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V8. Reflections: Oct.18

My Mother’s Bible

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: Milan Bertrand Williams (b. Oct. 30, 1860; d. ____, 1941)
Music: Charles Davis Tillman (b. Mar. 20, 1861; d. Sept. 2, 1943)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Milan Williams)
Hymnary.org

Note: Milan Bertrand Williams was an American evangelist. His song was first published in 1893. You can see dozens of songs about mothers on the Cyber Hymnal. I’ve dealt with several of them on this blog: Tell Mother I’ll Be There; Faith of Our Mothers; Mother’s Prayers Have Followed Me (see my Index).

It’s a small leather-bound book; I have a picture of it on my phone. My mother’s Bible. She got it at the age of fifteen, after she trusted in Christ as her Saviour. It was a treasured possession while she lived, and now it’s become that for me.

What stands out about my mother is her godly character. She was a woman committed to Christian values. A woman of prayer. And a woman who really knew her Bible. Early on, she began committing the Scriptures to memory. She memorized the entire book of Psalms, and several other Bible books. On into her eighties, if you gave her the first few words of a psalm, she could quote it for you.

At her Memorial Service, a friend talked about how she first met my mother. Lorraine had been a New Yorker. She’d just moved to Canada, and married a man more than twenty years older than herself, taking on the care of his children. She said:

“I was a mother of five children when I first met Isbell. I was looking for something in my own Christian walk with the Lord, and had been invited to come to this church. I’d just settled my four younger children into their Sunday School classes, and was directed to a young women’s Bible class. Isbell was the teacher of that class.

One Sunday evening, a few weeks later, I was invited to her home. What I didn’t know, at that point in time, was that this would be the day our friendship truly began. I had a physical mother who lived in the United States. Now I had been given a spiritual mother here in Canada.

We laughed together, shared together, and most of all prayed together. And Isbell and I shared many times with the Word of God, about being a better wife and mother. I learned a lot of valuable lessons from this special lady. Down through these many years I have come through some hard times, but Mom was there for me. And she never asked anything in return for that kind of friendship.”

The “hard times” Lorraine mentions included what was happening at home. Her husband was an alcoholic, and unsaved. But she and my mother prayed earnestly that God would save Fred, and deliver him from bondage to alcohol.

One Sunday, Fred came to church. A gospel invitation was given, and while Mom and Lorraine gripped each other’s hands, Fred made his way to the front of the church, indicating his desire to commit his life to Christ. The Lord not only set him free from drink, he became a godly, loving husband and father. Fred joined my mother in heaven recently.

The gospel song called My Mother’s Bible is sentimental, and old fashioned. I suspect it’s rarely sung today. Many would label it “corny.” But it contains an important truth: that how parents live will influence their children. The Bible tells us that (Prov. 22:6). My mother’s love for God’s Word has deeply affected me. And she, in fact, was the one who led me to faith in Christ, many years ago. “Her worth is far above rubies” (Prov. 31:10).

Mr. Williams’ song says:

1) There’s a dear and precious Book,
Though it’s worn and faded now,
Which recalls those happy days of long ago;
When I stood at mother’s knee,
With her hand upon my brow,
And I heard her voice in gentle tones and low.

Blessed Book, precious Book,
On thy dear old tear-stained leaves
I love to look;
Thou art sweeter day by day,
As I walk the narrow way
That leads at last
To that bright home above.

3) There she read of Jesus’ love,
As He blessed the children dear,
How He suffered, bled and died upon the tree;
Of His heavy load of care;
Then she dried my flowing tears
With her kisses as she said it was for me.”

4) Well those days are past and gone,
But their mem’ry lingers still,
And the dear old Book each day has been my guide;
And I seek to do His will,
As my mother taught me then,
And ever in my heart His words abide.

Questions:
1) What kind of spiritual influence did your mother have on you?

2) What legacy of faith will you leave to your children or grandchildren?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Milan Williams)
Hymnary.org

Messiah

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: Charles Jennens (b. _____, 1700; d. Nov. 20, 1773)
Music: George Frederick Handel (b. Feb. 23, 1685; d. Apr. 14, 1759)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (George Handel)
The Cyber Hymnal (George Handel)
Hymnary.org (George Handel)

Note: On one occasion, Handel’s Messiah was to be presented in a city near us. I organized a bus-load of people from our church to attend. All, I believe, received a blessing. I’ve also had the idea, for some years, that the oratorio (specifically the Scriptures used) could be used for a discussion Bible study, but haven’t done anything on it…yet. Meanwhile, while I’m driving any distance, I’ve listened, over and over, to Messiah, as I go. What a blessing!

He sat at his painstaking work, hour after hour, already an old man at fifty-six, two decades past the average life expectancy of his day. He was all but bankrupt. Even worse, he was suffering from depression, and was in great physical pain from arthritis. Playing the organ, or writing music, as he was, caused him intense agony. He was at one of the lowest points in his life. But the Lord was going to use him mightily.

A musical genius, his name is George Frederick Handel. What he produced is a musical masterpiece called simply Messiah (without the initial word “The”). It’s not a retelling of the whole life of Christ, but a gospel message about the drama of redemption. In effect, it presents, in music, one of the greatest sermons ever preached. John Wesley, after attending a performance, wrote in his journal, “I doubt if that congregation was ever so serious at a sermon.”

Handel’s friend Charles Jennens put together the text. He had a deep knowledge of the Scriptures, and used verses (from the King James Version) from both Old and New Testaments. It may well be the grandest expression of the gospel in music ever created. Beethoven, on his deathbed, pointed to Handel’s work and said, “There is truth.” When someone commented after a performance that it was “excellent entertainment,” Handel replied, “I should be sorry if I only entertained them; I wish to make them better.”

The Bible presents Christ’s redeeming sacrifice over and over. “[He] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us” (Tit. 2:14). We are redeemed from the slave market of sin “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Pet. 1:18-19). In heaven, the saints exclaim, “You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). And we respond, with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives!” (Job 19:25).

The over four dozen separate pieces in the work are presented in three parts, originally named: The Promise of Redemption; The Price of Redemption; The Power of Redemption. After writing the famous Hallelujah Chorus (for Part 2) Handel exclaimed, “I did think I did see all heaven before me, and the great God Himself.”

Handel’s masterpiece is all Scripture, and only Scripture. For your interest, and further study, the references of all the texts used in Messiah are given in the Wordwise Hymns link above. (In some cases, only part of a particular verse is used.) The entire work is rich and wonderfully enriching. But here are four examples. (I’m quoting from the New King James Version, below, so the wording may be slightly different from the older text Handel used.)

¤ “The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isa. 40:5). What has impressed me especially here is the clause that ends the verse. What is promised will happen without fail, because God has spoken, and His Word is certain.

¤ “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). A joyful celebration of the coming of Messiah.

¤ Psalm 2:1-4, 9 is powerfully presented in a series of four selections. The futile wrath and rebellion of man against Christ that will come in the last days, before the Lord’s return is dramatically portrayed.

¤ The above is followed by a combination of Scriptures constituting the famed Hallelujah Chorus. “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Rev. 19:6); “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:15); “King of kings and Lord of lords” (I Tim. 6:15).

On August 22, 1741, Handel began his labours, completing Part One in six days, Part Two in nine days, and Part Three in six, fleshing out the orchestral parts in a further three days. In a mere twenty-four days he had written 260 pages of complex music. Apart from its powerful message, it’s been called the greatest feat of musical composition in history.

The premiere of the massive oratorio–which takes about two and a half hours to perform–came on April 13, 1742. The demand for tickets was so great men were asked not to wear their swords, and women asked not to wear hoops in their skirts. This provided room for a hundred extra people. Hundreds more had to be turned away. When the first performance was given in London, King George II attended, and he stood for the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus, all the others rising with him. This has become a tradition that remains to this day.

There was strong criticism from some of the clergy because the work was sometimes presented in a theatre, using professional musicians who weren’t necessarily born again Christians. To the Puritan mind of the time, this was an outrage, and it caused some to label Handel a heretic. But in spite of the critics, it’s become the most beloved choral work in the English language. And heaven will likely reveal that it was used of God to bring many to faith in Christ.

In 1752, a man wrote to a pastor friend, urging him to take his wife to hear Messiah. He said, “You will hear glad tidings and truly divine rejoicings at the birth of Christ, and feel real sorrows for His sufferings–but oh! when those sufferings are over, what a transporting full chorus!”

Questions:
1) Have you ever listened to the whole Messiah, or attended a performance of it?

2) What blessings did you receive from the experience?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (George Handel)
The Cyber Hymnal (George Handel)
Hymnary.org (George Handel)

Looking in the Face of 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: Harry Dixon Clarke (b. Jan. 28, 1888; d. Oct. 14, 1957)
Music: Harry Dixon Clarke

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Harry Clarke)
Hymnary.org

Note: Harry Dudley Clarke was born in Wales. As a boy, he ran away from the orphanage where he was living, and worked at sea for almost a decade. Coming to live in America, he was involved in composing, music publishing, evangelism (as song leader for evangelist Billy Sunday) and later in pastoral ministry. Mr. Clarke also wrote the music for Avis Christiansen’s song, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

A person’s face has an important social function. Even apart from the words we speak, we communicate a great deal with our faces, especially our emotions. Love, happiness, sadness, anger, guilt, sincerity, fear, and more, are mirrored in the face.

It’s why there has been a debate about whether a Muslim woman who wears a veil (a niqab) in public should be required to remove it in court. One side argues covering her face with a veil is related to her religious beliefs–which she has the freedom to express. The opposing argument is that it’s difficult for the judge and lawyers to assess her credibility if they can’t see her facial expression when she speaks. The issue has yet to be fully resolved in Canada.

When we speak of a face-to-face meeting, we have something particular in mind. Those involved are in each other’s physical presence, and in each other’s sight. They’re directly connecting with each other, without mediation (i.e. not communicating through a go-between), and in close enough proximity to discern facial expressions.

A little more than two thousand years ago, multitudes of people saw the Lord Jesus Christ, and spoke with Him face to face. Though He has been pictured many times by artists, we actually have no certain idea what He looked like. There’s a long sheet of cloth kept in Turin, in northern Italy. Beginning in 1390, some have asserted “The Shroud of Turin” is the burial cloth of Jesus, and that the faint facial image imprinted on it is His. However, there have been many skeptics of this claim.

There are two remarkable instances in the biblical record when Christ’s face was of particular significance.

One is at His transfiguration, when the Lord briefly revealed Himself in His heavenly glory. The Bible says, “Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun” (Matt. 17:1-2). Years later, Peter refers to this when he says, “We…were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (II Pet. 1:16-18).

But a later scene contrasts starkly. After Jesus was arrested, and before He was crucified, He was cruelly tortured. God’s Word tells us, “Having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, ‘Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?’” (Lk. 22:64). “Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” (Matt. 26:67-68).

In the first instance, the Lord revealed His glory, and God the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid” (Matt. 17:5-6).

In the second scene, He was so abused that Isaiah says, prophesying centuries before, “His visage was marred [disfigured] more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14). And through this, and His crucifixion that followed, He gave Himself as a sacrifice for sin, for you and me. (I Cor. 15:3).

The thought of looking in the face of Jesus has been the theme of a number of our hymns. There’s Carrie Breck’s “Face to face with Christ my Saviour,” and Hortius Bonar’s lovely Communion hymn, “Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face.” And there’s Fanny Crosby’s song, Saved by Grace, with it’s refrain beginning, “And I shall see Him face to face.”

Mr. Clarkes’ song takes up this theme:

1) Looking in the face of Jesus,
Wondrous beauty there I see;
Tenderness divine abounding,
Purer love there could not be.

O, I want to be more like Him
So that others plainly see
Christ in all His wondrous beauty
Living on, His life in me.

3) Looking in the face of Jesus,
Hope and comfort there I see,
Giving me that blest assurance
That He will return for me.

On that day I shall be like Him
Clothed in immortality,
When I rise in His own likeness
Living on, His life in me.

Questions:
1) In what way(s) have you reflected the character of Christ in the past week?

2) In what way(s) have you displayed just the opposite?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Harry Clarke)
Hymnary.org

Channels Only

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: Mary E. Maxwell (no information)
Music: Ada Rose Gibbs (b. Oct. 5, 1863; d. Apr. 16, 1905)

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

Note: The hymn, Channels Only, appeared in the early twentieth century, credited to Mary E. Maxwell, for whom we have no definite information. In the first Wordwise Hymns link above, I make a suggestion of who Maxwell might be. However, Dick Adams, on the Cyber Hymnal, offers a sound opposing argument. We just don’t know. And there’s an interesting irony in that. She is the “channel” of the hymn, but remains hidden, leaving the message to be the focus (cf. Jn. 3:30).

Of Ada Gibbs, the composer of the tune, we do have some interesting information. She was a contralto soloist with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, in Britain, a group that staged many of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas. But at some point, Gibbs seems to have had a spiritual transformation that headed her in a new direction. She left the Company, and joined the Salvation Army. When evangelist Dwight Moody came to Britain, she sang at his meetings.

T here’s an old story about an elephant crossing a rickety bridge. Once across, a flea on the elephant’s ear said, “My! We sure shook the bridge that time, didn’t we, brother elephant!” But in fact the tiny insect could not share much credit with the massive beast for that. And in human affairs it’s worth asking where credit belongs.

There have only been three men, in the history of professional baseball, who’ve hit more than 700 home runs in their careers: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds. But though it was a wooden bat, in every case, that hit the ball, no one would credit the bats with this feat. It was the exceptional athletes wielding them who did it.

When Moses was a shepherd in Midian, God called him to go to Egypt and deliver his people from slavery. “What is that in your hand?” the Lord asked him (Exod. 4:2). It was his shepherd’s rod. And with it, he’d perform a number of miracles that would bring the Israelites out of bondage, finally enabling them to pass through the Red Sea on dry ground (Exod. 14:16, 22). Yet the power did not come from the rod, but from Almighty God (Exod. 15:1-2).

Later, in Canaan, the Midianites oppressed Israel, and the Lord chose a man named Gideon to lead the Israelites against them. Gideon was fearful, and reluctant. “He said to Him, ‘O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man’” (Jud. 6:15-16). And he did. The presence and power of God is what made the difference.

The late evangelist, Billy Graham, preached the gospel for over six decades. With his many evangelistic meetings, and through radio and television, more than two billion people heard him preach. It’s estimated that 2.2 million of those attending his crusades responded to the gospel invitation to trust Christ as Saviour. Yet Billy did not take the credit for this. Those who were genuinely saved responded to the Word of God, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Graham was merely an instrument in the hands of God, a channel through whom He could work.

The Apostle Paul had it right. Writing to the Christians at Corinth and Thessalonica, he said:

“I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (I Cor. 2:3-5). “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit” (I Thess. 1:5).

It’s the same with any spiritual and eternal work accomplished for the Lord. When we are willing channels of His blessing, good things happen. But, “as it is written, ‘He who glories, let Him glory in the Lord….Our sufficiency is from God” (I Cor. 1:31; II Cor. 3:5). As the Lord Jesus told His disciples, “Without Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5).

The present a hymn deals specifically with this. It says:

CH-1) How I praise Thee, precious Saviour,
That Thy love laid hold of me;
Thou hast saved and cleansed and filled me
That I might Thy channel be.

Channels only, blessèd Master,
But with all Thy wondrous power
Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
Every day and every hour.

CH-2) Just a channel full of blessing,
To the thirsty hearts around;
To tell out Thy full salvation
All Thy loving message sound.

CH-3) Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,
A clean vessel in Thy hand;
With no power but as Thou givest
Graciously with each command.

Questions:
1) How have you served as a channel of God’s blessing in the past week?

2) What do you hope and desire the Lord to do through you in the days ahead?

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

Jesus Is Always There

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: Bertha Mae Lillenas (b. Mar. 1, 1889; d. Mar. 13, 1945)
Music: Bertha Mae Lillenas

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Bertha Lillenas)
Hymnary.org (Bertha Lillenas)

Note: Bertha Mae Lillenas was the wife of prolific gospel song writer and music publisher Haldor Lillenas. The Lillenas’s had two children. And Mrs. Lillenas was a gifted musician in her own right. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, she served as an evangelist, singer, composer and pianist. In 1934 she published a song called Jesus Is Always There, reflecting the promises of God’s Word. Her tunes are usually quite singable, and because she herself had a lower voice, the songs are often pitched within reach of those of us who can appreciate that.

It’s wonderful to have someone you can count on. Someone you trust to stick with you, ready to offer counsel, encouragement, or help in some way. “We’re there for you.” That phrase is part of the advertising for a dentist, a police force, a bank, a labour union, a television news outlet, and more. One even says, “There for you, no matter what.”

Realistically, though, we realize that these are human beings, and human organizations. They may fail to do as they promised, for a multitude of reasons. A husband or wife who has vowed otherwise may prove unfaithful. Or it may be discovered that a company or organization is corrupt and their pledge means little. Trite phrases such as, “We’ve got your back,” may actually mean they’re ready to stab us in the back!

Only Almighty God can be relied upon to always tell us truthfully and accurately the way things are. He is “a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:4). Because of His holy perfection, “God…cannot lie” (Tit. 1:2).

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19).

This assurance relates to the promise of His presence with each believer. We know that God is what theologians call omnipresent. “‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord” (Jer. 23:24). But to the saints of God this has a more immediate and personal dimension. He is, in the words of the psalmist, “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). The Lord is actively involved in our lives. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper” (Heb. 13:5-6).

Though He’s promised to return one day (Jn. 14:3; cf. Acts 1:10-11) the disciples of Christ faced the prospect of His departure. The Lord had fulfilled His mission to pay our debt of sin on the cross, and had risen from the tomb. After some days of instruction given to His followers, He prepared to ascend back to His Father (Lk. 24:50-53). But among His last words are these: “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The Amplified Bible gives extra emphasis to that significant promise:

“I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age.”

And “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). “By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (I Jn. 3:24).

Let it be noted that the divine presence is not only for times when things are going well, but when we are struggling too. We have the assurance of His compassionate understanding of our needs (Heb. 4:14-16), and of the resources of heaven to meet them. “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Lillenas’s song is certainly reassuring. Of the first line of the refrain I would add, “Never a burden that He doth not carry, if we ask Him to, and allow Him to. Sometimes, we suffer things that we need to bring to Him, “casting all [our] care upon Him, for He cares for [us]” (I Pet. 5:7).

1) Sometimes our skies are cloudy and dreary,
Sometimes our hearts and burdened with care;
But we may know, whate’er may befall us,
Jesus is always there.

Never a burden that He doth not carry,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share;
Whether the days may be sunny or dreary,
Jesus is always there.

3) When we are walking through the green pastures,
Or over mountains rugged and bare;
Precious the thought and sweet the assurance,
Jesus is always there.

4) “Lo, I am with you alway,” is written,
God will not fail to answer our prayer;
Trusting His Word, we rest on His promise–
Jesus is always there.

Questions:
1) Has there been a situation recently when you particularly sensed the nearness of the Lord?

2) In what way was this a blessing and a help to you?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Bertha Lillenas)
Hymnary.org (Bertha Lillenas)

Make Me a Blessing

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: Ira Bishop Wilson (b. Sept. 6, 1880; d. Apr. 3, 1950)
Music: Ira Bishop Wilson

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

Note: Ira Wilson was born and raised in Iowa. In his early years, he showed an interest in music, and his older sister taught him to play the violin and the organ. After attending Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, he went to work for the Lorenz Publishing Company, publishers of sacred music. He spent the rest of his life there, using his musical gifts to produce choral arrangements of hymns, and other church music.

The saying has been attributed to an IBM computer programmer. We know it’s been around since the mid-1950’s. “Garbage in, garbage out” is a reminder that we can’t expect computers to come up with correct calculations if we feed in wrong data. In general terms, what we enter will affect what is produced. Stated positively: Feed in what is correct and helpful, and there will be a greater probability that what is produced will be correct and helpful.

The principle can be applied to child rearing too. Poet Alexander Pope gave us, “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” Early influences and training tend to show themselves in adult years. As the Bible puts it, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

But let’s bring it down to the personal level. There’s a sense in which our minds store data and put it to later use, just as a computer does. If we focus our attention on things that are corrupt and corrupting, that will have a strong influence on our thinking. What kind of books and magazines do we read? What kind of movies and television shows do we watch? What sites do we visit on the Net? If they emphasize or glorify what is vulgar and sinful, what then? This is why the Bible urges us:

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy–meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

Some years ago, I used to visit a senior citizen who found it difficult to get out. As I was leaving, she frequently ended our conversation with this benediction: “May the Lord bless you and make you a blessing.” This is close to what the Lord told Abraham:

“I will bless you…and you shall be a blessing” (Gen. 12:2).

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others” (I Pet. 4:10, NIV).

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Rom. 12:6).

Blessings in, blessings out.

Certainly the blessings of God are given for us to enjoy. “God…gives us richly all things to enjoy” (I Tim. 6:17). But it mustn’t stop there. God’s blessings are a stewardship, and a stewardship brings responsibility. We are to seek out ways in which God’s blessings can be shared to the benefit of those around us. The Lord asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” (Exod. 4:2). It was his shepherd’s rod. And when he wielded it in obedience to God, some mighty works were done.

In the 1940’s Ira Wilson was visited by his friend Phil Kerr, who told him what a blessing one of his songs had been. But when Phil played it, Ira Wilson didn’t recognize it. He had forgotten he’d written the song decades earlier. It’s one still found in many hymn books. Make Me a Blessing expresses the hope and prayer that God will bless us so that we can be a blessing to others.

1) Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad;
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Make me a blessing, make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Saviour, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.

3) Give as ‘twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true.

Questions:
1) What individuals do you know that are facing difficulty, or have a special need?

2) What gifts, talents, opportunities do you have that you could use for the Lord this week, perhaps to help the one(s) noted above?

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

I Sing of Thee

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: Charles Frederick Weigle (b. Nov. 20, 1871; d. Dec. 3, 1966)
Music: Gladys Blanchard Muller (no information)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Charles Weigle)
The Cyber Hymnal (Charles Weigle)
Hymnary.org

Note: Gladys Blanchard Muller was a music editor who frequently worked with Charles Weigle. A book of his which takes its title from the present hymn, I Sing of Thee, lists her as the editor of the music, as does another song book of Weigle’s, Sing a New Song. She also wrote the music for Weigle’s song, I Have Found a Hiding Place. The present song was published in 1943.

We wouldn’t likely think much of a waitress who came to our table in a restaurant and tried to sell us a car, or a car salesman who presented us with a dinner menu and wanted to sell us on a steak dinner. That’s not what we’re there for, in either case, and not what we want.

Not that we’d object to the waitress briefly mentioning she liked her new car, or the car salesman talking about a recent feast at Steaks Are Us. It’s just that, as the saying goes, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

That applies to writing essays or preaching sermons, too. Once a theme has been decided upon, each paragraph should be related to that, expanding on the subject, explaining and illustrating its relevance, and so on. If your subject is bridge building, explaining the rules for tennis would not seem to be relevant. If your theme is the music of Beethoven, talking about a horse you just purchased would seem to be far off target.

When it comes to the Bible, the subject can be summarized as: God and man, and the relationship between the two.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all [or, “this is everyone’s duty” NLT] (Ecc. 12:13).

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8).

All well and good, but that’s not the inclination of the sinful heart. In ourselves, apart from God’s help, we’re simply not going to do that. “There is none who seeks after God….all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:11, 23). We need someone to rescue us from ourselves, to cleanse us from our sin, and infuse in us a new spiritual nature that delights in the will of God.

This is where Christ comes in, the one Mediator between God and men” (I Tim. 2:5). We know what a mediator is in labour disputes. It’s a person who can lay his or her hand on management’s shoulder and say, “I understand your requirements,” and on labour’s, saying, “I appreciate your problem”–and out of that bridging of the two, to bring them together. That’s what Christ has done in the spiritual realm, providing a way, through His cross, for God and man to come together. “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

It is possible to see Christ and His saving work as the “main thing” the Bible talks about. In the Old Testament there’s the anticipation of it, symbols relating to it, and prophecy pointing forward to it. The Lord was therefore able to teach His followers about Himself from the Old Testament (Lk. 24:27, 44).

Then, the Gospels describe His death and resurrection, Acts gives us the early evangelistic work of the apostles, and the rest of the New Testament explains the gospel (the good news) of salvation through faith in Christ. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3).

Further, it’s appropriate that our hymnody focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Lord is my…song; He also has become my salvation” (Isa. 12:2). This theme, which saturates all of Scripture is explicitly stated in a song called I Sing of Thee, by American evangelist and gospel song writer Charles Weigle.

1) I sing of Thee, O blessed Christ,
Since Thou hast saved me by Thy grace;
Redeemed by Thee, at dreadful price,
With angels I would sing Thy praise.

I sing of Thee, O blessed Saviour,
Thy praise shall now my tongue employ;
I’ll sing of Thee, O Lord forever,
For Thou hast filled my soul with joy.

3) Of Thee I’ll sing while life shall last,
At home, abroad, on land or sea;
And when through death to life I’ve passed,
Forevermore I’ll sing of Thee.

Questions:
1) According to Colossians 3:16, what are the reasons to sing about Christ?

2) What is your favourite song about the Lord Jesus Christ?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Charles Weigle)
The Cyber Hymnal (Charles Weigle)
Hymnary.org

When Rising from the Bed of Death

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: Joseph Addison (b. May 1, 1672; d. June 17, 1719)
Music: Third Mode Melody, by Thomas Tallis (b. ___, circa 1505; d. Nov. 23, 1585)

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Joseph Addison)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Joseph Addison was a newspaper editor in England three centuries ago. He is considered one of the premier authors in the English language. Sometimes, in writing an editorial for his newspaper, he would compose and include some lines of verse relative to his point. In this way, he has given us a couple of stellar hymns that are found in many hymnals. The Spacious Firmament is a powerful declaration of the truth of Psalm 19:1. When All Thy Mercies, O My God proclaims the Lord’s providential care of us all through life.

We’ve all likely heard the words in one setting or another. “Attention, please!” or “May I have your attention.” And there follows an announcement of some interest, such as, “Passengers for flight 647 are now boarding at Gate Three.” Or, “A new shipment of asparagus is now available at a great price in aisle five.”

And there are many other ways of getting attention. A shout, or a scream, does it, in a sudden emergency, or a drum roll or familiar music is associated with the arrival of some celebrity. Commercials on television have a similar purpose, to get our attention and promote a product or service–or, before an election, a certain candidate.

And what about the signs we see, almost everywhere. Years ago I worked in the photographic department of an advertising agency. One of the things we produced was signs–everything from small counter displays for stores, to large roadside signs intended to attract the business of passing motorists. In 1910, neon signs were introduced–bright, colourful, attention getting.

On a much more sombre note, an attempted suicide can be a sign. The late Judy Garland once said, “There have been times when I have deliberately tried to take my life. I think I must have been crying for some attention.” That statement should give us pause. Attention? A gifted singer and actress, she had multitudes of fans lauding her, through her television shows, movies, and so on. Ah, but that was most often attention to her talent, not a caring concern for her personal struggles.

It may be a surprise to some, but there are times when God wants to get our attention. He has that desire because He loves us, and wants us to make sure we’re on the right road in life. One of the ways He does this is through the exquisite beauty and thundering power of His creation. The Bible says, “Since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. 1:20).

Another important means of seeking our consideration of important truths about our eternal welfare is His Word, the Bible. The psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path….The entrance of Your words gives light” (Ps. 119:105, 130). And the biblical message can be amplified by sermons we hear, or books we read.

Finally, danger and difficulty of various kinds is a startling and intrusive method of the Almighty calling us to investigate our spiritual need (cf. II Cor. 12:7-10). A profane slave ship captain named John Newton freely admitted it was a terrible storm that threatened to sink the ship he was on that got him to face his eternal destiny and change course spiritually. His conversion gave us the hymn Amazing Grace, and a number of others.

Joseph Addison is another example. He went through a time of serious illness in 1712 that awakened him to his spiritual need. During his illness, he wrote a hymn about the way God used this to change his outlook. Though it’s not a hymn congregations know and use today, it does remind us the Lord can use unusual means to get our attention.

CH-1) When rising from the bed of death,
O’erwhelmed with guilt and fear,
I see my Maker face to face,
O how shall I appear?

CH-2) If yet, while pardon may be found,
And mercy may be sought,
My heart with inward horror shrinks,
And trembles at the thought;

CH-3) When Thou, O Lord, shalt stand disclosed
In majesty severe,
And sit in judgment on my soul,
O how shall I appear?

CH-5) Then see the sorrow of my heart,
Ere yet it be too late;
And hear my Saviour’s dying groans,
To give those sorrows weight.

CH-6) For never shall my soul despair
Her pardon to procure,
Who knows Thine only Son has died
To make her pardon sure.

Questions:
1) What means has the Lord used lately to get your attention?

2) What has been your response to this?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Joseph Addison)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

I Have a Saviour

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

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Robert Harkness–and for another article on the song see here)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Note: Robert Harkness was a gospel musician who wrote the words and music for hundreds of sacred songs, also providing music for the words of others. His contributions include At the Foot of the Cross, No Longer Lonely, and Traveling Home. Australian born, he became the accompanist for meetings held by American evangelist R. A. Torrey.

When we speak of owning something, we imply that we have certain rights over it. But it’s a slippery concept. There are few things we can call our own exclusively, and permanently.

In many cases, possession is shared in a relationship. A man may call his spouse “my wife,” but that’s only true if she’s willing to sustain the relationship. Ownership can also be affected by the power to assert it. For example, a nation may say, “This land is ours, and your land is ours too, if we choose to take it.”

Or consider opportunities that come our way. The chance for a couple to have children, or for an athlete to take part in the Olympics, those are both time-sensitive. The door won’t be held open forever. Time will ultimately ravage our health, dwindling our physical and mental gifts. Things change; we’re not what we once were.

In the Bible, words such as mine and ours are used over four thousand times. Many times we read of the Lord being mine, or ours. For example, we have phrases such as: “my God” (Ps. 25:2; Phil. 1:3; 4:19); and “our Lord Jesus Christ,” or “our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:26; Rom. 5:1; I Cor. 15:57; II Tim. 1:10; II Pet. 1:16, etc.). But we need to think carefully about what that means. In what sense is God mine, Christ ours?

There’s an extreme view that sees the Lord as a kind of ever-accessible cosmic vending machine, the blab-it-and-grab-it notion that all we have to do is ask, and He’s obligated to give something to us. That’s nonsense. It makes the sovereign and eternal Lord over all a slave to our foolish whims and sinful greeds, which He’s not. Looking back, we can see the wisdom of a parent who denied us something that could have been dangerous and hurtful. Should we think any less of God?

When Paul speaks of Christ as “my Lord” (Phil. 3:8), he uses the Greek word kurios, recognizing Him as his divine Master, or Sovereign. The Christian’s relationship to Jesus Christ is based on promises He sovereignly and graciously made. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31), says God’s Word. When we claim that promise by faith, our sins are forgiven and we enter into an eternal relationship with the Lord.

That certainly does bestow some rights on the believer, the right to enjoy certain God given blessings. But it also brings responsibilities. A comparison to national citizenship might be enlightening. Canada is my country, and that fact gives me some privileges, but it also brings with it certain responsibilities. And it’s similar with the Christian life.

For instance, there is receiving the gospel–the good news of salvation, through faith in Christ (Jn. 3:16). But accepting it brings the responsibility to share it, to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mk. 16:15). And prayer is both a privilege (Phil. 4:6-7) and a responsibility (Lk. 18:1).

Mr. Harkness’s song, I Have a Saviour, reflects both the privileges and the responsibilities of saying, we “have” Christ, we “have” a Saviour.

1) I have a Saviour, He died for me
In cruel anguish on Calv’ry’s tree.
I do not merit such love divine,
Only God’s mercy makes Jesus mine.

Jesus, my Saviour, I come to Thee,
In full surrender, Thine own to be.

2) I have a Keeper, He now prevails,
I fear no evil whate’er assails.
His arms enfold me, safe and secure,
In His blest keeping vict’ry is sure.

3) I have a Master, He bids me go
Rescue lost sinners from sin and woe.
I love to serve Him, this Master true,
Now I am willing His will to do.

Questions:
1) What does it mean to you to say, “Jesus is mine”?

2) The song says, “I love to serve Him.” In what way(s) are you serving the Lord Jesus?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (Robert Harkness–and here a link describing an unusual song by James Proctor for which Harkness wrote the music)
The Cyber Hymnal
Hymnary.org

Beneath the Cross of 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: Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane (b. June 18, 1830; d. Feb. 19, 1869)
Music: St. Christopher, by Frederick Charles Maker (b. Aug. 6, 1844; d. Jan. 1, 1927)

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

Note: Elizabeth Clephane only lived to the age of 39, but she has given us two fine songs. The other is The Ninety and Nine, based on the parable of the lost sheep (Lk. 15:3-7). Published posthumously, in 1872, in The Family Treasury, a Presbyterian magazine, the lines of poetry which became the present hymn were headed “Breathings on the Border,” with this explanation by the editor.

“These lines express the experiences, the hopes and the longings of a young Christian lately released [i.e. gone to heaven]. Written on the very edge of life, with the better land fully in view of faith, they seem to us footsteps printed on the sands of time, where these sands touch the ocean of Eternity.”

Sometimes notable men or women, or significant events, cast a long shadow, influencing attitudes and actions for many years to follow. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in America are like that. “Nine-eleven,” though but a single day, has affected our lives ever since. There is the feeling that nothing will ever be the same again. (One writer actually calls it “the beginning of World War III.”) We live in the shadow of that day.

The same can be said, far more significantly, of the crucifixion of Christ. Though it took place nearly two millennia ago, it continues to cast its shadow over us. And it’s not surprising that so monumental an event should be preceded by history and a divine revelation that anticipated and pointed forward to it. The entire Old Testament (three quarters of the Bible) does that.

Early in Genesis we’re told of the terrible sin of our first parents in Eden, when they were seduced by Satan in the guise of a serpent. This is followed by God’s great promise that one day the Seed (or Descendant) of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).

Later, when the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, the Lord punished the Egyptians with a series of plagues, the last being the death of the firstborn all through the land. But His people were protected by the blood of the Passover lamb, which pointed forward to “Christ our Passover…sacrificed for us” (Exod. 12:21-24; cf. I Cor. 5:7).

The entire Old Testament sacrificial system did the same. Though the death of an animal could not pay finally for human sin, it foreshadowed what was to come (Lev. 1:3-4; cf. Heb. 10:4). And Isaiah’s prophecy foretells the purpose of the death of Christ.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:5-6).

Then the Gospels describe the event (Jn. 19:17-18), followed by the glorious resurrection of the Saviour (Matt. 28:5-7). The crucifixion itself is presented with few of the gruesome details. This is because they were well known in Jesus’ day, but also because that’s not the focus of the New Testament, which speaks most about the meaning of the cross (e.g. Jn. 3:16; I Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 1:7).

And finally, we should note that the crucifixion casts an eternal shadow. It will be the subject of the worship of the saints in the heavenly kingdom (Rev. 5:8-10).

It’s no surprise then that today Calvary love saturates the songs of the church. And Scottish hymn writer Elizabeth Clephane has given us a lovely one, the hymn Beneath the Cross of Jesus. In a real sense, we live in the shadow of the cross. And this is a song that speaks of the cross as “the shadow of a mighty rock,” and has the lines (in stanza 5):

I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place.

(Note: the word “fain,” in stanza one, means gladly. And the original fourth stanza likely ended with the word “worthlessness.” I think the change editors made to “unworthiness” is much better. We are not worthless to God.)

CH-1) Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.

CH-4) Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears
Two wonders I confess;
The wonders of redeeming love
And my unworthiness.

Questions:
1) There seem to be crosses everywhere today. But not all are an expression of personal faith in Christ. Why else would people display or wear a cross?

2) What does the cross of Jesus Christ mean to you personally?

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