John Henry Hopkins Jr. – birth, Oct. 28, 1820

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain

O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.

John Henry Hopkins Jr. was born this date, 10/28/1820 at Pittsburgh, PA.  He grad­u­at­ed twice (1839 BA, 1845 MA) from the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Ver­mont.  He was a re­port­er in New York Ci­ty but eventually enrolled at Gen­er­al The­o­log­ic­al Sem­in­ary grad­u­ating in 1850. He was that sem­in­ary’s first mu­sic teach­er but went on to minister in Trin­i­ty Church, Platts­burg, New York, and Christ Church, Will­iams­port, PA.  He wrote several other songs in addition to “We Three Kings” (done for a Christ­mas pa­geant). Hopkins, died 8/14/1891 at Hudson, NY.

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Lydia Baxter – death, Jun 22, 1874

Take the Name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe,
It will joy and comfort give you;
Take it then, where’er you go.

Refrain

Precious Name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.
Precious Name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

2.

Take the Name of Jesus ever,
As a shield from every snare;
If temptations round you gather,
Breathe that holy Name in prayer.

3.

O the precious Name of Jesus!
How it thrills our souls with joy,
When His loving arms receive us,
And His songs our tongues employ!

4.

At the Name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet,
King of kings in Heav’n we’ll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.

Lydia Baxter died this date 6/22/1874 in NYC.  She wrote “Take the Name Of Jesus With You” (aka “Precious name”).  Baxter was born 9/2/1809 at Pe­ters­burg, New York.

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William Cullen Bryant – death, Jun 12, 1878

So live that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan, that moves
To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but sustain’d and sooth’d
By an unfaltering trust approach thy grave,
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

William Cullen Bryant died this date 6/12/1878 in NYC.  He wrote, Thanatopsis (at 17 yrs. of age), Popular History of the United States (pub.1879) “Thou Whose Un-measured Temple Stands” and several other works.  Bryant was born 11/3/1794 in Cummington,  Massachusetts.

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William Merrill – published, Feb. 16, 1911

“Rise Up, O Men of God”

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!

William Pierson Merrill published this date (2/16/1911) his “Rise Up O Men of God” song.  Merrill was born 1/10/1867, Orange, NJ and died 6/19/1954, NYC.

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Adelaide Pollard – death, Dec. 20, 1934

“Have Thine Own Way”

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Adelaide Addison Pollard wrote this hymn in 1907.  She died this date 12/20/1934 in NYC (was born 11/27/1862).  Pollard, in addition to writing some 100 hymns spent some time (pre WWI) in Africa and taught at the Missionary Training School,  Nyack .

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