Verse three, line six: "With thy blessed ones to reign." Two stanzas, the second and fifth, of the translator, have been omitted. For biographical sketch of Dr. Neale, see No. 199. 857 Christ, the Corner-stone. 7. N this stone, now laid with prayer, 2 Let thy holy Child, who came 3 May thy Spirit here give rest 4 Open wide, O God, thy door, 5 By wise master-builders squared, JOHN PIERPONT. Written for, and first sung at, the laying of the corner-stone of the Suffolk Street Chapel, in Boston, for the ministry to the poor, May 23, 1839. This hymn has a Trinitarian cast, which has been given to it largely by changes of the text. The second stanza the author wrote thus: "Let thy holy child' who came And the sinner to atone, With thee, bless this Corner Stone." The next stanza is made up of verses three and four of the author: 859 O L. M. Laying the foundation. 2 Grant that all we who here to-day 3 Endue the creatures with thy grace 4 To thee they all pertain; to thee 5 The heads that guide endue with skill; J. MASON NEALE. Title: Laying the First Stone of a Church. 4 Be this, O Lord, that honored place, The house of God, the gate of heaven; And may the fullness of thy grace To all who here shall meet be given. 5 And hence, in spirit, may we soar To those bright courts where seraphs bend; With awe like theirs, on earth adore, Till with their anthems ours shall blend. UNKNOWN. This hymn first appeared in the hymn book in 1849. It was taken from the Wesleyan Magazine. I have not been able to learn any thing more concerning it. 861 יין God's guardian presence. L. M. 2 Abide with us, O Lord, we pray, HIS stone to thee in faith we lay; 2 Here, when thy people seek thy face, 3 Here, when thy messengers proclaim 4 But will indeed Jehovah deign Here to abide, no transient guest? Here will the world's Redeemer reign? And here the Holy Spirit rest? 5 Thy glory never hence depart; Yet choose not, Lord, this house alone; Thy kingdom come to every heart, In every bosom fix thy throne. JAMES MONTGOMERY. The author's title was: On Laying the Foundation Stone of a Place for Worship. That place of worship was St. George's Church, Sheffield, the corner-stone of which was laid July 9, 1821. The first verse has been improved by some one. The author wrote it thus: "This stone to Thee in faith we lay; To guard this house and sanctuary." Montgomery was very sensitive to any change in his lines; but, if he were still living, he could not but be grateful to the editor who put some rhyme and sense into this stanza. The author wrote "O" instead of "Lord" in the last lines of the second stanza, and began the last verse with "That glory," etc. The fourth stanza is omitted: 4 "Hosannah! to their heavenly King, From The Christian Psalmist, 1825. Our strength, our comfort, and our light; Sun of our joy's unclouded day! Star of our sorrow's troubled night! 3 If from thy paths our souls should stray, Yet turn to seek thy pardoning grace, Cast not our contrite prayer away, But hear from heaven, thy dwelling-place. 4 Grant us to walk in peace and love, MRS. EMILY H. MILLER. This hymn was written for the dedication of the Methodist Episcopal church, Akron, Ohio, 1872. Mrs. Emily Huntington Miller is better known as a writer of Sunday-school books. She is also the author of a large number of hymns and poems contributed to periodicals. 863 A humble offering to Jehovah. L. M. THE perfect world, by Adam trod, THE Was the first temple, built by God; His fiat laid the corner-stone, And heaved its pillars one by one. 2 He hung its starry roof on high, 4 Lord, 'tis not ours to make the sea, NATHANIEL P. WILLIS. Title: Dedication Hymn. It was written to be sung at the consecration of Hanover Street Church, Boston. Most verses, written to order, are measured prose of the heaviest species; but this is poetry of a lofty type—indeed, it is more poem than hymn. The second line of the second stanza the author wrote: "The broad illimitable sky." This has been changed for the better. From the author's Sacred Poems. Nathaniel Parker Willis was born at Portland, Me., in 1807; prepared for college in the Boston Latin School, and was graduated at Yale in 1827. Mr. Willis devoted himself to literature as a profession, and with rare success. He lived until 1867. 864 Seeking a tabernacle. W L. M. HEN to the exiled seer were given Those rapturous views of highest All glorious though the visions were, 2 The new Jerusalem on high 3 But we, frail sojourners below, 4 O Thou, who o'er the cherubim 3 Here may our unborn sons And daughters sound thy praise, Through long-succeeding days: 4 Here may the listening throng Till all, who humbly seek thy face, BENJAMIN FRANCIS, ALT. Title: On Opening a Place of Worship. Thro' everlasting days; He, with a nod, the world controls, 2 "To earth he bends his throne, And wide his glories shine: 3" Then King of Glory come," etc. Verse two, line four, was written: แ All fragrant to the skies." The last two stanzas have changed places, and several verbal changes have been made in the last. The author wrote it: "Here may the attentive throng And converts join the song Of seraphim above; And willing crowds surround the board, The Rev. Benjamin Francis was born in Wales in 1734; was educated at Bristol College, and in 1758 was ordained pastor of a Baptist church in Gloucestershire, where he remained until his death, in 1799. He was a faithful and successful minister. His church was enlarged three times during his long pastorate of forty-one years. This hymn was written for a re-opening of his church in 1774. The original was contributed to Rippon's Selection, 1787. |