JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE

It is hard to believe that a hymn so well loved and requested would not have a known author and story.  The hymn…JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE…has only speculation of a probable origin.

It gained national popularity in the 1930’s, and it is widely believed that this song predates the Civil War.  Some African American histories recall that slaves were heard singing a song about walking by the Lord’s side as they worked in the fields.  If, in fact, the song can be attributed to one of the spirituals, it would join many other African American songs where the authorship is shrouded in mystery.  Yet these spirituals brought much comfort and hope to those who were deprived of freedom as they walked through their trials in life.

In 1940, Kenneth Morris arranged and published this well-loved song for the first time.  Although there are several versions of how he found the song…one version is found in Horace Clarence Boyer’s book, How Sweet the Sound.  He states…(and I quote), “While traveling between Kansas City and Chicago, Mr. Morris got off the train at one stop to stretch his legs. While standing on the platform, he overheard a porter singing some of the words to ‘Just a Closer Walk with Thee’.  Not thinking much about it, Morris boarded the train and went on his way.  The words and melody of the song kept repeating in his head and he knew he had to learn the rest of it.  At the next stop, Morris got off the train and took the next train back to the previous stop.  There he managed to find the porter who was persuaded to sing the song while he copied down the words.” (End of Quote).

One thing is for sure, we continue to find hope from these words and our gratitude is extended to whoever wrote it!  It has been translated into numerous languages and recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley!