Hymn of the Week: July 12, 2024
Break Thou the Bread of Life
Glory to God: 460
TEXT: Mary Ann Lathbury, 1877
MUSIC: William Fisk Sherwin, 1877
Break now the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as once you broke the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek you, Lord;
my spirit waits for you, O living Word.
Bless your own word of truth, dear Lord, to me,
as when you blessed the bread by Galilee.
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my All in all!
You are the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
your holy word the truth that rescues me.
Give me to eat and live with you above;
teach me to love your truth, for you are love.
O send your Spirit now, dear Lord, to me,
that he may touch my eyes and make me see.
Show me the truth made plain within your Word,
for in your book revealed I see you, Lord.
And Jesus said unto them, “I am the bread of life, He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
Mary Ann Lathbury
On August 8, 1874, ministers John Vincent and Lewis Miller organized a Sunday School training camp beside Lake Chautauqua in New York. It was a hit. Families arrived in large numbers, paid the entrance fees, and moved into tents or cottages near an outdoor amphitheater.
Among those gathered at this event was the poet, Mary Ann Lathbury. She composed a lyric for the event, sung during the Sunday School training camp. Her hymns her most enduring legacy. Another popular hymn she wrote is “Day is Dying in the West.” Written on the shore of Lake Chautauqua.
In 1877 John Vincent asked her to write a hymn based on the John 6 passage printed above. In response to his request, she wrote a two-verse hymn. The last two verses printed were added later by a man named Alexander Groves. Our Glory to God hymnal does not list these verses but does include the two that Mary Ann Lathbury had written.
Regarding her gift for art and verse, Mary Lathbury said that God had once told her, “Remember, my child, that you have a gift of weaving fancies into verse and a gift with the pencil of producing visions that come to your heart; consecrate these to Me as thoroughly as you do your inmost spirit.”
Today’s devotion is adapted from Robert Morgan’s book, Then Sings My Soul Book 2 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories.
William Fisk Sherwin
Here is some information about our composer William Fisk Sherwin who created such a lovely tune. This information comes to us from the website, www.hymnary.org
Sherwin, William Fisk, an American Baptist, was born in Buckland, Massachusetts, on March 14, 1826. His educational opportunities, so far as schools were concerned, were few, but he made excellent use of his time and surroundings. At fifteen he went to Boston and studied music under Dr. Mason: In due course, he became a vocal music teacher and held several important appointments in Massachusetts; in Hudson and Albany, New York County, and then in New York City. Taking a special interest in Sunday Schools, he composed carols and hymn tunes largely for their use. He was associated with the Rev. R. Lowry and others in preparing Bright Jewels, and other popular Sunday School hymn and tune books. A few of his melodies are known in Great Britain through I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs and Solos, where they are given with his signature. His hymn writing was limited.
Enjoy these two renditions of this lovely hymn!
Philip
