My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files
Planning worship?
Check out our sister site, ZeteoSearch.org,
for 20+ additional resources related to your search.
- |
User Links
Search Results
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
Author: J. G. Hermann; Catherine Winkworth Appears in 3 hymnals
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
Author: J. G. Hermann; Catherine Winkworth Hymnal: Lyra Germanica #52 (1861) Meter: 8.8.8.8.10.10 Lyrics:
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence,
Roam o'er Eternity's vast field,
Surpass the bounds of time and sense,
And rise to Him, who hath revealed
That He is Love: there pause, and awestruck view
That ancient love with every morning new!
Ere earth's foundations yet were laid,
Or heaven's fair roof was spread abroad,
Ere man a living soul was made,
Love stirred within the heart of God;
Love filled the long futurity with good,
And grace to help at need beside her stood.
'Twas Love whose counsel gave to me
True life in Christ Thy only son,
Whom Thou hast made our Way to Thee,
From whom all grace flows ever down;
Whose sacrifice can make us pure and whole,
And bless and hallow all our inmost soul.
'Twas Love, that long ere time began,
That precious name of child bestowed;
That opened Heaven on earth to man,
And called us sinners sons of God;
Whose gracious promptings move the Father's hand,
That on the page of life our names may stand!
Ah happy hours, whene'er upsprings
My soul to yon Eternal Source,
Whence the glad river downward sings,
Watering with goodness all my course,
So that each passing day anew I prove
How tender and how true my Father's love!
For what am I? At His command
The million creatures of His power
Start to life on sea and land;
Oh why should God such blessings shower
On me, who am a leaf that fadeth fast,
A little shifting dust before the blast!
I am not worthy, Lord, that Thou
Shouldst such compassion on me show;
That He who made the world should bow
To cheer with love a wretch so low.
O Father, I would utterly resign
Myself to Thee; take me, and make me Thine.
When strength and heart grow faint and sad,
From battling long with heavy pain,
Thy smile shines forth to make me glad,
Thou crownest me with joy again;
Then I behold Thy Spirit's wondrous power,
Whose work is mightiest in our weakest hour.
Forth from Thy rich and bounteous store
Life's common blessings daily flow;
More than we dare to ask, far more
That we deserve, dost Thou bestow.
My heart dissolves in tears of thankfulness,
To see how true Thy care, how quick to bless.
Nor here alone: hope pierces far
Through all the shades of earth and time;
Faith mounts beyond the farthest star,
Yon shining heights she loves to climb,
And gazing on eternity behold
The promised land, our heritage of old.
Can I with loveless heart receive
Tokens of love that never cease?
Can I be thankless still, and grieve
Him who is all my joy and peace?
Ah Friend of Man, were I to turn from Thee,
Myself were sure my own worst enemy.
Could I but honour Thee aright,
Noble and sweet my song should be,
That earth and heaven should learn Thy might,
And what my God hath done for me.
There is no music sweet as is Thy name,
No joy so deep as pondering o'er Thy fame.
O heart redeemed! thou think'st it long
Till the appointed hour be come,
When thou shalt join the angels' song
To that Fair Love that brought thee home.
Have patience, heart; time hurries fast away,
Soon shalt thou reach the one Eternal Day. Languages: English
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
Author: J. G. Hermann; Catherine Winkworth Hymnal: Lyra Germanica #S1-52 (1881) Languages: English
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
Author: Catherine Winkworth, 1827-1878; J. G. Hermann Hymnal: Lyra Germanica #121 (1856) Languages: English
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence
Catherine Winkworth
1827 - 1878 Translator of "On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence" Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used in many modern hymnals. Her work was published in two series of Lyra Germanica (1855, 1858) and in The Chorale Book for England (1863), which included the appropriate German tune with each text as provided by Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt. Winkworth also translated biographies of German Christians who promoted ministries to the poor and sick and compiled a handbook of biographies of German hymn authors, Christian Singers of Germany (1869).
Bert Polman
========================
Winkworth, Catherine, daughter of Henry Winkworth, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, was born in London, Sep. 13, 1829. Most of her early life was spent in the neighbourhood of Manchester. Subsequently she removed with the family to Clifton, near Bristol. She died suddenly of heart disease, at Monnetier, in Savoy, in July, 1878. Miss Winkworth published:—
Translations from the German of the Life of Pastor Fliedner, the Founder of the Sisterhood of Protestant Deaconesses at Kaiserworth, 1861; and of the Life of Amelia Sieveking, 1863.
Her sympathy with practical efforts for the benefit of women, and with a pure devotional life, as seen in these translations, received from her the most practical illustration possible in the deep and active interest which she took in educational work in connection with the Clifton Association for the Higher Education of Women, and kindred societies there and elsewhere. Our interest, however, is mainly centred in her hymnological work as embodied in her:—
(1) Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855. (2) Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858. (3) The Chorale Book for England (containing translations from the German, together with music), 1863; and (4) her charming biographical work, the Christian Singers of Germany, 1869.
In a sympathetic article on Miss Winkworth in the Inquirer of July 20, 1878, Dr. Martineau says:—
"The translations contained in these volumes are invariably faithful, and for the most part both terse and delicate; and an admirable art is applied to the management of complex and difficult versification. They have not quite the fire of John Wesley's versions of Moravian hymns, or the wonderful fusion and reproduction of thought which may be found in Coleridge. But if less flowing they are more conscientious than either, and attain a result as poetical as severe exactitude admits, being only a little short of ‘native music'"
Dr. Percival, then Principal of Clifton College, also wrote concerning her (in the Bristol Times and Mirror), in July, 1878:—
"She was a person of remarkable intellectual and social gifts, and very unusual attainments; but what specially distinguished her was her combination of rare ability and great knowledge with a certain tender and sympathetic refinement which constitutes the special charm of the true womanly character."
Dr. Martineau (as above) says her religious life afforded "a happy example of the piety which the Church of England discipline may implant.....The fast hold she retained of her discipleship of Christ was no example of ‘feminine simplicity,' carrying on the childish mind into maturer years, but the clear allegiance of a firm mind, familiar with the pretensions of non-Christian schools, well able to test them, and undiverted by them from her first love."
Miss Winkworth, although not the earliest of modern translators from the German into English, is certainly the foremost in rank and popularity. Her translations are the most widely used of any from that language, and have had more to do with the modern revival of the English use of German hymns than the versions of any other writer.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
============================
See also in:
Hymn Writers of the Church
Catherine Winkworth
Johann Gottfried Hermann
1707 - 1791 Author of "On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence" Herrmann, Johann Gottfried, D.D., son of Gottfried Herrmann, pastor at Altjessnitz, near Bitterfeld, Saxony, was born at Altjessnitz, Oct. 12, 1707. After studying at the University of Leipzig (M.A. in 1731), he was appointed in 1731 diaconus at Ranis, near Neustadt on the Orla; in 1734 diaconus at Pegau, near Leipzig; in 1738 superintendent at Plauen; and in 1746 chief Court preacher at Dresden, and oberconsistorialrath. He died at Dresden, July 30, 1791 (Koch, v. 503-505). The only hymn by him translated into English appeared in the Privilegirte neue und vollständige Voigtländische Gesang Buch, Plauen, 1742, which he edited while Superintendent at Plauen. It is:
Gent hin, ihr glaubigen Gedanken. The Love of God. A fine hymn, founded on Eph. i. 3-12, on Faith produced and nourished by the everlasting love of God. 1st pub. 1742 as above (ed. 1751, No. 843), in 14 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "On the Everlasting Love of God." Included as No. 413 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen 1851. The only translation in common use is:—
On wings of faith, ye thoughts, fly hence. A good tr., omitting stanza viii., by Miss Winkworth, in the 1st Ser. of her Lyra Germanica, 1855, p. 121. Her translation of lines 1-4 of stanzas v., xii., x., xi. beginning "Ah! happy hours! whene'er upsprings," with a 5th stanza not from Herrmann, added to complete the hymn, were included as No. 646 in the American Sabbath Hymn Book 1858. Another arrangement, consisting of lines 1-4 of stanzas ii.-iv., vii., xiii., appeared as No. 233 in the Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, and is repeated in several American collections. It begins:—"Ere earth's foundations yet were laid." [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology
Johann Gottfried Hermann
