“He dies, the Heavenly Lover dies!
The tidings strike the doleful sound
On my poor heartstrings; deep he lies
In the cold caverns of the ground,”
and gave us the noble stanza,
“He dies, the Friend of sinners, dies;
Lo! Salem’s daughters weep around;
A solemn darkness veils the skies,
A sudden trembling shakes the ground,”
he not only gave it a dignified and Biblical content and form, but he rescued the hymn for the spiritual edification of coming generations.