Come, Holy Spirit, come

I’d guess that most of our Sacred Harp songs focus on God the Father and Jesus. The Holy Spirit gets to make his mark from time to time. One popular “Holy Spirit song” is No. 68b, “Come, Holy Spirit, come” sung to the tune Abbeville.

Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795) wrote the words. Beddome, born at Henley-in Arden, Warwickshire, was the son of a Baptist minister. The younger Beddome also became a Baptist preacher, beginning his ministry around 1740. He authored several discourses (including Exposition of the Baptist Catechism) in addition to his hymns – which number was over 800. His hymns were written to be sung after his sermons on the Lord’s Day morning. This hymn apparently was first published in John Rippon’s A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. Beddome died September 23, 1795 at Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswold District, Gloucestershire, England, and is buried there in the St. Lawrence Churchyard.

In 1818 a collection of Beddome’s hymns was published, called Hymns Adapted to Public Worship, or Family Devotion (London: Burton and Briggs, 1818), possibly produced at the instigation of Robert Hall, and at least with his recommendation. This poetry is Hymn No. 132, places in the section “Influences of the Holy Spirit” under the heading “Invocation.” It has four stanzas in Short Meter. The Sacred Harp, 2012 Edition, includes the first two stanzas.

The music is by a Baptist layman in Georgia, United States, Elisha James King. King was a brilliant music student of B. F. White. He taught and composed music, and with his mentor became co-compiler of The Sacred Harp, 1844. E. J. King was born in Georgia in 1821, the son of John King and Elizabeth DuBose. His bright music prospects ended when he died August 31, 1844 – the same year The Sacred Harp was published. He left a legacy of 24 tunes in the book, most of them quite popular. Some were original compositions. Some were arrangements of earlier tunes. The latter is the case of Abbeville. The location of his burial is currently unknown, but “them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

1. Come, Holy Spirit, come!
With energy divine;
And on this poor, benighted soul,
With beams of mercy shine.

2. From the celestial hills,
Light, life, and joy dispense:
And may I daily, hourly feel
Thy quickening influence.

3. Oh melt this frozen heart,
This stubborn will subdue;
Each evil passion overcome,
And form me all anew.

4. The profit will be mine,
But thine shall be the praise;
Cheerful to thee will I devote,
The remnant of my days.