THE QUEEN'S FAVOURITE HYMNS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE QUEEN'S FAVOURITE HYMNS.

The Queen, says an interesting article in 'The Quiver,' is very fond of the hymns .'Nearer, My.God, to Thee,' Charles Wes-, r loy's 'Jesu, Lover of My Soul,' and old John NeAvton's 'How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds!'have, always been much en joyed and appreciated by the Queen, but for the last 30 years her choice has fallen most freemen tly on hymns relating to the future state, and breathing tha spirit of resignation. For some years after the death of the Prince Consort no hymns were sung at the annual memorial service; arid then Princess Alice of Hesse died on the anniversary of her beloved father's death, and on the day of her funeral the Queen chose both anthem ancl hymn for the service in the priA'ate chapel in Windsor Castle. The former was 'The Souls of the Righteous are in the Hand of God? the music by Dr. Elvey, and the latter 'Thy Will be Done.' This hymn was again chosen by Her Majesty for the memorial service in 1579, which commemorated both father and daughter, and those who are about the Court havo observed that ever since that date it has been one of her special favourites. A beautiful and interesting old hymn, written by Nicolai in 1598, beginning 'Wake, for the Night is Flying,' was also sung by the Queen's desire that year. Newman's 'Lead. Kindiy Light,' wag sung over the Duke of Albany's grave, and the Queen's strong faith, reasserting itself, was expressed in the majestic O God, our help in ages past, J Our hone for years to come, that followed it. A bereavement thai fell very heavily on the Queen, not only on account of her maternal sympathy with the Princess Beatrice—'the daughter who has never left me'—but because she was personally sincerely attached to him, was the death of Prince Henry of Battenberg, who was so dutifully companionable and pleasant to her during the few years he was one of her. home circle. The hymn she selected for the earlier part of the ceremony when he was laid to rest in Whippingham Church waa Dean Milman's 'Brother, Thou Art Gone Before Us,' and pathetic, too, are the verses which were sung immediately before the benediction. Their authorship is unknown, hut the widowed Princess chose them from a volume of hymns that 13 one of her private treasures: Sleep thy last sleep, Free from care and sorrow, Rest where none weep, Till the eternal morrow. '■''",