Behind the Hymn: Christ is the world’s redeemer

Christ is the world’s redeemer is attributed to St. Columba, an Irish abbot, born in 521. He is credited with spreading Christianity through what is today Scotland. He is highly regarded among the Gaels and Picts and is considered one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. Around 563, he and twelve companions sailed to Ionia, Scotland where they founded a […]

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Behind the Hymn: Awake my heart with gladness

Awake my heart with gladness was written by Paul Gerhardt. The song was translated by John Kelly. Gerhardt was born in Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany in 1607. He studied theology and wrote many hymns including Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadow. He died in 1676 in Lubben, Germany. John Kelly was born in 1833 Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. He ministered to churches Hebburn-on-Tyne and […]

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Behind the Hymn: Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadows

Now Rest Beneath Night’s Shadows was written by Paul Gerhardt. Gerhardt was born in Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany in 1607. He studied theology and wrote many hymns. He endured much suffering and lived through The Thirty Years War. Four of his five children died young and his wife endured a prolonged illness. Like many other German hymns, Gerhardt’s songs are very […]

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Behind the Hymn: Now I Belong to Jesus

Now I Belong to Jesus was written by Norman J. Clayton. Clayton composed the tune Ellsworth in 1942 and a year later wrote the lyrics to this hymn to go with it.  The hymn is sometimes referred to by it’s first line “Jesus, my Lord will love me forever”. Clayton was born on January 22, 1903 in Brooklyn, New York. […]

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Hymn Story: Blessed Redeemer

Harry Dixon Loes, was a popular music teacher at the Moody Bible Institute for almost three decades in the early 20th Century.  Harry Loes was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on October 20, 1892. He served as music director at a variety of churches before becoming affiliated with Moody Bible Institute, which he joined in 1939.  He remained until his death […]

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Hymn Story: I Gave My Life for Thee

An art museum in Dusseldorf, Germany has a vivid painting on display of Christ, “wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob”.  Underneath the painting, by Sternberg, are the word “This have I done for thee, what hast thou done for Me?” Francis Havergal came upon the painting while in Germany.  Sources differ on whether […]

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Hymn Story: Jesus Saves

Priscilla J. Owens was a Baltimore public school teacher for forty-nine years and often wrote hymns for children’s services. She was very involved in the Sunday School at her church. She wrote the words to this hymn for a missionary service in the Sunday School of Union Square Methodist Church. The song was “originally adapted to the chorus “Vive le […]

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