Desert Island Hymns

For the start of our second week, where members of St Nicholas Methodist Church, Topsham pick the one hymn they would take with them to a Desert Island, Jill Gullidge has opted for “Breathe on me breath of God”.

“Breathe on Me, Breath of God" is an English Christian hymn written by Edwin Hatch, a Church of England vicar and the Professor of Classics at the University of Trinity College in Canada. It was first published privately in 1878 and publicly published in 1886.

Edwin Hatch spent his childhood in a non-conformist background before being ordained into the Church of England. In 1876 he wrote "Breathe on Me, Breath of God" and published it privately in a pamphlet entitled "Between Doubt and Prayer" giving it the Latin title of "Spiritus Dei" (Spirit of God). The hymn was later published into the public sphere in 1886 in Henry Allon's "The Congregational Psalmist Hymnal". It was republished posthumously by Hatch's widow in 1890 in "Towards Fields of Light: Sacred Poems".

The handbook to the Psalter Hymnal, where "Breath on Me, Breath of God" was later published, referred to the oft quoted statement about Hatch's faith being "as simple and unaffected as a child" being an appropriate description of the hymn. it was also described by the United Methodist Church as: "The simplicity of this profound hymn belies the education and knowledge of its author". Hatch knew that though he had written the hymn using simple words, they had profound meaning with references to creation of man by God in Genesis and in the spiritual breath of God which came to humanity via Jesus at Pentecost.

What happened to Edwin Hatch to redirect him at Oxford was that 'God breathed on him', changing the whole course of his life. But, to continue the simile, he had to be standing close enough to God to be breathed on. If we insist on preserving our own personal space to the extent that we keep spiritual matters at arms length, we will not be close enough to God for his spirit to pervade our lives. We may find it more comfortable to dodge God's challenges, but our lives will be the poorer.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Fill me with life anew,

That I may love what Thou dost love,

And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Until my heart is pure,

Until with Thee I will one will,

To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Till I am wholly Thine,

Until this earthly part of me

Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with Thee the perfect life

Of Thine eternity.

Online Worship Link

 St Nicholas Methodist Church, Topsham 060621 2

https://youtu.be/y5CmEbii4vw

Desert Island Hymns

Our contribution choice to our list of Desert Island Hymns for today comes from Rosemary Stephenson, is perhaps a lesser known hymn and can be found in Hymns and Psalms but not the current Methodist Hymnbook Singing the Faith. The writer, Adelaide Anne Procter (30 October 1825 – 2 February 1864) was an English poet and philanthropist.

Her literary career began when she was a teenager, her poems appearing in Charles Dickens's periodicals Household Words and All the Year Round, and later in feminist journals. Her charity work and her conversion to Roman Catholicism seem to have influenced her poetry, which deals with such subjects as homelessness, poverty, and fallen women, among whom she performed philanthropic work. Procter was the favourite poet of Queen Victoria. Coventry Patmore called her the most popular poet of the day, after Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Few modern critics have rated her work, but it is still thought significant for what it reveals about how Victorian women expressed otherwise repressed feelings.

Procter never married. Her health suffered, possibly due to overwork, and she died of tuberculosis at the age.

From a biblical point of view it is suggested that Adelaide took her inspiration from Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” As your read through this hymn allow the thankfulness of your heart to dwell in you richly.

My God, I thank You, who have made 

The earth so bright,

So full of splendour and of joy, 

Beauty and light; 

So many glorious things are here, 

Noble and right.

I thank You, too, that You have made

Joy to abound; 

So many gentle thoughts and deeds 

Circling us round, 

That in the darkest spot of earth 

Some love is found.

I thank You more that all our joy Is 

touched with pain, 

That shadows fall on brightest hours, 

That thorns remain, 

So that earth’s bliss may be our guide 

And not our chain.

I thank You, Lord, that You have kept 

The best in store; 

We have enough, yet not too much 

To long for more; 

A yearning for a deeper peace 

Not known before.

I thank You, Lord, that here our souls, 

Though amply blessed, 

Can never find, although they seek, 

A perfect rest; 

Nor ever shall, until they lean 

On Jesus breast.

Desert Island Hymns

Be Still for the Presence of the Lord" a contemporary hymn written in 1986 by British songwriter David J. Evans a Hampshire based piano teacher is Jeanette Brooks’ choice for today. Evans was involved in the charismatic movement but felt that some of its worship risked treating God in a trivial fashion. Specifically, he was inspired by the phrase in the Old Testament 7 – "then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said 'surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.'" Also inspirational was Exodus 3: 1–6, where Moses met the Yahweh at the burning bush.

This hymn has been heard on the BBC's Songs of Praise and was voted as one of the UK's 10 most popular hymns in 2019.

Being still in the presence of the Lord is a recurring theme throughout scripture. There are two key texts in the Psalms; Psalm 46 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” Perhaps something easier to read or even sing than to do.

For me the words of Jesus hold a deep significance; Mark 4:39 “And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Even in the presence of Jesus, with the memory of his words fresh in their minds, the disciples doubted. Like them, perhaps we need to learn how to bring my doubts and questions to Jesus and listen for his answer in the stillness of his presence.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

The holy One, is here;

Come bow before him now

With reverence and fear

In him no sin is found

We stand on holy ground.

Be still, for the presence of the Lord,

The holy One, is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around;

He burns with holy fire,

With splendour he is crowned:

How awesome is the sight

Our radiant king of light!

Be still, for the glory of the Lord

Is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord

Is moving in this place:

He comes to cleanse and heal,

To minister his grace -

No work too hard for him.

In faith receive from him.

Be still, for the power of the Lord

Desert Island Hymns

 Today we move to a favourite of many, “What Friend we have in Jesus!” chosen by Jean Mansell. This hymn is profound in its simplicity. 

Joseph M. Scriven (b. Seapatrick, County Down, Ireland, 1819; d. Bewdley, Rice Lake, ON, Canada, 1886), an Irish immigrant to Canada, wrote this text near Port Hope, Ontario, in 1855. Because his life was filled with grief and trials, Scriven often needed the solace of the Lord as described in his famous hymn.

Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, he enrolled in a military college to prepare for an army career. However, poor health forced him to give up that ambition. Soon after came a second blow—his fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844. Later that year he moved to Ontario, where he taught school in Woodstock and Brantford. His plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. 

Following this calamity Scriven seldom had a regular income, and he was forced to live in the homes of others. He also experienced mistrust from neighbors who did not appreciate his eccentricities or his work with the underprivileged. A member of the Plymouth Brethren, he tried to live according to the Sermon on the Mount as literally as possible, giving and sharing all he had and often doing menial tasks for the poor and physically disabled. Because Scriven suffered from depression, no one knew if his death by drowning in Rice Lake was suicide or an accident.

Bert Polman.

Scriven, Joseph. Mr. Sankey, in his My Life and Sacred Songs, 1906, p. 279, says that Scriven was b. in Dublin in 1820, was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and went to Canada when he was 25, and died there at Port Hope, on Lake Ontario, in 1886. 

His hymn:— What a Friend we have in Jesus. [Jesus our Friend] was, according to Mr. Sankey, discovered to be his in the following manner: "A neighbour, sitting up with him in his illness, happened upon a manuscript of 'What a Friend we have in Jesus.' Reading it with great delight, and questioning Mr. Scriven about it, he said he had composed it for his mother, to comfort her in a time of special sorrow, not intending any one else should see it." We find the hymn in H. 1... Hastings's Social Hymns, Original and Selected, 1865, No. 242; and his Song of Pilgrimage, 1886, No. 1291, where it is attributed to "Joseph Scriven, cir. 1855." It is found in many modern collections.

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer!

3 Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge--

take it to the Lord in prayer!

Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield you;

you will find a solace there.

Desert Island Hymns

The hymn chosen by Robert Mansell for today, comes from the pen of John Bunyan; variously known as “He who would valiant be,” and “Who would true valour see.”

To Be a Pilgrim is the best known hymn using words of John Bunyan in The Pilgrim's Progress . It first appeared in Part 2 of The Pilgrim's Progress, written in 1684. The hymn recalls the words of Hebrews 11:13: "...and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."

The words were modified extensively by Percy Dearmer for the 1906 The English Hymnal. At the same time it was given a new tune by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, who used a melody taken from the traditional song "Our Captain Cried All Hands" which he collected in the hamlet of Monk's Gate, in West Sussex – hence the name of "Monks Gate" by which the melody is referred to in hymn books.

For a time, Bunyan's original version was not commonly sung in churches, perhaps because of the references to "hobgoblin" and "foul fiend." However, one commentator has said: "Bunyan's burly song strikes a new and welcome note in our Hymnal. The quaint sincerity of the words stirs us out of our easygoing dull Christianity to the thrill of great adventure. Recent hymn books have tended to return to the original, for example, the Church of England's Common Praise, the Church of Scotland's Church Hymnary 4th Edition and the latest Methodist Hymnbook, Singing the Faith.

1. Who would true valour see, 

Let him come hither; 

One here will constant be, 

Come wind, come weather; 

There’s no discouragement 

Shall make him once relent 

His first avowed intent 

To be a pilgrim.

2. Whoso beset him round 

With dismal stories 

Do but themselves confound; 

His strength the more is, 

No lion can him fright; 

He’ll with a giant fight; 

But he will have a right 

To be a pilgrim.

3. Hobgoblin nor foul fiend 

Can daunt his spirit; 

He knows he at the end 

Shall life inherit, 

Then fancies fly away, 

He’ll fear not what men say; 

He’ll labour night and day 

To be a pilgrim.

Perhaps Paul captures  for us the essence of this hymn in Romans 8 ‘As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’

Desert Island Hymns

Today’s Desert Island Hymn is, “I cannot tell” is selected by Steph Dunleavy.

Written by Rev’d William Young Fullerton (1857-1932) who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and raised as Presbyterian, but later became a Baptist preacher, administrator, and writer. As a young man he was influenced by the preaching of evangelist, Charles Spurgeon, who became his friend and mentor and became the pastor of the Melbourne Hall Baptist Church. Thousands of people came to Christ under his ministry. He was tall, but very a[pproachable and kind. Fullerton served as President of the Baptist Union and Home Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society. 

He spoke frequently at Keswick Conventions. He published works, including biographies of John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, James William Condell Fegan, and Frederick Brotherton Meyer. He also wrote missionary histories and devotionals. He compiled several hymnals as well. He died at Bedford Park, Middlesex.

The hymn traces many of the questions a follower of Jesus may ponder but counter balances this agains a statement of assurance in the words, ‘but this I know.’ Paul shared a similar unknowing/knowing experience when writing to the Corinthians; ‘For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.” 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (NIV)

1 I cannot tell how he whom angels worship

should stoop to love the peoples of the earth,

or why as shepherd he should seek the wanderers

with his mysterious promise of new birth.

But this I know, that he was born of Mary,

when Bethlehem's manger was his only home,

and that he lived at Nazareth and laboured,

and so the saviour, saviour of the world, is come.

2 I cannot tell how silently he suffered,

as with his peace he graced this place of tears,

nor how his heart upon the cross was broken,

the crown of pain to three and thirty years.

But this I know, he heals the broken-hearted,

and stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,

and lifts the burden from the heavy laden,

for still the saviour, saviour of the world, is here.

3 I cannot tell how he will win the nations,

how he will claim his earthly heritage,

how satisfy the needs and aspirations

of east and west, of sinner and of sage.

But this I know, all flesh shall see his glory,

and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,

and some glad day his sun shall shine in splendour

when he the saviour, saviour of the world, is known.

4 I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,

when, at his bidding, every storm is stilled,

or who can say how great the jubilation

when all our hearts with love for him are filled.

But this I know, the skies will sound his praises,

ten thousand thousand human voices sing,

and earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:

'At last the saviour, saviour of the world, is king!'