Hymns are an important part of life
in Ulster and a central aspect of our Christian faith. We were taught them from our mother’s knee
and at Sunday School. Singing them in
church was also a treat, especially after spending so many weeks trying to
learn them by heart.
But what do we know about some of our
Irish hymn-writers? For example, what do
we know about the lady who wrote that lovely Christmas hymn, “Once in Royal
David’s City”? The writer was Mrs Cecil
Frances Alexander (1818-1895). The future Mrs Alexander was born in Dublin in
early April 1818, the third child and the second daughter of Norfolk man Major
John and Mrs Elizabeth Humphries. From
an early age, she started writing verse, a practice she kept up for most of her
life. As a young woman, she came under
the strong influences of the Oxford Movement, and especially John Keble,
another hymn-writer of some note. As her
hymn-writing became recognised for what is was, her compositions soon found
their way into the Church of Ireland hymnal and also to other hymn books the
world over.
She wrote that immortal hymn, “All
things bright and beautiful,” that we know well. Another very well-known hymn is “There is a
green hill far away,” supposed to have been inspired by her view over the city
of Londonderry.
For Christmas, the hymn that will be
forever associated with her name is “Once in Royal David’s City.”
Moving to Strabane in Co. Tyrone, she
married William Alexander in October 1850.
He was an Anglican clergyman and rector in Strabane. He later became Bishop of Derry and
afterwards Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland.
Mrs Alexander was also involved in
works of charity, the earnings from her first publication helping to build the
Derry and Raphoe Diocesan institution for the Deaf and Dumb, founded in 1846 in
Strabane. The profits from her “Hymns
for Little Children” were used to fund this school. She
was involved with the Derry Home for Fallen Women, and worked to develop a
district nurses' service. She was a tireless visitor of the poor and sick.
Before her death in 1895 at the age
of 77, she saw many of her hymns published in various hymnals. Seven were included in the 1873 edition of
the Church of Ireland Hymnal, while eighteen found their way into A Supplement
to Hymns Ancient and Modern (1889). So
well-known and well-loved are her hymns that they are sung all over the world
by Christians of many different denominations.
Nine of her hymns were accepted for publication in the 1960 and 1987
editions of the Church of Ireland Hymnal.
The year after her death, her husband a collection of her poems
entitled, “Poems of the late Mrs Alexander.”
Mrs Alexander spent most of her adult
life in the north west of Northern Ireland doing enormous good for those who
were less fortunate than herself.
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