How Sweet The Sound

Are You Washed in the Blood?

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Elisha Hoffman was born in Pennsylvania in 1839, and he died ninety years later in 1929 in Chicago.  Elisha enrolled in the Union Bible Seminary in Pennsylvania, but when the Civil War erupted, he served with the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Division.

Near the end of the war, he married Susan Orwig, and they moved to Cleveland, Ohio.  Elisha was hired as the publishing agent of the Evangelical Association.  He later pastored churches in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

In 1894, he became the music editor for Hope Publishing Company, and remained in that post until 1912.  Through those years, he published fifty songbooks and hymnals and wrote the words or music to at least one thousand gospel and Sunday school songs.  "Are You Washed in the Blood?" first appeared in Spiritual Songs for Gospel Meetings and Sunday School in 1878.

I want you all to meet my cousin, Mike. Actually, Mike is my cousin by marriage. He has been married to my cousin for twenty-four years. Wow! I had to open my genealogy program to find out just how long they had been married. It seems they will be having the famous silver wedding anniversary next time around. Anyway, it seems like I've known Mike forever. And, I definitely remember the first time I met him. You see, I am 5'2" tall, and Mike is very, very tall. (Just how tall are you, Mike?) I just kept looking up and up, and there he was. My mother's family is what some might say "on the short side", and Mike seems very tall to all of us. Mike loves my cousin, and that is important to me. They have four children, and they are grandparents, too. Young grandparents. Wink! This weekend I received a telephone call from Mike about starting a blog, and ... he did it. I am asking that you all go introduce yourselves to my cousin Mike. His first post is so moving; it is about his experience taking God into his life. So, head on over to Mike at Finding My Religion. Be sure to say hello, and tell him I sent you. I believe he is going to have some important things to discuss with us in the future. Let's all help Mike get started toward a great blogging experience.

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

This favorite hymn was written by James Black.  He was calling roll for a youth meeting at his Methodist church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1893.  The name of a young girl, Bessie, was not answered, and he was crestfallen at her absence.  James commented, "O God, when my own name is called up yonder, may I be there to respond!"  When he returned home, he went to the piano and wrote the words and music to this hymn.

Jesus Loves The Little Children

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in his sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

• Words written by preacher Clare Herbert Woolston (1856-1927)
• Inspired by Matthew 19:14: Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
• Some have sought to improve on Woolston's original words by inserting the color "brown" between "red" and "yellow."
• Some more politically correct modern versions read 'Every color, every race, all are covered by His grace' instead of 'Red and yellow, black, and white, all are precious in His sight.'

Just As I Am

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Charlotte Elliott was a hardened and bitter woman broken by poor health.  Dr. Cesar Malan, a Swiss minister, while visiting her family in 1822, asked her if she were tired of herself.  He accused her of holding to her hate and anger because she had nothing else in the world.  He told her the faith she was trying to despise could be her cure.  Charlotte asked, "If I wanted to become a Christian and to share the peace and joy you possess, what would I do?"  Dr. Malan told her to give herself to God just as she was.  And, she did.

Charlotte went on to write the poem which has become the most famous invitational hymn in history.  She lived to be eighty-two and wrote about 150 hymns, but she never enjoyed good health.

Amazing Grace

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Most of you that read my blog already know that Amazing Grace is my favorite song.  Today I want to share Il Divo's rendition.  It is unquestionably one of the most beautiful performances I have ever heard.

I'm also attaching another clip which shows their actual performance. I was not able to embed this, but it is worth the click here.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander was inspired to write her book Hymns for Little Children (published in 1848) due to teaching a Sunday school class.  The children struggled to learn the catechism, and she thought converting the Apostles' Creed into little hymns would explain the phrases and truths of the Christian faith to your children.  This hymn is based on Genesis 1:31: "Then god saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good."

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

Reginald Heber was born in an English village in 1783.  He graduated from Oxford, and then succeeded his father as vicar in his family's parish.  He served there for sixteen years during which he wrote fifty-seven hymns.

His hymn "From Greenland's Icy Mountains" inspired missionaries to take the gospel to faraway places.  This hymn represented what Reginald believed was God calling him to serve as a missionary in India.

In 1822 at age forty, Reginald was appointed to oversee the Church of England's ministries in India.  While in the village of Trinchinopoly in 1826, he preached to a large crowd in the hot sun.  Afterward he plunged into a pool of cool water, where he suffered a stroke and drowned.

His widow later discovered his fifty-seven hymns in a trunk, and she had them published.  Among these hymns was Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty based on Revelation 4:8-11, And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

I'll Fly Away Medley

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

There Is Power In The Blood

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

The words and music of this old hymn were written during a camp meeting at Mountain Lake Park, Maryland by Lewis Jones.  Lewis Jones was a native Californian that graduated from Moody Bible Institute.  He spent his vocational life with the YMCA, and he wrote hymns on the side.  This is his best known work.

The Old Rugged Cross

Please visit Spiritual Sunday to fill your heart with joy.

George Bennard was born in Youngstown, Ohio, soon after the Civil War ended.  His father was a coal miner,   The family moved to Iowa, and George came to Christ through the ministry of the Salvation Army.  He hoped to train for the ministry, but his plans changed when his father died leaving him responsible for his mother and sisters.

Eventually George moved to Chicago, married and began in ministry with the Salvation Army.  Later he was ordained by the Methodist Episcopal church and became a traveling evangelist.

George prayed to fully understand the meaning of the Cross, and during this time of prayer and study the theme of this hymn came to him.  It took him a while to finish, but when he did, his friends Reverend and Mrs. Boswick were so moved that they helped pay the fee to have it printed.  It soon was appearing in hymnbooks across America.