Van Dyke
was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1852, into a family of Dutch origin.
His father was a prominent Presbyterian clergyman, known for his
anti-abolitionist views in the pre-Civil War period.
Van Dyke
was his parent’s oldest son. His younger brother, Paul, grew up to be an
eminent historian and author. Of his two sons, his father once said, “Paul was
born good, but Henry was saved by grace.’”
The family
moved to Brooklyn, New York, where Van Dyke was enrolled at The Polytechnic
Institute. Although not much is known about his boyhood days, he did not
seem to be a model child.
Sometime
in 1858, he met General Robert E. Lee, who took him for a ride on his horse.
Later, he counted Lee among the three men who influenced him most; the others
being his father, and the poet Alfred Tennyson.
Van Dyke
learned to love the natural world from his faither. But while his father tried
to drive his attention to the peaceful aspect of nature, he preferred trampling
energetically through the forest trail, climbing the wooded hills and fishing
trout in the brooks.
Van Dyke
was famous for his youthful pranks during his university days. His college
scrapbook included a poster that offered a $50 reward for the apprehension and
conviction of the person or persons who took the gate and damaged the fences on
the Seminary and Library grounds. On the poster’s margin he wrote: “They
didn’t catch us.”
He was
deeply influenced by his father right from his childhood days. His father
infused in him a will to uphold honor and fight for a cause. His initial
ambition was to become a writer, but he later changed his mind and joined the
Presbyterian Church at the age of 27.
Van Dyke
served as pastor of Brick Presbyterian Church in Manhattan for seventeen
years. His first sermon was titled “The Voice of God.” The sermon was
about trying to hear God’s voice in nature. His love for nature always remained
an important part of his faith.
He
attended Princeton University, Princeton Theological Seminary and The University
of Berlin. He was a professor of English literature at Princeton
University. He was greatly respected and sought out both as a pastor and
professor.
He married Ellen Reid of Baltimore, and they had nine children, four sons, and five daughters.
This
joyful ode is one of the best-known hymns in the English language. His
inspiration in writing these words was the beauty of the Berkshire Mountains.
He was serving as a guest preacher at Williams College in Massachusetts.
It has been said Van Dyke handed his words, which was a poem, to the president of the college at breakfast one morning saying: “Here is a hymn for you. Your mountains were my inspiration. It must be sung to the music of Beethoven’s ‘Hymn to Joy.’”
Van Dyke died on April 10, 1933, in Princeton, New Jersey. He is buried in Princeton Cemetary.
Ludwig van
Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most
admired composers in the history of Western music.
Beethoven
was born in Bonn, Germany. His musical talent was obvious at an early age. He
was initially harshly and intensively taught by his father. Beethoven was later
taught by the composer and conductor, Christian Gottlob Neefe, under who
tutelage he published his first work.
He found
relief from a dysfunctional home life with the family of Helene von Breuning,
whose children he loved, befriended, and taught piano. At age21, he moved to
Vienna, which subsequently became his base, and gained a reputation as a
virtuoso pianist.
Ezekiel 43:2
“And I
saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the
roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with His glory.”
Biblehub.com,
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible:
The God of Israel is Jehovah the Father, the covenant God . . . Christ,
who is the brightness of His Father’s glory, whose glory is the glory of the
only begotten of the Father . . . and who has the same glorious attributes, the
same glorious names, and the same worship, honor, and glory, His Father has;
and in whom, as Mediator, is displayed the glory of all the divine perfections.
Bibliaplus.org:
Ezekiel saw God’s glory. He did not describe God’s glory here. But it was the
same as he had seen on previous occasions. He described it in Chapter 1. God’s
glory was impressive. It was an astonishing experience. Even the ground was
shining because God’s glory was so bright. The glory showed that God Himself
was present.
Psalm
104:24
Colossians
1:2
Job
38:7
"While
the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”
Biblehub.com,
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: There is but one morning star, yet all
may be called so, because all were created early in the morning of the world;
and are all stars of light, shine till the morning; and it is observed by some,
that the nearer the morning the brighter they shine: and these in their way
sing the praises of God, and set forth the glory of His perfections. Or,
angels, as most interpret them, compare to stars for their glory, purity, and
light, for their constancy, permanency, and numbers: or good men, particularly
ministers of the Word, and angels of the churches; who are stars in Christ’s
right hand, but the principal morning star is Christ Himself.
