402. Lord, through changing days, unchanging
W. Russell Bowie, 1882—
This hymn was written originally for the hymn book of the Hill School, of Pottstown, Pa., from which the author graduated as a boy in 1900, and where he afterward taught for a year. The motto of the school is “Whatsoever things are true” (Phil. 4:8). The hymn is built around that theme.
W. Russell Bowie was born in Richmond, Va. After taking an A.B. and an A.M. at Harvard and teaching for a year at the Hill School, he spent most of three years at the Theological Seminary of Virginia, near Alexandria, graduating with the B.D. degree in 1908. Part of his senior year was spent in special study at Union Theological Seminary in New York. For many years he was rector of Grace Church (Episcopal) in New York, a post he resigned in 1939 to become Jesup Graduate Professor of Practical Theology and Dean of Students at Union Seminary. He is the author of a number of books, the most widely known of which is the Story of the Bible, published by the Abingdon-Cokesbury Press. Among his other volumes are The Children’s Year, The Inescapable Christ, The Master: A Life of Christ (1928) and Which Way Ahead (1943). In the late 1920’s he was elected Bishop Coadjutor of Pennsylvania, but did not accept.
MUSIC. REGENT SQUARE. For comments on this tune see [Hymn 81].