Part 9

Written for the annual festival of the Free Religious Association, Boston, June 2, 1899, and first published in _Souvenir Festival Hys._ 1899. Subsequently altered by the author to “From age to age the prophet’s vision.”

3. _From age to age they gather, all the brave of heart and strong_, (Victory of Truth)

Written in 1891 for the Dedication of Unity Church, Decorah, Iowa, and published in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894.

4. _From many ways and wide apart_, (College or School Reunion)

Dated in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, as having been written in 1890.

5. _Go not, my soul, in search of Him_, (God within)

Written in 1879, printed in the Boston _Christian Register_, May 31, 1879, and included in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, with the title “The Indwelling God.”

6. _I cannot think of them as dead_ (Eternal Life)

Written in 1882 and first published in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, and entitled “My Dead.” In the English collections it is usually given as “We cannot think of them as dead.”

7. _I little see, I little know_, (Trust)

“A Psalm of Trust” written in 1883, first appeared in the Boston _Christian Register_, and again in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885.

8. _Immortal, by their deed and word_ (The Spirit of Jesus)

Written in 1880, and first published in _Unity Hys. and Carols_, Chicago, Illinois, 1880, and then in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885.

9. _Many things in life, there are_ (Mystery in All Things)

Written in 1885 and first published in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, with the title “Passing Understanding”, and the quotation “the Peace of God which passeth all understanding.”

10. _Not always on the Mount may we_ (On the Mount)

This lesson from the _Transfiguration_ was written in 1882, and published in the _Chicago Unity_, April 1, 1884. After revision by the author, it was included in the 1^st Series of _The Thought of God_, 1885.

11. _Not when, with self dissatisfied_, (Lent)

Written in 1891, and given in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, p. 33. It is in _The Public School Hymn Book_, 1903, and others.

12. _O beautiful, my country_, (National Hymn)

As “Our Country,” written in 1884, and published in the _Chicago Unity Festivals_, 1884, and again in _The Thought of God_, 1885.

13. _O Light, from age to age the same_, (Dedication Anniversary)

Written in 1890 for the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Congregational Church (Unitarian), Quincy, Illinois. Included in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, and entitled “From Generation to Generation.”

14. _O Lord of Life, where’er they be_, (Life in God)

“Written in 1888 for Easter service in Author’s own church,” and first published in the _Chicago Unity_, and again in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894. The “Alleluia” refrain, which is added in some collections to each verse, is appended, in the original, to the last verse only.

15. _O Name, all other names above_, (Trust in God)

Under the title “Found. ‘They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee’,” this hymn, written in 1878, was given in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885.

16. _O Prophet souls of all the years_ (Unity)

“Written in 1893 for, and sung at, the Unitarian gathering in connection with The World’s Parliament of Religions (World’s Fair) Chicago, Sep. 1893,” and included in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, and entitled “One Law, One Life, One Love.”

17. _O Thou, in all Thy might so far_, (God All in All)

This hymn, given in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, with the title “The Mystery of God,” was written in 1876, and first published in the _New York Inquirer_.

18. _O thou in lonely vigil led_,

This encouragement for lonely workers was written for the “Emerson Commemoration, W.U.C. 1888,” and included in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894.

19. _O Thou, who art of all that is_, (Divine Guidance)

Under the title “Through unknown paths,” this hymn was included in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885; it was written in 1877.

20. _O Thou, whose Spirit witness bears_, (Dedication of a Place of Worship)

Written for the Dedication of the First Unitarian Church, Omaha, February 6, 1891, and published in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, with the title “The Inward Witness”, and the subscription “For T.K. Omaha, 1891.”

21. _On eyes that watch through sorrow’s night_ (Easter)

A Carol for Easter Morn, written in 1890 for the author’s congregation, and published in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894.

22. _One thought I have, my ample creed_, (The Thought of God)

This is the initial hymn to the collection _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, and supplies the title to the work. It was written in 1880, and first published in the _Chicago Unity Hymns and Carols_, 1880, and then in _The Thought of God_, 1885.

23. _The rose is queen among the flowers_, (Flower services)

Written in 1875, first published in _The Sunnyside_, a songbook for Sunday Schools, and again in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885, under the title “Flower Sunday.”

24. _Thy kingdom come—on bended knee_, (Missions)

“Written in 1891 for the Commencement of the Meadville Theological School (Meadville, Pa.) June 12, 1891, and pub. in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894.” under the title “The Day of God,” and the subscription “M.T.S., June 12, 1891.”

25. _We pray no more, made lowly wise_ _For miracle and sign._ (Greater Faith Desired)

“Written in 1879, and first pub. in _The Christian Register_ (Boston) Mar. 22 of that year, under the title ‘The Larger Faith.’” Included under the same title in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885. Sometimes given as “Made lowly wise, we pray no more.”

26. _When courage fails, and faith burns low_, (Victory of Truth)

Under the title “Loyalty,” this hymn was given in _The Thought of God_, 1^st Series, 1885. It was written in 1881.

27. _Where men on mounts of vision_, _Have passed the veil within_. (Dedication of a Place of Worship)

“Written in 1891 for the Dedication of First Unitarian Church, Oakland, California.” Included in _The Thought of God_, 2^nd Series, 1894, entitled “Holy Place”, and subscribed “For C.W.W., Oakland, Cal. 1891.”

This account of Hosmer’s hymns, copied verbatim from Julian’s _Dictionary_, may be accepted as authoritative as to the date and occasion for each hymn listed, but Canon Julian presumably added the descriptive notations in brackets, and fell into minor inaccuracies, as when he wrote _Unity Hymns and Carols_ for _Unity Hymns and Chorals_ (cf. nos. 3 and 22), and cited the periodical _Unity_, published in Chicago, as _Chicago Unity_. By way of further clarification it should be noted that the opening line of no. 12, _O beautiful my country_, was taken from J. R. Lowell’s great Commemoration Ode, and that Hosmer always wanted it printed ‘_O Beautiful my Country_’, in recognition of its source. No. 18 was written for the observance by the Western Unitarian Conference of the fiftieth anniversary of Emerson’s famous _Divinity School Address_. The person initialed as “T.K.” for whom no. 20 was written on February 6, 1891, probably was Thomas Kilpatrick, a layman who did much to make possible the erection of the church in Omaha, which was not dedicated until December 15 of that year. The person initialled “C.W.W.”, for whom no. 27 was written, was Rev. Charles W. Wendte, then minister of the First Unitarian Church in Oakland, California.

Julian’s account of Hosmer’s contribution to hymnody, though no doubt as satisfactory as could be expected at the time it was written, is incomplete in two respects. The latest hymn listed is dated 1899, yet at least three earlier hymns by Hosmer are unaccountably missing, (viz, nos. 32, 33, 41, noted below), presumably because he neglected to send Julian any information about them. More important than these are several later occasional hymns which he wrote in the last three decades of his life, too late for any inclusion in Julian’s _Dictionary_, and which form a notable addition to the earlier list. Some of them were included in the revised edition of _Unity Hymns and Chorals_, 1911, and all of them in _The Thought of God_, 3^rd. Series, 1918, as follows:

28. _Across a century’s border line_,

Written for the centennial commemoration of W. E. Channing’s famous “Baltimore Sermon” at the General Unitarian Conference, September 26, 1917.

29. _All hidden lie the future ways_,

Written as a hymn at the christening of children. Not dated.

30. _Forward through the ages, in unbroken line_,

A hymn of the church universal, written in 1908 for an Installation Service, set to Sullivan’s tune St. Gertrude. In some collections it has replaced Baring Gould’s _Onward, Christian Soldiers_.

31. _Hear, hear, O ye nations, and hearing obey_, (Reign of Peace)

Written in 1909 and included in _New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and, with one word altered in the last stanza, in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937.

32. _I came not hither of my will_, (Divine Providence)

Written in 1883.

33. _Lo, the day of days is here_, (Easter)

Written in 1890.

34. _Lo, the Easter-tide is here_, (Easter)

Written in 1914.

35. _Now while the day in trailing splendor_ (Evening)

Written in 1902, published in Louisa Loring’s _Hymns of the Ages_, 1904.

36._ O blest the souls that see and hear_,

Written for the National Conference of Unitarian Churches, Chicago, September 27, 1909, in 5 stanzas, beginning “From many ways and far apart.” In _The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937, this first stanza has been dropped, and the remaining four stanzas printed, beginning as above.

37. _O day of light and gladness_ (Easter)

Written in 1903, published in Louisa Loring’s _Hymns of the Ages_, 1904, and, slightly revised, in _Unity Hymns and Chorals_, 1911.

38. _The outward building stands complete_,

Written for the Dedication of Unity Church, St. Louis, Missouri, October 7, 1917.

39. _Through willing heart and helping hand_,

Written in 1909 for the Dedication of the Parish House of the First Unitarian Church, Berkeley, California.

40. _Thy kingdom come, O Lord._

Written in 1905.

41. _Today be joy in every heart_, (Christmas)

Written in 1877.

42. _Uplift the song of praise_,

The first two stanzas of this hymn were written in 1904 and were included in Miss Louisa Loring’s _Hymns of the Ages_, published in that year. At a later date Dr. Hosmer wrote two additional stanzas and the hymn was thus printed in _The Thought of God_, 3^rd Series, 1918. In _The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937, it is set to the tune Yigdal.

43. _When shadows gather on our way_,

Written in 1904 and published in Miss Louisa Loring’s _Hymns of the Ages_, 1904.

44. _When the constant sun returning_,

Reginald Heber in 1827 wrote a single stanza hymn beginning, “God that madest earth and heaven.” In 1912 Hosmer wrote for _The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, a second stanza, the first line of which is quoted above, to complete the thought. This composite two stanza hymn has since been included in _The Pilgrim Hymnal_, 1935, and _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937.

The period of Dr. Hosmer’s hymn writing covered more than 40 years (1875-1917) and during the latter half of that time he was widely recognized by hymn lovers as the most distinguished hymn writer of his time. Many of his hymns found their way into the collections of various denominations in both this country and Great Britain. Canon Dearmer included 8 in the British collection _Songs of Praise_, and in the accompanying handbook, _Songs of Praise Discussed_, calls the hymn _O Thou, in all thy might so far_, (no. 17) “this flawless poem, one of the completest expressions of religious faith,” and the hymn _Thy kingdom come, on bended knee_, (no. 24) “one of the noblest hymns in the language.”

All of Hosmer’s hymns in recent use will be found in both the Unitarian collections—_The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937, except where initials indicate one or the other book, as follows:—Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 (N.H.T.B.), 8, 10 (N.H.T.B.), 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 (H.S.), 29 (H.S.), 30, 31, 32, 34 (H.S,), 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. Nos. 10, 17, 24, 30 and 40 are included in the Protestant Episcopal _Hymnal_, 1940.

J. 1650 H.W.F.

Howe, Mrs. Julia (Ward), New York, New York, May 27, 1819—October 17, 1910, Boston, Massachusetts. Married Samuel Gridley Howe on April 26, 1843. She was a woman with a distinguished personality and intellect; an Abolitionist and active in social reforms; author of several books in prose and verse. The latter include _Passion Flower_, 1854; _Words of the Hour_, 1856; _Later Lyrics_, 1866; and _From a Sunset Ridge_, 1896. She became famous as the author of the poem entitled “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” beginning,

_Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord_, which, in spite of its title, was written as a patriotic song and not as a hymn for use in public worship, but which has been included in many American hymn books. It was written on November 19, 1861, while she and her husband, accompanied by their pastor, Rev. James Freeman Clarke, _q.v._, minister of the (Unitarian) Church of the Disciples, Boston, were visiting Washington soon after the outbreak of the Civil War. She had seen the troops gathered there and had heard them, singing “John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in the grave” to a popular tune called “Glory, Hallelujah” composed a few years earlier by William Steffe of Charleston, South Carolina, for Sunday School use. Dr. Clarke asked Mrs. Howe if she could not write more uplifting words for the tune and as she awoke early the next morning she found the verses forming in her mind as fast as she could write them down, so completely that later she re-wrote only a line or two in the last stanza and changed only four words in other stanzas. She sent the poem to _The Atlantic Monthly_, which paid her $4 and published it in its issue for February, 1862. It attracted little attention until it caught the eye of Chaplain C. C. McCabe (later a Methodist bishop) who had a fine singing voice and who taught it first to the 122d Ohio Volunteer Infantry regiment to which he was attached, then to other troops, and to prisoners in Libby Prison after he was made prisoner of war. Thereafter it quickly came into use throughout the North as an expression of the patriotic emotion of the period.

J. 1652 H.W.F.

Huntington, Rt. Rev. Frederic Dan, D.D., Hadley, Massachusetts, May 23, 1819—July 11, 1904, Hadley, Massachusetts. He graduated from Amherst College in 1839 and from the Harvard Divinity School in 1842. He was minister of the South Congregational Church (Unitarian), Boston, 1842-1855, and from 1855 to 1859 he was Professor of Christian Morals and University Preacher at Harvard College. In 1859 he was ordained priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church and served as rector of Emmanuel Church in Boston from 1860 to 1869, when he was consecrated Bishop of Central New York. In 1853 he collaborated with Rev. Frederic Henry Hedge, _q.v._, in editing their Unitarian collection, _Hymns for the Church of Christ_, to which he contributed three hymns,

1. _O Love Divine, lay on me burdens if Thou wilt_ (Supplication)

2. _O Thou, in whose Eternal Name_ (Ordination)

3. _O Thou that once on Horeb stood_ (God in Nature)

The hymn beginning

_Father, whose heavenly kingdom lies_,

in Longfellow and Johnson’s _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1864, is a cento taken from no. 2. _Hymns for the Church of Christ_ also includes a good many anonymous hymns, some of which may be by him, though there is no proof that such is the case. Dr. Huntington also collaborated with Dr. Hedge in editing a collection of sacred poetry entitled _Elim: Hymns of Holy Refreshment_, Boston, 1865, which includes a funeral hymn beginning

_So heaven is gathering one by one_,

This hymn has been mistakenly attributed to Huntington, but is an altered form of a hymn by E. H. Bickersteth beginning

_Thus heaven is gathering one by one_.

Although Dr. Huntington is known to have written occasional verses in religious themes later in life for his own edification he is not credited with any published hymns after his resignation from his professorship at Harvard, and none of the three listed above are in present use.

J. 544, 1714 Revised by H.W.F.

Hurlburt, (Hurlbut, Hurlbert) William Henry. Charleston, South Carolina, July 3, 1827—September 4, 1895, Cadenabbia, Lake Como, Italy. (His family name is spelled Hurlburt in records at Charleston but at Harvard he was registered as Hurlbut, and in later years he changed the spelling to Hurlbert). He graduated from Harvard College in 1847 and from the Divinity School in 1849. He preached in Unitarian pulpits for a few months but was never ordained as a settled minister; then he studied in the Harvard Law School for a year; then turned to journalism in New York City. After 1883 he spent most of his time in Europe, his last few years in Italy. As a student at Harvard he was a contemporary of Samuel Longfellow and Samuel Johnson and contributed three hymns to their _Book of Hymns_, edition of 1848, which they also included in their _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1864, viz:

1. _My God, in life’s most doubtful hour_,

2. _We pray for truth and peace_,

3. _We will not weep, for God is standing by us_

In both books his surname is spelled Hurlbut.

J. 545 Revised by H.W.F.

Johnson, Rev. Samuel, Salem, Massachusetts, October 10, 1822—February 19, 1882, North Andover, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard College in 1842 and from the Harvard Divinity School in 1846. He served from 1853-1870 as minister of the Independent Church, Lynn, Massachusetts which he organized and which ceased to exist when he resigned. He refused to identify himself with any denomination, though in belief he was a Unitarian and in the public mind was associated with the churches which adhered to the liberal wing of the Congregational order. He was author of a book on _Oriental Religions_, one of the earliest American studies in the History of Religions. In 1846 he and his classmate in the Divinity School, Samuel Longfellow, _q.v._, while still students, prepared their _Book of Hymns_, because they and some of their friends thought the Unitarian hymn books then in use were too traditional. This book appeared in enlarged edition in 1848, and made a notable contribution to American hymnody in its freshness of outlook and its inclusion of hymns by hitherto unrecognized writers, notably John Greenleaf Whittier. Johnson contributed 7 hymns to the edition of 1846, viz:

1. _Father [Savior] in Thy mysterious presence kneeling_ (Worship)

2. _Go, preach the gospel in my name_ (Ordination)

3. _Lord, once our faith in man no fear could move_, (In Time of War)

4. _Onward, Christians, though the region_ (Conflict)

Altered in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1864, to

_Onward, onward though the region_

5. _Thy servants’ sandals, Lord, are wet_ (Ordination)

In the edition of 1848 he included

6. _God of the earnest heart_, (Trust)

which he had “Written for the Graduating Exercises of the Class of 1846, in Cambridge Divinity School.” In 1864 he and Longfellow published their second and no less important collection, _Hymns of the Spirit_, (not to be confused with the book of the same title published in 1937 by the American Unitarian Association). To this volume he contributed 7 more hymns, viz:

7. _City of God, how broad, how far_, (The Church Universal)

8. _I bless Thee, Lord, for sorrows sent_ (Purification through suffering)

This was “Written at the request of Dorothea L. Dix for a collection made by her for the use of an asylum.” (Miss Dix was engaged in a notable reform of institutions for the insane.)

9. _Life of Ages, richly poured_ (Inspiration)

10. _Strong-souled Reformer, whose far-seeing faith_ (Jesus)

11. _The Will Divine that woke a waiting time_ (St. Paul)

12. _Thou whose glad summer yields_, (Worship)

13. _To light that shines in stars and souls_, (Dedication of a Place of Worship)

A number of these hymns have had widespread and long-continued use. Numbers 1, 4, 6, 7, and 9 are included in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937, and stand out as some of the finest examples of American hymnody in their lyrical quality and depth of religious feeling. A few of Johnson’s hymns have found acceptance also in England, the most notable example being No. 7, sung at the consecration of the new Anglican cathedral at Liverpool in 1924, an occasion which the words fitted to perfection. But, since even the existence of the obscure minister in Lynn, Massachusetts, was quite unknown to all but very few of those present, the Samuel Johnson to whom it was attributed was commonly supposed to be the famous 18^th century English lexicographer, and the hymn is mistakenly assigned to him in the latest edition of Bartlett’s _Familiar Quotations_! Following its use at Liverpool it was sung in Westminster Abbey at a service for the League of Nations in 1935; at the jubilee service for the 25^th anniversary of the coronation of George V; and was one of seven hymns included in the special service prepared by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York for use in parish churches throughout England at the time of the coronation of George VI. Probably no other hymn of American authorship is so widely known or used in British dominions.

J. 604-5, 1583, 1681, 1711 H.W.F.

Kimball, Jacob, Topsfield, Massachusetts, February 15, 1761—July 24, 1826, Topsfield. He graduated from Harvard in 1780, studied law, taught school, and tried to make a living at various other occupations, with small success except in the field of music where he was regarded as the outstanding singer, teacher, and composer of his period. He edited _Rural Harmony_, (Boston, 1793) which he followed with _Essex Harmony_, (1800) and _Essex Harmony_, Part II, (1802), which included the only tunes of his own composition which can now be identified as his, except those in the popular _Village Harmony_ (1795) the later editions of which, down to 1821, were probably edited by him. There is evidence that he also wrote poetry, including a number of hymns, some of them perhaps the anonymous ones, otherwise unknown, included in the above-mentioned song books. The one hymn which can be attributed to him with assurance is his excellent metrical version of Psalm 65 which Jeremy Belknap included in his _Sacred Psalmody_ (1795), entitled “A New Version” and beginning

_Thy praise, O God, in Zion waits._

The only other hymns by an American author in Belknap’s Collection is Mather Byles’

_When wild confusion wrecks the air_,

republished in 1760.

See _Jacob Kimball: A Pioneer American Musician_, Essex Institute Historical Collections, XCII, no. 4.

H.W.F.