Violet Hay

by Joyce Voysey

I’ve come to the beloved hymn 136, with words by Violet Hay, “I love Thy way of freedom, Lord”.  Violet Hay has given us the words of seven of our hymns; each one beloved of Christian Scientists.  But this is special. 

It is recorded that hymn 136 was known in England (I think in World War II) as “The Airman’s Song of Praise.”  I knew I had a record of this fact somewhere, but it took a while to remember where it was.  Longyear Historical Society’s Mary Baker Eddy Museum and Historic Sites put out a publication of pictures of early workers in the Christian Science movement, called Pioneers of Christian Science.  (I can’t find a publication date.  Yes.  I have it – 1972.)  It contains photos and brief biographies and Violet Hay is one of them.  She was on the committee which worked to revise the 1932 edition of the Hymnal.  Both Violet Hay and Maria Louise Baum were modest in referring in the Hymnal Notes to their own contributions to that marvellous compilation.

 

Violet Hay was a Londoner.  She entered the public practice of Christian Science in 1901 and helped establish First Church of Christ, Scientist in London.  She had Primary Class with Edward Kimball and Normal Class with Judge Hanna, becoming a teacher in 1907.  By 1915 she was listed as a teacher and practitioner in Cape Town, and was Committee on Publication for South Africa.