269. Come, Kingdom of our God
John Johns, 1801-47
A prayer for the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth, based on the petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.”
Rev. John Johns, English Presbyterian minister, was known for many years in Liverpool as the “minister to the poor.” He was a man of fine poetic gifts and published several volumes of poetry but is remembered for his life of service among the poor.
MUSIC. ST. THOMAS is one of the oldest and best tunes of the church. It has good rhythm, graceful form, and a strong forward movement to give it unusual singing merit.
The composer, Aaron Williams, of Welsh descent, was born in London in 1731, and died there in 1776. He was composer, engineer, publisher, music teacher, and clerk of the Scotch Church, London Wall. He published a number of important collections of tunes: The Universal Psalmodist, 1763, and New Universal Psalmodist, 1770, in which the above tune appeared.