It Is Well With My Soul

Listen to It Is Well With My Soul MIDI

This hymn is one of my personal favorites. When we tend to cause ourselves to worry about the uncertainties of the future, or even sometimes of our seemingly hopeless present situation, always remember God's words "be still and know that I am GOD." It's very comforting isn't it?

You've probably heard the famous story of Haratio Spafford writing "It Is Well with My Soul" following the death of his four daughters. The story goes that as he sailed across the area were their ship went down and they drowned, he wrote the popular hymn.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

[chorus] It is well, with my soul,

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet,

though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

[chorus]

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

[chorus]

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

[chorus]

Here is a story by James N. Watkins
Some of the story may be true, but there's much more to the story before and after the song!
In the 1870s, Spafford was a very successful lawyer in Chicago and heavily invested in real estate. His son died shortly before the great Chicago fire in 1871 wiped out all his properties.
In 1873, he and his family planned a vacation trip to Europe. While in Great Britain, he planned to help his good friend Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey, whom he had financially supported, with their evangelistic tour. Spafford sent his wife and four girls—ages 11, 9, 7 and 2—ahead while he finished up last-minute business in Chicago. On November 22, the S.S. Ville Du Havre struck another ship and sank within twelve minutes. Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband "Saved alone."
Conflicting stories report that Spafford wrote "It Is Well with My Soul" while passing over the very spot of the ocean where his four daughters perished and that he wrote it two years later when Moody and Sankey were visiting his home.

But the tragedy surrounding the hymn didn't end there. Horatio and Anna returned to Chicago, and five years later the couple gave birth to Horatio II and two years after that, a girl. But before their son reached his fourth birthday, he died of scarlet fever. Their surviving daughter, Bertha, would write that her parents not only suffered the pain of losing their fortune and five children, but it was compounded by a crisis of faith. Were the children's deaths a punishment from God? Did He no longer love them? Horatio felt himself in danger of losing his faith.

One year later, Anna gave birth to a sixth daughter, appropriately named "Grace." Shortly after, the family of four moved to Jerusalem, with Horatio explaining, "Jerusalem is where my Lord lived, suffered, and conquered, and I wish to learn how to live, suffer, and especially to conquer."
The family would remain in Jerusalem and set up a children's home. And like his children, he too would die tragically. Some reports claim he began to suffer delusions that he was the second Messiah, while his family insists it was the malaria fever from which he died that caused the mental confusion.

But the tragedy surrounding the hymn didn't end there, either. The tune was written by Philip P. Bliss, which he entitled "Ville du Havre," the name of the ship that took the lives of Spafford's four daughters. The hymn was first sung by Bliss himself before a large gathering of ministers hosted by Moody on November 24, 1876.

Just one month later, on December 29, 1876, Bliss and wife were traveling to Chicago by train. As the train passed over a trestle near Ashtabula, Ohio, the bridge collapsed and the passenger coaches plunged 75 into the icy river. Philip was able to escape through a window, but his wife was pinned in the wreckage. As he went back to free his wife, a fire broke out through the wooden cars and both were burned beyond recognition.

Nine tragic deaths surround the hymn, and yet those affected by them, could say, "It is well with my soul." And to me, that is indeed "blest assurance." It is well with my soul . . . if nothing else!

What A Friend We Have in Jesus

Listen to What A Friend We Have In Jesus by Sharon B.C

Joseph Scriven, author of this hymn was a man who experienced the friendship of Christ during a life filled with trouble. As a young man in Ireland, about 1840, his intended bride was accidently drowned the evening before their wedding. Hehad begun training as a military cadet, but poor health forced him to abandon his dreams of a career in this field.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged,

Take it to the Lord in prayer,

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?J

esus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Moving to Canada, he became a servant of the underprivileged, helping those who were physically handicapped and financially destitute. But tragedy continued to stall his steps. Once again, the plans for a wedding were cut short when his second fiancee died following a brief illness. It seemed that Joseph Scriven was destined to go through life alone, knowing only the friendship of Jesus Christ.

Through much of his life he experienced loneliness, meagerpay for menial work, and physical illness. This hymn is his testimony that prayer does not necessarily eliminate trouble from our lives. But, in the midst of tragedy, temptations and weakness, Christ will be our ever-present Friend who will give us peace "take and shield us" and carry our "load of care."

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load ofeare?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge,

Take it to the Lord inprayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in Prayer;

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

After his death, in recognition of his sacrificial service to others, a monument was erected in Port Hope, in Ontario, Canada, in tribute to Joseph Scriven, an Irish immigrant who was a friend to many and who found a friend in Jesus.

"A friend is a person who knows all about us, yet loves us just the same." This definition carries an idea that would probably disqualify a few. Because if we are to openly exhibit our inward selves --the thoughts which reveal our insecurities and prejudices --we would probably lose contact with many people we consider to be our "friends."

How many of our friendships are dependent upon social position or financial status? We entertain and are entertained by the folk who live in our social level. What if our financial situation should change-- either for better or for worse -- causing us to move to a different social and economic level? Would our friendships or relationships bridge the gap of that change? Possibly not always

For most of us, continuing friendship depends on a delicate balance of "give and take." If our friend should snub us, or ask too often for a favor, or fail to reciprocate adequately, the relationship would be jeopardized. But not so with Christ; it is not possible to "presume" on his friendship." He forgives. He is a friend who listens to our every request, and answers each time in just the way that is best for us.

ref: from "Crusader Hymn Stories"- Billy Graham

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

from "A Hymn Story by George Beverly Shea"- Billy Graham Crusaders Hymn Stories
listen to Great Is Thy Faithfulness Ezra Bufford arrangement

The opening stanza and refrain are taken directly from scriptural affirmations about God. "His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22,23). "Ever good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17). In other words, God is always like the bright sunlight characteristic of mid-day; there is never a shadow to cloud His complete and perfect faithfulness.

In many ways nature shows us that God is faithful. Every sunset is followed by a sunrise. Every winter is followed by a summer. Whenever we plant seed, we can count on a harvest. In the sky we see innumerable stars all moving in patterns which can be charted by astronomers thousands of years in advance.But even more clearly, through His dealing with mortal men, we have learned that God is faithful. He has promised in His Word to forgive our sins and to give us peace of mind and heart; when we accept Christ His Son as our Lord and Savior, He fulfills His pledge. Morning by morning, day after day, we feel His presence in our hearts. Surely we can look forward with hope to His presence, even at the end of life’s journey.I am often reassured by these words of an unknown believer: "Fear not tomorrow, for God is already there!"

It would be wrong to assume that every hymn has been written or has become well known as the result of some dramatic experience. Some authors have simply made it a habit to write poetry regularly, perhaps one every day. Out of the hundreds that flow from the pen, only a few will be worthy of publishing.Thomas Chisholm, a Methodist life insurance agent, gave us these inspiring words. He says that there were no special circumstances surrounding their writing. He simply penned the lines from his impressions about God’s faithfulness as told in the Bible and sent them, with several other poems, to his friend and collaborator William Runyan.

Great is Thy faithfulness,

O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not,Thy compassions they fail not;

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:: Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness,mercy and love.

Refrain:

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today andbright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all minewith ten thousand beside!

Refrain:

Thomas O Chrisholm (1866-1960)

The Story of Amazing Grace

Hymn Story of John Newton by Billy Graham [Crusader Hymns, No. 108]

listen to Amazing grace MIDI

One Sunday in 1966 during the Earls Court crusade in London, we were driving between speaking engagements in the university towns of Oxford and Cambridge. Suddenly I noticed that we were passing through the village of Olney and I remarked to my wife, "There's a famous church and graveyard here. Let's stop to visit them."
Riding through the Olney village square, we passed the former home of William Cowper. It is now a museum that houses the personal effects of that great English poet, to whom we are indebted for classic poetry as well as for some of our finest hymns. This village is also famous as the place where the Shrove Tuesday pancake races originated.
The Olney parish church of Saints Peter and Paul was built in the fourteenth century, but much of the original beauty and dignity remains. In the corner of the churchyard, almost overgrown with tall grass, we found what we were looking for--a large tombstone with these words inscribed:

John Newton, Clerk; once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy.

Newton was the son of a sea captain who was engaged in the Mediterranean trade. His mother died when he was six, and after only two years of formal schooling he joined his father's ship at the age of eleven. His early life was one of immorality, debauchery and failure. He was rejected by his father, in trouble with all his employers, and finally jailed and degraded. In later years he served on slave ships, where he so incurred the hatred of his employer's negro wife that he became virtually a "slave of slaves."
This miserable seaman was brought to his senses by reading Thomas A Kempis's book, Imitation of Christ. His actual conversion was the result of a violent storm in which he almost lost his life. At the age of thirty-nine, John Newton became a minister and gave the rest of his life to serving God in the church. During the fifteen years he was the pastor at Olney, he wrote many hymns. Together with William Cowper, he published a hymnal which was widely used in Anglican churches.
It seems to me that "Amazing Grace" is really Newton's own testimony of his conversion and of his life as a Christian. He might have begun the hymn with the first stanza of another of his poems, "He Died for Me," but these words have somehow dropped out of use:

In evil long I took delight,

Unawed by shame or fear,

Till a new object struck my sight,

And stopped my wild career.

"God's grace" has been defined as "His undeserved favor." It was this grace that reached out to John Newton. When he learned that Christ loved him and had died for him, he was amazed. It was this grace which made him conscious that he was a sinner ("grace taught my heart to fear") and then assured him that his sins were forgiven ("grace my fears relieved"). So it is with all of us. We are all "great sinners" not only because of transgressions committed, but also because we fall short of God's standard for our lives. And this "amazing grace" is available to all of us.
As Christian believers we continue to experience God's undeserved love and favor throughout all of life. Every day He forgives our shortcomings, if we confess them. Every day He supplies all our needs.
John Newton never ceased to marvel at God's mercy and grace that had been granted to him. Over the mantelpiece in the Olney vicarage he had placed an inscription which still remains:

Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou has been honourable (Isa. 43:4). But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee (Deut. 15:15).

He never forgot the sea. Late in life, when he was pastor of St. Mary, Woolnoth in London, Newton entered the pulpit in the uniform of a sailor, with a Bible in one hand and a hymnbook in the other. His mind was failing then, and he sometimes had to be reminded what he was preaching about. When someone suggested that he should retire, he replied, "What, shall the old African blasphemer stop while he can speak?" On another occasion, he said, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour."
They tell us that the last stanza of this song was not written by John Newton. But I think he would agree that it is a fitting climax to his testimony. After he--and we--have been in heaven for ten thousand years worshipping our Lord, we will still have endless time to sing of His amazing grace!

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,

I have already come;

'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we first begun.

John Newton, 1-3 (1725-1807)

John P. Rees, 4 (ascribed) (1828-1900)