Trinity Milwaukee

April 30, 2026

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

On May 1, we remember Saints Philip and James, Apostles, with the hymn, "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones." TLH 475

"Athelstan Riley's 'Ye watchers and ye holy ones' first appeared in 1906 in The English Hymnal. The hymn highlights the church's belief in and confession of the 'communion of saints' (Apostles Creed) and the 'one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church' (Nicene Creed), as confessed in the Book of Common Prayer of 1662, which was still in use in Riley's day.

Riley (1858-1945), who was active in the Anglo-Catholic movement, and other editors of The English Hymnal were compelled to defend the volume's strong communion of saints theme against some fierce opposition because bishops feared its Catholic bias. When The English Hymnal was banned in the Birmingham diocese, Percy Dearmer, the hymnal's chief editor, reacted to the ban by writing to Riley on August 14, 1906. Dearmer indicated that he had answered the bishop of Birmingham at great length and warned him of a potential 'hornet's nest' if the bishops should attack the editors on the matter of the communion of saints. Moreover, Dearmer marshalled Riley and others, including the 2nd Viscount Halifax, Charles Lindley Wood, 'to be ready to resist an attack on the Communion of Saints if it is made.' In the letter, Dearmer addressed the reason for this staunch position by The English Hymnal editors and others in the English Church Union (ECU), which assisted Anglo-Catholic priests prosecuted for doctrinal reasons:

This seems to me to [sic] very important - not only for the EH [English Hymnal], but for the Church at large. An attack on the Communion of Saints by the Bishops would be disgusting. On the other hand if we gain this step without a fight, it will be a big step forward. If the ECU is ready, and the Bishops know it, they will pause.

The English Hymnal gradually won acceptance in the public worship of the Church of England due partly to the excellent musical editorship of Ralph Vaughan Williams and partly to illustrated lectures given by Riley and a group of singers assisting him. Riley's hymn has become a favorite among English-speaking worshipers.

The text of 'Ye watchers' shows how Eastern Christendom influenced Riley. J. R. Watson notes that as a young man Riley 'had travelled widely in the Middle East, and had written a book about Mount Athos and its monasteries (published 1887). He was a successor to John Mason Neale in his interest in the Eastern Church, and the hymn draws upon his knowledge of early theology, especially the thinking about angels.' Between 1881 and 1888, Riley traveled to Russia, Mount Athos, Kurdistan and Persia (three trips), and Constantinople, and in 1889, he represented the Archbishop of Canterbury's Mission to Assyrian Christians in a second journey to Russia." LSB Companion to the Hymns

1. Ye watchers and ye holy ones, Bright seraphs, cherubim and thrones, Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers, Virtues, archangels, angel's choirs, Alleluia! . . . .

2. O higher than the cherubim, More glorious than the seraphim, Lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou Bearer of the eternal Word, Most gracious, magnify the Lord, Alleluia! . . . .

3. Respond, ye souls in endless rest, Ye patriarchs and prophets blest, Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ye holy Twelve, ye martyrs strong, All saints triumphant, raise the song, Alleluia! . . . .

4. O friends, in gladness let us sing, Supernal anthems echoing, Alleluia! Alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, Three in One, Alleluia! . . . .

God's peace,
Trudy J. Schmalz
Director of Music

April 16, 2026

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

One of the Easter hymns we sang last Sunday for Quasimodo Geniti Sunday is, "Lo! Judah's Lion Wins the Strife." TLH 211

"This hymn of unknown authorship first appeared in Zavorka's Bohemian Neo-Ultraquist Kancional in 1602. From there it entered the second Trencin (Slovakia) edition, 1659, of the Cithara Sanctorum, popularly known as the 'Tranoscius,' printed by Nykodem Czjzka. The revised and updated translation, prepared by Jaroslav J. Vajda, is based on that done by John Bajus for The Lutheran Hymnal (1941). . . .

It is to be noted that the English of the Bohemian stanza 3 simply paraphrases the thought of the original with its strange reference to 'Samgar' (Jer. 39:37), who single handedly slew a horde of enemies. This possibly reflects Samson's killing a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jawbone (Judges 15:15). The biblical strength of the text, with its unique three-line structure, prompted the Commission on Worship to include this hymn in Lutheran Worship, albeit coupled to a new tune." Lutheran Worship Hymnal Companion

1. Lo, Judah's Lion wins the strife And reigns o'er death to give us life. Hallelujah! Oh, let us sing His praises!

2. 'Tis He whom David did portray When he did strong Goliath slay. Hallelujah! Oh, sing with gladsome voices!

3. Like Samson, Christ great strength employed And conquered hell, its gates destroyed. Hallelujah! Oh let us sing His praises!

4. The power of death He brake in twain When He to life arose again. Hallelujah! To Him all praise be given!

5. He led to freedom all oppressed And pardon won for sin-distressed. Hallelujah! Oh praise Him for His mercy!

6. In festal spirit, song, and word To Jesus, our victorious Lord, Hallelujah! All praise and thanks be rendered.

7. All honor, glory, praise, be given Our Triune God, who reigns in heaven. Hallelujah! Now gladly sing we: Amen

God's peace,
Trudy J. Schmalz
Director of Music

The Resurrection by a Follower of Jacopo Tintoretto (1519–1594)