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Hymn Almanac November

Today in 1483 – Martin Luther Born

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Wartburg Castle interior

Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk whose study of the Scriptures eventually led him to believe that the Church of Rome had become encrusted with empty traditions and false doctrine. On October 31st, 1517, he posted a list of 95 theses (topics for debate) on the door of the church at Wittenberg. Though there were other reformers before him (such as John Wycliffe and John Huss) this date is generally considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

Luther declared Holy Scripture to be the Christian’s final authority, and he rejected the supremacy of the pope. He proclaimed the Bible’s teaching that sinners are saved through faith in Christ, apart from any works or religious rituals (Eph. 2:8-9). When commanded to recant, he refused unless his teachings could be refuted from the Word of God.

As opposition to Luther grew, he was abducted by sympathizers and hidden, for his own safety. While in hiding in Wartburg Castle, and in the room pictured above, Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German to make it available to all. When Luther’s writings were banned (in 1521 and again in 1529) a group of German princes wrote a letter of protest, and it is from their bold support of Luther that the term Protestant comes.

As well as being a brilliant theologian, Luther was also a hymn writer. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is the most familiar of his hymns. But some hymn books also contain the carol From Heaven Above to Earth I Come. The latter was written for the Luther family’s celebration of Christmas, and was dedicated to his son Hans. The family had their own Christmas pageant. It began with the entrance of a man dressed as an angel. He sang the opening stanzas of the carol, beginning:

From heaven above to earth I come,
To bear good news to every home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
Whereof I now will say and sing.

And the family responded with stanzas written for them, such as:

Now let us all, with gladsome cheer
Follow the shepherds, and draw near
To see this wondrous gift of God,
Who hath His only Son bestowed.

(2) Today in 1852 – Henry van Dyke Born

One day in 1907, Henry Jackson van Dyke gazed upon the rolling greenery of the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. Van Dyke was considered one of the best preachers in the Presbyterian Church of his day, as well as being a prolific writer. His varied life included time as a professor at Princeton University, a chaplaincy in World War One, and a stint as America’s ambassador to Holland and Luxembourg, under President Woodrow Wilson.

It was while he was a guest speaker at Williams College, whose campus looks out on the Berkshires, that Henry van Dyke was overcome by the seeming joyful exuberance of creation itself. He penned a hymn poem to capture the thought. It was presented to the college president, with the instruction that it be sung to the tune of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Hymn of Joy (from his 9th Symphony). And with that happy pairing the author has given us one of the most joyous hymns in the English language.

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

Below is an interesting choral arrangement of Van Dyke’s hymn, and it’s nicely done. But readers of this blog will know the video also illustrates one of my pet peeves. It appears the ushers are using  these moments in the service when congregants are ostensibly adoring the God of glory to collect  something or other. Please, oh please don’t do this. Surely we do not need to be in such haste that we cannot focus fully on words of worship for a few minutes.

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (The Sanctuary Choir)

(3) Today in 1933 – James Rowe Died

The son of a copper miner, James Rowe worked for the Irish government before emigrating to the United States. He worked on the railroads in New York for some years, then became an inspector for the Hudson River Humane Society. In his later years, he worked with his daughter Louise, a gifted artist, writing verses for greeting cards. Rowe also wrote a number of gospel song texts. (His claim to having written 19,000 seems far-fetched–or perhaps he was misquoted by his biographers.)

Two of Mr. Rowe’s songs are commonly found in our hymn books: Love Lifted Me, and I Would Be Like Jesus. The latter expresses an aspiration worthy of each child of God:

Earthly pleasures vainly call me;
I would be like Jesus;
Nothing worldly shall enthrall me;
I would be like Jesus.

Be like Jesus, this my song,
In the home and in the throng;
Be like Jesus, all day long!
I would be like Jesus.

That in heaven He may meet me,
I would be like Jesus;
That His words “Well done” may greet me,
I would be like Jesus.

Another song of James Rowe’s is also still in use, occasionally as a solo number: I Walk with the King.

In sorrow I wandered, my spirit oppressed,
But now I am happy—securely I rest;
From morning till evening glad carols I sing,
And this is the reason—I walk with the King.

I walk with the King, hallelujah!
I walk with the King, praise His Name!
No longer I roam, my soul faces home,
I walk and I talk with the King.

Today in 1882 – Julia Cory Born

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Julia Bulkley Cady Cory, the daughter of an architect, attended the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. She was involved in her church, and in various community activities. One day, the organist at the church asked if she’d write a new text for the tune Kremser (to which we sing the thanksgiving hymn We Gather Together). Mrs. Cory says, “I struggled along for two weeks, and finally produced what we have today.” The hymn was written in 1902, and it was sung at American Thanksgiving services that year. Julia Cory’s song says in part:

We praise Thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator,
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring;
We lay it before Thee, we kneel and adore Thee,
We bless Thy holy name, glad praises we sing.

We worship Thee, God of our fathers, we bless Thee;
Through life’s storm and tempest our guide hast Thou been;
When perils overtake us, escape Thou wilt make us,
And with Thy help, O Lord, our battles we win.

In December, Julia Cory’s father asked if they could use the hymn at the Christmas service in his own church. For that occasion, she added another stanza–which to my mind is not quite up to the poetic quality of her earlier work. Even so, what better occasion for thanksgiving that the celebration of Christmas, and the birth of our Saviour? The stanza says:

Thy love Thou didst show us, Thine only Son sending,
Who came as a Babe and whose bed was a stall,
His blest life He gave us and then died to save us;
We praise Thee, O Lord, for Thy gift to us all.

prisoners of the Nazis

(2) Today in 1938 – Organized Nazi Persecution of Jews Began

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the Jews and their God-given land have a special place in His heart (Gen. 17:7-8; Deut. 7:6). And through them God has blessed us all. “To them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:2). And it is through them that Christ came (Rom. 9:5). It is also with the nation of Israel that our heritage of sacred song began, since the book of Psalms was not only the hymn book of Israel, but of the early church as well (cf. Col. 3:16).

In the very beginning, when God made a covenant with Abraham regarding the nation that was to come from him, the Lord pledged, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Gen. 12:3). God says to the nation, “I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Exod. 23:22). Thus any individual or group that persecutes the Jews will suffer for it. But that is what happened on Kristallnacht (the Night of Glass).

The Nazi campaign of terror against the Jews began in earnest with this event. It was organized by the S.S. as a supposedly spontaneous demonstration against the assassination of a German diplomat by a Jewish man two days before. But that was simply an excuse for activating planned antisemitic policies. All over Germany and Austria, the Hitler Youth, Gestapo, S.S. and S.A. launched an attack against the Jews and their property. Some 99 Jews were murdered, and around 25,000 were arrested and placed in concentration camps, 267 synagogues were destroyed, 7,500 shops were wrecked, and thousands of homes were ransacked.

Kristallnacht (so-called because of the thousands of windows that were broken) was followed by further economic and political persecution, and is viewed by many historians as the beginning of Hitler’s “Final Solution,” outlined in the Wannsee Protocol, and leading to the horrific genocide of millions of Jews in the Holocaust. They should have read their Bibles more closely! “He who touches you [Israel] touches the apple of His eye” (Zech. 2:8).

(3) More from John Peterson

John Willard Peterson was a prolific hymn writer. He deserves another spot in this blog besides any dated items, just to mention a few more of his songs. (To read more about the man and his songs, see the third item under Today in 1908.)

Published sixty years ago, Peterson’s Springs of Living Water celebrates the revitalizing work of God in the soul. It echoes the words of Christ to the woman of Samaria, that He could give her “living water, and she would “never thirst” (Jn. 4:10, 14). The sprightly tune does not fit the opening line about “thirsting in the barren land of sin and shame.” But it works after that.

I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound.

Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now and I, my sould they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply.

Surely goodness and Mercy came about as a collaboration between Mr. Peterson and gospel musician Alfred Smith. Smith had received a letter from one of the descendants of hymn writer Philip Bliss.

As a boy, little Philip attended a one-room country school house, and he came to idolize his young teacher, Miss Murphy. The class was told to memorize Psalm 23. However, Philip Bliss could not yet read, and he learned it by rote. When his turn came to recite the psalm, he concluded it with a line that, to him, sounded perfectly logical: “Surely good Miss Murphy shall follow me all the days of my life”! The two men chuckled at the incident, but further conversation led them to create a hymn that day.

A pilgrim was I, and a-wand’ring,
In the cold night of sin I did roam,
When Jesus the kind Shepherd found me,
And no I am on my way home.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days, all the days of my life;
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days, all the days of my life.

Finally, there is a wonderful Peterson song about viewing the journey of life from the perspective of heaven. It says:

Some day life’s journey will be o’er,
And I shall reach that distant shore;
I’ll sing while ent’ring heaven’s door,
“Jesus led me all the way.”

Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels
As I lay my burdens down,
“Jesus led me all the way.”

If God should let me there review
The winding paths of earth I knew,
It would be proven clear and true–
“Jesus led me all the way.”

Today in 1847 – Will Thompson Born

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William Lamartine Thompson was a successful popular song writer before he became a hymn writer. When a publisher in New York offered him only twenty-five dollars for four songs he had written, he decided to form his own company and publish them himself. It was not long before he was selling millions of copies, and he became known as the “Bard of Ohio,” and the “Millionaire Song-writer”!

No doubt about it, Will Thompson was a success! But he admitted later that he still felt there was something missing from his life. He said, “One day God spoke to my heart through meeting [evangelist] D. L. Moody. He told me, ‘Will, they are good songs you wrote, but why not write some songs that will bless people’s hearts and lives, and bring them to Christ.’” Said Thompson, “From that day on I have written only sacred songs, and it’s a decision I have never regretted.” One of these, Jesus Is All the World to Me, might well have been the author’s own testimony.

Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all;
He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall.
When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;
When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.

Jesus is all the world to me, I want no better friend;
I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when life’s fleeting days shall end.
Beautiful life with such a Friend, beautiful life that has no end;
Eternal life, eternal joy, He’s my Friend.

Another of Will Thompson’s songs, Lead Me Gently Home, has most often been treated as a solo number. (I have sung it myself on occasion.) It says:

Lead me gently home, Father,
Lead me gently home,
When life’s toils are ended
And parting days have come;
Sin no more shall tempt me,
Ne’er from Thee I’ll roam,
If Thou’lt only lead me, Father,
Lead me gently home.

But the song that has had a greater impact than all the rest is Thompson’s invitation hymn, Softly and Tenderly. It has been the means of drawing many to the Saviour.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

O for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

You get two for the price of one with the following video clip. There is a lovely rendering of the first stanza of Softly and Tenderly, and a plug for a great movie. If you have never seen The Trip to Bountiful, I encourage you to check it out. A Hollywood movie that’s wholesome, and delivers an important message (Who’da thunk it?). It deals with being caregivers to a senior parent in the home. And by its sometimes painful example of what not to do, it is a thought-provoking film indeed.

One day in 1899, Will Thompson got word that his friend, Dwight Moody, had suffered a heart attack and was not expected to live. As quickly as possible, Thompson made his way from Liverpool, Ohio, to Northfield, Massachusetts. There he found that all visitors were being kept from Mr. Moody’s room. But as soon as the sick man heard of his arrival, he asked to see him. Reaching out a feeble hand, he said. “Will, I would rather have written Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling than anything I have been able to do in the world.”

Billy Graham

(2) Today in 1918 – Billy Graham Born

William Franklin Graham is certainly not a hymn writer. But there is no denying the worldwide impact of his many evangelistic meetings over the past 60 years. With his musicians Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea, (along with accompanists such as Tedd Smith and Don Hustad) Graham’s mass choirs have popularized a number of gospel songs.

How Great Thou Art was virtually unknown until the team brought it back from Britain and introduced it in their 1955 Toronto Crusade. And it may be surprising to learn that Fanny Crosby’s great hymn, To God Be the Glory, though greatly loved in Britain, was practically unknown in America (where it was written!) until Graham’s crusades reintroduced it. Here is the story.

To God Be the Glory was written in the United States, some time before 1873, but little used afterward. The author, Fanny Crosby, does not mention it in any of her writings, nor does the composer of the tune, William H. Doane. Many years passed, with few Americans ever hearing the song. It seemed destined to fade into oblivion. But in 1954 it was “rediscovered”–over in England.

When Cliff Barrows was putting together a song book for Billy Graham’s first London Crusade, British advisors suggested the inclusion of To God Be the Glory. Ira Sankey had used it there in Dwight Moody’s evangelistic meetings  in the nineteenth century, and the churches had continued to sing it. Barrows liked the strong words, and he agreed.

In Dr. Graham’s crusade in London’s Harringay Arena, it became the theme hymn and was sung nearly every night. On the team’s return to America, they were scheduled to conduct meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. In August of 1955, in that city, the hymn was reintroduced to the nation where it had been born. It has been published in many hymnals since. Lost for a time, it has been found once more.

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

Today in 1876 – James Nicholson Died

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Ski snow

James L. Nicholson was born in Ireland, and came to America some time in the 1850s. He lived for years in Philadelphia, then moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a clerk in the Post Office. As a Christian layman, he taught Sunday School, led the singing in church, and assisted in evangelistic work.

While in Philadelphia, Nicholson attended the Wharton Street Methodist Episcopal Church, of which gospel musician William Kirkpatrick was also a member. Whether James Nicholson was encouraged to write hymns by Kirkpatrick, we do not know, but he wrote a number of them. However, only one seems to be in general used today, Whiter Than Snow.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

It is an earnest plea. But who is the speaker here? Is this referring to a sinner coming to Christ, seeking salvation? Apparently not.  The one who has come seems to be a Christian who desires some kind of second experience that will render him “perfectly whole.” There is more than a hint of perfectionism in this hymn, and the concept of entire sanctification, with which I do not agree. The speaker wants Christ to live within him forever. But according to Scripture, this is a blessing common to each Christian, one that accompanies salvation (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27). If Christ does not live within, the person is not saved at all (Rom. 8:9).

The hymn concludes:

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

As an expression of the saint’s craving to live in obedience to God, we can appreciate the general sentiment of Nicholson’s song, but I do not feel comfortable with some of its theological assumptions.

(2) Today in 1836 – Theodore Monod Born

In 1874, Theodore Monod wrote a remarkable hymn that traces the struggles of a soul to surrender wholly to the will of God. Mr. Monod was born in Paris, France, where he also died in 1921. The son of a French Reformed pastor, he himself trained for the ministry at Western Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Theodore Monod became a pastor in 1860, and served for many years in Paris.

His thoughtful hymn was written during a series of deeper life meetings in England, when he was staying at the home of Lord and Lady Mount-Temple. He entitled the lines “The Altered Motto,” but the hymn now takes the first line as its title.

O the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
“All of self, and none of Thee!”

Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th’accursèd tree,
Heard Him pray, “Forgive them, Father!”
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee!”

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee!”

Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered:
Grant me now my supplication,
“None of self, and all of Thee!”

Billy Sunday

 (3) Today in 1935 – Billy Sunday Died

Billy Sunday was not a hymn writer. But as the most prominent evangelist of his day, he helped to popularize many gospel songs through his ministry, just as Dwight Moody did before him, and Billy Graham after him.

In the latter part of the nineteenth century, Billy Sunday was a pro ball player, with the Chicago White Sox of the National League. Though not a great hitter, he was known as the fastest man on the bases of his day. But when he came to Christ through the ministry of the Pacific Garden Mission, in Chicago, he soon left baseball behind.

Billy Sunday preaching

Billy was converted around 1886, and for a number of years he served as an assistant to evangelist Wilbur Chapman. It was a significant internship. Sunday learned a great deal about Bible interpretation and sermon delivery, listening to Dr. Chapman night after night. Then, in 1896 Billy Sunday began his own evangelistic work. Over the next two decades he became the most popular preacher of his day (seen here addressing a large gathering of men). It is estimated that he spoke in person to 100 million people, and multitudes came to Christ through his ministry (including my parents’ long-ago pastor, Dr. William Ward Ayre).

Music played a prominent part in his meetings, and it is reported to have been sacred music of high quality, both from a large choir, and from all those assembled. (To learn about one of his song leaders, Homer Rodeheaver, and hear a bit of Billy’s preaching in old age, see the third item under Today in 1226.) Billy Sunday’s preaching style was dramatic. With a machine gun delivery, he heaped colourful phrases one upon another to make a point. He not only preached the need for personal faith in Christ, but called for Christians to live holy lives. He was also an effective supporter of Prohibition.

Here’s some practical advice from Billy Sunday:

Take 15 minutes each day to listen to God talking to you [through His Word]; take 15 minutes each day to talk to God; take 15 minutes each day to talk to others about God.

Today in 1822 – Joseph Holbrook Born

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Today, we take a look at a couple of more obscure hymn writers whose works are much less well known. Joseph Perry Holbrook was an American musician who edited some sacred music texts. He wrote a number of pretty hymn tunes that are little used today. Among them, Refuge (used in some books with Jesus, Lover of My Soul), and Truman (used  by some with I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say).

Sometimes there is value in singing a hymn to a different tune. But be warned! You will soon discover that many love a particular hymn as much for its singable tune as for the spiritual significance of its words. Even so, a different tune–as long as it provides an appropriate vehicle for the lyrics–can bring new insight into the meaning. Don’t overdo this. But used occasionally, it can be refreshing. To see some possible tune switches, check out my article About That Metrical Index.

(2) Today in 1943 – William Piggott Died

William Charter Piggott was an English clergyman who pastored a number of churches. In 1931-1932 he chaired the Congregational Union of England and Wales. From him comes a most interesting hymn about heaven–the only hymn of his we have–For Those We Love Within the Veil. It is reminiscent of some passages from the book of Revelation. For example:

I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Rev. 21:3-5).

Here is Piggott’s hymn, in part.

For those we love within the veil,
Who once were comrades of our way,
We thank Thee, Lord; for they have won
To cloudless day.

And life for them is life indeed,
The splendid goal of earth’s strait race;
And where no shadows intervene
They see Thy face.

Not as we knew them any more,
Toil worn, and sad with burdened care:
Erect, clear eyed, upon their brows
Thy name they bear.

Free from the fret of mortal years,
And knowing now Thy perfect will,
With quickened sense and heightened joy,
They serve Thee still.

(3) More from Isaac Watts

There are many versions of the beloved 23rd Psalm. Some are quite literal, a versification of the words of Scripture. Others are paraphrases, or explorations of the theme of the psalm–for example, hymns such as He Leadeth Me, or In Heavenly Love Abiding.

Below is a lovely version by Isaac Watts, published in 1719, in a significant volume with the lengthy title (typical of the time) The Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, and Apply’d to the Christian State and Worship. It is a paraphrase, though Dr. Watts covers the main points of the psalm. The hymn begins:

My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

Regular visitors to my blog will know that I part company with the Mormons on fundamental areas of doctrine. However, the Tabernacle Choir remains one of the preeminent choral groups in America. Here is their absolutely gorgeous rendering of My Shepherd Will Supply My Need.

Different in style, but also commendable, is a second version of Psalm 23 by Isaac Watts. Here is part of it.

The Lord my Shepherd is,
I shall be well supplied;
Since He is mine and I am His,
What can I want beside?

He leads me to the place
Where heav’nly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

If e’er I go astray,
He doth my soul reclaim;
And guides me in His own right way,
For His most holy name.

While He affords His aid
I cannot yield to fear;
Though I should walk through death’s dark shade,
My Shepherd’s with me there.

Today in 1771 – James Montgomery Born

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Hymn writer James Montgomery justifiably appears a number of times on these pages. Over the last couple of centuries, his songs have blessed countless thousands. Among them are:

According to Thy Gracious Word
Angels from the Realms of Glory
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
In the Hour of Trial
The Lord Is My Shepherd
Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire
Stand Up and Bless the Lord
We Bid Thee Welcome in the Name

James Montgomery

Renowned hymn historian, John Julian, in his massive Dictionary of Hymnology (covering 30,000 hymns!) writes most glowingly of the man. It is a tribute which might be said to describe the ideal hymn writer, as far as that attainment is possible by mere mortals. Julian says of Montgomery:

His ear for rhythm was exceedingly accurate and refined. His knowledge of Holy Scripture was most extensive. His religious views were broad and charitable. His devotional spirit was of the holiest type. With the faith of a strong man he united the beauty and simplicity of a child. Richly poetic without exuberance, dogmatic without uncharitableness, tender without sentimentality, elaborate without diffusiveness, richly musical without apparent effort, he has bequeathed to the church of Christ wealth which could only have come from a true genius and a sanctified heart.

Prayer is the Soul’s Sincere Desire was written in 1818 at the request of another clergyman. Some have criticized it as being merely a series of statements about prayer. Nevertheless, what statements they are! There is some wonderful teaching in its eight stanzas. The early part of the hymn is especially descriptive of the kind of urgent heart-prayers for which there are sometimes no articulate words. But the Holy Spirit hears the pain of our hearts and interprets it for us before God’s throne (Rom. 8:26-27) Here is a sampling from the hymn.

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains
That reach the Majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heav’n with prayer.

James Montgomery has also given us a fine version of the Lord’s Prayer, slightly paraphrasing the text of Matt. 6:9-13. The metre is 6.6.8.6, and the tune Trentham (traditionally used for Breathe on Me, Breath of God) works will with it. Albert Hay Malotte’s setting of the prayer is more often used as a solo (though some hymnals contain an arrangement of it). Montgomery’s version makes the prayer more accessible for congregational use.

Our heav’nly Father, hear
The prayer we offer now,
Thy name be hallowed far and near;
To Thee all nations bow.

Thy kingdom come; Thy will
On earth be done in love
As saints and seraphim fulfil
Thy holy will above.

Our daily bread supply
While by Thy Word we live.
The guilt of our iniquity
Forgive as we forgive.

From dark temptation’s power,
From Satan’s wiles, defend.
Deliver in the evil hour
And guide us to the end.

Thine shall forever be
Glory and power divine;
The sceptre, throne, and majesty
Of heaven and earth are Thine.

(2) Today in 1804 – Benjamin Kennedy Born

(Some sources gave the date of his birth as November 6th.)

Benjamin Hall Kennedy was an English scholar of note, and an Anglican clergyman. He wrote Latin textbooks, and published editions of the classics. He also wrote his own metrical version of many psalms, as well as translating the hymns of others. One of the latter is a hymn of Johann Schwedler, published posthumously in 1741, which Kennedy translated from the original German as Ask Ye What Great Thing I Know.

Reading this hymn, I’m reminded of the words of the blind man whom Jesus healed. The Jewish leaders questioned him, trying to trip him up and get him to join them in condemning Christ. “We know that this Man is a sinner,” they said. To which the formerly blind man replied, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (Jn. 9:24-25). Even though we keep studying and keep learning, there are many things about the Scriptures, about God, and about the Christian life, that we do not know. But rather than fretting over them, we need to testify to what we do know! And we need to live by what we know, and keep on learning more. If we do, we’ll discover, as Schwedler did, that Christ is central to it all.

Ask ye what great thing I know,
That delights and stirs me so?
What the high reward I win?
Whose the name I glory in?
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

What is faith’s foundation strong?
What awakes my heart to song?
He who bore my sinful load,
Purchased for me peace with God,
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

Today in 1723 – Samuel Davies Born

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Samuel Davies was an American Presbyterian clergyman. He succeeded Jonathan Edwards as president of what is now Princeton University. He was both a spiritual man, and a man of great intelligence. Of his first name, Davies said, “I am a son of prayer, like my namesake, Samuel the prophet, and my mother called me Samuel, because, she said, ‘I have asked him of the Lord.’” He engaged in evangelistic work in Virginia for many years following his ordination. Travelling by horseback, he preached to thousands, including the slaves of that time. King George II invited him to preach at the royal chapel in London. During his message there, he spoke with great boldness to the king, declaring, “When the lion roars, all the animals in the jungle fall silent. And when the Lord speaks, the kings of the earth shut their mouths!” Samuel Davies died on February 4th, 1761. With some intuitive sense of this, or by the Lord’s leading, he began the year by preaching on a phrase from Jer. 28:16, “This year thou shalt die” (KJV)! Davies wrote a number of hymns. One still found in a number of hymnals is Great God of Wonders.

Great God of wonders! All Thy ways
Are matchless, Godlike and divine;
But the fair glories of Thy grace
More godlike and unrivaled shine.

Crimes of such horror to forgive,
Such guilty, daring worms to spare;
This is Thy grand prerogative,
And none shall in the honor share.

Angels and men, resign your claim
To pity, mercy, love and grace:
These glories crown Jehovah’s name
With an incomparable glaze.

The Mennonite group in the video clip sings this hymn beautifully. Enjoy!

Today in 1814 – Emily Shirreff Born

Emily Anne Eliza Shirreff was the daughter of a rear admiral in the British Navy. Going against the tide of opinion in her day, she was a great promoter of higher education for women. She served in various capacities in this area over the years, including being president of the Froebel Society, whose policies were based on the child-centred education theories of Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852). Shirreff’s only hymn, Gracious Saviour Who Didst Honour, gives us a beautiful prayer for women and for mothers.

Gracious Saviour, who didst honour
Womankind as woman’s Son;
Very Man, though God begotten,
And with God the Father One;
Grant our womanhood may be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Jesus, Son of human mother,
Bless our motherhood, we pray;
Give us grace to lead our children,
Draw them to Thee day by day;
May our sons and daughters be
Dedicated, Lord, to Thee.

Today in 1834 – Harriet Buell Born

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Cazenovia New York

Cazenovia, New York (pictured), is a town on Highway 20, southeast of Syracuse. But descriptions of its history and its notable citizens fail to mention Harriet Eugenia Peck (later Mrs. Harriet Buell), though that is where she was born in 1834. It should remind us that the Lord keeps far different records from what society often does. Things that receive acclaim and notoriety down here may not be lauded in heaven. But take heart, if you feel underappreciated for your faithfulness to God. The Bible says:

Those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.

Mal. 3:16

It is easy to see our hymn writers in this description. Many indeed feared God, meditated on His name, and spoke to one another, and speak to us today, about Him. And God has been listening, and He remembers. Among those who are obscure in terms of this world’s historical records is Harriet Buell, who gave us the song A Child of the King.

My Father is rich in houses and lands,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full, He has riches untold.

I’m a child of the King,
A child of the King:
With Jesus my Savior,
I’m a child of the King.

(2) Today in 1845 – Chretien d’Urhan Died

Mr. d’Urhan was a well-known French musician who played the violin in the orchestra of the Paris Opera House, and was the organist of St. Vincent’s Church in that city. He is known in hymnody as the composer of the tune Rutherford, used with the beautiful hymn The Sands of Time Are Sinking.

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of heaven breaks;
The summer morn I’ve sighed for—the fair, sweet morn awakes:
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

(3) Today in 1874 – Phoebe Palmer Died

Phoebe Worrell Palmer wrote the gospel song The Cleansing Wave. Her daughter Phoebe (Phoebe Palmer Knapp) supplied the tune. The two Phoebes in one family, both involved in hymn writing, have given rise to some confusion.

Oh, now I see the cleansing wave!
The fountain deep and wide;
Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,
Points to His wounded side.

The cleansing stream I see! I see!
I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me!
Oh, praise the Lord! It cleanseth me!
It cleanseth me—yes, cleanseth me.

Today in 1921 – John Peterson Born

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John Willard Peterson is probably the most influential hymn writer of the latter part of the twentieth century. Certainly among the most prolific. By the time of his death in 2006, he had written well over a thousand songs, as well as 35 cantatas and musicals. His songs are singable, and their declaration of Bible truth is clear and helpful. Little wonder that his music is still in wide use. (For more about Mr. Peterson and his songs, see the third item under Today in 1908.) Here is just a sampling of the hymns he wrote:

A Flag to Follow
All Glory to Jesus, Begotten of God
All Things Work Out for Good
God’s Final Call
Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul
Isn’t the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful
It Took a Miracle
It’s Not an Easy road
Jesus Is Coming Again
Jesus Led Me All the Way
Over the Sunset Mountains
Shepherd of Love
Springs of Living Water
Surely Goodness and Mercy

As with many hymn writers, Peterson was sensitive to the spiritual application of events happening around him. Sometimes a random comment, or a meaningful phrase, gave him the idea of a song. On one occasion he was assisting with the music at the Montrose Bible Conference. In a morning meeting, time was given for testimonies. Peterson says:

An old gentleman rose to his feet to tell of the saving work of God in his heart. As he spoke, his face glowed, especially when he rehearsed the night when he came to Jesus Christ. “Heaven came down and glory filled my soul” was the way he explained it.

John Peterson jotted down the phrase, and later that week wrote both words and music for a joy-filled gospel song.

O what a wonderful, wonderful day–
Day I will never forget;
After I’d wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Saviour I met.
O what a tender, compassionate Friend–
He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart.

Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Saviour made me whole;
My sins were washed away,
And my night was turned to day–
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!

It may be helpful at this point to mention the hymnal that John Peterson compiled, Great Hymns of the Faith. In my view, it is one of the two or three best options on the market today for an evangelical local church. It contains a good selection of the traditional hymns and gospel songs of the faith. And the musical arrangements are often in slightly lower keys than are used in most older hymnals, making the songs easier to sing. Also, it may be the least expensive hymn book of its size (over 500 songs), a bonus for the smaller church on a limited budget. Mr. Peterson did a great job! Highly recommended.

Choosing A Hymnal For Your Church: While we are on the subject, if your church is considering the purchase of a new hymn book, I encourage you to check out my article. It will give you many good tips as to what to look for, and how to make the final decision.

(2) Saviour, My Heart Is Thine (Data Missing)

Here is a truly beautiful hymn of dedication. We do not know who wrote the text of Saviour, My Heart Is Thine, but George Stebbins provided the tune. It takes us through heart, will, life, and all of the believer–dedicated to the glory of God, and invested in His service. It’s a song that deserves to be better known and more often used.

Saviour, my heart is Thine,
Keep it for me;
May every thought of mine
Glorify Thee.
Glorify Thee, glorify Thee;
May every thought of mine
Glorify Thee.

Saviour, my will is Thine,
Keep it for me;
May every act of mine
Be done for Thee.
Be done for Thee, be done for Thee;
May every act of mine
Be done for Thee.

Saviour, my life is Thine,
Keep it for me;
May every hour of mine
Be lived for Thee.
Be lived for Thee, be lived for Thee;
May every hour of mione
Be lived for Thee.

Saviour, my all is Thine,
Keep it for me;
May all I have, O Lord,
Be used for Thee.
Be used for Thee, be used for Thee;
May all I have, O Lord,
Be used for Thee.

Today in 1674 – John Milton Died

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John Milton is considered one of England’s greatest writers. An accomplished scholar, he wrote in both Latin and Italian, as well as in English. He also served in the Puritan government under Oliver Cromwell. John Milton is considered a Protestant in faith, though his view were at times eccentric. He is most remembered today for his epic poem, Paradise Lost. But we also have one hymn in common use from his pen, written when he was 15 years old.

Living in a day when metrical versions of the Psalms were about the only congregational songs used by the established church, he contributed Let Us with a Gladsome Mind a paraphrase of Ps. 136. The original has 24 two-line stanzas, plus the refrain. Here are a few stanzas.

Let us, with a gladsome mind,
Praise the Lord, for He is kind.

For His mercies shall endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

Let us blaze His name abroad,
For of gods He is the God.

He with all commanding might
Filled the new-made world with light.

All things living He doth feed;
His full hand supplies their need.

(2) Today in 1889 – Oswald J. Smith Born

Canadian hymn writer Oswald Jeffrey Smith was taking seminary training in the city of Chicago, at the turning of the twentieth century. Perhaps the pressure of student life was getting to him, as it has for many. He calls it a time of “uncertainty, doubt, and disappointment.” But as he walked the streets of the city, his thoughts turned to how the Lord Jesus Christ had abundantly provided for him.

First, he considered how he owed his salvation to Christ. Then, how the Lord guided and cared for him. Next, he meditated on how He provides a model for us to follow, and finally of His coming reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. As each of these themes occurred to him, he created lines of poetry in his mind that later became the gospel song Jesus Only. It has encouraged the faith of many since, just as it did the young seminary student. Here are a couple of stanzas.

For salvation full and free,
Purchased once on Calvary,
Christ alone shall be my plea–
Jesus! Jesus only.

Jesus only, let me see,
Jesus only, none save He,
Then my song shall ever be–
Jesus! Jesus only!

He my Guide from day to day,
As I journey on life’s way;
Close beside Him let me stay–
Jesus! Jesus only.

(3) Today in 1916 – Alfred B. Smith Born

Alfred Barnerd Smith was a gospel musician most of his life. He played the violin, directed choirs, wrote songs (over 500 of them), and founded an influential publishing company. He is sometimes called the Dean of Gospel Music. In partnership with John Peterson, he wrote the familiar song Surely Goodness and Mercy. And the hymnal he edited, Living Hymns, is one of the best (now revised, with another 50 selections added to the 800 plus to the original). Recommended!

One day in 1938 Smith paid a visit to another gospel song writer. George Stebbins was 94 years old then. He had written music for Fanny Crosby’s hymns, and others of that era. He knew Philip Bliss, D. L. Moody, and Ira Sankey personally. Stebbins was a link with the past. Al Smith sat and listened to his inspiring stories for three whole hours. (As a result of this meeting, and other research, he wrote the book Hymn Histories.)

As he drove away, Smith prayed that the Lord would somehow enable him to be a blessing to many, as these saints of former times had been. Could he perhaps write a memorable song that would have a wide impact? As the car made its way to a home he was visiting, a song formed in his mind. When he arrived, he scribbled his idea down and, leaving it on the piano, still unfinished, he went on to a meeting.

Later that evening, he discovered that his song had been completed for him. A daughter in the home, Frances Townsend (an English teacher), had filled in a missing phrase with “what glory that will be.” The result is a little chorus, based on Jn. 3:16 that gives us the gospel in a nutshell:

For God so loved the world
He gave His only Son
To die on Calv’ry’s tree,
From sin to set me free;
Some day He’s coming back,
What glory that will be!
Wonderful His love to me.

Another little chorus from Alfred Smith’s pen provides a practical commitment for daily living. The godly wisdom described in the Word of God has to do with our values and priorities. Instead of our lives being ruled by temporal and material values, we need a spiritual and eternal value system. Mr. Smith’s song says simply:

With eternity’s values in view, Lord,
With eternity’s values in view;
May I do each day’s work for Jesus,
With eternity’s values in view.