Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/193

 THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS l8l

pane, but the landlord would not consent. It was removed at a later date, and has never been traced. A Miss Mackenzie, who wrote religious books, lived with Miss Auber, and the two old saints were greatly loved in the district. Miss Auber was buried in the churchyard opposite to her house, at the age of eighty-nine. It was some time before the hymn came into common use ; but when compilers of hymn-books got to know it, it soon attained wide popularity.

Hymn 230. Lord, we believe to us and ours.

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1742; Works, ii. 227. Hymn for the Day of Pentecost. Twelve verses, beginning Rejoice, rejoice, ye fallen race. This hymn begins at ver. 5.

In ver. i the original is : We wait to taste the heavenly powers. Ver. 4 : If still Thou art to sinners given,

To shake our earth come down from heaven. Ver. 5 : Kindle in each Thy living lire.

Hymn 237. Holy Ghost! my Comforter! Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

Latin ; translated by Miss \Vinkworth (19) in her Lyra Gcrmanica^ 1st Series, 2nd edition, 1856.

This was often styled The Golden Sequence in the Middle Ages. It has not been found in any MS. older than 1200 A.U. It has been ascribed to Robert II of France, but the verse-form is much later than his time. Even less reason exists for ascribing it to Hermannus Contractus. There is more to be said for the authorship of Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1207-28). The Dictionary of Hymnology, however, leans to the opinion that it was written by Pope Innocent III (1161-1216), to whom it is ascribed by Ekkehard, a monk of St. Gall. He says that Ulrich, abbot of his monastery, came back from Rome in 1215 or 1216 with the report that the Pope had composed the Sequence. The abbot seems to have brought a copy, which was inserted in the Sequentiaries at St. Gall. Innocent was a man of great ability, and he is the most probable author. The Sequence would thus be a link to the days when England was laid under interdict

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