S, I LOVE THY CHARMING NAME."

When Dr. Doddridge, the author of this hymn, during his useful ministry,
had finished the preparation of a pulpit discourse that strongly
impressed him, he was accustomed, while his heart was yet glowing with
the sentiment that had inspired him, to put the principal thoughts into
metre, and use the hymn thus written at the conclusion of the preaching
of the sermon. This hymn of Christian ardor was written to be sung after
a sermon from Romans 8:35, "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ?"

Jesus, I love Thy charming name,
'Tis music to mine ear:
Fain would I sound it out so loud
That earth and heaven should hear.

* * * * *

I'll speak the honors of Thy name
With my last laboring breath,
Then speechless, clasp Thee in my arms,
The conqueror of death.

Earlier copies have--

The _antidote_ of death.

Philip Doddridge, D.D., was born in London, June 26, 1702. Educated at
Kingston Grammar School and Kibworth Academy, he became a scholar of
respectable attainments, and was ordained to the Non-conformist
ministry. He was pastor of the Congregational church at Northampton,
from 1729 until his death, acting meanwhile as principal of the
Theological School in that place. In 1749 he ceased to preach and went
to Lisbon for his health, but died there about two years later, of
consumption, Oct. 26, 1752.

_THE TUNE._

The hymn has been sometimes sung to "Pisgah," an old revival piece by
J.C. Lowry (1820) once much heard in camp-meetings, but it is a
pedestrian tune with too many quavers, and a headlong tempo.

Bradbury's "Jazer," in three-four time, is a melody with modulations,
though more sympathetic, but it is hard to divorce the hymn from its
long-time consort, old "Arlington." It has the accent of its sincerity,
and the breath of its devotion.

"LO, ON A NARROW NECK OF LAND."

This hymn of Charles Wesley is always designated now by the above line,
the first of the _second_ stanza as originally written. It is said to
have been composed at Land's End, in Cornwall, with the British Channel
and the broad Atlantic in view and surging on both sides around a
"narrow neck of land."

Lo! on a narrow neck of land,
Twixt two unbounded seas, I stand,
Secure, insensible:
A point of time, a moment's space,
Removes me to that heavenly place,
Or shuts me up in hell.

O Go