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elizabeth codner

Even Me

Words: Elizabeth Harris Codner (b. _____, 1824; d. March 28, 1919)
Music: William Batchelder Bradbury (b. Oct. 6, 1816; d. Jan. 7, 1868)

Note: Author Elizabeth Harris married a pastor, Rev. Daniel Codner. She wrote her hymn in the summer of 1860, and it was published the following year. Mrs. Codner’s original hymn had seven stanzas. Most books currently use only four ((1), (2), (3) and (6). Occasionally, (4) is included, rounding out the Trinitarian structure that deals with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.) You can see all seven on the Cyber Hymnal link below. Notice, in the stanza on the Holy Spirit, how she accurately reflects the Spirit’s ministry of glorifying Christ (cf. Jn. 16:14).

(4) Pass me not, O mighty Spirit!
Thou canst make the blind to see;
Witnesser of Jesus’ merit,
Speak the Word of power to me;
Even me, even me,
Speak the Word of power to me.

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

Even me. It’s a phrase that’s also used effectively in Philip Bliss’s Jesus Loves Even Me. As an expression of humility, it recognizes the total unworthiness of the supplicant. It’s as though the one praying is saying, “Lord, you’re blessing many others so freely. As for me, in myself, I’m not worthy of the least of your favours. But perhaps, as the blessings rain down, You could spare a few drops even for me.”

It reminds me of an incident in the Gospels, when a Syro-Phoenician woman sought the Lord’s help for her demon-possessed daughter (Matt. 15:21-28). She was a Gentile, and therefore had no right to the covenant blessings promised to the Jews. The Lord Jesus reminded her that His ministry was to Israel (vs. 24) and, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (vs. 26). It was not said unkindly, but to test her faith. And she passed with flying colours, saying:

“Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

All right, if she was, in His imagery, just a little dog under the table, even they had access to the crumbs that fell. The implication is powerful: that just a crumb of His mighty power would be sufficient to heal her daughter–even her. Christ not only delivered her daughter, but commended her for her great faith (vs. 28).

(1) Lord, I hear of showers of blessing,
Thou art scattering full and free;
Showers the thirsty land refreshing;
Let some drops now fall on me;
Even me, even me,
Let some drops now fall on me.

Whenever a believer is confronted by the holiness of God, there is a sense of sinfulness and inadequacy. It happened to the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 6:1-5), and to Peter (Lk. 5:3-9). And Elizabeth Codner prays with a similar sense of her own unworthiness.

(2) Pass me not, O gracious Father,
Sinful though my heart may be;
Thou mightst leave me, but the rather;
Let Thy mercy light on me;
Even me, even me,
Let Thy mercy light on me.

(5) Have I been in sin long sleeping,
Long been slighting, grieving Thee?
Has the world my heart been keeping?
O forgive and rescue me;
Even me, even me,
O forgive and rescue me.

This is a fine hymn. And stanzas that have been often omitted deserve our attention too. Try printing up all the words, and have a group of believers sing it at the beginning of a time of prayer.

Questions:

  1. The reference to “showers of blessing” (also used in Daniel Whittle’s song of that name), comes from a promise of actual refreshing rains to fall upon the land of Israel, during the coming reign of the Messiah (Ezek. 34:25-30). If this is applied in a secondary sense to the spiritual blessings God showers on Christians today, what might it include?
  2. What are some things that can hinder the full appropriation and enjoyment of God’s blessings in the believer’s life?

Links:

Today in 1788 Charles Wesley Dying

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So much could be said about this man, one of our greatest hymn writers. He wrote more than 6,500 songs, and our hymn books still contain many of them over two centuries later. His hymn, Jesus, Lover of My Soul, is considered one of the finest in the English language, yet it is a model of simplicity. The entire song includes only 3 or 4 words of more than two syllables.

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.

I’ll take a moment to comment on another song that may have been written by Charles Wesley. Though it was listed as Anonymous in its original publication, many attribute Come, Thou Almighty King to him. About 12 years before, the British national anthem God Save the King came into popular use. It is thought that perhaps the hymn was written to remind Christians that they were accountable to a higher power than the king of England! The hymn originally was sung to the tune used for the national anthem (used by Americans with My Country ‘Tis of Thee). Try it, and see. The British anthem and the hymn certainly contain a number of similar phrases, particularly:

(From God Save the King)
Send him victorious, happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us, God save the King.

(From Come, Thou Almighty King)
Father all glorious, o’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!

After 50 years of active ministry, Charles Wesley was nearing journey’s end. (He died on March 29th–check tomorrow’s blog.) On his deathbed, he quoted one of his greatest hymns, And Can It Be? It seems to have been written shortly after his conversion in 1738, and was originally entitled Free Grace. The rhetorical questions of the first stanza are meant as an expression of sheer wonderment. The second stanza below (actually the third in the hymn) is absolutely stunning. It is virtually unmatched in our hymnody as a poetic expression of the librating power of the gospel.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain–
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Check out the following video of a large congregation singing And Can It Be? I would likely take it a bit slower. But overall, this is how this great hymn should be sung!

(2) Today in 1919 – Elizabeth Codner Died

Thirsty Land

Gifted with her pen, Elizabeth Harris Codner had been the editor of a missionary magazine when she was only 17 years old. Later, she and her husband served at a mission in the city of London. In 1860 word reached them of a spiritual revival taking place in Ireland. Mrs. Codner talked with a group of young people who were excited by the stories of what God was doing. She counseled them not to be satisfied with hearing how the Lord was blessing elsewhere. What about themselves? Did they not want to enjoy the refreshing touch of God as well?

The words of Ezekiel 34:26 came to her mind: “I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.” She challenged them, “While the Lord is pouring out such showers of blessing upon others, pray that some drops will fall on you.” It was this encounter that inspired Elizabeth Codner to writer her hymn, Even Me.

The original last line of the first stanza was “Let some droppings fall on me.” Not only do we not usually speak of rain as “droppings,” it seems more like what birds leave behind! Thankfully, the line was later changed to what you see below.

Lord, I hear of showers of blessing,
Thou art scattering full and free;
Showers the thirsty land refreshing;
Let some drops now fall on me;
Even me, even me,
Let some drops now fall on me.

Love of God, so pure and changeless,
Blood of Christ, so rich and free;
Grace of God, so strong and boundless
Magnify them all in me;
Even me, even me,
Magnify them all in me.

Here is an unusual rendering of Mrs. Codner’s hymn. It does not stick strictly to William Bradbury’s tune, nor does it use many of the original words, but I believe it is worth a listen. African American opera singer Leona Mitchell virtually turns the hymn into a traditional Spiritual. Interesting, to say the least.