THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 401
HARRIET PARR.
" Hear my prayer, heavenly Father." No. 9 15.
THIS pleasing Christian hymn appeared in "_ The Wreck of the Golden Mary," which was the tale in the extra number of "Household Words," for Christmas, 1856. The " New Con gregational Hymn Book " was at that time in course of collection ; and the Rev. Henry Allon, one of the principal compilers, being struck with the excellence of this hymn, applied to Mr. Charles Dickens for permission to use it in the new hymn-book. Mr. Dickens referred him to the authoress, who was then residing at York, and she gave her consent.
The story runs that the ship " Golden Mary " struck on an iceberg, and the passengers and crew had to take to the boats, in which they remained suffering great privations for some days. To beguile the time they told stories. This hymn was repeated by one Dick Tarrant, a youth who had given himself up to dissipation on being disappointed in love. Having become a burden to his friends they had sent him off in the " Golden Mary " to California, to get him out of the way. After telling in touching terms some of his experience, he continues :
" What can it be that brings all these old things over my mind ? There s a child s hymn I and Tom used to say at my mother s knee when we were little ones, keeps running through my thoughts. It s the stars, maybe ; there was a little window by my bed that I used to watch them at a window in my room at home in Cheshire and if I was ever afraid, as boys will be after reading a good ghost-story, I would keep on saying it till I fell asleep."
" That was a good mother of yours, Dick ; could you say that hymn now, do you think ? Some of us might like to hear it."
" It s as clear in my mind at this minute as if my mother was here listening to me," said Dick. And he repeated :
" Hear my prayer, heavenly Father," &c. Miss Harriet Parr has kindly informed the author of this work
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