Today in 1839 – Elisha Hoffman Born

Elisha Albright Hoffman was a pastor and a prolific hymn writer (with over 2,000 songs to his credit). For a bit more about him, see the third item under Today in 1748. And here are just a few of Pastor Hoffman’s songs:

Are You Washed in the Blood?
Down at the Cross (Glory to His Name)
I Must Tell Jesus
Is Thy Heart Right with God?
Is Your All on the Altar?
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
When I See the Blood
What a Wonderful Saviour

It is easy to see the man’s heart for proclaiming the gospel. Repeatedly he draws our attention to the Calvary work of Christ, and the way it abundantly meets the sinner’s need. Further, there is none of the modern and unbiblical fastidiousness that avoids mention of the shed blood of Christ. To show distaste for the blood of Christ is to disrespect God who calls it “precious.”

Here are just a few of the many references to the blood of Christ in Scripture: Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; I Cor. 11:25; Eph. 1:7; 2:13; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:13-14; 10:19; 13:12; I Pet. 1:18-19; I Jn. 1:7; Rev. 1:5.

Hoffman joyfully proclaims the saving power of the blood of Christ. From 1878 we have Are You Washed in the Blood?

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

And from 1891 comes What a Wonderful Saviour:

Christ has for sin atonement made
What a wonderful Saviour!
We are redeemed, the price is paid
What a wonderful Saviour!

What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Jesus!
What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus, my Lord!

I praise Him for the cleansing blood
What a wonderful Saviour!
That reconciled my soul to God
What a wonderful Saviour!

(2) Today in 1873 – I Could Not Do Without Thee written

Frances Ridley Havergal was a deeply spiritual woman who pondered the truths of Scripture and gained great insight. At the age of 14 she made a life-changing commitment of her life to Christ. She wrote of this later:

There and then I committed my soul to the Saviour–and earth and heaven seemed bright from that moment.

Miss Havergal wrote many great hymns that are still found in our hymn books more than a century after they were created. But one little-known today describes the Christian’s need to trust fully in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I could not do without Thee
O Saviour of the lost,
Whose precious blood redeemed me
At such tremendous cost.
Thy righteousness, thy pardon
Thy precious blood, must be
My only hope and comfort,
My glory and my plea.

I could not do without Thee,
I cannot stand alone,
I have no strength or goodness,
No wisdom of my own;
But Thou, beloved Saviour,
Art all in all to me,
And weakness will be power
If leaning hard on Thee.