The Story of Our Hymns Part 17

When the Swedish colonists along the Delaware gathered in their temples to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in the latter part of the 17th century, they sang songs from a hymn-book the use of which had been prohibited in Sweden. It was the much-mooted hymn-book of Jesper Swedberg. Originally published by the author in 1694 and intended for the Church of Sweden, it immediately came under suspicion on the ground that it contained unorthodox teachings and was promptly confiscated. This, however, did not hinder the authorities from sending the book in large quant.i.ties to America, and it was used on this side of the Atlantic for many years.

Swedberg, who was born near Falun, Sweden, in the year 1653, was the first important hymnist of his native land. From the days of the Reformation no noteworthy advance had been made in Swedish hymnody until Swedberg began to tune his lyre. The official "Psalm-book" had been revised on several occasions, but the Upsala edition of 1645 contained only 182 hymns, far too few to meet the needs of church wors.h.i.+p and private devotion.

It was in 1691 that Swedberg received the royal commission to prepare a new hymn-book. He was fortunate in having the aid of such gifted poets as Haqvin Spegel, Petrus Lagerlof, Israel Kolmodin and Jacob Boethius in the execution of his task.

The new book, containing 482 Swedish hymns and a few in Latin, made its appearance in 1694. A large edition was printed, the financial cost of which was borne largely by Swedberg himself. It met with immediate opposition, particularly from Bishop Carl Carlsson, who charged that the hymn-book contained "innumerable heresies of a theological, anthropological, Christological, soteriological and eschatological nature."

It was enough. King Karl XI immediately appointed a new commission to revise Swedberg's work, with the result that 75 hymns were omitted and six new hymns added. It was printed in 1696 and remained in use as the "Psalm-book" of the Church of Sweden for more than a century, until it was succeeded in 1819 by Wallin's masterpiece.

The unsold copies of the first edition, about 20,000 in number, were confiscated and stored away. From time to time quant.i.ties of these books were sent to the Swedish colonists in America, for whose "preservation in the true faith," as the hymnologist Soderberg ironically remarks, "the Swedish authorities seemed less concerned."

Swedberg felt the slight keenly and often made significant references in his diary regarding those who had been instrumental in rejecting his work. One of these notations tells how the Cathedral of Upsala was destroyed by fire in 1702, and how the body of Archbishop O. Svebilius, although encased in a copper and stone sarcophagus, was reduced to ashes.

"But my hymn-books," he adds, "which were only of paper, unbound and unprotected, were not even scorched by the flames."

The final form in which his hymn-book was published nevertheless still retained so many of his own hymns, and the entire book was so impregnated with his own spirit, that it has always been known as "Swedberg's Psalm-book." A noted critic has called it "the most precious heritage he left to his native land." It was Swedberg who wrote the sublime stanza that has become the doxology of the Church of Sweden:

Bless us, Father, and protect us, Be our souls' sure hiding-place; Let Thy wisdom still direct us, Light our darkness with Thy grace!

Let Thy countenance on us s.h.i.+ne, Fill us all with peace divine.

Praise the Father, Son, and Spirit, Praise Him all that life inherit!

Swedberg was elevated to the bishopric of Skara in 1702. He died in 1735, universally mourned by the Swedish people.

Haqvin Spegel, who collaborated with Swedberg in the preparation of his hymn-book, was the more gifted poet of the two. It was he who, by his hymns, fixed the language forms that subsequently became the model for Swedish hymnody. Although Spegel never stooped to sickly sentimentality, his hymns are so filled with the spirit of personal faith and fervent devotion that they rise to unusual lyric heights. A sweet pastoral fragrance breathes through the hymn, "We Christians should ever consider," as the following stanza testifies:

The lilies, nor toiling nor spinning, Their clothing how gorgeous and fair!

What tints in their tiny orbs woven, What wondrous devices are there!

All Solomon's stores could not render One festival robe of such splendor As modest field lilies do wear.

His communion hymn, "The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord," is a cla.s.sic example of how Spegel could set forth in song the objective truths of the Christian faith.

The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord, We celebrate with one accord; It is our comfort in distress, Our heart's sweet joy and happiness.

He blotted out with His own blood The judgment that against us stood; He full atonement for us made, And all our debt He fully paid.

That this is so and ever true He gives an earnest ever new, In this His Holy Supper, here We taste His love, so sweet, so near.

For His true body, as He said, And His own blood, for sinners shed, In this communion we receive: His sacred Word we do believe.

O sinner, come with true intent To turn to G.o.d and to repent, To live for Christ, to die to sin, And thus a holy life begin.

Spegel was given the highest ecclesiastical honor bestowed by his country when he was created archbishop in 1711. He died three years later.

Among the other hymn-writers who contributed hymns to Swedberg's noted book was Jacob Arrhenius, professor of history in the University of Upsala. This man, who devoted a great deal of his time to the financial affairs of the University, was also a richly-endowed spiritual poet. The intimate tenderness with which he sang the Saviour's praise had never before been attained in Swedish hymnody. It was he who wrote:

Jesus is my Friend most precious, Never friend did love as He; Can I leave this Friend so gracious, Spurn His wondrous love for me?

No! nor friend nor foe shall sever Me from Him who loves me so; His shall be my will forever, There above, and here below.

Wallin's Sublime Morning Hymn

Again Thy glorious sun doth rise, I praise Thee, O my Lord; With courage, strength, and hope renewed, I touch the joyful chord.

On good and evil, Lord, Thy sun Is rising as on me; Let me in patience and in love Seek thus to be like Thee.

May I in virtue and in faith, And with Thy gifts content, Rejoice beneath Thy covering wings, Each day in mercy sent.

Safe with Thy counsel in my work, Thee, Lord, I'll keep in view, And feel that still Thy bounteous grace Is every morning new.

Johan Olof Wallin, 1816.

DAVID'S HARP IN THE NORTHLAND

When Longfellow translated Tegner's Swedish poem, "Children of the Lord's Supper," he introduced Johan Olof Wallin to the English-speaking world in the following lines:

And with one voice Chimed in the congregation, and sang an anthem immortal Of the sublime Wallin, of David's harp in the Northland.

Wallin is Scandinavia's greatest hymnist and perhaps the foremost in the entire Christian Church during the Nineteenth century. The Swedish "Psalm-book" of 1819, which for more than a century has been the hymn-book of the Swedish people in the homeland and in other parts of the world, is in large measure the work of this one man. Of the 500 hymns in this volume, 128 are original hymns from his pen, 178 are revisions by Wallin, twenty-three are his translations, and thirteen are semi-originals based on the hymns of other authors. In brief, no less than 342 of the hymns of the "Psalm-book" reflect the genius of this remarkable writer.

Early in life Wallin began to reveal poetic talent. Born at Stora Tuna, Dalarne province, in 1779, he overcame the handicaps of poverty and poor health and at the age of twenty-four he had gained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Upsala. In 1805, and again in 1809, he won the chief prize for poetry at the University.

In 1806 he was ordained to the Lutheran ministry. Very soon he began to attract attention by his able preaching. In 1812 he was transferred to Stockholm, and in 1816 he became dean of Vesters. In 1824 he was elevated to the bishopric, and thirteen years later became Primate of the Church of Sweden when he was made Archbishop of Upsala. He died in 1839.

As early as 1807 Wallin had begun to publish collections of old and new hymns. He possessed the rare ability of translating sacred poetry of other lands in such a way that often the translation excelled the original in virility and beauty.

In 1811 a commission was appointed by the Swedish parliament to prepare a new hymn-book to succeed that of Jesper Swedberg, which had been in use for more than a century. Wallin was made a member of this body. Within three years the commission presented its labors in the form of a first draft. However, it did not meet with universal favor, nor was Wallin himself satisfied with the result. By this time Wallin's genius had been revealed so clearly that the commission was moved to charge him with the entire task of completing the "Psalm-book." He gladly undertook the work and on November 28, 1816, he was able to report that he had finished his labors. A few minor changes were subsequently made, but on January 29, 1819, the new hymn-book was officially authorized by King Karl XIV. It has remained in use until the present day.

Unfortunately, Wallin's hymns have not become generally known outside of his own native land. It is only in recent years that a number have been translated into English. One of these is his famous Christmas hymn, which for more than a century has been sung in every sanctuary in Sweden as a greeting to the dawn of Christmas day. The first stanza reflects something of the glory of the Christmas evangel itself:

All hail to thee, O blessed morn!

To tidings long by prophets borne Hast thou fulfilment given.

O sacred and immortal day, When unto earth, in glorious ray, Descends the grace of heaven!

Singing, Ringing Sounds are blending, Praises sending Unto heaven For the Saviour to us given.

Although Wallin reverenced the old traditional hymns of the Church in spite of their many defects in form and language, he was unrelenting in his demand that every new hymn adopted by the Church should be tested by the severest cla.s.sical standards. "A new hymn," he declared, "aside from the spiritual considerations which should never be compromised in any way, should be so correct, simple and lyrical in form, and so free from inversions and other imperfections in style, that after the lapse of a hundred years a father may be able to say to his son, 'Read the Psalm-book, my boy, and you will learn your mother tongue!'"

The profound influence which Wallin's hymns have exerted over the Swedish language and literature for more than a century is an eloquent testimony, not only to his poetic genius, but also to the faithfulness with which he adhered to the high standards he cherished.

The charge has sometimes been made that a number of Wallin's hymns are tinged by the spirit of rationalism. It is true that in his earlier years the great Swedish hymnist was strongly influenced by the so-called "New Theology," which had swept over all Europe at that time. His poems and hymns from this period bear unmistakable marks of these rationalizing tendencies. Even some of the hymns in the first part of the "Psalm-book,"

dealing with the person and attributes of G.o.d, are not entirely free from suspicion.

However, as Wallin became more and more absorbed in his great task, his own spiritual life seems to have been deepened and a new and richer note began to ring forth from his hymns. In 1816 this change was made manifest in an address Wallin delivered before the Swedish Bible Society, in which he declared war on rationalism and the "New Theology," and took his stand squarely upon the faith and confessions of the Lutheran Church. He said: