It will be evident, from what I have written, that the middle of the present century has been remarkable for the production of a large number of hymns, of a very high order of merit. Probably no age has been more fruitful in this respect. I question whether, in any period of the same length, so many fine hymns have been written. This is to be ascribed to many causes, not merely to the large place which hymns now fill in the worship of the Church, but to the revived religious life, the superior culture, the widely spread poetic gift and spirit, as well as to the increase of musical culture, all of which have exerted a great influence. What, in earlier times, took ages to produce, has been produced almost within the limits of a generation. Indeed, the Church would not be ill supplied with song if she were dependent on the productions of the last half century It has been in hymnody as fruitful as the Elizabethan age was in dramatic works. We have scarcely yet realised the wealth of our recent hymnody; since hymnists rarely reach their true position till time has removed them from our gaze. Age does not soften hymns as it does pictures, but it enables us to regard them with less of prejudice, whilst use familiarises, and helps us to realise their beauty. Many an old hymn, through usage or the lapse of time, gains a glory it does not deserve Many a new hymn is not valued as it should be through lack of these. There is no gift for which the Church deserves to be more profoundly grateful than for the great succession of singers who have of late enriched her song, and so ennobled her worship. These, in days to come, will reach their true place, and their age be regarded as among the classic ones of hymnody.

CHAPTER XV.

LIVING HYMNISTS.-I.

BORN 1796-1820.

THERE must surely be to the hymn-writer a deep joy in
knowing that his verses have kindled the hearts of
multitudes to worship, and risen on the wings of music
to the ear of heaven. I can conceive of few things
that would waken more real, though it may be quiet,
satisfaction. Bishop Ken deemed it would be an addition
to his happiness in the happier world, if he should
know that his devotional poems were answering on earth
the purpose for which he had piously composed them :-
And should the well-meant songs I leave behind,
With Jesus' lovers an acceptance find,

"Twill heighten e'en the joys of heaven to know,
That in my verse the saints hymn God below.

It has not always fallen to the lot of even the noblest hymnists to reap this reward during life, for not till they had passed away did their verses enter into the worshipsong of the Church. The worth of many a noble hymn has not been discovered until its author had gone over to the majority. But many an author in our day has had the joy of knowing that his hymns have been warmly welcomed by the Church, and that they have risen in choral song from the lips of devout worshippers. There are many hymnists,

happily still spared to us, who must rejoice in the thought that scarcely a Sunday passes in which their hymns do not both kindle and express the devout feelings of men in a multitude of churches in this and other Englishspeaking lands, many of them being widely separated in doctrine, in ritual, in ecclesiastical forms, from that to which they themselves belong. In many a case hymns are sung in assemblies in whose worship their authors would scarcely care to join, and whose doctrines they heartily condemn. The words of Dean, and Bishop, and Cardinal, are used in lowly conventicles where their stately canonicals would seem quite out of place, whilst, on the other hand, the hymns of many an unadorned Layman belonging to the simpler Free Churches are sung by white-robed choristers and priests under the fretted roofs of venerable cathedrals. Thus one touch of (what is better than nature) grace makes the whole Church kin. Thus the hymns of the Presbyterian Bonar, and the Independent Watts, have passed into use and are sung as parts of a richly ornate service; whilst, on the other hand, hymns by Cardinal Newman, Bishop Christopher Wordsworth, and Father Caswall have found their way into the simple services of village chapels. There is no bond of union stronger or more spiritual than that furnished by hymns which have sprung out of hearts kindled to lyric expression by the vision of Christ and His peerless work on behalf of Thus Christian feeling is proved to be mightier and more important in securing unity than the particular formulas which the minds of men have fashioned for its expression. For nowhere is the real unity, underlying all

men.

H

diversity, of the Church more clearly revealed than in the hymnody of these modern days. There are no helpers in the great work of quickening and deepening religious life whose aid is more precious than those whose love reaches its noblest expression in sacred song. Of late years the Church has been blessed with a large number of such helpers. Perhaps in no age has the number been so large, or the quality of the songs they have given us so high. From all quarters such songs have come; from laymen like George Rawson and Chatterton Dix, from the clergy of every rank, from the humble curate or country pastor to the right reverend bishop and the princely cardinal; nay, even woman has had no mean place in this high work, for in many a church where women's voices may not be heard in speech, they are heard in holy song (as in the hymns by Miss Havergal and Miss Elliott in "Hymns Ancient and Modern"). Thus the lyric fervour sets at nought all ecclesiastical restrictions, all doctrinal exclusivenesses. Thus may we catch gleams of the time when the whole Christian company shall be gathered, if not into one fold, yet into one flock, under the great Shepherd, Christ. For of that time so greatly desired, and often sought in such foolish ways, the truest heralds are the hymnists whose hearts are touched by the spirit of Christ.

It is only bare justice to say that of living hymnists, the Established Church furnishes the greater number; amongst these must, of right, be included, some who now belong to the Roman Communion; but whose hymns were written before they left the church of their fathers.

Sir Edward Denny (born 1796), is one of the few

writers of hymns belonging to that section of the Church, known as "The Brethren." His hymns are, of course, imbued by the special doctrines of that sect, and this unfits most of them for general use in the Church at large; but in some, the Christian and lyric nature of their author overpowers his doctrinal prepossessions, and such hymns from his pen are of great force and merit. Examples of

this may be found in his hymn :—

What grace, O Lord, and beauty shone
Around Thy steps below;

What patient love was seen in all
Thy life and death of woe.

For ever on Thy burden'd heart
A weight of sorrow hung;

Yet no ungentle, murmuring word
Escaped Thy silent tongue.

Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,
Thy friends unfaithful prove,
Unwearied in forgiveness still,

Thy heart could only love.

Oh! give us hearts to love like Thee,
Like Thee, O Lord, to grieve
Far more for others' sins, than all
The wrongs that we receive.

One with Thyself, may every eye

In us, Thy brethren, see

The gentleness and grace that spring
From union, Lord, with Thee.

And in his really fine Missionary Hymn :

Light of the lonely pilgrim's heart,
Star of the coming day,

Arise, and with Thy morning beams,

Chase all our griefs away:

Come, blessed Lord, bid every shore
And answering island sing

The praises of Thy royal Name,
And own Thee as their King.

Bid the whole earth, responsive now
To the bright world above,