Johann Friedrich Ludwig Dreves

Dreves, Johann Friedrich Ludwig, son of F. C. Dreves, burgomaster of Horn, in the Principality of Lippe-Detmold, was born at Horn, Nov. 17, 1762. After the completion of his studies at the University of Marburg he was for some time conrector of the school at Detmold. In 1790 he became third pastor of the Reformed Church at Detmold, and after being pastor at Hillentrup from June 28 to Oct. 25, 1795, returned to Detmold as second pastor. He remained in Detmold till 1820, when he again became pastor at Hillentrup, and died there Nov. 30, 1834. (MS. from Pastor A. Koppen, Detmold.) His hymn:—

Hier lieg ich, Herr! im Staube. Trust in God. Was written at Detmold after the death, on Nov. 14. and before the burial, Nov. 17, 1798, of his first wife Lischen (Elizabeth) nee Ewald. It was 1st published as No. 91 of the hymns for the sick and sorrowing appended to his Easter Sermon published at Lemgo, 1813, entitled Wiedersehen. It is in 12 stanza of 8 1., and when included as No. 601 in the Berlin Gesang-Buch, 1829, st. v.-vii., ix., xii., were omitted, and the rest altered. This form was repeated in Bunsen's Versuch, 1833, No. 914. Translated as:—

1. My God, lo, here before Thy face, a D. C. M. version from Bunsen, by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Ger., 1st Series, 1855, p. 38. Her stanza iii., v., are altered in later editions. In full in the Schaff-Gilman Library of Religious Poetry, ed. 1883, p. 821. In the American hymnbooks it appears in the following forms from the 1855 text:—

(1) "My Father, God, before Thy face," No. 226, in Boardman's Selections, Philadelphia, 1861, is from her stanza i., 11.1-4; iv., 11.1-4, and vi.
(2) " O Father, compass me about," No. 362, in the Hymns of the Spirit, Boston, 1864, is her st. iv., 11. 1-4; v., 11. 1-4; vi., 11. 1-4; vii., 11. 4-8.
(3) " I know Thy thoughts are peace towards me," No. 978, in the Sabbath HymnBook, 1858, is her st. v., vi.
(4) " Father, Thy thoughts are peace towards me," No. 905, in Robinson's Songs for the Sanctuary, 1865, is her st. v., 1. 1-4, and vi.

2. My God, behold me lying. A good translation of Bunsen's st. i., ii., iv., v., vii., by Miss Winkworth in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 108.

[Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)