His hymn tunes are described as "noble and simple," about twenty being still in use. "Nun Danket," the tune which accompanies this hymn, is his composition, being written especially for it.

Rinkart, the author of the hymn, was one of the most consecrated, faithful, and heroic pastors who lived in Germany during the trying ordeal of the "Thirty Years' War." His life was spent mainly in Eilenburg, where his devoted attentions to his flock during the terrible experiences of war, famine, and pestilence through which they passed has made his name immortal in the annals of pastoral fidelity. It is not known exactly when he wrote this hymn. Its appearance in the volume above named being coincident with the termination of the "Thirty Years' War" doubtless led to the oft-published story that it was written as a thanksgiving hymn in celebration of that event.

This origin is possible, and would add interest to the hymn; but Dr. Julian, Miss Winkworth, and other authorities incline to the opinion that it was written at an earlier date. No less than twelve different translations of the hymn have been made into English. That here given, by Miss Winkworth, is the most popular with modern editors of hymnals. It first appeared in the second series of her Lyra Germanica, 1858. The third stanza is omitted:

All praise and thanks to God

The Father now be given,
The Son and Him who reigns

With them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God,

Whom earth and heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now

And shall be ever more.

This is called "The Te Deum of Germany," and is one of the most famous and historic of German hymns, being surpassed in influence and popularity among Germans by only one other hymn, and that is Luther's "Ein' Feste Burg ist unser Gott." "Thanksgiving" is the title of the German original, which begins "Nun danThis last omitted stanza is a version of ket alle Gott." Its first appearance in print, so far as known, was in J. Crüger's the Gloria Patri. The first two verses are Praxis Pietatis Melica, 1648. Crüger was based upon Ecclesiasticus 1. 22-24: "Now, one of the most distinguished German mu- therefore, bless ye the God of all, which sicians of the seventeenth century, and only doeth wondrous things everywhere, this was his most important publication. I which exalteth our days from the womb

and dealeth with us according to his mercy. He grants us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel forever: that he would confirm his mercy with us, and deliver us at his time!"

6 Thou didst accept their praises;
Accept the prayers we bring,
Who in all good delightest,

Thou good and gracious King.

Theodulph. Tr. by John M. Neale. From the Latin, "Gloria, laus, et honor," of the ninth century. The translator in his preface says:

It is a matter of curious interest that the author of this most popular thanksgiving hymn of Germany, which is sung on all great national occasions, should be This processional hymn for Palm Sunday one who was called on to go through such is said to have been composed by S. Theoan experience in war, pestilence, and fam-dulph at Metz, or, as others will have it, at ine as has rarely ever fallen to the lot of tion, and to have been sung by him from his any man. Of his experience in famine Miss Winkworth, his most appreciative translator, remarks:

Angers, while imprisoned on a false accusa

dungeon window, or by choristers instructed
by him, as the Emperor Louis and his court
were on their way to the cathedral.
good Bishop was immediately liberated.

The

So great were Rinkart's own losses and charities that he had the utmost difficulty in ! finding bread and clothes for his children, and was forced to mortgage his future in- follows: come for several years. Yet how little his spirit was broken by all these calamities is shown by this hymn and others that he wrote: some, indeed, speaking of his own country's sorrows, but all breathing the same spirit of unbounded trust and readiness to give thanks.

Be Thou, O Lord, the Rider,
And we the little ass;
That to God's Holy City
Together we may pass.

The singing of this stanza was discontin-
ued in the seventeenth century for evi-
dent reasons.

2 Whene'er the sweet church bell

Peals over hill and dell,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
O hark to what it sings,
As joyously it rings,

May Jesus Christ be praised!

3 My tongue shall never tire
Of chanting with the choir,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
This song of sacred joy,
It never seems to cloy,

May Jesus Christ be praised!

4 When sleep her balm denies,
My silent spirit sighs,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest,
With this I shield my breast,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

5 Does sadness fill my mind?

A solace here I find,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss?
My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

6 The night becomes as day,
When from the heart we say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear,
When this sweet chant they hear,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

7 In heaven's eternal bliss
The loveliest strain is this,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth, and sea, and sky,
From depth to height reply,

May Jesus Christ be praised!

8 Be this, while life is mine,
My canticle divine,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this the eternal song
Through ages all along,

May Jesus Christ be praised!
From the German, Tr. by Edward Caswall.

ONCE

Once more his blessings ask:

O may not duty seem a load,
Nor worship prove a task!

2 Father, thy quickening Spirit send
From heaven in Jesus' name,
To make our waiting minds attend,
And put our souls in frame.

3 May we receive the word we hear,
Each in an honest heart,
And keep the precious treasure there,
And never with it part!

4 To seek thee all our hearts dispose,
To each thy blessings suit,
And let the seed thy servant sows
Produce abundant fruit.

of "abundant."

Joseph Hart.

The original has two additional stan

One of Caswall's most popular translations. The German original begins, "Beim frühen Morgenlicht," and was pubTitle: "Before Preaching." From the lished in the Katholisches Gesang-Buch, Supplement of Hymns Composed on VaWürzburg, 1828, under the title, "Therious Subjects. By J. Hart, 1762. Christian Greeting." in fourteen stanzas. In the third verse the author wrote Six stanzas of Caswall's translation ap- "Hoard up" instead of "And keep;" in the peared in Formby's Catholic Hymns, Lon- fourth verse he wrote "a copious" instead don, 1854, and these, together with the eight additional stanzas, are found in Caswall's Masque of Mary, 1858. This hymn was a great favorite with Canon Liddon and the singers at St. Paul's Cathedral, in London. The spirited refrain at the end of each triplet of lines, "May Jesus Christ be praised!" suggested to Dr. 6 C. S. Robinson the title of one of his most popular collections of hymns, Laudes Domini, where it appears as the opening hymn. In his annotation upon this hymn Dr. Robinson says:

zas:

5 Bid the refreshing north wind wake,
Say to the south wind, blow;
Let every plant the power partake,
And all the garden grow.

Revive the parched with heavenly showers,
The cold with warmth divine;
And as the benefit is ours,

Be all the glory thine.

A worshipful hymn, very suitable for the opening of a service. To sing such a prayer-hymn as this "with the spirit and with the understanding also" is the best possible preparation for receiving and better be indicated than it is in the single profiting by the gospel message that folline, "May Jesus Christ be praised!"

The compiler of this and other hymn books, little and large, would like to say, once for all, that the aim of his entire work could not

For lows.

"The King of Saints" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse and Prose, London, 1780. These are the best of eight stanzas. In the first line of the second COME, let us who in Christ believe,

stanza the author wrote "King" instead of "Lord," and "Saviour" instead of "Master."