Ward had initially composed the song's melody in 1882 to accompany lyrics to "Materna", basis of the hymn, "O Mother dear, Jerusalem", though the hymn was not first published until 1892.
wˈɔːɹd hæd ɪnˈɪʃəli kəmpˈoʊzd ðə sˈɔŋz mˈɛlədi ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː tʊ ɐkˈʌmpəni lˈɪɹɪks tuː "mətˈɜːnə", bˈeɪsɪs ʌvðə hˈɪm, "ˈoʊ mˈʌðɚ dˈɪɹ, dʒɚɹˈuːsələm", ðˌoʊ ðə hˈɪm wʌz nˌɑːt fˈɜːst pˈʌblɪʃt ʌntˈɪl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː.