We end the First Round with a matchup between two musicians, Isaac Watts and Catherine Winkworth. Naturally, we're calling this the Battle of the Bands. Watts was a prolific Anglican hymn writer whose greatest hits catalogue would be well known to church goers. Winkworth, also a Brit, is credited with bringing the German chorale tradition to the English-speaking world.
Yesterday, Martin de Porres trounced John of Beverley 84% to 16% and will face Dymphna in the next round.
It's hard to believe, but the Saintly Sixteen begins tomorrow! Vote today and stay tuned. Our Lenten journey continues...
Isaac Watts
Isaac Watts, famously thought of as the father of English hymnody, was born in Southampton, England, on July 17, 1674. Whereas many English people were members of the Church of England, Isaac’s identity as a Nonconformist shaped his vocation and ministry. He received a classical education in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew and demonstrated a proclivity to rhyme at an early age. As he grew older and progressed in his studies, he was offered a scholarship to study at Oxford or Cambridge as a candidate for ordination in the Church of England. He refused this opportunity and chose to study at the Dissenting Academy at Stoke Newington. He was ordained as a Nonconformist minister in 1702 and served a congregation in London for ten years.
Isaac is credited with writing between 600 and 750 hymns, a quarter of which are still in popular use. Many of his hymns were metrical adaptations of the psalms for use in English-speaking congregations. His hymn-writing was said to flow from his own personal faith, described as “gentle, quiet, sturdy, and deeply devout.” The Hymnal 1982 contains seventeen of Isaac’s hymns including “Joy to the world,” “From all that dwell below the skies,” and “When I survey the wondrous cross.”
In addition to hymns, Isaac wrote a textbook called Logic. The full name of the book likely did not fit on the cover: Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences. The book defined logic as a practical art and became a standard text in universities and among philosophers.
Isaac spent the last few decades of his life largely out of the public eye because of health complications. He continued writing sermons and hymns as well as writing on less religious topics such as the English language and logic. He died in 1748.
Collect for Isaac Watts
God of truth and grace, you gave Isaac Watts singular gifts to present your praise in verse, that he might write psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for your Church: Give us grace joyfully to sing your praises now and in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Catherine Winkworth
Born in 1827, Catherine Winkworth had a way with words. When Catherine was a sixteen-year-old British school girl, General Charles James Napier conquered the Indian province of Sindh. The conquest was unauthorized and brutal. When Catherine heard about it, she told her teacher that Napier’s dispatch should have read “Peccavi,” Latin for “I have sinned.” It was a dark twist on what the dispatch presumably was,“I have Sindh.”
The pun was sent to the humor magazine, Punch, and became a meme that traveled through history.
Catherine’s cleverness continued to serve her well in her calling. She translated hundreds of German hymns into English and introduced English audiences to the German chorale tradition. She labored to make sure that the translated songs retained the poetry, rhythm, and meaning of the originals.
In 1852, Catherine began to work among the poor in the Sunday School and District Visiting Society. This society gathered volunteer teams to visit poor people in their homes to provide help and comfort. Long after she left this work, Catherine received letters from the people she met and helped. Her compassion was evident in her translation of biographies of founders of sisterhoods for the poor and sick: Life of Pastor Fliedner and Life of Amelia Sieveking. Winkworth not only served people who lived in poverty, but she also had a passion for women’s rights and advocated for higher education for women and girls.
In 1878, Catherine went to care for her nephew, who was disabled. Soon after, she had a pain in her heart and died within an hour.
Collect for Catherine Winkworth
Comfort your people, O God of peace, and prepare a way for us in the desert, that, like your poet and translator Catherine Winkworth, we may preserve the spiritual treasures of your saints of former years and sing our thanks to you with hearts and hands and voices, eternal triune God whom earth and heaven adore; for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
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202 comments on “Isaac Watts vs. Catherine Winkworth”
Today I go with the pure musician Isaac.... “gentle, quiet, sturdy, and deeply devout.”
We have a great many entries in this year's Saints brackets who did wonderful work in reaching out to poor and hurting, so while appreciate Catherine's work in this regard.. and am happy to learn about her... the direct musical contribution is what moves me to include Isaac in those who are moving on to the next series of choices.
There is data that our connection to music and songs goes deep into our souls... such that people deeply into alzheimers actually "come out" as it were, when music they love is played for them.... an amazing gift of God's grace for us that we don't always appreciate.
SO it's Isaac for me.
Perhaps you, as well as many others, mean “pure poet.” Watts did not write the music, and while many of his texts remain favorites, the chorales associated with Winkworth’s translations are far superior to the tunes associated with Watts’ hymns. But I’m not going pure musician. The work with the poor and the fabulous pun did it for me.
But Isaac Watts was not a musician, he was a poet.
My vote is for Catherine Winkworth. I admire and respect anyone who can take a song or a poem in one language and translate it into another language that scans and makes sense while not losing the flavor of the original. I checked the Episcopal hymnal that we use currently and discovered there are several hymns translated by Ms Winkworth that I love and treasure for their message. Not that I don't love Isaac Watts, but I find that the added talent of Ms Winkworth more compelling.
His hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," clinched him for me. Also, my younger son is named Isaac. Very close call though.
Apocryphal story: When Isaac was a little boy, he drove his father to distraction with his unceasing rhymes. Father Watts warned Isaac repeatedly to stop with the couplets, but Isaac seemed compelled, and he continued to state everything in that form until his father, exasperated beyond all reason, finally took up a (statutorily permitted) stick to try to beat the rhyming out of Isaac. After a few smacks, Isaac cried out,
“Oh, Father! Do some pity take,
And I’ll no longer verses make!”
This one was tough, but I did a bit more reading. Watts was a a bit of a dissenter, and committed to education of children regardless of class and to women’s education. Because the music is wonderful, and he was so much more complicated than the music, Isaac for me today. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/isaac-watts
My favorite "Joy to the World" is by 3 Dog Night. Isaac's other songs are
inspiring & I love his logical approach (a medieval Mr. Spock, b4 his time)
But its Catherine, her puns & causes that win my vote today.
How could I not vote for Isaac?
First, my congregation sings a variant of his "From all that dwell below skies" every week; who doesn't sing "Joy to the World" every year?; and "O God Our Help in Ages Past" is a personal favorite.
AND he was a Nonconformist who was (depending on which scholar you ask) either a closet Unitarian or at least sympathetic to Unitarians and opposed their persecution in England by the Anglican Church. As a Unitarian myself, I feel like one of my people (or at least an ally) finally made it into the running!
Watts was a big defender of many religious minorities excluded by the Church of England, so he's not only a hymn writer without whom much of our worship would look radically different, he's a model for religious tolerance and lifting up faith over denominational affiliation.
Vote Watts!
Catherine's translation of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" was the clincher for me. In earlier years I had wondered who she was and looked her up in the Britannica. No matter how much I like "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross", her translations have it all over his CM hymns.
It is hard to resist a nonconformist. I have been known to lean in that direction occasionally. I voted for Winkworth because of her outreach to the poor and women. The hymns are a couple of my favorites but Catherine gets this round from me.
I voted for Catherine but would like to see Isaac in a future Lent Madness as he shaped the faith of so many.
I voted for Issac for reasons many and complex, but ultimately because of his celebrity blogger: The Reverend Marcus Halley. READ THIS MAN! Click on his name at the bottom of Issac’s bio and look at his site. Start with the top essay:
“It’s time to tell the truth.” It is, indeed.
Pilgrim Gregory, I followed your suggestion and went to Marcus Halley's blog. Wow! Thank you for the suggestion. Definitely "Like".
Sad to say and hard to admit but I'd never heard of Catherine. In her honor and to make up for my ignorance...oooh! That sounds so harsh! Well, to acknowledge that I now know more than I did due to LENTMADNESS, she gets my vote.
Again, we had a tough one but Catherine got my vote. Translating choralea, which I love to hear, overshadowed Isaac's many hymns, today.
I do not understand the tally. Winkworth cannot compare with Watts in terms of spiritual insight, productivity, and legacy. Look at your hymnal. Watts created new hymns, Winkworth merely translated German hymns (some of them superb of course). We are indebted to both but without question Watts has a deeper influence on Episcopalian culture. As a cradle Episcopalian, an important reason I worship in the Episcopal church is its music and language. We should not underestimate this portion of our heritage.
I am tempted to think this year's March madness has a subtle gender bias.
Ahh, do not dis translation, it is harder than you would think! But, I went with Isaac too. I mean come on, he wrote "Joy to the World!" As for the gender bias, I think what you are noticing is that people are thrilled that this year's bracket is at least nearly 50% female, as compared to last years which hardly had any women saints. I don't know if there are just not as many female saints as males or what, but no matter what it is not good. We do make up half of the population. It is telling to me that 50% female feels like a lot to me. It should feel normal, but alas, it doesn't. Nevertheless, I agree, go Isaac!
Not everyone who plays Lent Madness is Episcopalian. I'm a Lutheran at heart and Catherine Winkworth's translations first caught my notice when I attended a Lutheran church in my early 20's. I'm pleased she's finally getting some recognition.
Also, I know this is a minority opinion, but I've always found "Joy to the World" grating.
I did look at my hymnal, a lot, as a cradle Christian. I saw Winkworth's name, a lot, but her contributions were never celebrated or explained. Probably I need to go scream into a pillow at the suggestion doing so now is 'no fair to men'!
I love "Joy to the World" but one of the joys of Lent Madness is the opportunity to go deeper into Christian tradition and find some lasts to be firsts for a few shining and maybe even golden moments.
Today my vote is for Catherine in gratitude for one of the most frequently sung unsung saints of God!
Oh well. There's been a subtle male bias in the church and most cultures around the world for ummm, millennia. I don't think we should regret that in this little bit of recreational education, males and females are finally on an equal footing. Count up the numbers of male vs. female Golden Halos to date. Male saints have still prevailed more often than female saints.
AARRGGHH! "Winkworth merely translated German hymns..." Please, no!
I agree wth you.
I know I'm going against the grain in voting for Isaac, but you got to love a guy who both appreciates the power of hymns and writes them but also can write an argument on logic.
Dangle ye modifiers while ye may.
The Devlins stick together.
Nonconformist resonates with most saints.
Went with Catherine Winkworth initially b/c of my love of Lutheran chorale settings (a joy to sing). She's represented by 10 hymns in 1982, but curiously that hymnal in its pew form gives only 5 of them in SATB, the remainder in unison despite the great melodies by German and French (Goudimel) composers. Fortunately for me, 655 If thou but trust in God to guide thee, a longtime favorite, is printed in SATB form. Those that aren't I'll attempt them if the organist provide a little coaching. Altogether, Catherine has given us pretty respectable number of texts, slightly more than half of Isaac Watts's 17. But then I read about Catherine's work *among* the poor, *against* imperial arrogance, and *for* women's rights. Having come to Lent Madness this morning fresh from a viewing of Prime Minister's Question Time in the Westminster Parliament's House of Commons--where angry MP's from all parties were raising questions about the homeless, women's rights, British arms deals, and education made sharper by the state visit of Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman taking place today--well, what could I do but vote for Catherine, who undoubtedly would haven MBS a piece of her mind, Prince or no Prince!
Gotta go with Isaac Watts, whose hymns prevailed in my childhood at Kenilworth Union Church!
Isaac Watts.
A vote for Catherine today. She was a Christian Educator who used her musical gifts to teach and heal the soul as well as caring for those left behind by society. Besides, we all know that those who sing pray twice.
Or more depending on number of rehearsal, Sue.
Although Isaac Watts wrote some of my favorite hymns, I must go with Catherine for her works for the poor and women, as well as against oppression.
From one nonconformist who took a path less traveled for college, my glass is raised for Isaac today .. in goes the vote.
Plus, the world could use a bit more joy these days!
This was a tough one. It seems that Catherine, who served the poor and women who needed help, is traveling on the tide in this, the year of women.
I was going to go with Isaac, because of his contribution to logic in the world, which should be used all the time. The world would be a much better place if more people applied logic to their arguments.
But then Catherine’s work with the poor won me over. This morning I saw a video taken of a homeless camp in our area, with terrible, hateful commentary about the homeless. The man actually went into the place where people have found a place to sleep and instead of offering any kind word, acted as though they were a smelly pest control problem. So a saint who went into people’s homes and offered help and comfort hit my heart.
At last, the source of "peccavi," long a favorite. Cynthia, I sat in front of you in church for years. Thank you for that lovely pun.
Sided with Isaac because the Episcopal hymnal, including many of his, has a special place in my spiritual journey and that original book title made me laugh at its ridiculous length.
I just feel the vote is swayed by the East Coast. I'm in Colorado and by the time I get on to vote, there is a lead but then that lead always seems to win. West Coast folks, maybe we need to vote more. Get out and vote! Please!
I am in Indiana. I often don't get to reading the choices and voting until the evening, so I try to read and make my choice before I read the comments or check who is ahead. Otherwise, I feel I am swayed by the numbers and the comments. And, this week, I was out of state for 5 days (in Colorado) and voted a couple of days late on my chart. It was hard not to read ahead of the results or the comments.
Tough choice. Watts has 17 hymns in The Hymnal 1982, but 9 of Winkworth's translations are in the hymnal (one of them twice, two tunes), including some I really love, like "If thou but trust in God to guide thee," "Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates," and "Now thank we all our God." And then there is her work with the poor, with the stories of those she inspired. And I want to hear more about her. But I'm interested in Watts too. Decisions, decisions. Going with Winkworth.
This has been the most difficult choice so far. I so love Isaac Watts' hymns, and only to a small lesser degree, Catherine Wickworth's. However, her work among the poor turns her into my favor, so Catherine it is. So sorry, Isaac.
A sharp mind, service to the poor, women's rights, being actively WITH the people she served, in their homes, if they had them, in their daily environment: Catherine Winkworth gets my vote.