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Paul Eber
1511 - 1569 Person Name: Paul Eber, 1511-1569 Author of "I Fall Asleep in Jesus' Wounds" in Hymnal and Order of Service Eber, Paul, son of Johannes Eber, master tailor at Kitzingen, Bavaria, was born at Kitzingen, Nov. 8, 1511. He was sent in 1523 to the Gymnasium at Ansbach, but being forced by illness to return home, was on his way thrown from horseback and dragged more than a mile, remaining as a consequence deformed ever after. In 1525 he entered the St. Lorentz school at Nürnberg, under Joachim Camerarius, and in 1532 went to the University of Wittenberg, where he graduated 1536, and thereafter became tutor in the Philosophical Faculty. He was appointed Professor of Latin in 1544, then in 1557 Professor of Hebrew and Castle preacher, and in 1558 Town preacher and General Superintendent of the Electorate, receiving in 1559 the degree D.D. from the University. He died at Wittenberg, Dec. 10, 1569 (Koch, i. 271-278; Allgemeines Deutsche Biog., v. 529).
At Wittenberg he was a close friend of Melanchthon, was privy to all his plans, and conducted the greater part of his correspondence. After Melanchthon's death in 1560, he became leader of his party, and had to engage in various controversies with the Crypto-Calvinists, &c.; the seeds of his fatal illness being sown on his return journey from the fruitless conference held at Altenburg with the theologians of Jena, which lasted from Oct. 20, 1568, to March 9, 1569.
Eber was, next to Luther, the best poet of the Wittenberg school. His hymns, some of them written for his own children to sing to Luther's melodies, are distinguished for their child-like spirit and beautiful simplicity. Seventeen hymns have been attributed to him, four of which are certainly his, and probably two others. Of these six, five have been translated into English, one of which is noted under "Dicimus grates," and the others are:—
i. Herr Jesu Christ, wahr Mensch und Gott. For the Dying. The first hymnbook in which this simple and beautiful hymn has been found is the Low German Enchiridion, published at Hamburg, 1565, where it is in 8 stanzas of 6 lines., entitled "A prayer to Christ for a happy departure from this troublous life," and marked as "D. Paulus Eberus Filiolis suis faciebat MDLVII. Wackernagel, iv. p. 4, gives this and a second form in High German from the Psalmen, Geystliche Lieder und Gesänge, Strassburg, 1569. In his Bibliographie, 1855, p. 233, Wackernagel describes an undated broadsheet, which he would date 1550, and at p. 279 says it forms the first of Neun Schöne Geistliche Lieder, Nürnberg N.D., c. 1556. G. Döring, in his Choralkunde, Danzig, 1865, p. 434, says it appeared as "Panie Jezu ty's czlowiek i Bog" in the Polish Cantional, edited by Pastor Seklucyan, and published at Königsberg, 1559. Lauxmann, in Koch, viii, 591-594, adds that it comforted Eber himself while he lay a-dying, Dec. 10, 1569; was repeated by Hugo Grotius a few minutes before his death, Aug. 28, 1645; and was a favourite hymn of Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt (d. 1566), Christian I., Elector of Saxony (d. 1591), of the Margrave Georg Friedrieh of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (d. 1603), &c. Included as No. 820 in the Unv. L. S., 1851. The translations in common use are:—
1. Lord Jesus Christ, true Man and God, Who borest. Good and full, by Miss Winkworth in the first Ser. of her Lyra Germanica, 1855, p. 239. Of this stanzas i.-iv. appear in the Psalms & Hymns., Bedford, 1859; i., ii., viii. in the Harrow School Hymn Book, 1866 ; and i.-iii., v., viii. in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book,1868. A cento from stanza ii., line 3-6, iii., 11. 1-4, vii., 1line 3-6, beginning, "When from my sight all fades away," is No. 1181 in the American Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858.
2. Lord Jesus Christ, true Man and God, Thou Who. A translation by E. Cronenwett, in nine stanzas of L.M., based on stanzas i., ii., iv.-viii., as No. 434, in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880.
Other translations are, (1) "0 God, support me, death is near," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 103. (2) "Lord Jesus Christ, true Man and God, who hast”, by E. Massie, 1867, p. 10.
ii. Wenn wir in höchsten Nöthen sein. In Trouble. Founded on a hymn by Joachim Camerarius, his former master at Nürnberg [b. at Bamberg, April 12, 1500, d. as Professor of Greek and Latin at Leipzig, April 17, 1574], which in Wackernagel, i. p. 324, runs thus:—
"In tenebris nostrae et densa caligine mentis,
Cum nihil est toto pectore consilii,
Turbati erigimus, Deus, ad Te lumina cordis
Nostra, tuamque fides solius erat opem.
Tu rege consiliis actus, Pater optime, nostros,
Nostrum opus ut laudi serviat omne Tuae."
These lines comforted Melanchthon in 1546; and Lauxmann, in Koch, viii. 161-165, thinks probably Eber also. He relates that on Ascension Day, 1547, after the battle of Mühlberg, the Wittenbergers having received a message from the captive Elector to deliver their city to the Emperor Charles V. assembled for prayer in church; and quotes a portion of the prayer by Bugenhagen which greatly resembles Eber's hymn. But that the hymn was written then we have no proof, and the earliest source quoted by Wackernagel, iv. p. 6, is the Naw Betbüchlein, Dresden 1566, in 7 stanza of 4 line., though in his Bibliographie, 1855, p. 312, he describes a broadsheet printed at Nürnberg, N.D., c. 1560. In M. Moller's Meditationes sanctorum Patrum, Görlitz, 1584, it is entitled "A beautiful prayer of the venerable Dr. Paul Eber, which he composed on the beautiful words of King Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. xx. 12." Included as No. 583 in the Unv. L. S., 1851.
A "Cry from the depths," though not in despair but in trustful confidence in God, it is one of the finest and most widely used hymns of the Reformation period. Lauxmann relates how the singing of this hymn and the prayers of Martin Rinkart (q.v.), Archidiaconus of Eulenburg near Leipzig, prevailed to move the heart of the Swedish Lieutenant-Colonel, who on Feb. 21, 1635, had demanded from the inhabitants a ransom of £4500, but eventually accepted 2000 florins; says that in commemoration of a similar deliverance from the Swedish army in 1642 the hymn was long sung at the end of the Sunday afternoon service at Pegau, near Leipzig, and adds other incidents regarding its use.
The only translation in common use is :—
When in the hour of utmost need. A full and very good translation by Miss Winkworth in the 2nd Ser. of her Lyra Germanica, 1858, p. 180, and thence as No. 141 in her Chorale Book for England, 1863. Included in full in the American Presbyterian Hymnal 1874, and the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. In full, though slightly altered, as No. 233, in Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861, but omitted in the revised edition, 1875. In the Hymnary, 1871, Psalmist, 1878, J. L. Porter's Collection, 1876, Thring's Collection, 1882, and the Evangelical Hymna, N. Y., 1880, st. v. is omitted.
Other translations are, (1) "When we are under great distress," by J. C. Jacobi, 1720, p. 19 (1722, p. 119; 1732, p. 184, altered, and thence as No. 140 in p. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754). (2) "When neither help nor counsel's nigh," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 89. (3) "When all our way is hedged around," by N. L. Frothingham, 1870.
His hymns not in English common use are:—
iii. Helft mir Gottes Güte preisen. [New Year.] Written on the name Helena, borne both by his wife and his daughter, the initial letters of each stanza composing it. Wackernagel, iv. p. 6, quotes it from Eichorn's Geistliche Lieder, Frankfurt a. Oder, c. 1580, in 6 st. of 8 l., entitled, "A Thanksgiving and Prayer for the New Year, in remembrance of God's goodness, for the Children." Older but less correct forms are noted by Mützell, p. 486, as in the Copenhagen GesangBuch,1511, and the Stettin, 1576. Included as No. 68 in the Unv. L. S., 1851. It is translation as, "Ye Christians in this nation," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 11 (1732, p. 10, altered and beginning, "Come, let us all, with Fervour.")
iv. In Christi Wunden schlaf ich ein. [For the Dying.] Appears in Jeremias Weber's Gesang-Buch, Leipzig, 1638, p. 797, marked as "Another" (the hymn immediately preceding is ascribed to Eber), in 3 st. of 4 1. In the Berlin Geistlicher Lieder Schatz, ed. 1863, No. 1468, the text is slightly varied, and arranged in 2 st. of 6 1. It was first ascribed to Eber in the Nürnberg Gesang-Buch, 1676. Lauxmann, in Koch, viii. 595-601, says of it, "That the hymn is much older than the date of its appearance [i.e. than 1638] seems obvious; that it breathes the childlike spirit of Eber is certain. More than this we cannot say." St. i., 11. 3-6, "Ja Christi Blut und Gerechtigkeit," has been adopted by many pious Germans, young and old, as a prayer in life and death, and Lauxmann relates many interesting incidents regarding its use by A. G. Spangenberg, by Wilhelm Hey, and others. These four lines were adopted by N. L. von Zinzendorf, as the first stanza of his well-known hymn, "Christi Blut und Gerechtigkeit" (q. v.). It is translation as, "I fall asleep in Jesus' arms," by Miss Winkworth, i860, p. 121. [Rev .James Mearns]
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Paul Eber
Martin Luther
1483 - 1546 Person Name: Martin Luther, 1483-1546 Author of "Lord Jesus Christ! To Thee we Pray" in Hymnal and Order of Service Luther, Martin, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody.
i. Hymn Books.
1. Ellich cristlich lider Lobgesang un Psalm. Wittenberg, 1524. [Hamburg Library.] This contains 8 German hymns, of which 4 are by Luther.
2. Eyn Enchiridion oder Handbuchlein. Erfurt, 1524 [Goslar Library], with 25 German hymns, of which 18 are by Luther.
3. Geystliche Gesangk Buchleyn. Wittenberg, 1524 [Munich Library], with 32 German hymns, of which 24 are by Luther.
4. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1529. No copy of this book is now known, but there was one in 1788 in the possession of G. E. Waldau, pastor at Nürnberg, and from his description it is evident that the first part of the Rostock Gesang-Buch, 1531, is a reprint of it. The Rostock Gesang-Buch, 1531, was reprinted by C. M. Wiechmann-Kadow at Schwerin in 1858. The 1529 evidently contained 50 German hymns, of which 29 (including the Litany) were by Luther.
5. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Erfurt. A. Rauscher, 1531 [Helmstädt, now Wolfenbüttel Library], a reprint of No. 4.
6. Geistliche Lieder. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1535 [Munich Library. Titlepage lost], with 52 German hymns, of which 29 are by Luther.
7. Geistliche Lieder auffs new gebessert. Leipzig. V. Schumann, 1539 [Wernigerode Library], with 68 German hymns, of which 29 are by Luther.
8. Geistliche Lieder. Wittenberg. J. Klug, 1543 [Hamburg Library], with 61 German hymns, of which 35 are by Luther.
9. Geystliche Lieder. Leipzig. V. Babst, 1545 [Gottingen Library]. This contains Luther's finally revised text, but adds no new hymns by himself. In pt. i. are 61 German hymns, in pt. ii. 40, of which 35 in all are by Luther.
For these books Luther wrote three prefaces, first published respectively in Nos. 3, 4, 9. A fourth is found in his Christliche Geseng, Lateinisch und Deudsch, zum Begrebnis, Wittenberg, J. Klug, 1542. These four prefaces are reprinted in Wackernagel’s Bibliographie, 1855, pp. 543-583, and in the various editions of Luther's Hymns. Among modern editions of Luther's Geistliche Lieder may be mentioned the following:—
Carl von Winterfeld, 1840; Dr. C. E. P. Wackernagel, 1848; Q. C. H. Stip, 1854; Wilhelm Schircks, 1854; Dr. Danneil, 1883; Dr. Karl Gerok, 1883; Dr. A. F. W. Fischer, 1883; A. Frommel, 1883; Karl Goedeke, 1883, &c. In The Hymns of Martin Luther. Set to their original melodies. With an English version. New York, 1883, ed. by Dr. Leonard Woolsey Bacon and Nathan H. Allen, there are the four prefaces, and English versions of all Luther's hymns, principally taken more or less altered, from the versions by A. T. Russell, R. Massie and Miss Winkworth [repub. in London, 1884]. Complete translations of Luther's hymns have been published by Dr. John Anderson, 1846 (2nd ed. 1847), Dr. John Hunt, 1853, Richard Massie, 1854, and Dr. G. Macdonald in the Sunday Magazine, 1867, and his Exotics, 1876. The other versions are given in detail in the notes on the individual hymns.
ii. Classified List of Luther's Hymns. Of Luther's hymns no classification can be quite perfect, e.g. No. 3 (see below) takes hardly anything from the Latin, and No. 18 hardly anything from the Psalm. No. 29 is partly based on earlier hymns (see p. 225, i.). No. 30 is partly based on St. Mark i. 9-11, and xvi., 15, 16 (see p. 226, ii.). No. 35 is partly based on St. Luke ii. 10-16. The following arrangement, however, will answer all practical purposes.
A. Translations from the Latin.
i. From Latin Hymns:
1. Christum wir sollen loben schon. A solis ortus cardine
2. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit. O Lux beata Trinitas.
3. Jesus Christus unser Heiland, Der von. Jesus Christus nostra salus
4. Komm Gott Schopfer, heiliger Geist. Veni Creator Spiritus, Mentes.
5. Nun komm der Beidenheiland. Veni Redemptor gentium
6. Was flirchst du Feind Herodes sehr. A solis ortus cardine
ii. From Latin Antiphons, &c.:
7. Herr Gott dich loben wir. Te Deum laudamus.
8. Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich. Dapacem, Domine
9. Wir glauben all an einen Gott.
iii. Partly from the Latin, the translated stanzas being adopted from Pre-Reformation Versions:
10. Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott.
11. Mitten wir im Leben sind. Media vita in morte sumus.
B. Hymns revised and enlarged from Pre-Reformation popular hymns.
12. Gelobet seist du Jesus Christ.
13. Gott der Vater wohn uns bei.
14. Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet.
15. Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist.
C. Psalm versions.
16. Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein.
17. Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir.
18. Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott.
19. Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl.
20. Es wollt uns Gott genädig sein.
21. War Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit.
22. Wohl dem, der in Gotten Furcht steht.
D. Paraphrases of other portions of Holy Scripture.
23. Diess sind die heilgen zehn Gebot.
24. Jesaia dem Propheten das geschah.
25. Mensch willt du leben seliglich.
26. Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin.
27. Sie ist mir lieb die werthe Magd.
28. Vater unser im Himmelreich.
E. Hymns mainly Original.
29. Christ lag in Todesbanden.
30. Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam.
31. Ein neues Lied wir heben an.
32. Erhalt uns Herr bei deinem Wort.
33. Jesus Christus unser Heiland, Der den,
34. Nun freut euch lieben Christengemein.
35. Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her.
36. Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schaar.
In addition to these —
37. Fur alien Freuden auf Erden.
38. Kyrie eleison.
In the Blätter fur Hymnologie, 1883, Dr. Daniel arranges Luther's hymns according to what he thinks their adaptation to modern German common use as follows:—
i. Hymns which ought to be included in every good Evangelical hymn-book: Nos. 7-18, 20, 22, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38.
ii. Hymns the reception of which into a hymn-book might be contested: Nos. 2, 3, 4, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 33.
iii. Hymns not suited for a hymn-book: Nos. 1, 5, 6, 27, 31, 37.
[Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Martin Luther
