CF Alexander 1818-1895

1848 she published “Hymns for Little Children” which included three of the most popular hymns in the English language: Once in Royal David’s City, All Things Bright and Beautiful and There is a Green Hill Far Away. Her motivation was to communicate aspects of the Church’s teaching to children.

Perhaps her most famous hymn is 'There is a Green Hill far away'. It is said that this hymn was inspired by a little hill outside the walls of Derry. In her mind it was on a hill like that that Jesus was crucified. Her hymn was to help her godchildren to understand the statements of the creed, "Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried". This hymn was composed while she sat by the bedside of a sick child.

Gounod remarked that the words of ‘There is a Green Hill far away’ were so harmonious and rhythmic that they seem to set themselves to music.

Cecil Frances nee Humphreys was born in Dublin in 1818, the third child of Elizabeth nee Reed and Major John Humphreys of Norfolk, who was land-agent to 4th Earl of Wicklow and later to the second Marquess of Abercorn.

She began writing poetry at the age of nine and her father encouraged her to do so. Spiritually she was influenced by Dr Hook, Dean of Chichester and later by John Keble, who edited her Songs for Little Children.

She contributed lyric and narrative poems under pseudonyms to various leading contemporary magazines. Her “Burial of Moses” which was published anonymously in Dublin University Magazine, caused Tennyson to profess it to be one of the few poems of a living author he wished he had written. It was also one of the favourites of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). She also penned several Irish historical ballads as well as her well-known version of ‘The Breastplate of St. Patrick’. Seven of her hymns were included in ‘The Church of Ireland Hymnal’ (1873), the first to be authorised after Disestablishment. Eighteen were selected for inclusion in ‘A Supplement to Hymns Ancient and Modern’ (1889), and nine were included in the 1960 and 1987 editions of ‘TheChurch of Ireland Hymnal’.

Her interest in contemporary events is illustrated in her hymn decrying the Disestablishment of the Church of Ireland.

In 1850 in the parish church of Strabane she married the Reverend William Alexander, who was the rector of Termonamongan in Derry Diocese. She was six years older than he, and this caused great family concern. They were married for 45 years, half of which was lived in Derry. William was appointed bishop of Derry and Raphoe in 1867.

Cecil Frances Alexander was of a humble disposition and disliked praise and flattery. She was much involved with the Derry Home for Fallen Women and with the development of a district nurses service. She was described as an indefatigable visitor to the poor and the sick. All the profits from the publications of her hymns were given to help an institution for Irish people who were deaf.

She died in Londonderry, 12th October, 1895, greatly beloved by the many poor she had helped by her kindness. She is buried in Derry Cemetery.

The following year her husband was appointed Archbishop of Armagh, in which office he served from 1896-1911.

POINTERS FOR PRAYER

+ Thank God for those who are gifted in their use of language and enable others to better understand and praise God.

+ Pray for those who minister with children in church, school and home.

+ Thank God for women of faith and their contribution to the Church and to the societies and places in which they live.

+ Thank God for writers like Cecil Frances Alexander who draw on the richness of Celtic spirituality.

Text copyright - The Dean of Belfast, 2005