He Lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)

Alfred Ackley

Alfred Ackley (1887-1960) showed musical promise at a very young age. His father gave him the benefit of his musical wisdom, and then later sent him to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He played the piano and cello and showed great promise as a composer. After his training in music, Ackley went on to graduate from Westminster Theological Seminary in Maryland, and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He served as pastor in several states of the United States, and worked for a few years with evangelist Billy Sunday and the Rodeheaver Music Company. Ackley's musical endeavors were so appreciated that he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sacred Music degree by John Brown University in Arkansas.

Alfred Ackley often worked in collaboration with, and is often confused with, his brother Bentley Ackley (1872-1958), who was also a talented musician, worked for the Rodeheaver Music Company, and who traveled with the Billy Sunday team for eight years as a secretary/pianist. Bentley Ackley played the melodeon, piano, organ, coronet, clarinet and piccolo.

Bentley Ackley wrote music for more than 3,000 gospel tunes, including several that are still in hymnals of today, such as Who Will Open Mercy's Door? (words by Ina Ogden), and Have You Prayed It Through? (words by William Poole).

Alfred Ackley wrote lyrics and/or music for more than 1,500 religious and secular songs, including lyrics for the still well loved I Never Walk Alone, and He Lives! (I Serve a Risen Savior).

I serve a risen Saviour,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.

Refraim:
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He live, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.


In all the world around me
I see His loving care,
And tho my heart grows weary
I never will despair;
I know that He is leading
Thro' all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing
Will come at last.

Refraim

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.

Refraim

   

His Name is Wonderful

Audrey May Mieir

Audrey May Mieir (1916-1996) was an ordained minister, a gifted musician, worship leader and a promoter of other Christian musicians. She was the first advocate for the music of Andre Crouch, and she worked closely with Doris Akers, who wrote many well-known hymns including Sweet, Sweet Spirit.

One Christmas morning in the 1950s, Mieir was seated in church, enjoying a children's holiday performance. She was so enthralled by the beauty and festivity of the day that she was only half listening when the pastor opened his Bible to Isaiah 9:6 and began to read. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

As the pastor's voice spoke the words: His Name shall be called Wonderful, Audrey's spirit jumped within in her and she began to hear a melody forming in her mind. She quickly wrote down these four lines, on the flyleaf of her Bible:

His Name is Wonderful
His Name is Wonderful
His Name is Wonderful
Jesus my Lord

That afternoon, Mieir taught the song to several young people, who then sang it for the evening service. The song was a hit! Afterwards, a friend suggested there must be more to the song. Audrey went home and wrote out the verses for this hymn that would thereafter be loved and sung by millions of people.

His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord;
He is the mighty King, master of everything,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.

He's the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages,
Almighty God is He;
Bow down before Him, love and adore Him,
His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

Reginald Heber

Reginald Heber (1783-1826) was a Bishop in the Church of England. He wrote the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty in 1826 for Trinity Sunday celebration. After Heber's unexpected death at age 43, his wife found the song amongst some of his writings, and passed it on to noted musician John B. Dykes (1823-1876), who composed and arranged the hymn for publication.

Heber wrote the lyrics for 57 hymns. During his lifetime his most famous hymn was "From Greenland's Icy Mountains," which exhorted missionary efforts to be made in the more difficult and remote cultures and climates. The hymn that has stood the test of time on earth, and whose words echo the ongoing worship of heaven, is the beautiful Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.



Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, bless'd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, bless'd Trinity!

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelations 4:8)

How Firm A Foundation

at­trib­ut­ed var­i­ous­ly to John Keene, Kirk­ham, and John Keith

       The Seventh Army Corps was encamped on the hills above Havana, Cuba, on Christmas Eve of 1898—a beautiful tropical night. Suddenly a sentinel from the camp of the Forty-ninth Iowa called, Number ten; twelve o’clock, and all’s well!

       A strong voice raised the chorus, and manly voices joined in until the whole regiment was singing. Then the Sixth Missouri added its voices, and the Fourth Virginia, and all the rest, ’til there, as General Guild said, on the long ridges above the great city whence Spanish tyranny once went forth to enslave the New World, a whole American army corps was singing:

‘Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed;

I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

       The Northern soldier knew the hymn as one he had learned beside his mother’s knee. To the Southern soldier it was that and something more—it was the favorite hymn of General Robert E. Lee, and was sung at that great commander’s funeral.

       Protestant and Catholic, South and North, singing together on Christmas day in the morning—that’s an American army!

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

How Great Thou Art

Carl Boberg

The hymn How Great Thou Art traveled a long road before it ended up a favorite edition to English hymnals. The original version was a poem written by a Swedish pastor, Reverend Carl Boberg in 1886, and entitled O Stor Gud. Boberg published the poem in his periodical Sanningsvittnet. Several years later he was surprised and delighted to hear his poem being sung by a church congregation, to the tune of an old Swedish folk melody.

Boberg's poem was soon thereafter translated into German by Manfred von Glehn, who entitled it Wie gross bist Du. In 1925, an American Reverend E. Gustav Johnson translated the Swedish poem into an English version that is somewhat different than the one popular today. For instance, the first line of Johnson's hymn reads Oh mighty God, when I behold the wonder.

In 1927, I.S. Prokanoff translated Glehn's German version into Russian, to be enjoyed by that culture also. Throughout all of these translations, the original Swedish folk tune remained the same.

In 1933, English missionaries to the Ukraine, Reverend and Mrs. Stuart K. Hine heard the song for the first time, fell in love with it and sang it often throughout their missionary journeys. As they traveled the Carpathian Mountains, the couple was inspired by the incredible beauty to translate the first three verses of the song into English. When WWII broke out in 1939, the Hines returned to England carrying How Great Thou Art to its new home. After the war they wrote the fourth verse and arranged the original Swedish folk tune to be published in English hymnals.

In the 1950s, the song was copyrighted and widely published in America, becoming more and more popular. When George Beverly Shay and the Billy Graham gospel choir, directed by Cliff Barrows, began to sing the song at virtually every crusade event, How Great Thou Art soon became one of the most recognized songs around the world. It was also recorded by several popular artists, including Elvis Presley. A poll conducted by the Christian Herald magazine in 1974 named How Great Thou Art the most popular hymn in America.

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow with humble adoration,
And then proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

O Lord, how great are Thy works!” (Psalm 92:5)

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

About 150 years ago, there was a great revival in Wales, England. As a result of this, many missionaries came from England to northeast India to spread the Gospel. The region was known as Assam and comprised hundreds of tribes. The tribal communities were quite primitive and aggressive. The tribesmen were also called head-hunters because of a social custom which required the male members of the community to collect as many heads as possible. A man’s strength and ability to protect his wife was assessed by the number of heads he had collected. Therefore, a youth of marriageable age would try and collect as many heads as possible and hang them on the walls of his house. The more heads a man had, the more eligible he was considered. Into this hostile and aggressive community, came a group of Welsh missionaries spreading the message of love, peace, and hope of Jesus Christ. Naturally, they were not welcomed. One Welsh missionary finally succeeded in converting a man, his wife, and two children. This man’s faith proved contagious and many villagers began to accept Christianity. Angry, the village chief summoned all the villagers. He then called the family who had first converted to renounce their faith in public or face execution. Moved by the Holy Spirit, the man sung his reply, “I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.”
Enraged at the refusal of the man, the chief ordered his archers to arrow down the two children. As both boys lay twitching on the floor, the chief asked, “Will you deny your faith? You have lost both your children. You will lose your wife too.”
But the man replied, again singing, “Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back.”
The chief was beside himself with fury and ordered his wife to be arrowed down. In a moment she joined her two children in death. Now he asked for the last time, “I will give you one more opportunity to deny your faith and live.”
In the face of death the man sung, “The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back. No turning back.”
He was shot dead like the rest of his family. But with their deaths, a miracle took place. The chief who had ordered the killings was moved by the faith of the man. He wondered, “Why should this man, his wife and two children die for a Man who lived in a far-away land on another continent some 2,000 years ago? There must be some supernatural power behind the family, and I too want that supernatural power.”
In a spontaneous confession of faith, he declared, “I too belong to Jesus Christ!” When the crowd heard this from the mouth of their chief, the whole village accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back

Though none go with me, still I will follow Though none go with me, still I will follow
Though none go with me, still I will follow
No turning back, no turning back

The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me
The world behind me, the cross before me
No turning back, no turning back.

 

I Surrender All

Judson W. Van DeVenter

Judson W. Van DeVenter (1855-1939) was raised in a Christian home. At age 17, he accepted Jesus as his Savior. He graduated university with a degree in art and was employed successfully as a teacher and administrator of high school art. He traveled extensively, visiting the various art galleries throughout Europe.

Van DeVenter also studied and taught music. He mastered 13 different instruments, sang and composed music. He was very involved in the music ministry of his Methodist Episcopal church and eventually found himself torn between his successful teaching career and his desire to be a part of an evangelistic team. This struggle within himself lasted for almost five years.

In 1896, Van DeVenter was conducting the music of a church event. It was during these meetings that he finally surrendered his desires completely to God -- He made the decision to become a full-time evangelist. As he submitted completely to the will of his Lord, a song was born in his heart.

I Surrender All was put to music by Winfield S. Weeden (1847-1908 ), who published this and many other hymns in several volumes. Weeden so loved this song that the words I Surrender All were put on his tombstone.

The words and melody of I Surrender All have appeared in virtually every English hymnal, and are just as readily sung in churches that prefer contemporary music.




All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,                                                                                                                                     In His presence daily live.

Refrain:
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my bless'd Savior,
I surrender all.


All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!

Refrain


“Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.rdquo; (Luke 14:33)

I Will Sing of My Redeemer

Philip Paul Bliss

Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876), was a well known teacher, evangelist and soloist. He wrote many hymns, including Almost Persuaded, Let the Lower Lights Be Burning, and Wonderful Words of Life. He also composed the melody for Horatio Spafford's It Is Well with My Soul.

Bliss and his wife Lucy traveled extensively, spreading the Gospel in song. In December, 1876, they were taking a much needed break; spending Christmas Holidays with Bliss' parents, in Pennsylvania. On the 28th, after receiving a request by telegram from D.L. Moody, the couple left their two children with grandparents and traveled by train to attend an evangelistic meeting in Chicago.

While ministering at the meeting, Bliss spoke these words to the congregation: I may not pass this way again, after which he sang, I'm Going Home Tomorrow. His words and song would prove to be prophetic.

On the 29th of December, 1876, Bliss and his wife boarded a train back to Pennsylvania. The winter snow and ice made for dangerous travel. As their train was crossing over a river in Ashtabula, Ohio, the bridge suddenly gave way and all the carriages fell into the freezing waters below. Bliss escaped through a window, only to find that Lucy had somehow been left behind in the burning wreckage. Although he was advised against it, Bliss headed back into the fire, saying: "If I cannot save her, I will perish with her." The young couple did not survive.

Of the 160 passengers, only 68 survived the disaster which took the lives of Lucy and Philip Bliss. The few remains retrieved from the accident site were placed in a common grave marked by a monument, in the Ashtabula Cemetery. Another monument was erected in Pennsylvania, in memory of Philip and Lucy Bliss.

Among Bliss' belongings were the lyrics to I Will Sing of My Redeemer. In 1877, the hymn was set to music by composer and evangelist James McGranahan (1840 -1907), whose works included There Shall Be Showers of Blessing. That same year, singer and musician George Cole Stebbins (1846-1945), who composed many hymns, including Saved by Grace and Take Time To be Holy, made a recording of I Will Sing of My Redeemer - one of the first songs ever to be recorded on Thomas Edison's new invention, the phonograph.



I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
From the curse to set me free.


Refrain:
Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer,
With His blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt, and made me free.

I will tell the wondrous story,
How my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy,
He the ransom freely gave.

Refrain

I will praise my dear Redeemer,
His triumphant power I'll tell,
How the victory He giveth
Over sin, and death, and hell.

Refrain

I will sing of my Redeemer,
And His heav'nly love to me;
He from death to life hath brought me,
Son of God with Him to be.

Refrain

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)

 

 

I’d Rather Have Jesus

Rhea F. Miller & George Beverly Shea

In 1922, a woman named Rhea F. Miller wrote a poem. In 1932, a copy of that poem was placed on the top of an organ in a family home in New York. Seated at the organ was a 23-year-old musician named George Beverly Shea.


Miller's poem caught young George's attention. The words on the paper rang true to the cry of his heart. And so, he set them to music. Upon hearing her son singing this testimony of commitment, George's mother came in from the kitchen, with tears in her eyes, and encouraged him to sing the new song in church the following Sunday.


As the congregants listened to George's deep voice sing out I'd Rather Have Jesus, than silver and gold, little did they know that the song was destined to become one of the most well-known of all contemporary Christian songs.
.
A few years later, George joined forces with another young man - Evangelist Billy Graham. Together they traveled the world. Billy would preach and George would sing. His two favorite songs were How Great Thou Art, and his signature song, I'd Rather Have Jesus. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather have His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by His nailpierced hand


Refrain:

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name


Refrain


He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom,
He's sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead


Refrain

In The Garden

C. Austin Miles

C. Austin Miles (1868-1946) was a pharmacist turned hymn writer and church music director. He was also an amateur photographer. One day in March, 1912, while in his dark room waiting for film to develop, Miles had a profound spiritual experience in which he saw an incredible vision of Mary Magdalene visiting the empty tomb. He saw her leave the tomb and walk into a garden where she met the Master and heard Him speak her name.

When Miles came to himself his nerves were vibrating and his muscles tense; the words to a new song were filling his mind and heart. He quickly wrote out the lyrics to In The Garden and later that evening composed the musical score. The song was published that same year and became a theme song of the Billy Sunday evangelistic crusades.

In The Garden was recorded on an album by Perry Como in 1950, was sung in the closing scene of the 1984 film Places in the Heart and continues to be a favorite of hymn lovers who treasure that quiet 'garden time' with their Savior.



I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses . . .

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!

He speaks and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that he gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing . . .

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!

And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!

It is Well with My Soul

Horatio Spafford

Horatio Spafford (1828-1888) was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian and faithful student of the Scriptures. His circle of friends included Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey and various other well-known Christians of the day.

At the very height of his financial and professional success, Horatio and his wife Anna suffered the tragic loss of their young son. Shortly thereafter on October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed almost every real estate investment that Spafford had.

In 1873, Spafford scheduled a boat trip to Europe in order to give his wife and daughters a much needed vacation and time to recover from the tragedy. He also went to join Moody and Sankey on an evangelistic campaign in England. Spafford sent his wife and daughters ahead of him while he remained in Chicago to take care of some unexpected last minute business. Several days later he received notice that his family's ship had encountered a collision. All four of his daughters drowned; only his wife had survived.

With a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving Anna in England. It was on this trip that he penned those now famous words, When sorrow like sea billows roll; it is well, it is well with my soul.

Philip Bliss (1838-1876), composer of many songs including Hold the Fort, Let the Lower Lights be Burning, and Jesus Loves Even Me, was so impressed with Spafford's life and the words of his hymn that he composed a beautiful piece of music to accompany the lyrics. The song was published by Bliss and Sankey, in 1876.

For more than a century, the tragic story of one man has given hope to countless thousands who have lifted their voices to sing, It Is Well With My Soul.



When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.


Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Jesus Paid it All

Lyrics Elvina Hall, Music John T. Grape

The words to the song Jesus Paid It All were written by Elvina Hall (1822-1889) in 1865. Elvina was a member of the Monument Street Methodist Church in Baltimore, Maryland. The Choir Director of the same church was John Thomas Grape (1835-1915). Unaware of Elvina's composition, Grape composed a tune he called All To Christ I Owe.

The pastor of Monument Street Methodist Church, Rev. George W. Schreck heard the music written by Grape and immediately thought of the verse written by another of his parishioners, Elvina Hall. At the pastor's suggestion, Hall's lyrics and Grape's music were combined, and then sent to Professor Theodore Perkins, publisher of the periodical Sabbath Carols. The hymn quickly became a favorite and has been published in and sung from hymnals across America ever since.



I can hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all

Refrain:
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow


Refrain

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone

Refrain

For nothing good have I                                                                                                                                   Whereby Thy grace to claim                                                                                                                                      I'll wash my garments white                                                                                                                                       In the blood of Calvary's Lamb

Refrain

And when before thy throne                                                                                                                                        I stand in Him complete.                                                                                                                                                 Jesus died my soul to save                                                                                                                                        My lips shall still repeat

Refrain