Our church hasn't held public services
for the last two Sundays because of the corona virus and our
governor's instructions. But the services are online. We watched this
morning.
Near the end of the service our pastor,
Dr. Carroll Marr, spoke about the history of one of my favorite hymns
- “It Is Well With My Soul.” I had absolutely no idea about the
history of the lyrics so after listening to what Dr. Marr said I
looked it up for myself.
The author of the lyrics, Horatio
Spafford, was a successful attorney and Real Estate investor in
Chicago in the late 1800s. He lost a fortune in the great fire of
1871. Around the same time he lost his four year old son to Scarlet
Fever.
A short while later Mr. Spafford
decided his wife and four daughters might benefit from a vacation
abroad and put them on a ship to Great Britain with plans to join
them as soon as he got some of his affairs in order. Somewhere in the
Atlantic the ship they were on collided with another ship and sank.
His wife survived but his four daughters all perished. When his wife
arrived in Great Britain she sent a telegram that began “Saved
alone. What shall I do?”
Spafford soon boarded another ship to
join his wife in Great Britain. During the journey, the Captain of
the ship knew of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family.
Upon Spafford's request, when the ship neared the sight where the
tragedy had occurred, Spafford was summoned to the deck. As he looked
down at the water where his daughters had died, words of hope and
comfort filled his heart. He wrote them down and they have become a
well-loved hymn.
I can't say whether or not Spafford
wrote all six verses himself or had assistance, but this song has
been one of my favorites since I was a kid - not only the words but
the melody. As one who has experienced the loss of a child this song
now means more to me than ever. I cannot imagine Mr. Spafford's pain
and devastation at losing all of his children. Or maybe I can since
my son was an only child.
Anyway, the song reads as follows:
Anyway, the song reads as follows:
“When peace like a river attendeth my
way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to
know
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Refrain:
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though
trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control -
That Christ hath regarded my helpless
estate
And hath shed His own blood for my
soul.
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
My sin – oh, the bliss of this
glorious thought
My sin, not in part, but in whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it
no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh,
my soul.
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ
hence to live;
If Jordon above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as
in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming
we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our
goal.
Oh, trump of the angel, Oh, voice of the Lord –
Oh, trump of the angel, Oh, voice of the Lord –
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when the 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.
It is well... with my soul. It is well,
it is well with my soul.
This is one of the most beautiful,
heartwarming performances of the song that I've ever heard. It is
sung by Ben Waites, who is a member of the New Speer Family gospel
group. I got to hear Ben sing it live last year. Amazing is the only
word I can think of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L45ydkGcl9U
If the link doesn't work, copy and paste it. It's worth it.
If the link doesn't work, copy and paste it. It's worth it.
