thy Saviour,"
and "The little while I linger here," it will readily be understood why
Franzen ranks so high among the foremost hymnists of the North.

To Samuel Johan Hedborn, another of Wallin's contemporaries, posterity
will ever be grateful for "Holy Majesty, before Thee," a magnificent hymn
of praise that for loftiness of poetic sentiment and pure spiritual
exaltation has probably never been excelled. The first stanza suggests
something of the heavenly beauty of this noble hymn:

Holy Majesty, before Thee
We bow to worship and adore Thee;
With grateful hearts to Thee we sing.
Earth and heaven tell the story
Of Thine eternal might and glory,
And all Thy works their incense bring.
Lo, hosts of Cherubim
And countless Seraphim
Sing, Hosanna,
Holy is God, almighty God,
All-merciful and all-wise God!

Hedborn, who was the son of a poverty-stricken Swedish soldier, was born
in Heda, Sweden, in the year 1783. He began his career as a school
teacher, served for a while as court preacher, and finally became pastor
at Askeryd, where he died in 1849. He was a gifted writer, and his lyric
poetry and folk-songs struck a responsive chord in Swedish hearts. In
1812 he published a collection of hymns, and in the following year a
second volume appeared. It is claimed that the Christo-centric note in
Hedborn's hymns profoundly influenced Wallin and helped to establish the
latter in the orthodox Lutheran teaching.

In addition to the sublime _Te Deum_ mentioned above, two other hymns of
Hedborn have been given English dress. One of these is the beautiful
Epiphany hymn, "Now Israel's hope in triumph ends"; the other is the
communion hymn, "With holy joy my heart doth beat."

Erik Gustav Geijer, professor of history in Upsala University, was
another of the poetic geniuses of this golden age in Swedish hymnody. He
was born at Ransater, Varmland, Sweden, in the same year that witnessed
Hedborn's birth--1783. Like Hedborn, he also published a little
collection of hymns in 1812 which immediately focused attention upon him
as a poet of unusual ability. Although his hymns do not rise to the
artistic heights attained by his other poems, it is believed that Geijer
purposely avoided high-sounding phrases as unworthy of the dignity and
spirit of hymnody.

His passion hymn, "Thy Cross, O Jesus, Thou didst bear," is a gripping
portrayal of the conquering power of the Saviour's sacri