age on which it is founded, while Edward S. Ninde rejects this
conclusion by contending that although "metrical expositions of
Scriptures are apt to be stilted and spiritless ... this one is a
success."

Ninde, however, does not agree that it is "the first of American hymns,"
reserving this honor, as do most critics, for Ray Palmer's "My faith
looks up to Thee."

Bishop Doane was born in Trenton, N. J., May 27, 1799. This was the year
in which George Washington died. The future hymn-writer was named after
the great patriot. At the age of nineteen he was graduated by Union
College with the highest scholastic honors. After teaching for a season,
he became pastor of Trinity Episcopal Church, Boston, Mass., the church
afterwards made famous by Phillips Brooks.

When only thirty-three years old he was elevated to the bishopric of New
Jersey, which position he held until his death in 1859. By this time he
had already won fame as a hymn-writer. It was in 1824, at the age of
twenty-five, that Doane published a little volume of lyrics entitled
"Songs by the Way." One of the hymns in this collection was the beautiful
paraphrase, "Thou art the Way; to Thee alone." This hymn alone would have
been sufficient to have perpetuated the name of the young poet, but there
was another gem in the same collection that will always be treasured by
those who love Christian song. It is the exquisite evening hymn:

Softly now the light of day
Fades upon my sight away;
Free from care, from labor free,
Lord, I would commune with Thee.

Among the many achievements of this versatile bishop was the founding of
Saint Mary's Hall, a school for young women, at Burlington, N. J. Doane
lies buried in the neighboring churchyard, and it is said that the
students on every Wednesday evening at chapel services sing "Softly now
the light of day" as a memorial tribute to the founder of the
institution.

Both of these hymns were quickly recognized as possessing unusual merit,
and almost immediately found their way into Christian hymn-books. Today
there is scarcely a hymnal published in the English language that does
not contain them.

But Bishop Doane's fame does not rest on these two hymns alone. He was
destined to write a third one, equally great but of a very different
character from the other two. It is the stirring missionary hymn:

Fling out the banner! let it float
Skyward and seaward, high and wide;
The sun that lig