Timothy Dwight – died

ON THIS DATE

Timothy Dwight died (of cancer) 1/11/1817 at New Haven, CT.  He was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards, became a Congregational minister, and was a personal friend of George Washington.  He began reading the Bible at four and matriculated at Yale at age 13.  He published an 11-volume Conquest of Canaan (1785), received a Doctor of Divinity degree (Princeton 1787), and became president of Yale University (1795). He also helped found Andover Theological Seminary (first New England seminary 1809).  He had been born 5/14/1752 at Northampton, MA.

Dwight is remembered today as the author of “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord” – believed to be the oldest hymn (by an American) still in common use.  It is one of his 72 known hymns (first two stanza below).

“I love Thy kingdom, Lord, The house of Thine abode,

The church our blessed Redeemer saved With His own precious blood.

“I love Thy church, O God. Her walls before Thee stand,

Dear as the apple of Thine eye, And written on Thy hand.”

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Jonathan Edwards – death, Mar. 22, 1758

Jonathan Edwards died this date, 3/22/1758, at Princeton, New Jersey.  He became a powerful preacher, an evangelical theologian, and missionary to the American Indians. His daughter, Jerusha Edwards (one of his eleven children), would perhaps have married David Brainerd had David not died prematurely.  Edwards was born 10/5/1703, at East Windsor, Connecticut.

Edwards became a beleiver inoculations, was inoculated for small pox and died from the inoculations.

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Henry Van Dyke – death, Apr. 10, 1933

“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”

 

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

 

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

 

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

 

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

 

Henry Van Dyke died this date (4/10/1933) at Princeton, NJ. He was President Wilson’s Minister to Holland and Luxemborg.  He wrote The Gospel in an Age of Doubt and a Christmas classic, The Story of the Other Wise Man.

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