THE STORY OF THE HYMNS AND THEIR WRITERS 477
editor at Hesse-Darmstadt. During a severe illness in 1777 he realized the emptiness of the life among the freethinkers there, and returned to the faith of his childhood. He gave up his position and removed to Wandsbeck, near Hamburg, where he edited a paper. He was auditor of a bank at Altona. He had a long struggle with straitened means. He died in his elder daughter s house at Hamburg. The strong, primitive, and sympathetic Christian feeling displayed in his work produced a lasting effect for good on his countrymen. Kiibler says that for seven weeks he expected his death, praying much ; shortly before the end he prayed, " Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from all evil." This piece was published in 1782 in a sketch, entitled Paul Erdmanrfs Fest. The neighbours gather at his house and sing this peasants song. The part translated by Miss Campbell begins, Wir pfliigen undwir streuen.
Hymn 942. Come, ye thankful people, come. HENRY ALFORD, D.D. (619).
Published in his Psalms and Hymns, 1844. ^ i- s the most popular of Dean Alford s hymns. No harvest festival seems complete without it. The original reads
Ver. 2 : All the world is God s own field. Yer. 4 : Even so, Lord, quickly come,
Come, with all Thine angels, come.
Sir George J. Elvey s tune was named St. George s, Windsor, to commemorate his connexion with that chapel.
Hymn 913. The sower went forth sowing.
WILLIAM ST. HILL BOURNE.
Written in 1874 for the harvest festival at Christ Church, South Ashford, Kent, where the writer was curate. It was printed in Church Bells the same year, and in Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1875.
The author was born in 1846 ; Rector of Finchley, 1900; editor of The Mission Field, for S.P.G., 1879.
This is sometimes used as a burial hymn. Sir F. Bridge com posed the tune as he sat by the bed of a dying child, and named it St. Beatrice in memory of his little daughter.
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