Page:Our Hymns.djvu/179

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THKIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 159

righteousness of our divine Lord." This work brought him into controversy with Wesley on Calvinism. It had a very large sale, and had reached a ninth edition in 1811. He was also the author of " Remarks on Lord Bolingbroke s Letters on the Study and Use of History."

Hervey is not known as a hymn-writer, but we have in the " New Congregational Hymn Book " one good hymn by him

" Since all the downward tracks of time." No. 282.

It appeared in Dr. Dodd s " Christian Magazine," June, 1765. It was headed " Humble Acquiescence." The second verse of the original begins

" Since none can doubt His equal love." The hymn ends with the oft-quoted lines

" E en crosses from His sovereign hand, Are blessings in disguise."

��CHEISTIAN FURCHTEGOTT GELLEKT.

17151769.

KUBLER, in his "Historical Notes to the Lyra Gerinanica," says that Gellert "maybe called the head of a new school of German hymn-writers, during the middle and latter half of the last century, in whose hymns the didactic element prevails, since they mostly enforce lessons of Christian duty, and inculcate reli gious doctrines."

Gellert was born at Haynichen, in Saxony, where his father was minister for fifty years. To his pious mother he owed very much. He valued her approval more than the praise of posterity, and congratulated himself on having received his life from her. His father was a poet, and young Gellert early showed his poetical tastes by writing a poem, " On his Father s Birthday." His first

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