Go forth in spirit, go

Author: John Gambold

Gambold, John, M.A., was b. April 10, 1711, at Puncheston, Pembrokeshire, where his father was vicar. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1730, M.A. in 1734. Taking Holy Orders, he became, about 1739, Vicar of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, but resigned his living in Oct. 1742, and joined the United Brethren [Moravians], by whom lie was chosen one of their bishops in 1754. He d. at Haverfordwest, Sept. 13, 1771. He published an edition of the Greek Testament; Maxims and Theological Ideas; Sermons, and a dramatic poem called Ignatius. About 26 translations and 18 original hymns in the Moravian Hymn Books are assigned to him. One or two of his hymns, which were published by the Wesleys, have been claimed for them, bu… Go to person page >

Go forth, in spirit go . J. Gambold. [Good Friday.] This appeared in the English Moravian Hymn Book, 1742, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, the sixth stanza beginning "That heart our Saviour loves." In the 1801 edition this stanza was omitted, and the stanza "His blood thy cause will plead," by John Hartley, was substituted. This form of the text is retained in the 1886 ed. of the same book. In Soden's Universal Hymn Book, 1885, No. 255, stanzas i.-vi. are from the 1742 edition, as above, and stanza vii. is the first stanza of the hymn repeated, with slight alterations.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)