that spreads its quiet fragrance. Grundtvig's hymns are primarily
hymns of the Spirit. They laud the Holy Spirit, the Giver and Renewer of
life, who bears us up on mighty wings toward the mansions of light.

Among Danes and Norwegians there are few hymns more popular than
Grundtvig's hymn on the Church. The first stanza reads:

Built on the Rock the Church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land,
Bells still are chiming and calling;
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the soul distressed,
Longing for rest everlasting.

Other noted hymns by Grundtvig include "Love, the fount of light from
heaven," "As the rose shall blossom here," "The Lord to thee appealeth,"
"Splendid are the heavens high," "A Babe is born in Bethlehem," "From the
grave remove dark crosses," "O let Thy Spirit with us tarry," "Fair
beyond telling," "This is the day that our Father hath given," "Hast to
the plow thou put thy hand," "The peace of God protects our hearts," "O
wondrous kingdom here on earth," "With gladness we hail this blessed
day," "He who has helped me hitherto," and "Peace to soothe our bitter
woes."

Because of his intensive efforts to bring about reforms in the
educational methods of his day, Grundtvig became known as "the father of
the public high school in Scandinavia."

In 1861, when he celebrated his golden jubilee as pastor, Grundtvig was
given the title of bishop. The good old man passed away peacefully on
September 2, 1872, at the age of eighty-nine years. He preached his last
sermon on the day before his death.

A distinguished contemporary of Grundtvig's who also gained renown as a
Danish hymn-writer was Bernhardt Severin Ingemann, author of the famous
hymn, "Through the night of doubt and sorrow." Ingemann was born in
Falster, Denmark, in 1789, the son of a Lutheran pastor, Soren Ingemann.

The father died when Bernhardt was 11 years old, but the mother made it
possible for the gifted lad to receive a liberal education. At the age of
22 years he published his first volume of poems, and three years later
his famous epic, "The Black Knights," appeared. A number of dramas
followed, and in 1822 he was appointed lector of Danish language and
literature at the Academy of Soro. Here he remained for forty years,
writing novels, secular poetry and hymns. He was a warm friend of
Grundtvig's, who constantly encouraged him in his literary eff