MY SAVIOR'S LOVE

I really could not find any background on the writing of this week's choice, but I did find a few things about the author, Charles Gabriel. Growing up on an Iowa farm, he taught himself to play the family's reed organ. Hed began teaching singing in schools by the age of 16 and soon became known as a teacher and comoser. He served as the music director of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in San Francisco in 1890-1892. He is known as the most prolific and popular gospel song composer during the height of the Billy Sunday - Homer Rodeheaver evangelistic crusades. He edited more than forty hymnals and helped publish more than eight thousand gospel songs during his lifetime. In 1912, Gabriel joined the Rodeheaver-Hall-Mack Company as its editor and maintained this position until his death in 1932. He often wrote using the pseudonym of Charlotte G. Homer. This hymn first appeared in 1905. Those of us who have been redeemed can join in singing of our amazement that Christ would love us enough to die for us. It is amazing that he would take our sins and our sorrows and make them his very own. The hymn concludes with a triumphant final verse that reminds us of the day when we shall sing His praises around His throne in heaven. How marvelous and wonderful that will be.

(1) I stand amazed in the presence

Of Jesus the Nazarene,

And wonder how He could love me,

A sinner, condemned, unclean.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

Is my Savior's love for me!

(2) For me it was in the garden

He prayed: "Not My will, but Thine."

He had no tears for His own griefs,

But sweat drops of blood for mine.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

Is my Savior's love for me!

(3) In pity angels beheld Him,

And came from the world of light

To comfort Him in the sorrows

He bore for my soul that night.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

Is my Savior's love for me!

(4) He took my sins and my sorrows,

He made them His very own;

He bore the burden to Calvary,

And suffered and died alone.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

Is my Savior's love for me!

(5) When with the ransomed in glory

His face I at last shall see,

Twill be my joy through the ages

To sing of His love for me.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

And my song shall ever be:

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!

Is my Savior's love for me!

Listen to this hymn here with a very beautiful rendition sung by four men. LISTEN

ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS' NAME

Edward Perronet's majestic hymn, "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," is among the most frequently published hymns in the United States. Since its first American appearance in two hymnals (Baptist and Universalist) in 1792, it has been included in some 2,300 American collections. It has been widely translated for use by Christians around the world. The hymn is often called the "National Anthem of Christendom." The son of an Anglican vicar who actively supported the evangelicalism of the Wesleys, Edward Perronet worked for a time with the Methodists. His disagreements with the Wesleys over the relationship of Methodism with the Anglican Church resulted in Perronet's severing his ties to the Methodism. He accepted the pastorate of a small Congregational church in Canterbury where he remained until his death in 1792. Throughout his life, Perronet wrote hymns, publishing them anonymously in small collections. Perronet wrote "All Hail the Power" in 1779. He published (anonymously) the first stanza with a tune, MILES LANE (also anonymous), in The Gospel Magazine for November 1779. In April 1780, the same magazine reprinted the hymn with eight stanzas and another reference to MILES LANE as a suitable tune. Later it was reprinted many times and verses were often added or deleted. The authorship of the original hymn remained in question for nearly a century. It took less time to establish that the familiar English setting, MILES LANE, was the work of William Shrubsole, a nineteen-year-old organist and chorister in Canterbury, and Perronet's close friend. "All Hail the Power" is perhaps the only hymn regularly published in American hymnals with three tunes. This hymn also has a place in missionary history, being greatly used in evangelistic endeavors. Rev. E. P. Scott, for example, missionary to India, wrote of trying to reach a savage tribe in the Indian subcontinent. Ignoring the pleadings of his friends, he set off into the dangerous territory. Several days later, he met a large party of warriors who surrounded him, their spears pointed at his heart. Expecting to die at any moment, Scott took out his violin, breathed a prayer, closed his eyes, and began singing, "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name!" When he reached the words, "Let every kindred, every tribe," he opened his eyes. There stood the warriors, some in tears, every spear lowered. Scott spent the next two years evangelizing the tribe. Here are four of the most commonly sung verses. Sing them as you worship Him today.

1. All hail the power of Jesus' name!

Let angels prostrate fall;

bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all.

Bring forth the royal diadem,

and crown him Lord of all.

2. Ye chosen seed of Israel's race,

ye ransomed from the fall,

hail him who saves you by his grace,

and crown him Lord of all.

Hail him who saves you by his grace,

and crown him Lord of all.

3. Let every kindred, every tribe

on this terrestrial ball,

to him all majesty ascribe,

and crown him Lord of all.

To him all majesty ascribe,

and crown him Lord of all.

4. O that with yonder sacred throng

we at his feet may fall!

We'll join the everlasting song,

and crown him Lord of all.

We'll join the everlasting song,

and crown him Lord of all.

Listen and sing along here. LISTEN

HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR!

I miss singing the traditional hymns that have been sung for many years at Easter services. Because of this I have chosen one of those great hymns that I haven't heard sung for several years. The words and the melody have been filling my mind for the past few weeks. I haven't been able to find anything about its writing although I have found interesting things about the writer, Philip Bliss (1838–1876), and the impact of this great hymn. The great American Gospel singer and composer Ira D. Sankey wrote the following. "Written shortly before his death, this was the last hymn I heard Mr. Bliss sing. It was at a meeting in Farwell Hall in Chicago Illinois, conducted by Henry Moorehouse. A few weeks before his death Mr. Bliss visited the State prison at Jackson, Michigan, where, after a very touching address on "The Man of Sorrows," he sang this hymn with great effect. Many of the prisoners dated their conversion from that day. When Mr. Moody and I were in Paris, holding meetings in the old church which Napoleon had granted to the Evangelicals, I frequently sang this hymn as a solo, asking the congregation to join in the single phrase, "Hallelujah, what a Saviour," which they did with splendid effect. It is said that the word "Hallelujah" is the same in all languages. It seems as though God had prepared it for the great jubilee of heaven, when all his children shall have been gathered home to sing "Hallelujah to the Lamb!" The author, Phillip Bliss was one of the most prominent hymn writers in the heyday of gospel hymn writing. Bliss grew up working on a farm and in lumber camps, but eventually became a music teacher. He sold his first song at age twenty-six and later worked for a hymn publisher. D. L. Moody urged Bliss to become a singing evangelist, and so he did, beginning in 1874. This hymn was published in 1875. In 1876, while traveling through Ohio, Bliss and his family were involved in a train wreck. Reportedly, Bliss went back into the fiery train to save his wife, but they both died. Meditate upon the words of this great hymn.

(1) Man of Sorrows! what a name

For the Son of God, who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

(2) Bearing shame and scoffing rude,

In my place condemned He stood;

Sealed my pardon with His blood.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

(3) Guilty, vile, and helpless we;

Spotless Lamb of God was He;

"Full atonement!" can it be?

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

(4) Lifted up was He to die;

"It is finished!" was His cry;

Now in Heav'n exalted high.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

(5) When He comes, our glorious King,

All His ransomed home to bring,

Then anew His song we'll sing:

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Listen to the hymn here. LISTEN

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

The Reverend George Bennard (1873-1958) is the author of this classic hymn which has been one of the favorites of believers for many years. I chose it this week because it has so much meaning for us during this Easter season. It is said that "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross" was as far as he could get with the hymn until he was heckled by some youths during a revival meeting, after which the rest of the words began to flow. Most sources say he wrote the first verse and the original version of the chorus in Albion, Michigan. Additional verses were written as he traveled his itinerate circuit. Charles H. Gabriel, a well-known gospel-song composer, helped Bennard with the harmonies. He made the final changes while staying in the parsonage of the Rev. and Mrs. Leroy O. Bostwick, who had asked for his help with a two-week revival at the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon, Michigan. He sang the final completed version for the first time in its entirety at a revival meeting on June 7, 1913, and then had the choir of five, accompanied by a guitar, sing it from his penciled notes. Published in 1915, the song was popularized during Billy Sunday evangelistic campaigns by two members of his campaign staff, Homer Rodeheaver (who bought rights to the song for $500) and Virginia Asher, who were perhaps also the first to record it in 1921. Meditate upon these words as we remember and celebrate the death and ressurection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(1) On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it some day for a crown.

(2) O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,

Has a wondrous attraction for me;

For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above

To bear it to dark Calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it some day for a crown.

(3) In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,

A wondrous beauty I see,

For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,

To pardon and sanctify me.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it some day for a crown.

(4) To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;

Its shame and reproach gladly bear;

Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,

Where His glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

Till my trophies at last I lay down;

I will cling to the old rugged cross,

And exchange it some day for a crown.

Listen to it here. LISTEN