History of the Hymn: “Are You Washed in the Blood?”

 History of “Are You Washed in the Blood?”
http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=11216 


Words and Music “Washed in the Blood” by Elisha Albright Hoffman, 1878

Elisha Albright Hoffman (1839-1929)

Elisha A. Hoffman was born in Pennsylvania to German parents. His father served as a pastor for over 60 years, and this probably influenced Elisha’s decision to enter ministry. After attending public schools in Philadelphia, Elisha went on to study classics at Union Seminary. He was ordained as a minister in 1868, and he pastored for many years at churches in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.¹ As a pastor, Elisha was committed to drawing his people into worship, and during his lifetime, he composed over 2,000 hymns. He also helped to edit numerous music publications.²
Though Elisha did not have any formal training in music, he grew up in a home that was full of sacred song. Singing hymns was a regular part of his family’s daily worship and devotion time.³ From a young age, Elisha demonstrated a natural gift for music, and he developed a deep love of hymns. By age eighteen, Elisha had composed his first hymn.
Unlike many popular hymns, Elisha is the author of both the words and music. Music historian Jacob Hall records, “When a melody is born in his soul, appropriate words seem to be immediately associated with the melody; or, when a conception in his mind crystallizes into a hymn, usually there is present the suggestion of a melody that will give adequate and fitting expression to the mental conception. There are exceptions, but this is the rule which governs him in his musical writings.”⁴
In addition to Elisha’s popular song, “Are You Washed in the Blood,” other favorites include “What a Wonderful Savior,” and “Down at the Cross.”

Lyrics for “Are You Washed in the Blood?”:

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Refrain

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Refrain

History of the Hymn: My Jesus, I Love Thee

Source: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=11182

Words by William Ralph Featherstone (1846-1873), Published in 1864

Not much is known about William and his short life (he died before his 27^th birthday) other than that he was from Montréal, Canada and belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Church (now St. James United Church). It is believed that William wrote this hymn on his conversion at age 16 and sent it to his aunt in Los Angeles. The hymn somehow made its way to England and was published anonymously in the London Hymn Book.  It wasn’t until around 1930 that William was recognized as the author.
Tune “Gordon” by Adoniram Judson Gordon (1836-1895), Published in 1876

Adoniram Judson Gordon (1836-1895)

Adoniram Judson Gordon, who was named after a pioneering Baptist missionary to India and Burma, was born in New Hampton, New Hampshire. He attended Brown University and Newton Theological Seminary, and was ordained a Baptist minister in 1863. He served at Baptist churches throughout Massachusetts and was a close friend of Dwight L. Moody.  Adoniram was known for his commitment to music and to evangelism. While compiling a new Baptist hymnal, he discovered the song “My Jesus, I Love Thee.” He wrote, “in a moment of inspiration, a beautiful new air sang itself to me” and he thus composed a new tune for the hymn and published it in the 1876 edition of Caldwell and Gordon’s The Service of Song for Baptist Churches.² Adoniram published a variety of hymn books during his lifetime, as well as wrote and/or composed many hymns. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts is named after him.

 

Lyrics for “My Jesus, I Love Thee”:

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

The Story Behind Valentine's Day

This information was found from this source: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=2426

Valentine’s Day History

For most, Valentine’s’ Day is associated with either a friendly exchange of “Valentines” among children or a celebration of romantic love between adults. However, few know the history of the saint for which the holiday is named. The story of his life is a beautiful example of sacrificial love (for God and for others).

Who Is St. Valentine?

It is believed that St. Valentine served as a priest in third century Rome.* At that time, Emperor Claudius II had a standing decree that young single men were not to marry. The Emperor thought that marriage and children were a distraction to men of fighting age who were needed to serve as soldiers (with their full allegiance given to Rome).

Stained Glass Image of St. Valentine

It was perhaps similar thinking that led Claudius to persecute Christians. The Emperor (rightly) believed that Christians devoted their strongest allegiance to something and someone other than Rome.

St. Valentine, believing that Claudius was interfering with matters of the Church and of God, is said to have married young lovers in secret. Tradition holds that he also assisted many Christian martyrs, helping some to escape the harsh Roman prisons.

For one or both of these reasons, Valentine himself was imprisoned. Yet, difficult conditions did not hinder his very evident commitment to the Lord. He preached his faith to his prison guard Asterius, who was converted and baptized along with his whole family. And, it is said that St. Valentine restored sight to the blind, adopted daughter of Asterius, with whom he fell in love (remember, priests were allowed to marry before the fourth century).

When word of these events reached Claudius, he ordered that if Valentine would not immediately deny his faith, he should be beaten and afterwards beheaded. Far from being intimidated by Claudius’ command, Valentine apparently tried to convert the emperor — an action which secured his fate.

Saint Valentine Officiating Marriage

Just before his death on February 14, around 270 A.D., Valentine is said to have penned a tender farewell letter to the daughter of Asterius, who had visited him regularly during his confinement. He signed the letter, “From Your Valentine.”

How Did St. Valentine’s Day Begin?

In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius officially set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine. It is believed that Christians came to associate Valentine’s Day with romantic love because they were trying to supplant a popular pagan Roman festival called Lupercalia, celebrated on February 15.

For the Lupercalia celebration, Roman boys would choose a partner by drawing the name of a girl from a box or urn; the couple would then exchange gifts. The partnership would sometimes last until the next Lupercalia celebration, or it may even result in marriage.

Christian leaders tried to replace this custom by encouraging believers to draw saints’ names from a box. The saint would then be your patron saint for the year. But this tradition never quite caught on. Rather, Christians chose to celebrate the virtue of love, particularly romantic love, on St. Valentine’s Day. By all accounts, St. Valentine’s life modeled this virtue (in the pure and selfless way described in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 of the Bible). It seems fitting that the day set aside to remember him would be a day to celebrate love!

Jesus Is The Way

Note from Author
In celebration of Chinese New Year for this year, I believe the Lord wanted me to share some of beliefs that non Christian Chinese people believe in and what the Bible says. I am not doing this to insult and offend anyone who has these beliefs but rather share the truth and Good News to them.

Introduction
In China and Hong Kong, there is no official religion however some of the Chinese people who live in Hong Kong and to a smaller degree the people in China profess to practice a religion that was brought over by the various people that settled there and/or came over as a missionary.

Some of the religions practiced by the local people include: Country folk religion, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity which includes: Catholicism, Baptist, Protestant.

Bowing Down
One of the most popular practices that Buddhist believers practice is the act of bowing down particularly to either an image of Buddha or to a statue of him. Some Chinese people also place food sacrifices and burn paper money as an offering too while bowing.

I am including a few more gods who are commonly bowed to and prayed to:

Guanyin (who is considered to an East Asian spiritual goddess of mercy, and a bodhisattva associated with compassion and her name is translated to mean "perceiving the sounds or cries of the world.")

Caishen (who is considered the Chinese god of prosperity worshipped in the Chinese folk religion and Taoism. He is very common amongst those who have a business or want to start one.)

Yuhuang Dadi (who is considered the highest deity ruling the all the gods from the Buddhist and Taoist religions.)

What Does The Bible Say?
 Exodus 20:3 - Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

The Bible makes it very clear that His children shall not have no other gods before Him. He isn't just referring to any god from religion, it can also mean an object that is hindering His children from fully appreciating and worshiping Him instead because He is a jealous but holy God who loves us and paid the price by dying on the cross for the sins we committed.

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The Father God is telling you and I that there is no other name under Heaven who can Save us and provide you with full assurance that you know for sure where you will go when you die and if you believe in Him and His Son who came on earth in human form to do the Will that His Father commanded him to do. Isn't that a wonderful promise? Does it make your heart feel at peace and you can rest assured knowing that He has a home for you with Him.

John 14:6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Here is yet another verse in the Bible that shows the reader and/or believer that Jesus is showing that there is only one way, one truth and one life that can lead you to be with His Father and that is by him. In my humble opinion, this is one of the most direct verses that the Bible has showed to me that there is only one way to go to Heaven. It's not based by my good works or praying/bowing down to another god, or by acting a particular way. I think it's one of the sweetest promises.

Conclusion
There are many religions in the world and therefore are many gods or goddesses out there. Please let me ask you this, do you know and have any doubt about what will happen when you or a loved one is gone from this earth? Do you want to know and have the assurance of knowing? 

Please consider opening up your heart and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal saviour today my friend. He has showed me in the Bible with the aid of my friend who witnessed to me and now I feel at peace knowing about Him and the price He paid for my sins. I also know where I will end up when my time on earth is up and I hope that you'll want to know too. 

History of the Hymn: Here Is Love

History of “Here Is Love” 
from the website: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=10756

Words by William Rees (1802-1883), Published mid-1800s

William Rees (1802-1883)

William Rees’ only formal education was during the winter months at the local village school. From an early age, he spent most of his time working on the family farm in Wales — mainly as a shepherd. Despite the obligations of the farm, William had a love of learning and was self-educated in many subjects.
William was also a committed Christian and a gifted communicator. In 1828, he joined an Independent church (a Christian church that was not part of the state church). It was not long before he was invited to preach, and over the course of the next decade, William became famous for his preaching. In 1843, William moved to Liverpool to pastor, and he remained there for over 30 years (until he retired in 1875).
William also founded a newspaper in Liverpool. According to Hymnary.org, “It was the first successful Welsh newspaper, and it was his series, ‘The Letters of an Old Farmer,’ which breathed life into it. These were written in the dialect of the editor’s home county and dealt with such subjects as religion, politics, [and law].”¹ William had a keen interest in politics and even pleaded for the abolition of slavery in the US.
As a prolific writer, William wrote on a variety of topics: hymns, plays, politics, sermons, and Christian doctrine. Of his many beautiful hymns, “Here is Love” is a special gem. It came to be known as “The Love Song of the Revival” because it was used so often during the 1904 evangelistic outreaches in Wales. Thousands of people came to faith during the 1904 Revival, and it is thought to have triggered revivals in many surrounding countries. The tune was introduced to English speakers when William Edwards translated it from Welsh to English in 1900.

Tune “Here Is Love” by Robert Lowry (1826-1899), Published in 1876

Robert Lowry (1826-1899)

Robert Lowry was born in Philadelphia in 1826. As a teen, he was active in teaching Sunday school, as well as serving in the choir of his church. For college, Robert attended the University at Lewisburg, PA (now Bucknell University), and he graduated with the highest honors. He began working as a pastor, as well as a professor of literature.
According to the Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers:
“Dr. Lowry was a man of rare administrative ability, a most excellent preacher, a thorough Bible student, and whether in the pulpit or upon the platform, always a brilliant and interesting speaker. He was of a genial and pleasing disposition, and a high sense of humor was one of his most striking characteristics. Very few men had greater ability in painting pictures from the imagination. He could thrill an audience with his vivid descriptions, inspiring others with the same thoughts that inspired him.”
While preaching was Robert’s main work for many years, he always had a deep love of music. In time, he began dedicating more effort to music and by the end of his life, he had written dozens of popular hymns and tunes such as: “Christ Arose (Low in the Grave He Lay),” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus,” “Shall We Gather at the River?, and “We’re Marching to Zion.”

The Story Behind the Hymn: And Can It Be That I Should Gain (Amazing Love)

Every week starting today, I'll be cutting and pasting a hymn of of the week to share with you all.  The link I am sharing this from is: http://www.celebratingholidays.com/?page_id=10756. I do not own any of the rights to this article nor have I written it, but it is my wish to share this information with anyone who is interested in reading the history of various hymns. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do! :) God bless you!

 

History of “And Can It Be That I Should Gain (Amazing Love)”

Words by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), Published in 1738

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Taking quantity and quality into consideration, Charles Wesley could arguably be called the greatest hymn-writer of all time.¹ Charles published thousands of hymns, but he also, along with his brother John, founded the Methodist movement and played a significant role in a spiritual awakening throughout Great Britain.
At age 8, after being educated at home by mother, Charles entered the Westminster School in London. By age 18, he was elected to Christ Church College, Oxford, where he spent much of his time translating Greek and Latin classics into English verse. During his time in college, Charles helped to found the “Holy Club.” Within its first year, Charles turned leadership of the club over to his brother John (who Charles believed to be a more gifted leader). The group met often to study the Bible and the classics. They also sought to live holy lives by taking communion often, fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, serving the poor and working in prisons. Classmates derisively called the group “Methodists” because of their methodical habits of study and devotion. Though the group dissolved in 1735, when the Wesleys left on a missionary trip to America, it was considered the beginning of the Methodist movement.²

Commissioned by the Church of England, Charles and his brother John sailed to America in 1735 as missionaries to the colony of Georgia. However, it appears that the Wesleys’ missionary efforts were not warmly received. The brothers returned to England feeling discouraged and disillusioned. Fortunately, this sense of dismay would prove to be the impetus for a significant spiritual renewal that was soon to follow.

On his return to England, Charles began associating with a group of Moravians (a mainline Protestant denomination mainly characterized by its commitment to Christian unity, worship and missions). As a result of his interaction with the Moravians, Charles became convicted of the need to know Jesus personally and to surrender his life completely to the Lord. On May 23, 1738, Charles wrote, “[I] gave myself up, soul and body, to him.”³ Charles immediately wrote his first hymns, “Where Shall My Wondering Soul Begin?” and “And Can It Be.”

Hymnologists Harry Eskew and Hugh McElrath record of Charles:

“Before this turning point he, like John, was an ordained Anglican clergyman and, together with John, a missionary for a brief period to the Georgia colony. He was also a gifted poet. But it was not until he was catapulted into a deeply personal relationship to Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Lord that there was released in him the gift of sacred song.”⁴

Charles’ diary reveals that he had difficulty completing his first hymns because of doubts. Fortunately, he overcame his struggle and concluded:

“Least of all would he [the enemy] have us tell what things God has done for our souls . . . . In His name, therefore, and through his strength, I will perform my vows unto the Lord, of not hiding His righteousness within my heart.”⁵

From the point of his conversion, hardly a day or experience would pass without it taking form in verse. And Charles’ ministry efforts came to be motivated less by obligation than by genuine love for God and for mankind. By the end of his life, Charles had published more than 4,500 hymns (and another 3,000 were left as manuscripts).

Charles’ brother John had a separate conversion experience shortly after Charles, which set the two brothers on a course of ministry that would bring spiritual awakening to their native country of England. Hymnologists Harry Eskew and Hugh McElrath record:

“The picture of England during the opening decades of the 18th century was a sorry one – morals were decayed, education was practically non-existent, sanitation was neglected, literature and the theater were debauched, intemperance was rampant, crime was wide-spread, politics were corrupt and the clergy were idle and uncaring. Into such a world came the Wesleys like a cleansing fire. The great organizer and promoter of the movement was John Wesley. But by all accounts much of the success of this remarkable religious awakening must be attributed to the singing of Charles Wesley’s hymns.”⁶

After a lifetime of ministry, Charles passed away in 1788. He left behind his beloved wife Sarah and four children — three sons, who all became distinguished in the musical world, and one daughter, who inherited some of her father’s poetical genius.⁷ It is said that this hymn, “And Can It Be,” was quoted to Charles on his deathbed.⁸

Tune “Sabina” by Thomas Campbell (1777-1844), Published in 1825

Thomas Campbell (1777-1844)

Thomas Campbell’s tune “Sagina” is almost universally associated with “And Can It Be.” Thomas published the tune in 1825 as one of 23 original tunes in a collection titled The Bouquet (in which all of the tune names used botanical terms). Sagina was a plant that grew on the thin rocky soil surrounding Rome. There is some confusion among scholars as to whether this Thomas Campbell is the same person referred to as “the poet” whose poems were published in various hymnals.⁹ The birth and death dates seem to correspond, so it is possible that this Thomas is indeed the same person who was famed for his poetry, classical verse translations, and essays like “On the Origin of Evil.”