It is an exquisite lyric, expressing not only the glory of the springtime with its newborn life, but depicting also, with rare beauty and power, the renewal of life which God works in the soul—a new birth of faith and love, prayer and song. The author himself wrote that, as a result of the study of the New Testament, “truth upon truth brake upon my gaze and God put a new song into my mouth.” Thomas Hornblower Gill, born in Birmingham, England, was brought up a Unitarian, but, unsatisfied with the Unitarian view of the person of Christ, he withdrew from that church and joined the Evangelical party in the Church of England. One of the major influences leading him to this decision was his study of the hymns of Isaac Watts. He saw “the contrast between their native force and fulness and their shrunken and dwindled presentation in the mutilated version in Unitarian hymnbooks.” Gill published a number of books of poems which R. W. Dale, in compiling a hymnbook for his congregation at Carr’s Lane, Birmingham, found “a very mine of wealth.” _MUSIC._ KING’S LANGLEY, “a delightfully gay tune,” is an arrangement of a traditional English May-day carol. It appeared in the _English Hymnal_ of 1906. The arrangement is by Miss L. E. Broadwood, an English lady of considerable musical talent. SUMMER 386. Summer suns are glowing _William W. How_, 1823-97 One of the most welcome of the hymns of the changing year. It was written for _Church Hymns_, 1871. The author wrote a hymn for each of the four seasons, another appearing at No. 387. For comments on W. W. How see Hymn 144. _MUSIC._ RUTH, composed by Samuel Smith, privately printed in 1865, was set to the present hymn in 1874 by Arthur Sullivan when he was editing the music for _Church Hymns_. Samuel Smith, 1821-1917 (not to be confused with the author of “My country, ’tis of thee”), was an English organist, serving Trinity Church, Windsor, for 34 years. He succeeded Sir George Elvey as conductor of the Windsor and Eton Choral Society. AUTUMN 387. The year is swiftly waning _William W. How_, 1823-97 A hymn for the autumn season. Like No. 386, it was written for the author’s _Church Hymns_, 1871. For comments on W. W. How see Hymn 144. _MUSIC._ WAS KANN ES SCHÖN’RES GEBEN is from the _Gesangbuch mit Noten_ where it appears anonymously, set to a hymn by Philipp Spitta, “Was kann es schön’res geben.” SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES 388. Father of men, in whom are one _Henry Cary Shuttleworth_, 1850-1900 A deeply sympathetic Christian hymn, written for the Friendly Societies of the Church of England, but may appropriately be used for many occasions of a more general character. It is especially useful in the life of a college campus.