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Hymns

Arise, My Soul, Arise

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Words: Charles Wesley (b. Dec. 18, 1707; d. March 29, 1788)
Music: Lenox (also called Edson), by Lewis Edson (b. Jan. 22, 1748; d. ____, 1820)

Note: Charles Wesley was the hymn writing partner of his brother, preacher John Wesley. God used the team to bring spiritual light and revival to England in the eighteenth century. Charles wrote over 6,000 hymns, and many are found in hymnbooks printed today. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Love Divine, All Loves Excelling; Jesus, Lover of My Soul; Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; Soldiers of Christ, Arise; O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing; And Can It Be? and many more came from his pen.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Our sleep is necessary and therapeutic, But sleeping at the wrong time can be a problem. I heard of a fellow who used to fall asleep in church. One Sunday, as a practical joke, a friend nudged him and whispered, “The pastor wants you to close in prayer.” Flustered, he stood up and began to pray–in the middle of the service! (I wonder if that cured him of nodding off!)

There are other circumstances in which people sleep on. Some do so in the morning, when it’s time to stir and get on with the day. I know of one who sets three alarm clocks, one at the head of the bed, another–a loud one–across the room, and a third in a nearby room. Often it’s to no avail. The sleeper slumbers on, with bells ringing and buzzers buzzing.

The Bible sometimes uses sleep to picture a lack of awareness of spiritual things.

To the sinner in darkness, Scripture says, “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:14).

To Christians who need to guard against temptation and spiritual lethargy, comes this exhortation: “Let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober” (I Thess. 5:6).

And since we don’t know the time of Christ’s return, we need to be alert, and active in our service for Him. “Owe no one anything except to love one another….And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer [i.e. the final consummation of it] than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:8, 11).

In 1742 Wesley published a hymn to remind believers of what is theirs, through faith in Christ. The language is dramatic and riveting. And it begins with a call to wake up, rouse ourselves, and get our minds in gear, to realize what God has done for us! Here are the words of the entire hymn, with some relevant Scripture texts interspersed. (Note: a “surety” is a guarantee.)

(1) Arise, my soul, arise; shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice in my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands,
Before the throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on His hands [Isa. 49:16a].

(2) He ever lives above, for me to intercede [Heb. 7:25];
His all redeeming love, His precious blood, to plead:
His blood atoned for all our race [I Tim. 2:6],
His blood atoned for all our race ,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace [Heb. 12:24].

(3) Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
‘Forgive him, O forgive,’ they cry,
‘Forgive him, O forgive,’ they cry,
‘Nor let that ransomed sinner die!’

(4) The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One;
He cannot turn away, the presence of His Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood,
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God [Rom. 8:16].

(5) My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear [Rom. 5:5, 11];
He owns me for His child [Gal. 3:26]; I can no longer fear:
With confidence I now draw nigh [Heb. 4:15-16],
With confidence I now draw nigh,
And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

The word “Abba” is an almost untranslatable Aramaic word, a tender expression of affection. The phrase could be paraphrased, “Father, dearest Father.” As the Bible puts it, “You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Rom. 8:15). Amen!

Questions:

  1. What are two reasons Christians can be confident of salvation (related to what Christ has done, and what the Holy Spirit has done and does)?
  2. If the above is true, what may be the source of our nagging “guilty fears”?

Links:

The Riches of Love

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Words: Henry Burns Hartzler (b. March 23, 1840; d. Sept. 3, 1920)
Music: N. B. Sargent (see here)

Note: Henry Hartzler was a pastor and Bible teacher in Pennsylvania. He wrote a number of hymns too. Hartzler was associated with evangelist Dwight L. Moody. The present song, The Riches of Love, from 1888, is arranged as a duet in the book in which I found it–though I see Hymnary.org has it in four-part harmony. We know nothing of N. B. Sargent who wrote the tune. He produced a number of other gospel songs himself, sometimes both words and music. He seems to have lived around the same time as Hartzler.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The discovery of gold deposits, and the lure of great riches, precipitated two historic events on the North American continent.

The first was the California Gold Rush (1848-1855). When gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, in Coloma, some 300,000 people made there way there, from the eastern States and beyond. Before they were done, an estimated two billion dollars worth of the precious metal had been taken from the ground.

The second was the Klondike Gold Rush (1896-1899). It lasted for a shorter time, and was more modest in its scope, partly due to the remote area in the Yukon where the gold was found. Somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 prospectors made their way there, and found about a billion dollars worth of gold.

That may sound like a lot. But the two gold rushes didn’t end in all those seekers getting rich. Very few did. Most laboured on for awhile and made modest discoveries that may hardly have covered their expenses. The trip itself was difficult and costly, and prices for goods when they got there were high. The work was hard, and sometimes dangerous. The conditions were primitive, and the camps sometimes wild and lawless. Many returned home broken and discouraged, with little to show for their labours.

The Bible speaks many times about the seductive folly of riches, particularly in the book of Proverbs. “He who trusts in his riches will fall” (Prov. 11:28). “For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven” (Prov, 23:5). “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches” (Prov. 22:1). “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (I Tim. 6:10). Not only that, it will always be temporal and fleeting. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (I Tim. 6:7).

We’re to put our faith in God, not in what the Bible calls “uncertain riches” (I Tim. 6:17). In the will of God, some gain material wealth, but it’s important that no one make the acquisition of it their life’s goal. Rather, the rich should invest their wealth and possessions in serving the Lord and helping others. The Lord Jesus called this laying up treasures in heaven, an investment for eternity (Matt. 6:19-20).

Instead of material gain, the Word of God points us to the greater riches of spiritual blessings, “the riches of [God’s] goodness” (Rom. 2:4), “the unsearchable [boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless] riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8), and “the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7), which will continue blessing us for all eternity (Eph. 2:7). Unlike the fleeting riches of this world, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Prov. 10:22).

The Riches of Love celebrates the wonderful love of God which blesses us in so many ways, through Christ (Phil. 4:19). God’s love for the believer is great (Eph. 2:4), and everlasting (Jer. 31:3). And nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:30).

1. The treasures of earth are not mine,
I hold not its silver and gold;
But a treasure far greater is mine;
I have riches of value untold.

Oh, the depths of the riches of love,
The riches of love in Christ Jesus,
Far better than gold, or wealth untold,
Are the riches of love in Christ Jesus.

2. The treasures of earth must all fail,
Its riches and honour decay,
But the riches of love that are mine,
Even death cannot take them away.

4. Come, take of the riches of Christ,
Exhaustless, and free is the store,
Of its wonderful fullness receive,
Till you hunger and thirst nevermore.

Questions:

  1. In addition to giving us eternal salvation, through faith in Christ, what are some of the other “riches” with which the Lord has blessed us?
  2. What are some of the contrasts between the riches of this world, and the riches a loving God gives to us?

Links:

The Cross Is Not Greater

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Words: Ballington Booth (b. July 28, 1857; d. Oct. 5, 1940)
Music: Ballington Booth

Note: Ballington Booth was the son of Salvation Army founder William Booth. He provided able leadership for the Army in both Australia and, later, America. A biographer describes him is “beloved by all.” When he was involved with leadership training, he was close to the men, not austere and aloof. And on the platform he was an effective speaker, and soloist (accompanying himself on a concertina). The above mentioned biographer describes him as, “a combination of the warm sympathy of his mother and the magnetic personality of his father.”

Booth married Maud Charlesworth, daughter of a clergyman of the Church of England. Later in his career, he had a difference of opinion with his father, and left the army to form The American Volunteers, which he served as General for many years.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The sinking of the RMS Titanic made news around the world, and has since spawned a multitude of articles, books, and movies about the disaster, as well as a successful search for the wreck. Titanic was the largest and most luxurious passenger vessel of its time. Its system of watertight compartments led some to conclude that it was unsinkable. It was not.

Late on April 14th of 1912, about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, the ship struck an iceberg. It was a glancing blow, scraping the side of the ship, underwater. Those in the upper decks felt only a slight momentary shudder. But down below tons of water had begun pouring into the ship–far more than pumps could handle. In less than three hours the great vessel sank, with a loss of more than 1,500 lives.

The ship’s designers were criticized for not having nearly enough lifeboats to accommodate all the passengers. There were only twenty, in part because they could not envision the Titanic would ever sink. Even if there was a major engine failure and the ship couldn’t continue, they could signal other vessels, and passengers could be ferried to them, with the lifeboats going back and forth. That was the theory anyway.

But some problems are bigger than they appear on the surface. That can happen in our daily lives as well. A change in the leadership of a company may, at first, seem to have little affect on employees, only to result, later on, in a major shake-up, or the elimination of many workers. Or a small twinge that takes us to the doctor may seem inconsequential, only to lead to major surgery.

It can happen in a believer’s service for the Lord too. Perhaps we don’t realize the burden some carry in that area. I was standing near a man on a long-ago summer day. Across the road, a local pastor was cutting his lawn. “Huh!” said my companion. “He’s got a pretty easy job. He only works half an hour a week” (thinking, I suppose, of his time in the pulpit Sunday morning). But forty years of my own pastoral ministry have shown how foolish this comment was. At times I’ve felt closer to Paul’s description of his apostleship (II Cor. 11:23-28). And the Lord Jesus spoke several times of the need to take up our cross and follow Him.

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

Mk. 8:34

To “deny himself” means to consistently say no to Self, in terms of selfishness and our own self interest. It’s the other side of the coin to submission to the Lord. And taking up the cross–an instrument of death, symbolizes an identification with Christ, and a determination to do God’s will, whatever the cost.

This is serious business. “Who is sufficient for these things?” asks Paul. And his answer is, “Our sufficiency is from God” (II Cor. 2:16; 3:5). Whether it directly involves some kind of Christian service, or simply the challenges of life we all face, the answer is the same. As the Lord assured the apostle long ago, so He says to each of His children, “My grace is sufficient for you” (II Cor. 12:9; cf. Heb. 4:15-16).

In 1892, Ballington Booth published a gospel song that deals with this subject.

(1) The cross that He gave may be heavy,
But it ne’er outweighs His grace;
The storm that I feared may surround me,
But it ne’er excludes His face.

The cross is not greater than His grace,
The storm cannot hide His blessèd face;
I am satisfied to know
That with Jesus here below,
I can conquer every foe.

(2) The thorns in my path are not sharper
Than composed His crown for me;
The cup that I drink not more bitter
Than He drank in Gethsemane.

(3) The light of His love shineth brighter,
As it falls on paths of woe;
The toil of my work groweth lighter,
As I stoop to raise the low.

Questions:

  1. What particular burdens are you carrying today, in your life and your service for Christ?
  2. Have you proven the sufficiency of God’s grace in time past? And will you seek His grace today for your need (Heb. 4:14-16)?

Links:

All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night

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Words: Thomas Ken (b. July ___, 1637; d. March 19, 1711)
Music: Tallis Canon, by Thomas Tallis (b. circa 1505; d. Nov. 23, 1585)

Note: While serving at Winchester Cathedral in 1674, Ken published a Manual of Prayers for Use of the Scholars of Winchester College, which contained several of his hymns. He instructed the students to use them in morning and evening devotions in their rooms. In this he referenced the words of the psalmist:

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.” (Ps. 92:1-2).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

A number of sayings warn us against looking back. Author Rudyard Kipling wrote, humorously, “Never look backwards or you’ll fall down the stairs.” And legendary baseball pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige said, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.”

There’s something to this. If runners in a race look back, they may lose speed, or stumble. And, in life, if we become fixated on the past, it may lead to discouragement over failures, or arrogant pride at successes. But still there can be some value in reviewing the past. George Washington had it right:

“We ought not to look back, unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors and for the purpose of profiting by dear bought experience.”

With a birthday, or anniversary, or the beginning of a new year, we often look back at what has come before, and set some goals, God willing, for what is to come. The past should not be our obsession or our focus, but it can provide instructive motivation for the future.

When the nation of Israel came to the border of Canaan, the land God had promised them, Moses gave a series of speeches (recorded in Deuteronomy) reviewing the past and challenging them to trust God for what was ahead. He uses the word “remember” many times, recalling their history to that point.

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand.

Deut. 5:15

And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness.

Deut. 8:2

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you.

Deut. 32:7

The New Testament writers follow Moses in calling upon believers to remember certain things.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Heb. 13:2

Remember the prisoners as if chained with them–those who are mistreated–since you yourselves are in the body also [i.e. the body of Christ, the church].

Heb. 13:2, 3

Remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:17

As to our personal lives, in the evening, it is appropriate for us to look back on the day. Are there mistakes that can be corrected? Are there uncompleted projects that need to be taken up in the morning? This kind of review can be profitable, especially if we talk to the Lord about it, and seek His leading and His enabling grace.

That’s the theme of an evening hymn by Anglican clergyman Thomas Ken. It looks back, looks up to God, and looks forward as well.

(1) All praise to Thee, my God, this night,
For all the blessings of the light!
Keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
Beneath Thine own almighty wings.

(2) Forgive me, Lord, for Thy dear Son,
The ill that I this day have done,
That with the world, myself, and Thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

(3) Teach me to live, that I may dread
The grave as little as my bed.
Teach me to die, that so I may
Rise glorious at the judgment day.

(4) O may my soul on Thee repose,
And with sweet sleep mine eyelids close,
Sleep that may me more vigorous make
To serve my God when I awake.

Questions:

  1. If you were to review your day in the evening, what kinds of things would you take note of?
  2. What would you hope to gain by doing such a review?

Links:

The Stranger of Galilee

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Words: Lelia Naylor Morris (b. Apr. 15, 1862; d. July 23, 1929)
Music: Lelia Naylor Morris

Note: Lelia Naylor Morris (listed in some song books as Mrs. C. H. Morris) gave us many fine gospel songs, including: Sweeter as the Years Go By; Nearer, Still Nearer; Let Jesus Come into Your Heart; What If It Were Today? and more. The present song seems more of a solo number, but it has a good message.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

What do we mean when we label someone a stranger? The term is rooted in a Latin word meaning from outside–speaking of those who are outsiders. We don’t know them, they’re not part of our group. They’re from another locality, aliens or foreigners, possibly even speaking a different language.

If you’ve ever had to move to a new place, perhaps because of your job, you likely have some small idea of what it’s like to be a stranger in town, with no family or friends around to turn to. It can be intimidating to know no one. Where do folks shop for groceries? What about hospitals, doctors, churches, schools, theatres, recreational facilities, and more?

Welcome Wagon International was created to deal with that. The organization was founded in 1928, and it continues to operate in both Canada and the United States. Having adjusted over time to changing demographics and needs, they’ve expanded to offer help to newlyweds, and couples looking forward to the arrival of a baby.

But basically, Welcome Wagon was designed to contact new home owners after they move in, providing a map of the area, a list of significant places in town, and advertisements for local businesses, and sometimes including coupons for bargains, and offering assistance in other ways. Churches often do something similar. They watch for new arrivals in the area around the church, and call on them to introduce the church’s programs, and offer to help in practical ways. With all of this, the strangers in town may soon be strangers no more.

In the Bible, some form of the word stranger is used more than a hundred times. The Lord appeared to Abraham when he lived in the city of Ur, in Mesopotamia, telling he to go to a new land he’d never seen before. And God made a covenant with Abraham, part of which included the land of Canaan.

I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger [or foreigner], all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession.

Gen. 17:8

Then through a series of circumstances described in the latter part of Genesis, and the beginning of Exodus, the descendants of Abraham (the Israelites) ended up in cruel bondage in the land of Egypt. The Lord used Moses to lead them out of slavery, and later Joshua brought them into the land God had promised them.

This experience was expected to give them concern and compassion for those who were strangers in their midst. God told them, “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exod. 22:21). And the Bible assures us, “The Lord watches over the strangers” (Ps. 146:9).

In the New Testament, when the Lord Jesus came on the scene, He was a stranger to many, and they had no idea of His true identity. They saw His miraculous power, heard His dynamic teaching, and wondered. There’s a phrase repeated in the Gospels that highlights the widespread puzzlement: “Who is this?” When the Lord healed a man, and also forgave his sins, the outraged Jewish leaders questioned, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Lk. 5:21; cf. 7:49; 9:9)

The question stirred up the whole city of Jerusalem, when the Lord made His Triumphal Entry, fulfilling a prophecy identifying Him as Israel’s Messiah (Zech. 9:9).

When He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

Matt. 21:10

But when faith reaches out to Him, the Spirit of God gives new insight, warms our hearts toward Him, and He’s a stranger no more. That’s the thrust of a gospel song called The Stranger of Galilee, written by Lelia Morris.

(1) In fancy I stood by the shore, one day,
Of the beautiful murm’ring sea;
I saw the great crowds as they thronged the way
Of the Stranger of Galilee;
I saw how the man who was blind from birth,
In a moment was made to see;
The lame was made whole by the matchless skill
Of the Stranger of Galilee.

And I felt I could love Him forever,
So gracious and tender was He!
I claimed Him that day as my Saviour,
This Stranger of Galilee.

(2) His look of compassion, His words of love,
They shall never forgotten be,
When sin-sick and helpless He saw me there,
This Stranger of Galilee;
He showed me his hand and His riven side,
And He whispered, ‘It was for thee!”
My burden fell off at the piercèd feet
Of the Stranger of Galilee.

Questions:

  1. If Christ is not a Stranger, but our Saviour and Lord, and Friend, what differences should this make in our lives?
  2. Do you know someone who recently trusted Christ as Saviour? What is their testimony about the changes this has brought?

Links:

Nothing Satisfies but Jesus

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Words: Lelia Naylor Morris (b. Apr. 15, 1862; d. July 23, 1929)
Music: Lelia Naylor Morris

Note: Ohio church organist and hymn writer Lelia Naylor gave us many fine songs. In 1881 she married Charles Hammond Morris. This is the reason in some songbooks she is called Mrs. C. H. Morris.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

It’s frustrating to make a purchase, then find that the product isn’t what we needed, or doesn’t work as promised. But our annoyance may be compounded when we learn from the seller “there are no returns” on the product.

On the other hand, it’s encouraging when we’re told, before putting out the money, that the store or company policy is “Satisfaction guaranteed.” Essentially, this is a promise that, if the customer isn’t satisfied, the item can be returned and a full refund will be given.

Beyond the issue of who bears the responsibility, an important factor of public relations (“P. R.”) is involved. What will the customers tell their friends? And how will this affect the business’s bottom line later on? In the first instance, we may warn others not to do business there. In the second, we more likely will tell our friends how fair and helpful they’ve been to us.

Some larger companies, restaurant chains, car dealerships, and so on, have a whole department responsible for public relations. Their job is listening to customers, and communicating with everyone about what they have to offer, and how concerned they are that customers are happy with their product or service. We see television commercials along that line. They may even include actual customers telling us how well the company treated them, and how satisfied they are with their purchase.

The Bible uses various forms of the word “satisfied” many times. Sometimes, it points to what is not satisfying, particularly because its benefits aren’t lasting. But also, human nature being what it is, we can often become dis-satisfied with the things of this life. All we want is more. “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Ecc. 1:8). “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity” (Ecc. 5:10).

But more often the biblical theme is a positive one–about the soul satisfaction found in God, and of the abundance of blessings in and through Him.

For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

Ps. 107:9

You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Ps. 145:16

I will bless You while I live…my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

Ps. 63:405

Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!

Ps. 90:14

The Lord Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Jn. 10:10

[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Eph. 3:20

He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Tit. 3:5-6

And “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work”.

II Cor. 9:8

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Jn. 6:35

All of this raises the question: Why do so many insist on looking elsewhere to find fulfilment and satisfaction in life? “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?…Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live” (Isa. 55:2-3). In spiritual and eternal terms, abundant satisfaction is found in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

Published in 1905 is a song by Lelia Morris called Nothing Satisfies but Jesus. It expresses the truths discussed above.

(1) Nothing satisfies but Jesus,
Bread of life to mortals giv’n;
May His presence now refresh us
Like the morning dew from heav’n!

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus;
Take the world, but give me Jesus;
To satisfy with every blessing,
His love and peace my soul possessing;
To all beside my heart replies:
There’s naught but Jesus satisfies!

(2) Since I heard the voice of Jesus,
Since mine eyes beheld the King,
All my love, my heart’s affection,
All I have to Him I bring.

(3) With His joy my heart is thrilling,
All my hope in Him I see;
Doubt and gloom and fear dispelling,
Christ is all in all to me!

Questions:

  1. What are some of the areas in which Christ brings satisfaction beyond what the world can offer?
  2. What are some reasons many search for satisfaction elsewhere?

Links:

After

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Words: Napoleon Bonaparte Vandall (b. Dec. 28, 1896; d. Aug. 24, 1970)
Music: Napoleon Bonaparte Vandall

Note: Vandall’s given names were unusual–to say the least. He preferred to be called “Jack,” instead. Otherwise song books usually just have his initials, N. B. Vandall.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

There are things that can look attractive on the outside, even beautiful, but have ugliness lurking beneath the surface. People can be that way too. We call them hypocrites. The term comes from the Greek word hypokrit, meaning a stage actor, one who’s skilled at pretending to be what he’s not.

The Lord Jesus harshly criticized the Jewish leaders of His day for that very thing. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matt. 23:27). “Whitewashed tombs”–what a powerful image! Pretty on the outside, but corrupt within.

Thinking along these lines brought to mind two hit songs of years ago. The music of both is lovely. But the lyrics express hopelessness and despair.

The first, After the Ball, by Charles Harris, was written in 1891, and became one of the most popular songs of its time. It tells of a dance, where “bright lights were flashing in the grand ballroom.” But in the midst of the gaiety, one man’s foolish mistake and proud heart brought lifelong sorrow and loss. Harris’s song says:

After the ball is over,
After the break of morn–
After the dancers’ leaving;
After the stars are gone;
Many a heart is aching,
If you could read them all;
Many the hopes that have vanished,
After the ball.

The second song, Dancing in the Dark, with lyrics by Howard Dietz, is a hit from a 1931 Broadway show. Again, it’s framed with a pretty melody, but the words express something quite different.

Dancing in the dark,
Till the tune ends
We’re dancing in the dark,
And it soon ends….
We’re here and gone.
Looking for the light
Of a new love
To brighten up the night.

Life seems just a dance in the dark, a little fleeting pleasure, apparently leading nowhere but to more darkness.

Oh how different is the Christian gospel! No dead end there. While it recognizes the reality of trials and disappointments in this life, it points to something far better up ahead. Through faith in Christ, we receive the gift of everlasting life. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23; cf. Jn. 3:14-15; 5:24).

But that’s only half the story. The eternal life God gives is not simply an endless existence. It is a life of infinite blessing, in close fellowship with God. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn. 17:3). “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain….having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:21, 23).

“Far better” than even the best of earth’s temporal pleasures. And without the things we struggle with and grieve over here and now (Rev. 21:4). In fact, the Lord is able to take the trials of this life and use them to build our faith, and accomplish other good purposes (Rom. 8:28). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment [relatively speaking], is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Cor. 4:17).

That was the view of N. B. Vandall when his son was struck by a car and suffered severe injuries. When Vandall went to the Lord in prayer, he was reminded of God’s “after”–which became the title of a song he wrote. Praise the Lord, the boy did recover. But the experience strengthened Vandall’s joy at the prospect of the life to come.

And notice the clear contrast between Charles Harris’s song and this one. For Harris, “after” the glitter and glamour of the ball came heartache and loss. For Vandall, after the trials and troubles of this life, came a glorious eternity with the Lord. Which would you choose?

1. After the toil and the heat of the day,
After my troubles are past,
After the sorrows are taken away,
I shall see Jesus at last.

He will be waiting for me–
Jesus, so kind and true;
On His beautiful throne,
He will welcome me home–
After the day is through.

2. After the heartaches and sighing shall cease,
After the cold winter’s blast,
After the conflict comes glorious peace–
I shall see Jesus at last.

Questions:

  1. What warning does the Bible give about planning for the future (James 4:13-15)?
  2. What Scriptures give you the assurance that an eternity of blessing awaits the child of God?

Links:

Thine, Lord

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Words: Robert Harkness (b. March 2, 1880; d. May 8, 1961)
Music: Robert Harkness

Note: Robert Harkness was a pianist and gospel song writer who gave us many songs himself, and wrote music for the songs of others. He was born in Australia, and is buried in London, England. But he also travelled extensively as the accompanist for evangelist Reuben Archer Torrey (and his song leader Charlie Alexander), and in later years, travelled on his own.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

We’ve likely all seen one from time to time. The sign on a fence, that says in bold letters, NO TRESPASSING! There are variations: Private Property, Keep Out; or, No Admittance– Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted. And perhaps a warning of electronic surveillance, or the presence of guard dogs is included.

Some signs convey the message in colourful ways. One says, No Animals, No People, No Vehicles, No Excuses. Another warns, “If You Can Read This Sign, You’re in Range!” And still another has a grave marker, topped by a sign that says, “Here Lies the Last Trespasser.” More polite (if not more successful) is, “Please Respect Our Property–No Trespassing.”

To trespass is to enter an area unlawfully and unwelcome, going where we have no right or permission to go. Sometimes the prohibition involves, private property, or maybe it’s a wildlife preserve, or government land, or that of an industrial facility. In the latter case, there may be a manned check point, and signs might read, “Restricted Area, Authorized Personnel Only.”

Reasons for these limitations vary. In some cases, it’s to keep the would-be trespasser from personal danger. Perhaps the area includes the presence of hazardous materials, or it’s a military firing range. Other times, it could involve farmers tired of hunters treading down precious crops, or endangering their livestock. Or a family swimming pool that is off limits to public use for safety reasons, and because of insurance requirements.

But there’s another kind of trespassing that applies to the Christian life. When we trust in Christ as our Saviour, the Word of God urges us to surrender to Him as Lord of our lives. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [after what He has done in saving you], that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1).

First Corinthians puts it another way: “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price [the shed blood of Christ]; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:19-20).

Several times in Scripture the Lord is described as “jealous.” It means He is rightfully zealous to protect His own reputation, and will not share His throne with anyone or anything else.

You shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name [or reputation] is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Exod. 34:14

Those who are children of God by faith in Christ (Gal. 3:26) ought to share His zeal in this. In the words of a hymn by Andrew Reed:

Holy Spirit, all divine,
Dwell within this heart of mine;
Cast down every idol throne,
Reign supreme, and reign alone.

It’s as if, with the Lord on the throne of our hearts, we put up a NO TRESPASSING sign, and will not allow anything to enter our lives and take priority and influence over His will for us, and His glory in us. Idolatry might not involve a stone idol. It can be anything that usurps control or has influence over our allegiance to God and His Word. Our determined loyalty to the Lord should declare, “No Admittance!” to anything that would challenge it.

The present song, published in 1944, and for which Mr. Harkness wrote both words and music, is called simply, Thine, Lord. It reflects the desire of Romans 12:1 that heart loyalty be our ready and joyous response to “the mercies of God.”

1. When I think of Jesus dying on the cross for me,
Thine, Lord, would I be;
Freely giving up His life from sin to set me free,
Thine, Lord, would I be.

Thine, Lord, only Thine, Thine, Lord, only Thine.
Take me, use me as Thou wilt dear Saviour,
Thine, Lord, only Thine; Thine, Lord, only Thine.

3. When I think of Jesus, coming back to earth again,
Thine, Lord, would I be;
Coming in great glory as the King of kings to reign,
Thine, Lord, would I be.

Questions:

  1. What does the statement, “Thine, Lord” (or Yours, Lord), mean to you, personally?
  2. Is there some area of your life where you find it difficult to give the Lord full control?

Links:

We Thank Thee, Lord, for This Fair Earth

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Words: George Edward Lynch Cotton (b. Oct. 29, 1813; d. Oct. 6, 1866)
Music: Ernan, by Lowell Mason (b. Jan. 8, 1792; d. Aug. 11, 1872)

Note: George Cotton was an English clergyman who is known for one hymn only. He was appointed bishop of Calcutta, India, at the age of fifty-three, but he never reached his post. He was drowned while disembarking from his ship.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Charles Dickens’ historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities, was published in 1859. It deals with events surrounding the French Revolution, more than a century before the author’s time, and with the effect of that violent upheaval on characters living in two major cities of the day, London and Paris.

The story tells us about Sydney Carton, an English lawyer, who is a depressed and cynical alcoholic, though he shines, later in the book, in an act of self sacrifice that saves the life of another man, Charles Darnay. (Carton speaks the oft quoted words, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.”) A third character, Lucie Mannette, is called in the tale “the golden thread,” because her love and her actions tie the other two characters together.

Though not ranked among the best of Dickens’ novels, it’s still a work of genius, highlighting the themes of noble sacrifice and, what was a particular passion of the author’s, the need for social justice. It gives us a look at two different worlds, how they are intertwined, and how the characters live in each, and are affected by each.

The Christian, too, is a citizen of two cities, in fact of two different worlds. We have, in a real sense, dual citizenship. Paul was able to say, “I am a Jew from Tarsus, in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city” (Acts 21:39) and, at the same time, tell the Philippian believers, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

A major difference is that the characters in A Tale of Two Cities were able to travel back and forth between London and Paris, but that is not so for us. We learn something about the heavenly kingdom in the Scriptures, and we look forward to being there, but for the present we are firmly grounded on planet earth.

Yet the eternal kingdom has an influence over us. We are to espouse its values, and live as those who will one day take up residence there. The Lord Jesus told His hearers to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20), and “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (vs. 33). Since believers will one day go to live with Him there, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (I Jn. 3:3).

We must, of course, consider our allegiance to earthly rulers, and live within the boundaries of earthly laws, and the Bible exhorts us to do that. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1).

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men–as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honour all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

I Pet. 2:13-17

But where there is a significant conflict between man’s laws and God’s, the Christian has needs to consider his allegiance to a higher Authority. When forbidden to preach the gospel, Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), and they were willing to suffer for that choice.

When they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 5:40-42

Cotton’s hymn, published in 1856, is We Thank Thee, Lord, for This Fair Earth. It provides a gentle reminder that, though there are many things on earth that are “fair,” we must never lose sight of God’s kingdom, and should live with spiritual and eternal values in view.

(1) We thank Thee, Lord, for this fair earth,
The glittering sky, the silver sea;
For all their beauty, all their worth,
Their light and glory, come from Thee.

(2) Thine are the flowers that clothe the ground,
The trees that wave their arms above,
The hills that gird our dwellings round,
As Thou dost gird Thine own with love.

(3) Yet teach us still how far more fair,
More glorious, Father, in Thy sight,
Is one pure deed, one holy prayer,
One heart that owns Thy Spirit’s might.

(4) So while we gaze with thoughtful eye
On all the gifts Thy love has given,
Help us in Thee to live and die,
By Thee to rise from earth to heav’n.

Questions:

  1. How can we keep a balance between enjoying the things of this earth and keeping our eyes on eternity and its values?
  2. What experience recently reminded you of the need to live by spiritual and eternal values, rather than those of this world?

Links:

Divided Loyalties?

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Question: What do you think of division between worship music and gospel music? You get two directions: one you sing hymns at the church; second in order to proclaim gospel to the culture you adapt all varieties of music genres and styles, fashion, and other pop-culture stuff, [label it] Christian, and sing about God, Jesus, faith, etc. What do you think about this division?

Answer: I suppose it depends somewhat on what we think of as contemporary Christian music. There are some fine newer songs. But there are also ones so saturated with worldliness in the text, the music, and then in the use (or performance) of them, that they become something God hates (I Jn. 2:15-17; cf. II Cor. 6:14 and 7:1).

I believe very great caution is needed in following the path you suggest. Now, first, you have to realize where I’m coming from. Part of the purpose of this blog has been to inform believers about our great heritage of sacred music, especially our English hymnody since the Reformation (along with English translations of songs going back into biblical times). I’ve focused mainly on the hymns found in evangelical Protestant hymnals since the 1950s. I believe churches that decide to abandon this heritage are robbing their people of a rich treasury, valuable for doctrine and devotion.

I haven’t made a detailed study of contemporary religious music, but most of what I’ve seen is doctrinally shallow and not worthy to be compared to the great hymns of the faith. We shouldn’t just be mouthing mushy sentiments or shallow truisms with our sacred spiritual songs, perhaps singing a few words over and over, and over again. We’re to be “teaching and admonishing one another” (Col. 3:16). Further, the style of the music is sometimes so worldly that it obscures or cancels out the message.

I was in a service recently where a pastor decided to play a religious rock song called Behold, the Lamb, because he thought it suited the theme of his message. So, we were subjected to a couple of minutes of deafening din and pounding drums, with a singer screaming or screeching over and over, “Behold, the Lamb of God, behold, the Lamb of God.” But the band never got to the end of that wonderful Bible verse, “who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). I was horrified. It cut out the point of the verse about the plan of salvation. What we heard was carnal, not Christian.

I went on YouTube and listened to the song by the same group, several times. The accompanying picture of the band showed long-haired, leather jacketed young men, with sullen expressions on their faces. They were obviously trying to be as much like the world as possible. Is that what God wants? No, the Bible says, “Come out from among them and be separate” (II Cor. 6:14–7:1). That song failed to present the truth of the gospel.

Back in the late nineteenth century, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon was scheduled to preach to an audience in an enormous auditorium. He was concerned that all present would be able to hear him. (No sound amplifiers in those days.) He and a friend went to the empty auditorium, and Spurgeon had his friend go to various spots and listen, while the preacher stood on the platform and said in a good clear voice, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” many times over.

Unknown to them, there was a man on the roof doing some repairs, and he heard that verse repeated again and again. The Holy Spirit used it to convict him, and he put his faith in Christ and was saved. God’s Word has power. And when we use music that truly reflects and enhances its message, so do our hymns.

I have a friend who, decades ago, was a drummer in a rock band. They played the loudest and hardest rock of the day, along the lines of Led Zeppelin and Jimmie Hendrix. Then, wonderfully, several of them got saved, and they decided to go to church. In they came to a gospel service, one Sunday night, long hair and all. And the congregation sang the good old hymns of the faith, from hymn books. My friend said it was an amazing experience. “Instantly,” he said, “our spirits responded to those songs. It was like coming home.”

I have another friend, on the board of an evangelical church. And they decided to bring contemporary religious music into the church, rock bands and all, so they could bring in more people. Then, the idea was that they would present solid messages from God’s Word, or involve them in Bible study groups. My friend told me that, yes, they drew a big crowd, but they found many of those that came were there for the wrong reasons. They liked the music, but they wanted no part of the truths of God, or the deeper things of spiritual life.

And I have yet another friend who worked in a church that bypassed the music issue in this way. They opened a coffee house in the city, where Christian workers met day by day with street people. They got to know the customers, listened to them, talked to them about life, and about the Lord. Many were saved through that ministry. One Sunday night, about twenty of them came to a service at our church, gave their testimonies, and were baptized. What a blessing!

The often thunderously loud rock music of the world, with its pounding beat, is designed specifically to do three things (not counting that it’s intended to make money for the music makers). 1) The music is meant to give listeners an exciting, overpowering adrenalin-pumping experience. 2) It is often an expression of rage, and rebellion. 3) It’s beat is a musical simulation of lustful sexual rhythms and behaviour. (The rockers themselves admit these things, but also check out the dress of the performers, antics on stage, and facial expressions, and so on.)

Being in services where this kind of music is used (even with some christianized words) is like having on open pipe in the wall pumping sewage into the sanctuary. The Lord was concerned that when the Israelites got into Canaan, they would see how the heathen worshiped their gods, and might want to copy this in how they worshiped Him. “How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise,” they would say. But God said, “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abomination to the Lord, which He hates, they have done to their gods” (Deut. 12:29-32).

Does what you’re suggesting ever work? Perhaps. Sometimes. God sometimes uses strange instruments. On one occasion, He spoke through a donkey (Num. 22:28)! But this practice of trying to straddle two worlds can also be prey to excesses and abuses that are not honouring to the Lord. If the songs are strongly Christian–with good solid biblical lyrics–and are accompanied by music that provides a suitable framework, that’s fine. But if we try to copy the world in evangelistic services, instead of a call to holiness, we’re simply saying, “You can have all this, and Jesus too.”

We don’t need to create an adrenaline rush with pounding music, gyrating musicians, flashing lights, smoke, and all the rest. We have the thrilling power of the gospel to present (Rom. 1:16), in the power of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:4-5). God’s work in our lives is done from the inside out, not from the outside in (Rom. 12:2).

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