Anna B. Warner (1820-1915) wrote a hymn that without doubt has been sung by more children than any other hymn. Written in 1860, it came from a novel that Miss Warner with her sister had written called “say and seal.” The composer of the music, William Bradbury (1816-1868), also composed “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” “Savior …
Julia Ward Howe’s lyrics to the traditional American melody “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” are fraught with error. Now before you get upset about changing an age-old song, you must know she indeed changed the words to this tune that was called “John Brown’s Body” herself. Howes lyrics spiritualizing prophetic references after prophetic reference …
Daniel Webster Whittle (1840-1901) was a Gospel song lyricist, evangelist, and Bible teacher. He marched with Sherman and was wounded at the Battle of Vicksburg. He mostly wrote under the pseudonym “El Nathan.” He was widely known for the hymn, “moment by moment” and today’s topic “I know whom I have believed.” It is wonderful …
“‘Amazing Grace,’ How sweet the sound!” The composer of the beloved hymn, John Newton (1725-1807), had this hymn first published in what is called “The Olney Hymns” book. It was an illustration of potent ideologies of the evangelical movement in England at the time. The Amazing Grace tune as we know it was composed by …
There are particular moments from early childhood that many remember vividly. It may be good things and it may be bad things. Some moments are big and other ones are small. But these moments for some reason, just stick out to us. One moment that often comes to mind randomly but always providentially is when …
George Bennard was born February 4th, 1973, in a coal mining town of Youngstown, Ohio. He aspired to be a Christian evangelist, but his father died so he stayed and supported his mother and sister. Later he became involved with the Salvation Army and then an ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Bennard died …
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). The hymn “Victory in Jesus” was written by Eugene M. Barlett (December 24th, 1885, to January 25th, 1941). Two years before his death from complications of a stroke, the song first appeared in a paperback song book …
Eliza Hewitt, a school teacher in Philadelphia (1898), who wanted to reach her students with the Gospel wrote the classic hymn, “When We All Get to Heaven.” The music was written by Emily Wilson, who was also the wife of a Methodist District Superintendent. The anticipation of Heaven has often been described as the oxygen …