Bishop Heber’s Great Missionary Hymn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 3, 1910

Bishop Heber’s Great Missionary Hymn

ONE day in 1819, Reginald Heber, then a rector of the Church of England, was visiting his father-in-law, Dean Shipley. The dean was preparing for a missionary meeting next day and asked Heber to write “something for them to sing in the morning.” Heber retired to a table in another part of the room. Shortly the dean inquired, “What have you written?” Heber read three verses. “That will do very well,” said the dean. “No, no, the sense is not complete,” replied Heber, and added the fourth verse. The dean insisted that he should desist from his purpose to add yet a fifth, and so was completed the hymn that has been the battle-hymn of the missionary movement. The above facsimile shows the manuscript just as it left Heber’s hand that evening at Wrexham, England.