Hymnists With Notable Secular Achievements -- #3 Quiz

Answer: Maryland

The correct answer is Maryland, home of Fort McHenry which, when it was under siege by the British, inspired Key to write 'The Star Spangled Banner'.

The nickname 'Old Line State' was given to Maryland during the American revolution. The following information is from the Government of Maryland Website: "The Maryland Line, Maryland's regiments of regulars, achieved a reputation as the saviors of the Continental Army and the cause of independence. References to the 'Old Line' are a tribute to the Maryland Line, but more specifically, to the first incarnation of the Maryland Line, the men who first mobilized in December 1775 and early 1776 and fought at Long Island on 27 August 1776, serving under William Smallwood, Francis Ware, Thomas Price, and Mordecai Gist."

Maryland is also called 'The Chesapeake Bay State' because it borders on Chesapeake Bay.

Fran­cis Scott Key was born August 1, 1779, in Carroll County, Maryland and died January 11, 1843 in, Baltimore, the largest city in the state. He served as Dis­trict At­torn­ey of Wash­ing­ton, D.C. Key al­so helped or­gan­ize the Do­mes­tic and For­eign Mis­sion­ary So­ci­e­ty in 1820.

Here are the words to 'Before the Lord We Bow':

"Before the Lord we bow, the God Who reigns above,
And rules the world below, boundless in power and love.
Our thanks we bring in joy and praise, our hearts we raise
To Heaven's high King.

The nation Thou hast blest may well Thy love declare,
From foes and fears at rest, protected by Thy care.
For this fair land, for this bright day, our thanks we pay,
Gifts of Thy hand.

May every mountain height, each vale and forest green,
Shine in Thy Word's pure light, and its rich fruits be seen!
May every tongue be tuned to praise, and join to raise
A grateful song.

Earth, hear thy Maker's voice, thy great Redeemer own;
Believe, obey, rejoice, and worship Him alone.
Cast down thy pride, thy sin deplore and bow before
The Crucified.

And when in power He comes, O may our native land,
From all its rending tombs, send forth a glorious band.
A countless throng, ever to sing to Heaven's high King
Salvation's song."

Answer: 1918

Joyce Kilmer, born as Alfred Joyce Kilmer, was killed by a sniper's bullet at the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 at the age of 31. Kilmer was born December 6, 1886, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His wife Aline Murray was also an "accomplished poet and author", Wikipedia states.

Even today, some of his poems remain popular and are "published frequently in anthologies," Wikipedia states.

Kilmer wrote the hymn 'No Longer of Him Be It Said' in 1913.

Here are the words to the hymn:

"No longer of Him be it said,
'He hath no place to lay His head';
In every land a constant lamp
Flames by His small and mighty camp.

There is no strange and distant place
That is not gladdened by His face;
And every nation kneels to hail
The Splendor shining through its veil.

Imprisoned for His love of me
He makes my spirit greatly free;
And through my lips that uttered sin
The King of Glory enters in."

Answer: William McKinley

William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, appointed John Hay as ambassador to Great Britain in 1897, during his inauguration.

Hay was born Oc­to­ber 8, 1838, in Sa­lem, In­di­a­na and died Ju­ly 1, 1905, in New­burg, New Hamp­shire. He is buried at Lake­view Cem­e­tery, Cleve­land, Ohio. Hay studied law with future American President Abraham Lincoln at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. When Lincoln became president, he called upon Hay to serve as his assistant private secretary. After Lincoln's assassination in 1865, Hay became editorial writer for the New York Tribune.

From 1879-1881, Hay served as First As­sist­ant Sec­re­tary of State and up­on McKin­ley's in­au­gu­ra­tion, he was ap­point­ed am­bass­a­dor to Great Bri­tain. Later, he became Sec­re­tary of State.

Here are the words to 'Defend Us, Lord, From Every Ill':

"Defend us, Lord, from every ill;
Strengthen our hearts to do Thy will;
In all we plan and all we do,
Still keep us to Thy service true.

O let us hear the inspiring word
Which they of old at Horeb heard;
Breathe to our hearts the high command,
"Go onward and possess the land!"

Thou Who are light, shine on each soul!
Thou Who are truth, each mind control!
Open our eyes and make us see
The path which leads to Heaven and Thee!"

Answer: Oxford

Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world, according to Wikipedia. The Website states there is evidence of teaching at Oxford as far back as 1096. However, no one knows the exact year Oxford was founded. Some notable graduates include British Prime Minister David Cameron, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

John Keble was born Ap­ril 25, 1792, in Fair­ford, Glou­ces­ter­shire, Eng­land, and died March 29, 1866, in Bourne­mouth, Hamp­shire, En­gland. Keble College, part of Oxford, is named after him.

Here are the words to 'When God of Old Came Down from Heav'n':

"When God of old came down from Heav'n,
In power and wrath He came;
Before His feet the clouds were riven,
Half darkness and half flame:

But when He came the second time,
He came in power and love;
Softer than gale at morning prime
Hovered His holy Dove.

The fires, that rushed on Sinai down
In sudden torrents dread,
Now gently light, a glorious crown,
On every sainted head.

And as on Israel's awestruck ear
The voice exceeding loud,
The trump that angels quake to hear,
Thrilled from the deep, dark cloud;

So, when the Spirit of our God
Came down His flock to find,
A voice from Heav'n was heard abroad,
A rushing, mighty wind.

It fills the Church of God; it fills
The sinful world around;
Only in stubborn hearts and wills
No place for it is found.

Come Lord, come Wisdom, Love and Power,
Open our ears to hear;
Let us not miss the accepted hour;
Save, Lord, by love or fear."

Answer: Uncle Tom's Cabin

'Uncle Tom's Cabin', an anti-slavery novel, was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1852. It was the second best selling book in the 1800s, surpassed in sales by only the Bible. She wrote thirty books, but 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was far and away the most successful.

Stowe was born June 14, 1811, in Litch­field, Con­nec­ti­cut and died Ju­ly 1, 1896, in Hartford, Con­nec­ti­cut. In 1850, she became a professor at Bow­doin Coll­ege in Brunswick, Maine.

Here are the words to 'Knocking, Knocking, Who is There?':

"Knocking, knocking, who is there?
Waiting, waiting, oh, how fair!
'Tis a Pilgrim, strange and kingly,
Never such was seen before,
Ah, my soul, for such a wonder,
Wilt thou not undo the door?

Knocking, knocking! still He's there:
Waiting, waiting, wondrous fair!
But the door is hard to open
For the weeds and ivy vine,
With their dark and clinging tendrils,
Ever round the hinges twine.

Knocking, knocking -- what, still there?
Waiting, waiting, grand and fair!
Yes, the piercèd hand still knocketh,
And beneath the crownèd hair
Beam the patient eyes, so tender,
Of thy Savior waiting there."

Answer: Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan join Canadian confederation

Alberta and Saskatchewan both became Canadian provinces in 1905 after they were carved out of land under the jurisdiction of the Northwest Territories. For the record, the Summer Olympics were held in St. Louis in 1904, the Titanic sunk in 1912 and the First World War erupted in 1914.

Sidney Clopton Lanier was born Feb­ru­a­ry 3, 1842, in Ma­con, Georg­ia and died Sep­tem­ber 7, 1881, in Lynn, North Car­o­li­na. He graduated from Ogle­thorpe Coll­ege in Brookhaven, Georgia, and in 1879, he was ap­pointed lec­tur­er on Eng­lish lit­er­a­ture at Johns Hopkins Un­i­ver­si­ty in Bal­ti­more, Ma­ry­land. He wrote numerous poems with one of the most popular being 'Song of the Chat­ta­hoo­chee'. Lanier was also an ac­comp­lished con­cert flu­tist.

Here are words to 'Into the Woods':

"Into the woods my Master went,
Clean forspent, forspent,
Into the woods my Master came,
Forspent with love and shame.
But the olives they were not blind to Him.
The little grey leaves were kind to Him,
The thorn tree had a mind to Him,
When into the woods He came.

Out of the woods my Master came
And he was well content;
Out of the woods my Master came,
Content with death and shame.
When death and shame would woo Him last,
From under the trees they drew Him last,
'Twas on a tree they slew Him -- last
When out of the woods He came."

Answer: Atlantic Monthly Magazine

Oliver Wemdell Holmes, Sr., helped found the Atlantic Monthly Magazine, a journal of literature and opinion, in 1857. His partner was James Rus­sell Low­ell.

Holmes was born Au­gust 29, 1809, in Cam­bridge, Mass­a­chu­setts and died Oc­to­ber 7, 1894, in Bos­ton. He is buried at Mount Au­burn Cem­e­te­ry, Wa­ter­town, Mass­a­chus­etts.

Holmes, the father of American Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., taught ana­to­my and phys­i­ol­o­gy at Har­vard Med­i­cal School before becoming dean. He also wrote a number of books. Nethymnal.org states his works include 'Old Ironsides', 'The Chambered Nautilus', 'The Autocrat of the Break­fast Ta­ble, 'The Pro­fess­or at the Break­fast Ta­ble' and 'Songs in Ma­ny Keys'.

Here are the words to 'Lord Of All Being':

"Lord of all being, thronèd afar,
Thy glory flames from sun and star;
Center and soul of every sphere,
Yet to each loving heart how near!

Sun of our life, Thy quickening ray,
Sheds on our path the glow of day;
Star of our hope, Thy softened light
Cheers the long watches of the night.

Our midnight is Thy smile withdrawn;
Our noontide is Thy gracious dawn;
Our rainbow arch, Thy mercy's sign;
All, save the clouds of sin, are Thine.

Lord of all life, below, above,
Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,
Before Thy ever blazing throne
We ask no luster of our own.

Grant us Thy truth to make us free,
And kindling hearts that burn for Thee,
Till all Thy living altars claim
One holy light, one heavenly flame."

Answer: Elizabeth 1

The correct answer is Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She is often referred to as the Virgin Queen as she never married. Spenser is perhaps best known for his epic poem 'The Faerie Queen' which celebrated the Tudor dynasty of Elizabeth 1.

Spenser was born circa 1552 and died January 13, 1599. Wikipedia describes him as "one of the premier craftsmen of nascent Modern English verse".

Here are the words to 'Most Glorious Lord of Life':

"Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day
Didst make Thy triumph over death and sin,
And having harrowed hell, didst bring away
Captivity thence captive, us to win.

This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And grant that we may for whom Thou didest die,
Being with Thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
May live forever in felicity.

And that Thy love we weighing worthily,
May likewise love Thee for the same again;
And for Thy sake, that all like dear didst buy,
With love may one another entertain.

So let us love, dear Love, like as we ought;
Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught."

Answer: 1833

In 1833, the British Parliament passed an act banning slavery in Great Britain as well as much of the British Empire. To be as precise as possible -- and to prevent a slew of correction notices -- Parliament, in 1808, passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807. However, the act outlawed the slave trade, but not slavery itself.

William Cowper was born No­vem­ber 15, 1731, in Great Berk­hamp­stead, Hert­ford­shire, Eng­land and died Ap­ril 25, 1800, in East Dere­ham, Nor­folk, Eng­land. Cowper's friend and hymn writ­ing part­ner John Newton con­duct­ed his fun­er­al ser­vice.

Cowper studied to become an attorney but spent most of his life writing poetry and hymns.

Here are the words to 'Heal Us, Emmanuel':

"Heal us, Emmanuel, hear our prayer
[originally, Heal us, Emmanuel, here we are]
We wait to feel Thy touch;
Deep wounded souls to Thee repair,
And Savior, we are such.

Our faith is feeble, we confess
We faintly trust Thy Word;
But wilt Thou pity us the less?
Be that far from Thee, Lord!

Remember him who once applied
With trembling for relief
"Lord, I believe," with tears he cried;
"O help my unbelief!"

She, too, who touched Thee in the press
And healing virtue stole,
Was answered, "Daughter, go in peace;
Thy faith has made thee whole."

Concealed amid the gathering throng,
She would have shunned Thy view;
And if her faith was firm and strong,
Had strong misgivings too.

Like her, with hopes and fears we come
To touch Thee if we may;
O send us not despairing home;
Send none unhealed away."

Answer: The Leonid meteor shower is observed all over North America

The correct answer is 'The Leonid meteor shower is observed all over North America'. The Leonid meteor shower was one of the most spectacular of all meteor showers and inspired the song 'Stars Fell on Alabama'. For the record, much of San Francisco was destroyed by an earthquake in 1906 while six colonies in Australia joined together in 1901 to form a new country. Meanwhile, the Klondike Gold Rush started in 1897.

Francis Scott Key, a lawyer, was a devout Christian who taught Sunday School and helped or­gan­ize the Do­mes­tic and For­eign Mis­sion­ary So­ci­e­ty in 1820, according to Newhymnal.org. In 1823 he served on the com­mit­tee pre­par­ing the new Pro­test­ant Epis­co­pal hym­nal.

(For more information about Key, see the answer section of Question No. 1.)

Here are the words to 'Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise Thee':

"Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise Thee,
For the bliss Thy love bestows,
For the pardoning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows:
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise:
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,
Him Who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to Him and live.
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease;
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express.
Low before Thy footstool kneeling,
Deign Thy suppliant's prayer to bless:
Let Thy grace, my soul's chief treasure,
Love's pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth Thy praise."