George Watson › Hymnals

Watson, George, son of F. Watson, born at Birmingham, 1816, and until the year 1866 was in business in London as a printer. From his office and with his co-operation originated the well-known publications, theBand of Hope Review, in 1851; and The British Workman, 1855, which were the pioneers of cheap illustrated publications. Mr. Watson's hymn-writing has been limited. Two (see below) appeared in Paxton Hood's Our Hymn Book, 1868; the rest have been issued as fly-leaves, or are still in manuscript. Those in common use are:—
1. 0 the deep mystery of that love. The Love of Jesus. First published in P. Hood's Our Hymn Book, 1868, No. 736, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines.
2. With the sweet word of peace. Parting. Written in 1867 to be sung at a meeting held in Brighton to say Farewell to the Rev. Paxton Hood on his leaving his church for a considerable time for change and rest. On his return Mr. Hood included it in his Our Hymn Book 1868, No. 572, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines It was given with considerable alterations in the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, 1871. This text was repeated in the Scottish Evangelical Union Hymnal, 1878, and is the usually accepted form of the hymn. It has much tenderness and beauty, and is worthy of wide circulation.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)