Hymn of Praise. I.

Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name.

_Ps._ xcvi. 8.

Sing praise to G.o.d Who reigns above, The G.o.d of all creation, The G.o.d of power, the G.o.d of love, The G.o.d of our salvation; With healing balm my soul He fills, And every faithless murmur stills; To G.o.d all praise and glory!

The angel host, O King of kings, Thy praise for ever telling, In earth and sky all living things Beneath thy shadow dwelling, Adore the wisdom which could span, And power which formed creation's plan; To G.o.d all praise and glory!

What G.o.d's almighty power hath made His gracious mercy keepeth; By morning glow or evening shade, His watchful eye ne'er sleepeth: Within the Kingdom of his might, Lo! all is just, and all is right: To G.o.d all praise and glory!

I cried to G.o.d in my distress- In mercy hear my calling- My Saviour saw my helplessness, And kept my feet from falling; For this, Lord, thanks and praise to Thee!

Praise G.o.d, I say, praise G.o.d with me!

To G.o.d all praise and glory!

The Lord is never far away, Throughout all grief distressing An ever-present help and stay, Our peace, and joy, and blessing.

As with a mother's tender hand, He leads his own, his chosen band; To G.o.d all praise and glory!

When every earthly hope has flown From sorrow's sons and daughters, Our Father from his heavenly throne Beholds the troubled waters; And at his Word the storm is stayed Which made his children's hearts afraid; To G.o.d all praise and glory!

Then all my gladsome way along, I sing aloud Thy praises, That men may hear the grateful song My voice unwearied raises: Be joyful in the Lord, my heart!

Both soul and body bear your part!

To G.o.d all praise and glory!

O ye who name Christ's holy Name, Give G.o.d all praise and glory!

All ye who own his power, proclaim Aloud the wondrous story!

Cast each false idol from his throne, The Lord is G.o.d, and He alone; To G.o.d all praise and glory!

Lobgesang. II.

Danket dem Herrn, denn Er ist freundlich: Und feine Gute wahret ewiglich.

Nun danket alle Gott Mit Herzen, Mund und Handen, Der grosse Dinge thut An uns und allen Enden; Der uns von Mutterleib Und Kindesbeinen an Unzahlig viel zu gut Und noch jetzund gethan.

Der ewig reiche Gott Woll uns bei unserm Leben Ein immer frohlich Herz Und edlen Frieden geben, Und uns in seiner Gnad Erhalten fort und fort, Ja uns aus aller Noth Erlosen hier und dort.

Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott, Dem Vater und dem Sohne, Und Dem der beiden gleich, Im hochsten Himmelsthrone: Dem dreimaleinen Gott, Als Der ursprunglich war Und ist und bleiben wird Jetzund und immerdar.

Martin Rinckart. 1585-1649.

Hymn of Praise. II.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever.

_Ps._ cx.x.xvi. 1.

Lift heart, and hands, and voice To G.o.d's bright throne of glory; In grateful songs rejoice, And tell aloud the story, How from our natal day His mercies numberless Have blest us on our way, And still unnumbered bless.

The ever bounteous Lord, Throughout our life's duration, Wilt joy of heart afford, Through hope of his salvation: In trial's grievous hour His Arm will hold us fast, And from temptation's power Will set us free at last.

To Father and to Son Be praise and glory given, And to that Holy One Who reigns with them in heaven: To G.o.d, the One in Three, The G.o.d Who is, and was, And evermore shall be:- The One Eternal Cause!

SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHORS.

Angelus, Johann-1624-1677-whose real name was Scheffler, native of Breslau, physician in ordinary to the Emperor Ferdinand the Third. In the year 1653 he resigned this post, went over to the Church of Rome, and became a priest, having previously, by a singular fancy, a.s.sumed the name of Angelus.

Arndt, Ernst Moritz-1769-1860-born in the Isle of Rugen; in 1806 professor of philosophy at Greifswald, whole political writings so aroused the national spirit against the hated dominion of Napoleon, that they may be regarded as having mainly influenced the combination which eventually restored the independence of Germany. After the restoration, he was appointed professor of history at Bonn, in 1816; but in a few years having become an object of suspicion to the government, he was suspended, and ultimately deprived of his professorship. From being a writer of popular songs, he became a writer of sacred ones. His hymn "Geht nun hin und grabt mein Grab," must be reckoned one of the greatest gems of sacred poetry of the century.

Brandenburg, Luise Henriette, Electress of-1627-1667-the daughter of Frederick Henry, and wife of Frederick William, Princes of Orange. A Princess distinguished for her gentleness and charity. She was the foundress of the Oranienburg Orphan Asylum.

Brunswick, Anton Ulrich, Duke of-1633-1714-pupil of the learned Schottelius; a learned Prince, who was a popular writer of his time.

Burde, Samuel Gottlieb-1753-?-native of Breslau, royal secretary to the board of finances at that place.

Fouque, Friedrich Freiherr, de la Motte, born, in 1777, at Neubrandenberg. The worthy and distinguished descendant of the brave, intellectual, and pious general of Frederick the Great; he has given a beautiful and lasting memorial of his poetical spirit and his Christian mind, in the hymn "Was du vor tausend Jahren." He died at Halle in 1843.

Freylinghausen, Johann Anastasius-1670-1739-born at Gandersheim, in Wolfenb.u.t.tel; a clergyman, and director of the Orphan Asylum at Halle.

Gellert, Christian Furchtegott-1715-1769-a Saxon, native of Haynichen, in Erzgebirge, and son of the minister of that place. He studied theology, in distressed circ.u.mstances, at Leipzig, but his bad health did not allow him to preach. He lived at Leipzig, and gave lectures (first as a master of arts and afterwards as extraordinary professor) on eloquence and moral philosophy, and gained as universally the reputation of an author and a pattern of pure taste, as he did love and esteem as a man and a Christian, by his integrity of conduct, and his unaffected piety and humility. Composing hymns was his favourite employment, in which, together with prayer, he spent the happiest hours of his life of suffering. All his hymns speak the simple Christian poet of the people, and many of them have lasting cla.s.sic merit. His death, as was his life, was worthy of a Christian. When, in his last illness, his friends told him, in answer to his question, that the struggle between life and death might probably last an hour, he lifted up his hands with a cheerful countenance, exclaimed, "Now, G.o.d be praised, only an hour!" turned on his side, his eyes gleaming with joy, and gently breathed his last.

Gerhard, Paul-1606-1676-of Grafenhaynichen, in the circle of the Electorate; the greatest of German hymn-writers. Scarcely had he attained his twelfth year, when the Thirty years' war broke out. Forced to quit his native land, he was appointed, in 1631, preacher at the Nicolai Church at Berlin, where he remained ten years, honoured and respected.

But as his religious opinions differed from those of the King, he was ordered to quit the country. Utterly dest.i.tute, he and his wife directed their steps towards his native land, performing the journey on foot. When evening arrived, they sought repose at a little village inn, when his wife gave way to a burst of natural emotion. Gerhard reminded her of the text beginning "Commit thy way unto the Lord," and retiring to an arbour in the garden, he composed the hymn "Befiehl du deine Wege," for which of all others he is most celebrated. When they were about to retire to rest, two gentlemen entered the parlour in which they were seated. One of them, in conversing with the poet, told him they were on their way to Berlin, in search of the deposed clergyman, Paul Gerhard, by order of Duke Christian of Merseberg. Gerhard's wife turned pale, but he calmly declared he was the person they were seeking. Great was the astonishment of both husband and wife, when one of the strangers delivered to Gerhard a letter from the duke, informing him that he had settled a considerable pension on him, as a compensation for the injustice of which he had been a victim. Then Gerhard turned to his wife, and gave her the hymn he had composed, with the words "See how G.o.d provides! did I not bid you to trust in G.o.d and all would be well?"

Gunther, Cyriacus-1650-1704-born at Goldbach, a preceptor in the Gymnasium at Gotha.