Page:Our Hymns.djvu/382

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362

��OUR HYMNS :

��than the praise of careful versification and pious sentiment. Where they do not greatly please they never offend, and some have taken their place as useful hymns for public worship. There are four hymns attributed to Bathurst in the " New Con gregational Hymn Book," Nos. 432, 440, 836, and 927.

" Eternal Spirit, by whose power," No. 432,

will be acknowledged by all to be a good and valuable hymn. And

" Lord, defend us, as of old," No. 109,

given without name in the " New Congregational Hymn Book," is by him, and bears date 1830.

��MRS. JOSIAH CONDER.

THERE is one beautiful Saturday Evening Hymn in the " New Congregational Hymn Book " by this authoress, the widow of the well-known author, Josiah Conder.

The hours of evening close." No. 949.

This is hymn 522 in the " Old Congregational" (where there are three others from her pen), and it is believed to have been written about the year 1833, when that collection was being com piled by her husband. This hymn, valuable from any author, has a new beauty when we accept it from a Christian mother, who from principle applied herself to home duties, when her talents invited her to an easier and more brilliant course. The " forms of outward care " and the " thought for many things " over which the Sabbath calm was to prevail were realities to her as they will be to many who will sing this hymn, and she had a mother s love, as they will have for the flock which the " guardian Shepherd " would " fold to sleep."

Mrs. Conder shrank from publicity, and refrained from pub lishing any separate work ; but she wrote pieces for the

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