HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 72, 17 March 1914, Page 7

HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED.

FAREWELL TO THE WORLD,

Oh! tell mo uo more of this world's vain store, The time for such triflea with me now is o'er. A country I've found where true joys abound; To dwell I'm determined in that happy ground. The souls that believe in Paradise live; And me in that number, will Jesus receive. My soul, don't delay, He calls thee away; Rise, follow the Saviour, and blesg the glad day. No mortal doth know what He can bestow ; What light, strength and comfort, after Him, go. Lol onward 1 move, and, but Christ above, None gue«ies how wonderous my journey will prove. Great .spoils 1 shall win from death, hell and sin; 'Midst outward afflictions 6hall find Christ within. Perhaps for His name, poor dust a* I am, Some work I shall finish with glad loving aim. I 6till (wnich ib best) shall on His dear "'breast, As at the beginning, find pardon and rest. And when I'm to die, "Receivo me," I'll cry, For Jesus hath loved me, I cannot say why. '' But this I do find, we two are &o joined, He'll not live in glory and leave me behind. Lo! this is the raco Fin running through grace Henceforth till admitted to seo my Lord's face. And now I'm in care, my neighbors may share These Wet-sings—to seek them, will none of you dare? In bondage, oh! why, and death will you he, Wnen One has assured you free grace is on high?

It was in consequence of an inquiry received that we discovered the real author of the telling words:— "But this I do find, we two are so joined, He'll not live in glory and leave me behind." • There appears to be a common option that they were written by Rowland Hill, the famous preacher "of Surrey Chapel, London. The hymn appeared in that exceedingly catholic collection, "The Surrey Chapel Hymn Book," and according to tradition, the beginning; "And when I'm to die," were on Rowland Hill's lips as he died. But lie never claimed to be their author, and in an article published in 1877 they were authoritatively ascribed to Rev. John Gambold, vicar of Stanton, Harcourt, Oxfordshire, England. Mr Gambold was a highly-educated Oxford man, for many years a Church of England clergyman, and published a valuable edition of the Greek Testament, and was one, probably the chief one, of the translators of the History of Greenland from the High Dutch. He also wrote several poems, including one on the martyrdom of St. Ignatius, that one of the Apostolic Fathers, who was most insistent upon the necessity for maintaining the threefold ministry of the Church. At the conclusion of 14 years' work as clergyman, he finally left the Church of England ministry, and joined the Moravian Brethren, his knowledge of the Dutch doubtless being a factor in his determination, and became a bishop among them six years later. He returned to his native town of Haverford West, later on, where \w died in 1771. He obtained a great reputation for pergonal holiness, and scholarlinefS, Arid his "Works, tfith LifCj" first published in 1780, has gone, through many edi* tions. Thomas Erskine wrote an appreciative esßay ofor ah edition published in 1827. These particulars, which art not commonly known, will be of interest to those who are familiar with some often quoted liries of the accompanying hymn. It is stated that just as Newman wrote his great hymn, "Lead Kindly Light," when becoming unsettled in mind over his religious so Mr Gambold composed these lines when he was debating in his own mind the wisdom of allying himself with the Moravians, whose influence, through the Wesleys and their associates, had an awakening effect upon the national religion of England. The hymn hears the mark of spiritual stress upon it, and was inspired no doubt by the sen6e I of what it would mean for him to leave has parochial charge and the Communion to which he belonged. Rossetti's words, "By thine own tears, singer, must thou 'tears beget," are more than ever true in their application to hymnwriters. The hymns that live because they touch chords in human lives have generally come forth from sonie emergency in the souls of their ■writers. Simplicity and true faith in the free grace of God through Jesus Christ are the notes of this old hymn. In this they hark back to foundation principles and at the same time they breathe a quite modern breadth of thought, such as Tennyson echoed, in his dreams of the "larger hope." Our readers will be tid to nave in complete form one of e favorite hymns of 100 years ago, which is now known in fragmentary form only by .%»- majority of Christian worshifpw*,