185. Thou art the Way, to Thee alone
George W. Doane, 1799-1859
Based on John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The hymn was written by one of the most able and influential men in the Episcopal Church in America. It takes high rank among all the hymns America has produced, and is one of the few hymns of American origin included in the famous English book, Hymns Ancient and Modern. It is written in simple style, employing only twelve words of more than one syllable.
For further comments on Bishop Doane see [Hymn 36].
MUSIC. LAMBETH was composed in 1871 by Wilhelm A. F. Schulthes. No information is at hand concerning the composer. The tune was taken from The Hymnal (Protestant Episcopal, 1916).
186. What a friend we have in Jesus
Joseph Scriven, 1820-86
A spiritual song of comfort and hope and the most popular Canadian contribution to the hymnody of the church.
The authorship of this hymn long remained a secret. In one publication it was erroneously attributed to Horatius Bonar. Scriven composed it for his mother to comfort her in time of special sorrow, not intending that anyone else should see it. This information was revealed to a friend who sat up with the author in his last illness.