Introduction
Words: John Buttress, probably 1778, alt.
This hymn in the American Meth. Episc. Hys. 1849, 1879, and others, is given in [Lowell] Mason and [David] Greene’s [Church] Psalmody, 1831, as from the Evang. Mag.
It is essentially different from the hymn Hail, sacred truth, thou source of peace, in the Gospel Mag., 1778, p. 55, and there signed
John Buttress.John Julian, p. 1568
Music: Ballerma François H. Barthélémon (1741–1808). Adapted by Robert Simpson in A Selection of Original Sacred Music, 1833 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you have access to a good picture of Buttress (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels), or a better one of Barthélémon,