Today in 1841 – William Ogden Born

William Augustine Ogden showed a talent for making music early on. He began studying the subject at the age of 8, and was reading music with some facility in two years. Not long after, it was discovered he was able to write down the music notation of a melody after hearing it played or sung. In adulthood, with the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted, organizing a male choir that became well known throughout the Army of the Cumberland.

After the war, Ogden resumed his study of music. Hymn writers Lowell Mason and Thomas Hastings were among his teachers. He published numerous songbooks of his compositions, and taught music at many schools in the United States and Canada. In 1887, he because Superintendent of Music in the public schools of Toledo, Ohio.

A number of William Ogden’s gospel songs, or ones for which he provided the melody, are still in use. Among them are:

Bring Them In
He Is Able to Deliver Thee
Look and Live
Seeking the Lost

Ogden has given us songs of invitation, calling sinners to look to Christ for salvation, as well as songs of exhortation to carry the gospel to those who need to hear it.

Look and Live speaks of the perceptive look of faith. It draws upon an incident in the Old Testament (Num. 21:5-9, especially vs. 9), which the Lord Jesus later used as a picture of Himself (Jn. 3:14-15). That same “look” of faith for salvation is also reflected in a text that was the means of bringing Charles Haddon Spurgeon to Christ: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!” (Isa. 45:22).

I’ve a message from the Lord, Hallelujah!
The message unto you I’ll give;
’Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you “look and live.”

Look and live, my brother, live,
Look to Jesus now and live;
’Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!
It is only that you look and live.

Life is offered unto you, Hallelujah!
Eternal life your soul shall have,
If you only look to Him, Hallelujah!
Look to Jesus Who alone can save.

Seeking the Lost finds its inspiration in the parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk. 15:3-7). I can remember singing this song with a male choir 50 years ago. (There is a nice melody section for the basses in the chorus.)

Seeking the lost, yes, kindly entreating
Wanderers on the mountain astray;
“Come unto Me,” His message repeating,
Words of the Master speaking today.

Going afar upon the mountain,
Bringing the wanderer back again,
Into the fold of my Redeemer
Jesus the Lamb for sinners slain.

Thus would I go on missions of mercy,
Following Christ from day unto day,
Cheering the faint and raising the fallen,
Pointing the lost to Jesus, the Way.

(2) Today in 1958 – George Bennard Died

George Bennard’s name will be forever linked to his gospel song, The Old Rugged Cross. That hymn became almost an instant favourite after its publication around 1915. It has remained so, ever since.

Bennard was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1873. When he was young, he trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, in a Salvation Army meeting. He and his wife later worked with the Salvation Army for a number of years. Then he entered evangelistic work on his own, holding meetings in the United States and Canada. Hymn writer Al Smith speaks of meeting him in a drugstore, in his latter years, and describes him as “an elderly man with flowing snow white hair and very thick glasses.”

We are indebted to Mr. Bennard for other songs in addition to his best-known one. One that you will find in some songbooks is the challenge to evangelism and missions, Speak, My Lord. It is based on the vision of Isaiah in Isa. 6:1-8. There, when God sought for a messenger, the prophet responded, “Here am I! Send me.” May we be as ready to do the Father’s will.

Hear the Lord of harvest sweetly calling,
“Who will go and work for Me today?
Who will bring to Me the lost and dying?
Who will point them to the narrow way?”

Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I’ll be quick to answer Thee;
Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,
Speak, and I will answer, “Lord, send me.”

Soon the time for reaping will be over;
Soon we’ll gather for the harvest home;
May the Lord of harvest smile upon us,
May we hear His blessèd, “Child, well done.”

(3) More from James Montgomery

The son of a clergyman, born in Ayrshire, Scotland, for many years he turned his back on his early upbringing, and abandoned the church of his youth. But the Lord kept seeking the prodigal, and eventually he repented of his backslidden ways, and recommitted himself to Christ. Desiring restoration to church fellowship as well, he wrote:

People of the living God,
I have sought the world around,
Paths of sin and sorrow trod,
Peace and comfort nowhere found.
Now to you my spirit turns–
Turns a fugitive unblessed:
Brethren, where your altar burns,
O receive me into rest.

By God’s grace, James Montgomery became one of the great hymnists of the evangelical church. In his Christian Psalmist, published in 1825, he included a beautiful hymn for the Lord’s Supper. Called According to Thy Gracious Word, It was inspired by the words of the Lord Jesus in Lk. 22:19, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

According to Thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee.

Thy body, broken for my sake,
My bread from heaven shall be;
The testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee.

When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
And rest on Calvary,
O Lamb of God, my sacrifice,
I must remember Thee;

Remember Thee, and all Thy pains
And all Thy love to me;
Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains,
Will I remember Thee.