The Rich Man and Lazarus

While working on the “Something New” hymn post, I noticed the hymn below in Crumbs for Zions Travellers, Or, The Poor Mans Hymn Book, by John Butterwicke (Leeds: George Wilson, 1821, pp. 11-12). I liked it, and thought I would reproduce it here. It is metrical rendition, in stanzas, of the story of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31.

Since the subtitle of this small book of 18 hymns states “Containing many Original Hymns, Never before Published,” I suspect this hymn may have been written by Butterwicke himself. So far as I can tell, it has not been published or republished elsewhere. Of course, the hymn is long since in the public domain, but even when the book was published, Butterwicke in his notice to the public related that he “makes no apology for sending his little Book into the world unprotected” since “the glory of God, and the good of immortal souls is his only motive.” 

This hymn and another (No. 17) are labeled for “Trumpet Tune” (rather than giving a hymn meter). Since the hymn is in Hallelujah Meter (6.6.6.6.8.8.), my assumption is that “Trumpet Tune” is one associated with the H. M. words written by Charles Wesley, beginning “Blow ye the trumpet blow.” Whether or not Butterwicke had Lenox by Lewis Edison in mind, I think Lenox will serve well with the hymn below.

Hymn 9. Trumpet Tune.
The Rich Man and Lazarus.

1. Rich worldlings spend their days, 
In luxuries and states, 
While poor believers lie, 
Neglected at their gates. 
Think not the Lord’s permission strange,
Death makes a great and lasting change.

2. Death brings the saints release,
From want, distress, and scorn,
And to the land of peace,
Their souls by angels born.
In Abra’m’s bosom they’ll be placed,
Where they’ll enjoy and endless feast.

3. You know poor Lazarus lay,
At the rich glutton’s gate,
And nothing but the dogs
On his poor sores did wait.
Nought but the ground to lay his head,
He could not with his crumbs be fed.

4. Death brought this saint’s release,
From this disdain and scorn;
And to the land of peace,
His soul’s by angels born.
With angels’ food he now is fed,
And needs no more his crumbs of bread.

5. The rich man also died,
And in a moment fell,
From all his pomp and pride,
Into the flames of hell.
The beggar’s bliss from far beheld,
His soul with double anguish fill’d.

6. O Abra’m send he cries,
(But his request was vain);
The beggar from the skies,
To mitigate my pain.
One drop of water I entreat,
To sooth my tongues tormenting heat.

7. Let all who worldly pelf,
And worldly spirits have,
Observe each for himself,
The answer Abra’m gave.
“Remember thou wast filled with good,
“While the poor beggar pined for food.”

8. Neglected at thy door,
With tears he begged his bread;
But now he weeps no more
His pains and griefs are fled;
His joys eternally shall flow,
While thine expires in endless woe.

The use of the hymn is not a recommendation of its author or publisher, of whom I know almost nothing. John Butterwicke (also J. Butterwicke) lived on Briggate Street in Leeds, England. I found a “John Butterwick” who died in 1843. He was a bookseller on Briggate Street, age 67. It seems likely this could be the same person (The Leeds Mercury, Saturday, February 4, 1843, page 5). If I deciphered the newspaper correctly, John Butterwicke died on Monday, January 30, 1843.

The first hymn in his book, “The Latter Day’s Glory,” has a bright millennial outlook (whether premillennial or postmillennial, I am unsure). In hymn 9 he mentions “one sect” that God has blest, which preach “against dread wars and shedding blood” and with which the land would have rest if “the world with them was filled.” This sounds like praise of some in the non-resistant realm of Anabaptists (though possibly not his own group, since he calls them a sect). This is as far as I have been able to identify either the person or his beliefs. Hymn No. 9 is perhaps his strangest piece, recommending the use of female preachers!

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Note: Anabaptist was originally a broad term used to describe (and often malign) those who rejected infant baptism and baptized believers upon a profession of faith (called a “rebaptism” by those observing the infant rite, but considered the first act of baptism by “Anabaptists.” More often today the term is limited to refer to the form of anabaptism represented by Amish, Hutterites, Mennonites, etc.