Published: May 29, 2008 11:32 am            

Hymns: Onward Christian Soldiers

Sabine Baring-Gould was born Jan. 28, 1834 in Exeter, England. He was a brilliant child and was credited with having one of the most brilliant, eclectic minds of Victorian England.

He attended schools in Germany and France. He then went to Clare College at Cambridge, England.

He learned six languages, entered the ministry at age 30, and pastored in Yorkshire, Essex and Devonshire.

The Rev. Baring-Gould lived to be 90 years old.

He was a very busy man, writing over 100 books. Many were of a religious nature.

He also wrote 30 novels and a large 16-volume set of books entitled "Lives of the Saints."

His works covered several topics including, theology, folklore, social commentary, travel and history.

He was not only an author but he was also an archaeologist, architect, artist, teacher and a collector of English folk songs.

The Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould, the minister of a village church in England, was sitting up one night in 1865 to write a marching song for the children of his church to use as they paraded and marched from their village to a neighboring village, for a "Whitmonday Festival" at another church.

The walk was to be a beautiful one, through country lanes, past green English meadows, and over babbling brooks with sheep grazing on the hillside.

The Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould thought, "If only we had a hymn to march to, it would make the trip more enjoyable for the children."

He could not find a hymn that he felt was appropriate, so he decided to write one himself. He sat up most of the night writing the hymn while the children were sleeping.

It took him several hours to write the hymn, but it was finished by the time the children awoke at dawn.

He taught them his new song in just a few hours, and they marched to the next village joyously singing the words: "Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war with the cross of Jesus, going on before."

These children did not have the lively music that we have today, but sang it to another tune named "St. Albass" and while it was moving and beautiful, it did not have the marching spirit as the tune we sing it to today.

The tune we sing it to was written six years later in 1871 and was called "St. Gertrude."

The composer was Arthur Sullivan. Sullivan was a versatile musician from the British Isles, and his stirring music has helped to make the song enduring.

He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1883 in recognition of his musical ability, and this was when he became Sir Arthur Sullivan.

Another favorite hymn that he wrote was "Now the Day Is Over," which is soft and gentle in contrast to the powerful, "Onward Christian Soldiers."

This song was so popular that it was sung at the Sixth World's Sunday School Convention held in Washington, D.C., on May 1910.

It had been specially arranged that this hymn be sung in Sunday Schools all over the world on May 22, 1910.

For this great occasion the hymn was translated and printed in more than 100 languages and dialects.



Stories Behind the Hymns is taken from "104 Of My Favorite Hymn Stories" written by Warren Shiver of Biscoe. He can be reached by e-mail at wshiver99@embarqmail.com or by snail mail at P.O. Box 775, Biscoe, NC 27209. Contact him at the addresses above for more information on the book.

        

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