The poem came into the hymn books through the arrangement made of it by Dr. W. P. Merrill who first became acquainted with the sonnet through hearing it read about 1907 by President Charles Cuthbert Hall, of Union Theological Seminary in the course of a lecture at the University of Chicago. As sonnets each have fourteen lines, changes were necessary to make the poem suitable for singing. Dr. Merrill omitted two lines and arranged the rest to make three symmetrical four-line stanzas. William Pearson Merrill was born in Orange, N. J., January 10, 1867. After graduating from Rutgers College, he trained for the Presbyterian ministry at Union Theological Seminary, New York. He served churches in Philadelphia and Chicago and then went, in 1911, to the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City to begin a long and distinguished pastorate which ended with his retirement in 1938. He was president of the Church Peace Union, was long active in The American Hymn Society, and is the author of several books. His influence as preacher and religious leader extends beyond his own denomination. _MUSIC._ FFIGYSBREN, known in Wales as “Clod” (Praise), is a tune of simple construction, but when sung rather slowly it is remarkably powerful and effective. It appeared in America in _The Harvard University Hymn Book_, edited by Archibald T. Davidson in 1926. It is one of an increasing number of Welsh tunes which are becoming available to enrich our hymnody with the element of unique beauty and fervor that is so characteristic of the singing of the Welsh people. 184. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire _James Montgomery_, 1771-1854 A classic poem on prayer, written in 1818 at the request of the Rev. E. Bickersteth for his _Treatise on Prayer_. In 1825 it was published in _The Christian Psalmist_, headed, “What is Prayer?” The original has eight stanzas of which our hymn is a selection of 1, 2, 4, 5. Prayer is more, to be sure, than “the soul’s sincere desire,” for we sincerely desire many things that are in conflict with God’s will. But taken as a whole, the poem is an elaborate description of the nature of prayer and teaches its principles and practice with truth and power. The last stanza, unfortunately omitted in the _Hymnary_, is itself a beautiful, direct petition: O Thou by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer Thyself hast trod,— Lord, teach us how to pray. For comments on James Montgomery see Hymn 62. _MUSIC._ ST. AGNES. For comments on this tune see Hymn 155. In some books the hymn is set to the tune “_Es Ist Ein Born_” (241). 185. Thou art the Way, to Thee alone _George W. Doane_, 1799-1859 Based on John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”