Eternal Father, Strong to Save - Christian Navy Hymn with lyrics / Hymn to the Sea

Eternal Father, Strong to Save - Christian Navy Hymn with lyrics Hymn to the Sea

Christian Hymns playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=BD1B04EAC0152F4B

Words: Will­iam Whit­ing, 1860. He wrote the lyr­ics as a po­em for a stu­dent about to sail for Amer­i­ca.

Music: Melita, John B. Dykes, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861. Dykes fit­ting­ly named the tune af­ter a lo­cale as­so­ci­at­ed with a Bib­li­cal ship­wreck. Mel­i­ta was the
isl­and the Apos­tle Paul reached af­ter his ship went down (Acts 28:1); to­day we know it as the isle of Mal­ta.

William Whiting (1825-1878)

In America, Eter­nal Fa­ther is oft­en called the Na­vy Hymn, be­cause it is sung at the Na­val Acad­e­my in An­na­po­lis, Ma­ry­land. It is al­so sung on ships of the Brit­ish Roy­al Na­vy and has been trans­lat­ed in­to French. It was the fa­vor­ite hymn of U.S. Pres­i­dent Frank­lin Roo­se­velt and was sung at his fun­er­al in Hyde Park, New York, Ap­ril 1945. The Na­vy Band played it in 1963 as U.S. Pre­si­dent John Ken­ne­dys bo­dy was car­ried up the steps of the U.S. Cap­i­tol to lie in state. Roo­se­velt served as Sec­re­ta­ry of the Na­vy, and Ken­ne­dy was a PT boat com­mand­er in World War II.

The original words were written as a hymn by a schoolmaster and clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. William Whiting. Rev. Whiting (1825-1878) resided on the English coast near the sea and had once survived a furious storm in the Mediterranean. His experiences inspired him to pen the ode, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." In the following year, 1861, the words were adapted to music by another English clergyman, the Rev. John B. Dykes (1823-1876) , who had originally written the music as "Melita" (ancient name for the Mediterranean island of Malta). Rev. Dykes' name may be recognized as that of the composer given credit for the music to many other well-known hymns, including "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Lead, Kindly Light," "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," and "Nearer, My God to Thee."
In the United States, in 1879 the late Rear Adm. Charles Jackson Train, an 1865 graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis was a lieutenant commander stationed at the Academy in charge of the Midshipman Choir. In that year, Lt. Comdr. Train inaugurated the present practice of concluding each Sunday's Divine Services at the Academy with the singing of the first verse of this hymn.
The hymn, entitled "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," is found in most Protestant Hymnals. It can be more easily located in these hymnals by consulting the "Index to First Lines" under "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." The words have been changed several times since the original hymn by Rev. Whiting was first published in 1860-61. One will find that the verses as now published differ from the original primarily in the choice of one or two words in several lines of each verse.

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[guyontheblackchair]

Does anyone know if Humperdinck lifted this theme to use in the overture to Hansel and Gretel?

I can't find a link anywhere, but it is pretty obvious to me.

Maybe it's just me...

[stack45ny]

@guyontheblackchair I do not have the answer to your question, but I just listened to the overture, and I too hear a similarity. With that said, there have been so many songs written throughout the ages that it is difficult to write one that does not sound at least somewhat similar to another from the past...there are only so many notes and chords, and combinations thereof.

[Powi1980]

Gelobt sei Jesus Christus, unser Herr! Und ewiger Frieden all jenen, die auf großer Fahrt auf See geblieben sind!

[stack45ny]

@Powi1980 Amen, so sei es.

[stack45ny]

@Peacekeeper76

Words: Will­iam Whit­ing, 1860. He wrote the lyr­ics as a po­em for a stu­dent about to sail for Amer­i­ca.

Music: Melita, John B. Dykes, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861. Dykes fit­ting­ly named the tune af­ter a lo­cale as­so­ci­at­ed with a Bib­li­cal ship­wreck. Mel­i­ta was the

isl­and the Apos­tle Paul reached af­ter his ship went down (Acts 28:1); to­day we know it as the isle of Mal­ta.

[ProclaimHisWord]

What a great hymn. Thank you for uploading it.

[LynneMezzo]

I cannot sing this hymn without tearing up. It is so magnificent yet so emotional.

[Dolphiniac]

That last verse always gets me. I love how the instruments built the crescendo, I love the words, I love how it fits everyone and ties the whole theme together. Wonderful song! :)

[YouInTheDark16]

TITANIC ! <3

[andreastruble56]

go USA!

[bquidi4672]

GO NAVY!

[logancody05]

There has been a chorus added which applies to naval aviators;

Oh hear us when we lift prayer, for those in peril in the air.

[sparrissh]

28 years in the Marine Corps and this hymn speaks to my soul. It has ran through my head more then once while in combat. No one writes music like this anymore.

[juankpad]

Beautiful!

[guyontheblackchair]

Thanks!

I was listening to the Hansel and Gretel Overture the other day and mistakenly thought it was some kind of fantasia on the Dykes Mileta theme....and the marine imagery...even mournful grief woven in...moved me to tears.

Somehow it does not evoke the gingerbread house!

Ha!