300 OUR HYMNS:
character we might expect from one who as a minister knew the requirements of puhlic worship, and who, as a compiler of a collec tion, found it necessary to supply some hymns suitable for special occasions. Like some of the early nonconformist preachers, Dr. Collyer prepared some of his hymns to he sung after his sermons, and they were founded on the texts.
To Dr. Collyer also is attributed a share in the production of Bingwaldt s well-known hymn :
" Great God, what do I see and hear?" No. 420.
J. C. Jacobi, in his " Psalmodia Germanica," 1722, had translated Ringwaldt s hymn written in 1585 in seven verses.
" Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit."
- "Tis sure that awful time will come."
Dr. Collyer saw one verse, probably given as the words of an anthem, and attributed to Luther. It is not known who put Jacobi s verse in the form Collyer saw, or whether it was a verse translated by some other poet immediately from the German. Taking this, he composed these additional verses and put the following note in his collection, 1812, page 545 : " This hymn, which is adapted to Luther s celebrated tune, is universally ascribed to that great man. As I never saw more than this first verse, I was obliged to lengthen it for the completion of tho subject, and am responsible for the verses which follow." The compilers of the " New Congregational Hymn Book" have adopted Dr. Collyer s second verse with slight alterations, omitted his third verse, and adopted the latter half of his fourth verse, combining with it half of Kingwald s first verse. Vide also under Ringwaldt, page 24.
JOHN BOWDLEK.
173 1815. " Lord, before Thy throne we bend." No. 207.
THIS psalm is found at page 215 of the first volume of " Select
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