George Richards

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