432 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED
Mozart and Gounod lavished their art upon these verses.
Many have tried to translate this noble hymn. There are more than a hundred German versions, and about one hundred and sixty have been made in England and America. The first English translation was by Joshua Sylvester, 1621. Richard Crashaw came next with The Hymn of the Church, in medita tion of the Day of Judgement. Some of his verses are very impressive
5. O that Book ! whose leaves so bright Will set the world in severe light.
O that Judge ! whose hand, whose eye None can indure ; yet none can fly.
6. Ah, then, poor soul, what wilt thou say ? And to what patron chuse to pray ? When starres themselves shall stagger ; and The most firm foot no more than stand.
7. But Thou giv st leave (dread Lord) that we Take shelter from Thyself in Thee ;
And with the wings of Thine own dove Fly to the sceptre of soft love.
8. Dear, remember in that Day,
Who was the cause Thou cam st this way. Thy sheep was stray d ; And Thou wouldst be Even lost Thyself in seeking me.
9. Shall all that labour, all that cost Of love, and ev n that losse, be lost ? And this lov d soul, judg d worth no lesse Then all that way, and wearynesse ?
The Earl of Roscommon s version used to bring tears to the eyes of Dr. Johnson. The earl died in 1684, and was buried with great pomp in Westminster Abbey. Dr. Johnson says, At the moment in which he expired, he uttered, with an energy of voice which expressed the most fervent devotion, two lines of his own version of Dies Irae
My God, my Father, and my Friend, Do not forsake me in my end !
William Joseph Irons, D.D., was born at Hoddesdon in 1812, and was the son of a popular Independent minister in Camber- well. He was incumbent of St. Peter s, Wahvorth, 1837; in
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