O Day of Rest and Gladness

This hymn was written in 1862 by Christopher Wordsworth, nephew of the well-known poet William Wordsworth.  The author originally called it simply, “Sunday.”

One Sunday morning there was a visitor to the home of Bishop Wordsworth, a man who was to lead the service in church that day. Wordsworth put his arm around him and said, “Come upstairs with me. The ladies are going to sing a hymn to encourage you in your labour for the day.” So he went, and heard this hymn, copied on slips of paper. He didn’t know until days later that Christopher Wordsworth had written it himself.