In the manuscripts of Horatius Bonar (1808-1889; see SDAH 79), this hymn followed the one entitled “The Church Has Waited Long” SDAH 217), the latter being printed in 1845. Bonar’s son, H. N. Bonar, thinks that the original was written about 1843, when the author was ministering at Kelso, but it was not published until 1846 in his Hymns Original and Selected. It had three stanzas of 8 lines each, and in Bonar’s Hymns of Faith and Hope, 1857, it was entitled “The Voice From Galilee,” with the text “Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16).

Note that each stanza is divided into two parts, first the invitation of Jesus, and second the response. Three metaphors are used, the Saviour being likened to a resting place, a well of water, and a light; He can respectively answer the needs of the weary, the thirsty, and the benighted pilgrim. Bonar also wrote SDAH 79, “O Love of God”; SDAH 217, “The Church Has Waited Long”; and SDAH 298, “I Lay My Sins on Jesus.”

KINGSFOLD, named after a village north of Horsham in Sussex, was arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958; see Biographies) for the English Hymnal, 1906. It is a country folk song that he heard in this village, although it is known in Ireland and sung to the words “The Star of the County Down.” It was first published in Lucy Broadwood’s English County Songs, 1893. It is a fitting melody to the words, for halfway through, the three introductory notes rise instead of fall, matching the mood of the words, which also change at that point from the weary, thirsty, benighted one, to the glad, revived, enlightened pilgrim. KINGSFOLD is also used for SDAH 144, “O Sing a Song of Bethlehem.”

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