THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 33
Psalmist, 1882," gives this hymn, with two additional verses of a similar character.
E. C.Homburg was born at Miihla, near Eisenach, in 1605. He practised as a lawyer at Naumburg, where he died on the 21st June, 1681. In his youth he composed secular songs, but affliction having come upon him, he turned his thoughts to sacred themes, and wrote many beautiful hymns.
��PAUL GERHARD. 16061676.
THIS poet, whom the German people regard as emphatically their own, was born at Graafenhasnichen, in Saxony, of which town his father was burgomaster, or chief magistrate. Studying during the time of the Thirty Years War, he entered upon life in a period of suffering and distraction, and did not become a Chris tian pastor till the war was at an end. We have no record of his early course, but about the year 1643 we find him a private tutor at Berlin, in the family of the chancery-advocate, Andreas Bertholdt. His first pastorate was in a small village, Mitten- walde, whither he went in 1651. He married in 1655 his attached wife, who died the 5th March, 1668. In 1657 he re moved to St. Nicholas Church, Berlin. There he became known as a hymn-writer, and published his first collection in 1666. The Berlin citizens held him in high honour as a powerful preacher and an earnest Christian pastor ; but, notwithstanding, he was in 1666 deposed from his spiritual office, because of his uncom promising adherence to the Lutheran doctrine. When he was informed of his deprivation, he said, "This is only a small Berlin affliction ; but I am also willing and ready to seal with my blood the evangelical truth, and like my namesake, St. Paul, to offer my neck to the sword." The following year he was re-instated in his position ; but on finding that it was with the understanding that he should give up that course of conduct in reference to the
D
�� �
