Wordwise Hymns

Important Notice

The developer of this site, Robert (Bob) Cottrill, went home to be with his Saviour on the 31st of August 2019, after a short illness. Bob's work is being re-published at wordwisebiblestudies.com, so feel free to go there to read, share, and comment.

HOW TO USE THIS BLOG

The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab.
Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects of sacred music.
To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the "Support" tab above.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church. And, for more than three dozen reasons why congregations should still use hymn books rather than merely projecting words on the wall, see The Value of Hymn Books.

Posted by: rcottrill | July 25, 2019

My Jesus, I Love Thee

Words: William Ralph Featherstone (b. July 23, 1846; d. May 20, 1873)
Music: Adoniram Judson Gordon (b. Apr. 13, 1836; d. Feb. 2, 1895)

Note: Ralph Featherstone, a resident of Montreal, wrote this song as a teen-ager, after his conversion to Christ. His heartwarming expression of love for the Lord ends in triumph, in "mansions of glory and endless delight."

CH-1) My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

Questions:
1) It seems Ralph Featherstone is remembered only for writing this hymn. What would you most like to be remembered for?
2) Two crowns are mentioned in this hymn (stanzas 2 and 4). What is the difference between them?

Posted by: rcottrill | July 22, 2019

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Words: Ray Palmer (b. Nov. 12, 1808; d. Mar. 29, 1887)
Music: Olivet (or Mason), by Lowell Mason (b. Jan, 8, 1792; d. Aug. 11, 1872)

Note: Palmer was an American college professor, and later a pastor. He also wrote many hymns. Though most of them are no longer in use, Hymnary.org reports My Faith Looks Up to Thee has appeared in nearly two thousand hymnals.

CH-1) My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

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