When this passing world is done (Alternate Tune)

1
When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ on high,
Looking o’er life’s history;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.
2
When I stand before the throne
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.
3
E’en on earth, as through a glass
Darkly, let Thy glory pass;
Make forgiveness feel so sweet;
Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet:
E’en on earth, Lord, make me know
Something of how much I owe.
3
Faith H

Allen, TX, United States

I also find this alternate tune more suitable for McCheyne's text, than the Redhead/Petra tune. Thank you so much for providing the audio files for hymns on your website. What a blessing!

Btw, this alternate tune's name is St. Petersburg. (I searched under the name of the composer Dmitri S. Bortianski). See:

hymnary dot org/tune/st_petersburg_bortnianski


Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

I also prefer this alternate tune to the original.

One of McCheyne's legacies to the church is a Bible Reading calendar, which takes you through the NT and Psalms twice/year and the rest of the OT once/year. For each day he has a reading to read together with your family and another reading in secret. Regarding the Psalms he says,

"The metrical version of the Psalms should be read or sung through at least once in the year. It is truly an admirable translation from the Hebrew, and is frequently more correct than the prose version. If three verses be sung at each diet of family worship, the whole Psalms will be sung through in the year." (Since there are 2461 verses in Psalms, which divided by 365 = 6.74, McCheyne must be considering 16 family worship times/week, probably 2 meals/day on the week days and 3 meals/day on Saturday and Lord's Day.)

I have not tried McCheyne's schedule before, but will start today.


Tony Beasley

London, United Kingdom

This musical score of Bortnianski is so hard to find online. It is classified as the alternative tune, but for me this when played sightly slower is the superior. I have looked for this for some time and would recommend a listen. There are additional verses, some added here below.

When the praise of Heav’n I hear,

Loud as thunder to the ear,

Loud as many waters’ noise,

Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,

Then, Lord, shall I fully know

Not till then, how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,

Wakened up from wrath to flee,

Hidden in the Saviour’s side,

By the Spirit sanctified,

Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,

By my love, how much I owe.

Robert M'Cheyne was such a huge influence for one so young. In February 1843 he was away in the north west of Scotland, and preached twenty-seven times, in twenty-four different places often traveling through heavy snow. On his return to Dundee he confessed he felt "very tired."

He felt ill but took a wedding service, and afterwards spoke to a group of children, who informally gathered round him, on "The Good Shepherd." It was his last public appearance ; that evening he succumbed to a fever which was prevalent in the parish at the time.

After lying helplessly for a week with burning fever, a delirium overtook him on Tuesday 21st. His utterances now showed the thoughts which were uppermost in his mind. As if addressing his people he cried -

"You must be awakened in time, or you will be awakened in everlasting torment, to your eternal confusion."

Then he prayed, "This parish, Lord, this people, this whole place!"

Robert Murray M'Cheyne died on Saturday, March 25th, 1843.

"Oh to be like Jesus, and with Him through all eternity!" R.M. M'Cheyne

http://www.banneroftruth.co.uk/pages/articles/article_detail.php?37