The outburst of the matchless hymnic genius of Isaac Watts
was the response to a challenge. When a youth of eighteen he
complained to his father, who was a deacon in an Independent
church at Southampton, England, of the poor quality of the hymns
sung in the nonconformist services of the time. “Suppose you
make a few,” said his father, with more than a suggestion of
gentle sarcasm. Taking up the challenge, the poet retired; and
soon, out from his seclusion where he had put on his “singing
robes,” came the hymn: “Behold the Glories of the Lamb,”
which was sung at an early meeting; and so began a career of
hymn-writing which continued through the author’s life, and
which later aroused to song a whole nest of singing-birds.
(331)
=Chance and Work=--See TOIL AND PROVIDENCE.
=Chance, Decision by=--See COINCIDENCE AND SUPERSTITION.