Today in 1886 – Samuel Wolcott Died
Born in Connecticut, Samuel Wolcott went to Syria as a missionary, but was forced to return to America because of ill health. He was ordained as a Congregational minister, and served a number of churches in the northeastern United States. He later became secretary of the Ohio Home Missionary Society. Though he produced no hymns in the early years, he wrote more than 200 in the last couple of decades of his life.
The YMCA held their Ohio State Convention in Cleveland, in 1869. Samuel Wolcott was in attendance, and he was impressed by a decoration over the platform. Evergreen boughs were used to spell out the words, “Christ for the World, and the World for Christ.” On the way home from the meeting, as he walked along, Wolcott created in his mind the words of his hymn Christ for the World We Sing.
Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring, with loving zeal,
The poor and them that mourn, the faint and overborne,
Sin sick and sorrow worn, whom Christ doth heal.
Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring, with fervent prayer;
The wayward and the lost, by restless passions tossed,
Redeemed at countless cost, from dark despair.
(2) Today in 1941 – Tom Fettke Born
Contemporary musician Tom Fettke holds degrees from Oakland City College and California State University at Hayward. For a number of years he taught vocal music in California’s public schools, and was a church choir director and minister of music for over 30 years. These days he is in demand as a guest conductor and workshop leader.
Mr. Fettke has composed and arranged hundreds of works, and made many recordings. He was the senior editor for the Hymnal for Worship and Celebration, and the later Celebration Hymnal. Many of the optional choral endings added to hymns in the latter book are from his pen. And he wrote the music for worship songs such as The Majesty and Glory of Your Name, and Adoration, as well as for the hymn Be Strong in the Lord.
Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage;
Your mighty Defender is always the same.
Mount up with wings, as the eagles ascending;
Vict’ry is sure when you call on His name.