Devotions_, which he and his classmate in the Divinity School, Samuel
Johnson, daringly compiled while still students in the School. A not
improbable story of the origin of the book reports that their friend,
Rev. Francis Parker Appleton, then a young minister at Peabody,
Massachusetts, had complained to them about the antiquated hymn-book
which he found in use in his church, to which they replied that they
would prepare a book for him which would express the religious
aspirations of the rising generation. The book appeared in 1846,
before either of the young editors had been ordained, and was an
immediate success. It was first used in the First Unitarian Church at
Worcester, Massachusetts, where Longfellow’s classmate and lifelong
friend, Edward Everett Hale, had just been ordained at a service for
which Longfellow wrote the ordination hymn, and it was promptly
adopted by Theodore Parker for his congregation in Music Hall. The
book was re-published in somewhat revised and enlarged form in 1848,
and ran to 12 editions. It marked a new epoch in American hymnody
because it was the product of young and adventurous but well-trained
minds seeking to give utterance to the emotions stirred by the
intellectual and political ferment of the times, and because of the
new sources to which they turned. They were the first to see and make
use of the hymnic possibilities of the poems of John Greenleaf
Whittier, and to include in an American hymn-book Newman’s “Lead,
kindly Light,” which they had found printed in a newspaper without the
author’s name, though they altered the first line to read “Send kindly
Light,” and another line further down. From their book it passed into
other collections, with variant readings.
In 1859 Longfellow published a little collection entitled _Vespers_,
hymns for use at the vesper services which he had instituted in his
church in Brooklyn. In 1860 he published _A Book of Hymns and Tunes
for the Sunday School, the Congregation, and the Home_, and in 1864 he
and Samuel Johnson brought out their second notable book, _Hymns of
the Spirit_, (not to be confused with the hymn book with the same
title published by the Beacon Press in 1937). This book contained most
of the later hymns written by the two editors, and a good many new
hymns by other authors who were glad to contribute them. Its literary
level was higher than that of their first book, but it had less
popular success, in part, perhaps, because they failed to set the
words to tunes, which had become the common practice in the period
since their earlier book appeared. In 1876 he brought out _A Book of
Hymns & Tunes for the Congregation & the Home_, a revision of his
earlier book with a similar title, in which several of his earlier
hymns appear in revised form. In 1887 he printed privately _A Few
Verses of Many Years_.
After his death a small volume entitled _Hymns and Verses by Samuel
Longfellow_ was published in 1894 with a very brief introductory note
by his niece, Miss Alice M. Longfellow. It included 41 hymns which she
thought were his, followed by 30 short poems of no outstanding
excellence. Some of the “hymns” included seem never to have come into
use as such; some of her attributions were mistaken; she omitted some
hymns which he wrote or adapted but cited in his books as “Anonymous”
because based on the work of others; and she did not always print the
best of extant variant readings. This book, therefore, must be used
with caution in compiling the list of Longfellow’s hymns, whether
original or adapted.
Before listing his hymns it should be noted that he wrote or edited
several other literary works. In 1853 he and his classmate Thomas
Wentworth Higginson published a beautiful collection of sea-poems
entitled _Thalatta_. He wrote a memoir of his friend, Rev. Samuel
Johnson, 1883; was the author of a _Life of Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_, 1886; and edited _Final Memorials of Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow_ in 1887. A volume of his own _Essays and Sermons_, edited
by Joseph May, was published in 1894.
_Alphabetical List of Hymns written or adapted by Samuel Longfellow_
_Abbreviations_:
Bk. Hys. = The Book of Hymns, 1846 or 1848.
H. and V. = Hymns & Verses by Samuel Longfellow, 1894.
Hys. Sp. = Hymns of the Spirit, 1864.
J. (followed by page number) = Julian’s Dictionary of Hymnology.
S. L. = Samuel Longfellow
1. _A voice by Jordan’s shore._ (Advent)
Printed in Hys. Sp. 1864, under title of “John and Jesus”; in H. &
V., no date.
2. _Again as evening’s shadow falls._ (Evening)
Published in _Vespers_, New York, 1860, headed “Nox et tenebrae,”
in 2 stas. of 8 l., and reprinted in Hys. Sp. 1864, with the title
“Vesper Hymn,” in 4 stas. of 4 l.; also in H. & V. in which it is
the fourth and concluding hymn of a group called “Vesper Hymns,”
and dated 1859, the 3^d and 4^th of which were included in Hys.
Sp., 1864.
3. _Beneath the shadow of the cross._ (Sacrifice)
Written in Fall River, 1848, and published in the _Supplement to A
Book of Hymns, Second Edition_, Boston, 1848, with the title “The
New Commandment,” in 3 stas. of 4 l.; in H. & V.
4. _Eternal One, Thou living God._ (Anniversary)
Written in 1875 for a church anniversary, possibly for the 25^th
anniversary of the Preble Chapel in Portland, Maine; 5 stas. of 4
l. In H. & V. the original reading of the last two lines,
“Afloat upon its boundless sea,
Who sails with God is safe indeed.”
are changed to the inferior reading,
“That truth alone can make us free;
Who goes with God is safe indeed.”
5. _Every bird that upward springs._
Included in _Supplement to Bk. Hys._, 1848, attributed to Neale,
and also in Hys. Sp., 1864. It is in fact S.L.’s adaptation of
part of a hymn by Neale for St. Andrew’s Day, included in his
“Hymns for Children”, 1842; see pp. 360-1 of the _Collected Hymns,
Sequences and Carols of J. M. Neale_, 1914. S.L. used stas. 4, 5,
6 and 7 of Neale’s hymn in 8 stas. Of the 16 lines in S.L.’s
version 9 are taken unchanged from Neale, 6 contain part of
Neale’s wording, and only 1 is wholly S.L.’s. S.L. writing in 1880
said, “I may say that hymn 585, [i.e. Every bird, etc.] is mine—I
did not put my name because two lines were not mine—“. (see H. W.
Foote, _The Anonymous Hymns of Samuel Longfellow_, Harv. Theol.
Rev. Oct., 1917.) This letter illustrates the fallibility of human
memory. In the 32 years which had elapsed since he had adapted
Neale’s verses for the _Supplement to Bk. Hys._ his own
contribution to the final result had come to bulk much larger than
it really was. S.L. was right in ascribing the hymn to Neale, as
he did in 1848 and 1864, tho he might properly have marked it as
“Neale, altered.”
6. Father, give thy benediction. (Dismissal)
One stanza, 8 lines, printed anonymously in Hys. Sp.; described by
S.L. as “of no importance”, but included in his H. & V. Listed as
“Anon.” in the first edition of the _Pilgrim Hymnal_. Included in
the _Isles of Shoals Hymn Book_, 1908. (H. W. Foote, _The
Anonymous Hymns of Samuel Longfellow_, Harv. Theol. Rev. October,
1917). See J. 1563.
7. _Go forth to life, O child of earth._ (Life’s mission)
Written in 1859, included in his _Book of Hymns and Tunes for the
Sunday School_, and in Hys. Sp. 1864, under title “Life’s
Mission.” 4 stas. of 4 l.
8. _God of the earth, the sea, the sky._ (Divine Immanence)
Printed anonymously in Hys. Sp. 1864, under title “God, through
all and in you all”; included in H. & V. with l. 2 in sta. 1
altered; no date. (H. W. Foote, _The Anonymous Hymns of Samuel
Longfellow_, Harv. Theol. Rev. October, 1917).
9. _God of Truth! Thy sons should be_,
No. 550 in Hys. Sp. 1864, where it is listed as “Anon,” because,
as he later wrote, it was “founded on a H. of Wesley” though
“nearly all mine.” (H. W. Foote, _The Anonymous Hymns of Samuel
Longfellow_, Harv. Theol. Rev., October, 1917).
10. _God’s trumpet wakes the slumbering world._ (Courage)
Printed anonymously in Hys. Sp. 1864 under title “On the Lord’s
Side”; in H. & V., no date. 5 stas. of 4 l.
11. _He, who himself and God would know._ (Silent worship)
Printed in Hys. Sp. 1864 as “From Martineau” under title of “Be
still, and know that I am God.” This is S.L.’s versification of a
passage from Martineau’s sermon, “Silence and Meditation”, no. 17
in “Endeavors after the Christian Life,” in which Martineau
paraphrased a few sentences in Pascal’s “Thoughts”, no. 72. Not
dated; not included in H. & V. (H. W. Foote, _The Anonymous Hymns
of Samuel Longfellow_, Harv. Theol. Rev. October, 1917.)
12. _Holy Spirit, Truth [Light] Divine._
Included in Hys. Sp. under title “Prayer for Inspiration”; also in
H. & V., without date. In the introductory note to H. & V. it is
stated that this hymn “bears some resemblance to one by Andrew
Reed, but after careful investigation they appear to be quite
distinct.” In spite of this disclaimer it is clear that the theme
of the hymn as a whole, and several of its lines, are borrowed
from the hymn, “Holy Ghost, with light divine” by Andrew Reed,
1817. Furthermore, S.L.’s arrangement of this hymn is found in two
different versions, the one in H. & V. beginning, “Holy Spirit,
Truth divine,” the other, and superior one, beginning, “Holy
Spirit, Light divine.” It will be found in this latter form in
_The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and in _Hymns of the Spirit_,
1937, in both of which it is attributed to both Reed and
Longfellow.
13. _Holy Spirit, source of gladness._
S.L.’s adaptation of Jacobi and Toplady’s version of Gerhardt’s “O
du allersusste Freude”; included in _Supplement to Bk. Hys._ 1848,
and in altered form in Hys. Sp. 1864; set down as “Anon.” in both;
not included in H. & V.
14. _I look to Thee in every need_, (Trust)
In Hys. Sp., 1864, with title “Looking Unto God,” and listed as
“Anon.”, but included in H. & V. as Longfellow’s. He had not
claimed it because its opening stanza was strongly reminiscent of
a love-song by Thomas Haynes Bayly, as indicated by S.L.’s
pencilled notation in his copy of Hys. Sp. now in the library of
Union Theological Seminary, New York, reading “V. 1, T. H. Bayley,
alt.” Bayly (not Baylēy) (1797-1839) was an English composer of
popular sentimental songs one of which began,
I turn to thee in time of need
And never turn in vain;
I see thy fond and fearless smile
And hope revives again.
It gives me strength to struggle on,
Whate’er the strife may be;
And if again my courage fail
Again I turn to thee.
This song, though one of Bayly’s best, is not included in his
collected works, but a copy, with his name as its author, is in
the Harvard University Library. It was published by C. Bradlee,
107 Washington St., Boston, n.d., the words set “to a favorite
Neapolitan melody”, and must have still been well remembered when
S.L. was inspired to transfigure the thought of its opening stanza
by giving it a profoundly spiritual interpretation. He made no use
of Bayly’s second and third stanzas, and changed the metre from
8.6.8.6. double to six line stanzas, 8.6.8.6.8.8., thus making
sure that his words would be sung to another tune than the
“Neapolitan melody.”
15. _In the beginning was the word._ (The Word of God)
This was printed in _The Liberty Bell_, Boston, 1851, in 6 stanzas
of 8 lines, and dated “Fall River, Sept. 1850.” Two stanzas are
included in Hys. Sp. 1864; also in H. & V., undated.
16. _Life of all that lives below._
An adaptation from Charles Wesley; not in Bk. Hys. or Hys. Sp.
17. _Life of God, within my soul._ (God in the soul)
Only found in H. & V., undated, entitled “A Prayer.” 4 stas. of 4
l.
18. _Light of ages and of nations._ (Inspiration)
Dated 1860 in H. & V. in which it begins as above with title “In
all ages entering holy souls.” It was first printed, however, in
Hys. Sp. 1864 as “God of ages,” under title “The word of the Lord
abideth forever.” 3 stas. of 8 l.
19. _Lo! the earth is risen again._ (Easter)
In H. & V. the first line reads “Lo the earth again is risen,”
with no date, but Dr. Louis F. Benson owned a copy of the book in
which a ms. note was appended to this hymn reading
“In memory of C.J.
July 6, 1864
May 12, 1886.
Written for the first anniversary of her death, May 12, 1887.”
Several other lines besides the opening one have been re-written,
presumably by S.L., to make the later and improved version of the
hymn included in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937.
20. _Love for all! and can it be?_ (The Prodigal Son)
Included in Hys. Sp. 1864 under title “Father, I have sinned”;
also in H. & V. without date. 6 stas. of 4 l.
21. _Now on land and sea descending._ (Evening)
This is the 3^d of the Vesper Hymns in H. & V. 2 stas. of 8 l.
(See note under “Again as evening’s shadow falls.”)
22. _Now while we sing our closing psalm._ (Close of worship)
In H. & V., no date; not in Bk. Hys. or Hys. Sp.
23. _Now with creation’s morning song._ (Morning)
In Hys. Sp. 1864, ascribed to “Breviary”; it is S.L.’s adaptation
of E. Caswall’s trans. of “Lux ecce surgit aurea”, beginning “Now
with the rising golden dawn”; see Julian’s Dict. pp. 820-821.
24. _O church of freedom and of faith._ (Installation)
Written in 1891, presumably for the installation of Rev. John
Carroll Perkins as minister of the First Parish in Portland in
that year. Included in H. & V. Not found elsewhere.
25. _O Father, fix this wavering will._
No. 368 in Hys. Sp. 1864, “Anon.” but later acknowledged by S.L.
as his though “of no importance.” (H. W. Foote, _The Anonymous
Hymns of Samuel Longfellow_, Harv. Theol. Rev., Oct., 1917.)
26. _O God! a temple to thy name._
“Hymn for the dedication of the new chapel of the First Parish,
Haverhill.” Dated 1848 in H. & V., but not found elsewhere. 5
stas. of 4 l.
27. _O God! Thy children gathered here._ (Ordination)
“Hymn for the ordination of Edward Everett Hale” at Worcester,
Massachusetts in 1846. Bk. Hys. 1848; H. & V. 1894. 6 stas. of 4
l.
28. _O God, thou giver of all good!_ (Gratitude)
Included in Hys. Sp. 1864, and in H. & V., without date, under
title “Give us this day our daily bread.” 4 stas. of 4 l.
29. _O God unseen, but ever near._
S.L.’s adaptation of hymn by E. Osler, printed in Hys. Sp. 1864,
in 3 stas of 4 l., entitled “At the fountain”. Anon, in index. “It
is, in fact E. Osler’s hymn rewritten, 7 of its 12 lines being
Osler’s.” The expanded form in later books is attributed to S.L.,
but should be “E. Osler alt. by S.L.” See Julian’s Dict. pp. 1665,
1681, 833.
30. _O holy, holy, holy,_
_Art Thou, our God and Lord._ (Praise)
This hymn in two stanzas, 8 lines, is found only in C. W. Wendte’s
book _The Carol: for Sunday School and the Home_ (1886), where it
is attributed to Samuel Longfellow and dated 1886.
31. _O Life that maketh all things new._
Written under the title “The light that lighteth every man,” for
the 2^d Social Festival of the Free Religious Association 1874, in
2 stas. of 8 l.; afterwards published in _A Book of Hymns and
Tunes for the Congregation and the Home_, Cambridge, 1876, with
the title “Greeting”, in 4 stas. of 4 l.; included in H. & V.
under title “Behold, I make all things new”, and there incorrectly
dated 1878. For use of first line see note under “O Thou whose
liberal sun and rain.”
32. _O still in accents sweet and strong._ (Ordination)
Printed in Hys. Sp. 1864 under title “Behold the fields are
white.” H. & V., no date. 4 stas. of 4 l.
33. _O Thou, in whom we live and move._
In Hys. Sp. 1864, this begins, “O God, in whom we live and move,”
5 stas. of 4 l. headed “God’s Law and Love.” In H. & V. it begins,
“O Thou, in whom we live and move,” the form in which the hymn has
passed into later use.
34. _O Thou, whose liberal sun and rain._ (Church anniversary)
Included in Hys. Sp. 1864, and in H. & V. no date. 3 stas. of 4 l.
(Note the last line, “To Him who maketh all things new”, used
later for first line of hymn “O Life that maketh all things new.”)
35. _One holy church of God appears._ (The church universal)
Dated 1860 in H. & V.; included in Hys. Sp. 1864. 5 stas. of 4 l.
36. _Out of every clime and people._ (Christmas)
This hymn in two stanzas, 8 lines, with chorus, is found only in
C. W. Wendte’s _The Carol: for Sunday School and the Home_ (1886)
where it is attributed to S.L. (except chorus).
37. _Out of the dark, the circling sphere._ (Hope and courage)
Based on a hymn written in 1856 for the 25^th anniversary of the
American Anti-Slavery Society, with the title “What of the night?”
and beginning, “A quarter of the circling sphere.” See H. & V. for
the original version, which S.L. rewrote for Hys. Sp. 1864, in 5
stas. of 4 l. The misplaced comment by Putnam in _Singers and
Songs of the Liberal Faith_, p. 429, that it was “founded on a
passage in one of Mr. Martineau’s sermons,” refers not to this
hymn but to “He who himself and God would know,” cited earlier in
this listing.
38. _Peace, peace on earth, the heart of man forever._ (Peace
on earth)
Included in Hys. Sp. 1864 and H. & V., no date. 2 stas. of 4 l.
39. _Sing forth his high eternal name._ (Praise)
Written by request for words to tune “Coronation.” In H. & V.
under title “The Lord of all”, no date, 6 stas. of 4 l.
40. _Spirit divine attend our prayer._
This hymn appeared in Hys. Sp. 1864, as “Anon.” It is S.L.’s
adaptation of a hymn by Andrew Reed, 1829, about half the lines
having been re-written. It should be credited to both writers as a
joint production.
41. _The loving Friend to all who bowed._ (Jesus)
Included in Hys. Sp. under title “Jesus of Nazareth”; no date in
H. & V. 5 stas. of 4 l.
42. _The summer days are come again._
H. & V. includes a song in three 8-line stanzas headed “Summer
Rural Gathering”, dated 1859, each stanza beginning, “The sweet
June days are come again.” In Hys. Sp. 1864, the second and third
stanzas of this song are taken to form a hymn for summer, each
beginning, “The summer days are come again”, the concluding
quatrain of the last stanza re-written.
43. _’Tis winter now; the fallen snow._
Dated 1859 in H. & V. In Hys. Sp., 4 stas. of 4 l.
44. _Thou Lord of life, our saving health._ (Dedication of
hospital)
“Written for dedication of Cambridge Hospital.” In H. & V., 4
stas. of 4 l., dated 1886.
45. _We sowed a seed in faith and hope._
“Written for the 25^th anniversary of the first meeting of the
Second Unitarian Society of Brooklyn”, included in H. & V. under
title “The truth shall make you free.” No further use.
46. _When from the Jordan’s gleaming wave._ (Baptism)
Dated 1848 in H. & V., but it was included in Bk. Hys. 1846, 5
stas. of 4 l.
There are also five hymns, composite in origin and listed as
“Anonymous” in Hys. Sp. 1864, which in style and sentiment so closely
resemble S.L.’s writings as to suggest that he gave them the form in
which they are there printed, viz:—
47. _As darker, darker fall around_
_The shadows of the night._
This is printed in 6 stas., the first four of which are taken from
“The Hymn of the Calabrian Shepherds,” printed in William Young’s
_Catholic Choralist_, 1842, but there beginning, “Darker and
darker fall around.” The 5^th and 6^th stas. may be by S.L. since
he referred to this hymn as it appeared in Hys. Sp. as “founded
upon the Hymn of the Calabrian Shepherds,” tho he did not state
that he wrote them. (H. W. Foote, _The Anonymous Hymns of Samuel
Longfellow_; and Julian, _Dictionary_, p. 1627.)
48. _Come, thou Almighty Will_
This hymn in three stanzas was included as Anon. in Longfellow and
Johnson’s _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1864. Its theme was obviously
suggested by Ray Palmer’s five stanza translation of the 12^th
century Latin hymn _Veni Sancte Spiritus_, beginning _Come, Holy
Ghost, in love_, published in 1858, from which three lines are
borrowed intact, with as many more which only slightly alter
Palmer’s words. Since the religious outlook expressed is
characteristic of Samuel Longfellow, and the hymn first appeared
in _Hymns of the Spirit_, it seems certain that he was the author
but listed it as _Anon_, because of its composite form. It was
included in several later Unitarian hymn books, most recently in
_The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914, and in _Hymns of the Spirit_,
1937. (J. 1623 H.W.F.)
49. _Give forth thine earnest cry._
Printed in three 4-line stas. There is no evidence as to the
authorship of this hymn, but its sentiment is completely in line
with Longfellow’s. Included in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1864, and in
_The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914.
50. _God is in his holy temple._
Printed in four 4-line stas. One line is almost identical with one
found in S.L.’s earlier hymn “Written for the dedication of the
New Chapel of the First Parish, Haverhill, Mass.”, which had had
no use beyond the occasion for which it was written, but which
Miss Longfellow included in _Hymns and Verses_. The recurrence of
this line in the hymn here listed suggests the probability that
the whole hymn is by S.L. though he preferred to cite it as
“Anon.”
51. _Supreme disposer of the heart._
This appeared in the 1848 edition of the _Book of Hymns_, where it
is cited as from “Breviary”, and was included by Miss Longfellow
in _Hymns and Verses_ with the same citation. She probably assumed
that it was a translation by S.L. from a Latin hymn. It is,
however, a largely rewritten version of John Chandler’s
translation of the hymn _Supreme motor cordium_, in his _Hymns of
the Primitive Church_, 1837, p. 31. Longfellow retained the
general pattern of Chandler’s five stanzas, and kept a few of his
lines unchanged, or altered by only a word or two, but rewrote the
rest, the fourth and fifth stas. being wholly S.L.’s, differing
from Chandler’s in both phrase and significance, and even further
from the Latin original.
The _Isles of Shoals Hymn Book_, 1908, contains a hymn in two stanzas,
8.6.8.6.D., beginning
52. _The heavens thy praise are telling_,
Given as “Anon.” but Mrs. Emma Marean, _q.v._, who was
exceptionally well informed about that book, attributed it to
“Spitta-Longfellow,” i.e., by S. Longfellow based on a German hymn
by C. J. P. Spitta. It is possible that this is the case but the
original by Spitta has not been traced and Longfellow did not
claim this arrangement.
H.W.F.
Loring, Louisa Putnam (1854-1924) of Boston and Pride’s Crossing,
Massachusetts, compiled _Hymns of the Ages_, published in 1904. Her
literary and musical standards were high, and the book was handsomely
printed, but its appeal was limited and it had to compete with several
other excellent hymnbooks then on the market for use among Unitarians.
It included Miss Loring’s own morning hymn beginning,
_O Thou who turnest into morning_, (1902)
also included in _The New Hymn and Tune Book_, 1914.
H.W.F.
Loring, William Joseph, Boston, Massachusetts, October 8, 1795—1841,
Boston. He graduated from Harvard College in 1813 and went into
business in Boston. He was a lay member of the Unitarian denomination;
was president of the Washington Benevolent Society; and was a member
of the Horticultural Society. He was probably the author of the hymn
beginning,
_Why weep for those, frail child of woe_,
attributed to “W. J. Loring” in Hedge and Huntington’s _Hymns for the
Church of Christ_, 1853.
H.W.F.
Lowell, James Russell, LL.D., Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 22,
1819—August 12, 1891, Cambridge. Son of Rev. Charles Lowell, minister
of the West Church (Unitarian), Boston, he graduated from Harvard
College in 1838, and entered upon a literary career as a poet,
essayist and scholar. In 1855 he succeeded H. W. Longfellow as
Professor of Belles Lettres at Harvard and spent the next two years in
Europe to increase his knowledge of southern European languages and
literature. On his return he was the first editor of _The Atlantic
Monthly_, 1857-1862, then editor of _The North American Review_,
1863-1872. He was United States Minister to Spain, 1877-1880, and to
Great Britain, 1880-1885. He wrote many essays, addresses and poems.
These last were published in a succession of volumes, “A Year’s Life,”
1841; “Poems,” 1844-1854; “The Vision of Sir Launfal,” 1845; “A Fable
for Critics,” 1845; “The Biglow Papers,” 1848 and 1867; “The
Commemoration Ode,” 1865; “Under the Willows,” 1868; and later
volumes, his “Complete Poems” appearing in 1895. Though some of his
poems show deep religious feeling he made only a slight and indirect
contribution to American hymnody, writing only one hymn and one
Christmas carol, although stanzas quarried out of his poems have been
used as hymns, as follows:—
1. _Men who boast it is that ye_
_Come of fathers brave and free_,