1822–1891

Introduction

portrait

Born: Feb­ru­ary 7, 1822, Fish­kill, New York.

Died: Sep­tem­ber 8, 1891, Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois.

Buried: Rose­hill Ce­metery and Mau­so­le­um, Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois.

Biography

Ganse’s fa­mi­ly moved to New York Ci­ty in 1825. He gra­du­at­ed from Co­lum­bia Col­lege in 1839, stu­died theo­lo­gy at the New Bruns­wick (Re­formed Dutch) Se­mi­na­ry, New Jer­sey, and was or­dained in 1843.

From 1843–56 he was a Re­formed Dutch pas­tor in Free­hold, New Jer­sey. From 1856–66 he was pas­tor of the North­west Re­formed Dutch Church in New York. On January 1, 1876, he be­came pas­tor of the First Pres­by­te­ri­an Church in St. Lou­is, Mis­sou­ri.

Upon the or­ga­ni­za­tion of the Pres­by­te­ri­an Board of Aid for Col­leg­es and Acad­e­mies in 1883, Ganse was elect­ed its sec­re­ta­ry, and moved to Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois, to per­form those du­ties.

Works

Poem

Teach Thou Me

What I know not teach Thou me:
To my opened eyes unfold
More than mortal sense can see—
More than mortal heart can hold—
Show me Christ on Calvary.

What I know not teach Thou me:
Show me all my hidden sin;
Break its power, and set me free.
Pure without and pure within
Let Thy ransomed servant be.

What I know not teach Thou me:
In Thy vineyard choose my place.
Make me wise thy choice to see.
Give me skill in ways of grace,
Leading many souls to Thee.

What I know not teach Thou me:
On those heights which saints have trod
In their Master’s company,
Lead me in the light of God;
Let Thy servant walk with Thee.

What I know not teach Thou me:
Check me where I cross Thy will.
As my fading visions flee,
Bid my thwarted heart be still,
And, rejoicing, wait on Thee.

What I know not teach Thou me:
When with tangled feet I stand,
Held by toils I cannot see,
Let me keep Thy guiding hand;
Step by step my leader be.

What I know not teach Thou me:
When I seem forsaken quite,
And my fears rise like the sea,
Let me feel Thine arm of might
Fold me in its panoply.

What I know not teach Thou me:
When my darkest hour shall come,
Whilst I wait and watch for Thee,
Lift the veil and take me home;
Let Thy child Thy glory see!

Hervey Doddridge Ganse
Poems and Hymns, 1892

Sources

Lyrics