story in the passage is an excellent illustration of the sentiment of the hymn. 618 "Jesus, our Salvation." O JESUS, our salvation, We come to thee with mourning, 2 O gracious Intercessor, 3 Oh, by thy cross and passion, And crown of cruel fashion, O Priest, O spotless offering, 7s, 6s. D. 4 And in these hearts now broken, Re-enter thou and reign, And say, by that dear token, And build us up, and guide us, Rev. James Hamilton, M. A., author of the hymn quoted, was born at Glendollar, Scotland, April 18, 1819. He received his education at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge; was ordained in 1845, and had charge of a succession of churches until 1866, when he became incumbent of St. Barnabas', Bristol. A year afterward he was appointed vicar of Doulting, Somersetshire, in the diocese of Bath and Wells, and according to our present information he still holds that position. Of the hymns he has written, only three are in general use; one of these is the piece before us. It was contributed to the People's Hymnal, in 1867, and the first line originally read, "O Jesu! Lord most merciful." 619 Hope at the Cross. 2. On that my gaze I fasten, 7s, 6s. D. Very welcome to us all the appearance of Miss Charlotte Elliott's name once more as the author of the hymn before us. It is not one of her conspicuous compositions, for we fail to find a mention of it in either English Hymns, or Dictionary of Hymnology; but we have been printing it and using it as a very evangelical and comforting help for many years. It was published in The Invalid's Hymn-Book in 1834. The simplicity with which this devoted woman, herself racked and tried with pain, urged her way straight towards the cross of her suffering Redeemer, there to find her rest, is remarkable. 620 At the Door. O JESUS, thou art standing To pass the threshold o'er: 2 O Jesus, thou art knocking: And lo! that hand is scarred, And thorns thy brow encircle, And tears thy face have marred: 3 O Jesus, thou art pleading And leave us nevermore! 7s, 6s. D. Bishop William Walsham How first published this, the most popular and perhaps the most useful of all his excellent compositions, in the Supplement to Psalms and Hymns issued 1867. It refers to Revelation 3:20: 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." One of the best paintings of our time has been given to the world of art by Holman Hunt, entitled "The Light of the World." It represents the scene which the hymn portrays with a fidelity as pathetic as it is forceful. Some of the incidental forms of Oriental imagery seem likewise to have been taken by the artist from the similar scene suggested by the Bride's words concerning her Lord in Canticles 5:2: "I sleep, but my heart waketh it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." The Figure stands as if in the act of waiting and listening. He is in the garden, "THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD." for the vines trail across the door still shut to him; he is under the shadows of night, for he bears a lantern which flings its beams upon the fruit that lies in the path by his feet. The story is told with a delicacy that rivals description; the painting is an exquisite illustration of the spirit of the hymn. But thou to spirits contrite 3 Our souls-on thee we cast them, Thy cheering words revive us, And givest all thy ransomed Dr. Ray Palmer said once concerning this hymn that he wrote it a long while ago, so far back as in 1834 some time; and that he was under the impression of having made it as a translation of a German piece, the name and place of which he had forgotten. He was not a fluent scholar in that language then, and the volume he was reading did not otherwise attract his attention. The curiosity of some hymnologists, familiar with the religious poetry of the Fatherland, has been exercised in the matter; but the work of Dr. Palmer is too thoroughly original to represent any poem they can find. It was first published in the Presbyterian Parish Hymns, 1843. 2 That lofty One, before whose throne The countless hosts of heaven bow down, Another dwelling-place will own The contríte heart. 3 The holy One, the Son of God, The contrite heart. 4 The Holy Spirit from on high 5 Saviour, I cast my hopes on thee; Miss Charlotte Elliott included this hymn ishment due to our guilt (that the schools call attrition) but likewise of the infinite goodness of God, against which we have offended." Hence comes the old answer in the Catechism: "Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience." 623 The Heart Surrendered. GOD of my life! thy boundless grace 2 Jesus, my hope, my rock, my shield! 3 Spirit of glory and of God! Long hast thou deigned my guide to be; 4 I come to join that countless host 66 8s, 45. The Invalid's Hymn-Book, published in 1841, contained among many other poems by Miss Charlotte Elliott the one quoted here. It is based upon the fifth verse of the thirtyfirst Psalm, Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." The poem emphasizes the fact that all the steps in the process of redemption are the direct result of God's mercy which chooses, pardons, and adopts us. Not from ourselves, but from above, comes the saving impulse. (See Isaiah 6:6.) Isaiah, crying there, in all the abasement and abandonment of his shame, had no need to thank even the seraph with the coal of fire in his hands. The coal came from the King. The altar was the King's. The seraphim were only the King's messengers. Every step in the scheme of human salvation, from its earliest beginning at the new birth, to its latest triumph in the new song, is God's. "Salvation belongeth unto the Lord." When the redeemed in heaven sing their highest songs of ascription, they can say no more, no less, than this. John tells us in the Revelation what he heard behind the vail: "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." 625 "Thou art my all." JESUS, my Saviour! look on me, 2 Look down on me, for I am weak, Thou art my Strength. 3 J am bewildered on my way, 4 When Satan flings his fiery darts, 5 Standing alone on Jordan's brink, 6 Thou wilt my every want supply, 8s, 45. For many years this hymn has been credited, on the highest authority, to Rev. John Ross Macduff, D. D., with the date of “ 1853" attached to it. Thus it appears in The Evangelical Hymnal, and thus it appears in others with the annotation of Rev. F. M. Bird. But we learn at last from the Dictionary of Hym nology, 1892, that it is found in Miss Charlotte Elliott's Thoughts in Verse on Sacred Subjects, 1869. She entitled it, "Christ, All in All." This modest lady kept her reserve so very closely at times that her religious writings were difficult to recognize. 626 Leaning on Christ. LEANING on thee, my guide and friend, 2 Leaning on thee, with childlike faith, Thy love will guide. 3 Leaning on thee, I breathe no moan, 8s, 4s. the king and of the Duke of Richmond de- Though faint with languor, parched with heat: lyrics and the peculiarity of their meters have That will is sweet. 4 Leaning on thee, though faint and weak, Once more we choose our song of trust from Miss Charlotte Elliott's hymns. It is taken from her Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted, 1836. It bears a title that might suggest a renewed season of illness in her fragile life, “Death Anticipated." She uses again that pleasing meter in her verse which has become to us now almost her characteristic sign. The great theologian, Tholuck, once said to an American tourist: "Your people in the United States have in your language one expression which we do not have in the German. You speak of a subdued spirit.' It is very beautiful." My heart lies dead; and no increase 2 Thy dew doth every morning fall: 3 The world is tempting still my heart Let heavenly grace, to cross its art, 4 Oh, come; for thou dost know the way! "Drop from above!" 8s, 4s. Rev. George Herbert, M. A., was born at his father's home, Montgomery Castle, April 3. 1593, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1611. His prospects in life seemed brilliant, as he was an intimate friend of Lord Bacon, Bishop Andrewes, and other influential men, and was favored by James the First; but the death of rendered most of them unavailable for congregational uses. The poem here quoted appeared in his posthumous work, The Temple, 1633, and is full of sweetness and pathos. It is a fervent prayer for divine grace to renew and inspire a heart which is sore tried by the coldness and worldliness which threaten to overwhelm it. LORD, I hear of showers of blessing 2 Pass me not, O gracious Father; 3 Pass me not, O gracious Saviour; I am longing for thy favor, Whilst thou'rt calling, oh, call me-Even me. 4 Pass me not, O mighty Spirit ; Thou canst make the blind to see; Witnesser of Jesus' merit, Speak the word of power to me—Even me. 5 Have I long in sin been sleeping- 6 Love of God, so pure and changeless; 7 Pass me not, but, pardon bringing, Blessing others, oh, bless me-Even me. Brought into being by the news of a great revival in Ireland in 1860-61, this hymn has always been connected with seasons of religious awakening. Its author, Mrs. Elizabeth Codner, published it as a leaflet in 1861, and it has been in constant use ever since. She is the wife of a clergyman of Islington, London, and has been identified with the Mildmay Mission in that city for a number of years. It is known that she has published two volumes -The Bible in the Kitchen, and The Missionary Ship; but very few facts concerning her personal history can be obtained. Regarding the poem itself, its author says that it was written for the benefit of a few of her young friends who had been deeply interested in the account of a great revival. She says: "I longed to press upon them an earnest individual appeal. Without effort words seemed to be given me, and they took the form of a hymn. I had no thought of sending it beyond the limit of my own circle; but, passing it on to one and another, it became a word of power, and I then published it." 6 Judge and Saviour of our race, In 1844 Rev. Isaac Williams, the tractarian preacher and writer, published a volume which he called The Baptistery; or, the Way of Eternal Life. In this book there is one poem, consisting of a hundred and five stanzas of three lines each, and bearing the title, "The Day of Days; or, The Great Manifestation." Of one portion of this, called "Image the Twentieth," our present hymn is a part; it is entitled, "Lent:-a Metrical Litany." It is really a good penitential prayer in musical dress, when we get at it under its mystical dress of verbiage, plain and useful for Christian service in conference-meeting or in the sanctuary; and it has had wide introduction into the hymnals at home and abroad. THY life was given for me, Thy blood, O Lord, was shed, That I might ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; Thy life was given for me; What have I given for thee? 2 Long years were spent for me In weariness and woe, That through eternity Thy glory I might know; Long years were spent for me; Have I spent one for thee? 3 Thy Father's home of light, Thy rainbow-circled throne, Were left for earthly night, For wanderings sad and lone; Yea, all was left for me; Have I left aught for thee? 4 Thou, Lord, hast borne for me More than my tongue can tell Of bitterest agony, To rescue me from hell; Thou sufferedst all for me; 5 And thou hast brought to me Thy pardon and thy love; Great gifts thou broughtest me; What have I brought to thee? 6 Oh, let my life be given, My years for thee be spent ; World-fetters all be riven, And joy with suffering blent; Thou gavest thyself for me, I give myself to thee. 6s, 61. Miss Frances Ridley Havergal's composition, printed on a leaflet in 1859, and in Good Words, February, 1860. The structure of these stanzas has been changed in the English collections. As Miss Havergal composed it it began-as if the Saviour in person were speaking-"I gave my life for thee." No Christian congregation could sing back to |