Posted by: rcottrill | November 25, 2009

Today in 1748 – Isaac Watts Died

Graphic Isaac WattsThe eldest of nine children, Isaac Watts was in frail health all of his life. And standing only five feet tall, with a large head, and a long hooked nose, he was not a physically imposing figure. He proposed marriage to a young woman named Elizabeth Singer, but she turned him down, saying, “Mr. Watts, I only wish I could admire the casket [the jewelry box] as much as I admire the jewel!” Rather than face such humiliation again, Watts became a lifelong bachelor.

But Isaac Watts was a genius. Sometimes that word is applied carelessly, but in this case it fits. As a boy, he was learning Latin at the age of four or five, Greek at the age of nine, French at twelve, and Hebrew by the time he was thirteen. He wrote 52 scholarly works on theology, and other subjects. His book on logic was used as a university text for the next century.

Yet with all his many accomplishments as an author and a pastor, it is Dr. Watts’s amazing facility with poetry that has left a lasting imprint on history. Known today as the “Father of English Hymnody,” he eventually wrote nearly 800 hymns (the Cyber Hymnal lists 787). His hymns are often strongly doctrinal, but he could express tender emotion too, as he does in this lovely lullaby hymn:

Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed,
Heav’nly blessings without number,
Gently falling on thy head.

And Watts wrote children’s hymns too, though we might not think of them as such today. There is nothing of the trite shallowness of Climb, Climb Up Sunshine Mountain in his song about creation, I Sing the Mighty Power of God, appearing in his book Divine Songs attempted in Easy Language, for the Use of Children–the first English hymnal written especially for children.

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

Join All the Glorious Names is a hymn Watts published in 1707, calling it originally Offices of Christ. In it, he extols the Lord Jesus Christ using some of His names and titles as found in Scripture. However, he confesses these are to limited to describe the infinite greatness of the Son of God.

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak His worth,
Too poor to set my Savior forth.

It is worthwhile to pause a moment and record Isaac Watts’s words on his deathbed. They reveal the faith and dedication of this great servant of God. To the one attending him he said:

If God should raise me up again, I may finish some more of my papers, or God can make use of me to save a soul, and that will be worth living for. If God has no more service for me to do, through grace I am ready; it is a great mercy to me that I have no manner of fear or dread of death….I trust all my sins are pardoned through the blood of Christ….I have no fear of dying.

(2) Today in 1871 – Mabel Camp Born
Mabel Johnston, a banker’s daughter, was a gifted pianist and alto soloist. She married a lawyer named Norman Camp, and they both came to Christ in Bible classes taught by outstanding American Bible teacher William Newell. She and her husband attended Moody Church in Chicago. Mrs. Camp wrote gospel songs herself, such as He Is Coming Again (published in 1913), and also composed tunes for the songs of others, as with the hymn I Know of a Name.

Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary,
See day’s approach now crimson the sky;
Night shadows flee, and your Belovèd,
Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh.

He is coming again, He is coming again,
The very same Jesus, rejected of men;
He is coming again, He is coming again,
With power and great glory, He is coming again!

(3) Today in 1929 – Elisha Hoffman Died
Elisha Albright Hoffman was the son of a clergyman, and he followed in his father’s footsteps,  pastoring churches in Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. He also wrote over 2,000 gospel songs, usually providing both words and music, and he edited 50 song books. Among the lyrics Hoffman wrote are:

Are You Washed in the Blood?
Down at the Cross
I Must Tell Jesus
Is Thy Heart Right with God?
Is Your All on the Altar?
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
What a Wonderful Saviour!

The latter hymn was published in 1891. It repeats the title phrase many times. But the repetition (as is the case with his song I Must Tell Jesus) helps to emphasize the point. Christ is a wonderful Saviour!

Christ has for sin atonement made
What a wonderful Saviour!
We are redeemed, the price is paid
What a wonderful Saviour!

What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Jesus!
What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Lord!

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 25, 2009

Singers Needed

I love choral work of any kind. Have both sung in, and led, choirs since I was in my teens. I can well remember how it all started. Our church choir met for its regular Thursday evening practice. We were all assembled and waiting, when the director walked in and announced that he was having some struggles in his life, and that he was resigning his position, effective immediately. After he left us, we sat there in stunned silence for a moment. Then several of the members turned to me and said, “Bob, you lead us!

I was a member of the bass section, but had no experience leading choirs. I’ve since had a bit of training in both voice and choral conducting, but not then. However, I did the best I could, and continued in that roll for a number of years. We were not professional singers, far from it. But we loved the Lord, and determined to serve Him to the best of our ability–which brings me a little closer to my point.

Effective choral work has always thrilled me, especially that of men’s voices. Have you ever heard any of the albums made by the British Festival of Male Voice Praise. The massed choirs are composed of men from many different groups coming together to sing. In my opinion, the result is inspiring. However, a reviewer commented on one of their recordings that, “For those who appreciate the fine craftsmanship and expertise of quality choral singing there is little here to admire and nothing to learn from….This is the honest, sincere but rather rough and basic sound of men praising God to the best of their ability.”

Well! I don’t know whether the critic knew it or not, but he actually paid them a great compliment! An “honest, sincere…sound of men praising God to the best of their ability.” He has just described the kind of from-the-heart singing that the Lord delights in. The Bible tells us, “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Sam. 16:7)

Not that I am at all denigrating skillful, trained choristers. What a blessing to hear some intricate choral work sung brilliantly. But we must not dismiss the untrained amateurs that make up most of our church choirs and ensembles. The word amateur literally means, after all, one who engages in an activity for the love of it. And if we combine a love of singing with a love for the Lord, we have a good basis to begin.

Practice and training there must be. We must not offer to the Lord that which is not our best. But if we can make a “joyful noise” that connects with the listener and communicates God’s truth, we have done well. More important that superb technique is singing with understanding and sincerity.

Beyond that, we practice to communicate as effectively as possible, in hopes that our singing will neither distract from the message nor hinder the Spirit’s working through it. We should not sing to demonstrate our own ability, but to exalt the Lord. He should be the focus. In a Bible book that offers a great deal of instruction about organization and training of temple choirs in Old Testament times, notice how it is emphasized over and again that God is both the subject and the prime audience of the singing.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! (I Chron. 16:8-10).

If that is our focus, we will bring glory to God and blessing to His people. In his song, Prayer Before Singing, Don Hustad says:

Touch Thou my lips,
Thy beauty let me see,
And fill my heart
With love, eternally,
That men may come to know
And adore Thee.
Lord, this prayer I bring;
Lord, for Thee I sing.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 24, 2009

Today in 1860 – George Croly Died

George Croly was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1780. When he was about 30 years of age he moved to London, and took up ministry there that lasted for the next 50 years. He reopened St. Stephen’s Church in a poor section of the city–a church that had been closed for a century. He proved himself to be a strong fundamentalist preacher, opposing liberalism of any kind. (In spite of the bad press the word fundamentalist has received in recent years, in Christianity, the word simply signifies one who adheres to the fundamental  or foundational doctrines of the Bible.)

George Croly also wrote copiously, books on history and biography, as well as on biblical subjects. In addition, he wrote a number of hymns, published in 1854 in a volume entitled Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship. Unfortunately, most copies of this book were destroyed in a fire. It is now an extremely rare volume. But one passionate hymn about the Holy Spirit has survived and is still much used, Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart. The text he superscribed as reflective of his song’s intent is: “If we live in the Spirit [i.e. through the new birth], let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).

Some might be concerned that Croly’s choice of phrasing seems to take us back at times into a pre-Pentecost environment. After all, the Spirit of God not only comes upon but permanently indwells every Christian at conversion (Rom. 8:9, 15). His presence is God’s seal upon us that we belong to Him (Eph. 1:13-14). But if we take Croly to be pleading simply for the active ministry of the Holy Spirit in his life, we can concur.

The baptizing work of the Spirit of God unites us to Christ and makes us a part of His spiritual body, the church (I Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:26-28). So to avoid a confusion of the ministries of the Spirit, some modern editors have changed the line in the last stanza where the author prays for “The baptism of the heaven-descended Dove” to “The kindling of the heaven-descended Dove.” But apart from these things, there are so many choice insights in the hymn it is very much worthy of our meditation.

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 23, 2009

Today in 1585 – Thomas Tallis Died

Thomas Tallis was England’s leading church musician during the reign of Henry VIII, and other Tudor monarchs that followed him. The composer lived through Henry’s conflict and final break with the Church of Rome, and he wrote music for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. Tallis served as an organist in Dover, then in London. Around 1543 he became “Gentleman of the Chapel Royal,” probably playing there and composing for the rest of his life.

Tallis is famous for writing the most complex choral work ever produced. Most commonly, choir pieces involve four parts (or voices) singing together–soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Occasionally a higher soprano obbligato is added for effect. But Tallis has given us a choral number in 40 parts, written for eight five-voiced choirs!

Thomas Tallis composed a few hymn tunes that are still in use four centuries after they were written. One is Tallis’ Canon used with All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night. And Tallis’ Ordinal is used with When All Thy Mercies, O My God.

(2) Today in 1872 – John Bowring Died
A prominent British statesman and linguist, John Bowring served two terms as a member of parliament, and was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1854. Bowring also wrote several hymns, including: In the Cross of Christ I Glory, God Is Love–His Mercy Brightens, and Watchman, Tell us of the Night.

(3) Today in 1895 – Sylvanus Phelps Died
Sylvanus Dryden Phelps was an American Baptist clergyman who pastored churches in Connecticut and Rhode Island. He also became editor of The Christian Secretary. His son attained wider fame than the father, being an author, critic and scholar, and professor of English at Yale University for 41 years. The son famously said, “This is the first test of a gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible value to him.”

Sylvanus Phelps wrote a number of books, of both poetry and prose. But he has left us only one fine hymn, written in 1862, Saviour, Thy Dying Love (also called Something for Thee). It was published under the heading, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6, KJV).

Robert Lowry, who wrote the tune, said, “It is worth living seventy years even if nothing comes of it but one such hymn.” Phelps, for his part, said of Lowry’s tune, “Dr. Lowry has given wings to my hymn.” It was the author’s wish that his tombstone recognize him for the hymn, and it was.

Saviour, Thy dying love Thou gavest me.
Nor should I aught withhold, dear Lord, from Thee.
In love my soul would bow, my heart fulfill its vow,
Some offering bring Thee now, something for Thee.

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee.
That each departing day henceforth may see
Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,
Some wanderer sought and won, something for Thee.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 22, 2009

Today in 1840 – Daniel Whittle Born

Born in Massachusetts, Daniel Webster Whittle was named after the famed New England attorney, statesman and politician Daniel Webster (1782-1852). He served in the American Civil War, attaining the rank of major. During one battle, he was severely wounded, losing an arm, and he ended up in a prisoner of war camp. It was during that time that he put his faith in Christ, and his conversion was unusual, to say the least.

Because of his injury, Whittle spent a long time in the prison hospital. Having nothing to read while he convalesced, he took up a New Testament his mother had packed in his belongings. He read and read, with great interest. A short time later, an orderly awoke him, saying a dying prisoner wanted him to pray with him. Seeing him reading his Bible, the hospital orderly had assumed he was a Christian, which he was not. But he finally agreed to make his way to the boy’s beside. Major Whittle says:

I dropped on my knees and held the boy’s hand in mine. In a few broken words I confessed my sins and asked Christ to forgive me. I believed right there that He did forgive me. I then prayed earnestly for the boy. He became quiet and pressed my hand as I prayed and pleaded God’s promises. When I arose from my knees, he was dead. A look of peace had come over his troubled face, and I cannot but believe that God who used him to bring me to the Saviour, used me to lead him to trust Christ’s precious blood and find pardon. I hope to meet him in heaven.

Daniel Whittle went on to become an effective evangelist after the war, and he wrote many gospel songs. Quite a few of these are still found in hymnals and gospel song books. Here are a few of them:

Beloved, Now Are We the Sons of God
Christ Liveth in Me
Have You Any Room for Jesus? (adapted from an anonymous poem)
I Know Whom I Have Believed
Moment by Moment
The Banner of the Cross
The Crowning Day Is Coming
There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
Why Not Now?

The song I Know Whom I Have Believed is based on the testimony of the Apostle Paul: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (II Tim. 1:12). It is a reminder that there are lots of things we do not know–at least, not yet. But what we can know for certain, based on the sure promises of God, is that Christ has the power to save and keep those who come to Him.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

(2) Today in 1900 – Arthur Sullivan Died
Arthur Seymour Sullivan was best known in his day for writing popular operettas with William Gilbert (such as H.M.S. Pinafore). But he wrote a wide variety of other music as well, including many hymn tunes. After he was knighted by Queen Victoria, some criticized him for “lowering” himself to write comic operas, but others praised the genius that enabled him to compose music in so many styles, and do it so well.

The most familiar of his hymn tunes, St. Gertrude, is used with Onward Christian Soldiers. The tune, written in 1871, was named in honour of a friend, Mrs. Gertrude Clay-Ker-Seymer. He often visited the family at their home in Dorsetshire, and wrote the melody there.

Sir Arthur Sullivan died of heart failure at his flat in London. A monument to his memory is inscribed with words from The Yeoman of the Guard, one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas: “Is life a boon [a blessing]? If so, it must befall that Death, whene’er he call, must call too soon.”

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 22, 2009

Good Hope by Grace

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. (II Thess. 2:16-17)

This is a prayer of the apostle for the believers in Thessalonica. It is a petition for their encouragement and strength in service. Also in the epistle we find a prayer for God’s blessing, and for His glory (1:11-12), a prayer for love and patience (3:5), and for peace (3:16). In our work for the Lord, we need all of these. And there is a companion prayer in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church:

Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (I Thess. 3:11-13)

God has loved us (Jn. 3:16) and given us “everlasting consolation [abiding comfort and encouragement]” due to our secure standing in grace (Rom. 5:2). Praise the Lord for His “good hope by grace!” It is “the hope of salvation” (I Thess. 5:8). And salvation is our present possession, by grace through faith, but there are many blessings reserved for us that are yet to be enjoyed.

That is our hope–the joyful certainty of future blessing. It is “a better hope,” when contrasted with the inability of the Mosaic Law to save (Heb. 7:19), tied to “the blessed hope” of Christ’s return (Tit. 2:13). And it is “a living hope” which guarantees the eternal blessing of all who believe (I Pet. 1:3-5).

All of this becomes not only a reassurance, but a strengthening resource that we might be equipped to speak for the Lord and to serve Him. Loving words and actions are to flow out of hearts that are encouraged and strengthened by Him. Or, to put it another way, the confidence that He will enable us to serve is rooted in an appreciation for the broad scope of His saving work through Christ.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 21, 2009

Today in 1837 – John Yates Born

John Henry Yates was born and died in Batavia, New York. He held a number of jobs over the years. In his early days he was a shoe salesman, as was D. L. Moody in his youth. Then he had a turn at being a newspaper editor, and a hardware store manager. In 1886, he became a Methodist pastor, later joining the Free Will Baptists.

It was in 1891, during his stint as an editor, that John Yates published the gospel song, Faith Is the Victory. It was one of several song texts that the author sent to musician Ira Sankey, so that he could supply tunes for them.

The basic theme of the hymn mentioned comes from I Jn. 5:4, “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.” That is, the born again Christian has the power available to have victory over the temptations of this evil world, and faith in God is the key to that victorious living.

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.

His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.

(2) Today in 1927 – James Clem Died
American composer James Bowman Overton Clem was the ne­phew of Meth­od­ist Epis­co­pal bi­shop Thom­as Bow­man, and the cousin of Virginia Clem, wife of author Edgar Allen Poe. We know little else about him, other than that he wrote the tune Far and Near for James Thompson’s missionary hymn of the same name. The song is based on the words of the Lord Jesus regarding the need of willing workers to serve Him:

The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest. (Matt. 9:37-38)

Far and near the fields are teeming
With the waves of ripened grain;
Far and near their gold is gleaming
O’er the sunny slope and plain.

Lord of harvest, send forth reapers!
Hear us, Lord, to Thee we cry;
Send them now the sheaves to gather
Ere the harvest time pass by.

O thou, whom thy Lord is sending,
Gather now the sheaves of gold;
Heav’nward then at evening wending,
Thou shalt come with joy untold.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 20, 2009

Today in 1850 – Fanny Crosby Converted

Frances Jane (Fanny) Crosby was blind from infancy, due to a doctor’s mistreatment of an eye infection. But not only did her blindness not seem to hinder her, she actually came to view it in a positive light. She said:

It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.

Graphic Fanny Crosby youngMiss Crosby, who later became Mrs. Alexander Van Alstyne, was the most prolific gospel song writer ever. The exact total of these selections may never be known, since she wrote under a bewildering array of pen names. (It is likely somewhere between 8,500 and 9,000 songs.)

Some hymn historians speak disdainfully of her output, saying most of it isn’t worth much. However, many of her songs have stood the test of time and continue to appear in hymnals. (Often more of her songs are included than those of any other writer.) And it is still possible to discover lovely gems among the thousands that have not been recently published.

With that many songs to her credit, it may come as a surprise that Fanny was not converted until she was 30 years old, and did not begin writing hymns for another 14 years! (She had written poetry since childhood, and produced a number popular songs, but no hymns before 1864.) This means she had to average writing about four hymns each week from then on! And that is simply an average. Some weeks the total was several times that.

Fanny Crosby put her faith in Christ at a Methodist revival meeting, and it was a hymn that God used to awaken her heart to Him. The congregation was singing Isaac Watts’s Alas, and Did My Saviour Bleed?, and the last stanza says:

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe;
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
‘Tis all that I can do.

Fanny says as the last line was sung, “I surrendered myself to the Saviour, and my very soul was flooded with celestial light.” She was captivated by the love of Christ.

Then, when she was 44 years old, she met gospel music composer William Bradbury. (Bradbury gave us the tunes for Just As I Am, He Leadeth Me, Sweet Hour of Prayer, and many more.) He said, on meeting Fanny Crosby, “I thank God that we have at last met, for I think you can write hymns, and I have wished for a long time to have a talk with you.” He challenged her to come back in one week with a hymn he could set to music, and she did. Here is how Fanny Crosby’s very first hymn begins:

We are going, we are going
To a home beyond the skies,
Where the fields are robed in beauty
And the sunlight never dies.
Where the fount of joy is flowing
In the valley green and fair,
We shall dwell in love together,
There shall be no parting there.

William Bradbury was thrilled, and determined to use the song in the hymn book he was presently editing. Then, he gave Fanny a test–without telling her he was doing it. He said he needed a patriotic song to go with a melody he had written. The tune he played for her was a fiendishly complicated one, but he wanted to see whether she could handle it.

Fanny returned a day later with the song requested, presenting it to Bradbury’s secretary. The latter responded in open-mouthed astonishment, “How in the world did you manage to write that hymn? Nobody ever supposed that you, or any mortal, could adapt words to that melody!” (The rest, as they say, is history!)

(2) Today in 1872 – I Need Thee Every Hour sung
On this date in 1872, Annie Hawks’s hymn I Need Thee Every Hour was sung for the very first time by the 3,000 delegates at the National Baptist Sunday School Convention, in Cincinnati, Ohio. It became an instant favourite.

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 19, 2009

Today in 1861 – The Battle Hymn of the Republic written

This hymn by Julia Ward Howe was born during the American Civil War. The author heard soldiers singing the tune with other lyrics, and determined to write something that would contain more worthy sentiments. She says:

I awoke in the grey of the morning, and as I lay waiting for dawn, the long lines of the desired poem began to entwine themselves in my mind, and I said to myself, “I must get up and write these verses, lest I fall asleep and forget them!” So I sprang out of bed and in the dimness found an old stump of a pen, which I remembered using the day before. I scrawled the verses almost without looking at the paper.

Graphic Abraham LincolnWhen the song was sung at a rally later, President Lincoln shouted, with tears streaming down his face, “Sing it again!” The hymn was also sung at the inauguration of Ronald Reagan.

In Howe’s original version, written in wartime, when soldiers were giving their lives for their country’s survival, the last line of the fifth stanza was “Let us die to make men free.” Contemporary versions change this to “Let us live to make men free.
If you have never heard the stirring 1944 arrangement by Peter Wilhousky, it is worth a listen. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir made a million-selling recording of it in 1959.

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

(2) Today in 1866 – Tell Me the Old, Old Story written
Graphic Story TellerThe painting to the left has been in our family for generations. I was told as a child that the one boy was sad because he had been unable to sell his papers. But the other boy encouraged him kindly by telling him of the love of Jesus.

We all enjoy a good story. And English hymn writer Arabella Katherine Hankey, the daughter of a banker, had one to tell. In her early thirties she contracted a serious illness that left her bedridden for an extended period. She determined to tell the story of the life of Christ by writing a long poem about it.

Two gospel songs have been taken from this poem. In the first section, which the author called “The Story Wanted,” are found the words of Tell Me the Old, Old Story. From the second section, “The Story Told,” we have the song I Love to Tell the Story.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

(3) Today in 1885 – Haldor Lillenas Born
Haldor Lillenas was born in Norway, and came to the United States when a child. His family settled in South Dakota, later moving to Oregon. Lillenas was a pastor and evangelist, but we know him today chiefly as a prolific gospel song writer. He founded the Lillenas Music Company, and worked there until his retirement in 1950.

Mr. Lillenas wrote some 4,000 song texts and tunes. His lovely song, Wonderful Peace speaks of our peace with God through Christ (cf. Rom. 5:1-2).

Coming to Jesus, my Saviour, I found
Wonderful peace, wonderful peace;
Storms in their fury may rage all around,
I have peace, sweet peace.

Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
Peace, peace, glorious peace;
Since my Redeemer has ransomed my soul,
I have peace, sweet peace.

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Posted by: rcottrill | November 18, 2009

Today in 1849 – Kelso Carter Born

Few men have managed to have a varied career such as Russell Kelso Carter’s. He attended the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and was a star athlete there (in baseball and gymnastics). After graduation in 1867, he was hired to teach at the academy–chemistry, natural science, civil engineering, and higher mathematics.

Then, for three years, he was a sheep rancher in California. Later he was ordained as a Methodist clergyman, and was active in the camp meetings of the day. He wrote many books–on mathematics, science, and religion–and authored several novels. He helped A. B. Simpson edit the first edition of Hymns of the Christian Life, a hymnal still in use by the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination. And finally, Kelso Carter became a medical doctor in Baltimore!

As if all of this were not enough, Kelso Carter also wrote dozens of hymns, often including both words and music. Most are forgotten today, but many hymn books still contain Standing on the Promises, for which he provided both words and music. It appears to have been written during his years at the military academy, and one can almost hear the steady march of the cadets in the 4/4 rhythm of the song.

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Saviour;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

That is a firm foundation on which to stand, the sure promises of the living God. As King Solomon put it, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (I Kgs. 8:56). A stanza of Mr. Carter’s song not usually used today says:

Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

(2) Today in 1945 – William Ovens Died
The background of a hymn attributed to Ovens came to light after a long search–a search that still goes on! William Gilbert Ovens was an English clergyman who, for over 30 years, conducted Graphic W G Ovenschildren’s meetings in Northern Ireland under the Children’s Special Service Mission (now a part of Scripture Union). The hymn that bears his name is Wounded for Me. But none of my resources gave any information on the song. Finally, contacting Scripture Union in Britain yielded the following story.

One day in the years following the First World War, W. G. Ovens saw a wounded veteran limping past on the street and was impressed by the thought that, in a sense, the young man had taken that wound for him. After the soldier passed by, he instantly drew a parallel to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Bible says was “wounded for our transgressions” (Isa. 53:5).

Ovens was a man with a single purpose in life. It was said of him “the consuming passion of his life was Jesus Christ–to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him, to share with others the joy he found in Him, to lead others to Him, and to draw still others nearer to Him.” And one observed, “There was no shadow of compromise with him. He had no time for half-heartedness or lukewarmness.” After the above incident, Ovens wrote a little chorus that says:

Wounded for me, wounded for me,
There on the cross He was wounded for me;
Gone my transgressions and now I am free,
All because Jesus was wounded for me.

Later the chorus was expanded into a hymn by Gladys Watkin (or Westcott?) Roberts (1888-?).  I still have not been able to get any more information on Roberts.  But she added four more stanzas that complete the picture of Jesus dying for me, risen for me, living for me, finally ending with:

Coming for me, coming for me,
One day to earth He is coming for me;
Then with what joy His dear face I shall see,
O how I praise Him–He’s coming for me!

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