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A Sudden Inspiration

On winter day in February 1831, 22-year-old Samuel was sitting in his room at the Andover Theological Seminary in Massachusetts, looking over a collection of German hymns that had been given him by Lowell Mason. Mason intended to publish a collection of hymns and wondered if Samuel could possibly translate something of use for children’s choirs. ‘I can’t read these,” Mason said, “but they contain good music, which I should be glad to use. Turn over the leaves, and if you find anything particularly good, give me a translation or imitation of it, or write a wholly original song—anything, so I can use it’.

Samuel thumbed through came across a song in German titled, God Bless Our Native Land. Samuel later wrote, “I instantly felt the impulse to write a patriotic hymn of my own, adapted to the tune. Picking up a scrap of wastepaper which lay near me, I wrote at once, probably within half an hour, the hymn… as it is now known everywhere. The whole hymn stands today as it stood on the bit of wastepaper.”

What Samuel likely did not know was that same tune had been used before—not only in Germany, but in England to the words of God Save the King—and even for various uses in America. The tune was well-used. Samuel gave his composition to Mason and was most pleased to hear it sung for the first time on July 4, 1831, by a children’s choir at the Park Street Church in Boston.

Samuel later wrote,

“I had no thought of writing a national hymn; had I done so, I should probably have taken more pains to criticize and to perfect it. It went from me, however, and the people took it up…. I noticed that the German words were patriotic, but I did not read them through, and the hymn is in no sense a translation. It was the result of a sudden inspiration, quickly thrown off, and, to my surprise, at once adopted.”

And ‘adopted’ it was. Written in sight of the Old North Church in Boston, and just at sunset, Samuel—Dr. Samuel Francis Smith– turned a German song, God Bless Our Native Land, into “My Country Tis of thee.” It would go on to become the unofficial anthem of the United States of America until 1931, and remains of the most popular songs in America history.

And there is one more story of relevant note. I quote David Hein,

“In May of 1887, an elderly tourist was sitting in the gallery of the Board of Trade in Chicago, Illinois, quietly observing all the commotion of buying and selling. Someone on the floor recognized him and pointed him out to others, whereupon the clamor quickly subsided as traders ceased their dealing to pay tribute to the old man. Presently out of the wheat pit came the sound of familiar words:

My country,’tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty.
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring.

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills.
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.”

Then the men gave their visitor a tumultuous cheer. The Secretary of the Board escorted him to the floor, where all the members flocked’ around him, reaching out eagerly to shake the hand of the 79-year-old author of ‘America’. Then, removing their hats, they sang the rest of the hymn. (1)

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom’s song;
Let mortal tongues awake,
Let all that breathe partake,
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers’ God, to thee,
Author of liberty,
To thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by thy might,
The sound prolong.
Great God, our King.

The Almighty wanted this hymn written and gave it in a moment to a talented young Baptist. How many souls has it stirred in spiritual and patriotic fervor since then. I wonder today how many could still sing it from memory?

Sources: https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2021/11/samuel-francis-smith-america-david-hein.html

https://www.staugustine.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2015/02/26/story-behind-song-my-country-tis-thee/16248287007/