THEIE AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 25
Under DR. COLLYER, it is shown that half the hymn, as given in the " New Congregational Hymn Book," is by him. The hymn as it stands there resembles Bingwaldt s German original of seven stanzas, and beginning,
" Es ist gewisslich an der zcit,"
but the resemblance is only in the first verse.
��DR. PHILIP NICOLAL
15561608.
THAT there have been writers who have produced only a few hymns, and those very good, is a curious fact for the psychologist. How such writers should arrive at great excellence without practice in their art, and why, having written so well, they should not write more, we must leave to him to determine. Nicolai is one of the class of writers referred to. He wrote three hymns, two of which are deservedly famous.
Dr. Philip Nicolai was born on the 10th August, 1556, at Mengeriughausen, in the principality of Waldeck, where his father was a Lutheran pastor. Philip followed his father in his profession, and commenced his ministry in 1576, as assistant to him in his native village. Thence he removed to Hardeck, whence he was expelled by the papists. Afterwards, he was in other places, and from 1596, at Unna, in Westphalia. In 1601, he removed to Hamburg, as pastor of St. Catherine s Church. He died at Hamburg on the 26th of October, 1608.
His two principal hymns
" Awake, awake, for night is flying " ( Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimnie,) And,
" 0, Morning Star, how fair and bright " (Wie schon leuchfc uns der Morgernstern,)
were written in 1597, at Unna, during the raging of a dreadful
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