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['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]

Appears in 3 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Jno. R. Sweney Incipit: 53334 67151 22214 Used With Text: Lift up the Latch

Author: Edwin Henry Nevin Appears in 3 hymnals First Line: 'Twas dark, and I, with inward fear Refrain First Line: Lift up the latch, lift up the latch Lyrics: 1 ‘Twas dark, and I, with inward, fear, Stood like a culprit, weeping, near The house in which my Saviour dwelt; Such pang my soul had never felt. A voice addressed me from within:— Refrain: “Lift up the latch, lift up the latch, Lift up the latch, and enter in, Lift up the latch, and enter in.” 2 But in my deepest heart I know That I had sinned, and basely too; I trifled with his blood and tears, And slighted him for months and years. But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 3 But I would rather not comply Until my soul to mend I try; I need a better heart before I could be welcome at the door; But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 4 “Not now,” I said, “’twill do again, When I am free from all my pain; No sighing ones are wanted there, Where songs of gladness fill the air.” But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 5 With all my sin and guilt oppresst, With heart of stone within my breast, Dear Saviour, wouldst thou honored be With guest unholy, vile, like me? “Yes,” said the voice that spake within, [Refrain] Used With Tune: ['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]

Instances

Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals

Lift up the Latch

Author: Edwin Henry Nevin Hymnal: The Ark of Praise #91 (1882) First Line: 'Twas dark, and I, with inward fear Refrain First Line: Lift up the latch, lift up the latch Lyrics: 1 ‘Twas dark, and I, with inward, fear, Stood like a culprit, weeping, near The house in which my Saviour dwelt; Such pang my soul had never felt. A voice addressed me from within:— Refrain: “Lift up the latch, lift up the latch, Lift up the latch, and enter in, Lift up the latch, and enter in.” 2 But in my deepest heart I know That I had sinned, and basely too; I trifled with his blood and tears, And slighted him for months and years. But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 3 But I would rather not comply Until my soul to mend I try; I need a better heart before I could be welcome at the door; But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 4 “Not now,” I said, “’twill do again, When I am free from all my pain; No sighing ones are wanted there, Where songs of gladness fill the air.” But still the voice was heard within:— [Refrain] 5 With all my sin and guilt oppresst, With heart of stone within my breast, Dear Saviour, wouldst thou honored be With guest unholy, vile, like me? “Yes,” said the voice that spake within, [Refrain] Tune Title: ['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]

Lift Up the Latch

Author: Rev. E. H. Nevin, D.D. Hymnal: The Royal Fountain No. 3 #26 (1882) First Line: 'Twas dark, and I, with inward fear Refrain First Line: Lift up the latch, lift up the latch Languages: English Tune Title: ['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]

Lift up the Latch

Author: Rev. E. H. Nevin, D.D. Hymnal: The Quartet #416 (1884) First Line: 'Twas dark, and I, with inward fear Refrain First Line: Lift up the latch, lift up the latch Languages: English Tune Title: ['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]

People

Authors, composers, editors, etc.

John R. Sweney

1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "['Twas dark, and I, with inward fear]" in The Ark of Praise John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy. Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker. Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission

Edwin H. Nevin

1814 - 1889 Person Name: Edwin Henry Nevin Author of "Lift up the Latch" in The Ark of Praise Nevin, Edwin Henry, D.D., son of Major David Nevin, was born at Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1814. He graduated in Arts at Jefferson College, 1833; and in Theology at Princeton Seminary, in 1836. He held several pastorates as a Presbyterian Minister from 1836 to 1857; then as a Congregational Minister from 1857 to 1868; and then, after a rest of six years through ill health, as a Minister of the Reformed Church, first at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then in Philadelphia. Dr. Nevin is the author of several hymns, the more important of which are:— 1. Always with me [us], always with [us] me. Jesus always present. 2. Come up hither, come away. Invitation Heavenward. 3. Happy, Saviour, would I be. Trust. This is given in the Lyra Sacra Americana as "Saviour! happy should I be." This change was made by the editor "with the consent and approbation of the author." 4. 0 heaven, sweet heaven. Heaven. Written and published in 1862 after the death of a beloved son, which made heaven nearer and dearer from the conviction that now a member of his family was one of its inhabitants" (Schaff’s Christ in Song, 1870, p. 539). 5. Live on the field of battle. Duty. Appeared in the Baptist Devotional Hymn Book, 1864. 6. I have read of a world of beauty. Heaven. 7. Mount up on high! as if on eagle's wings. Divine Aspirations. Of these hymns, Nos. 1, 2, 3 appeared in Nason's Congregational Hymn Book, 1857; and all, except No. 5, are in the Lyra Sacra Americana, 1868. [Rev. F.M. Bird, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)