1. And wherefore should I seek above,

This hymn, included in The Isles of Shoals Hymnbook, 1908, consists of the last three stanzas of a much longer poem entitled “The New Heaven,” dated 1855.

2. From past regret and present faithlessness, (Repentance)

written in August, 1871, and published in Quiet Hours, Boston, 1875. This was altered in some hymnbooks to,

From past regret and present feebleness,

In most cases the opening stanza has been omitted and the hymn has begun with the second stanza,

Thou Life within my life, than self more near,

see no. 9, below.

3. I cannot find Thee, still on restless pinion, (Seeking after God)

This first appeared in Longfellow and Johnson’s Hymns of the Spirit, 1864.

4. In Thee my powers and treasures live, (Faith and Joy)

This appeared in Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. It is part of a hymn of 10 stanzas beginning

Let whosoever will inquire, dated 1855.

In The New Hymn and Tune Book, 1914, another arrangement of stanzas forms a hymn beginning

My God, I rather look to Thee

5. Life of our life, and light of all our seeing, (Prayer)

Written in August, 1870, it was included in Quiet Hours, 1875.

6. The day is done: the weary day of thought and toil is past, (Evening)

Included in Sermons and Songs of the Christian Life, E. H. Sears, Boston, 2nd ed. 1878, p. 296, entitled “Vesper Hymn,” dated “October, 1874.”

7. Thou Grace divine, encircling all, (Divine Grace)

This appeared in E. H. Sears’ Pictures of the Olden Time, as shown in the Fortunes of a Family of Pilgrims, 1857. Written in 1852, it was included in Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. In the Universalist Psalms and Hymns, 1865, it was mistakenly called “An Ancient Catholic Hymn.”

8. Thou hast gone up again (Ascension)

In Hymns and Sonnets, 1880.

9. Thou Life within my life, than self more near,

As noted above, this is part of No. 2, beginning with the second stanza of that hymn. In this form it is perhaps Miss Scudder’s most beautiful hymn.

10. Thou long disowned, reviled, opprest,(Spirit of Truth)

Written in January, 1860, it was included in Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. A cento from this hymn, altered to read,

Come Thou, with purifying fire,

was included in Stryker’s Church Song, 1889.

Of these hymns nos. 3, 4 (selected stanzas), 7, 9 and 10 are included in The New Hymn and Tune Book, 1914, and nos. 3, 7 and 9 in Hymns of the Spirit, 1937.

J. 1035, 1589, 1700 H.W.F.

Sears, Rev. Edmund Hamilton; Sandisfield, Massachusetts April 6, 1810—January 16, 1876, Weston, Massachusetts. Studied at Union College, graduated from the Harvard Divinity School in 1837. Ordained minister of the First Parish (Unitarian) of Wayland, Massachusetts, on February 20, 1839. He soon after went to Lancaster, Massachusetts; returned to Wayland, 1848-1864; and was minister of the First Parish, Weston, Massachusetts, 1866 until his death. He was author of many books and printed sermons, and of a good many poems, often hymns supplementary to his sermons. None of these, however, have come into general use, and his reputation as a hymn writer is based on his two widely used Christmas hymns, found in many hymn books. The first,

Calm on the listening ear of night,

was written in 1839. It was included as “Anon.” in The Christian Psalter, published in 1841 by Sears’ friend, [Rev. W. P. Lunt], q.v. of Quincy, Massachusetts. In the New Hymn and Tune Book, 1914, the second line of sta. 6

The Saviour now is born!

was changed to read

The Prince of Peace is born!

but the original reading was restored in Hymns of the Spirit, 1937. His second hymn,