Scandinavian Hymnody
A Hymn in Luther's Style
Our Father, merciful and good,
Who dost to Thee invite us,
O cleanse us in our Saviour's blood,
And to Thyself unite us!
Send unto us Thy Holy Word,
And let it guide us ever;
Then in this world of darkness, Lord,
Shall naught from Thee us sever:
Grant us, O Lord, this favor!
O God and man, Christ Jesus blest!
Our sorrows Thou didst carry.
Our wants and cares Thou knowest best,
For Thou with us didst tarry.
O Jesus Christ, our Brother dear,
To us and every nation
Thy Spirit send, let Him draw near
With truth and consolation,
That we may see salvation.
Come, Holy Ghost, Thy grace impart,
Tear Satan's snares asunder.
The Word of God keep in our heart,
That we its truth may ponder.
Then, sanctified, for evermore,
In Christ alone confiding,
We'll sing His praise and Him adore,
His precious Word us guiding
To heavenly joys abiding.
Olavus Petri, 1530.
THE SWEDISH REFORMERS AND THEIR HYMNS
The Reformation fires kindled by Luther and his contemporaries in
Wittenberg spread with amazing rapidity to all parts of Europe. In the
year that Luther nailed his famous theses on the chapel door at
Wittenberg, two brothers--Olavus and Laurentius Petri--arrived from
Sweden to study at the university made famous by Luther and Melanchthon.
They were sons of a village blacksmith at Orebro, Sweden.
In 1519 they returned to their native land, full of reforming zeal.
Olavus was the more fiery of the two brothers, and he lost no time
entering into the political and spiritual storm that was threatening to
break over their country. In the Stockholm massacre the following year
Olavus almost lost his life when he cried out in protest at the cruel
beheading of his friend, the bishop of Strengnas. Only the intervention
of a Wittenberg acquaintance, who asserted that Olavus was a German
citizen, saved the young man from a similar fate. The massacre had been
instigated by Roman intrigue.
Olavus preached boldly against the sale of indulgences and other abuses
of the papal church, and, when the Swedish revolution placed Gustavus
Vasa on the throne in 1523, the young reformer found a powerful ally in
the new monarch. Despite protests of the ecclesiastical authorities, the
king ordered a pulpit placed in the cathedral church of Stockholm and
gave Olavus permission to preach to the populace in the native tongue.
The following year the two brothers were summoned to appear before the
papal authorities at Upsala, but, when neither threats nor bribes could
induce them to desist from their high-minded purpose, they were placed
under the ban. This, however, made them only the more determined to carry
out their Reformation plans.
Laurentius Andreae, archdeacon of Strengnas, also had been converted to
the principles of the Reformation and powerfully espoused the cause
championed by the Petri brothers. In 1523 he was appointed by Gustavus
Vasa as chancellor to the king, and it was largely through his influence
that the Lutheran teachings were approved by the Diet af Vesteras in
1527. The younger of the Petri brothers, Laurentius, was named Archbishop
of Upsala, Primate of Sweden, in 1531.
The Swedish reformers were apt pupils of Luther and quickly made use of
the same spiritual weapons in their own country that he had found so
effective in Germany. It is significant that the Word of God and a
hymn-book in the vernacular were given to the Swedish people in the same
year. It was in 1526 that Laurentius Andreae published his translation of
the New Testament in Swedish, and simultaneously Olavus Petri issued a
little hymn-book entitled, "Swedish Hymns or Songs."
This marked the beginning of evangelical hymnody in Sweden. The little
book contained only ten hymns, five of which are believed to have been
original productions of Olavus Petri himself, and the other five
translations from Luther's first hymn-book of 1524. Although no copy of
the first Swedish hymn-book is now known to exist, it is believed that
Petri's beautiful hymn, "Our Father, merciful and good," appeared in this
historic collection. It occurs in a second edition, called "A Few Godly
Songs Derived from Holy Writ," published by the Swedish reformer in 1530.
A few fragmentary pages of this hymn-book were discovered in 1871.
How far Olavus Petri had imbibed the spirit of Luther is reflected not
only by the fiery zeal with which he proclaimed the doctrines of the
Reformation in Sweden, but also in the character of his hymns. "Our
Father, merciful and good" is so strongly suggestive of Luther's style
that it was regarded for a long time as a translation of one of Luther's
hymns. It is now known that there is no such hymn of German origin.
Most of Petri's hymns, however, are translations of German or Latin
originals. One of these is the beautiful Advent hymn:
Now hail we our Redeemer,
Eternal Son of God,
Born in the flesh to save us,
And cleanse us in His blood.
The Morning Star ascendeth,
Light to the world He lendeth,
Our Guide in grief and gloom.
Although this hymn was translated by Petri from the German, it is
believed that it dates back to a Latin hymn by Ambrose in the fourth
century. Another of Latin origin is the glad Easter hymn:
Blest Easter day, what joy is thine!
We praise, dear Lord, Thy Name divine,
For Thou hast triumphed o'er the tomb;
No more we need to dread its gloom.
Petri, like Luther, never ceased praising God for restoring His Word to
the Church through the Reformation. This may be seen in one of his more
polemic hymns, which is regarded as original. A translation by Ernst W.
Olson reads:
Thy sacred Word, O Lord, of old
Was veiled about and darkened,
And in its stead were legends told,
To which the people harkened;
Thy Word, for which the people yearned,
The worldlings kept in hiding,
And into human fables turned
Thy truth, the all-abiding.
Now thanks and praise be to our Lord,
Who boundless grace bestoweth,
And daily through the sacred Word
His precious gifts forthshoweth.
His Word is come to light again,
A trusty lamp to guide us;
No strange and divers teachings then
Bewilder and divide us.
The last hymn-book published by Olavus Petri appeared in 1536. It
contained some thirty new hymns, most of them translations from German
sources. In addition to his labors in the realm of hymnody, Petri must
also be credited with the authorship of the Swedish Church-Book, which
appeared in 1529. He was the creator of the liturgy of the Church of
Sweden.
His hymnological endeavors were continued by his brother Laurentius, who,
as archbishop, brought out in 1567, and later in 1572, the most important
of all the earlier hymn-books of the Swedish Church. Laurentius is
sometimes given the title, "Father of Swedish hymnody," but the honor
more rightly belongs to his older brother, Olavus.
The latter years of Olavus were darkened through an unfortunate
misunderstanding with the Swedish king. As a consequence of the
reformer's sturdy opposition to Gustavus Vasa's plan to make himself the
head of the Church, he fell into royal disfavor. When a plot against the
king's life was discovered in 1540, Olavus was convicted of having guilty
knowledge of it, and was condemned to die. Through the intervention of
the populace of Stockholm, he was pardoned, but the king never forgave
him. He was permitted to resume his work in 1543, and continued to preach
the gospel with great zeal until his death in 1552.
A Model Hymn of Invocation
O Lord, give heed unto our plea,
O Spirit, grant Thy graces,
That we who put our trust in Thee
May rightly sing Thy praises.
Thy Word, O Christ, unto us give,
That grace and power we may receive
To follow Thee, our Master.
Touch Thou the shepherd's lips, O Lord,
That in this blessed hour
He may proclaim Thy sacred Word
With unction and with power;
What Thou wouldst have Thy servant say,
Put Thou into His heart, we pray,
With grace and strength to say it.
Let heart and ear be opened wide
Unto Thy Word and pleading;
Our minds, O Holy Spirit, guide
By Thine own light and leading.
The law of Christ we would fulfil,
And walk according to His will,
His Word our rule of living.
Jesper Swedberg (1653-1735).
A HYMN-BOOK THAT FAILED
When the Swedish colonists along the Delaware gathered in their temples
to worship God in the latter part of the 17th century, they sang songs
from a hymn-book the use of which had been prohibited in Sweden. It was
the much-mooted hymn-book of Jesper Swedberg. Originally published by the
author in 1694 and intended for the Church of Sweden, it immediately came
under suspicion on the ground that it contained unorthodox teachings and
was promptly confiscated. This, however, did not hinder the authorities
from sending the book in large quantities to America, and it was used on
this side of the Atlantic for many years.
Swedberg, who was born near Falun, Sweden, in the year 1653, was the
first important hymnist of his native land. From the days of the
Reformation no noteworthy advance had been made in Swedish hymnody until
Swedberg began to tune his lyre. The official "Psalm-book" had been
revised on several occasions, but the Upsala edition of 1645 contained
only 182 hymns, far too few to meet the needs of church worship and
private devotion.
It was in 1691 that Swedberg received the royal commission to prepare a
new hymn-book. He was fortunate in having the aid of such gifted poets as
Haqvin Spegel, Petrus Lagerlof, Israel Kolmodin and Jacob Boethius in the
execution of his task.
The new book, containing 482 Swedish hymns and a few in Latin, made its
appearance in 1694. A large edition was printed, the financial cost of
which was borne largely by Swedberg himself. It met with immediate
opposition, particularly from Bishop Carl Carlsson, who charged that the
hymn-book contained "innumerable heresies of a theological,
anthropological, Christological, soteriological and eschatological
nature."
It was enough. King Karl XI immediately appointed a new commission to
revise Swedberg's work, with the result that 75 hymns were omitted and
six new hymns added. It was printed in 1696 and remained in use as the
"Psalm-book" of the Church of Sweden for more than a century, until it
was succeeded in 1819 by Wallin's masterpiece.
The unsold copies of the first edition, about 20,000 in number, were
confiscated and stored away. From time to time quantities of these books
were sent to the Swedish colonists in America, for whose "preservation in
the true faith," as the hymnologist Soderberg ironically remarks, "the
Swedish authorities seemed less concerned."
Swedberg felt the slight keenly and often made significant references in
his diary regarding those who had been instrumental in rejecting his
work. One of these notations tells how the Cathedral of Upsala was
destroyed by fire in 1702, and how the body of Archbishop O. Svebilius,
although encased in a copper and stone sarcophagus, was reduced to ashes.
"But my hymn-books," he adds, "which were only of paper, unbound and
unprotected, were not even scorched by the flames."
The final form in which his hymn-book was published nevertheless still
retained so many of his own hymns, and the entire book was so impregnated
with his own spirit, that it has always been known as "Swedberg's
Psalm-book." A noted critic has called it "the most precious heritage he
left to his native land." It was Swedberg who wrote the sublime stanza
that has become the doxology of the Church of Sweden:
Bless us, Father, and protect us,
Be our souls' sure hiding-place;
Let Thy wisdom still direct us,
Light our darkness with Thy grace!
Let Thy countenance on us shine,
Fill us all with peace divine.
Praise the Father, Son, and Spirit,
Praise Him all that life inherit!
Swedberg was elevated to the bishopric of Skara in 1702. He died in 1735,
universally mourned by the Swedish people.
Haqvin Spegel, who collaborated with Swedberg in the preparation of his
hymn-book, was the more gifted poet of the two. It was he who, by his
hymns, fixed the language forms that subsequently became the model for
Swedish hymnody. Although Spegel never stooped to sickly sentimentality,
his hymns are so filled with the spirit of personal faith and fervent
devotion that they rise to unusual lyric heights. A sweet pastoral
fragrance breathes through the hymn, "We Christians should ever
consider," as the following stanza testifies:
The lilies, nor toiling nor spinning,
Their clothing how gorgeous and fair!
What tints in their tiny orbs woven,
What wondrous devices are there!
All Solomon's stores could not render
One festival robe of such splendor
As modest field lilies do wear.
His communion hymn, "The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord," is a classic
example of how Spegel could set forth in song the objective truths of the
Christian faith.
The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
We celebrate with one accord;
It is our comfort in distress,
Our heart's sweet joy and happiness.
He blotted out with His own blood
The judgment that against us stood;
He full atonement for us made,
And all our debt He fully paid.
That this is so and ever true
He gives an earnest ever new,
In this His Holy Supper, here
We taste His love, so sweet, so near.
For His true body, as He said,
And His own blood, for sinners shed,
In this communion we receive:
His sacred Word we do believe.
O sinner, come with true intent
To turn to God and to repent,
To live for Christ, to die to sin,
And thus a holy life begin.
Spegel was given the highest ecclesiastical honor bestowed by his country
when he was created archbishop in 1711. He died three years later.
Among the other hymn-writers who contributed hymns to Swedberg's noted
book was Jacob Arrhenius, professor of history in the University of
Upsala. This man, who devoted a great deal of his time to the financial
affairs of the University, was also a richly-endowed spiritual poet. The
intimate tenderness with which he sang the Saviour's praise had never
before been attained in Swedish hymnody. It was he who wrote:
Jesus is my Friend most precious,
Never friend did love as He;
Can I leave this Friend so gracious,
Spurn His wondrous love for me?
No! nor friend nor foe shall sever
Me from Him who loves me so;
His shall be my will forever,
There above, and here below.
Wallin's Sublime Morning Hymn
Again Thy glorious sun doth rise,
I praise Thee, O my Lord;
With courage, strength, and hope renewed,
I touch the joyful chord.
On good and evil, Lord, Thy sun
Is rising as on me;
Let me in patience and in love
Seek thus to be like Thee.
May I in virtue and in faith,
And with Thy gifts content,
Rejoice beneath Thy covering wings,
Each day in mercy sent.
Safe with Thy counsel in my work,
Thee, Lord, I'll keep in view,
And feel that still Thy bounteous grace
Is every morning new.
Johan Olof Wallin, 1816.
DAVID'S HARP IN THE NORTHLAND
When Longfellow translated Tegner's Swedish poem, "Children of the Lord's
Supper," he introduced Johan Olof Wallin to the English-speaking world in
the following lines:
And with one voice
Chimed in the congregation, and sang an anthem immortal
Of the sublime Wallin, of David's harp in the Northland.
Wallin is Scandinavia's greatest hymnist and perhaps the foremost in the
entire Christian Church during the Nineteenth century. The Swedish
"Psalm-book" of 1819, which for more than a century has been the
hymn-book of the Swedish people in the homeland and in other parts of the
world, is in large measure the work of this one man. Of the 500 hymns in
this volume, 128 are original hymns from his pen, 178 are revisions by
Wallin, twenty-three are his translations, and thirteen are
semi-originals based on the hymns of other authors. In brief, no less
than 342 of the hymns of the "Psalm-book" reflect the genius of this
remarkable writer.
Early in life Wallin began to reveal poetic talent. Born at Stora Tuna,
Dalarne province, in 1779, he overcame the handicaps of poverty and poor
health and at the age of twenty-four he had gained the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy at the University of Upsala. In 1805, and again in 1809, he
won the chief prize for poetry at the University.
In 1806 he was ordained to the Lutheran ministry. Very soon he began to
attract attention by his able preaching. In 1812 he was transferred to
Stockholm, and in 1816 he became dean of Vesteras. In 1824 he was
elevated to the bishopric, and thirteen years later became Primate of the
Church of Sweden when he was made Archbishop of Upsala. He died in 1839.
As early as 1807 Wallin had begun to publish collections of old and new
hymns. He possessed the rare ability of translating sacred poetry of
other lands in such a way that often the translation excelled the
original in virility and beauty.
In 1811 a commission was appointed by the Swedish parliament to prepare a
new hymn-book to succeed that of Jesper Swedberg, which had been in use
for more than a century. Wallin was made a member of this body. Within
three years the commission presented its labors in the form of a first
draft. However, it did not meet with universal favor, nor was Wallin
himself satisfied with the result. By this time Wallin's genius had been
revealed so clearly that the commission was moved to charge him with the
entire task of completing the "Psalm-book." He gladly undertook the work
and on November 28, 1816, he was able to report that he had finished his
labors. A few minor changes were subsequently made, but on January 29,
1819, the new hymn-book was officially authorized by King Karl XIV. It
has remained in use until the present day.
Unfortunately, Wallin's hymns have not become generally known outside of
his own native land. It is only in recent years that a number have been
translated into English. One of these is his famous Christmas hymn, which
for more than a century has been sung in every sanctuary in Sweden as a
greeting to the dawn of Christmas day. The first stanza reflects
something of the glory of the Christmas evangel itself:
All hail to thee, O blessed morn!
To tidings long by prophets borne
Hast thou fulfilment given.
O sacred and immortal day,
When unto earth, in glorious ray,
Descends the grace of heaven!
Singing,
Ringing
Sounds are blending,
Praises sending
Unto heaven
For the Saviour to us given.
Although Wallin reverenced the old traditional hymns of the Church in
spite of their many defects in form and language, he was unrelenting in
his demand that every new hymn adopted by the Church should be tested by
the severest classical standards. "A new hymn," he declared, "aside from
the spiritual considerations which should never be compromised in any
way, should be so correct, simple and lyrical in form, and so free from
inversions and other imperfections in style, that after the lapse of a
hundred years a father may be able to say to his son, 'Read the
Psalm-book, my boy, and you will learn your mother tongue!'"
The profound influence which Wallin's hymns have exerted over the Swedish
language and literature for more than a century is an eloquent testimony,
not only to his poetic genius, but also to the faithfulness with which he
adhered to the high standards he cherished.
The charge has sometimes been made that a number of Wallin's hymns are
tinged by the spirit of rationalism. It is true that in his earlier years
the great Swedish hymnist was strongly influenced by the so-called "New
Theology," which had swept over all Europe at that time. His poems and
hymns from this period bear unmistakable marks of these rationalizing
tendencies. Even some of the hymns in the first part of the "Psalm-book,"
dealing with the person and attributes of God, are not entirely free from
suspicion.
However, as Wallin became more and more absorbed in his great task, his
own spiritual life seems to have been deepened and a new and richer note
began to ring forth from his hymns. In 1816 this change was made manifest
in an address Wallin delivered before the Swedish Bible Society, in which
he declared war on rationalism and the "New Theology," and took his stand
squarely upon the faith and confessions of the Lutheran Church. He said:
"So far had we traveled in what our age termed 'enlightenment' and
another age shall call 'darkness,' that the very Word of God ... was
regarded as a sort of contribution to the ancient history which had
already served its purpose and was needed no more."
The atonement of Christ now became the central theme in his hymn-book,
the pure evangelical tone of which may be heard in one of his own hymns:
There is a truth so dear to me,
I'll hold it fast eternally,
It is my soul's chief treasure:
That Jesus for the world hath died,
He for my sins was crucified--
O love beyond all measure!
O blessed tidings of God's grace,
That He who gave the thief a place
To paradise will take me
And God's own child will make me!
Kind Shepherd, Son of God, to Thee
Mine eyes, my heart, so yearningly,
And helpless hands are lifted.
From Thee I strayed; ah, leave me not,
But cleanse my soul from each dark blot,
For I am sore afflicted.
A wandering sheep, but now restored,
Ah, bear me to Thy fold, dear Lord,
And let me leave Thee never,
O Thou who lovest ever!
Again we find him giving expression to faith's certainty in a stanza that
has become very dear to the Swedish people:
Blessed, blessed he who knoweth
That his faith on Thee is founded,
Whom the Father's love bestoweth
Of eternal grace unbounded,
Jesus Christ, to every nation
A Redeemer freely given,
In whose Name is our salvation,
And none else in earth or heaven.
The poetic utterance and exalted language of Wallin's hymns made him the
hymnist _par excellence_ for festival days, as witness the quotation
above from his Christmas hymn and the following stanza from his Ascension
hymn:
To realms of glory I behold
My risen Lord returning;
While I, a stranger on the earth,
For heaven am ever yearning.
Far from my heavenly Father's home,
'Mid toil and sorrow here I roam.
His metrical version of the _Te Deum Laudamus_ is also an impressive
example of the poetic genius of this master psalmist:
Jehovah, Thee we glorify,
Ruler upon Thy throne on high!
O let Thy Word
Through all the earth be heard.
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Lord!
Thou carest gently for Thy flock;
Thy Church, firm-founded on the Rock,
No powers dismay
Until Thy dreadful day.
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Lord!
All nations, in her fold comprised,
Shall bow their knees unto the Christ,
All tongues shall raise
Their orisons and praise:
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Lord!
Around Thy throne the countless throng
At last in triumph swell the song,
When Cherubim
Shall answer Seraphim:
Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O Lord!
Although a hymn usually loses much of its original expression in
translation, something of the rare beauty in Wallin's poetry is still
apparent in the following:
Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning?
My longing grows when day to night is turning;
And though I find Him not as day recedeth,
My heart still pleadeth.
His hand I see in every force and power,
Where waves the harvest and where blooms the flower;
In every breath I draw, my spirit burneth:
His love discerneth.
When summer winds blow gently, then I hear Him;
Where sing the birds, where rush the streams, I'm near Him;
But nearer still when in my heart He blesses
Me with caresses.
O where such beauty is itself revealing
In all that lives, through all creation stealing,
What must the Source be whence it comes, the Giver?
Beauty forever!
Other noble hymns by the Swedish archbishop recently translated into
English include "Behold, the joyful day is nigh," "Guardian of pure
hearts," "I know in Whom I trust," "Great joy and consolation," "He
lives! O fainting heart, anew," "Mute are the pleading lips of Him,"
"Thine agony, O Lord, is o'er," "A voice, a heavenly voice I hear,"
"Heavenly Light, benignly beaming," "Father of lights, eternal Lord," "In
my quiet contemplation," "Jerusalem, lift up thy voice," "Jesus, Lord and
precious Saviour," "O blessed is the man who stays," "O let the children
come to Me," "Strike up, O harp and psaltery," "Watch, my soul and pray,"
and "Again Thy glorious sun doth rise."
Wallin's "Psalm-book" has aroused the greatest admiration wherever it has
become known. The hymnologists of Germany, including Mohnike, Knapp,
Weiss and Wackernagel, have given it undivided praise. Mohnike declared,
"This is undoubtedly the most excellent hymn-book in the entire
Evangelical Church, and, if translated, it would become the hymn-book for
all Christian people." Knapp concurs by saying, "The Scriptural content
of this book is clothed in the most beautiful classical language; there
is nothing in Evangelical Germany to equal it."
A Vision of Christ's Triumph
Thy scepter, Jesus, shall extend
As far as day prevaileth.
Thy glorious kingdom, without end,
Shall stand when all else faileth,
Thy blessed Name shall be confessed,
And round Thy cross, forever blest,
Shall kings and people gather.
The child when born to Thee we take,
To Thee in death we hasten;
In joy we often Thee forsake,
But not when sorrows chasten.
Where truth and virtue are oppressed,
Where sorrow dwells, pain and unrest,
Thy help alone availeth.
Come, Jesus, then, in weal and woe,
In life and death be near us;
Thy grace upon our hearts bestow,
And let Thy Spirit cheer us,
For every conflict strength afford,
And gather us in peace, O Lord,
When all the world Thou judgest.
Frans Michael Franzen, 1816
THE GOLDEN AGE OF SWEDISH HYMNODY
Archbishop Wallin was not alone in the preparation of that masterpiece of
Northern hymnody known as the "Swedish Psalm-book of 1819." Although the
lion's share of the task fell to the lot of the gifted psalmist, he was
aided by a number of the greatest spiritual poets in Scandinavian
history. It was the golden age in Swedish hymnody, when such men as
Franzen, Hedborn, Geijer, Astrom, Afzelius and Nystrom were singing "the
glories of the Lamb."
Foremost in this unusual group was the beloved Frans Michael Franzen, a
lyric poet of singular talent. Born at Uleaborg, Finland, in 1772, he
held a number of positions at the University of Abo, and later removed to
Sweden, where he became pastor of St. Clara church, in Stockholm, and
eventually Bishop of Hernosand. He died in 1847.
Franzen early became associated with Wallin and exerted a strong
influence over the latter. Though not as prolific a writer as Wallin, the
hymns of Franzen are rich in content and finished in form. Because of
their artless simplicity it has been said that "the cultured man will
appreciate them and the unlettered man can understand them." Among the
most popular are two evening hymns--"The day departs, yet Thou art near"
and "When vesper bells are calling." The latter is a hymn of solemn
beauty:
When vesper bells are calling
The hour of rest and prayer,
When evening shades are falling,
And I must hence repair,
I seek my chamber narrow,
Nor my brief day deplore,
For I shall see the morrow,
When night shall be no more.
O take me in Thy keeping,
Dear Father, good and just,
Let not my soul be sleeping
In sin, and pride, and lust.
If in my life Thou guide me
According to Thy will,
I may in death confide me
Into Thy keeping still.
The voice of gracious invitation heard in Franzen's communion hymn,
"Thine own, O loving Saviour," has called millions of hungering souls to
the Lord's Supper. His hymn for the first communion of catechumens,
"Come, O Jesus, and prepare me," is also regarded as the most appealing
of its kind in Swedish hymnody. The stirring note in his hymn of
repentance, "Awake, the watchman crieth," reveals Franzen as a poet of
power and virility as well as a writer of the more meditative kind. The
same solemn appeal, although expressed in less severe language, is also
heard in his other call to repentance:
Ajar the temple gates are swinging,
Lo! still the grace of God is free.
Perhaps when next the bells are ringing
The grave shall open unto thee,
And thou art laid beneath the sod,
No more to see this house of God.
Franzen was recently accorded a unique honor in America when his
soul-gripping Advent hymn, "Prepare the way, O Zion," was made the
opening hymn in the Hymnal of the Augustana Synod. This hymn-book
contains more translations of Swedish hymns than any other volume
published in America.
When we add to the hymns already mentioned such beautiful compositions as
"Thy scepter, Jesus, shall extend," "Look to Jesus Christ thy Saviour,"
and "The little while I linger here," it will readily be understood why
Franzen ranks so high among the foremost hymnists of the North.
To Samuel Johan Hedborn, another of Wallin's contemporaries, posterity
will ever be grateful for "Holy Majesty, before Thee," a magnificent hymn
of praise that for loftiness of poetic sentiment and pure spiritual
exaltation has probably never been excelled. The first stanza suggests
something of the heavenly beauty of this noble hymn:
Holy Majesty, before Thee
We bow to worship and adore Thee;
With grateful hearts to Thee we sing.
Earth and heaven tell the story
Of Thine eternal might and glory,
And all Thy works their incense bring.
Lo, hosts of Cherubim
And countless Seraphim
Sing, Hosanna,
Holy is God, almighty God,
All-merciful and all-wise God!
Hedborn, who was the son of a poverty-stricken Swedish soldier, was born
in Heda, Sweden, in the year 1783. He began his career as a school
teacher, served for a while as court preacher, and finally became pastor
at Askeryd, where he died in 1849. He was a gifted writer, and his lyric
poetry and folk-songs struck a responsive chord in Swedish hearts. In
1812 he published a collection of hymns, and in the following year a
second volume appeared. It is claimed that the Christo-centric note in
Hedborn's hymns profoundly influenced Wallin and helped to establish the
latter in the orthodox Lutheran teaching.
In addition to the sublime _Te Deum_ mentioned above, two other hymns of
Hedborn have been given English dress. One of these is the beautiful
Epiphany hymn, "Now Israel's hope in triumph ends"; the other is the
communion hymn, "With holy joy my heart doth beat."
Erik Gustav Geijer, professor of history in Upsala University, was
another of the poetic geniuses of this golden age in Swedish hymnody. He
was born at Ransater, Varmland, Sweden, in the same year that witnessed
Hedborn's birth--1783. Like Hedborn, he also published a little
collection of hymns in 1812 which immediately focused attention upon him
as a poet of unusual ability. Although his hymns do not rise to the
artistic heights attained by his other poems, it is believed that Geijer
purposely avoided high-sounding phrases as unworthy of the dignity and
spirit of hymnody.
His passion hymn, "Thy Cross, O Jesus, Thou didst bear," is a gripping
portrayal of the conquering power of the Saviour's sacrificial love.
There is likewise a glorious note of victory heard in his Easter hymn:
In triumph our Redeemer
Is now to life returned.
All praise to Him who, dying,
Hath our salvation earned!
No more death's fetter galls us,
The grave no more appalls us,
For Jesus lives again.
In glory Thou appearest,
And earth is filled with light;
With resurrection radiance
The very tomb is bright;
There's joy in heavenly places
When o'er all earthly races
The dawn of mercy breaks.
In the preparation of the "Psalm-book," there was no one on whom
Archbishop Wallin leaned so heavily for help and counsel as Johan Astrom,
parish priest in Simtuna and Altuna. This man, who was born in 1767, was
a lyric poet of unusual ability, and Wallin valued his judgment very
highly, even to the extent of seeking his criticism of his own hymns.
Eighteen of the hymns in the "Psalm-book" are from Astrom's pen. Many of
them, however, are unfortunately tinged by the spirit of rationalism,
from which influence Astrom had not quite been able to free himself.
Instead of emphasizing trust in the Saviour's merits as the true way to
eternal life, there is a strong suggestion in Astrom's hymns that the
heavenly goal is achieved by walking in the Saviour's footsteps. Witness,
for example:
Lord, disperse the mists of error,
In Thy light let me see light;
Give Thou me that faith and visior
Whereby I may walk aright,
In my Saviour's path discerning,
Through this vale of doubt and strife,
Footsteps to eternal life.
We are immeasurably indebted to Astrom, however, for the present form of
the glorious All Saints' hymn, "In heaven above, in heaven above." This
hymn, in which we almost may discern something of the celestial radiance
and beauty of the heavenly country, is ranked as one of the finest hymns
in the Swedish "Psalm-book." It is more than three centuries old, dating
back in its original form to 1620. It was written by L. Laurentii
Laurinus, parish pastor in Haradshammar, at the time of his wife's death,
and was appended to the funeral sermon preached by a brother pastor.
Astrom recognized the rare beauty of the hymn and through his poetic
genius it was clothed in immortal language. William Maccall, a Scotchman,
has in turn rendered it into English in such a faithful manner that much
of its original beauty is preserved.
In heaven above, in heaven above,
Where God our Father dwells:
How boundless there the blessedness!
No tongue its greatness tells:
There face to face, and full and free,
Ever and evermore we see--
We see the Lord of hosts!
In heaven above, in heaven above,
What glory deep and bright!
The splendor of the noon-day sun
Grows pale before its light:
The mighty Sun that ne'er goes down,
Around whose gleam clouds never frown,
Is God the Lord of hosts.
In heaven above, in heaven above,
No tears of pain are shed:
There nothing e'er shall fade or die;
Life's fullness round is spread,
And like an ocean, joy o'erflows,
And with immortal mercy glows
Our God the Lord of hosts.
In heaven above, in heaven above,
God hath a joy prepared
Which mortal ear hath never heard,
Nor mortal vision shared,
Which never entered mortal breast,
By mortal lips was ne'er expressed,
O God the Lord of hosts!
Arvid Afzelius, court chaplain and pastor at Enkoping, was another member
of this remarkable group of Swedish hymnists that contributed to the
"Psalm-book" of Wallin. Afzelius, who was an authority on folk songs, has
given us the inspiring hymn of praise beginning:
Unto the Lord of all creation
Thy voice, my soul, in anthems raise.
Let every heart a fit oblation
Bring unto Him with songs of praise.
O contemplate in humbleness
The power and riches of His grace.
Johan Hjerten, an obscure country pastor at Hellstad, was the author of
six hymns in the "Psalm-book," among them the devotional hymn, "Jesus, in
my walk and living." It is said that the artless simplicity of his hymns
provided an excellent pattern for the other writers of his day, many of
whom were fond of the grandiloquent phrases so characteristic of the
rationalist hymnody.
The last name of this group we would mention is that of a layman, Per
Olof Nystrom. This man, who was a high naval officer, wrote many
excellent hymns, among them a devotional lyric that for more than a
hundred years has been cherished almost as a national prayer by the pious
folk of Sweden. Its first stanza reads:
O Fount of truth and mercy,
Thy promise cannot fail;
What Thou hast said must ever
In heaven and earth prevail;
"Call upon Me in trouble,
And I will help afford."
Yea, to my latest moment,
I'll call upon Thee, Lord.
A Longing for Home
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Thou city ever blest,
Within thy portals first I find
My safety, peace, and rest.
Here dangers always threaten me,
My days in strife are spent,
And labor, sorrow, worry, grief,
I find at best their strength.
No wonder, then, that I do long,
O blessed home, for thee,
Where I shall find a resting-place,
From sin and sorrow free;
Where tears and weeping are no more,
Nor death, nor pain, nor night,
For former things are passed away,
And darkness turned to light.
Now all for me has lost its charm
Which by the world is praised,
Since on the cross, through faith, I saw
My Saviour Jesus raised;
My goal is fixed, one thing I ask,
Whate'er the cost may be,
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
Soon to arrive in thee.
Carolina Vilhelmina (Sandell) Berg (1832-1903).
THE FANNY CROSBY OF SWEDEN AND THE PIETISTS
As will be noted in a subsequent chapter, the Nineteenth century
witnessed the phenomenon of gifted Christian women assuming a place of
primary importance among the foremost hymn-writers of the Church. Just as
England had its Charlotte Elliott and Frances Havergal, and America had
its Fanny Crosby, so Sweden had its Lina Sandell.
The rise of women hymn-writers came simultaneously with the great
spiritual revival which swept over America and evangelical Europe in
successive tidal waves from 1800 to 1875. In Sweden the religious
renaissance received its first impulse, no doubt, from Lutheran Germany.
However, the Wesleyan movement in England and America also began to make
its influence felt in wider circles, and the coming to Stockholm of such
a man as George Scott, an English Methodist, gave added impetus to the
evangelical movement which was already under way. Carl Olof Rosenius,
Sweden's greatest lay preacher and the most prominent leader in the
Pietistic movement in that country, was one of Scott's disciples,
although he remained faithful to the Lutheran doctrine and a member of
the Established Church to the close of his life.
It was in the midst of the Rosenius movement that Lina Sandell became
known to her countrymen as a great song-writer. She was born October 3,
1832, at Froderyd, her father being the parish pastor at that place. She
was a frail child who preferred to spend her hours in her father's study
rather than join her comrades in play. When she was twenty-six years old,
she accompanied him on a journey to Gothenburg, but they never reached
their destination. At Hastholmen the vessel on which they sailed gave a
sudden lurch and the father fell overboard, drowning before the eyes of
his devoted daughter.
This tragedy proved a turning point in Lina Sandell's life. In the midst
of her grief she sought comfort in writing hymns. Her songs seemed to
pour forth in a steady stream from the depths of a broken heart. Fourteen
of her hymns were published anonymously the same year (1858) in a
Christian periodical, _Budbararen_. Although she lived to write 650 hymns
in all, these fourteen from the pen of the grief-stricken 26-year-old
girl have retained a stronger hold on the hearts of her countrymen than
most of her later productions. Among these "first-fruits" born in sorrow
are such hymns as: "Saviour, O hide not Thy loving face from me," "Others
He hath succored," and
Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given.
The remarkable popularity which Lina Sandell's hymns attained within a
comparatively short time was due to a large extent to the music written
for them by Oskar Ahnfelt, a "spiritual troubadour" of his day. Ahnfelt
not only possessed the gift of composing pleasing melodies that caught
the fancy of the Swedish people, but he traveled from place to place
throughout the Scandinavian countries and sang them to the accompaniment
of a guitar. Miss Sandell once said: "Ahnfelt has sung my songs into the
hearts of the people."
The inspiration for her songs came to Miss Sandell at sundry times and
places. Sometimes in the midst of the noise and confusion of the city's
streets, she would hear the words of a new song. Sometimes she would
awake in the still hours of the night with the verses of a hymn ringing
in her ears. By her bedside she always kept a slate on which she might
instantly record these heaven-born thoughts.
In 1867 Miss Sandell was married to a Stockholm merchant, C. O. Berg, but
she continued to sign her hymns with the initials, "L. S." by which she
was familiarly known throughout Sweden. She died on July 27, 1903.
Not only Ahnfelt, but also Jenny Lind helped to make Lina Sandell's hymns
known. The "Swedish nightingale" was herself a Pietist and found great
delight in listening to the preaching of Rosenius and the singing of
Ahnfelt. At these conventicles the marvelous singer who had gained the
homage of two continents sat with common workingmen on crude benches and
joined with her sweet voice in singing the Pietist hymns. Ahnfelt, in
visiting the home of the great singer, spoke of his ambition to publish
these hymns. When Jenny Lind learned that financial difficulties stood in
the way, she quickly provided the necessary funds, and so the first
edition of "Ahnfelt's Songs," which in reality were mostly the hymns of
Lina Sandell and Rosenius, was made possible.
Rosenius and Ahnfelt encountered much persecution in their evangelical
efforts. King Karl XV was petitioned to forbid Ahnfelt's preaching and
singing. The monarch refused until he had had an opportunity to hear the
"spiritual troubadour." Ahnfelt was commanded to appear at the royal
palace. Being considerably perturbed in mind as to what he should sing to
the king, he besought Lina Sandell to write a hymn for the occasion. She
was equal to the task and within a few days the song was ready. With his
guitar under his arm and the hymn in his pocket, Ahnfelt repaired to the
palace and sang:
Who is it that knocketh upon your heart's door
In peaceful eve?
Who is it that brings to the wounded and sore
The balm that can heal and relieve?
Your heart is still restless, it findeth no peace
In earth's pleasures;
Your soul is still yearning, it seeketh release
To rise to the heavenly treasures.
The king listened with tears in his eyes. When Ahnfelt had finished, the
monarch gripped him by the hand and exclaimed: "You may sing as much as
you like in both of my kingdoms!"
Mention has already been made of the hymns of Rosenius. These, like the
songs of Lina Sandell, were likewise a powerful factor in the spread of
the evangelical movement in Sweden.
Rosenius was the son of a parish pastor in Norrland, Sweden. From the
time of his birth, February 3, 1816, he was dedicated by his pious
parents to the holy ministry. After having pursued studies for a short
time at Upsala University, however, he became disgusted with the low
moral and spiritual standards existing among the students, and for a
while his own faith was severely shaken. During these spiritual
difficulties he came in contact with George Scott, the Methodist
evangelist in Stockholm, and eventually he began to hold meetings as a
"lay preacher."
In 1842 Scott and Rosenius began the publication of _Pietisten_, a
religious monthly that was destined to play a most important part in the
spiritual revival in Sweden. When Scott was constrained the same year to
leave Sweden because of violent opposition to his movement, Rosenius
became his successor, not only as editor of _Pietisten_, but also as the
outstanding leader among those who were trying to bring about the dawn of
a new spiritual day.
Rosenius centered his activity in the Swedish capital, preaching and
writing. He also traveled extensively throughout the country, and so the
movement spread. Numerous lay preachers, known as "lasare," sprang up
everywhere, holding private meetings in homes and in so-called "mission
houses" that were built nearby the parish churches.
Agitation for separation from the Established Church found no sympathy
with Rosenius, who stood firmly on the Lutheran doctrine and regularly
took communion at the hands of its ordained ministers.
"How long do you intend to remain within the Church?" he once was asked.
"As long as Jesus is there," was the answer of Rosenius.
"But how long do you think He will be there?"
"As long as men are there born anew, for that is not the work of the
devil."
In 1856 Rosenius, together with many earnest-minded ecclesiasts and
leaders in the Established Church, organized the National Evangelical
Foundation, which originally was intended to promote home and inner
mission activities. It subsequently embraced the cause of foreign
missions also and became one of the greatest spiritual influences
emanating from Scandinavia. Rosenius died in 1868, at the age of
fifty-two.
His hymns, like those of Lina Sandell, became known largely through the
musical genius of Ahnfelt. Everywhere "Ahnfelt's Songs" were on the lips
of the so-called "believers." Emigrants from Sweden to America brought
them with them to the New World, where they were a source of solace and
strength in the midst of spiritual and material difficulties. Perhaps no
song verse was heard more often in their humble gatherings than the
concluding stanza of Rosenius' hymn, "With God and His mercy, His Spirit,
and Word":
O Shepherd, abide with us, care for us still,
And feed us and lead us and teach us Thy will;
And when in Thy heavenly fold we shall be,
Our thanks and our praises,
Our thanks and our praises we'll render to Thee.
Then there is that other hymn by Rosenius, so dear to thousands of pious
souls, "I have a Friend, so patient, kind, forbearing," as well as that
other one which Miss Anna Hoppe has so beautifully rendered into English:
O precious thought! some day the mist shall vanish;
Some day the web of gloom shall be unspun.
A day shall break whose beams the night shall banish,
For Christ, the Lamb, shall shine, the glorious Sun!
Although the songs of Lina Sandell and Rosenius do not attain to the
poetic excellence and spiritual power of the noble hymns of Wallin's
"Psalm-book," it is a significant fact that seven of Lina Sandell's and
three of Rosenius' songs were included in an appendix adopted in 1920.
This appendix is the first authorized change in Archbishop Wallin's
masterpiece in 102 years. The 500 hymns of the "Psalm-book" still remain
unchanged, however, as they came from his hand in 1819. Although a number
of commissions have endeavored since 1865 to make revisions of Wallin's
work, their proposals have been consistently rejected. The addition of
173 hymns in the form of an appendix was a compromise adopted by the
Church of Sweden in 1920. It was sanctioned by the king and authorized
for tentative use in the churches beginning Nov. 27, 1921, thus being
given precedence over a revision made by a commission and sanctioned by
the church but indefinitely deferred.
In the 1921 appendix hymn-writers of the Reformed Church are represented
for the first time in the Swedish "Psalm-book." Among the Reformed hymns
found there may be mentioned Joachim Neander's "Lobe den Herren," Sarah
Flower Adams' "Nearer, my God, to Thee," Henry Francis Lyte's "Abide with
me, fast falls the eventide," John Marriot's "Thou, Whose almighty Word,"
and Lydia Baxter's "There is a gate that stands ajar." Classical Lutheran
hymns, such as Gerhardt's "O sacred Head, now wounded" and Luther's
"Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word," have also been added, while other
Lutheran writers, such as the great Danish hymnists, Brorson and
Grundtvig, and the Norwegian psalmist, Landstad, are given recognition.
Then there is the beautiful Christmas hymn, "Silent night, holy night,"
by the Catholic priest, Joseph Mohr.
The more important of recent Swedish hymnists are Johan Alfred Eklund,
bishop of Karlstad, who is represented by thirty-six hymns in the
appendix; Svante Alin, pastor at Sventorp, eleven of whose hymns are
included; the late Edvard Evers, pastor in Norrkoping and a writer of
some note, who contributed twelve hymns, and Erik Soderberg, writer and
publicist, who is the author of seven.
Eleven hymns by two of Finland's great poets, Johan Ludvig Runeberg and
Zachris Topelius, are also found in the appendix.
Kingo's Sunrise Hymn
The sun arises now
In light and glory,
And gilds the rugged brow
Of mountains hoary;
Be glad, my soul, and lift
Thy voice in singing
To God from earth below,
Thy heart with joy aglow
And praises ringing.
Like countless grains of sand,
Beyond all measure,
And wide as sea and land
Is heaven's treasure
Of grace which God anew
Each day bestoweth,
And which, like pouring rain,
Into my soul again
Each morning floweth.
Keep Thou my soul today
From sin and blindness;
Surround me on my way
With loving-kindness,
And fill my heart, O God,
With joy from heaven;
I then shall ask no more
Than what Thou hast of yore
In wisdom given.
Thou knowest best my needs,
My sighs Thou heedest;
Thy hand Thy children feeds,
Thine own Thou leadest;
What should I more desire,
With Thee deciding
The course that I must take
Than follow in the wake
Where Thou art guiding?
Thomas Kingo (1634-1703).
KINGO, THE POET OF EASTER-TIDE
Denmark's first great hymnist, Thomas Kingo, hailed from the land of
Robert Burns. His grandfather, who also bore the name of Thomas,
emigrated from Scotland to Denmark near the end of the 17th century to
become a tapestry weaver for Christian IV.
The boy who was destined to become one of Denmark's most famous spiritual
bards was born in Slangerup, December 15, 1634. At the age of six years
he entered the Latin school of his native city, and ten years later
became a student of the school in Frederiksborg. The principal of this
institution, Albert Bartholin, discovered unusual gifts in the lad and
took him into his own home. After completing theological studies at the
university, he returned in 1668 to his native city of Slangerup as
Lutheran parish pastor.
About this time he began to attract attention as a writer of secular
poetry. It was not until 1673, however, that his first collection of
hymns appeared under the title, "Spiritual Songs, First Part." The
profound impression created by this production is evidenced by the fact
that in 1677 he was elevated from an obscure parish to the bishopric of
the diocese of Fyen.
Kingo had dedicated his "Spiritual Songs" to Christian V, and thus had
attracted the attention of the Danish monarch. In his "address" to the
king, Kingo deplored the fact that the Danish people in their worship had
depended so largely upon hymns of foreign origin.
"The soul of the Danes," he added significantly, "is not so bound and
impoverished but that it can soar as high toward heaven as that of other
peoples, even if it be not upborne by strange and foreign wings."
The Second Part of his "Spiritual Songs" appeared in 1681, this
collection being dedicated to the Danish queen. Many of Kingo's hymns
were written to be sung to popular folk melodies. In justification of
this practice the poet wrote:
"If a pleasing melody set to a song of Sodom delights your ear, how much
more, if you are a true child of God, should not that same melody delight
your soul when sung to a song of Zion!"
In his dedicatory address to Queen Charlotte, the poet of Scotch
forebears gave expression to his great love for the Danish language,
praised her for her heroic efforts to master the language before coming
to Denmark as its queen, and ironically flayed certain foreign courtiers
who for "thirty years had eaten the bread of the Fatherland in the
service of the king without making an effort to learn thirty Danish
words."
By this time the Danish people had come to a full realization that a poet
of the first magnitude had risen in their midst. In June, 1679, Kingo was
created a member of the nobility, and in 1682 he received the honorary
degree of doctor of theology. The following year came the royal
appointment to prepare a hymn-book for the Church of Denmark. The king's
decree specifically stated that Kingo should include a number of his own
hymns, but he was directed to make few changes in the old, traditional
hymns, and "under no circumstances to alter the meaning of Luther's
hymns."
The first part of Kingo's new book appeared in 1689. It met with a storm
of disapproval that was not altogether unmerited. Of the 267 hymns in
this book, 136 were by Kingo himself. Members of the Danish court who had
been objects of Kingo's merciless satire now found an opportunity to
secure revenge. Kingo's book, which had been published at his own
expense, was rejected, and Soren Jonassen, dean of Roskilde, was
appointed to take over the task. His work, which was completed in 1693,
did not contain a single one of Kingo's hymns! It too was promptly
disapproved. A commission was then appointed by the king to supervise the
work, and again Kingo came into favor. The new hymn-book, which was
officially approved in 1699, was based largely on Kingo's work, and
contained 85 of his original hymns.
Although Kingo lived to see his life-work crowned with success, he never
recovered from the indignity and humiliation he had suffered. His death
occurred on October 14, 1703. The day before his death, he exclaimed:
"Tomorrow, Lord, we shall hear glorious music."
Kingo has been called "the poet of Easter-tide." A biographer declares
that Kingo was "in love with the sun," and that he regarded light as the
"true element." This is reflected in his morning hymns, which are among
the finest songs of praise ever written. It may also be seen in his
Easter hymns, one of which begins with the words, "Like the golden sun
ascending." However, Kingo could also dwell on the theme of Christ's
passion with gripping pathos:
Such a night was ne'er before,
Even heaven has shut its door;
Jesus, Thou our Sun and Light,
Now must bear the shame of night.
And in this:
See how, in that hour of darkness,
Battling with the evil power,
Agonies untold assail Him,
On His soul the arrows shower;
And the gardens flowers are wet
With the drops of bloody sweat
From His anguished frame distilling--
Our redemption thus fulfilling.
When the commission appointed by the Danish king was revising his
hymn-book, Kingo pleaded that his Lenten hymns might be retained. Among
the most soul-stirring of these in the famous hymn, "Over Kedron Jesus
treadeth." In its original form it contained fourteen stanzas. Although
objective in character, Kingo's hymns never fail to make a strong
personal appeal. Witness, for example, the following from his Good Friday
hymn:
On my heart imprint Thine image,
Blessed Jesus, King of grace,
That life's riches, cares, and pleasures
Never may Thyself efface;
This the superscription be:
Jesus, crucified for me,
Is my life, my hope's foundation,
And my glory and salvation.
Other hymns of Kingo that have been translated into English include
"Praise to Thee and adoration," "Dearest Jesus, draw Thou near me," "He
that believes and is baptized," "O dearest Lord, receive from me," "I
come, invited by Thy Word," "Softly now the day is ending," and "The sun
arises now."
Grundtvig, a later Danish hymn-writer, pays Kingo this tribute: "He
effected a combination of sublimity and simplicity, a union of splendor
and fervent devotion, a powerful and musical play of words and imagery
that reminds one of Shakespeare."
The Great White Host
Behold a host, arrayed in white,
Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright,
With palms they stand--who are this band
Before the throne of light?
Lo, these are they, of glorious fame,
Who from the great affliction came,
And in the flood of Jesus' blood
Are cleansed from guilt and blame;
Now gathered in the holy place
Their voices they in worship raise,
Their anthems swell where God doth dwell
'Mid angels' songs of praise.
Despised and scorned, they sojourned here,
But now, how glorious they appear!
These martyrs stand a priestly band,
God's throne forever near.
So oft, in troubled days gone by,
In anguish they would weep and sigh;
At home above, the God of love
The tears of all shall dry.
They now enjoy their Sabbath rest,
The paschal banquet of the blest;
The Lamb, their Lord, at festal board
Himself is host and guest.
Then hail, ye mighty legions, yea,
All hail! now safe and blest for aye;
And praise the Lord, who with His Word
Sustained you on the way.
Ye did the joys of earth disdain,
Ye toiled and sowed in tears and pain;
Farewell, now bring your sheaves, and sing
Salvation's glad refrain.
Swing high your palms, lift up your song,
Yea, make it myriad voices strong:
Eternally shall praise to Thee,
God, and the Lamb, belong!
Hans Adolph Brorson, 1763.
BRORSON, THE POET OF CHRISTMAS
No Scandinavian hymn has attained such popularity in recent years as
"Behold a host." This sublime "glory song" was first given to the world
after its writer, Hans Adolph Brorson, had gone to join the "host,
arrayed in white" that sings "before the throne of light."
It was published by his son in a collection entitled "Hans Adolph
Brorson's Swan-Song," which appeared in 1765, a year after the famous
Danish hymn-writer had gone to his final rest. The collection contained
seventy hymns, all written in the last year of the poet's life.
Brorson was a product of the Pietistic movement emanating from Halle, in
Germany. Born June 20, 1694, at Randrup, Denmark, he early came under the
influence of the great spiritual awakening which was then sweeping
through the Lutheran Church.
Brorson's father was a Lutheran pastor, and all of his three sons,
including the hymn-writer, entered the service of the Church. Brorson's
first pastorate was in his native city of Randrup, a place he dearly
loved and to which he often returned in later life when he found himself
oppressed by manifold cares.
It was during his ministry in Randrup that Brorson began to write his
first hymns. He speaks of the eight years spent at this place as the
happiest in his life. In 1729 he was called to become Danish preacher at
Tonder, where he labored side by side with Johan Herman Schrader, who was
also a hymnist of some note. Because of the mixed Danish and German
population of Tonder, a curious situation existed in the church worship.
Although Brorson preached in Danish, the congregation sang in German! To
remedy this, Brorson, in 1732, wrote a number of his famous Christmas
hymns, among them 'Den yndigste Rose er funden,' one of the most
exquisite gems in sacred poetry. A free rendering of four of its eleven
stanzas by August W. Kjellstrand follows:
The sweetest, the fairest of roses
I've found. Among thorns it reposes:
'Tis Jesus, my soul's dearest Treasure,
Of sinners a Friend above measure.
E'er since the sad day when frail mortals
Were thrust from fair Eden's bright portals,
The world has been dark, full of terror,
And man dead in sin, lost in error.
Then mindful of promises given,
God sent from the gardens of heaven
A Rose, 'mid the thorns brightly blowing,
And freely its fragrance bestowing.
Wherever this Rose Tree is grounded,
The kingdom of God there is founded;
And where its sweet fragrance is wafted,
There peace in the heart is engrafted.
As Kingo was known among the Danes as "the poet of Easter," so Brorson
from this time was hailed as "the poet of Christmas."
In 1747 Brorson was appointed by Christian VI to become bishop of the
diocese of Ribe. It is said that the Danish monarch upon meeting Brorson
at a certain occasion inquired of him if he was the author of the hymn,
"Awake, all things that God has made." When the poet modestly answered in
the affirmative, so the story runs, the king promised him the bishopric.
When Erik Pontoppidan, later bishop of Bergen, was appointed to revise
Kingo's hymnal, which for forty years had served the churches of Denmark
and Norway, he found his task a comparatively simple one through the
valuable assistance rendered by Brorson. Kingo's hymns were changed only
slightly, and the greater part of the new material was from Brorson's
pen.
The later years of the poet were darkened by sad experiences. In the year
that Brorson was elevated to the bishopric, his beloved wife died while
giving birth to their thirteenth child. This and other troubles served to
make him melancholy in spirit, but he did not cease to compose poems of
rarest beauty. His thoughts, however, turned more and more toward heaven
and the blessedness of the life hereafter. A celestial radiance is
reflected in the hymns of his "Swan-Song." This is particularly true of
"Behold, a host arrayed in white," a lyric that has become a favorite in
America as well as in Europe through its association with Edvard Grieg's
famous adaptation of a Norwegian folk song.
Brorson's earnest character and pious nature made him deeply concerned
about the salvation of souls. Many of his poems and hymns contain solemn
warnings touching on the uncertainty of life and the need of seeking
salvation. His gripping hymn, "Jeg gaar i Fare, hvor jeg gaar," gave
Archbishop Wallin, the great Swedish hymnist, the inspiration for his
noble stanzas:
I near the grave, where'er I go,
Where'er my pathway tendeth;
If rough or pleasant here below,
My way at death's gate endeth.
I have no other choice;
Between my griefs and joys
My mortal life is ordered so:
I near the grave, where'er I go.
I go to heaven, where'er I go,
If Jesus' steps I follow;
The crown of life He will bestow,
When earth this frame shall swallow.
If through this tearful vale
I in that course prevail,
And walk with Jesus here below,
I go to heaven, where'er I go.
Other well-known hymns by Brorson are "Thy little ones, dear Lord, are
we," "O Father, may Thy Word prevail," "O watch and pray," "Life's day is
ended," "My heart, prepare to give account," "By faith we are divinely
sure," "Children of God, born again of His Spirit," "O seek the Lord
today," "I see Thee standing, Lamb of God," "Stand fast, my soul, stand
fast," "Jesus, Name of wondrous grace," and "Who will join the throng to
heaven?" Brorson's childlike spirit may be seen reflected in the first of
these, a children's Christmas hymn:
Thy little ones, dear Lord, are we,
And come Thy lowly bed to see;
Enlighten every soul and mind,
That we the way to Thee may find.
With songs we hasten Thee to greet,
And kiss the dust before Thy feet;
O blessed hour, O sweetest night,
That gave Thee birth, our soul's delight.
Now welcome! From Thy heavenly home
Thou to our vale of tears art come;
Man hath no offering for Thee, save
The stable, manger, cross, and grave.
Jesus, alas! how can it be
So few bestow a thought on Thee,
Or on the love, so wondrous great,
That drew Thee down to our estate?
O draw us wholly to Thee, Lord,
Do Thou to us Thy grace accord,
True faith and love to us impart,
That we may hold Thee in our heart.
A Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit, come with light,
Break the dark and gloomy night
With Thy day unending;
Help us with a joyful lay
Greet the Lord's triumphant day
Now with might ascending.
Comforter, so wondrous kind,
Noble Guest of heart and mind,
Fix in us Thy dwelling.
Give us peace in storm and strife,
Fill each weary heart and life
With Thy joy excelling.
Make salvation clear to us,
Who, despite our sin and cross,
Are in Thee confiding.
Lest our life be void and vain,
With Thy light and love remain
Aye in us abiding.
Raise or bow us with Thine arm,
Break temptation's evil charm,
Clear our clouded vision.
Fill our hearts with longings new,
Cleanse us with Thy morning dew,
Tears of deep contrition.
Thou who givest life and breath,
Let our hope in sight of death
Blossom bright and vernal;
And above the silent tomb
Let the Easter lilies bloom,
Signs of life eternal.
Nikolai Grundtvig (1783-1872).
GRUNDTVIG, THE POET OF WHITSUNTIDE
Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig was the last and greatest of the celebrated
triumvirate of Danish hymn-writers. As Kingo was the bright star of the
17th century and Brorson of the 18th century, so Grundtvig shone with a
luster all his own in the 19th century. The "poet of Easter" and the
"poet of Christmas" were succeeded by the "poet of Whitsuntide."
The appellation given to Grundtvig was not without reason, for it was he,
above all others, who strove mightily in Denmark against the deadening
spirit of rationalism which had dried up the streams of spirituality in
the Church. No one as he labored with such amazing courage and zeal to
bring about the dawn of a new day.
Nor did Grundtvig strive in vain. Before his life-work was ended, fresh
Pentecostal breezes began to blow, the dry bones began to stir, and the
Church, moved by the Spirit of God, experienced a new spiritual birth.
The spirit of rationalism had worked havoc with the most sacred truths of
the Christian religion. As some one has said, "It converted the banner of
the Lamb into a blue-striped handkerchief, the Christian religion into a
philosophy of happiness, and the temple dome into a parasol."
Under the influence of the "new theology," ministers of the gospel had
prostituted the church worship into lectures on science and domestic
economy. It is said that one minister in preaching on the theme of the
Christ-child and the manger developed it into a lecture on the proper
care of stables, and another, moved by the story of the coming of the
holy women to the sepulcher on the first Easter morning, delivered a
peroration on the advantages of getting up early! God was referred to as
"Providence" or "the Deity," Christ as "the founder of Christianity," sin
as "error," salvation as "happiness," and the essence of the Christian
life as "morality."
Grundtvig's father was one of the few Lutheran pastors in Denmark who had
remained faithful to evangelical truth. The future poet, who was born in
Udby, September 8, 1783, had the advantage, therefore, of being brought
up in a household where the spirit of true Christian piety reigned. It
was not long, however, before young Grundtvig, as a student, came under
the influence of the "new theology." Although he planned to become a
minister, he lost all interest in religion during his final year at
school, and finished his academic career "without spirit and without
faith."
A number of circumstances, however, began to open his eyes to the
spiritual poverty of the people. Morality was at a low ebb, and a spirit
of indifference and frivolity banished all serious thoughts from their
minds. It was a rude shock to his sensitive and patriotic nature to
observe, in 1807, how the population of Copenhagen laughed and danced
while the Danish fleet was being destroyed by English warships and the
capital city itself was being bombarded by the enemy.
In 1810 he preached his famous probation sermon on the striking theme,
"Why has the Word of God departed from His house?" The sermon produced a
sensation, and from this time Grundtvig came to be known as a mystic and
fanatic. His career as a pastor was checkered, but throughout his life he
exerted a powerful influence by his literary activity as well as by his
preaching. His poetry and hymns attracted so much attention that it was
said that "Kingo's harp has been strung afresh."
Grundtvig's strongest hymns are those that deal with the Church and the
sacraments. The divine character of the Church is continually stressed,
for Christ not only founded it, but, as the Living Word, He is present in
it and in the sacraments unto the end of time. "Built on the Rock, the
Church doth stand" is probably his most famous hymn. Grundtvig was more
concerned about the thought he was trying to convey than the mode of
expression; therefore his hymns are often characterized by strength
rather than poetic beauty. They are also so deeply tinged by national
spirit and feeling that they lose much of the color and fragrance of
their native heath when translated. That Grundtvig could rise to lyrical
heights is revealed especially in his festival hymns. There is a charming
freshness in the sweet Christmas hymn:
Chime, happy Christmas bells, once more!
The heavenly Guest is at the door,
The blessed words the shepherds thrill,
The joyous tidings, "Peace, good will."
O let us go with quiet mind,
The gentle Babe with shepherds find,
To gaze on Him who gladdens them,
The loveliest flower of Jesse's stem.
Come, Jesus, glorious heavenly Guest,
Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast,
Then David's harp-strings, hushed so long,
Shall swell our jubilee of song.
The Danish hymnologist Brandt has pointed out the distinctive
characteristics of his country's three great hymnists by calling
attention to their favorite symbols. That of Kingo was the sun, Brorson's
the rose, and Grundtvig's the bird. Kingo extols Christ as the risen,
victorious Saviour--the Sun that breaks through the dark shades of sin
and death. Brorson glorifies Christ as the Friend of the spiritually poor
and needy. They learn to know Him in the secret prayer chamber as the
Rose that spreads its quiet fragrance. Grundtvig's hymns are primarily
hymns of the Spirit. They laud the Holy Spirit, the Giver and Renewer of
life, who bears us up on mighty wings toward the mansions of light.
Among Danes and Norwegians there are few hymns more popular than
Grundtvig's hymn on the Church. The first stanza reads:
Built on the Rock the Church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land,
Bells still are chiming and calling;
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the soul distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.
Other noted hymns by Grundtvig include "Love, the fount of light from
heaven," "As the rose shall blossom here," "The Lord to thee appealeth,"
"Splendid are the heavens high," "A Babe is born in Bethlehem," "From the
grave remove dark crosses," "O let Thy Spirit with us tarry," "Fair
beyond telling," "This is the day that our Father hath given," "Hast to
the plow thou put thy hand," "The peace of God protects our hearts," "O
wondrous kingdom here on earth," "With gladness we hail this blessed
day," "He who has helped me hitherto," and "Peace to soothe our bitter
woes."
Because of his intensive efforts to bring about reforms in the
educational methods of his day, Grundtvig became known as "the father of
the public high school in Scandinavia."
In 1861, when he celebrated his golden jubilee as pastor, Grundtvig was
given the title of bishop. The good old man passed away peacefully on
September 2, 1872, at the age of eighty-nine years. He preached his last
sermon on the day before his death.
A distinguished contemporary of Grundtvig's who also gained renown as a
Danish hymn-writer was Bernhardt Severin Ingemann, author of the famous
hymn, "Through the night of doubt and sorrow." Ingemann was born in
Falster, Denmark, in 1789, the son of a Lutheran pastor, Soren Ingemann.
The father died when Bernhardt was 11 years old, but the mother made it
possible for the gifted lad to receive a liberal education. At the age of
22 years he published his first volume of poems, and three years later
his famous epic, "The Black Knights," appeared. A number of dramas
followed, and in 1822 he was appointed lector of Danish language and
literature at the Academy of Soro. Here he remained for forty years,
writing novels, secular poetry and hymns. He was a warm friend of
Grundtvig's, who constantly encouraged him in his literary efforts.
Ingemann's "Morning Hymns" appeared in 1822, and in 1825 his "Hymns of
Worship" was published. In 1854 he was charged with the task of
completing the "Psalm Book for Church and Private Devotion," edited by
the ministerial conference at Roskilde.
A Norwegian Miserere
Before Thee, God, who knowest all,
With grief and shame I prostrate fall;
I see my sins against Thee, Lord,
The sins of thought, of deed, and word,
They press me sore, I cry to Thee;
O God, be merciful to me!
O Lord, My God, to Thee I pray:
O cast me not in wrath away,
Let Thy good Spirit ne'er depart,
But let Him draw to Thee my heart,
That truly penitent I be;
O God, be merciful to me!
O Jesus, let Thy precious blood
Be to my soul a cleansing flood;
Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away,
But grant that justified I may
Go to my house with peace from Thee;
O God, be merciful to me!
Magnus Brorstrup Landstad, 1861.
LANDSTAD, A BARD OF THE FROZEN FJORDS
This is the story of a man whose chance purchase of two books at an
auction sale for the sum of four cents was probably the means of
inspiring him to become one of the foremost Christian poets of the North.
Magnus Brorstrup Landstad was a poverty-stricken student at the
University of Christiania (now Oslo), Norway, when he happened to pass a
house in which a sale of books was being conducted. Moved by curiosity,
he entered the place just as a package of old books was being offered. We
will let him tell the remainder of the story:
"I made a bid of four cents, the deal was made, and I walked home with my
package. It contained two volumes in leather binding. One was
'Freuden-Spiegel des ewigen Lebens' by Philipp Nicolai. On the last few
pages of this book four of Nicolai's hymns were printed. The other book
was Bishop A. Arrebo's 'Hexaemeron, The Glorious and Mighty Works of the
Creation Day.' In this manner two splendid hymn collections, one German
and the other Danish-Norwegian, unexpectedly came into my possession. I
was not acquainted with either of these works before. Nicolai's hymns
made a deep impression on me, and I at once attempted to translate
them.... My experience with these hymn collections, I believe, gave me
the first impetus in the direction of hymn writing. Furthermore, it gave
me a deeper insight into the life and spirit of the old church hymns."
Two of the hymns of Nicolai that Landstad attempted to translate were
"Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" and "Wie schoen leuchtet der
Morgenstern," noble classics that have never been excelled. The young
student was so successful in his rendering of the former hymn that it
subsequently found a place in the Norwegian church hymnary.
Landstad was born October 7, 1802, in Maaso, Finnmarken, Norway, where
his father was pastor of the Lutheran church. This parish is at the
extreme northern point of Norway, and so Landstad himself wrote, "I was
baptized in the northernmost church in the world." Later the family moved
to Oksnes, another parish among the frozen fjords of the Norse seacoast.
"The waves of the icy Arctic," he writes poetically, "sang my cradle
lullaby; but the bosom of a loving mother warmed my body and soul."
The stern character of the relentless North, with its solitude, its
frozen wastes, its stormy waters and its long months of winter darkness,
no doubt left a profound and lasting impression upon the lad whose early
years were spent in such environments. The Napoleonic wars were also
raging, and it was a time of much sorrow and suffering among the common
people. When the boy was nine years old the family removed to Vinje.
Although they continued to suffer many hardships, the natural
surroundings at this place were more congenial, and in summer the
landscape was transformed into a magic beauty that must have warmed the
heart and fired the childish imagination of the future hymnist.
Magnus was the third in a family of ten children. Although sorely pressed
by poverty, the father recognized unusual talent in the boy, and at the
age of twenty years he was sent to the university in Christiania. During
his first year at the institution two of his brothers died. Young
Landstad was greatly cast down in spirit, but out of the bitterness of
this early bereavement came two memorial poems that are believed to
represent his first attempt at verse-writing.
In 1827 he completed his theological studies at the university and the
following year he was appointed resident vicar of the Lutheran church at
Gausdal. During his pastorate at this place he wrote his first hymn. In
1834 he became pastor at Kviteseid, where he continued the writing of
hymns and other poems. Five years later he became his father's successor
as pastor of the parish at Seljord. It was here, in 1841, that he
published his first work, a book of daily devotions that has been highly
prized among his countrymen.
For centuries Norway and Denmark had been closely connected politically
and culturally. The Lutheran Church was, moreover, the state church of
both countries. As a consequence of this relationship Norway had always
looked to Denmark for its hymn literature, and no hymnist of any note had
ever risen in the northern country.
Now, however, it began to dawn on the Norwegians that a native singer
dwelt in their own midst. The political ties with Denmark having been
broken as a result of the Napoleonic wars, the spirit of nationalism
began to assert itself and the demand for a new hymn-book for the Church
of Norway constantly grew stronger. In 1848 the Norwegian ecclesiastical
authorities requested Landstad to undertake the task, but not until four
years later could he be prevailed upon to assume the arduous duties
involved in so great an endeavor.
In 1861 the first draft of his "Kirke-Salmebog" was published. It did not
meet with universal approval. In defense of his work, Landstad wrote: "We
must, above all, demand that our hymns possess the elements of poetic
diction and true song. We must consider the historical and churchly
elements, and the orthodox objectivity which shows respect for church
tradition and which appreciates the purity, clearness, and force of
confession. But the sickly subjectivity, which 'rests' in the varying
moods of pious feelings and godly longings, and yet does not possess any
of the boldness and power of true faith such as we find in Luther's and
Kingo's hymns--this type of church hymn must be excluded. Finally, we
must also emphasize the aesthetic feature. Art must be made to serve the
Church, to glorify the name of God, and to edify the congregation of
worshipers. But it must always be remembered that art itself is to be the
servant and not the master."
Nevertheless, Landstad continued for several years to revise his own
work, and in 1869 the hymn-book was finally published and authorized for
use in the Church of Norway. Within a year it had been introduced into
648 of the 923 parishes of the country.
In 1876 Landstad retired from active service after the Norwegian
parliament had unanimously voted him an annual pension of 4,000 crowns in
appreciation of the great service he had rendered his country. He died in
Christiania, October 9, 1880.
Among the hymns of Landstad that have been translated into English are,
"I know of a sleep in Jesus' Name," "I come to Thee, O blessed Lord,"
"There many shall come from the East and the West," "When sinners see
their lost condition," and "Before Thee, God, who knowest all."
Although Landstad's hymns do not attain to lofty poetic heights, they are
marked by a spirit of unusual intimacy, deep earnestness, and a warmth of
feeling that make a strong appeal to the worshiper.