Page:Our Hymns.djvu/70

 50 OUR HYMNS :

GEOKGE NEUMAKK. 16211681.

IF it puts honour upon human nature when the hard struggle with poverty is not allowed to subdue the nobler exercises and aspirations of the soul, then we must give his due meed of praise to George Neumark. He was born of poor parents at Thiiringen, on the 16th March, 1621. He studied law at the University of Konigsberg, where Simon Dach, (1605- 1659,) the centre of the Konigsberg school of poetry, was Pro fessor of Poetry and Poet Laureate. Dach was also a great musician. Under his influence the young law-student became, like his Professor, a musician and a poet. As a student he had to suffer privations, and he contimied to be a sufferer when he went to obtain a precarious living at Dantzic and at Thorn. In 1651, he went to live at Hamburg. There his poverty was so great that he was obliged to part with his viol-di-gamba, a six- stringed instrument then in use, and upon which he played very skilfully. Notwithstanding his sufferings he refused every un worthy method of seeking a livelihood, and preserved his simplicity of life and his trust in God.

Just at the time of his greatest distress he found an unexpected friend in need in an attendant of the Swedish Ambassador, Bawn von Rosenkranz. This servant made bold to relate to his master Neumark s romantic story of suffering genius. The story was well received, and the young poet was appointed secretary to the Ambassador. His first act on receiving the joyful news of his appointment was to purchase back his viol, which he had parted with most unwillingly. And then, as expressive of the way in which his faith had been justified by the issue, he composed his most famous hymn, (1653)

&quot; Leave God to order all thy ways.&quot; (Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten,)

which he played on his viol with tears of gratitude. The tune

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