George Richards › Texts

Short Name: George Richards
Full Name: Richards, George, 1755?-1814
Birth Year (est.): 1755
Death Year: 1814

Richards, George, born near Newport, Rhode Island, circa 1755. For some years he was Purser and Chaplain in the United States Navy, and also taught a school in Boston. In 1789 he became an Universalist preacher, ministered at Portsmouth, New Haven, 1793-1809, and from 1809 in Philadelphia, where, his mind having given way under trouble, he died by his own hand, March 16, 1816. With S. Lane he edited the Universalist Hymn Book, published at Boston, 1792. This was one of the earliest collections of that body. It contained 49 of Richards's hymns. In 1801 he published A Collection of Hymns, Dover, New Hampshire, which contained 6 additional hymns by himself, and in 1806, also at Dover, a second edition of the same, greatly enlarged, with another 26 hymns.

Of these the following are in common use at the present time:—
1. 0 Christ, what gracious words. The Gospel Message. This hymn appeared in the Boston Collection, 1792, and is the best of the early Universalist hymns. In the Andover Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, it is given as "Saviour, what gracious words." In this form and also in the original, it is found in several collections.
2. Long as the darkening cloud abode. Easter. This hymn in modern collections, as the Songs of the Sanctuary, 1865, No. 687, is composed thus: stanza i. and ii., 11. 1-4, are from Richards, and the rest of the hymn, 3 stanzas of 8 lines in all, is anonymous.

Additional hymns by Richards, from both the Boston and the Dover collections, are in modern Universalist hymn-books. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by George Richards (53)sort ascendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Zeal is the Lord of Hosts, thy zealRichards (Author)3
Worthy art thou, the First of DaysGeorge Richards (Author)2
Whilst elders fall before thy throneGeorge Richards (Author)2
Wake thou, my sword, Jehovah saidGeorge Richards (Author)English3
'Twas finished, saith the faithful GodGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Thy covenant, O Lord, In all things ordered sureGeorge Richards (Author)English4
Though various names, O Lord, divideGeorge Richards (Author)2
The son of Beor's opening eyesGeorge Richards (Author)English2
The Ancient of eternal daysGeorge Richards (Author)English2
The Almighty spake, and Gabriel spedGeorge Richards (Author)English3
Stronger in death, than erst in lifeGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Smote to the heart, by conscious guiltGeorge Richards (Author)English1
Shout Jehovah strong in battleGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Shiloh shall come, the prophet criesGeorge Richards (Author)English2
See, Isr'l's tribes brought near to GodGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Satan transformed in guise of lightGeorge Richards (Author)English1
Permit thy suppliants, gracious LordGeorge Richards (Author)4
Opener of the blinded eyesGeorge Richards (Author)English2
O Christ, what gracious wordsGeorge Richards (Author)English14
Long as the darkening cloud abodeRichards (Author)English12
Lo! the man of God appointedGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Living spirits flames of fireGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Let nations who tremble in fear of a floodGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Jesus, we bless thy powerGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Jesus, 'tis thine to seekGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Jesus, thou Prince, thou King of peaceGeorge Richards (Author)English1
Jesus, in ancient daysGeorge Richards (Author)2
Jesus, Comforter divine, Consolations, Lord, are thineRichards (Author)English6
Jesus, bowed down by mighty woeGeorge Richards (Author)English4
Jesus, before thy throneGeorge Richards (Author)2
Jehovah spake, and Gabriel spedGeorge Richards (Author)2
In thine own image, Father, GodGeorge Richards (Author)English2
How rich the types of future graceGeorge Richards (Author)English3
"Holy, holy, holy Lord!" By the Seraphim adoredGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Hail, the last, the mighty angelGeorge Richards (Author)2
Hail, mighty, true, and living GodGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Hail, Counsellor of peace, good willGeorge Richards (Author)2
Hail, Alpha and Omega, hail, Thou great beginning, glorious endGeorge Richards (Author)English1
God will provide, the patriarch saidGeorge Richards (Author)English2
God hath given to Isaac roomGeorge Richards (Author)English2
From tribulation's gloomy valeGeorge Richards (Author)English3
For forty mystic daysGeorge Richards (Author)English2
First born of many brethren, thouGeorge Richards (Author)English1
Father of angels and of menGeorge Richards (Author)English1
Faithful and true, the Man divineGeorge Richards (Author)2
Behold, the grain of wheat that diesGeorge Richards (Author)English2
Awake my soul, arise, Review salvation's planGeorge Richards (Author)English2
As Jorday rolls his waveGeorge Richards (Author)2
As Jordan rolls his waveGeorge Richards (Author)1
As Jesus stood on Tabor's moundGeorge Richards (Author)English2
As David kept his father's flockGeorge Richards (Author)English2
All hail, thou great First BornGeorge Richards (Author)English4
All gracious Lord, we sing thy loveGeorge Richards (Author)English1
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