Music for the Second Sunday in Lent — March 5, 2023

Take Up Your Cross, the Saviour Said – Text: Charles William Everest (1814-1877) / Music: Melody Locheimer Gesangbuch 1452; harm. Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

This Sunday’s offertory hymn in church, Take Up Your Cross the Saviour Said, was written by Charles William Everest in six stanzas of four lines, and published in his Visions of Death and other Poems 1833, when the author was only 19. The reference is to Mark 8:34. The strength of this hymn lies in the gradual approach towards a bid for commitment in stanza five. The author, a native of Connecticut, attended Trinity College, Hartford and graduated in 1838. After ordination in 1842 he was appointed rector of Hampden near New Haven, where he remained until 1873.

Breslau has been used more frequently for this hymn than any other tune. It grew out of a folksong, ‘Ich far dahin,’ which was in the Locheimer Gesangbuch c. 1452. Many variants were known in Germany up to the end of the 17th century. Mendelssohn used it as a chorale in his oratorio St. Paul; Hymns Ancient & Modern 1861 used the tune twice. Bach used a melody in his Choralgesänge to the words ‘Ach Gott, wie manches Herzelied,’ which appears to be founded on this melody. The form in our hymn books owes more to Mendelssohn than to any other person.

Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,
If thou wouldst my disciple be;
Deny thyself, the world forsake,
And humbly follow after me.
Take up thy cross; let not its weight
Fill thy weak spirit with alarm;
His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
And brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.
Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
Nor let thy foolish pride rebel;
The Lord for thee the Cross endured,
To save thy soul from death and hell.
Take up thy cross then in his strength,
And calmly every danger brave;
‘Twill guide thee to a better home,
And lead to victory o’er the grave.
Take up thy cross, and follow Christ,
Nor think till death to lay it down;
For only he who bears the cross
May hope to wear the glorious crown.
To thee, great Lord, the One in Three,
All praise for evermore ascend;
O grant us in our home to see
The heavenly life that knows no end.

Gerald Harder

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Music for the First Sunday in Lent — February 26 2023

Jesus, Lover of My soul – Text: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) / Music: Joseph Parry (1841-1903)

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This Sunday’s offertory hymn in church, Jesus, Lover of My Soul, first appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems1740, in five stanzas of eight lines. Except for stanza three, which is omitted in most hymnals, the text follows Charles Wesley’s (1707-1788) original. Wesley’s poem speaks for the person who has reached the extremity of their own resources. It is based on the author’s conviction that one must hand over the direction of one’s life to God, who is the only one to supply what we in our helplessness cannot achieve. As a poem, Wesley’s writing here is somewhat problematic; the symbols he uses change, are forgotten, or are even contradicted in later verses. However, as a hymn it has proved itself over the years, having been published in some 3,000 hymnals to date.

Joseph Parry (1841-1903) wrote the tune Aberystwyth when he was a professor at University College in Aberystwyth, setting it to these words at the conclusion of his cantata Ceridwen. Admittedly, the hymn makes an abrupt ending to a Druidical story, but the tune has gone around the world and become the first choice for Wesley’s words in many hymnals. By far the most popular composer in Wales, Parry wrote several choral works, including oratorios, cantatas, and operas, along with a little instrumental music and about 400 hymn tunes. His music is treasured by all who value the beauty of a skillful melody, whether or not it reflects the Welsh spirit.

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high:
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah, leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
All my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in thee I find:
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am,
Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of thee,
Spring thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.

Gerald Harder

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