Matthew Bridges wrote this hymn of six stanzas and published it in his Hymns of the Heart, 1851. It was revised considerably by Godfrey Thring (1823-1903; see SDAH 360), but the SDAH version is entirely from Bridges. His second stanza, the last of his fifth, and the first half of his sixth have been omitted. Bridges was born in Maldon, Essex, on July 14, 1800. In his youth he was an ardent Protestant, but he became much interested in the Oxford movement and joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1848. He spent some time in Quebec, Canada, but returned to England and lived in a villa in a convent at Sidmouth, Devon. He wrote several books of poems, some commentary on history, and a few hymns. He died at Sidmouth on October 6, 1894. DIADEMATA (Crowns), also used for SDAH 616, “Soldiers of Christ, Arise,” was composed especially for these words in 1868 by Sir George (Job) Elvey, who was born at Canterbury, Kent, on March 27, 1816. He became a chorister on the cathedral and studied at the Royal Academy of Music. He obtained the B. Mus. In 1840. In 1835 he applied for the position of organist at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, and was appointed above several eminent applicants by King William IV. Knighted by Queen Victoria in 1871, he retired from his position in 1882, having occupied the post for 47 years. During his occupancy at Windsor he taught music to some of the royal family. He also wrote anthems, oratorios, identical music, and hymn tunes. He died at Windlesham, Surrey, on December 9, 1893. He also wrote SDAH 557, ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR. He believed that church music should be as stately, uplifting, and inspiring as the soaring archers and stained-glass windows of the cathedrals in which it would be rendered.

-from Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White