Sermons & Devotionals by Amazing Hymn Stories

Forty years ago Bev Shea was attending the Bible School in Ottawa (Ontario) where I was teaching. He loved to sing. After more training in New York City he was given an audition at one of the radio stations and was offered a contract. He asked that he might sing Gospel songs. He was told that he mig... Read More

Few ministers’ wives can write a hymn-to-order for their husbands, even if they are famous poets in their own right. But Cecil Frances Alexander did just that for her preacher husband. One afternoon during the week of November 25, 1852, her twenty-ninth year, she sat alone in the living room of thei... Read More

Without doubt the hymn that has influenced children for Christ more than any other is this simply stated one, “Jesus Loves Me.” Anna Bartlett Warner wrote this text in 1860 in collaboration with her sister, Susan, as a part of one of the best-selling novel of that day. The novel was written by Susan... Read More

This hymn was written by Mrs. Hall during her pastor’s lengthy prayer, while she sat in the choir loft! The words were originally scribbled on the flyleaf of a hymnal. She bravely handed the words to her pastor. The wise pastor, instead of scolding her, put it to music, using another member’s music ... Read More

The heart of the Christian gospel is a person, not a church or a system of doctrines. The angel proclaimed: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Priscilla J. Owens, a Baltimore public school teacher for 49... Read More

When this stirring hymn was written in 1719, the evangelical missionary movement that we know in our time had scarcely begun. And in 1779 William Carey became one of the first to try to persuade Christians to carry the gospel message to heathen countries of the world. The writer of this missionary h... Read More

Charles Wesley was conducting one of his many open-air meetings, this one near Killyleagh, Ireland. During the course of his preaching, a number of persons who took exception to his views assaulted him. Unable to withstand the mob, Wesley fled for his life. He took refuge in a farmhouse nearby. Jane... Read More

There are hymns that speak of soldiers, pilgrims, shepherds, sheep, precious jewels, and many other relationships in life that are meaningful to us. Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me was written especially about sailors in language they knew well—charts, compasses, and the absolute need for a competent pilot ... Read More

It is generally agreed that Bernard of Clairvaux was the greatest of the medieval leaders. He is said to have represented the best of monastic life of his time. In the sixteenth century Martin Luther wrote of Bernard that he was the best monk that ever lived, whom I admire beyond all the rest put to... Read More

Charlotte Elliott’s brother, Rev. Elliott, was planning the building of a school for daughters of clergymen. The author was then 45 years old, ill of health, and could not help. A special program had been scheduled to help in the fund-raising. That night she could not sleep and started doubting if s... Read More

Jennie Hussey was a life-long Quaker. Much of her life was a time of hardship and suffering, especially in her care of an invalid sister. Yet Jennie was known for her cheerful and courageous attitude. In all, she wrote approximately 150 hymn texts. “Lead Me to Calvary” first appeared in New Songs of... Read More

Philip Paul Bliss was directing the singing for a series of services being conducted by the well-known preacher Dwight L. Moody. As he closed his message, Moody told the story of a captain who was attempting to bring his boat to the Cleveland harbor one very dark and stormy night. The waves rolled l... Read More

It was during the great World’s Fair evangelistic campaign. Mr. Moody and his workers were gathered at the close of the day, as their custom was, in the famous evangelist’s room, for a word of prayer together. The hymn, “I need Thee every hour,” had been announced. When the singing of it ceased, Mr.... Read More

One night, Dr. Charles F. Weigle went through a period of great stress of soul, brought on by a domestic problem. He sat down at the piano with this thought in mind: “Jesus knows all about us and he truly cares for us more than any other.” A short time earlier, he had walked to the pier near his hom... Read More

Eugene L. Clark literally personified the title of his most famous song, “Nothing Is Impossible.” Although his fingers once flew across the piano keyboard, he later became a victim of crippling arthritis and also totally blind. When it finally became impossible for Clark to continue playing the orga... Read More

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a prayer that anticipates the coming of Christ to this earth. His coming as the Messiah (“deliverer”) was first prophesied in the sixth century B.C., when the Jews were captive in Babylon. For centuries thereafter, faithful Hebrews looked for their Messiah with great lo... Read More

John and Charles Wesley, while students at Oxford University, formed a religious Holy Club because of their dissatisfaction with the spiritual lethargy at the school. As a result of their methodical habits of living and studying, they were jokingly called methodists by their fellow students. Upon gr... Read More

Rev. Washington Gladden, who wrote this beautiful hymn found in most of our hymnals, is a distinguished Congregational clergyman. Dr. Gladden has been an editor of the Independent, and also Sunday Afternoon. It was while he was editor of the latter magazine that he wrote the poem from which his famo... Read More

When “O That Will Be Glory” first appeared in 1900, a musical expert predicted, “It will never go; it has too many quarter notes.” In other words, ‘the rhythm is too monotonous.” But in a few years, it was the most popular hymn Homer Rodeheaver led in the Billy Sunday campaigns. It was affectionatel... Read More

Christianity was facing a dark future in England when Queen Anne forced through Parliament the Schism Act designed to severely limit religious freedom. Against this black backdrop, Isaac Watts wrote the stately, reassuring hymn “O God Our Help In Ages Past.” How the words must have brought renewed c... Read More