Today in 1972 – John Scholfield Died

Mr. Scholfield worked as a school teacher and later as a real estate broker. He also ministered as a soloist and member of a quartet at evangelistic meetings, and he wrote a number of hymns. The best known of these is Saved, Saved! written in 1911 while Scholfield was serving with Baptist evangelist Mordecai Ham. (It was under the preaching of Ham in 1934 that Billy Graham trusted Christ as his Saviour.)

“Saved” is a good, muscular Bible word. It includes the ideas of rescued, made whole, and preserved. Occasionally in the Scriptures it is used of a physical deliverance. “[God] saved Noah, one of eight people…bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” (II Pet. 2:5). But usually we think of it in terms of the eternal salvation God grants to those who put their faith in Christ as Saviour.

The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). And to Christians, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit. 3:5).

John Prentice Scholfield’s song on that theme says:

I’ve found a Friend, who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.

Saved by His power divine,
Saved to new life sublime!
Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,
For I’m saved, saved, saved!

 (2) Nathaniel Niles (Data Missing)

The Lord promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye [i.e. with my eye upon you]” (Ps. 32:8).

This reassuring promise became the basis for a hymn published in 1873. We know little about the author, whose name was Nathaniel Niles (1835-?). We do know he was a lawyer who lived in New Jersey and worked in New York City, commuting day by day on the train.

On one occasion, on his way to work, he picked up his newspaper, settling down to read. But the words of Psalm 32:8 kept running through his mind. Finally, on the margin of the newspaper, Niles jotted down some lines of poetry on the theme. By the time he reached his destination the poem was done. Later, hymn writer Philip Bliss provided a tune, and the song Precious Promise went on to be much used by Dwight L. Moody in his evangelistic work.

Precious promise God hath given
To the weary passerby,
On the way from earth to heaven,
“I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

I will guide thee, I will guide thee,
I will guide thee with Mine eye
On the way from earth to heaven,
I will guide thee with Mine eye.

When temptations almost win thee
And thy trusted watchers fly,
Let this promise ring within thee,
“I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

When thy secret hopes have perished
In the grave of years gone by,
Let this promise still be cherished,
“I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

When the shades of life are falling
And the hour has come to die,
Hear thy trusty Pilot calling,
“I will guide thee with Mine eye.”