12 OUR HYMNS I
NICHOLAS DECIUS. DIED 1529.
THIS eminent German hymn-writer was a contemporary of Luther. His German name was Von Hofe. Like Luther, he was first a monk in connection with the Komish Church. He was prior of a monastery at Steterburg, in "Wolfenbiittel, and afterwards joined in the Reformation. JFor a time, he occupied himself as a school master at Brunswick, and afterwards he became a Lutheran pastor at Stettin, where he died. His name lives as that of the author of well-known hymns, and of the favorite tunes to which they are sung. In the " New Congregational" there is a free rendering of the first stanza of his piece of four stanzas :
" To God on high be thanks and praise." No. 291. " Allein Gott in der Hoh , sei Ehr."
This is one of Decius most celebrated hymns. It is said to be a free rendering of the old hymnus angelicus, " Gloria in excelsis Deo," which in its Greek version had very early corce into use in the Eastern Church, and was introduced into the Latin Church about the year A.D. 360, by Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers. The German version was published in 1529. It was designed to take the place of the Latin " Gloria." The dying Christian has made it his parting song of triumph, and it has come into general use in Germany. The chorale, probably by Kugelmann, though others attribute it to Decius, has been introduced by Mendelssohn into his " St. Paul."
Decius is also the author of a celebrated hymn, not given in the " New Congregational Hymn Book"
" 0, lamb of God, most stainless !"
It is founded on the ancient Latin hymn, " Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis," which is used at mass. Luther introduced Decius German rendering of it into the Protestant communion service.
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