Cecil Frances Alexander Grave

 

From Wikipedia:

Alexander was born at 25 Eccles Street, Dublin, the third child and second daughter of Major John Humphreys of Norfolk (land-agent to 4th Earl of Wicklow and later to the second Marquess of Abercorn), and Elizabeth (née Reed).^[2] She began writing verse in her childhood, being strongly influenced by Dr Walter Hook, Dean of Chichester. Her subsequent religious work was strongly influenced by her contacts with the Oxford Movement, and in particular with John Keble, who edited Hymns for Little Children, one of her anthologies. By the 1840s she was already known as a hymn writer and her compositions were soon included in Church of Ireland hymnbooks. She also contributed lyric poems, narrative poems, and translations of French poetry to Dublin University Magazine under various pseudonyms.^[3][a]

Her book Hymns for Little Children reached its 69th edition before the close of the nineteenth century. Some of her hymns, e.g. “All Things Bright and Beautiful“, “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” ^[b] and the Christmas carol “Once in Royal David’s City“, are known by Christians the world over, as is her rendering of “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate“.^[4] She issued Verses for Holy Seasons (1846), The Lord of the Forest and His Vassals (1847) – a children’s allegory – and Hymns for Little Children (1848).

In Strabane in October 1850 she married the Anglican clergyman William Alexander, afterwards Bishop of Derry and Archbishop of Armagh. Her husband also wrote several books of poetry, of which the best known is St. Augustine’s Holiday and other Poems. She was six years older than the clergyman, causing great family concern.^[3]

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Hymn History: Jesus Calls Us

Author: Cecil Frances Alexander

 

“(Frances) showed her concern for disadvantaged people by traveling many miles each day to visit the sick and the poor, providing food, warm clothes, and medical supplies. She and her sister also founded a school for the deaf.”
(Hymnary.org)

 

The Origin of the Hymn “Jesus Calls Us”

The hymn “Jesus Calls Us” is a strong and steady summons to Christian discipleship. Though often sung quietly in worship, its message is bracing rather than sentimental. It speaks of Christ’s call cutting across the noise of ordinary life and demands a response marked by loyalty and obedience. The author, Cecil Frances Alexander, wrote the text in the mid-nineteenth century, during a period when hymn writing was flourishing within the Church of Ireland and the wider Anglican communion.

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895) is remembered for several enduring hymns, including “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “Once in Royal David’s City.” She possessed a rare ability to combine doctrinal clarity with accessible language. Much of her work was originally written to teach children the truths of the Christian faith, yet her hymns often carry a depth that speaks equally to adults. “Jesus Calls Us” is one such example.

The hymn was first published in 1852 in her collection Hymns for Little Children. Though intended for young readers, it reflects serious themes drawn directly from Scripture. The text is based particularly on the Gospel accounts of Jesus calling His first disciples—fishermen by trade—by the Sea of Galilee. In passages such as Matthew 4:18–22, Christ calls Simon Peter and Andrew, and later James and John, to leave their nets and follow Him. Alexander takes this biblical scene and applies it to believers of every generation.

The opening stanza establishes both the setting and the urgency of Christ’s voice:

Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, ‘Christian, follow Me.’

The imagery of the sea serves two purposes. First, it recalls the literal shoreline where Jesus called the fishermen. Second, it symbolizes the restless activity of human life. Victorian England, like much of the Western world at the time, was undergoing rapid industrial and social change. Urbanization, expanding trade, and growing political debates created a sense of movement and noise. Against this backdrop, the hymn emphasizes that Christ’s call still sounds clearly “o’er the tumult.”

The second stanza returns explicitly to the biblical account:

As of old Saint Andrew heard it
By the Galilean lake,
Turned from home and toil and kindred,
Leaving all for His dear sake.

Here Alexander grounds her application firmly in Scripture. The call to discipleship is not a vague religious feeling but a concrete turning—“leaving all.” In the Anglican tradition to which she belonged, discipleship involved not only inward faith but outward obedience expressed through daily conduct, service, and steadfast devotion.

As the hymn progresses, its application widens. The call of Christ is not limited to fishermen or to the first century. It extends into “pleasures,” “cares,” and “golden store”—references to the distractions of comfort, ambition, and material security. Alexander’s language is plain but pointed. She suggests that wealth, social standing, and personal enjoyment can compete with allegiance to Christ just as surely as fishing nets once did.

The final stanza is especially prayerful:

Jesus calls us! By Thy mercies,
Saviour, may we hear Thy call,
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Serve and love Thee best of all.

The hymn thus moves from narrative recollection to personal petition. It recognizes that obedience is not achieved by human willpower alone. It is sought through prayer, grounded in divine mercy. This balance of earnest appeal and humble dependence is characteristic of Alexander’s writing.

Musically, “Jesus Calls Us” has been paired with several tunes, but one of the most enduring is GALILEE, composed by William H. Jude. The tune’s calm yet resolute character complements the hymn’s message. It avoids excessive ornamentation, allowing the text to carry its weight. The steady rhythm underscores the idea of faithful, ongoing response rather than sudden emotional excitement.

Within the church year, the hymn is often associated with seasons that emphasize calling and commitment, such as Epiphany or missionary observances. It has also been used at ordinations, confirmations, and services focused on Christian vocation. Its themes resonate wherever believers are reminded that faith involves following, not merely believing.

Cecil Frances Alexander wrote during a time when hymns were expected to instruct as well as inspire. “Jesus Calls Us” fulfills that purpose admirably. It teaches that Christ’s summons is personal, persistent, and worthy of priority over all competing claims. It links the biblical past with the present, reminding singers that the same Lord who walked beside Galilee continues to call His people today.

In a world that remains busy and distracted, the hymn’s message retains its force. The sea may look different now, and the nets may take other forms, but the voice of Christ still calls above the tumult. Through clear imagery and steady conviction, “Jesus Calls Us” continues to summon believers to faithful discipleship.

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Hymn History: There Is a Green Hill Far Away

Author: Cecil Frances Alexander

 

“(Frances) showed her concern for disadvantaged people by traveling many miles each day to visit the sick and the poor, providing food, warm clothes, and medical supplies. She and her sister also founded a school for the deaf.”
(Hymnary.org)

 

The Origin of the Hymn “There Is a Green Hill Far Away”

The hymn “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” is one of the most enduring devotional hymns of the nineteenth century. Simple in language yet profound in meaning, it has long been associated with meditation on the crucifixion of Christ. Its author, Cecil Frances Alexander, wrote it in 1848 as part of a collection designed to teach Christian doctrine to children. Yet like many of her hymns, it soon found a place in the worship of the wider church.

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818–1895) lived in Ireland and was the wife of William Alexander, who later became Archbishop of Armagh. She possessed a rare ability to express theological truth in language accessible to young minds without diminishing its depth. “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” first appeared in her volume Hymns for Little Children, a work intended to explain the Apostles’ Creed in poetic form. This particular hymn was written to illustrate the clause, “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.”

The opening stanza is well known:

There is a green hill far away,
Without a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.

The hymn begins with imagery both gentle and solemn. The “green hill” reflects the traditional understanding that Jesus was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem. The phrase “without a city wall” echoes Hebrews 13:12, which notes that Christ suffered “outside the gate.” Although the hymn does not name the place explicitly, it clearly points to Golgotha—the site of the crucifixion.

Some have suggested that Alexander may have been inspired by the countryside near her home in County Tyrone, where a hill stood at a short distance from the village. Whether or not a specific landscape prompted the imagery, the setting she describes is vivid yet restrained. There is no elaborate detail of the crucifixion itself. Instead, she emphasizes its meaning.

The succeeding stanzas deepen that meaning:

We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.

Here Alexander acknowledges the mystery surrounding Christ’s suffering. The hymn does not attempt to describe the physical agony in graphic terms. Rather, it confesses that the full extent of His pain is beyond human comprehension. This approach is consistent with the Victorian Anglican style in which reverence and restraint were highly valued.

The heart of the hymn lies in its clear statement of substitutionary atonement:

He died that we might be forgiven,
He died to make us good;
That we might go at last to heaven,
Saved by His precious blood.

These lines express the core of evangelical Christian belief in straightforward terms. Christ’s death was not merely an example of sacrifice; it was redemptive. Alexander presents this doctrine in language suitable for children, yet it retains theological substance. Forgiveness, moral transformation, and eternal hope are all tied directly to the cross.

Musically, the hymn is most often paired with the tune HORSLEY, composed by William Horsley. The melody’s stately and reflective character complements the text’s solemn tone. Its gentle rise and fall supports meditative singing, making it particularly fitting for Passiontide or Good Friday services.

The hymn quickly gained widespread use beyond its original purpose. Though written for children, it became a staple of Holy Week observances in Anglican and other Protestant churches. Its clarity and emotional sincerity made it accessible to congregations of all ages. Over time, it crossed denominational boundaries and found a place in Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist hymnals as well.

Part of its enduring appeal lies in its balance. The hymn avoids sentimental excess while still speaking to the heart. It neither dwells on gruesome detail nor reduces the cross to abstraction. Instead, it invites quiet reflection and gratitude. The final stanza moves from doctrine to devotion:

O dearly, dearly has He loved!
And we must love Him too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.

This closing appeal reflects the practical Christianity characteristic of Alexander’s writing. Belief in Christ’s sacrifice leads naturally to love, trust, and obedience. Faith is not merely intellectual assent; it shapes conduct.

“There Is a Green Hill Far Away” emerged from a particular historical context—the Victorian era’s concern for instructing children in the faith—but its message transcends that setting. It presents the central event of Christianity with clarity and reverence. For generations, it has helped believers young and old contemplate the meaning of the crucifixion.

More than a century and a half after it was first published, the hymn continues to be sung in churches around the world. Its language remains plain, its theology sound, and its focus unwavering. By pointing to a hill outside the city wall, Cecil Frances Alexander gave the church a lasting reminder of the cost of redemption and the love that made it possible.

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Hymns by Cecil Frances Alexander in Great Hymns of the Faith:

#114 – There Is a Green Hill Far Away
#374 – Jesus Calls Us

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