Christopher Wordsworth (nephew of the poet) wrote his hymns for his teaching ministry from 1850 to 1868 in the parish of Stanford-in-the-Vale-cum-Goosey, Berkshire, from where he would go up to London for three months in the year to fulfil his duties as Canon of Westminster. In 1869 he became Bishop of Lincoln. He wrote a great deal, including hymns for every season and festival of the Church’s year. This was written for the Sunday before Lent when, in The Book of Common Prayer, 1 Corinthians 13 is read as the epistle, though it serves very well as a hymn for Pentecost. He remains throughout very close to the King James’ Bible version of the passage, using however ‘love’ instead of ‘charity’ as does the Revised Version, the New Testament part of which came out in 1880.

Grayston Ives wrote this tune for use in Guildford Cathedral.

from notes by Alan Luff © 2002