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.