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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This DATE – Dwight born

 

ON-this-DATE   

5/14/1752, Timothy Dwight was born at Northampton,

Massachusetts.  He was a Congregationalist and a grandson

of the famous Jonathan Edwards.  Dwight was a state legislator,

a chaplain in the Continental Army, and a minister of the

Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In 1795 (when he was 43) he became

the president of Yale University.  He remained in this position

until his death at age 64.  In 1800 he wrote the hymn “I Love

Thy Kingdom, Lord.”  Dwight published a revision of Watts

Psalms and added 33 of his own hymns. He helped lead a revival

at Yale, in which he saw 75 of their 230 students converted to Christ. 

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Ray Palmer – Death, Mar. 29, 1887

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul! 

Ray Palmer died 3/29/1887, at Newark, New Jersey.  Palmer attended Phillips Andover Academy (he and Oliver Wendell Holmes were classmates there) and Yale University.  He taught at a young ladies’ school (New York) and at a ladies’ college (Connecticut).  Later Palmer was ordained a Congregational minister (1835) and pastored in Bath, Maine and Albany, New York.

Palmer wrote the above lyrics about the time he graduated from Yale (21 years of age).  It is said that Mason (a couple of years later) met Palmer on a street in Boston, and asked him to write something for a new hymnal.  Palmer gave him these words.  Mason is reported to have told Palmer, “You may live many years and do many good things, but I think you will be best known to posterity as the author of “My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” a correct prophesy.  Song has been translated into over twenty (20) languages.  Ray was born 11/12/1808, at Little Compton, Rhode Island.

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