The composer writes: The words for this short anthem are derived from A Hymn for Easter Day, with a text by the eighteenth-century Lancashire poet John Byrom. Byrom’s hymn was evidently popular, and was sung in churches in England. According to a book called Memorials of Hindley (a memoir of daily life in the town of Hindley, Lancashire, published in 1873), the hymn was a favourite of an amateur singer named Timothy Eatock, who used to sing the opening verse as a solo in the local church. This Timothy Eatock was, I believe, my great-great-great-great grandfather.

TEXT

The Lord is risen! He, who came
To suffer death and conquer too,
Is risen; let our song proclaim
The praise to man’s Redeemer due:
To Him, whom God, in tender love,
Always alike to bless inclin’d,
Sent to redeem us, from above;
To save, to sanctify mankind.
Worthy of all pow’r and praise,
He who died and rose again;
Lamb of God, and slain to raise
Man, to life redeem’d.
Amen.