Anonymous
A prayer of invocation seeking the blessing and guidance of Almighty God. The authorship is anonymous.
MUSIC. INTEGER VITAE (or FLEMMING) was composed by Flemming for a chorus of men’s voices. It was set to “Integer Vitae,” an ode by Horace. The tune became a great favorite with college men not only in this country but also in England and Germany. It was introduced as a hymn tune through the hymnals of Dr. Charles R. Robinson, Songs of the Sanctuary, and Laudes Domine, and has since been widely used and accepted as one of our most satisfactory hymn tunes. It is one of the favorite tunes in the Gesangbuch mit Noten where it is set to the words, “Ach mein Herr Jesu.”
The composer, Frederick Ferdinand Flemming, M. D., 1778-1813, received his training in medicine and was a successful practitioner in Berlin. He is known to posterity, however, as a composer of part songs for men’s choruses, and more particularly as the composer of this tune.
60. God moves in a mysterious way
William Cowper, 1731-1800
There is no basis, according to most hymnologists, for the story that this hymn was written after Cowper was mysteriously prevented from committing suicide by drowning. The hymn was published by John Newton in the Olney Hymns, 1779, and rapidly became popular. It is still found in nearly all the hymnals. Its original title was “Light shining out of darkness.” Its central thought is that God is working His sovereign will even in the mystery and perplexity of human life, bringing light, not after darkness, but out of darkness.
William Cowper, 1731-1800, was the greatest English poet of his age. He had been trained for the law and was called to the bar at the age of twenty-three but had to retire on account of ill health. He lost his mental balance and became deeply melancholic, a misfortune which is attributed to cruelty received at the hands of older and stronger lads while he attended preparatory school. After treatment in a private asylum, and living for a time in the home of Rev. Morley Unwin, he moved to Olney where his devoted friend, the Rev. John Newton was curate. Here he assisted Newton in his parochial and evangelistic work and collaborated with him in the production of what became known as the Olney Hymns. In spite of efforts at literary work, his depression of spirit returned and never left him, except for brief intervals, until his death in 1800.
MUSIC. DUNDEE (or FRENCH) is one of the twelve Common Tunes appearing in the Scottish Psalter, The CL Psalms of David &, Edinburgh, 1615, where it is named “French Tune.” Its first appearance in an English Psalter is in Ravencroft’s Whole Book of Psalms, 1621, where it is called “Dundy.” It is one of the best known of the psalm tunes and its smooth, flowing melody has enjoyed great popularity.
For comments on the Scottish Psalter see [Hymn 575].