Eben Howe Bailey (1843-1943) was the author and composer of this hymn. I recently discovered his manuscripts at the Peabody Essex Museum located in Salem, Massachusetts, and through the Philips Library Finding Aids obtained scanned copies of the manuscripts. (Click on any image to enlarge)
Eben Howe Bailey was an American composer born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, on September 24, 1843. He was well known as a church organist throughout Boston and composed both sacred and secular pieces. He taught music in the schools of Clinton, Massachusetts for five years and between 1870-1880, he taught music in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
He served as church organist in several locations throughout Massachusetts and the Boston area including at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rowley, St Thomas Church in Boston, Leyden Church in Boston Brookline, and St. Joseph’s Church in Ipswich. More than 400 of his musical compositions have been published, including a Mass in Honor of St. Anne (1925), and Mass in D flat (1891).
He was also the musical editor and composed many of the hymnal songs for The Spiritual Harp: a collection of vocal music for the Choir, Congregation, and Social Circle, compiled by James Peebles and James Barrett and published by The Banner of Light Publishing Co., of Boston in 1868. This hymnal consisted mainly of Methodist, Baptist, and Unitarian church music. He also published a musical method book intended for school students Bailey’s School Songs and Music Reader.
Eben Howe Bailey was married twice, first to Amy Caroline Bailey on May 24, 1866. She died at the young age of 35, in 1880. He married his second wife Mary Emma Hunt, in 1882, and she died several years before him in 1926. He died on January 20, 1943 and is buried in the Rowley Cemetery, Massachusetts. His son Edward Bailey, from his first marriage, died a few years later in 1947.
The photo above was providing by the Peabody Essex Museum. It is a photo of Eben Howe Bailey taken at his home.
The hymn Ah, whence to me the bliss first appeared in the SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN BOOK, 1887 and it is captioned Hymn for Communion. This hymn book was published by the Oliver Ditson & Co. and compiled by the Sisters of Notre Dame of Philadelphia. The hymns in this collection were taken from earlier publications by the Cincinnati community including selections from May Chimes, the Wreath of Mary, May Blossoms, and the Laudis Corona. Additionally, selections from Peters’ Sodality Hymn Book, the Birmingham Oratorian Hymnal, and the Catholic Youth’s Hymn Book were also included.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur came to the United States from Belgium at the request of Bishop Purcell of the Cincinnati Diocese in Ohio. The sisters established a foundation there in 1840 and quickly spread across the country, establishing convents and schools.
The Sisters arrived in Philadelphia in 1856 at the Assumption parish to teach school. The Philadelphia community felt the need of a hymnal designed for their schools and in 1877, a melody edition consisting of 104 English and a few Latin hymns was compiled and published by the Oliver Ditson Co., one of the major music publishing houses of the late 19th century. Both the Cincinnati and Philadelphia communities published hymnals for their school children between 1877 and 1948. Many of these hymns appeared in other hymnal publications and were widely used in May devotions, becoming the standard in the Marian repertoire of parish schools, sodalities, and parish choirs across the country.
Next, the hymn appeared in the CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND SODALITY HYMNAL published by George W. Gibbons of Philadelphia in 1900. This words-only collection contained over 380 pages of Catholic hymns for the feast days, a large collection of Marian hymns, as well as a large collection of hymns to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and to the Blessed Sacrament, and a sufficient number of May hymns, and hymns to the Saints and Angels.
It was also published in the SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN BOOK, 1907 and 1935 with piano accompaniment. It also appeared in the 1921 and 1948 word-only editions of HYMNS USED BY THE PUPILS OF THE SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME.
I have found evidence in newspapers and magazines, that this hymn was sung on various occasions in the Catholic church, most notably for Weddings during the first half of the 20th century period. (Click on any image to enlarge)
Reflection
My sister Dorothy who sang with me in St. Mary’s Choir in Akron, Ohio was the first choir member in a long time to sing this hymn. We used the Sunday School Hymn Book, 1935 arrangement. I began singing the hymn after she married and left the choir to raise her family. I recall a great sense of joy in singing this hymn, especially when the choir’s voices joined together during the chorus. It was well liked by the congregation who felt a certain holiness and humbleness when I would sing this during communion.
Take a moment to reflect on the verses of the hymn where the expression of heavenly sweetness, joy, and bliss flood our hearts till overflowing in anticipation that Jesus is coming to us, and he wants to repose in our hearts.
More than twenty years has passed since I last sang this communion hymn. Sometimes, I hum the tune and sing the words as I do my house work, wood-working, or as I am driving around running errands. I strive to preserve these beautiful devotional hymns and endeavor to inspire our young parish organist to perform hymns of such quality and devotion. However, she currently lacks the proficiency to play hymn accompaniments.
It seems to me that our communion hymns today are far removed from expressing such love and devotion. They fail in so many ways to fill us with heavenly joy knowing that Jesus will soon come to rest in our hearts; to be our little white guest. I particularly like the last verse which reminds me that when the darkness of death embraces me, I know with confidence that Jesus will be there, with compassion he will look upon me, And bid me come to Thee, Then call, then let me hear.
A special thank you to Peter Meggison producer of the Devotional Hymns Project for allowing me to link to a recording of the Occasion Singers, a vocal ensemble from the South Coast of Massachusetts who recorded this beautiful hymn in 2015.
Also, a computer generated piano arrangement using Musescore music editing software.
