Visiting old church hymns

When we walk with the Lord 
in the light of his word, 
what a glory he sheds on our way! 
While we do his good will, 
he abides with us still, 
and with all who will trust and obey. 

2 - Not a burden we bear, 
not a sorrow we share, 
but our toil he doth richly repay; 
not a grief or a loss, 
not a frown or a cross, 
but is blest if we trust and obey.

3 - But we never can prove 
the delights of his love 
until all on the altar we lay; 
for the favor he shows, 
for the joy he bestows, 
are for them who will trust and obey. 

4 - Then in fellowship sweet 
we will sit at his feet, 
or we'll walk by his side in the way; 
what he says we will do, 
where he sends we will go; 
never fear, only trust and obey.

Written in 1887

"Trust and Obey" was written by John H. Sammis in 1887. The meaning of this hymn is fairly self-explanatory as Sammis illustrates the rewards of trusting God’s word and obeying God’s will.

Daniel Towner wrote the melody.

“Mr. Moody was conducting a series of meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts, and I had the pleasure of singing for him there. One night a young man rose in a testimony meeting and said, ‘I am not quite sure—but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey.’ I just jotted that sentence down and sent it with a little story to the Rev. J. H. Sammis, a Presbyterian minister. He wrote the hymn, and the tune was born.” 

 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
*Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee

Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's 

no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. 

Written in 1874

Take My Life and Let It Be is a hymn published in 1874 -  lyrics by Frances R. Havergal.

Click here for an explanation of her writing the hymn.

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Phillipians 3:8

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk, In this pilgrim way,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

O how bright the path grows from day to day,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,

Leaning on the everlasting arms;

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,

Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

Written in 1887

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms is a hymn published in 1887 with music by Anthony J. Showalter and lyrics by Showalter and Elisha Hoffman.

Showalter said that he received letters from two of his former pupils saying that their wives had died. When writing letters of consolation, Showalter was inspired by the phrase in the Book of Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

He wrote to his friend Elisha Hoffman - “Here is the chorus for a good hymn” — “but I can’t come up with any verses.” Hoffman wrote the verses and sent them to Showalter, who, in turn, set them to music.

The hymn has been part of music featured in numerous movies and TV shows over the years.  In addition, several well-known artists have recorded it, including country singer Alan Jackson, who included it in his 2006 live gospel album Precious Memories.

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain:

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine, Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Written in 1862

 Psalm 25:3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

 The lyrics of this hymn were written by Dr. Joseph H Gilmore, the son of a New Hampshire governor. It was then set to music by William B Bradbury.

Watch a "Brief history of this hymn"

Click here

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Written in 1849

Luke 2:13-14  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace 

to those on whom his favor rests.”

Edmund Hamilton Sears is the author from Sandisfield, Massachusetts, an ordained Unitarian minister.  His first version, at the age of 24,  was samiliar to today's version with the same tune.  The current version was written at the age of 39.  

At the time of the final version the Civil War looming for the country and it can be referenced in the 3rd and 4th verse which is usually left out of church hymnals.

O come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant
Oh come ye, come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold him born the King of angels 

O come let us adore him, 

O come let us adore him

O come let us adore him Christ the Lord  

Sing choirs of angels sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God in the highest
O come let us adore him, 

O come let us adore him

O come let us adore him Christ the Lord  

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning
Jesus, to thee be glory given
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come let us adore him, 

O come let us adore him

O come let us adore him Christ the Lord  

Written in 1743

John Francis Wade, the author of this hymn, was hounded out of England in 1745 because of the Jacobite rebellion.

 In France he taught music and became renowned as a copyist of music scores.  His work was exquisite!

It was thought at one time someone else was the author but after finding seven original hand-copied manuscripts bearing his signature, it was determined he was the author. 

The original score  had a first line that read - "Ye faithful, Approach Ye."  One hundred years later, this did not catch on when returning to England. Rev. Frederick Oakeley came up with what is today - "O Come All Ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant." 

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. 

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. (Refrain)

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. (Refrain)

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. (Refrain)

Written in 1897

Johnson Oatman, the author of this hymn, aimed to teach young people that it is impossible to be thankful and at the same time grumpy, critical or ill-tempered with this hymn.

 He was born in New Jersey just before the Civil War. As a boy, he always wanted to stand by his father in church because of his father's amazing singing voice. 

At the age of 19, he was ordained into the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church. However, he preferred working in his father's mercantile business, where he could earn money to finance his love for writing. 

It was in 1982 that he began writing hymns, and he averaged 200 hymns and gospel songs per year, which added up to 5000 in his lifetime. 

Some of his most popular works include "Higher Ground," "No Not One," and "The Last Mile of the Way."