history

O for a closer walk with God reminded me of O Master Let me Walk with thee.  With a different author and theme, this song calls for us to remember that God helps us be faithful in our walk with him. 

O Master Let Me Walk with Thee, Lyrics

O Master, let me walk with Thee,
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.

O Master, let me walk with Thee,
Before the taunting Pharisee;
Help me to bear the sting of spite,
The hate of men who hide Thy light.

The sore distrust of souls sincere
Who cannot read Thy judgments clear,
The dullness of the multitude,
Who dimly guess that Thou art good.

Teach me Thy patience; still with Thee
In closer, dearer, company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong.

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future’s broadening way,
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.

Author and History

The Still Hour was a section of the Sunday Afternoon paper.  Washington Gladden wrote this song for that section in 1879. It was written as a three-stanza poem with 8 lines each.  Later it was adapted to music with the unsuitable lines being dropped.  The original purpose was to be a poem not as a hymn, it took his friend Rev. C. H. Ri­chards to see the potential. 

Born in Pennsylvania, Gladden started his working life as a newspaper reporter.  Eventually, he received his pastoral credentials and started pastoring in Congregationalist churches throughout the United States.   He was not a prolific hymnist with only 7 known hymns, he also wrote papers and books. 

Thinking Deeper

I can hear the cry of the believing heart in this hymn, can’t you?

The plea of the believer to God, for his help, in maintaining a faithful walk with him.  The plea for faithfulness and steadfastness.  Don’t we all need that?

I know that through this Covid crisis that I am needing God’s help through it. The worry and concern I feel for those losing their businesses, for people struggling to find balance, weighs on me.  It’s not an easy thing to be denied our freedoms.  When I combine the two, it’s only through God that I’m doing okay.  🙂 

How about you?   Does this song strike a chord, reminding you that we have a God with whom we can plea for help?

Precious Jewels, also known as When He Cometh started running through my head this morning.  I was listening to a preacher talk about Jesus coming again some day (maybe tomorrow) and how he will gather up his precious Jewels.   I started humming this song to myself and figured it would be a good one to share with you this Sunday. 

Lyrics to Precious Jewels

When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Like the stars of the morning,
His brightness adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Little children, little children,
Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Author and History

William O Cushing wrote this song back in 1856 whilst travelling on a steamer.  He wanted to host a sing song and wanted to play something everyone might learn to know.  He chose an American tune called “His Jewels” written by George Root and by voyage end everyone had learned the Jewel Song.   At least that is one version of the origin.  The other is that he wrote it for the children in his Sunday School class.   Which is true?  I dunno.  Both are, from what I can tell, equally valid.  🙂 

William Orcutt Cushing was the son of an American Unitarian pastor, who when he grew married, also became a pastor. Over the course of his lifetime, he wrote more than 300 hymns such as Follow On.  He was only in ministry for 27 years due to a creeping paralysis that overtook him. 

Ponderings

Hymns are made so we can see God more clearly you know that?  They help us focus in on an aspect of God worthy of being praised. 

This song helps to see God’s love for us, and just how very precious we are to him. His very own children that he is gathering in. 

Kinda makes me think of Smaug, you know the dragon from Lord of the Rings, who gathers in all his wealth and how precious it was to him.  God’s love for us is pure and bright though, his love for us deep and unfathomable. Not a selfish, hoarding love, but a love of freedom and responsibility, and deep deep concern. 

Such a restful thought it is I find.  Knowing the depth of God’s love for me, and how he is gathering not only me but all his other loved ones in. 

Our tenant had this song up on her facebook page the other day, I was having a rather rough day and it lifted my spirits a bit.  I thought perhaps Will Your Anchor Hold might lift yours as well during this time of 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.

Lyrics to Will your anchor hold

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

Author and History

Priscilla Owens of Baltimore, Maryland is the author of this song. Most of the 230 songs Ms. Owens wrote were for children and youth.  It makes sense since she not only taught as a schoolteacher, but also served as a Sunday School teacher.   Her church was the Union Square Methodist Episcopal Church.   There is a touching story about the effect of this song at Wordwise Hymns. 

Pondering Deeper

Did you know this song was based on Heb.6:19?  That verse reads ^“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain”.

I enjoyed listening to those little boys sing this song, when they finished I wondered if those boys knew well that anchor that we have.  Do they feel grounded and secure?

You know what an anchor does right?  It holds a boat securely.  You drop it down to the bottom of the water bed, and the boat stays right with the anchor.  The only time it doesn’t is when the anchor rope breaks. 

So Christ is that anchor.  He is the one the holds us securely.  But unlike the ships’ anchor, there is no rope or chain to break.  His hold on us is secure through and through. 

There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart to God.  This is such a sweet song of comfort reminding us what it means to be near God’s heart.   It has a sad, but good story behind it. 

Lyrics

There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.

Refrain

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee
Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where we our Savior meet,
Near to the heart of God.

Refrain

There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.

Refrain

Author and History

Cleland B McAfee wrote this lovely hymn upon the death of his brothers two daughters. The girls died within 24 hours of each other from diptheria.  This double catastrophe broke McAfee’s heart. Part of his pain was that no one would be able to give his brother solace as the house was under quarantine.  He wrote his song to comfort him and the choir that sang it the first time went to his brother’s house and sang to him.  (source)

McAfee was a Presbyterian pastor, he served churches while being on the Faculty at Park College. As a graduate of Park College, this Missouri native also served as the choir director. 

Pondering Further

A place of quiet rest near to the heart of God.  Doesn’t that sound like a lovely place to be?  Seriously.

A place where we can let our troubles go and find joy and peace. 

This is what it means to be a believer.  To know that you always have a place of comfort. It’s knowing that God is always there. Giving us the safety, peace, and security that we need.