About a hundred-eight years ago, when the Methodist Hymnal of 1905 was being compiled, one of the editors of that hymnal went to Rev. Frank Mason North (1850-1935), a noted New York City Methodist minister, and asked him if he would write a "missionary" hymn for the new hymnal. Never having been a missionary or having written a hymn, North sat in his New York City office overlooking the city, and saw gigantic mission needs right there in front of himself---and thus his hymn became one about the needs of cities. "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life" is one of our best hymns on this subject.
The hymn was wedded to the tune "Germany
The hymn, according to graphs, which trace such things, began appearing in church hymnals around the year 1950, and has continued ever since, peaking around the year 2000.
Probably not as popular to the average person in the pew as many gospel songs, nonetheless, it is a well-written hymn poetically, and a splendid supplication to God---that he continue to enter and bless our cities, with their turmoil, sin, and downtrodden humanity.
Who can ever forget the great prayer: "O Master, from the mountainside, make haste to heal these hearts of pain...O tread the cities' streets again 'til sons of men shall learn thy love."
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The hymn was wedded to the tune "
The hymn, according to graphs, which trace such things, began appearing in church hymnals around the year 1950, and has continued ever since, peaking around the year 2000.
Probably not as popular to the average person in the pew as many gospel songs, nonetheless, it is a well-written hymn poetically, and a splendid supplication to God---that he continue to enter and bless our cities, with their turmoil, sin, and downtrodden humanity.
Who can ever forget the great prayer: "O Master, from the mountainside, make haste to heal these hearts of pain...O tread the cities' streets again 'til sons of men shall learn thy love."
1. Where cross the crowded ways of life, where sound the cries of race and clan, above the noise of selfish strife, we hear your voice, O Son of man. 2. In haunts of wretchedness and need, on shadowed thresholds dark with fears, from paths where hide the lures of greed, we catch the vision of your tears. 3. From tender childhood's helplessness, from woman's grief, man's burdened toil, from famished souls, from sorrow's stress, your heart has never known recoil. 4. The cup of water given for you still holds the freshness of your grace; yet long these multitudes to view the sweet compassion of your face. 5. O Master, from the mountainside make haste to heal these hearts of pain; among these restless throngs abide; O tread the city's streets again. 6. Till all the world shall learn your love and follow where your feet have trod, till, glorious from your heaven above, shall come the city of our God!
Tune: GERMANY
Meter: L.M. Lyrics: Frank Mason North
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BY MIL
3/01/13
A Methodist PROTESTANT Church perspective on a M.E. hymnal
ReplyDeleteI got a different picture of Frank North from "Understanding Our New United Methodist Hymnal." he was THE hymn writer for the new, modernist/liberal movement and the 1905 hymnal, jointly produced with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the first joint hymnal I believe since their parting in 1844, opened the door to liberal theology purging the Methodist Episcopal hymnal.
this hymn goes well with the "Bringing in the Kingdom" scheme of do-gooder improve society missions so popular in liberal Methodism of the time.
Also note that it is bloodless. when the 1939 Methodist hymnal came out "Fundamentalism is a bloody religion" was the rallying cry of at least one bishop, and there was an attempt to remove references to the blood of Christ from this version.