The Enchiridion

Reginald Heber: Hymns, 1827

Reginald Heber: Hymns Written and Adapted &c. (posthumous); Title Page and part of Preface; also: An Introduction, contributed with the text of four hymns by Bishop Heber to The Christian Observer, October 1811 -- both transcribed from copies in Dr Williams's Library, London.

(Hymns Adapted &c.: Title Page to the 10th edn)

HYMNS

WRITTEN AND ADAPTED

TO THE

WEEKLY CHURCH SERVICE

OF

THE YEAR

BY THE

RIGHT REV. REGINALD HEBER, D.D.

LATE LORD BISHOP OF CALCUTTA

TENTH EDITION

LONDON:

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET

------

MDCCCXXXIV

------

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._

(Dedication Page:)

TO HIS GRACE THE

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY,

THESE HYMNS,

ADAPTED TO THE WEEKLY CHURCH SERVICE OF THE YEAR,

COMPOSED AND SELECTED

BY

THE RIGHT REVEREND REGINALD HEBER,

LATE LORD BISHOP OF CALCUTTA,

ARE,

WITH PERMISSION,

RESPECTFULLY AND HUMBLE DEDICATED

BY HIS WIDOW,

AMELIA HEBER.

July 5, 1827

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._

(part of Preface:)

PREFACE

THE Hymns in this volume, which generally bear a relation to the Gospel of the Day, were arranged by Bishop Heber ... ... ... , and it was his intention to publish them soon after his arrival in India; but the arduous duties of his situation left little time, during the short life there allotted to him, for any employment not immediately connected with his diocese.

The work is now given to the world in compliance with his wishes ...

Several of the Hymns are by ... (H.H.Milman, Walter Scott, Jeremy Taylor, Addison, &c.); the remainder were composed by the Bishop at different intervals of leisure during his parochial ministry in Shropshire.

Since the publication of the first edition, another hymn by the Bishop has been found, which is now added to the collection.

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._

[some additional paragraph breaks have been inserted in the following transcription]

(The Christian Observer, October 1811:)

Miscellaneous Correspondence

(page 360)

The following hymns are part of an intended series, appropriate to the Sundays and principal Holidays of the year; connected in some degree with their particular Collects and Gospels, and designed to be sung between the Nicene Creed and the Sermon. -- The effect of an arrangement of this kind, though only partially adopted, is very striking in the Romish liturgy; and its place should seem to be very imperfectly supplied by a few verses of a Psalm, entirely unconnected with the peculiar devotions of the day, and selected at the discretion of a clerk or organist.

On the merits of the present imperfect essays, the author is unaffectedly diffident; and as his labours are intended for the use of his own congregation, he will be thankful for any suggestion which may advance or correct them. In one respect at least, he hopes that the following poems will not be found reprehensible; -- no fulsome or indecorous language has been knowingly adopted: no erotic addresses to Him whom no unclean lip can approach; no allegory ill understood, and worse applied. It is not enough, in his opinion, to object to such expressions, that they are fanatical: they are positively profane.

When our Saviour was on earth, and in great humility conversant with mankind; when he sat at the tables, and washed the feet, and healed the diseases of his creatures; yet did not his disciples give him any more familiar name than Master, or Lord. And now, at the right hand of his Father's Majesty, shall we address him with ditties of embraces and passion, or language which it would be disgraceful in an earthly sovereign to endure? Such expressions, it is said, are taken from Scripture: but even if the original application, which is often doubtful, were clearly and unequivocally ascertained, yet though the collective Christian church may properly be personified as the spouse of Christ, an application of such language to individual believers is as dangerous as it is absurd and unauthorised. Nor is it going too far to assert, that the brutalities of a common swearer can hardly bring religion into more contempt, or more scandalously profane the Name which is above every name in heaven and earth, than certain epithets applied to Christ in our popular collections of religious poetry.

D.R

[ The identity of "D.R." has not been ascertained. It may have been a pseudonym for Heber himself; the authorship of the four hymns in this issue of the Observer (which were certainly Heber's, as were those in the series which appeared in subsequent issues) was not indicated in the Journal. The hymns in the October 1811 issue were

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(The Rejoice & Sing Enchiridion:edited by David Goodall; last amended 30/12/03)