Sermons & Devotionals by Amazing Hymn Stories

A young minister’s two-mile walk in the rain provided the inspiration for “How Great Thou Art.” The Reverend Carl Boberg of Monsteras, on the southeast coast of Sweden, was 25 years old when he wrote the lyrics of this song after trekking through a thunderstorm from a church meeting two miles away T... Read More

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” This and other childhood prayers began to pass through the mind of Mosie Lister one wintry day in 1956. “How long has it been since some people have talked with the Lord?” h... Read More

Longfellow is not usually thought of as a hymn writer, but one of his poems has been set to music by an Englishman, John Calkin, and the result is one of our most popular Christmas carols. On Christmas Day, 1863, Longfellow wrote of the joys of the season: I heard the bells on Christmas day Their ol... Read More

Ninety years of world-wide popularity have established the gospel song “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” as part of our musical heritage. Less well known, however, is the miraculous legend of how it was preserved for the future. The composition was found in a piece of baggage rescued from a fiery train w... Read More

Dr. P.P. Bliss, the evangelistic singer and composer, said that he wrote the sacred song, “I am So Glad that Jesus Loves Me,” when he was a young man. Growing older, however, he realized more deeply how insignificant is our love toward God compared to His love for us. Hence, in his later years, he w... Read More

Fanny Crosby wrote this consecration hymn while visiting in the home of the composer of the music, William H. Doane, in Cincinnati. That night, the family’s conversation centered around the blessedness of enjoying the nearness of God. Suddenly in a moment of inspiration, Fanny started giving the wor... Read More

Frances Ridley Havergal wrote one of her most famous poems while she was in Dusseldorf, Germany. She had gone to Germany to do some specialized study. While there, she saw a copy of Sternburg’s great painting: The CRUCIFIXION. The title above the picture was, All this I did for thee; what has thou d... Read More

The leader of early American hymn-writers was Rev. Timothy Dwight. He was president of Yale College, a post which he held with great honor. The students had unanimously voted for him as president. His literary work was done with a handicap, since his sight failed him on account of smallpox, with whi... Read More

A young girl who devoted her life to Sunday school work fell seriously ill at age 30. During her convalescence, she wrote a long poem which contains the words of this hymn. Also from this long poem is taken another hymn, Tell Me the Old, Old Story! ++++++++++ I Love to Tell the Story (1) I love to t... Read More

Elisha Hoffman was born in Pennsylvania and spent his life as pastor there. Once while visiting one who had been through deep trial, she cried: “Oh, what shall I do? I don’t know what to do!” Then her face brightened and she said, “I must tell Jesus!” On his way home, the words of the woman came to ... Read More

A great man once said that his greatest moment of joy was on a crowded street of a big city, when a little child looked up into his face, put her hands into his big hand, and said: “Take me across the street to the other side.” It was an honor to take that trusting child to the other side! Are there... Read More

For five years, Mr. Van de Venter wavered between the challenge of the Gospel ministry and that of becoming a recognized artist. Here is how he tells it: “For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal ... Read More

Francis H. Rowley has given the following account for the writing of this hymn: “I was minister of the First Baptist Church of North Adams, Massachusetts in 1886. The church and community were experiencing a period of unusual interest in religious matters, and I was assisted by a remarkable young Sw... Read More

From Princeton University there graduated in 1905 a young man by the name of Howard Walter. Because of his sunny smile, Howard was wanted where there was fun; because of his keen mind he was sought for when counsel was needed; because of his consecration to Christ, he was a blessing to all. Through ... Read More

It is hard to believe that the author of this hymn was called “the most unpopular governor Hong Kong ever had!” But the facts of history cannot be denied. The explanation may lie in the change wrought in and idealistic youth who wrote his splendid hymns before he was thirty-five, and then, corrupted... Read More

Here is the account of how this beautiful hymn was written—from the hymn-writer C. Austin Miles himself: One day in April, 1912, 1 was seated in the dark room, where I kept my photographic equipment and organ. I drew my Bible toward me; it opened at my favorite chapter, John 20--whether by chance or... Read More

During the fearful days at the height of World War II, this comforting hymn was written. In the midst of a busy day as a housewife, Ruth Caye Jones felt a direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit. She stopped her work to quickly put down both words and music, just as they were given to her by God. Si... Read More

A little child, between four and five years of age, on retiring, knelt down to say her evening prayer and was heard to say: “Dear Jesus, I thank you for being punished instead of me.” She had heard her mother talking of Jesus taking our place. This incident inspired the hymn, “Instead of Me.” ++++++... Read More

One day while Frank C. Huston was musing at the keyboard of the piano, a melody suddenly came to him which he decided was worth saving. So he quickly wrote it down on a piece of music paper, and promptly forgot all about it. A few days later he paid a visit to an eighty-two year old friend. During t... Read More

Horatio G. Spafford had been a successful attorney in Chicago. He was the father of four daughters, an active member of the Presbyte­rian Church, and a loyal friend and supporter of D. L. Moody. When Mr. Moody and his music associate, Ira Sankey, left for Great Britain for an evangelistic campaign, ... Read More