The year 1800 saw the death of the great evangelical poet and hymn writer William Cowper. Cowper has often been maligned but his fame has been long established. It may be of interest to readers to know that in that very same year at least three people entered this world who, although largely forgotten now, also made their contribution to the world of hymnody through hymns that they wrote or translated that are still in use today.
John Henley (1800-1842) was the author of the children’s hymn ‘Children of Jerusalem’ (859 in Christian Hymns, number 9 in Grace). Henley was a Wesleyan Methodist and was born in Torquay in Devon on March 18, 1800. When he was just 24 he entered the ministry. Over the next 18 years he laboured in various places (including Dunster in Somerset, Witney, Sherborne and Yeovil, Lancaster and Derby). He was apparently a fine minister and made a deep impression on all who met him. Still relatively young when he began his final circuit in the Manchester area, he soon wore himself out in ceaseless labours for his Lord and despite a move to the coast, he died, in Weymouth, aged just 42. The next year his hymn appeared in C H Bateman’s Sacred Song Book for Children and the following year in Curwen’s Hymns and Chants. It was also in the Wesleyan Sunday School Hymn Book of 1879 and has appeared in many hymn books. Usually three verses are sung with the refrain. Another verse, usually omitted, reads
We have often heard and readWhat the royal psalmist said:‘Babes and sucklings’ artless laysShall proclaim the Saviour’s praise.’
The tune Infant praise belongs to this hymn alone and first appeared in John Curwen’s collection.
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Descended from an ancient Cheshire family, Richard Massie (1800-1887) was born June 18, 1800, at Chester. He was the first of 22 (yes 22!) children born to the rector of St Bride’s, Coddington. Richard married, when he was 34, Mary Ann Hughes, a local girl. Sadly, she died seven years later. A man of considerable wealth with two estates, one on either side of the English and Welsh border, Massie was an eccentric. He often wore a red wig and a tall beaver hat. Having been lame at one point and needing the use of a crutch he retained it even when no longer necessary. Gardening was one of his enthusiasms but he devoted a great deal of time also to literature. We draw attention to him here because of his work in translating hymns from German. In addition to translating Luther’s Spiritual songs (1849 and 1854), he produced, in 1860 and 1864, The Lyra Domestica, which concentrated on the work of Karl Spitta (1801-1859). He died at Pulford Hall, Coddington, Cheshire, on March 11, 1887.
His translations include If God himself be for me (Ist Gott für mich, so trete) by Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) (See Christian Hymns 645). A Lutheran, Gerhardt is known as ‘The Wesley of the Fatherland’. The hymn is based on the wonderful words of Romans 8. It has been described as being as much typical of true Lutheranism as A Mighty Fortress is our God. There are many stories of how it has been a help to God’s people in times of need. Gerhardt himself lived through many sorrows both on a personal and national level. Originally containing 15 stanzas the hymn was first printed in Johann Crüger’s Praxis Pietatis Melica, published in Frankfurt in 1656. Massie’s translation dropped stanzas 4-6 and 10. Modern hymn books drop more verses.
Another example of Massie’s work is this Easter hymn by Luther. It begins
Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands, for our offences given;But now at God’s right hand he stands, and brings us life from heaven.Wherefore let us joyful be, and sing to God right thankfullyLoud songs of Hallelujah! Hallelujah!No son of man could conquer Death, such mischief sin had wrought us,For innocence dwelt not on earth, and therefore Death had brought usInto thraldom from of old and ever grew more strong and boldAnd kept us in his bondage. Hallelujah!But Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, to our low state descended,The cause of Death he has undone, his power forever ended,Ruined all his right and claim and left him nothing but the name,Its sting is lost forever. Hallelujah!Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, whom God so freely gave us;He died on the accursed tree - so strong his love! - to save us.See, his blood doth mark our door; faith points to it, Death passes over,And Satan cannot harm us. Hallelujah!
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Matthew Bridges' (1800-1894) place in this trio is chiefly due to his Crown him with many crowns (116 in Christian Hymns). However, he was the author of several other hymns (including Behold the Lamb of God; Rise, Glorious Conqueror; Bright were the mornings; First impearled head of the hosts in glory; My God, accept my heart this day and Soil not thy plumage, Gentle Dove). Most of these are found in Hymns of the Heart, published in 1848 and 1851. He produced a book of poetry in 1852. He also authored several books including The Testimony of Profane Antiquity to the Account Given by Moses of Paradise and the Fall of Man (1825) and The Passion of Jesus (1852).
Bridges was born on July 14, 1800, at The Friars, Maldon in Essex. Though raised as an Anglican and an early opponent of Romanism he was attracted to the Tractarian Movement and converted to Rome when he was 48. He later lived in Quebec, Canada, for some years, but eventually returned to England before his death at a good old age on October 6, 1894 at Sidmouth in Devon. His brother Charles wrote commentaries on the wisdom literature and Psalm 119.
As for Matthew’s most famous hymn, he is responsible for most of the verses but not all. The hymn appears in various different forms but began with six verses by Bridges. Other verses were later added, with permission, by Godfrey Thring, prebendary of Wells Cathedral, in 1880. Another verse seems to have crept in as editors have sought to make use of available material and as many as nine verses can be found.
The original was headed On his head were many crowns (Revelation 19:12) and begins, in the original, Crown him with crowns of gold. As the hymn is a meditation on the many crowns that Jesus wears there is almost limitless scope for poetic meditation. Bridges second stanza appropriately continues
Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now his brow adorn;Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.
However, Thring, even more appropriately, wanted something first on the pre-incarnate Christ and so inserted the verse beginning Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began. Frank Colquhoun commented that the verse was not up to standard. He preferred an adaptation of Bridges above lines that included this:
The Saviour long foretold, the Branch of Jesse’s stem;The eternal Shepherd of his fold, the Babe of Bethlehem.
Bridges’ Crown him the Lord of love, on the cross, is usually next, then Crown him the Lord of life, on the resurrection, by Thring. Then it is Bridges’ Lord of peace followed by the less common
Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels singTheir songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.
Finally, The Lord of years – a magnificent finale, according to Colquohoun.
The tune is Diademata (ie crowns) by the organist and composer Sir George Job Elvey, published in 1868.
This article first appeared in The Evangelical Library Bulletin
