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Hymn History: God Leads Us Along Author: George A. Young “This song is a reminder that God’s providence is still with us even in our difficult moments … The author of this song … was a rural preacher and carpenter whose fame only came after he was already dead.” (Christianmusicandhymns.com) The Origin of the Hymn “God Leads Us Read more...
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Hymn History: Happy the Home When God Is There Author: Henry Ware Jr. “He was kind to children, and had a happy influence with them.… He said he did not wish to set the child an example of obstinate willfulness, but would rather let him see that the strongest must and could yield sometimes.” (Samuel A. Eliot) The Read more...
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Hymn History: He Keeps Me Singing Author: Luther Burgess Bridgers Sr. “In spite of ‘life’s ebb and flow,’ he felt his heart filled with a melody whispered by Jesus: ‘Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still.’ … He knew that even though we may feel overwhelmed by the hardships in life, this truth keeps us singing God’s Read more...
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Hymn History: He the Pearly Gates Will Open Translator: Nathaniel Carlson The Origin of the Hymn “He the Pearly Gates Will Open” Few gospel hymns express the transforming power of divine grace as movingly as “He the Pearly Gates Will Open.” Written in 1917 by Fredrick Arvid Blom, a Swedish immigrant to America, the hymn tells the story of Read more...
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Hymn History: Heavenly Sunlight Author: Henry Jeffreys Zelley “From what we know of Henry Zelley … he was an evangelist for 40 years … He urged hearers to seek the ‘promise divine’, the ‘mansions above’ by travelling in the ‘sunlight of love’.” (David Cain) The Origin of the Hymn “Heavenly Sunlight” Among the joyful gospel songs of the Read more...
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Hymn History: His Way with Thee Author: Cyrus Sylvester Nusbaum “Cyrus Sylvester Nusbaum … was one of the most outstanding evangelists of his time. He wrote these words [for ‘His Way with Thee’] at a time when economic need forced him to surrender to the will of God.” (Hinshaw Music) The Origin of the Hymn “His Way with Read more...
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Hymn History: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “He was the most popular poet of his day, widely read at home and abroad …” (Kristine Frederickson) The Origin of the Hymn “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” Few Christmas carols carry the emotional depth and historical weight of “I Heard the Bells Read more...
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Hymn History: I Surrender All Author: Judson Wheeler Van DeVenter “The author of this beautiful hymn … definitely struggled. However, from his struggles came a beautiful hymn that shares the sentiment of so many.” (Diana Leagh Matthews) The Origin of the Hymn “I Surrender All” Among the great hymns of personal consecration, few have spoken more powerfully or Read more...
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Hymn History: I Will Praise Him Author: Margaret Jenkins Harris “Very little is known about Margaret Jenkins Harris … but untold numbers have been blessed by the singing of her hymn ‘I Will Praise Him’. … Her name will probably not be remembered by many.” (Melody Publications) The Origin of the Hymn “I Will Praise Him” Among the Read more...
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Hymn History: I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go Author: Mary Haughton Brown “A tiny woman who lived in Boston, she travelled around in evangelistic work, accompanying her singing on a zither or autoharp.” (Robert Cottrill) The Origin of the Hymn “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” Among the many hymns of Christian consecration and Read more...
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Hymn History: In My Heart There Rings a Melody Author: Elton Menno Roth “One hot summer afternoon … I walked up and down the aisle and began singing, ‘In my heart there rings a melody’ … I was thrilled, as it seemed my whole being was transformed into a song.” (Elton Menno Roth) The Origin of the Hymn Read more...
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Hymn History: In the Garden Author: Charles Austin Miles “The song [‘In the Garden’] has always been one of my favorites. … Charles Austin Miles … was a very talented man. Along with being a successful songwriter he was a church music director, a pharmacist, and a photographer who developed his own photos.” (Blind Pig & The Acorn) Read more...
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Hymn History: In Times Like These Author: Ruth Caye Jones “She is said to have tears come to her eyes when she watched George Beverly Shea sing her song on a Billy Graham telecast. She said: ‘I can’t believe I had any part in writing this song. I just feel that God gave it to me, and I gave Read more...
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Hymn History: Is My Name Written There? Author: Mary Ann Pepper Kidder “Mary Ann (Pepper) Kidder … was a Civil War widow in New York City whose pastime of writing poetry became the primary support of her family. … She, Crosby, and Pollard were referred to as ‘the Trio’ at the Biglow & Main publishing house because of their Read more...
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Hymn History: It’s Just Like His Great Love Author: Edna Randolph Worrell “Virtually nothing is known of the author …” (hymnstudiesblog) The Origin of the Hymn “It’s Just Like His Great Love” Among the many gospel songs that celebrate the steadfast love of Christ, few express it as simply and sweetly as “It’s Just Like His Great Love.” Read more...
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Hymn History: Ivory Palaces Author: Henry Barraclough “Twenty-four year old Henry Barraclough’s path to a hymn he was writing was circuitous … He might never have imagined the words to ‘Ivory Palaces,’ except that he had agreed to be the piano player for a touring preacher.” (David Cain) The Origin of the Hymn “Ivory Palaces” Few gospel hymns Read more...
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Hymn History: Jesus, I Come Author: William True Sleeper “I never wasted a moment. When I was not at work, I always took my singing-book or some other book which I was studying, and was thus learning something.” (William True Sleeper) The Origin of the Hymn “Jesus, I Come” Among the many invitation hymns that have echoed through Read more...
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Hymn History: Jesus Saves Author: Priscilla Jane Owens “… of Scotch and Welsh descent, she spent her entire life in Baltimore. … She was a public-school teacher there for 49 years. … For 50 years Miss Owens has interested herself in Sunday-school work, and most of her hymns were written for children’s services.” (Hymnary.org) The Origin of the Read more...
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Hymn History: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Author: Henry Van Dyke “He was first and last a ‘fisher of men,’ … a minister of God, a minister of his country … And no doubt what he said of the Other Wise Man he would have said of himself: that if he could live his earthly life again he would Read more...
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Hymn History: Lead Me to Calvary Author: Jennie Evelyn Hussey “Miss Hussey, a Quaker by background, lived much of her life on the family farm … She cared for an invalid sister, and in later years suffered crippling arthritis; yet she was known for her cheerful disposition and courageous attitude.” (hymnstudiesblog) The Origin of the Hymn “Lead Me to Read more...