; see waters flowing Forth from the throne of GOD, pure from above; This hymn written by Thomas Moore is one of thirty-two hymns which have fervor that would suggest unusual piety. Strange to say, however, the joyous Irish poet possessed more genius than piety. Since this hymn is an invitation to the disconsolate, it should be sung in a cheerful mood. From Greenland's Icy Mountains Bp. R. HEBER (1819). ਪੰਜਾ Dr. LOWELL Mason. From Green-land's i cy mountains, From India's co- ral strand, This hymn, like many others, was born out of an impromptu situation. There was a royal letter issued for Missionary collections in aid of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel." Mr. Heber, the author, had been gone on that particular day to hear Dean Howson preach. The day before he was asked by the Dean to prepare some verses to be sung at the close of the missionary service. Before the dawn of Sunday Heber had composed this hymn. Lacking time and inspiration, the stanza, Waft, Waft, Ye Winds, was not written until the hymn had been sung. The hymn was put in type the Saturday night it was written and only minor changes were made afterwards. This hymn was used as above referred to for the first time in Wrexham church on Whit Sunday, 1819. Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty Bp. R. HEBER (1827). (NICEA) Rev. J. B, DYKES, Mus. Doc. Holy, Ho - ly, Ho ly! LORD GOD AL-MIGHT Our song shall rise to Thee: Holy, Holy, Holy! all the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea: Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide Thee, Only Thou art Holy, there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. Holy, Holy, Holy! LORD GOD ALMIGHTY! All Thy works shall praise Thy Name in earth, and sky, and sea: GOD in THREE PERSONS, blessed TRINITY! This is Bishop Heber's "Trinity Hymn" and the best he ever wrote. It comes from the collection which was published in 1827. This hymn has found a favorite place as an opening hymn in our church services. The Music Nicea was written by Dr. Dykes and when written, as was his custom, was subjected to his family for criticism. |