one whose heart was tuned for the occasion, began in a quavering, but an earnest tone, to sing, The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to its foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, One after another took up the song till the walls of the little room rang with the melody. "And then with tear-dimmed eyes they clasped each other's hands, and separated to their homes, feeling sure that the promises which beautify and strengthen the hymn, would carry them through." The tune to which this noble lyric is set is the work of Marcus Antonio Portugal, a dramatic composer. During the French invasion of Portugal which began in 1807, he fled with the royal family to Brazil in 1811, and was made musical general to the Court at Rio de Janeiro. In one of his compositions was a Midnight Mass, from which the tune, now universally sung to this hymn, was taken. "The Mass used to be sung to the words of a Christmas carol, in the procession of priests and nuns on their way from their houses to the church on Christmas morning. Thus, Romanism and Protestantism, Portugal and England, have been laid under tribute to produce this grand old hymn." XV. Coronation. VERY great song has its reason for being. never appears by chance. For every trying crisis in the world's history, for every pressing need of the Church, for every soul-experience of man, a song or hymn has been born. During the last half of the eighteenth century the flood-tide of sacred song reached a height that is not surpassed by any other period in the history of the English-speaking Church. Almost every conceivable theme found expression in hymns. Several thousands were written in the time of that historic religious movement; but until 1779 there was no inspiriting hymn in the language invoking angels and patriarchs, martyrs and prophets, Jews and Gentiles, saints and sinners, and every kindred and tribe of all nations, to join in the solemn yet triumphant act, of crowning Jesus Lord of all. But from the beginning of time, it is said, God has raised up a man for every great occasion. Edward Perronet is a name that is almost lost to the lovers of the Church hymnal. He wrote one of the ten hymns which stand at the head of all hymns in the English language; but while Christendom admires the song, the singer is wellnigh forgot ten. He was a disciple of the Wesleys for several years, but his theological opinions were so greatly at variance with them that he became a preacher in the Countess of Huntingdon's denomination. But Perronet was an extreme Noncomformist, and was ever restless, and eventually he accepted the pastorate of a small congregation at Canterbury, fiftythree miles nearly southeast from London. He had "such exalted and adoring views of the Lord Jesus, and so completely enthroned Him in his thoughts and affections," that in 1779, while ministering to that little company of modest Dissenters, the language of his soul was uttered in this regal hymn, its original form being as follows: All hail the power of Jesus' name! Bring forth the royal diadem, To crown Him Lord of all! Let high-born seraphs tune the lyre, Before His face who tunes their choir, And crown Him Lord of all! Crown Him, ye morning stars of light, Now hail the strength of Israel's might, Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, Who from His altar call: Extol the stem of Jesse's rod, And crown Him Lord of all! Ye seed of Israel's chosen race, Ye ransom'd of the fall, Hail Him who saves you by His grace, Hail Him, ye heirs of David's line, Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget Let every tribe and every tongue This is the monarch of all Coronation Songs. It has undergone several changes in its history; the last stanza now in popular use-O that with yonder sacred throng, being written by Dr. Rippon of London, in 1787. Perronet belongs to that class of poets, which has become quite large, whose fame is established upon one song only. He wrote a number of hymns but was inspired only once to put his heart-sentiment into verse, and Coronation is the single hymn that found its way to a Church hymnal. The music to which the hymn was first sung by Perronet's small congregation was Miles Lane, a tune of splendid strains, composed by William Shrubsole of London, in 1780. In the United States, and at American missions in foreign lands, Coronation-no less majestic than Miles Lane-is always associated with the hymn. It was composed in 1792, the year of Perronet's death, by Oliver Holden, who lived at Charlestown, Massachusetts, and for many years was a house-carpenter. While still engaged at his trade he published his first book of sacred music-The American Harmony-in 1793, and in the collection was his masterpiece-Coronation. In Boston, among some precious relics of olden times is a quaint organ, made in London nearly one hundred and fifty years ago. It was owned by Holden, and that little instrument preceded any human voice in singing the animating strains of Coronation. Commenting upon the hymn and its music, Mr. Hezekiah Butterworth says: "Perronet's words are wonderfully exalting, but they would have been almost wingless without the tune, which has been as a flame of fire to untold millions of aspiring souls in all lands for many years." Mr. Holden was born at Shirley, Massachusetts, in 1765, and died at Charlestown in 1844. It will interest the reader to learn that in 1895, friends of the Unitarian denomination at Shirley, wishing "to hold in ever green memory" the name of the composer of Coronation, placed a tablet in their Church with his name and birth, and a quotation from the hymn inscribed upon it. Holden was a Baptist, but the Unitarian spirit to honor one who gave the Christian Church such a triumphant tune as Coronation, over-leaped all sectarian differences. |