Have you ever been under so much stress that it caused a mental breakdown? That’s what happened to William Cowper {pronounced Cooper} while preparing for his bar exam. His breakdown was so complete that he…
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing was written by Rev. Robert Robinson in the 18th Century. He was twenty-two when he penned the words in 1757. As a young man Robinson lived a wild life…
My Jesus, I Love Thee was written as a devotional poem by a young teen who had recently come to faith. That teen was William Ralph Featherston. Featherston considered this hymn his “legacy of love.” …
When I was growing up Holy! Holy! Holy! was the first hymn found in the Baptist Hymnal. I remember often requesting this song at hymn sings, when I was in elementary school. I’m sure this…
Eugene Monroe Bartlett, Sr. is considered to have made a major impact on the development of Southern Gospel Music. He was born on December 24, 1885 in Waynesville, Missouri. At a young age he relocated…
He Touched Me was the song that propelled Bill Gaither onto the national stage. Gaither had been writing songs for years, but nothing struck the chord with the American public the way He Touched Me…
Love Lifted Me was a joint effort of James Rowe and Howard E. Smith. The two friends wrote the hymn together. James Rowe was born in Horrabridge, Devonshire, England in 1865. He was the son…
Send the Light was written by Charles H. Gabriel. Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was born August 18, 1856 in Wilton Iowa and raised on a farm. As a boy, Gabriel taught himself to play a small…
This beautiful song was written by Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander for the children in her Sunday School class. The author was born Cecil Frances Humphreys in 1818 Dublin, Ireland. She was the daughter of…
The verse to O How I Love Jesus was written by Frederick Whitfield. Frederick Whitfield was born in Threapwood, Shropshire, England on Jan. 7, 1829. After attending Trinity College in Dublin, he became an Anglican…
Charlotte Elliott spent the majority of her life as an invalid. During this time she said the only thing she could do was “worship God.” Ms. Eliott began her life with a lot of promise…
Dr. Adam Geibel, a music publisher, asked pharmacists and composer, C. Austin Miles, to write a hymn that would bring hope. Miles retreated to ” a cold, dreary and leaky basement in New Jersey that…
Today How Great Thou Art is a staple in the protestant church and often requested for funerals. The song did not gain popularity until after celebrating its fiftieth birthday. Cliff Barrows, the song leader for…
I Love to Tell the Story and Tell Me the Old, Old Story are sister songs. They were both written by Kate Hankey. Arabella Katherine Hankey was born in 1834. She lived in London with…
One day in 1905, Mrs. Civilla Martin visited a friend that was bedridden. Concerned for her friend she asked her how she dealt with discouragement. The friend replied, “Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged…
Fanny Crosby went blind at the age of six weeks in 1820. Her blindness was not necessary but was due to an improper medical procedure. One day in 1873, Fanny was visiting her friend…
Because He Lives, was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither. The couple are still a popular Southern Gospel performers and songwriters of our day. The couple met while they were both teachers and were…
In honor of Father’s Day, I wanted to do a special song for the father’s out there. My Father’s Eyes was released by a young Amy Grant on her 1979 album. This song gave Amy…
Just A Closer Walk with Thee was considered one of the favorite southern gospel hymns of the 20th Century. However, its origins remain a mystery. The hymn is considered to be one of the most…
Imagine all of your children were dead? Would you still be able to praise God? That is just the beginning of the story behind It Is Well with my Soul. This was not the first,…