The historian tells us that before the battle of Lutzen, during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), King Gustavus of Sweden, in the thick fog of an autumn morning, with the Bohemian and Austrian armies of Emperor Ferdinand in front of him, knelt before his troops, and his whole army knelt with him in prayer. Then ten thousand voices and the whole concert of regimental bands burst forth in this brave song: Fear not, O little flock, the foe Who madly seeks your overthrow, Dread not his rage and power: What though your courage sometimes faints, His seeming triumph o'er God's saints Lasts but a little hour. Be of good cheer, your cause belongs To Him who can avenge your wrongs; Leave it to Him, our Lord: Though hidden yet from all our eyes, He sees the Gideon who shall rise To save us and His word. As true as God's own word is true, Nor earth nor hell with all their crew, Against us shall prevail: A jest and by-word they are grown; God is with us, we are His own, Our victory cannot fail. Amen, Lord Jesus, grant our prayer! Great Captain, now Thine arm make bare, Fight for us once again: So shall Thy saints and martyrs raise A mighty chorus to Thy praise, World without end. Amen. The army of Gustavus moved forward to victory as the fog lifted; but at the moment of triumph a riderless horse came galloping back to the camp. It was the horse of the martyred King. The battle song just quoted--next to Luther's "Ein feste Burg" the most famous German hymn--has always since that day been called "Gustavus Adolphus' Hymn"; and the mingled sorrow and joy of the event at Lutzen named it also "King Gustavus' Swan Song." Gustavus Adolphus did not write hymns. He could sing them, and he could make them historic--and it was this connection that identified him with the famous battle song. Its author was the Rev. Johan Michael Altenburg, a Lutheran clergyman, who composed apparently both hymn and tune on receiving news of the king's victory at Leipsic a year before. Gustavus Adolphus was born in 1594. His death on the battlefield occurred Nov. 5, 1632--when he was in the prime of his manhood. He was one of the greatest military commanders in history, besides being a great ruler and administrator, and a devout Christian. He was, during the Thirty Years' War (until his untimely death), the leading champion of Protestantism in Europe. The English translator of the battle song was Miss Catherine Winkworth, born in London, Sept. 13, 1827. She was an industrious and successful translator of German hymns, contributing many results of her work to two English editions of the _Lyra Germania_, to the _Church Book of England_, and to _Christian Singers of Germany_. She died in 1878. The tune of "Ravendale" by Walter Stokes (born 1847) is the best modern rendering of the celebrated hymn. PAUL GERHARDT. "_Befiehl Du Deine Wege._"