Handbook to the Mennonite HymnaryHostetler, Lester
Religion
Handbook to the Mennonite Hymnary
Hostetler, Lester
Hymns, English -- History and criticism; Mennonites -- Hymns -- History and criticism
Julian Stearns Cutler, born at Thomaston, Maine, graduated from Tufts
Theological School, Tufts College, Mass., in 1885, and served
Universalist churches in Marblehead, Melrose, and Orange, Mass.,
1896-1904; in Little Falls, N. Y., 1904-10; and in Pawtucket, R. I.,
1910-26. He wrote a good deal of occasional verse published in
newspapers, especially in the _Boston Transcript_, and his collected
poems were privately printed under the title, _Songs of Cheer_, about a
year after his death. His hymn, “Motherhood, sublime, eternal,” written
about 1910, was adapted for use in Universalist hymn books and in
slightly altered form in _Hymns of the Spirit_, 1937. It was taken from
the latter for use in the _Hymnary_.
_MUSIC._ MOTHERHOOD. No information has been traced concerning the
origin of this tune or its composer, Willis A. Moore, except that Moore
was a member of the Universalists but left their fellowship some years
ago. The Universalist Publishing House, Boston, from whom inquiry was
made, has no further information at hand.
FAREWELL SERVICE
365. God be with you till we meet again _Jeremiah E. Rankin,_
1828-1904
Written for the purpose of a Christian good-by.
The author, Jeremiah E. Rankin, was pastor of the First Congregational
Church in Washington, D. C., when he wrote this hymn. Later, in 1889, he
became president of Howard University, a Negro institution in the same
city. He was always a friend of the colored people and did what he could
for their advancement.
He has given us the origin of the hymn as follows:
Written in 1882 as a Christian good-by, it was called forth by no
person or occasion, but was deliberately composed as a Christian hymn
on the basis of the etymology of “good-by,” which is “God be with
you.” The first stanza was written and sent to two composers—one of
unusual note, the other wholly unknown and not thoroughly educated in
music. I selected the composition of the latter, submitted it to J. W.
Bishoff (the musical director of a little book we were preparing), who
approved of it but made some criticisms which were adopted. It was
sung for the first time one evening in the First Congregational Church
in Washington, of which I was then the pastor and Mr. Bishoff the
organist. I attributed its popularity in no little part to the music
to which it was set. It was a wedding of words and music, at which it
was my function to preside; but Mr. Tomer should have his full share
of the family honor.
_MUSIC._ FAREWELL was composed by William G. Tomer, 1832-96, an American
journalist who made music his avocation. In early life he taught school,
later becoming the editor of the _Hunterdon Gazette_ at High Ridge, New
Jersey. The hymn he helped make famous was sung at his funeral by a
large assembly of friends and neighbors.
OUR FOREFATHERS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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