Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/461

 THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS 449

Hymn 876. Hushed was the evening hymn. JAMES DRUMMOND BURNS, M.A.

Mr. Burns (1823-64) was Free Church minister at Dunblane, 1845 J minister of Hampstead Presbyterian Church, 1855. He died at Mentone, and was buried in Highgate Cemetery, London.

His biographer, the Rev. Dr. James Hamilton, describes him as being a tall, loosely-knit man, clad always in clerical black, with the gentlest of manners, a sad, resigned sort of voice, and with great sweetness of smile. His preaching had a kind of unearthly beauty, and was full of Christ and Him crucified.

This hymn, headed The Child Samuel, was published in The Evening Hymn, 1856, which contains a hymn and prayer for each night in the month. Reverence and tenderness mark all the prayers and hymns. This beautiful description of the call of Samuel is worthy to set beside the Bible story and Sir Joshua Reynolds s picture.

Hymn 877. By cool Siloam s shady rill.

REGINALD HEP.ER, D.D. (28).

Epiphany, given in Christian Obsei-ver, April, 1812, as By cool Siloam s shady fountain. The title is Christ a Pattern for Children. Luke ii. 40. It was afterwards rewritten in C.M. as By cool Siloam s shady rill, and published in Hymns, 1827, for the first Sunday after Epiphany.

Hymn 878. Jesus, who calledst little ones to Thee. CHARLES CHRISTOPHER BELL.

Mr. Bell was born at Hickling, Notts, December 10, 1845, and is a chemist and post master at Epworth. He is a great reader, and a keen student of theology.

This hymn was written in Liverpool for a Sunday-school anniversary. Five of Mr. Bell s hymns are given in the Methodist Sunday School Hymn-Book, and are admirably adapted for children.

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