The original German hymn was by Katharina von Schlegel born October 22, 1697. She was attached to the ducal court at Cothen. The hymn first appeared in a 1752 German Songbook Neue Sammlung Geistlicher Lieder (A New Collection of Spiritual Songs). Her death date is unknown. There are five stanzas under the title “Submission;” the reference text is: “In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:19).

Jane Borthwick was born April 9, 1813, the daughter of an insurance executive in Edinburgh, Scotland. While on a visit to Switzerland, she developed a keen interest in translating German hymns into English. Her sister, Sarah Borthwick Findlater, joined her in this work, and together they translated 122 hymns, which were published under the general title Hymns From the Land of Luther, 1854-1862. Sixty-one of these were by Jane; this one appeared in the second series, 1855. She died September 7, 1897, at Edinburgh. She also wrote SDAH 357, “Come, Labor On.”

The tune FINLANDIA is an arrangement of a melody from the tone poem of the same name composed in 1899 by Jean Sibelius, who has been considered the national composer of Finland. It was first used as a hymn tune in Scotland’s Presbyterian The Church Hymnary, 1927, and came into American use six years later in The Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

Johan Julius Christian Sibelius was born at Tavastehus, Finland, December 8, 1865. He adopted Jean, the French form of his first name, from the name of his uncle, and used it all his life. In spite of his obvious musical talent, he received a classical education and studied law at Helsingfors University. But the call of music was too strong; he studied at the conservatory for three years, then in Berlin and Vienna until 1891, returning to Finland to compose and teach at the conservatory. His status as a national composer was recognized in 1897 when Finland awarded him a grant for life, which allowed him to retire and devote himself to writing at his home at Jarvenpaa. His catalog of works includes one opera; choral works with orchestra; seven symphonies and other orchestral works; chamber music; music for violin, piano, cello, and organ; and a large volume of solo song When he was awarded the D.Mus. at Yale University, June 17, 1914, the citation read: “What Wagner did for the ancient German legends, Dr. Sibelius has, in his own magnificent way, done for the Finnish myths in Finland’s national epos.” He died at his home on September 20, 1957.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.