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U8. Reflections: Sep.18

I Do, Don’t You?

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Melville Winans Miller (b. June 23, 1856; d. Sept. 11, 1933)
Music: Edwin Othello Excell (b. Dec. 13, 1851; d. June 10, 1921)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Edwin Excell)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: This song was written in 1907. Melville Miller seems to have had a number of varied careers: a lawyer, county surveyor, newspaper editor, and high school English teacher, in Indiana. In addition to penning several gospel songs, he wrote poetry and short stories. Edwin Excell wrote many gospel songs, including Since I Have Been Redeemed, and composed music for the songs of others.

Born in Moline, Illinois, in 1918, Helen grew up in a home financially struggling, as many were during the Great Depression. But she had a marketable asset, a very fine singing voice. Her idol was Kate Smith, and she was encouraged to learn that Kate, too, had no formal training as a singer.

Helen became a blues singer with a dance band in the 1930’s, and performed in concerts and on radio. As her audience grew, she received many requests to sing the popular songs of the day. The one kind of music she refused to sing was hymns, she had no interest in that–ironic, given what lay in the future.

What did interest her, after singing for some YWCA shows, was social work, especially among poor children. But where could she get training? Helen didn’t have enough money for a university education. However, she heard about Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, which offered a tuition-free education. When she enrolled there in 1939, she was not a Christian. But, as she listened to the testimonies of other students, she realized something was missing in her life.

“I thought I had met the requirements of an entrance into heaven,” Helen said. “The most important thing I lacked, but didn’t realize until then, was the message that Jesus Himself had said to Nicodemus: ‘You must be born again’ [Jn. 3:3]. For the first time, I truly believed that Jesus had died for me, and I asked Him to come into my heart and life. I knew as I got up off of my knees that I, too, could give a testimony that Jesus was now my personal Saviour.”

That decision set her life on a new course. She saw her clear alto voice and musical ability as a gift from God which she could use to serve Him. She began singing on Moody’s own radio station, WMBI, and went on to make many recordings of gospel music. Work with another gospel singer, Bev Shea, and her association with Billy Graham, and Youth for Christ, spread her fame still further. Along the way, she was married to evangelist Reinhold Barth, and the couple raised three children.

“The Lord gave me a new song,” she said, “a song of peace and praise, of grace and gladness.” Helen Lillian McAlerney Barth died in 2017 at the age of 98. But from those days at Moody, until the Lord took her home, her goal was to sing to His praise, inviting others to trust in the Lord as she did.

When the Lord Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, he wanted to go with Jesus and serve Him. But the Lord responded, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mk. 5:18-19). That was the passion of Helen Barth, to tell others about Christ, with the hope that they too would trust in Him.

Believers are to be witnesses to the goodness and saving power of the Lord. David expressed his own desire to be a witness, “That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works” (Ps. 26:7). And Jesus told His followers, “You shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8). Christians should “always be ready to give a defense [an answer] to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (I Pet. 3:15).

A song recorded by Helen that seems to capsulize her witness is one called I Do, Don’t You?

1) I know a great Saviour, I do; don’t you?
I live by His favour, I do; don’t you?
For grace I implore Him, I worship before Him,
I love and adore Him, I do; don’t you?

2 ) I need Him to lead me, I do; don’t you?
Heav’n’s manna to feed me, I do; don’t you?
Whatever betide me, I need Him beside me,
In mercy to hide me, I do; don’t you?

4) I want Him to use me, I do; don’t you?
For service to choose me, I do; don’t you?
I want Him to bless me, to own and confess me,
Completely possess me, I do; don’t you?

Questions:
1) Has anyone ever asked you if you are a Christian?

2) Have you ever asked anyone else if he or she is a Christian? (What response did you get?)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Edwin Excell)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Rock of Ages

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Augustus Montague Toplady (b. Nov. 4, 1740; d. Aug. 11, 1778)
Music: Toplady, by Thomas Hastings (b. Oct. 15, 1784; d. May 15, 1872)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: This hymn was authored by an English clergyman with the imposing name Augustus Montague Toplady. Though he only lived to the age of thirty-eight, he packed a great deal into those years, serving in several churches, and writing several books. He also gave us a number of hymns, including one now considered among the finest in the English language, Rock of Ages. It was published in his 1776 book Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Worship, and, according to Hymnary.org, has been published in 2,521 hymnals.

Written in 1775, and called “A Prayer–Living and Dying,” the present hymn was inspired by a personal experience of Toplady’s. He was out walking and was caught in a sudden rain storm. Near him, there was a rocky cliff with a deep crevice, wide enough to admit him. As he was sheltering in the rock, he thought of how, by faith, we shelter in Christ, from the storms of judgment. (For a photograph of what is believed to be this rocky crevice, see the first Wordwise Hymns link above.)

These articles are about words–chiefly the words of our traditional hymns and gospel songs, and how they express (or don’t do so accurately) the words of the Bible. This time, the key word is “rock.”

It’s amazing how many ways we use that word, in addition to obvious references to a stone. We speak of rocking a baby to sleep, or a boat rocking on the waves. There’s rock music, of course, and Rocky a man’s name, popularized by the 1976 movie about a fictional boxer named Rocky Balboa. And if someone uses the expression, “That rocks!” it apparently means something is especially impressive. There’s also rock candy, and both Newfoundland, Canada, and the island of Gibralter are referred to as the Rock.

In the Bible, some form of the word is used over 130 times in various ways. For example, journeying through a barren area, travelers are glad of the shade provided by “the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” (Isa. 32:2). When facing an enemy, God’s people could hide in rocky caves (I Sam. 13:6), or climb up on a rocky prominence to get a safer vantage point (Ps. 61:2-3). And rocky ground is not a good place to sow seed (Matt. 13:5-6), but rock could sometimes yield unexpected nourishment (Deut. 32:13). Also, rock was considered a stable foundation on which to build (Matt. 7:24-25).

It will be seen that many of these instances have both a practical and a spiritual application. Many times, particularly in the Psalms, the Lord is described as a rock.

“For who is God, except the LORD [Jehovah]? And who is a rock, except our God?” (Ps. 18:31).

“He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved” (Ps. 62:2).

There is salvation and security in the Lord, spiritual sustenance and stability too. “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 3:11).

Usually, rock is expected to be relatively impregnable and indestructible. But there came a day when the Lord our Rock was shattered. When the incarnate Son of God was crucified, His body was broken, and His blood was shed for us (I Cor. 11:24). “Christ died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3). Like the rock in the wilderness that Moses struck, at God’s command, to provide water for the Israelites (Exod. 17:6), from the smitten Rock at Calvary the water of eternal life flowed out for all who will receive it.

The hymn insists that Christ is the only answer to our sin problem (cf. Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12; Tit. 3:5). It’s not what we have done for God, but what He has done for us–“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”

“By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

CH-1) Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

CH-2) Not the labour of my hands
Can fulfil Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

CH-3) Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

Questions:
1) What are some of the things people presume to bring in their hands to God, to earn His approval?

2) Why are these things inadequate to gain them eternal salvation?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Heaven in My Heart

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Ida Augusta Guirey (b. Mar, 20, 1874; d. July 16, 1957)
Music: Robert Parsons (no information)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Ida Guirey)
Hymnary.org

Note: Published in 1943, the present song was written by Ida Guirey. Miss Guirey (who never married) was a pastor’s daughter. She wrote several hymns. The theme here reminds me of a song by Charles Butler, Where Jesus Is, ‘Tis Heaven There.

When we talk together, there are some subjects that are painful or unpleasant to discuss–though we may have to deal with them at times. But heaven is a much more positive theme, and the prospect is pleasant to anticipate and reflect upon.

The more troubling and difficult our struggles, the more we might identify with a character in Shakespeare’s play, Richard II, who says, “Comfort’s in heaven, and we are on earth, where nothing lives but crosses, cares, and grief.” That’s one reason the Lord wants believers to find encouragement and comfort in contemplating our future heavenly home. “Let not your heart be troubled…” (Jn. 14:1-3); “Comfort one another with these words.” (I Thess. 4:16-18).

The Bible uses words such as heaven and heavenly nearly seven hundred times. And, not surprisingly, hundreds of hymns have been written on the subject. Those Bible references, however, should be divided into three categories–identifying three different “heavens.”

¤ Earth’s atmosphere, where birds fly and clouds form, is called heaven (Gen. 1:20).

¤ A second “heaven” is outer space, where planets and stars are found (Gen. 15:5).

¤ What the Bible calls “the third heaven,” or Paradise (II Cor. 12:2-4) is where God’s throne is, and the holy angels dwell, with the saints who’ve departed this life (Rev. 4:1-2).

There is, however, a fourth way we could use the word heaven. Though the Bible doesn’t do so, the concept is certainly there. When we contemplate the blessings of God (of which a future in heaven is one), heavenly thoughts and feelings of joy and bliss fill our hearts. A century after Shakespeare wrote the play quoted above, Puritan clergyman Peter Drelincourt wrote:

“God comes to us before we go to Him; and heaven enters into our souls before we can enter into heaven.”

The Bible declares that Christians are, already, citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). It’s appropriate then that we think about the affairs of our heavenly home, and rejoice in things related to it. There are three questions to consider:

¤ How does one get on the road to heaven?
¤ What are the heavenly blessings of the journey there?
¤ And what do we anticipate our heavenly home will be like?

That’s the subject of a gospel song called Heaven in My Heart, which deals with the three questions just mentioned in three successive stanzas.

How does an individual get started on the heavenly way? Through faith in Christ, believing that “Christ died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3). A familiar verse of Scripture says: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

1) It was heaven in my heart when Jesus found me,
Heaven in my heart, heaven in my heart;
All my sins He took away, a new life gave me.
I can never tell the joy that filled my heart.

Stanza two of Guirey’s song talks about the Christian life, with the Lord’s presence and leading. The main way the Lord guides us is by His Word. “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

2) It is heaven ev’ry day with Him abiding,
Heaven ev’ry day, heaven ev’ry day;
There is light upon my way with Jesus guiding,
Shining more and more unto the perfect day.

The final stanza is about our eternal destiny. As Christ promised:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3).

3) ‘Twill be heaven by and by His face beholding,
Heaven by and by, heaven by and by;
O the glory through eternity unfolding,
When we dwell with Him at home beyond the sky.

Heaven in my heart, heaven in my heart,
This the life He gave me when He saved me.
Heaven in my heart, heaven in my heart,
O the joy of knowing Jesus saved me.

Questions:
1) If heaven is in our hearts, how will that be seen in our lives?

2) Why do you think fewer hymns about heaven are being written today, compared to a century or more ago?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Ida Guirey)
Hymnary.org

As with Gladness Men of Old

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: William Chatterton Dix (b. June 14, 1837; d. Sept. 9, 1898)
Music: Dix, by Konrad Kocher (b. Dec. 16, 1786; d. Mar. 12, 1872)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: William Dix managed an insurance company in England. But he also made a contribution to our Christmas traditions in several ways. Mr. Dix wrote a number of hymns, including two popular Christmas carols, What Child Is This? and As with Gladness Men of Old. There is a lovely fifth stanza of the latter song which (sadly) most hymnals omit. Some only use the first three. Here are the last two, with their logically connected message.

CH-4) Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.

CH-5) In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its light, its joy, its crown,
Thou its sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!

We have many traditions when it comes to Christmas. The decorations, the turkey dinners, the cards, the gifts, the songs and stories, all have been enjoyed for many years. But sometimes the word tradition is used in a kind of mocking way. “Well, that’s the traditional way of doing it,” someone may say. And you can tell they mean, “That’s the old-fashioned, out-dated way, but we know better now. But traditional does not mean old-fashioned.

The word is found in the Bible (II Thess. 2:15; 3:6, 14). The Greek word for it (paradosis), simply means to hand over, to give into the hands of another. Tradition is just a handed-on teaching or practice. (Paul used the word of his own God-inspired teaching.) It refers to something that is passed on from one person to another, or one generation to another.

And that can be a good thing to do. Whether in a family, a church, or a nation, tradition gives continuity and stability, in place of confusion and uncertainty. People know what is expected of them. Tradition helps to create a smooth flow from one generation to the next. And, properly handled, it can help the younger generation avoid the mistakes of their elders (cf. Ps. 78:1-8).

Traditions can also give us a sense of belonging to something that is both special and enduring. The fact that we are doing something today that past generations have done gives us a bond with them. We feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. That’s part of what makes family reunions so exciting. There’s a shared history to enjoy and pass on to the next generation.

But there are dangers to avoid. Any time we talk about tradition in biblical terms, the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees comes to mind. But Jesus did not condemn all tradition, when He talked with the Pharisees. Instead, he accused them of using tradition to evade their responsibility to God (Matt. 15:3, 5-6). When that happens, tradition has become too “bossy.” Overruling what God has said can never be right.

Tradition is being abused when it’s used:

¤ To displace reality (Acts 19:13, 15)
¤ To deplore any change (Acts. 10:13-15)
¤ To devalue the past (Acts 17:21)
¤ To deny the truth (Acts 14:11-15)

If we avoid those four extremes or dangers, we can continue to make use of tradition.

Jeremiah told the people of his day, “Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls” (Jer. 6:16). The wise person appreciates the heritage of the past and will continue to employ it and be enriched by it.

As with Gladness Men of Old is based on the visit or the wise men to the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12). By memorializing that event in a song, the author retold the story, added to our sacred songs of the season, and highlighted gift-giving, a tradition he encouraged with these words:

CH-3) As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.

The word “gift” is used in the Bible over a hundred times. God Himself is the greatest Gift-giver (Jas. 1:17). He sent His Son to be our Saviour, and offers us eternal salvation through faith in Christ (II Cor. 9:15; Eph. 2:8). He has also given us various abilities to use for His glory (I Cor. 12:11; I Pet. 4:10).

We give back to the Lord when we honour and serve Him. The wise men have shown us a tradition worth emulating. And this Christmas, let us “Give to the Lord the glory due His name” (Ps. 96:8).

Questions:
1) Could you make a list of some of the gifts (perhaps ten) God has given you?

2) What spiritual blessing can you pass on to someone else this week?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

When God Speaks

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Carlton C. Buck (b. Aug. 31, 1907; d. Feb. 13, 1999)
Music: Frank Addison Simpkins (b. June 8, 1870; d. Mar. 4, 1939)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Carlton Buck)
Hymnary.org

Note: In 1936, Carlton Buck published the hymn called When God Speaks. Born in Kansas, Buck was an American pastor, musician and author, with several books and a number of sacred songs to his credit. In this song–used more as a solo number than with congregations–the author celebrates the power of the voice of God.

Operatic tenor Enrico Caruso died nearly a century ago. Yet he is still considered the supreme tenor of them all, and one of the greatest singers of all time. Caruso had the first million-seller recording in 1902. His technique was masterful, his voice was powerful, but full and rich as well. He sang with an emotional warmth that even shines through the scratchy low-fidelity recordings of the early twentieth century.

There are other voices in music whose power perhaps has to do more with what they sang, and when, than with the technical mastery they showed. Bob Dylan’s songs were a significant commentary on the anti-war ‘60’s, while Billie Holiday’s recording of Strange Fruit (about lynching) raised awareness in the civil rights movement. Beyond the realm of music, Winston Churchill’s was another voice with great power. His thrilling oratory helped to steel the British people in 1940, when Nazi bombs fell on London.

In the Bible, the sovereign strength of the voice of God is mentioned many times. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty” (Ps. 29:4). It was a voice heard in Eden, after our first parents sinned. “Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid’” (Gen. 3:9-10). And the voice of God thundered from Mount Sinai, when He gave the Law of Israel through Moses (Deut. 5:22).

The Lord Jesus took Peter, James and John upon into a mountain and was “transfigured” before them. That is, He gave them a glimpse of His heavenly glory, and “His face shone like the sun” (Matt. 17:1-2). At that time, God the Father spoke from heaven. “Suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’” (vs. 5). And we hear the Son’s voice in almost the last verse of the Bible, when Christ promises concerning His return, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Rev. 22:20).

“The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard” (Isa. 30:30). And when the Lord speaks, things happen. In the opening chapter of the Bible, we only get to verse 3 before the Creator speaks. Ten times in the chapter we are told “God said,” and each time the forces and materials of the physical creation were called into being, or directed in some way. That same voice summoned many individuals to a challenging ministry for Him. The servants of God who responded include: Moses (Acts 7:31), Elijah (I Kgs. 19:11-12), Isaiah (Isa. 6:8), Saul (or Paul) (Acts 9:3-6), and John (Rev. 1:10-11).

In Pastor Buck’s song, first, we see the force of God in nature, and His authority over angelic spirits (Heb. 1:14).

1) When God speaks, the high mountains tremble;
When God speaks, the loud billows roll;
When God speaks, my heart falls to list’ning,
And there is response in my soul.

Speak to my heart! Speak now, I pray;
God of salvation, and Lord of creation,
O speak to my heart today!

2) When God speaks, the angels obey Him;
When God speaks, all nature is stirred;
When God speaks, the hard hearts are softened,
For no sweeter voice e’er was heard.

Then Carlton Buck refers to the need for a personal response to the voice of God, as He speaks, in our day, particularly through His Word.

4) When God speaks, ‘tis mine then to answer;
When God speaks, my tempest to still;
When God speaks, ‘tis mine then to follow,
And following Him, do His will.

Speak to my heart! Speak now, I pray;
God of salvation, and Lord of creation,
O speak to my heart today!

Questions:
1) What did the Lord say to you today, in your daily devotional time?

2) Is there a hymn through which the Lord spoke to you, recently?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Carlton Buck)
Hymnary.org

Amazing Grace

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: John Newton (b. July 24, 1725; d. Dec. 21, 1807)
Music: New Britain, composer unknown; tune first used with this hymn in William Walker’s Southern Harmony, 1835.

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: There are many personal references in this hymn (I, me, my)–unusual for hymns of that day. In that, it resembles the gospel songs that came along in the nineteenth century. Newton revels in the grace of God that he himself experienced. Before he died, he composed what would become his epitaph:

John Newton, clerk
Once an infidel and libertine
A servant of slaves in Africa,
Was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ,
restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach
the gospel which he had long laboured to destroy.

Amazing Grace is certainly the best known hymn in the English language. According to Hymnary.org, it’s found in over 1200 hymnals. And it could well be the favourite of more people than any other. But that wasn’t always the case.

The song remained in relative obscurity for the first 191 years of its existence, until an American folk singer made a recording of it in 1970. Judy Collins, as far as I know, makes know profession of being a Christian, but her haunting rendition of the hymn became a much-played hit, and she sang it many times in concerts.

John Newton, an Anglican clergyman, published a new hymnal he produced in 1779. Called Olney Hymns, after his parish town of Olney, in England, the historically significant volume included Amazing Grace, which he entitled “Faith’s Review and Expectation.”

The biblical inspiration for it is interesting. King David of Israel received a visit from the prophet Nathan, who brought a message from the Lord, the essence of which is now known as the Davidic Covenant. God promised:

“I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever” (I Chron. 17:14).

This will be accomplished through Christ, who in His human incarnation was a descendant of David (Matt. 1:1; Rev. 11:15). And when the king heard these words, he marveled at the grace of God that would grant him and his family such an undeserved privilege. He responded:

“Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O Lord God” (vs. 16-17).

It was those last two Bible verses that Pastor Newton referenced in the heading of his hymn. They expressed how he felt himself, a formerly wicked and profane slave trader, saved by grace. And if there was hope for John Newton, there is surely hope still for those who have wallowed in the dregs of sin. This is why Amazing Grace has long been a favourite of whose who are in prison. “A wretch like me” has special meaning for them!

The Bible says those who become Christians weren’t saved by the merit of their good works, but by the grace (the unmerited favour) of God.

“By grace you have been saved through faith [in Christ], and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified [declared righteous] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23-24).

The hymn’s celebration of God’s grace begins with the familiar words:

CH-1) Amazing grace!–how sweet the sound–
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

The original song had six stanzas. But even hymnals that include six rarely use Newton’s last:

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me hear below,
Will be forever mine.

This is replaced now by a stanza whose author is unknown. Below is Newton’s fifth stanza, followed by the replacement for the sixth. The two certainly go well together. (“The veil” is an allusion to the curtain that separated the holy of holies in Israel’s tabernacle–and later, the temple in Jerusalem. It’s a way to describe heaven, and our entry into the presence of God.)

5) And when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

6) When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
Than when we first begun.

Questions:
1) What is the opposite of God’s grace–what we all deserve?

2) What makes God’s grace so “amazing”?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Harboured in Jesus

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Elva Fay Wallingford (b. July 24, 1912; d. July 12, 2001)
Music: Don M. Allen (b. ____, 1910; d. ____, 2010)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Fay Wallingford)
Hymnary.org (Fay Wallingford)

Note: In 1936, Fay Wallingford wrote a gospel song, called Harboured in Jesus, which speaks to the personal and individual safety we have in Christ. We know little about the author, other than she lived in Los Angeles. A bit of nostalgia: On the copy of the song I have before me, I see my father’s notes for using it with our church choir, October 27, 1957. He was our organist and choir director.

A harbour is a port or haven for ships. The term comes from the Old English word herebeorg, meaning lodgings or a shelter. The Port of Shanghai, on the Yangtze River is the largest harbour in the world. It annually receives and docks about 140,000 ships.

Think of some of the uses of a port. Ships come to bring people home, or take them to their home. Or perhaps they bring those traveling on vacation. Or they come for commercial purposes, to deliver cargo, or pick up cargo. They may come for military reasons, to defend the harbour, or for medical reasons, to help out in a time of epidemic. And when a severe storm threatens, a ship may seek the refuge of a safe shelter.

Some of those purposes are represented in the Bible. In Genesis, elderly Jacob prophesies concerning the future of his sons–who became the heads of tribes in Israel. “Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea,” Jacob says, “he shall become a haven for ships” (Gen. 49:13). And Psalm 107 speaks of how the Lord protects those who sail the seas: “He calms the storm, so that its waves are still….So He guides them to their desired haven” (vs. 29-30).

In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul is arrested, and sent by ship to Rome to be tried. The author describes the journey, and the ports of call along the way. At one point he says, “We came to a place called Fair Havens [good harbours], near the city of Lasea (Acts 27:8). “And because the harbour was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbour of Crete” (vs. 12).

Words like harbour and haven can also be used as a picture of protection and security in a more general way. When Paul and Silas, were missionaries of the gospel, they faced persecution many times. At the city of Thessalonica, when danger threatened, a man named Jason gave the two men refuge and safety in his home. Later, Jason was arrested and taken before the rulers of the city where it was charged, “Jason has harboured them” (Acts 17:7).

In spiritual terms, the New Testament describes Christians as being “in Christ,” or “in Him.” Paul often seems to use this phrase in a legal sense. It’s as though, when we put our faith in the Saviour, God sees us, in  terms of His justice, through Christ, and therefore as reaping the benefits of His saving work. In Christ we have a safe harbour, protecting us from the storms of God’s judgment. Are you looking for a safe harbour, spiritually? Christ is the answer.

¤ “Of Him [God the Father] you are in Christ Jesus” (I Cor. 1:30).

¤ “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

¤ “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

¤ “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace….In Him also we have obtained an inheritance” (Eph. 1:7, 11).

There is even a corporate application of this to the church as a whole. “We [believers], being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Rom. 12:5).

1) Once I was drifting, lost and in sin;
Once I was dying, darkness within.
Now I am living, the way He planned–
Harboured in Jesus, kept by His hand.

Harboured in Jesus, safe and secure;
Harboured in Jesus, safe evermore.

2) Storms may surround me, tempests may roar,
Doubts may assail me, knock at my door;
Nothing shall move me from Jesus’ side–
Harboured in Jesus, wonderful Guide.

4) Friend, are you drifting, with none to care?
Friend, are you dying, deep in despair?
Come unto Jesus, He’ll set you free;
Harboured in Jesus, eternally.

Questions:
1) What kind of dangers, for both time and eternity, do those face who are outside of Christ?

2) How is Christ like a harbour for those who put their faith in Him?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Fay Wallingford)
Hymnary.org (Fay Wallingford)

Be Still, My Soul

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. As others have contributed ideas, this wonderful resource has grown to over 80 items now. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Words: Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel (b. Oct. 22, 1697; d. circa 1768); translated by Jane Laurie Borthwick (b. Apr. 9, 1813; d. Sept. 7, 1897)
Music: Finlandia, by Jean Sibelius (b. Dec. 8, 1865; d. Sept. 20, 1957)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Katharina von Schlegel belonged to the court of the local duke in Kothen, Germany, a court where master composer Johann Sebastian Back was the music director for a number of years. It is quite likely she knew him.

Some think she was the head of a Lutheran ladies seminary in Kothen. But she is not listed in any of their records. The “von” in her name suggests she belonged to an aristocratic family. By her money and influence perhaps she became a supporter of the seminary, and was involved in an unofficial way.

Katharina’s spiritual life was influenced by the Pietist movement, a group that believed that renewal would come through the study and preaching of God’s Word, the exercise of the priesthood of all believers (I Pet. 2:5, 9), and emphasized practical Christianity lived out in daily life. The Pietists also believed in the importance of congregational hymn singing.

Unacceptable behaviour, or actions inappropriate to the setting, may result in a directive to “Settle down!” When children begin a boisterous game of tag or dodge-ball in the house, imperiling the dishes, mom may say, “You can’t do that in here. Settle down! Or, go outside and play!”

The Bible has its own version of “Settle down!” It’s “Be still!” We read in Nehemiah, “The Levites quieted all the people, saying, ‘Be still, for the day is holy’” (Neh. 8:11). And David advises, “Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still” (Ps. 4:4). “Be still [cease striving in your own strength], and know [recognize] that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). Other related injunctions indicate the need for a calm and quiet (still) faith in the face of trials. We are to “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Ps. 37:7).

In the New Testament, we read of the Lord Jesus showing His power over the natural elements, when He and His disciples faced a storm on the Sea of Galilee. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” cried His men (Mk. 4:38). In response, “He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (vs. 39. “Be still” is literally be muzzled. One translator has, “Hush up, and stay that way!”

Similar thoughts led to the creation of a truly great hymn. Katharina von Schlegel wrote twenty-nine hymns. Be Still, My Soul was produced in 1752. Scottish translator Jane Borthwick gave us the English translation about a century later. The strength of faith and depth of feeling it expresses put it in the top rank of our hymns.

Borthwick ably translated five of the six stanzas in the original. The last two lines of the second stanza were a special blessing to me personally, at a difficult point in my life. And, unfortunately, many hymnals omit the third stanza, which speaks God’s comfort in the loss of a loved one.

CH-1) Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

CH-2) Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

CH-3) Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

CH-4) Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Questions:
1) If our souls are “still,” what will that look like  to others, observing our daily lives?

2) Various kinds of trials are mentioned in the hymn: grief and tears, pain, change and disappointment, fear, an uncertain future, thorny ways and storms, loss of loved ones. Which of these is the most trying for you at the present time? (And do you find encouraging truths in the hymn?)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (for another article see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org