Jesus, who lived above the sky ("Old Chapel") - pipe organ, St Mewan Church

The 1812 children's hymn "Jesus, who lived above the sky", to the tune "Old Chapel" by Enos Andrew (1838-1899) as set at no. 59 in the Wesleyan "Methodist School Hymnal" of 1911 (also published as the "United Methodist School Hymnal"), played by Peter Tylor on the 1909 Hele pipe organ at St Mewan Church near St Austell, Cornwall (NPOR D08358), 22/08/2024.

(This tune is named for an Unitarian church - still in existence - in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, where the composer served as organist in the late 19th century.)

Jesus, who lived above the sky,
Came down to be a man and die;
And in the Bible we may see
How very good He used to be.

He went about, He was so kind,
To cure poor people who were blind;
And many who were sick and lame,
He pitied them, and did the same.

And more than that, He told them too
The things that God would have them do;
And was so gentle and so mild,
He would have listened to a child.

But such a cruel death He died—
By wicked men was crucified!
And those kind hands that did such good,
They nailed them to a cross of wood.

And so He died! and this is why
He came to be a man and die:
The Bible says He came from heaven,
That we might have our sins forgiven.

He knew how wicked men had been,
He knew that God must punish sin;
So out of pity Jesus said
He'd bear the punishment instead.

(Words by Ann Gilbert née Taylor, 1782-1866)

Links:

Music score available online, free of charge, at:
https://archive.org/details/unitedmet...

Biography and works of Enos Andrew, composer:
https://composers-classical-music.com...

History of the Old Chapel, Dukinfield:
https://www.ukunitarians.org.uk/dukin...

Organ details and specifications:
https://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html...

St Mewan Church information:
https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church...
  / st-mewan-church-109940547070925  
https://historicengland.org.uk/listin...

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