THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS 259
of devotional poetry, of which Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever has been very popular. He edited the Hymnal Com panion to the Book of Common Prayer (1870), which has had a large circulation. Dr. Julian says, Joined with a strong grasp of his subject, true poetic feeling, a pure rhythm, there is a soothing plaintiveness and individuality in his hymns which give them a distinct character of their own.
A sermon by Canon Gibbons from this text made such an impression on Dr. Bickersteth, that on reaching home he wrote the hymn in a few minutes. It cost him less than any of his other hymns, and has become the best loved of all. Richard le Gallienne says, It would be difficult to name any other hymn so filled with the sense of man s security as this, which tran quillizes me at certain moments to a remarkable degree. He thinks it comes very near Lead, kindly light, in combining piety and poetry in the highest proportion. Canon Ellerton told Dr. Bickersteth in 1889, Beyond all your hymns, I think it has brought blessing to many, and I know how it has helped the faith of some of God s sorely-tried children. Our Essex poor folk love it dearly.
Hymn 405. I could not do without Thee. F. R. HAVERGAL (330).
Jesus all in all. Written May 7, 1873, an ^ printed in Home Words, 1873.
Hymn 406. Leave God to order all thy ways. GEORG NEUMARK ; translated by Miss WINKWORTH (19).
Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten was published in 1657, entitled A hymn of consolation. That God will care for and preserve His own in His own time. Ps. Iv. 22.
Neumark was the son of a clothier in Thuringia, and was born in 1621. In the autumn of 1641 he was on his way to matriculate at the University of Konigsberg, when the party with which he travelled was attacked by a band of highwaymen, who robbed him of all he had, save his prayer-book and a little money sewed up in his clothes. He could find no employment in Magdeburg, near which city he was robbed, or in three other cities to which he went. In December he came_to Kiel, where
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