78
February 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
P assages of R are B eauty In all his writings there are striking passages of rare beauty and pointed meaning. This is illustrated in the Morning Hymn. In the original poem there are sixteen stanzas, five of which are included in the cento forming the hymn. The fourth stanza selected for the hymn is the fourteenth of the poem, and begins with a line often quoted: “The trivial round, the common task,
S un of M y S oul Without doubt “Sun of My Soul” is Keble’s greatest contribution to hymn literature, and it is found in prac tically every standard hymn book as well as in many Gospel song books. The beautiful tune to which it is wedded is ar ranged by W. H. Monk, the English musician, from a Ger man chorale of the eighteenth century by Peter Ritter. This tune has been given the metrical name of “Hursley” in honor of John Keble, this being the name of the country parish where our poet labored so effectively and yet so quietly for so many years. This hymn is ranked sixth by Dr. Louis Benson in his well-known list in “Best Hymns,” and Rev. James King ranks it ninth in “Anglican Hymnol- ogy.” Dr. Chas. Eliot has included it in the hymn section of his famous “five-foot shelf” library of Harvard classics. It rivals Bishop Ken’s “All Praise to Thee, my God, this Night,” and ranks equal in common use to Lyte’s “Abide with Me.” Other hymns that deserve special mention are—“There is a Book Who Runs May Read,” “Blest Are the Pure in Heart,” and “When God of Old Came Down from Heaven.” , The most striking chapter in John Keble’s life was his relation to the “Oxford Movement,” an effort, all too zealously ritualistic, to bring about a revival in the spir itual condition of the church. It was a movement that many “hoped would commend itself to those who desired better things for the church, but who would not accept Methodism.” He was chosen to preach the “Assize ser mon,” July 14, 1833, before the judges and dignitaries in session at Oxford, and his subject was “National Apos tasy.” It has been described as a “call to arms,” “an exor dium of a great revolution.” This sermon, printed in tract form and widely distributed, became famous as. the launch ing of this unfortunate controversial movement that alienated friends and led a number over the line into the Roman Catholic Church. Among this number was John Henry Newman, the author of “Lead, Kindly Light,” Keble’s close and dearly loved friend. This was the greatest trial of his life. When he received the letter from Newman that he feared con tained the news of his decision, he delayed opening it and carried it about with him for some time. - At last, while walking in a lonely field he forced himself to open it. Years afterward he pointed out the spot to a friend, saying, “This is a sad place, connected with the most painful event of my life. It was there that I first knew for certain that Newman had left us.” K eble ’ s S im ple N ature Keble’s simple, direct, open nature is shown by an inci dent that occurred upon the occasion of a Visit from his friend and fellow minister, John Mason Neals. Keble had excused himself to go to another room for some manu scripts, and while he was gone Neale translated into Latin one of Keble’s shorter poems. When Keble returned Neale said to him, “Do I understand you to say that all the poems of ‘The Christian Year’ are original?” Mr. Keble replied most emphatically that they were. “Then,” said Mr. Neale, “how is it that I find this Latin version of one of them on your desk?” Mr. Keble was very much con fused and protested that he knew nothing of any Latin original. Mr. Neale quickly relieved him, laughingly tell ing him that he himself had translated it while he (Keble) was absent from the room. Tennyson, walking in a garden with a friend, was asked what Christ meant to him. After a moment of silent
Will furnish all we need to ask, Room to deny ourselves, a road To bring us daily nearer God.”
But just preceding it, in the complete poem, is the fol lowing stanza which gives added meaning to the one just quoted, in fact is necessary to its full understanding:
“We need not bid for cloistered cell, Our neighbor and our work farewell, Nor strive to wind ourselves too high For sinful man beneath the sky.”
The second hymn is “Sun of My Soul,” a cento con sisting of five stanzas from the poem “Evening.” As in the case of the Morning Hymn the selected stanzas suffer by being taken from their context. The first stanza, “Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if Thou be near: Oh, may no earth-born cloud arise To hide Thee ffom Thy servant’s eyes!”
is the third of the!poem—the first and second picturing the “ fading light and the benighted traveler,” and forming a wonderful prelude-background for the hymn.
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