The People & Stories behind some famous Hymns

(Extracts from various sources)

 Written by Fanny Cosby 1820-1915

It is estimated that Fanny Crosby wrote more than 8,000 gospel song texts in her lifetime. Her hymns have been and are still being sung more frequently than those of any other gospel hymn writer.

At six weeks old, Crosby caught a cold and developed inflammation of the eyes. Mustard poultices were applied to treat the discharges. It is said that this procedure damaged her optic nerves and blinded her, however some think that her blindness was more likely congenital?

Her father died when Fanny was only six months old, so she was raised by her mother and grandmother. These women grounded her in Christian principles, helping her memorize long passages from the bible, by age 15, she had memorized the four gospels, the Pentateuch, the Book of Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and many of the Psalms. She also learned to play the piano, organ, harp, and guitar, and became a good soprano singer.  (She was related to Bing Crosby)

 She once said that : "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."

 She also once said, "when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Saviour",

She was gifted in so many ways. Sometimes musician friends would first compose the music and then ask Fanny Crosby for the words. This is what happened with, "Blessed Assurance. " The music for the hymn was composed by Mrs. Joseph Knapp, an amateur musician a close personal friend of Fanny Crosby. One day Mrs. Knapp played this melody for the blind poetess and asked, "What does this tune say?" Fanny responded immediately, "Why, that says: 'Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine.'

Engraved on Fanny J. Crosby's tombstone at Bridgeport, Connecticut, are these significant words taken from our Lord's remarks to Mary, the sister of Lazarus, after she had anointed Him with costly perfume:

“She hath done what she could”  (Mark 14:8)


Verses to ponder as we sing this hymn “Blessed Assurance”

Blessed Assurance:  

John 5:24 (NKJ)

24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Perfect Submission:   

 James 4:10 (NKJ)

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.



Author-George Duffield, 1818-1888

 In the year 1858 a great city-wide revival swept across the city of Philadelphia. It was called The Work of God in Philadelphia. One of the ministers was twenty-nine year old, Dudley Tyng. He was known as a bold and fearless  preacher. His father, the Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, was for many years the pastor of the large Church of the Epiphany in Philadelphia.

After serving a short time as his father's assistant, Dudley succeeded his father in this pulpit. However, some of the members soon became upset with their young preacher because of his strong stand against slavery. He resigned and with a group of faithful followers started The Church of the Covenant. In addition Tyng began holding noon-day services at the downtown YMCA. Great crowds were attracted to hear this young preacher. On Tuesday, March 30, 1858, over 5,000 men gathered for a noon mass meeting to hear young Tyng preach from Exodus 10:11- "Go now ye that are men and serve the Lord. " Over 1,000 of these men responded by committing their hearts and lives to Christ and His service;

During the sermon the young preacher remarked, ".. I would rather that this right arm were amputated at the trunk than that I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God's message." The next week, while visiting in the country and watching the operation of a corn thrasher in a barn, he accidentally caught his loose sleeve between the cogs; the arm was lacerated severely, the main artery was severed. Four days later infection developed. As a result of shock and a great loss of blood, Dudley Tyng died on April 19, 1858. 

At his death bed, when asked by a group of friends and ministers for any final statement, he whispered, "Let us all stand up for Jesus." The next Sunday Tyng's close friend and fellow worker, the Rev. George Duffield, pastor of the Temple Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, preached his morning sermon as a tribute to his departed friend, choosing as his text 

Ephesians 6:14: "Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. " 

He closed his sermon by reading a poem that he had written, inspired, as he told his people, by the dying words of his friend. Rev. Duffield's Sunday School superintendent was so impressed by the verses that he had them printed for distribution throughout the Sunday School. The editor of a Baptist periodical happened to receive one of these pamphlets and promptly gave it a wider circulation. From there it eventually found its way into the hymnals and hearts of God's people across the world.

 

Original author Swede Carl Boberg 1859-1940. The English version…., Gustav Johnson (1893-1974, then the final English wording was done by by Stuart K. Hine 1899

it was not until the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team used it during the London Crusade in Harringay Arena that "How Great Thou Art" started to become universally  known.

 The original Swedish text was a poem entitled "O Store Gud," written by a Swedish pastor, the Reverend Carl Boberg, in 1886. One day he journied to a beautiful country estate on the southeast coast of Sweden. He was suddenly caught in a midday thunderstorm with awe-inspiring moments of flashing violence, followed by a clear brilliant sun. Soon afterwards he heard the calm, sweet songs of the birds in nearby trees. The experience prompted the pastor to fall to his knees in humble adoration of his mighty God. And he wrote a poem about his experience which he published in a periodical of which he was editor

Several years later Boberg was attending a meeting in the Province of Varmland and was surprised to hear the congregation sing his poem to the tune of an old Swedish melody. The text was translated into German and later in 1925 the Reverend E. Gustav Johnson, Chicago, Illinois, made the first literal English translation from the Swedish text. This translation is quite different from the text that we know today but may still be found in some hymnals .It was subsequently translated into Russian. 

In 1933 the Reverend S. K. Hine and his wife, English missionaries, were ministering to the people of the Ukraine. It was there they learned the where they learned the Russian version. The thought of writing original English lyrics to this song did not then occur to them then. Reverend Hine and his wife continued their evangelizing in the Carpathian mountains and distribution of gospels in village after village. In the very first Carpathian mountain village to which the writer climbed, he stood in the street, sang a Gospel hymn, and read aloud John chapter three. Among listeners stood the Russian village schoolmaster. But a storm was gathering, and when it was evident the missionary would not get any further that night, the friendly schoolmaster offered hospitality.  So awe-inspiring was “the mighty thunder” echoing through the mountains, and thinking of the poem Boberg had written Hine wrote the first verse of the hymn we have  in English. Hines crossed the mountain frontier into Romania, and then travelled, “through woods and forest glades”, and “heard the birds sing sweetly in the trees. By the end of his journey he had three verses

 When war broke out in 1939, it was necessary for Reverend Hine and his wife to return to Britain; now armed with these three verses, the writer continued his gospel campaigns during the "Blitz years. " The fourth verse did not come until after the war. 

Verses to ponder as we sing this hymn “Blessed Assurance”

Nehemiah 9:6 (NKJ)

6 You alone are the Lord;

You have made heaven,

The heaven of heavens, with all their host,

The earth and everything on it,

The seas and all that is in them,

And You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You.


Author-Horatio G. Spafford, 1828-1888

This well known  hymn was written by Horatio G. Spafford who born, New York, Spafford had established a successful legal practice in Chicago and was financially very successful.

 Some months prior to the Chicago Fire of 1871, Spafford had invested heavily in real estate on the shore of Lake Michigan, and his holdings were wiped out by this disaster. Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters he planned a European trip for his family in November of 1873. Due to unexpected last minute business developments, he had to remain in Chicago, but he sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre. He expected to follow in a few days. On November 22 the ship was struck by the Loch Earn, an English vessel, and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone." Shortly afterward Spafford left by ship to join his bereaved wife. It is thought that on the sea near the area where his four daughters had drowned, Spafford wrote this text whose words so significantly describe his own personal grief-"When sorrows like sea billows roll .. ."

 It is note worthy, however, that Spafford's hymn does not dwell on the theme of life's sorrows and trials but focuses attention in the third verse on the redemptive work of Christ and in the fourth verse  anticipates His glorious Second Coming. 

The Spafford’s were to endure one more tragedy.  They had three more children.  In 1880, their son, also named Horatio, died of scarlet fever.  To compound that tragedy, their church told the Spafford’s that their son’s death was God’s judgment on them for unspecified sins.

The Spafford’s responded by moving to Jerusalem and founded The American Colony, which engaged in philanthropic work among the people of that region without regard to religious preferences.  They gained great favour in the region as a result of their work with hospitals, soup kitchens, and orphanages—work that continued well right up to the 1950’s. Descendants of the Spafford’s then opened  up a Hotel called “The American Colony Hotel”, a luxury hotel in Jerusalem  which exists to this day

Spafford died of malaria in 1888, just days before his 60th birthday 8 years after going to Jerusalem.  He was buried in Jerusalem.

The story of this special family and their ministry is told in the book, Our Jerusalem, written by the Spafford's daughter, Bertha Spafford Vesper.

Author-Joseph Scriven, 1819-1886

Joseph Scriven was a man familiar with grief.  Born in, Ireland, he hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps as a Royal Marine, but his poor health made that impossible.  Then he fell in love and was engaged to be married, but his fiancee drowned just before their wedding could take place.

To put as much distance as possible between himself and that tragedy, Scriven then moved to Canada.  While living there, he became engaged again, but his fiancee became ill and died before they could be married.

He then determined to devote himself to a life of service and live the life as depicted in the Sermon on the Mount.  He was especially known for carrying a bucksaw and cutting firewood for people in need.  One day a seeing  Scriven in the streets of Port Hope, Ontario, with his sawbuck and saw, asked, "Who is that man? I want him to work for me. " The answer was, "You cannot get that man; he saws wood only for poor widows and sick people who cannot pay. " 

Scriven received word that his mother was ill.  He couldn’t afford to return to Ireland, so he sent his mother a poem in the hope that it would comfort her.  

The poem began, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!  What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!”  .   Sometime later when he himself was ill, a friend who came to call on him chanced to see the poem scribbled on scratch paper near the bed. The friend read it with keen interest and asked Scriven if he had written the words. Scriven, with typical modesty, replied, "The Lord and I did it between us." Cosequently in 1869 a small collection of his poems was published.

 After the death of Joseph Scriven, by accidental drowning, the citizens of Port Hope, Ontario, erected a monument to him

John 15:15 (NIV)

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.


Author-John Newton, 1725-1807

John Newton's mother died he was not quite seven years of age. His father remarried and after a few years of formal education away from home, Newton left school joined his father's ship, at the age of eleven, to begin life.

 In 1743, while going to visit friends, Newton was captured and pressed into the naval service by the Royal Navy. He became a midshipman aboard HMS Harwich. He later tried to desert and was punished in front of the crew of 350. Stripped to the waist and tied to the grating, he received a flogging of eight dozen lashes and was reduced to the rank of a common seaman

Following that disgrace and humiliation, Newton initially contemplated murdering the captain and committing suicide by throwing himself overboard. He recovered, both physically and mentally. Later, on route to India, he transferred to Pegasus, a slave ship bound for West Africa. The ship carried goods to Africa and traded them for slaves to be shipped to the colonies in the Caribbean and North America.

Newton did not get along with the crew of Pegasus. In 1745 they left him in West Africa with Amos Clowe, a slave dealer. Clowe took Newton to the coast and gave him to his wife, Princess Peye. So he himself became a slave of Princess Peye, of the Sherbro people (Sierra Leone). She abused and mistreated Newton just as much as she did her other slaves. Newton later recounted this period as the time he was "once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in West Africa."

Early in 1748 he was rescued by a sea captain who had been asked by Newton's father to search for him, and returned to England on the merchant ship Greyhound, which was carrying beeswax and camwood. During his return voyage to England aboard the ship Greyhound, Newton awoke to find the ship caught in a severe storm off the coast of Donegal, Ireland and about to sink. In response, Newton began praying for God's mercy, after which the storm began to die down. He then began reading Thomas Kempis's book, Imitation of Christ. (Kempis was a Dutch monk). After four weeks at sea the Greyhound made it to port in, Ireland. This experience marked the start of his Christian life

 Newton eventually became a captain of his own slave ship. For the next several years he continued as a slave ship captain, trying to justify his work by seeking to improve conditions as much as possible, even holding public worship services for his hardened crew of thirty each Sunday. Eventually, however, he felt convicted of the inhuman aspects of this work and became a strong crusader against slavery. Newton returned to England. 

He became a clerk at the Port of Liverpool for the next nine years during which time began to preach the gospel and study for the ministry.

Shortly before his death a spokesman for the church suggested that he consider retirement because of failing health, eyesight and memory.. Newton replied, "What, shall the old Africa blasphemer stop while he can still speak?" 

On one  occasion before his death he is quoted as proclaiming with a loud voice during a message, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior!' "

Three interesting additional verses written by Newton that are not included in most hymnals are as follows: 

His Word my hope secures; 

He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. 

I shall possess within the veil, 

a life of joy and peace. 

But God, who called me here below, 

will be forever mine.

In a small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England, stands a granite tombstone with the following inscription: 

"John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and Libertine a servant of slavers in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the Faith he had long laboured to destroy.

(Libertine is a person, especially a man, who freely indulges in sensual pleasures without regard to moral principles)


7.The Old Rugged Cross

Author-George Bennard, 1873-1958

This hymn, written by George Bennard in 1913 is generally conceded to be the most popular of all twentieth century hymns. George Bennard was born in Youngstown, Ohio,

Following the death of his father in a mining accident when George was 15 years of age, he followed his father’s legacy  and went to work as a coal-miner to support his mother and sisters. Bennard heard about Salvation Army meetings and decided to walk five miles into town to see what those meetings were all about.”

During the services, Bennard gave his life to Jesus Christ there and later joined the Salvation Army He eventually became a minister at a  Methodist  Church. He then started doing revival services, especially throughout the states of Michigan and New York. 

It is not sure what,  but Bennard went through a very difficult personal time, some say it was a response to ridicule that he had received at a revival meetings  and in response he began to reflect on the cross of Jesus, and on St. Paul’s reference to “the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings.” 

Philippians 3:10

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death

As Bennard thought about this, he became convinced that the cross was more than just a religious symbol but rather the very heart of the gospel. 

He said He later wrote, “I saw the Christ of the cross as if I were seeing John 3:16 leave the printed page, take form, and act out the meaning of redemption.” He said  “he caught a new vision of the Cross and began to see its deeper meaning. As he visualized the Saviour of men going outside the City he loved so well, bearing the Cross on which He was to give His matchless life on the skull-shaped hill for a sin-cursed and ruined world”  

Bennard continued his evangelistic ministries for forty additional years following the writing of this hymn. He died in 1958


Author Dallán Forgaill also known as Saint Dallán

 Borni n Ireland  560-598

Dallan's given name was Eochaidh. His nickname was Dallán ("little blind one"), was earned after he lost his sight as a young man. This blindness inspired him to write “Be thou my vision”. The hymn is a prayer—a prayer that Christ will be our vision—our best thought—our presence—our light. That we see life through Christ’s eyes. .  

He was a poet in Ireland  and helped preserve the Gaelic language and literature. Although he was not a priest, Dallán founded several churches throughout Ireland

He was beheaded by pirates in 598 at a monastery in Ireland

(An interesting point is that the term “High Kings” in this hymn is a very Irish one. in that High Kings of Ireland were a significant part of Irish history. They were historical and legendry figures known as an Ard Rí who claimed Lordship of the entire island of Ireland.

“Be thou my vision.”  As we sing it, let’s remember that it is a prayer.  Let us make it our prayer.