Abyssinia (Jacob French)

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• (Posted 2018-01-20)  CPDL #48495:       

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2018-01-20).   Score information: Letter, 1 page, 54 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Oval note edition. Some measures transposed, to make Counter part singable by Altos. Three more stanzas included from Relly's hymn.

• (Posted 2018-01-20)  CPDL #48494:   

Editor: Barry Johnston (submitted 2018-01-20).   Score information: 7 x 10 inches (landscape), 1 page, 68 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Note shapes added (4-shape). Some measures transposed, to make Counter part singable by Altos. Three more stanzas included from Relly's hymn.

General Information

Title: Abyssinia
First Line: Greatly beloved
Composer: Jacob French
Lyricist: James Relly

Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Sacred   Meter: 44. 468. 44. 46

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1789 in The New American Melody, pp. 34-35, for five voices: Two Trebles, Counter, Tenor, and Bass
Description: Spelling "Abysina" in original. Words by James Relly, 1776, with eight stanzas.

Original text and translations

English text 1. Greatly beloved, Of God approved; Ere time began, Jehovah's darling man Possessed his nature, love, above; There man is known, While angels own, Above them far, This bright and morning-star. 2. When all beheld, With wonder filled, The glorious grace Sparkle in Jesus' face; We, worms, as wholly blind in mind, Could not discern What did concern Our hearts alone, That orb in which we shone.

3. But God would show, To us below, His grace and choice, While we in heart rejoice; And this revealed by blood, when God Became a man; And then began In love to cure Our nature, blind, impure. 4. The Work was great, It made him sweat, Blood-rivers flowed, He groaned and cried aloud; While sorrows rent his heart with smart Unspeakable: The pains of Hell, Infernal wrath, Encompassed him in death.

5. With many tears, And unknown fears, Heart-breaking sighs, Infinite agonies, Wounds, blood, and bruises fresh, his flesh All over fill; In anguish, still, He yields his breath To the accursed death. 6. Fail nature's laws; The sun withdraws; With dreadful crack, The rocks asunder break; Convulsed creation shakes, earth quakes; All old things die, Non-entity, Passed over all That lived by Adam's Fall.

7. Hence came the hour, When God, with power, Raised from the dead The members, and the head; In that one perfect man, the plan Of grace we fee, Where Christ and we Were named in one, The Father's only Son. 8. His joy fulfilled In every child: We, in that grace, Behold the Father's face In that exalted man, we can Forever view, That love, so true, Which did us raise To never-ceasing praise.