HYMN STORIES

“AND NOW YOU KNOW….”

We are encouraged, uplifted and sometimes even challenged by some of the songs and hymns we sing so often. You might wonder what inspired the writing and composition of these songs. There is a story behind each one. Most often these stories will give even more meaning to the already powerful blessing these songs are. In this library, you will find reasons and life experiences that God used to provide us with wonderful messages in music. These are historical accounts of hymns and songs used in the programs of Hope Today.

SO, SEND I YOU

Mercifully giving to the needs of others is often an act of faith without the expectation of reward. Yet that doesn’t mean it is easy! When a fellow human needs a helping hand, it is the right and unselfish response to reach out with support! Margaret Clarkson was Canadian and although she had been born in Saskatchewan, her family moved to Toronto, Ontario when she was 5. She was 20 when she graduated as a teacher in 1935. At the time, teaching jobs were very scarce. Y

6 days ago

SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART

Jesus says in the Gospel of John, chapter 14 and verse 1, “ Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ” These words became very meaningful to Rufus McDaniel who was licensed to preach when he was only 19. Soon after, he was ordained into the Christian Church and was married. His blessings were increased with the birth of their three children, Clarence, Minnie and Herschel. His firstborn, Clarence followed in his father’s foot steps and becam

6 days ago

SILENT NIGHT

If you were asked to name a few of your favourite Christmas Carols, one of them would most certainly be SILENT NIGHT . It is generally sung in contemplation as a closing carol at many Christmas Eve services still today. It was written by Father Joseph Mohr who ministered at the newly constructed Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf, a town near Salzburg, Austria. Father Mohr had been preparing for the Christmas Eve, midnight service and was distraught that his church organ

6 days ago

SHINE, JESUS SHINE

SHINE JESUS SHINE , was written by Graham Kendrick in 1987. Few Christian songs composed in this generation have had such an immediate impact on congregational singing as Graham’s song. Graham had been thinking for some time about the holiness of God, and how as a community of believers, God’s desire is for us to live continually in His presence. Graham, like many today, longed for revival in the churches and a spiritual awakening in the nation. He also recognized that w

6 days ago

SEND THE LIGHT

Charles Gabriel grew up on a farm in Iowa where he lived until he was the age of seventeen. From his early life, he was drawn to music. When his Methodist family purchased a reed organ, he taught himself to play it. His parents were a great encouragement and by age 16 he was leading singing schools. Charles married…but due to his very busy schedule of travel and music teaching…this relationship failed. In 1887, he moved to California to get a new start and was soon remar

6 days ago

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Putting scripture verses and concepts to music is a wonderful way to remember God’s promises and truth. It is amazing to be with someone who has started experiencing dementia or confusion. They will still remember a song they once knew and sang years before. The compartments of the human mind provide a special place for the storage and recollection of music including the joy and emotions those songs always brought. Someone may not remember their name or yours…but if you s

6 days ago

SAVIOUR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US

Many poems and songs have anonymous authors. It is not very often that we get to read about one of them. Dorothy Ann Thrupp wrote hymns and other writings under a pseudonym, or often would contribute them anonymously. Most of her compilations were written for Children…as was the hymn in our story today. In the early 1830’s, she was the editor of a collection called "Hymns for The Young," and of course all the hymns were provided by Dorothy anonymously. SAVIOUR LIKE A SHE

6 days ago

SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS

In 1858, Fanny Crosby, the blind hymnist and America’s, “Queen of Gospel Songs,” quietly married Alexander Van Alsteine. A year later, the couple suffered a tragedy that shook the deepest regions of Fanny’s heart. She gave birth to a child. However, as Fanny states, “… and soon the angels came down and took our infant up to God and His throne .” No one knows if it was a boy or a girl. In later years, she never spoke about it. The child’s death seemed to have devastated

6 days ago

REVIVE US AGAIN

When we think about rest, we often are hoping for renewal…or maybe revival. Our Hymn story this time recounts the unbelievable answer to a Godly mother’s prayer for her son! W. P. Mackay is the author of the Hymn ‘ REVIVE US AGAIN’, which he wrote in 1863. Mackay, tells the story of his mother who often told him of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. Many times, he had witnessed her wrestling in prayer for his soul. Yet nothing had made a deep impression and the older he grew

6 days ago

RESCUE THE PERISHING

Many large cities have places where the downtrodden, out of work and derelicts can come for a helping hand, a hot meal or maybe overnight lodging. We may feel somewhat uncomfortable in these places and attempt to avoid them. Maybe we doubt our spiritual strength or our ability to help. Fanny Crosby was a tiny, blind lady who as most know wrote so many hymns, poems and songs under so many pseudonyms that the number is only estimated. Yet for many years Fanny made regular

6 days ago

REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING

By the 1740’s, Charles Wesley was regularly preaching to thousands in open air meetings. At that time, oppression against the gospel message began to develop. When confronted by those who were angry at something Wesley had expressed about sinners and repentance, he would give reply. However, Wesley was not known for his tact! And that lead to him being physically struck by one of those oppressors. In 1743, Charles recorded in his diary about an instance in St Ives when

6 days ago

REDEEMED, HOW I LOVE TO PROCLAIM IT

It is no surprise how often we will come to a hymn that the famous blind hymnist, Fanny Crosby wrote. Her hymns always mention some of her favourite words: redeemed…love…proclaim…lamb…mercy…forever. Fanny was seldom at a loss for words, and so often her words for a hymn would come in response to a tune she would receive from one of her friends who composed music; this time she found inspiration with a tune from William Kirkpatrick. Fanny loved to tell anyone of the ever-

6 days ago

REACH OUT TO JESUS

Known as the ‘Father of Contemporary Christian Music’, Ralph Carmichael was born in May 1927. “What I have been doing most of my adult life,” he stated in 1986, “is waging a battle for the freedom and liberty to experiment with different kinds of music for the glory of God.” Ralph sought guidance to use these musical forms…in good taste…to reach people with a Gospel message that never changes. Trained for pastoral ministry like his father and many of his extended family

6 days ago

PRAISE TO THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY

Our hymn this time was written by Joachim Neander who was born in 1650. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and his great-great-grandfather all were named Joachim Neander and all had been preachers of the gospel. Young Joachim, however, was some rebellious and wild in his early years. At the age of 20, he joined a group of students who descended on St. Martin’s Church to ridicule and scoff at the worshippers. The sermon preached by the Pastor that evening really c

6 days ago

PASS IT ON

If we said the name Kurt Kaiser, you will either have a clear recognition of him, or your mind will start churning to figure out why you are pretty sure you remember him! Kurt made a significant difference to church music and more particularly the music accepted and loved by youth in the 60’s and 70’s! Kurt Kaisers was born in Chicago in December, 1934. His family were committed Plymouth Brethren. Kurt, grew up performing throughout the city of Chicago. As early as 12 y

6 days ago

OUR GREAT SAVIOUR (JESUS, WHAT A FRIEND OF SINNERS)

During his teen years, John Wilbur Chapman attended two Sunday Schools each week in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana. He attended a class in the morning at one church and in the afternoon, he would go to Grace Methodist Episcopal Church. It was in the Grace church that he first professed his faith and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He was seventeen. He remembers that a guest speaker was presenting the lesson that day and asked if there were any present who wanted

6 days ago

OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE

God will use His holy scriptures to speak to all who will listen. The scriptures are powerful and inspired. Often when you read God’s Word, His letter to human kind, you will be struck by its truth. Your mind will begin to hear a special message from the Lord. That is what happened when Clara Scott found inspiration after reading Psalm chapter 119 and verse 18. In that verse Clara read, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” What came about was t

6 days ago

ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

Sabine Baring-Gould, was one of the truly gifted preachers and literary men of the nineteenth century. In addition to being ordained to the Anglican ministry in 1864, he was a noted writer throughout his life. He published 85 books on such varied subjects as religion, travel, folk-lore, mythology, history, fiction, biography and popular theology. Yet amazingly enough, the work for which Sabine is best noted is a simple children’s hymn written in 1865. During an upcoming

6 days ago

ONLY TRUST HIM

Our hymn today, like many other hymns known as ‘invitational’ hymns, owe their recognition and appearance in our song books to the revival meetings of Dwight L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey. These hymns were an essential part of the revival experience. Following the powerful sermon of the evangelist, D. L. Moody, the invitational song became the vehicle that encouraged the attendees to contemplate the message and respond to the gospel. John Stockton was born in 1813 to Presbyt

6 days ago

ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY

Cecil Frances Humphrey’s was born in 1818 in an Irish village called Redcross and 32 years later, she married Rev. William Alexander. Her poems and hymns became greatly beloved in the English-speaking world. She was not concerned about fame; her priority was all about being faithful to Christ. She had a deep heart and devotion to children. Much of her time was spent teaching Sunday School and writing songs for youngsters. One day, she was working with one of the boys in

Mar 17