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| God does Nothing... | John Wesley's Conversion | My Jesus, I Love Thee |
My Jesus, I Love Thee!
"As a young man, Sankey served in the American Civil War. He often helped the unit chaplain and led his fellow soldiers in hymn singing. After the war, he joined the Internal Revenue Service, and also worked with the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). He became well known as a Gospel singer, and eventually came to the attention of evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody. The two men met at a YMCA convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, in June, 1870. Some months later, Sankey attended his first evangelistic meeting with Moody, and resigned from government service shortly thereafter
In October 1871, Sankey and Moody were in the middle of a revival meeting when the Great Chicago Fire began. The two men barely escaped the conflagration with their lives. Sankey ended up watching the city burn from a rowboat far out on Lake Michigan. Sankey composed about 1,200 songs in his lifetime. From 1895 to 1908, he was president of the Biglow and Main publishing company. He was blind from glaucoma the last five years of his life, and no doubt found a kindred spirit in his friend and music making partner, blind hymnist Fanny Crosby. His works include..." (Excerpt from CyberHymnal Bio)
A Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Michigan once related the following
incident to a large audience in one of the Rev. E. P. Hammond's meetings in
St. Louis:
"A young, talented and tender hearted actress was passing along the street of a large city. Seeing a pale, sick girl lying upon a couch just within the half open door of a beautiful dwelling, she entered, with the thought that by her vivacity and pleasant conversation she might cheer the young invalid.
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign; My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.' This was all. Through Christ she had conquered and, leaving the audience in tears, she retired from the stage, never to appear upon it again. Through her influence her father was converted, and through their united evangelistic labors, many were led to God." Quoted from: CyberHymnal
My Life and the Story of the Gospel Hymns,
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The sick girl
was a devoted Christian, and her words, her patience, her submission and
heaven-lit countenance, so demonstrated the spirit of her religion that the actress
was led to give some earnest thought to the claims of Christianity, and was
thoroughly converted, and became a true follower of Christ.
Loving her father dearly, she was
shaken somewhat in her purpose, and partially consented to fill the
published engagement to be met in a few days. She was the star of the troupe,
and a general favorite. Every preparation was made for the play in which
she was to appear. The evening came and the father rejoiced that he had won
back his daughter, and that their living was not to be lost. The hour arrived; a
large audience had assembled. The curtain rose, and the young actress
stepped forward firmly amid the applause of the multitude. But an unwonted
light beamed from her beautiful face. Amid the breathless silence of the
audience, she repeated:
My Jesus, I love Thee
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
Words:
William R. Featherston, 1864;
Music:
Adoniram J. Gordon, 1876
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