Chapter XII: Reprieved (2)

On the Resurrection Morning
Soul & Body meet again,
No more sorrow, no more weeping,
No more pain.
Here awhile they must be parted
And the Flesh its Sabbath keep,
Waiting, in a holy stillness
Fast asleep.

* * * *

O the beauty! O the gladness
Of that Resurrection Day,
Which shall never, thro' long ages,
Pass away.
On that happy Easter morning
All the graves their dead restore,
Father, sister, child & Mother
Meet once more.

S. Baring Gould.

It is strange, therefore, that no one has even an indistinct notion as to who wrote this famous hymn. Its author is, and long has been, unknown; and, equally strange, there is almost the same to be said of the composer of its famous tune. For the tune is as great a favourite as the words, and, in fact, whilst the words do occasionally alter, as stated, the tune is ever the same one we know so well. The honour of being its composer has by some been ascribed to Henry Carey, but there are no certain grounds for the assumption, fine musician though he was. So completely has this tune associated itself, however, with the hymn that few people are aware that some collections of hymns have alternative tunes to the great song of praise for Easter Day. But even Monk's tune to it in "Hymns Ancient and Modern," takes quite an inferior place; it is seldom, or never, used.

DR. E. H. TURPIN.]

Possibly the immense popularity of "Jesus Christ is risen to-day" depends on two things. Firstly, the words are extremely simple--a little child can understand them; secondly, the tune is one of the very best "congregational" ones of any collection.

Were I asked to name the next favourite Easter hymn, I should certainly give the palm to one of the most beautiful hymns of the Church of Christ--a hymn which has solaced and sustained the hearts of thousands in their dark hours of grief for the loss of their loved ones, just as it has rejoiced the hearts of so many loving servants of the Master at their Easter festivals. I refer to Baring-Gould's touching hymn "On the Resurrection morning."

The comfort derived from the sweet words of hope and promise in this hymn by members of the Church militant here on earth will never be known till that "Resurrection morning."

The Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould has kindly given me, for THE QUIVER, a copy of the manuscript of this hymn, and a few notes about it which cannot but prove interesting. It was composed on May Day, in 1864, he says; and, certainly, that is appropriate enough, for do not all poets sing of May Day as a special day for the awakening and rejoicing of nature? Horbury, that robust Yorkshire village where Mr. Baring-Gould was then the curate, was the birthplace of "On the Resurrection morning," as it was of what has proved one of the six most "popular" hymns of the world, viz. "Onward, Christian soldiers." So Horbury enjoys no mean fame. No one speaks more lovingly of Horbury than does its former curate, now so famous; and Horbury--church, chapel, and "non-connected"--is proud to a degree of Sabine Baring-Gould and of the fame he has for ever given its name by these and other noted hymns.

(_Facsimile of Dr. Turpin's Musical Setting._)]

It will be noticed that there is a word or two slightly different in the author's copy from those of the usually printed text. In one case his manuscript is not perhaps the better. "Which shall never, through long ages, pass away," is not, in the writer's opinion, grander than "Which shall not, through endless ages, pass away." Dr. E. H. Turpin's fine tune to "On the Resurrection morning" has the merit of exactly suiting it. All can sing it, and that makes it so popular. The composer, with great kindness, has also allowed me to reproduce his manuscript of it here; and it is only fair to say that did the renown of the celebrated organist, as a composer, depend only on this one tune, so linked to the hymn, it would not easily perish whilst joyful hearts on Easter Day, and sad hearts at the graveside of loved ones, join in singing "On the Resurrection morning."

_S. John Damascene._ _Arthur Henry Brown._

FACSIMILE OF THE COMPOSER'S ORIGINAL SETTING.]

To the Rev. J. M. Neale, who died about the time when Baring-Gould wrote the hymn just spoken of, the Christian world is indebted for three splendid Easter hymns. Of these it is difficult to say which is the finest, though perhaps, being quite original, we should give that honour to the well-known "The foe behind, the deep before." Every section of the Church of Christ sings with deep and solemn pathos those beautiful lines--

"No longer must the mourners weep,
Nor call departed Christians dead;
For death is hallow'd into sleep,
And every grave is but a bed"--

following so closely on the joyful strain of "Christ is risen!" in the preceding verse.

_Arthur H. Brown._]

To this hymn innumerable tunes have been composed by musical people of various degrees of ability; but it has always seemed to me that by far the best are the two tunes given to it in the Wesleyan hymn-book, and, curious to relate, the composers are both ministers, the Rev. Olinthus R. Barnicott and the Rev. Sidney J. P. Dunman. And it may safely be said that the singing by an average Wesleyan congregation of this fine hymn, to either of these fine tunes, will not be easily forgotten by the person who hears it for the first time.

The two other famous Easter hymns of Dr. Neale's composition were really translations from the Greek. Nevertheless, they are grand translations, if one may say so. "The Day of Resurrection"--best recognised when sung to the tune composed by Berthold Tours, the celebrated composer is a regular favourite at Easter-tide; but even more famous is the other hymn from the Greek--

"Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness."

This hymn may safely be placed amongst the most popular of Easter favourites, and, like so many others, whilst excellent in its words, it owes not a little of its fame to its fine tune. This latter was composed by Mr. Arthur Henry Brown, of Brentwood, and was called "St. John Damascene," under which name it still figures in the various Church hymn-books. Mr. Brown told me that the tune was composed in less than a quarter of an hour! But he also told me that even that was eclipsed by the tune "St. Anatolius"--does any hymn-lover not know it?--to "The day is past and over," which was composed in five minutes! Truly that was an "inspired" five minutes, for which the Christian Church has reason to be thankful!

To the late Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. Christopher Wordsworth--who that knew the saintly old man did not love him?--the world is indebted for the ever-popular

"Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hearts to Heav'n and voices raise,"

which always goes with "a good swing" on Easter morn. Its tone is "victory" from beginning to end, and there are few more beautiful Easter verses than the first one of this hymn.

Sir Arthur Sullivan composed its tune--the one best known, "Lux Eoi"--and the very lilt of the music seems somehow to suggest the work of the great musician who gave us similar "swinging" tunes for "Onward, Christian soldiers" ("St. Gertrude") and for "The Jubilee Hymn." But Sir Arthur tells me that "Lux Eoi" was not composed especially for this hymn, but for another one less famous. The rapidity of Sir Arthur's composition is only equalled by that of Arthur H. Brown, already mentioned. The gifted composer of _The Golden Legend_ thinks long before he puts pen to paper, and often defers doing this "till the last minute," as we say; but when he _does_ get started, he goes at it as few composers can, and will polish off the introduction to an oratorio in a night!

THE LATE BISHOP WORDSWORTH.]

"When I survey the wondrous Cross," that splendid old hymn of that splendid old divine, Dr. Isaac Watts, is probably one of our very oldest hymns that is at all well known to-day. Everybody sings it, for everybody knows both words and tune: Englishman, native African, Brother Jonathan, converted Chinese, all sing alike from the heart, after they have felt the real significance and power of that death and resurrection--

"Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my life, my soul, my all!"

"Rockingham," the tune to which this hymn is eternally wedded, was composed by Dr. Edward Miller. There is a magnificent roll and stateliness about it which suits the words perfectly, and the wonderful magnetic force which comes over one as one listens to six thousand people--led by, say, Mr. Ira D. Sankey, singing "When I survey the wondrous Cross"--was well described by the nameless slave in America, who, hearing it thus sung by a crowd, and being reproved for humming the tune as the people sang, said, "Massa, it no use; me _must_ jine in!"

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN.]

A living hymn-writer of no small fame--the present Archbishop of York--has given us one of the very finest of the hymns for this season. Though not popular in the sense that Dr. Watts' celebrated hymn is, yet there are few more charmingly beautiful lines, suggestive of Good Friday and Easter thoughts, than are found in Dr. Maclagan's hymn, "Lord, when Thy Kingdom comes, remember me!"

This hymn is one of the best-known of the Archbishop's, though, of course, his most famous one is the ever-beautiful "The Saints of God, their conflict past."

We cannot pass by without notice the Rev. John Ellerton's "Welcome, happy morning," and the Rev. F. W. Faber's very sweetly sad "O come and mourn with me awhile," which, of course, is a hymn for Good Friday. The tune to this was written by the celebrated Durham man to whom the Church of England (and all denominations) will ever be in debt for some of the sweetest hymn-tunes the world has ever known--Dr. J. B. Dykes. And it was fitting that he who composed the beautiful tune to "Our blest Redeemer," for Whitsuntide, should then give us another ever-famous tune to Faber's grand words.

THE LATE DR. J. B. DYKES.]

Let me close this brief account of some of our finest Easter hymns by just recalling one or two of our finest Easter anthems. Of course, the first, _par excellence_, is the immortal "I know that my Redeemer liveth"; and equally with it, from the same "oratorio of oratorios," is the "Hallelujah" Chorus. Of these what shall be said? Shall it be told again how Handel thought he was in heaven when he wrote them? Or shall we note that the "Hallelujah" Chorus is one of the three pieces of music in the world on hearing which every Briton stands up and doffs his hat? These are the National Anthem, the "Dead March" in _Saul_, and the "Hallelujah" Chorus. In the first he pays his tribute to his earthly sovereign; in the second he pays his last tribute to the venerated dead; in the third he acknowledges the tribute due to his Almighty Lord, the Sovereign of Heaven.

_John Stainer_]

Apart from these two masterpieces of Handel, the prettiest and most beautiful Easter anthem is that of Dr. Stainer, composed for the cantata _The Raising of Jairus' Daughter_. In a wide experience of cathedral music and anthem-singing by our best choirs, I doubt if there is any much finer musical treat than to listen to the choir of St. Paul's, or that of York Minster, as there rolls forth that most beautiful of anthems, words and music--"Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and God shall give thee light." This is, indeed, a noble song for "Easter's bright morning," and well may its words be taken as our special Easter thought; for to all of us, in some way or other, they must have a special meaning.

By The Rev. Hugh Macmillan, D.D., L.L.D.

"Physician, heal thyself."--ST. LUKE iv. 23.

We are accustomed to think that the healing virtue there is in herbs and trees was meant only for man; that herbs and trees were created with these virtues in them for the special purpose of curing our human diseases and ministering to our human wants, and for nothing else; that God had man in view in the beginning when He gave these medicinal qualities to plants, and apart from man's use of them they serve no other purpose.

Now this, which is a common, widespread idea, is an altogether erroneous one. For if God meant these vegetable qualities and products exclusively for man's use, the questions may be pertinently asked, Why were they so long undiscovered; and why do they occur in places often remote from human habitation, and waste themselves upon the desert air?

It is true indeed that God designed them as remedies for man's ailments, that He prepared beforehand the cures of human ills long previous to the necessity for these cures arising. But this law of mercy was a comprehensive one, and had a two-fold object in view. God in the first place created the plant complete in itself, adapted to its own circumstances and requirements; and in the second place, it is through this perfect adaptability to its own wants that it becomes generally useful in nature, and ministers to the necessities of other created things. It is because the plant heals itself first by the remedy which it grows and produces by its own powers that it becomes a medicine to the animal world, when any members of that world are placed in similar circumstances and exposed to a similar disease.

Why, for instance, does the Peruvian bark tree produce the bitter principle in its bark from which we have prepared the valuable medicine called quinine? Is it not because that bitter principle is necessary to preserve the health of the tree itself in the wet, malarial districts where it grows? The Peruvian bark tree grows its own quinine, and administers it to itself, as it were, in order to prevent a disease in itself caused by the marshy places where it is found, similar to fever in the human subject. The willow grows beside rivers and streams which are apt to cause exhalations and breed influences that are noxious to the well-being of the tree. It has therefore developed in its own bark a febrifuge called salicin, which protects it from these noxious influences and maintains its trunk and branches and foliage in vigorous health and beauty. And it is because the quinine is good for the tree itself in malarial places that it is good for the fever which human beings take in such places; and it is because the salicin of the willow guards the tree from the injurious exhalations of marshes and river banks that it is a specific for rheumatism in man, which is produced by the same causes.

The same benefit which the medicinal principle developed by itself works in its own constitution it confers upon man when subjected to the same evil. And so it is with all the herbal medicines. They have a purpose to serve in the economy of the plant that yields them before they can minister to human sickness and disease. Sugar was not meant in the first instance to sweeten man's cup, but to store up food for the plant in order to enable it to flower. Tannin is created in the bark of the oak tree, in the first instance, not for the purpose of helping to make leather for man's shoes, but for the purpose of preventing mildew and fungous growths from settling on the bark of the tree and so decaying it. Scent is produced in flowers and shrubs that grow in watery places, not for man's gratification in the first instance, but in order to deodorise the air and make it fit for these scented flowers and shrubs to breathe and to preserve their vitality and vigour. Aromatic fragrance is yielded by the grey shrubs and herbs of the dry desert, not that the garments of the human passer-by might smell pleasantly of it, but that it might regulate the temperature, and keep the plants cool in the burning heat of the noonday and warm in the freezing cold of the night air.

Such instances might be multiplied indefinitely. Indeed, it may be regarded as a rule of nature without exception that, whatever properties plants possess that are useful to man, these properties, in the first instance, are not only useful but indispensable to themselves. And it is because they serve necessary uses in their own economy that they are found so necessary in the economy of man. Each plant that grows in circumstances where it is likely to be injured by the soil or climate develops within itself the antidotes and remedies against these unfavourable circumstances. It is a physician that heals itself first of all, that adapts itself as perfectly as possible to the peculiarities of its own place of growth. Nature and it are harmonious: they help each other. The qualities that are beneficial to itself are equally in the same way beneficial to other creatures; and it helps the world because it has first helped itself. It imparts health all around because it looks first after its own health.

All this is obvious. The plant could not exist at all did it not develop those qualities which would minister to its welfare and adjust it perfectly to its environment. But in human economy we fancy somehow that the law is less strict and more irregular, and can be violated at times with impunity. We think that a man can perform the part of a physician, and cure others, although he cannot cure a trouble that afflicts himself; that he can restore others to health while he himself is unhealthy. We can separate between a man's skill and his personality; and, indeed, there are many cases where a physician who is dying slowly of some incurable disease can yet, by his knowledge and cleverness, so treat his patients that he may heal their diseases and restore them to health and strength. But we are usually suspicious of a doctor endeavouring to cure others when he himself labours under an uncured disease. We reason naturally that his first concern should be himself; and if he fails in doing good to himself by his skill and medicine, when his interests are most of all concerned and the motive for healing strongest, how can he hope to succeed in the case of others, strangers and comparatively indifferent to him? We should not accept with implicit confidence a so-called remedy for baldness forced upon our notice by a person whose own head was in that condition. We should expect him to operate upon himself in the first instance with success, and then we should feel disposed to venture upon a similar use of it. The proverb says that "He who drives fat cattle must himself be fat"; and upon the principle involved in that common saying he who would heal others must himself be a specimen of that active, vigorous health to which he wishes to restore others. In no work, indeed, is the personal equation of more consequence than in the work of the physician. Three-fourths of the elements that enter into all diseases are spiritual, and three-fourths of the remedies that must be used for them must also be spiritual. The personal appearance, character, and manner of the physician himself are most important factors in the cure of disease. Confidence in the doctor is more than half the cure; and therefore what the doctor is in himself is of great consequence.

In the spiritual sphere the physician can only heal others as he heals himself. He himself must be an exemplification of the saving health of God's countenance if he is to do good to others. It is just as true in the affairs of the human soul as it is in the case of the plant--that the quality which is beneficial to the soul itself is equally beneficial to the world. It is noticeable, however, that there are exceptions to the rule in the spiritual world as there are exceptions in the natural human world. Just as there are cases of physicians healing bodily diseases in others while their own disease is unhealed, so there are cases where a man is the means of saving others while he himself is unsaved.

It is not, indeed, a matter of supposition, but of certainty, that a man may do good while he is not good. Hundreds of instances could be given, in which persons have been the means of quickening, comforting, and building up souls in the Lord, while all the time they themselves were strangers to the power of truth and ignorant of the love of Christ in their hearts. Ministers have preached the Gospel for years, and have been wise in bringing souls to Christ, and yet have themselves been castaways in the end. Members of churches have been zealous in every good work, and yet have known nothing of godliness but the form. The very commonness of this thing increases its sadness. We think the case of Moses leading the Israelites to the border of the Promised Land while he himself was forbidden to enter peculiarly pathetic; but its pathos is in reality far less touching than the case of the man who brings others to the fountain of life while he himself is perishing of thirst, who is like a guide-post pointing the way of salvation to others while unable himself to take a single step.

But though instances have unquestionably occurred in which signal beneficial results have followed the preaching of the Gospel by ungodly men, this is not the normal order of the Divine procedure. It is personal experience of religion as an inward life, as a living power in the heart, that imparts unction to active Christian effort, that adds conviction and power to testimony and commendation. He is the man to do spiritual good to others who is able to say with the Apostle, "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handled, of the word of life, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us." He is the man to say to others, "O taste and see that the Lord is good," who has himself tasted, and from his own enjoyment can say, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

It is an unchangeable law and constitution of our nature that we cannot desire blessings for others which we do not really desire for ourselves, the blessedness of which we have not known ourselves. When we feel the value of our own souls, and not till then, we shall feel the value of the souls of others. When we see the Lord ourselves, and not till then, we shall desire that every child of man shall see Him.

It is on this account that our Lord says to Peter, "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep; feed My lambs." If we are saved ourselves, we shall be best fitted to save and benefit others. There is a virtue in true holiness, there is a secret charm in the wisdom that cometh from above, which wins our hearts, and inclines us to embrace a religion which yields such blessed fruits. The man who eminently possesses and constantly exhibits these qualities becomes quick and powerful in acting upon the minds of those around him.

The best way, then, to do good is to be good, and to have such a Christian character as will of itself communicate good. Be yourself what you wish your family, your friends and neighbours, to be. "Physician, heal thyself." God needs physicians, many physicians; for there are many destroyers spreading the influence of their ungodly life--a deadly infection--around, and adding to the disease and misery which man's sin first brought upon the world. Let us act as fellow-workers with the Good Physician in bringing back health and strength and beauty to a plague-stricken world; and for this purpose let us qualify ourselves more thoroughly. Let us apply the Gospel remedies anew to our own case which we recommend to others, that our own profiting and healing by these may be made manifest to all. Let us ask God to search us and see if there be anything that would prevent us from doing all the good that we might, any defect of manner or disposition of heart that might cause the way of truth so far as we are concerned to be evil spoken of; and let us ask the help of the Divine Spirit to get it healed. So that thus being made every whit whole ourselves, we may diffuse a healthy atmosphere around us and make others partakers of our saving health.

The Sabbath is the best day for healing. Jesus asked the Jews, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?" The reply might have been, "Is it lawful to do anything else but heal on the Sabbath day?" That day is set apart for healing the diseases of the world. It is the day of recreation--re-creating us and fitting us anew by its rest and refreshment of worship for the toil and travail of our weekday life. Let us bring to Jesus on this Sabbath day all the old infirmities and disabilities which have been a hindrance to the growth of the work of grace in the midst of us, and He will deliver us from them, and make us new creatures; and so--set free in newness of health and strength, with our palsied frame invigorated, our withered hand restored, our lame feet made swift in the way of God's commandments, and our world-bound spirit loosed from its infirmity and covetousness, and enabled to look upward where our true treasure is--let us seek to free others from their infirmities and diseases, and to make all around us strong in faith and health in the new life of God's service.

Let the tonic that has restored our own spiritual constitution be in all our words and deeds and looks, to restore the spiritual constitution of others. Let the perfume that neutralises the drought and cold of the world be exhaled from all our character and conduct, so that it may be the means of enabling all with whom we come in contact to resist the aridity and the coldness of the world too. Let each of us be so full of Christ's healing and saving power, so saturated with His salvation, as it were, that we ourselves may be Christ's best medicines. Let the words "Physician, heal thyself" be in the very forefront of our profession and of our life throughout all the years; and we ourselves in such a case will be among the most potent influences for good in the world.

By Katharine Tynan, Author of "A Daughter of Erin," Etc.