This Is the Day of Light

Representative Text

1 This is the day of light:
let there be light today;
O day-spring, rise upon our night
and chase its gloom away.

2 This is the day of rest:
our failing strength renew;
on weary brain and troubled breast
shed thou thy freshening dew.

3 This is the day of peace:
thy peace our spirits fill;
bid thou the blasts of discord cease,
the waves of strife be still.

4 This is the day of prayer:
let earth to heaven draw near;
lift up our hearts to seek thee there,
come down to meet us here.

5 This is the first of days;
send forth thy quickening breath,
and wake dead souls to love and praise,
O Vanquisher of death.

Source: CPWI Hymnal #32

Author: John Ellerton

John Ellerton (b. London, England, 1826; d. Torquay, Devonshire, England, 1893) Educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man and at Trinity College, Cambridge, England, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1851. He served six parishes, spending the longest time in Crewe Green (1860-1872), a church of steelworkers and farmers. Ellerton wrote and translated about eighty hymns, many of which are still sung today. He helped to compile Church Hymns and wrote its handbook, Notes and Illustrations to Church Hymns (1882). Some of his other hymn texts were published in The London Mission Hymn Book (1884). Bert Polman… Go to person page >

Notes

This is the day of Light. J. Ellerton. [Sunday.] Written in 1867, and first published in Hymns for Special Services and Festivals in Chester Cathedral, a collection of 100 hymns, compiled by Dean Howson, 1867 (Chester: Phillipson & Golder), No. 51, in 5 stanzas of 4 lines. From thence it passed into the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient & Modern; the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, 1871; Thring's Collection, 1882, and several other hymnals both in Great Britain and America. It is a good hymn, and ranks in popularity with some of the best of Mr. Ellerton's compositions.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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This is the day of Light, p. 1165, i. In the 1904 ed. of Hymns Ancient & Modern, an additional stanza, "This is the day of Bread," is given. Canon Ellerton's revised and authorized text is No. 37 in Church Hymns, 1903. It does not contain this stanza.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

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Media

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Instances

Instances (1 - 100 of 279)

A Book of Chorales #21

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A Church hymnal #236

A Church of England Hymn Book #66

A Collection of Familiar and Original Hymns and Tunes #d104

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A Collection of Familiar and Original Hymns with New Meanings. 2nd ed. #106

A Liturgy for the New Church #d102

A Liturgy for the New Church. 3rd ed. #d102

A School Service Book #d170

All Hail #d197

American Church and Church School Hymnal #d314

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American Church and Church School Hymnal #9

Book of Common Praise #d576

Carmina for Social Worship #d256

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Carmina for the Sunday School and Social Worship #40

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Children's Hymns with Tunes #149

Christian Praise #370a

Christian Praise #370b

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Christian Praise #30

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Christian Song #32

Christian Worship and Praise #189

Christian Worship #446

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Church Hymnal #141

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Church Hymnal, Mennonite #174

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #174

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #d547

Church Hymnal, Third Edition #52

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Church Hymns and Gospel Songs #6

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Church Hymns and Gospel Songs #6

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Church Hymns and Tunes #37

Church Hymns with Tunes #47

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Church Hymns #47a

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Church Hymns #47b

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College Hymnal #31

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Columbia University Hymnal #31

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Common Praise #17

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Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church #442

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CPWI Hymnal #32

Crown Him King #45

Devotional Hymns #d255

Devotional Hymns #d259

Devotional Hymns #ad259

E. A. C. C. Hymnal #73

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Exalted Praise #157

Forest Songs for Chautauqua Assemblies #d54

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Gathered Jewels No. 2 #149

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Gipsy Smith's Mission Hymnal #CH6

Gloria in Excelsis #d679

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Good-Will Songs #111

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Gospel Hymn Selections for Male Voices #50

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #23

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Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home. (Rev. ed.) #74

Hymn Service No.3 #d88

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Hymn Tunes #7

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Hymnal Amore Dei #98

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #159a

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Hymnal and Canticles of the Protestant Episcopal Church with Music (Gilbert & Goodrich) #159b

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Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church #37

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book with Accompanying Tunes (Second Edition) #33

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #155

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Hymnal Companion to the Prayer Book #33

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Hymnal for Christian Science Church and Sunday School Services #149

Hymnal of the Evangelical Church. Word ed. #d763

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #86

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Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church #86

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Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada #239

Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada with Accompanying Tunes #d299

Hymnal of the Reformed Episcopal Church #d123

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Hymnal, Amore Dei #98

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Hymnal, Amore Dei. Rev. ed. #a98

Hymnal, Church of the Brethren #d416

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Hymnal #159

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Hymnal #159

Hymnal #d65

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Hymnal #24

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Hymns Ancient and Modern (Standard ed.) #37

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Edition #39

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #21

Hymns Ancient and Modern, Revised #42

Hymns Ancient and Modern #281

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Hymns and Anthems adapted for Jewish Worship #177

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Hymns and Spiritual Songs #151a

Hymns and Tunes for Children of the Church #d202

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Hymns and Tunes for Schools #35

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Hymns for Schools and Colleges #26

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Hymns for the Children of the Church #161

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Hymns for the Living Age #56

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Hymns for the Sanctuary and Social Worship #84

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Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #380

Hymns for Worship #141

Hymns of Faith and Life #528

Hymns of the Christian Life #d426

Hymns of the Christian Life #d423

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Hymns of the Christian Life #14

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Hymns of the Christian Life #38

Hymns of the Christian Life #413

Hymns of the Christian Life. Rev. ed. #d483

Pages

Exclude 268 pre-1979 instances
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