Charlotte Elliott seemed to have everything going for her as
a young woman. She was gifted as a portrait artist and also as a writer of
humorous verse. Then in her early thirties she suffered a serious illness that
left her weak and depressed. During her illness, a noted minister, Dr. Caesar
Malan of Switzerland, came to visit her. Noticing her depression, he asked if
she had peace with God. She resented the question and said she did not want to
talk about it.
But a few days later she apologized to Dr. Malan. She said
that she wanted to clean up some things in her life before becoming a
Christian. Malan looked at her and answered, “Come just as you are.” That was
enough for Charlotte Elliott, and she yielded herself to the Lord that day.
Fourteen years later, remembering those words spoken to her
by Caesar Malan in Brighton, England, she wrote this simple hymn that has been
used to touch the hearts of millions who have also responded to Christ’s
invitation to come just as they are.
Scriptures: Psalm 51:1-2;
John 1:29; John 3:16; John 6:35-38
Themes: Surrender,
Dedication, Invitation, Salvation
Lyrics of the
Hymn:
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, tho’ tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Hath broken ev’ry barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea Thine alone,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, the height to prove,
Here for a season then above,
O Lamb of God I come! I come!
B
y CHARLOTTE ELLIOTT (1789–1871)
Reference for the
Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 345-346).
Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Few verses in the New Testament have been translated in as
many ways as John 14:16. In the King James Version, which the songwriter Frank
Bottome used, Jesus tells his disciples, “I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” The Greek
word translated “Comforter” is parakletos. Other versions have translated the
word as “Counselor,” “Advocate,” “Encourager,” “Helper,” “Friend,” or “Someone
to stand beside you.” Putting them all together, we get the idea of what the
Holy Spirit can do for us.
This songwriter was not concerned about which one was the
correct translation. He simply wanted to share the excitement that the Holy
Spirit has come, dwells in us, and is ready to help us and guide us. Just as
the Holy Spirit transformed those fearful disciples into bold witnesses for
Jesus Christ, so can he transform us. Yes, it is exciting news that the
Comforter has come.
Scriptures: John 7:39; John
14:16; Acts 2:1
Themes: Holy Spirit,
Hope, Comforter
Lyrics of the
Hymn:
O spread the tidings ’round, wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
Let ev’ry Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound;
The Comforter has come!
The Comforter has
come, the Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost
from heav’n—the Father’s promise giv’n;
O spread the
tidings round, wherever man is found—
The Comforter has
come! [Chorus]
The long, long night is past; the morning breaks at last,
And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
By FRANK BOTTOME (1823–1894)
Reference for the
Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 432-434).
Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
The composer of the music to this
gospel song was known for many things other than gospel music. He was an
inventor, a businessman who owned a large woodworking machinery plant in
Cincinnati, and a respected civic leader. He was on his way to accumulating a
fortune. But what William Doane enjoyed most was serving as Sunday school
superintendent at his church and writing music. He became Fanny Crosby’s
principal collaborator in writing gospel songs.
One evening as Fanny Crosby visited his
home in Cincinnati, they were talking about what a wonderful thing it is to
enjoy the nearness of God, to feel his presence, to delight in his love.
Suddenly Fanny Crosby, the famous blind songwriter, stopped and said she had an
idea for a song. Line by line, verse by verse, she dictated it to him. The next
morning, Doane added the music.
Fanny Crosby found delight in writing
gospel songs; William Doane found delight serving as a Christian businessman.
But both agreed that there was no delight that equaled the delight of enjoying
the presence of God.
Scriptures: Psalm 73:28;
Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 10:22; James 4:7-8
Themes: Consecration,
Prayer
Lyrics
of the Hymn:
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard
Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of
faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Draw
me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To
the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw
me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
To
Thy precious, bleeding side. (Chorus)
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast
hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
O, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee,
my God,
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot
know,
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not
reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
By FANNY JANE CROSBY (1820–1915)
Reference
for the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of
Hymns (pp. 337-338). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Reginald Heber was always trying to improve the music at the
Anglican church he served in Hodnet, England. Though his superiors frowned on
the use of anything but metrical psalms, Heber introduced hymns by Newton and
Cowper and even wrote new hymns of his own. Many of our hymnals still carry
three or four of Heber’s hymns, including “Holy, Holy, Holy,” which the poet
Alfred, Lord Tennyson called the world’s greatest hymn.
After serving sixteen years as a parish priest in England,
Heber accepted the call to become the bishop of Calcutta, India. He served in
Calcutta for only three years before he died at the age of forty-three. Whether
in England, as he surveyed the prevalence of vice, or in India, where he was
surrounded by the worship of false gods, Heber was impressed with the holiness
of God. “Only Thou art holy,” he wrote. The tune to which this hymn is usually
sung is called “Nicaea,” named after the church council that met in 325 A.D.
which formulated the Nicene Creed and affirmed the doctrine of the Trinity.
Scriptures: Psalm 145:9-13; Isaiah
6:1-7; Revelation 4:8-11
Themes: Holiness of God,
Trinity, Worship
Lyrics of the
Hymn:
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons,
blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy—there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and
sea;
Holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
By REGINALD HEBER (1783–1826)
Reference for
the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 380-381).
Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
