The composer, Neil Dougall, 1776-1862, son of a shipwright, went to school until he was 15, then took to the sea. Three years later he met with an accident which resulted in the loss of his eyesight and his right arm. He then took up the study of music and for 45 years was a successful teacher of singing classes. He wrote about 100 psalm and hymn tunes.
339. See how great a flame aspires
Charles Wesley, 1707-88
A rousing missionary hymn which Wesley wrote after preaching to the coal miners at Newcastle. The imagery of the great flame was suggested by the night scene—the glow in the sky from the blazing fires connected with the mines. The climax of the hymn, stanza 4, was inspired by an incident in the life of Elijah. When his servant returned the seventh time from looking toward the sea from the housetop, he reported: “Behold there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea like a man’s hand!... And it came to pass in the meantime that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain” (I Kings 18:41-45).
For comments on Charles Wesley see [Hymn 6].
MUSIC. BENEVENTO is an adaptation from a motet on the words, “Tibi omnes angeli” by Samuel Webbe, 1740-1816, a London organist and composer.
340. The whole wide world for Jesus
J. Dempster Hammond, 1719-83
The watchword, “the whole wide world for Jesus,” brings to mind the motto, “The evangelization of the world in this generation,” which served to inspire the Student Volunteer Movement in the days of John R. Mott, Robert E. Speer, and Sherwood Eddy. Two world wars have shaken the foundations of the missionary enterprise, but those closest to the movement still declare the motto to be both a possibility and an obligation. The missionary forces are making resolute plans for giving the Gospel to the entire world.
No information is at hand concerning the author, J. Dempster Hammond.