25 January 1825 A.D. Edward Henry Bickersteth—Trinity College
(Cambridge), Church of England Minister, Dean of Gloucester & Bishop
(Exeter)
Miles, Alfred H., ed. “Critical and Biographical Essay: Edward
Henry Bickersteth (1825-1906). Bartleby.com. N.d. http://www.bartleby.com/294/322.html. Accessed 26 Jan 2015.
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EDWARD HENRY BICKERSTETH, D.D., Bishop of Exeter, was the son
of the Rev. Edward Bickersteth, sometime Secretary of the Church Missionary
Society, and Rector of Walton, Herts, whose “Christian Psalmody,” published
in 1833, had great influence upon the progress of Christian song. Edward
Henry Bickersteth was born at Islington in the month of January 1825, and was
educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. with honours
1847, M.A. 1850. Taking Holy Orders, he became successively Curate of
Banningham, Norfolk, and Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells; Rector of
Hinton-Martell, 1852; Vicar of Christ Church, Hampstead, 1855; Dean of
Gloucester, and Bishop of Exeter, 1885.
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Bishop Bickersteth published “Poems” (1849);
“Water from the Well-Spring” (1852); “The Rock of Ages” (1858); “Commentary
on the New Testament” (1864); “Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever” (1867); “The
Spirit of Life” (1868); “The Two Brothers and other Poems” (1871); “The
Master’s Home Call” (1872); “The Reef and other Parables” (1873); “The
Shadowed House, and the Light Beyond” (1874); “Songs of the House of
Pilgrimage” (undated); and “From Year to Year” (1883). He also edited several
hymnals, the most important of which was “The Hymnal Companion to the Book of
Common Prayer” (1870).
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Of his original poems Bishop Bickersteth’s
“Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever” is the principal, though his choicest
verses will be found in the volume “From Year to Year.” The former work is a
blank-verse poem of twelve books, describing the death of a Christian and his
visions and experiences in the other world. The poem contains many fine
descriptions, and has been very popular, more than fifteen editions having
been called for. Of his shorter poems some have been widely used as hymns.
Julian says: “His thoughts are usually with the individual, and not with the
mass: with the single soul and his God, and not with the vast multitude bowed
in adoration before the Almighty. Hence, although many of his hymns are
eminently suited to congregational purposes, and have attained to a wide
popularity, yet his finest productions are those best suited for private
use.” The following selections from the volume “From Year to Year” will amply
bear out this criticism, and justify their place in this volume.
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