Ann Ross Cousin

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AS John the Baptist "wrought no miracle," so Samuel Rutherford, so far as we are aware, wrote no hymn. The lines ascribed to him as, "The Last Words of Samuel Rutherford" were written by a Scotch lady, in Melrose, named Ann Ross Cousin, and were first published in The Christian Treasury as late as 1857. This highly gifted lady was the daughter of Dr. David Ross Cundell of Leith, and became the wife of Rev. William Cousin, "an honored clergyman of the Free Church of Scotland.”
In 1876 a volume was published, called Immanuel's Land and Other Pieces, by A. R. C. The volume, besides "Immanuel's Land," contained one hundred and six other pieces, "all of which are spiritual and good for private reading," a competent critic declares. But the poem which gave title to the book is by far the best, and is destined to be read with delight by Christian hearts while the English language endures.
“Matchless stanzas" and "exquisite piece of poetry" are descriptions which none who read them would question.
"Glory Dwelleth in Immanuel's Land.”—by Ann Ross Cousin
The sands of time are sinking,
The dawn of heaven breaks,
The summer morn I've sighed for-
The fair sweet morn awakes.
Dark, dark hath been the midnight,
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The King there in His beauty
Without a veil is seen;
It were a well-spent journey
Though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb with His fair army
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
Oh, Christ! He is the fountain—
The deep sweet well of love!
The streams on earth I've tasted,
More deep I'll drink above!
There, to an ocean fullness,
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
With mercy and with judgment
My web of time He wove,
And aye the dews of sorrow
Were lustered with His love.
I'll bless the hand that guided,
I'll bless the heart that planned,
When throned where glory dwelleth,
In Immanuel's land.
Oh, I am my Beloved's,
And my Beloved's mine!
He brings a poor vile sinner
Into His "house of wine!”
I stand upon His merit,
I know no safer stand,
Not e'en where glory dwelleth,
In Immanuel's land.
The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of Grace—
Not at the crown He giveth,
But on His pierced hand:—
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land.
But while the versification is that of Mrs. Cousin, "the thoughts contained in it, and most of its peculiar expressions were uttered by Samuel Rutherford himself while he was lying on his death-bed," and "these telling and intense expressions of the dying saint, with a few others like them, were wrought skilfully into the poem." Rutherford is as the miner who found and furnished the gems, while Mrs. Cousin was as the skillful jeweler who sorted and arranged them into a chaplet for the king.
Rutherford was born at Nisbet, Roxburghshire, Scotland, in the year 1600. "He was educated in Edinburgh, and in 1621 received the degree of Master of Arts. Soon after this he was appointed Professor of Humanity in that center of Scottish literary life. But he seems to have preferred to preach; for his name disappears from the office four years later." We next find him settled as "minister" over the little town of Anwoth. Speaking of this place in later years, he said, "There did I wrestle with the angel and prevailed. Woods, trees, meadows, and hills are my witnesses that I drew on a fair match between Christ and Anwoth.”
From Anwoth he issued a volume which gained for him an invitation to a professorship on the Continent. Two offers were made him, in fact—one from Utrecht and another from Hardewyck. From this time his troubles began; he was cited to appear before the Court of High Commission, July 27, 1636, and was subsequently deprived of his parish at Anwoth. The things laid to his charge were of an ecclesiastical nature; it was the old story of the high priests, Annas and Caiaphas, jealous of their authority and moved with envy against Christ's faithful witness.
Rutherford was banished to Aberdeen, but political changes restored him to his old charge two years later; and in 1639 he was made professor at St. Andrew's, In 1643 he was sent to London as one of the members of the historic Westminster Assembly, where he spent "four serious and perilous years." After the Restoration, in 1660, he was again subjected to bitter and persistent persecutions, which ended with his being summoned to appear before the next Parliament on the charge of High Treason. But the summons found him ill and like to die; and the court prepared to try him received the treasured and characteristic answer: "I am summoned before a higher court and judicatory; that first summons I behoove to answer; and ere a few days arrive, I shall be where few kings and great folks come.''
He died at St. Andrew's, March 20, 1661. Late in the afternoon of the final day of his stormy life, just as the sun was sinking, he was asked by one of the friends standing by his couch, "What think ye now of Christ?" To which he gave answer: "Oh, that all my brethren in the land may know what a Master I have served, and what peace I have this day! I shall sleep in Christ, and when I awake, I shall be satisfied with His likeness. This night shall close the door, and put my anchor within the veil; and I shall go away in a sleep by five of the clock in the morning. Glory! glory to my Creator and my Redeemer forever! I shall live and adore Him. Oh, for arms to embrace Him! Oh, for a well-tuned harp! Glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel's land!”
At precisely five in the morning, as predicted, he crossed the border into Immanuel's land, there to feast his eyes on "the King in His beauty.”