1819–1901

Introduction

Born: June 11, 1819, German­town, Penn­syl­van­ia.

Died: June 6, 1901, Mont­clair, New Jer­sey.

Buried: Green-Wood Ce­me­te­ry, Brook­lyn, New York.

Biography

Bourne was the hus­band of Adel­ia El­la Mar­tin.

A so­cial re­form­er and au­thor, he served as chap­lain of Cen­tral Park Hos­pi­tal, a mi­li­ta­ry hos­pi­tal in New York Ci­ty.

He al­so ed­it­ed The Sol­diers’ Friend, a news­let­ter for ci­vil war vet­er­ans.

Works

Poem

Hymn for the National Fast

September 26th, 1861

Thy so­ver­eign law eter­nal stands,
Great God! for Thine is pow­er su­preme;
And judgment cometh from thy hands,
Till mercy sheds her milder beam.

In deep distress, before Thy throne
We bow, submissive to Thy rod;
Our sins like mountains vast have grown,
While Thou hast blessed the path we trod.

A nation guilty in Thy sight,
Thy pardoning love we contrite seek;
Oh! make Thy righteousness our might—
Without Thine aid we all are weak.

Save now the people, ere Thy wrath
Shall burn in judgments more severe;
Withhold Thy vengeance in its path—
O God of Nations! lend Thine ear.

Turn now Thine anger, gracious Lord!
Bid war in all our land to cease,
Till every soul, in Christ restored,
Shall worship in a sinless peace.

William Oland Bourne
Poems of the Re­pub­lic, 1864

Sources

Lyrics

Help Needed

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Bourne (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),