Hymn Story This Is My Father's World Hymn Lists by book of Bible Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901) was an extraordinarily talented young man from a well-to-do family, so he could easily have succeeded at any profession.  God called him to be a minister of the Gospel, and he followed the call faithfully. As a [...]

Hymn Story Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim Hymn lists by book of Bible We are familiar with stories of Christians being persecuted by Roman emperors and representatives of particular religions.  We are less aware of Christians being persecuted by other Christians.  That, sadly, has too often been true.  A recent example is the [...]

Hymn Story There's a Wideness in God's Mercy Hymn Lists by book of Bible The author of this hymn, Frederick William Faber, was raised as a Huguenot, but went to Oxford and was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1837.  He then came to know John Henry Newman, the famous Catholic priest (and later [...]

Hymn Story While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Hymn lists by book of Bible This hymn was written by Nahum Tate (1652-1715) and Nicholas Brady (1659-1726). Tate was the son of an Irish clergyman, who fancied himself a bit of a poet.  The son, Nahum, became an accomplished poet, and was appointed Poet Laureate of England [...]

Hymn Story Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life Hymn lists by book of Bible Frank Mason North was neither a missionary nor a hymn writer, but was asked to write a missionary hymn for the Methodist hymnal.  That request wasn't completely random, because North was an officer of two city missions—the New York City [...]

Hymn Story There Is a Balm in Gilead Hymn Lists by book of Bible There Is a Balm in Gilead African-American slaves sang spiritual songs to bring a bit of light into their otherwise bleak existence.  Their songs comforted and strengthened them.  Some, such as "Go Down, Moses," held out promise of freedom, but in [...]

Hymn Story When Peace, Like a River Hymn lists by book of Bible It Is Well with My Soul Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was quite successful—a senior partner in a Chicago law firm.  He was also a committed Christian layman who supported the ministry of Dwight L. Moody.  But he was faced with a series of [...]

Hymn Story The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done Hymn Lists by book of Bible This is often sung as an Easter hymn, but a hymn about the resurrection is appropriate any Sunday—every Sunday. Published anonymously in a Catholic hymnal in 1695, the hymn was translated into English by Anglican minister, Francis Pott, in 1861.  [...]