1
John 4:19 KJV We love him,
because he first loved us.
This
verse inspired a magnificent hymn that I had never heard before
today. The hymn begins:
1
Savior! teach me, day by day,
Love's
sweet lesson to obey;
Sweeter
lesson cannot be,
Loving
Him Who first loved me.
I
found this first verse while researching quotes and sermons of the
Oxford martyr and great preacher of the English separation from Rome,
Hugh Latimer.
Latimer
was burned at the stake with Nicholas Ridley. He is quoted as having
said to Ridley:
Play
the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by
God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.[8]
The
first verse of the hymn is ascribed to
Latimer:http://www.inspiringquotes.us/author/1226-hugh-latimer
Other
verses were evidently added later in the hymnals of the
English church and her colonial daughters. The version below is from
the U.S. Episcopal 1892 hymnal. It seems to have been dropped from
the otherwise excellent 1940 hymnal which I used as a soprano and
later as a bass in an excellent Episcopal church choir.
1
Savior! teach me, day by day, / Love's sweet lesson to obey; /
Sweeter lesson cannot be, / Loving Him Who first loved me.
2 With
a childlike heart of love, / At Thy bidding may I move; / Prompt to
serve and follow Thee, / Loving Him Who first loved me.
3
Teach me all Thy steps to trace, / Strong to follow in Thy grace; /
Learning how to love from Thee; / Loving Him Who first loved me.
4 Love
in loving finds employ, / In obedience all her joy; / Ever new that
joy will be, / Loving Him Who first loved me.
5 Thus
may I rejoice to show / That I feel the love I owe; / Singing, till
Thy face I see, / Of His love Who first loved me.
The
Hymnal: revised and enlarged as adopted by the General Convention of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America in
the year of our Lord 1892 -
http://www.hymnary.org/text/savior_teach_me_day_by_day
A
favored few still sing the hymn, watch and listen at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhLZbkndGvI
I2C
160511aa 1Jo4v19 Savior teach me | I2C | 160511 1224 et
