n Berlin during the
Thirty Years' War and for two decades after its close, is the author of a
number of beautiful hymns, among them the Pentecost hymn, "O Holy Spirit,
enter in." Because of poverty and afflictions suffered during a period of
war and pestilence, he has been called "the German Job."

Ahasuerus Fritsch, chancellor and president of the Consistory of
Rudolstadt, is credited with the authorship of "Jesus is my Joy, my All,"
a hymn that reflects the spirit of true evangelical piety. He died in
1701.

Caspar Neumann, another of Gerhardt's contemporaries, has bequeathed to
the Church the sublime hymn, "God of Ages, all transcending," the last
stanza of which is unusually striking in language:

Say Amen, O God our Father,
To the praise we offer Thee;
Now, to laud Thy name we gather;
Let this to Thy glory be.
Fill us with Thy love and grace,
Till we see Thee face to face.

Neumann, who was a celebrated preacher and professor of theology at
Breslau from 1678 to 1715, was the author of some thirty hymns, all of
which became very popular in Silesia. He was also author of a famous
devotional book, "Kern aller Gebete."

A Glorious Paean of Praise

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near,
Join me in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee!
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee!

Praise thou the Lord, who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee,
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee.
How oft in grief
Hath not He brought thee relief,
Spreading His wings to o'ershade thee!

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Joachim Neander, 1680.

JOACHIM NEANDER, THE PAUL GERHARDT OF THE CALVINISTS

While all Germany during the latter half of the seventeenth century was
singing the sublime lyrics of Paul Gerhardt, prince of Lutheran hymnists,
the spir