WONDERFUL NAME HE BEARS

I've mentioned here before how much I love the beautiful music that is played overnight on Fridays and Saturdays by our local Christian radio station. Often I wake early in the morning and meditate on the words of this special music. But there is one problem. Early Saturday morning the music is interrupted by a 30 minute program that I really don't care for. Much of it is very dull preaching, often by a monotone speaker who is obviously reading his message. But before the speaker they often have a quartet sing an old hymn, usually one that I haven't heard in many years. Sometimes it is one that I used to sing, years ago, with The Gospel Four quartet. Yesterday that happened and they sang my choice for this week. I found myself singing along even though I haven't heard the words for years. I decided to get up and I went to my computer to find the words before I forgot them. After much searching, I was successful in finding the words. But I couldn't find anything about the background of the hymn, except for some information about the writer, Alfred H. Ackley, 1887-1960. He was born in Pennsylvania and showed great promise as a child. His musician-father personally tutored him before sending him to New York City to study music. From there, it was on to the Royal Academy of Music in London. Alfred then returned to the States to attend Westminster Seminary in Maryland, and he was ordained into the Presbyterian ministry in 1914. After pastoring a church in his home state of Pennsylvania, Alfred was called to a congregation in California where he wrote his most famous hymn, "He Lives". But all I could find about this particular hymn is that it was copyrighted in 1938 by The Rodehaver Company. And I also can't even find any sources where you can go to listen to it. (Come and see me and I'll try to sing it for you.) But, hopefully, the words will still minister to you. It shares important things about the life of Christ, and then, like most old hymns, it ends with a stirring verse about the future. And that is my favorite verse of this hymn.

Wonderful birth, to a manger he came,

Made in the likeness of man, to proclaim

God's boundless love for a world sick with sin,

Pleading for sinners to let him come in.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful life, full of service so free,

Friend to the poor and the needy was he;

Unfailing goodness on all he bestowed,

Undying faith in the vilest he showed.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful death, for it meant not defeat,

Calvary made his great mission complete,

Wrought our redemption, and when he arose,

Banished for ever the last of our foes.

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.

Wonderful hope, he is coming again,

Coming as king o'er the nations to reign;

Glorious promise, his word cannot fail,

His righteous kingdom at last must prevail!

Wonderful name he bears,

Wonderful crown he wears,

Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;

Wonderful Calvary,

Wonderful grace for me,

Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.