n out their harmony--or their fitness to Cowper's prayer.

William Gardiner was born in Leicester, Eng., March 15, 1770, and died
there Nov. 11, 1853. He was a vocal composer and a "musicographer" or
writer on musical subjects.

One Aaron Williams, to whom "Mear" has by some been credited, was of
Welsh descent, a composer of psalmody and clerk of the Scotch church in
London. He was born in 1734, and died in 1776. Another account, and the
more probable one, names a minister of Boston of still earlier date as
the author of the noble old harmony. It is found in a small New England
collection of 1726, but not in any English or Scotch collection. "Mear"
is presumably an American tune.

"WHAT VARIOUS HINDRANCES WE MEET."

Another hymn of Cowper's; and no one ever suffered more deeply the
plaintive regret in the opening lines, or better wrought into poetic
expression an argument for prayer.

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy-seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer
But wishes to be often there?

Prayer makes the darkest clouds withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw.

The whole hymn is (or once was) so thoroughly learned by heart as to be
fixed in the church among its household words. Preachers to the
diffident do not forget to quote--

Have you no words? ah, think again;
Words flow apace when you _complain_.

* * * * *

Were half the breath thus vainly spent
To Heaven in supplication sent,
Our cheerful song would oftener be,
"Hear what the Lord hath done for me!"

And there is all the lifetime of a proverb in the couplet--

Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

Tune, Lowell Mason's "Rockingham."

"MY GRACIOUS REDEEMER I LOVE."

This is one of Benjamin Francis's lays of devotion. The Christian
Welshman who bore that name was a Gospel minister full of Evangelical
zeal, who preached in many places, though his pastoral home was with the
Baptist church in Shortwood, Wales. Flattering calls to London could not
tempt him away from his first and only parish, and he remained there
till his triumphant death. He was born in 1734, and died in 1799.

My gracious Redeemer I love,
His praises aloud I'll proclaim,
And join with the armies above,
To shout His adorable name.
To gaze on His glories divine
Shall be my eternal employ;
To see the