Category: The Midweek Hymn

THIS hymn was written as a poem in 1833 by one of Britain’s best-known and most controversial churchmen, Saint John Henry Newman (1801-1890). It would take a book to cover his life … Continue readingLead, Kindly Light

BACK to the ever-reliable Charles Wesley this week. I have already written about him several times including here, here, here and here.  This hymn was written around 1744 while Charles (1707-1788) and his brother John … Continue readingRejoice, the Lord is King

THIS is another hymn I remember as a favourite in daily school assemblies. The words were written by the Scottish clergyman Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908). He was born in Aberdeen, … Continue readingImmortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

I HAD not heard of this hymn and when I came across it in a list, the title intrigued me. I looked it up and this is what I found. … Continue readingLet the Lower Lights Be Burning

I’VE been saving this terrific hymn for All Saints Day, November 1, when it is traditionally sung, and this year it falls on Sunday. It celebrates all the saints, known and unknown. … Continue readingFor All The Saints

I DON’T know if a melody without words is strictly speaking a hymn, but it certainly sounds like one. It commemorates a disaster less than 100 years ago, though it … Continue readingGresford, ‘The Miners’ Hymn’

TO my knowledge, the writer of this hymn is the only one with a species of early man named after him. Joachim Neander (1650-1680) wrote about 60 hymns and provided … Continue readingPraise to the Lord, the Almighty

IT IS a great shame that hymns about Eastertide are dusted off only once a year. Perhaps it is because the story is so harrowing that we cannot bear to … Continue readingMy Song is Love Unknown

I HAVE written about several hymns which have been messed about with by heavy-handed editors who wrongly thought they were cleverer than the writer. This is the first one I … Continue readingFather, Hear the Prayer We Offer

THIS time last year I wrote about Harvest Festival, which I had just missed. This year I am a bit early – it is on October 4. This is because … Continue readingCome, Ye Thankful People, Come