Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/259

 THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS 247

Mighty God, while angels bless Thee, his Christmas hymn, has also gained great popularity.

George Whitefield wrote to a friend in 1769: O to grace what mighty debtors! If we should die singing that hymn what then? Why, welcome, welcome eternity! Christ s grace will be sufficient for us. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hymn 378. God of my life, through all my days.

PHILIP DODDRIDGE (95).

This hymn was published 1755, w tn the heading Praising God through the whole of our existence. Ps. cxlvi. 2. The first line reads its days.

It has been stated that it was written in 1751; and Miller (Singers and Songs, 1869, p. 172) says, This hymn may be read autobiographically, especially ver. 3, &quot; When death o er nature shall prevail,&quot; in reference to the peaceful thankfulness of his heart when the last wave of his life was ebbing out at Lisbon.

Hymn 379. My God, I thank Thee, who hast made,

^^ ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER. In her Legends and Lyrics, 1858.

Miss Procter was the daughter of Bryan Waller Procter, barrister and commissioner in lunacy. He wrote a successful tragedy,, Mirandola, under the pseudonym Barry Cornwall; and was an intimate friend of Leigh Hunt, Charles Lamb, and Dickens. His daughter was born in Bedford Square, London, 1825, and joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1851. She was a skilful musician, and wrote many poems, of which The Lost Chord is the most popular. Charles Dickens became her friend through her contributions to Household Words. She took great interest in social questions affecting women. Bishop Bickersteth says, This most beautiful hymn touches the chord of thankfulness in trial, as perhaps no other hymn does, and is thus most useful for the visitation of the sick. She died in 1864.

Charles Dickens speaks of the enthusiasm for doing good that filled his young friend s heart. Now it was the

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