Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/136

 124 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED

Street Chapel, London. He joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1845, an d became Canon of the Pro-Cathedral for the Westminster district in 1852. He died in 1880.

Canon Oakeley s translation of the English form of the Latin text was made in 1841 for use at Margaret Street Chapel, London, of which he was incumbent, and came into notice by being sung there. It was included in the People s Hymnal, 1867. It began, Ye faithful, approach ye. The improved form here given appeared in Murray s Hymnal, 1852. The second line read Joyfully triumphant.

The tune in MS., dated 1751, is at Stonyhurst. It was published in 1783. In 1797 it was harmonized by Vincent Novello, and sung at the Chapel of the Portuguese Embassy, where he was organist. He ascribed the tune, which at once became popular, to John Reading, organist of Winchester Cathedral, 1675-81.

Hymn 124. Christians, awake, salute the happy

moru.

JOHN BYROM, M.A., F.R.S. (1692-1763). Compiled from a poem of forty-eight lines given in his Poems, 1773.

Dr. Byrom was born at Kersall Cell, Manchester. He became Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, studied medicine at Montpelier, and returned to England in 1718 with his diploma. He married his cousin in 1721. Byrom invented a system of shorthand, and earned his living by teaching it. He was elected F.R.S. 1724, and succeeded to the family property in 1740 by the death of his elder brother. Byrom was a disciple of William Law, and a friend of John and Charles Wesley. He wrote for the Spectator under the pseudonym of John Shadow. Many pleasant glimpses of the Evangelical Revival and its leaders are gained from his Journal and Letters. Wesley says, He has all the wit and humour of Dr. Swift, together with much more learning, a deep and strong understanding, and above all, a serious vein of poetry (see also 526).

The tune Stockport (or Yorkshire ), by John Wainwright, organist of Manchester Parish Church, was sung by the com poser and his choristers before Byrom s house at Kersall Cell on Christmas Eve, 1750.

Byrom promised his favourite daughter, Dolly, to write her

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