fine and
exhaustively descriptive poem,--

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,

--selections from almost any part of which are perfect definitions, and
have been standard hymns on prayer for three generations. English
Hymnology would as unwillingly part with his missionary hymns,--

The king of glory we proclaim.

Hark, the song of jubilee!

--and, noblest of all, the lyric of prophecy and praise which heads
this paragraph.

Hail to the Lord's anointed,
King David's greater Son!
Hail, in the time appointed
His reign on earth begun.

* * * * *

Arabia's desert ranger
To Him shall bow the knee,
The Ethiopian stranger
His glory come to see.

* * * * *

Kings shall fall down before Him
And gold and incense bring;
All nations shall adore Him,
His praise all people sing.

The hymn is really the seventy-second Psalm in metre, and as a version
it suffers nothing by comparison with that of Watts. Montgomery wrote
it as a Christmas ode. It was sung Dec. 25, 1821, at a Moravian
Convocation, but in 1822 he recited it at a great missionary meeting in
Liverpool, and Dr. Adam Clarke was so charmed with it that he inserted
it in his famous _Commentary_. In no long time afterwards it found its
way into general use.

The spirit of his missionary parents was Montgomery's Christian legacy,
and in exalted poetical moments it stirred him as the divine afflatus
kindled the old prophets.

_THE TUNE._

The music editors in some hymnals have borrowed the favorite choral
variously named "Webb" in honor of its author, and "The Morning Light is
Breaking" from the first line of its hymn. Later hymnals have chosen
Sebastian Wesley's "Aurelia" to fit the hymn, with a movement similar to
that of "Webb"; also a German B flat melody "Ellacombe," undated, with
livelier step and a ringing chime of parts. No one of these is
inappropriate.

Samuel Sebastian Wesley, grandson of Charles Wesley the great hymnist,
was born in London, 1810. Like his father, Samuel, he became a
distinguished musician, and was organist at Exeter, Winchester and
Gloucester Cathedrals. Oxford gave him the degree of Doctor of Music.
He composed instrumental melodies besides many anthems, services, and
other sacred pieces for choir and congregational singing. Died in
Gloucester, April 19, 1876.

"FROM GREENLAND'S ICY MOU