The Story of Our Hymns
E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson
by ERNEST EDWIN RYDEN PASTOR OF GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN CHURCH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
Copyright 1930 by Augustana Book Concern
First Edition, December, 1930 Second Edition, April, 1931
AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
He is not dead: he only sleeps,
Safe in the arms of Him who keeps
His lambs secure from earth’s alarm,
From grief and sin and foes that harm.
He is not dead: he is at rest,
Content upon his Saviour’s breast;
Ernest Edwin Ryden
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FOREWORD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Angelic Hymn
THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHANTS
The Oldest Christian Hymn
GREEK AND SYRIAC HYMNS
An Ambrosian Advent Hymn
THE RISE OF LATIN HYMNODY
A Prophetic Easter Hymn
AN ANCIENT SINGER WHO GLORIFIED THE CROSS
A Tribute to the Dying Saviour
THE GOLDEN AGE OF LATIN HYMNODY
The Battle Hymn of the Reformation
MARTIN LUTHER, FATHER OF EVANGELICAL HYMNODY
A Metrical Gloria in Excelsis
THE HYMN-WRITERS OF THE REFORMATION
A Beautiful Confirmation Hymn
HYMNODY OF THE CONTROVERSIAL PERIOD
A Masterpiece of Hymnody
THE KING AND QUEEN OF CHORALES
A Tribute to the Dying Saviour
HYMNS OF THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR
The Swan-song of Gustavus Adolphus
A Hymn Made Famous on a Battle Field
Rinkart’s Hymn of Praise
THE LUTHERAN TE DEUM
A Joyous Christmas Carol
PAUL GERHARDT, PRINCE OF LUTHERAN HYMNISTS
A Glorious Paean of Praise
JOACHIM NEANDER, THE PAUL GERHARDT OF THE CALVINISTS
A Hymn Classic by Scheffler
A ROMAN MYSTIC AND HYMN-WRITER
A Gem among Pietistic Hymns
HYMN-WRITERS OF THE PIETIST SCHOOL
A Hymn of Longing for Christ
THE WÜRTTEMBERG HYMN-WRITERS
A Noble Hymn of Worship
HOW A GREAT ORGANIST INSPIRED TWO HYMNISTS
A Hymn on the Mystical Union
GERHARD TERSTEEGEN, HYMN-WRITER AND MYSTIC
Following a Heavenly Leader
ZINZENDORF AND MORAVIAN HYMNODY
A Glorious Hymn of Adoration
TWO FAMOUS HYMNS AND SOME LEGENDS
A Classical Harvest Hymn
HYMNODY IN THE AGE OF RATIONALISM
A Picture of a Christian Home
HYMNS OF THE SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE
A Hymn in Luther’s Style
THE SWEDISH REFORMERS AND THEIR HYMNS
A Model Hymn of Invocation
A HYMN-BOOK THAT FAILED
Wallin’s Sublime Morning Hymn
DAVID’S HARP IN THE NORTHLAND
A Vision of Christ’s Triumph
THE GOLDEN AGE OF SWEDISH HYMNODY
A Longing for Home
THE FANNY CROSBY OF SWEDEN AND THE PIETISTS
Kingo’s Sunrise Hymn
KINGO, THE POET OF EASTER-TIDE
The Great White Host
BRORSON, THE POET OF CHRISTMAS
A Prayer to the Holy Spirit
GRUNDTVIG, THE POET OF WHITSUNTIDE
A Norwegian Miserere
LANDSTAD, A BARD OF THE FROZEN FJORDS
Ken’s Immortal Evening Hymn
THE DAWN OF HYMNODY IN ENGLAND
The Pearl of English Hymnody
ISAAC WATTS, FATHER OF ENGLISH HYMNODY
Seeking the Heavenly Prize
DODDRIDGE: PREACHER, TEACHER AND HYMNIST
A Hymn of the Ages
WESLEY, THE SWEET BARD OF METHODISM
Another Hymn of the Ages
A GREAT HYMN THAT GREW OUT OF A QUARREL
The Coronation Hymn
THE BIRD OF A SINGLE SONG
In Praise of the Word of God
ENGLAND’S FIRST WOMAN HYMNIST
The Name above All Names
A SLAVE-TRADER WHO WROTE CHRISTIAN LYRICS
A Hymn on God’s Providence
AN AFFLICTED POET WHO GLORIFIED GOD
A Hymn of Gracious Invitation
AN IRISH POET AND HIS HYMNS
A Beautiful Lyric on Prayer
THE HYMN LEGACY OF AN ENGLISH EDITOR
A Sublime Hymn of Adoration
HEBER, MISSIONARY BISHOP AND HYMNIST
A Hymn That Wins Souls
AN INVALID WHO BLESSED THE WORLD
The Sun That Ne’er Goes Down
HOW HYMNS HELPED BUILD A CHURCH
The Hymn of a Perplexed Soul
A FAMOUS HYMN BY A PROSELYTE OF ROME
A Hymn Written in the Shadows
HENRY FRANCIS LYTE AND HIS SWAN SONG
A Woman’s Gift to the Church
SARAH ADAMS AND THE RISE OF WOMEN HYMN-WRITERS
That Sweet Story of Old
A HYMN WRITTEN IN A STAGE-COACH
Redemption’s Story in a Hymn
AN ARCHBISHOP’S WIFE WHO WROTE HYMNS
The Voice of Jesus
BONAR, THE SWEET SINGER OF SCOTLAND
The Dayspring from on High
TWO FAMOUS TRANSLATORS OF ANCIENT HYMNS
A Great Marching Song
BARING-GOULD AND HIS NOTED HYMN
A Rapturous Hymn of Adoration
FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL, THE CONSECRATION POET
The Emblem That Survives
A UNITARIAN WHO GLORIED IN THE CROSS
A Hymn That Opens Hearts
A MODEL HYMN BY A MODEL MINISTER
A Blind Man’s Hymn of Faith
MATHESON AND HIS SONG IN THE NIGHT
The First American Hymn
THE BEGINNINGS OF HYMNODY IN AMERICA
The Hymn of a Wounded Spirit
AMERICA’S FIRST WOMAN HYMNIST
A Triumphant Missionary Hymn
THOMAS HASTINGS, POET AND MUSICIAN
Key’s Hymn of Praise
FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, PATRIOT AND HYMNIST
Bryant’s Home Mission Hymn
AMERICA’S FIRST POET AND HIS HYMNS
An Exquisite Baptismal Hymn
THE HYMN-WRITER OF THE MUHLENBERGS
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
THE LYRICS OF BISHOP DOANE
The Quaker Poet’s Prayer
THE QUAKER POET AS A HYMN-WRITER
Palmer’s Famous Hymn
AMERICA’S GREATEST HYMN AND ITS AUTHOR
A Hopeful Missionary Lyric
SAMUEL SMITH, A PATRIOTIC HYMN-WRITER
A Pearl among Christmas Carols
TWO FAMOUS CHRISTMAS HYMNS AND THEIR AUTHOR
Mrs. Stowe’s Hymn Masterpiece
HARRIET BEECHER STOWE AND HER HYMNS
Bishop Coxe’s Missionary Hymn
A HYMN WRITTEN ON TWO SHORES
The Hymn of a Consecrated Woman
A HYMN THAT GREW OUT OF SUFFERING
A Hymn of the Sea
A FAMOUS HYMN WRITTEN FOR SAILORS
A Rally Hymn of the Church
A TRAGEDY THAT INSPIRED A GREAT HYMN
A Hymn of Spiritual Yearning
ANNA WARNER AND HER BEAUTIFUL HYMNS
A Famous Christmas Carol
PHILLIPS BROOKS AND HIS CAROLS
The Story that Never Grows Old
WOMEN WHO WROTE HYMNS FOR CHILDREN
A Hymn of Sweet Consolation
FANNY CROSBY, AMERICA’S BLIND POET
The Call of the Gospel Song
ONE OF AMERICA’S EARLIEST GOSPEL SINGERS
Chautauqua Vesper Hymn
THE LYRIST OF CHAUTAUQUA
In His Footsteps
GLADDEN’S HYMN OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE
A Hymn of the City
A HYMN WITH A MODERN MESSAGE
A Gripping Hymn by a Girl
A LUTHERAN PSALMIST OF TODAY
A Song of Victory
SURVEY OF AMERICAN LUTHERAN HYMNODY
ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF HYMNS AND SOURCES
AUTHORS’ AND GENERAL INDEX
BIBLIOGRAPHY