Episcopal Church Hymns

The hymns sung in the Episcopal Church are rich and varied (but vide infra).  Each has a story, none perhaps more stirring than the tale of the composition of “Amazing Grace”, which was composed in deep penitence by John Newton, a slaver who was converted while reading Thomas a Kempis’s “The Imitation of Christ”.  Newton left his slave trading and his dissolute, rebellious life, became an ardent abolitionist, and was ordained to the priesthood.  Newton and the poet William Cowper wrote many hymns, published as the Olney Hymns.  Another of Newton’s hymns is “Glorious Things of Thee are  Spoken”.  The Episcopal Church included “Amazing Grace” in the “new hymnal” of 1982 — 200 years after it was written.

John Greenleaf Whittier, our beloved American poet, wrote the exquisite and beloved “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, Forgive Our Foolish  Ways”.

Every Navy man — as well as the rest of the world — is stirred by the majestic and foreboding of “Eternal Father Strong to Save”.  The tune was written especially for this hymn and named “Melita”, which is an archaic word for Malta, where Paul was shipwrecked.  Other branches of the service — naval aviation, the Navy Seabees, the Marines, the Merchant Marine, Coast Guard, Navy nurses, submariners and divers — and others, including Arctic and Antarctic service — have added their own verses.  In an interesting anachronism, the version sung in the movie “Titanic” is the 1940 Episcopal version; the Titanic sank in 1912.

“Ein Feste Burg”, “A Mighty Fortress is my God”, was written and set to music by Martin Luther.  It has been translated from the German, but, interestingly, the tune fits both the German and English words.

The lilting “Lord of All Hopefulness” was written by the English woman Jan Struther, who was the original “Mrs. Miniver”, which was somewhat autobiographical.  (Greer Garson played the title role in the movie.)  Jan Struther’s publications and activities helped persuade the United States to join her country, England, in World War II.  Her efforts were commended both by Roosevelt and Churchill.  A lady of remarkable talent, she remained a committed agnostic, despite the thoughts expressed so well in her hymn.

Mrs. Lesbia Scott wrote the hymn we all love to sing, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”.  In tribute to her hymn, and as a bit of a critique of our hymnody, an author wrote:  “I’m an Episcopalian.  The music we sing during our services is nicely sophisticate:  some Anglican chant, some Bach, a bit of Purcell, and many hymns recently written in a spare, modern or postmodern style.  I love the piety, the purity, and the craftsmanship of these hymns, but I’m disappointed that there isn’t much that’s just plain fun to sing.  Every time I’ve sung this piece (“I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”) in church, I’ve been amazed at the change that takes place among the congregation.  Since the words are so unexpected and so delightful, everyone seems to follow the meaning of  each line.”

Did you know that several AfroAmerican spirituals are in the hymnal?  They are from the heart, naked of any embellishment, un-fancy, sincere.  Try “Go Tell It on the Mountain” — #99.

There are many beautiful hymns we don’t have, too.  I remember in particular, “Nearer my God to Thee”, reputedly sung by the band on the Titanic  when it was sinking. . . We have new ones, too, like “They Cast Their Nets in Galilee” by William Alexander Percy.  And no fewer than 11 contributions by Waring McCrady, who was the young son of the Vice Chancellor at Sewanee when I was a student.