Just As I Am- the Hymn sung around the world

 

This will be the last of my hymn stories, so I wanted to talk about one of my favorites. I’d never heard Just As I Am until I became a Christian and attended a revival. Not only was the hymn used at altar calls in the church I attended as a teen but is known worldwide because the Billy Graham Crusades used it as their altar call hymn. Mr. Graham felt it was the most biblically accurate hymn when calling sinners to surrender their lives to Jesus.

What surprised me is this popular hymn is almost two-hundred years old. 

Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) was born in Clapton, England, one of six children. Her father was a clergyman as were her two older brothers. Charlotte was a pleasant woman whose talents were portrait painting and writing humorous poems. She led a rather carefree life, ignoring her religious upbringing, until in her twenties she became seriously ill. There is no record as to what the illness was, but it also brought on severe bouts of depression that plagued her for the rest of her life. In 1822, while living in Brighton, England with her married brother Henry, a Swiss evangelist, Dr. Ceasar Malan, visited the Elliott family. He challenged Charlotte regarding her faith. She insisted she needed to clean up her life before she came to the Lord. But Dr. Malan encouraged her to come to Christ as she was. She did and celebrated May 8^th as her spiritual birthday every year as a reminder of God’s great love for her.

 Charlotte wrote hundreds of hymns published in various collections. “Just As I Am” first appeared in the Invalid’s Hymnbook in 1836. She was inspired to write the poem while her brother’s family was at a bazaar raising money for a home for poor clergymen’s children. She wanted so badly to help in some small way. The words Dr. Malan had spoken to her so many years ago came flooding back and when her sister-in-law returned home to check on her, she showed her the poem. Those words raised more money for the children’s home than anything sold at the bazaar. God used those simple words to change lives.

Thomas Hasting joined the tune “Woodworth” by American gospel composure William Bradbury to the poem “Just As I Am Without One Plea. The moving melody sets the tone to the words.

Original Poem

Just as I am - without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
-O Lamb of God, 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!

Just as I am - though toss'd about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
-O Lamb of God, 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!

Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just as I am - of that free love
The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

Just As I Am goes around the world and through the decades

This hymn has been translated into many languages and sung over the centuries. You can find gospel albums from various artist, from Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood who include this song in their hymn albums.

Here is a link to Carrie Underwoods rendition of the song.

https://youtu.be/qRbrK6Pydgs

Often on hearing this hymn, I was brought to my knees in repentance and gratitude that I belong to Jesus.

When was the first time you heard Just As I Am? How did it affect you? 

Cindy Ervin Huff is a multi-published award-winning author. A 2018 Selah Finalist. She has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.

Cherishing Her Heart

 

 

 

The inspiration behind the iconic hymn Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

Once again, I’m featuring a beloved hymn and the history behind it. If you missed my last story you can find it here. Naomi Musch has been sharing some wonderful hymn stories too. Her last one is here. 

Today I’m focusing on “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.” This song is easy to identify if you love classical music because the music is the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Hymn writers often borrow familiar tunes to accompany their lyrics.

Henry van Dyke jr.

Henry van Dyke Jr was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1852. During his life, he was a prominent Presbyterian minister and leading liturgy figures in the country.  He also served as a professor of literature at Princeton from 1900-1923.  He interrupted his professorship when he served as a Navy Chaplain during the First World War. Then President Woodrow Wilson appointed him ambassador to Belgium and Luxenberg in 1913. After which he resumed his post at Princeton, finding it more to his liking than diplomacy. He was a prolific writer of devotionals along with hymn lyrics and short stories. One of his more memorable short stories was The Other Wise Man (1896) This was a Christmas story of another wiseman who used his gift to help the needy as he journeyed to Bethlehem.

Henry’s best-known hymn is “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.” He is quoted as saying his purpose for writing this iconic hymn and others:

“These verses are simple expressions of common Christian feelings and desires in this present time, hymns of today that may be sung together by people who know the thoughts of the age, and are not afraid that any truth of science will destroy their religion or that any revolution on the earth will overthrow the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, these are hymns of trust and hope.”  Quote taken from 101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck

“Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” illustrates a joyful interplay between God’s creation and the same creative spirit in the believer’s life. Each verse paints a vivid picture of how God created the world and the believer’s response to His glory and majesty.

Inspiration for the hymn

Henry wrote this hymn when he was a guest preacher at William College, Williamstown Massachusetts. He handed the finished lyrics to the college president saying “Here is a hymn for you. Your Berkshire mountains were my inspiration. It must be sung to music of Beethoven’s “Hymn of Joy.” It was first published in van Dyke’s Book of Poems, third edition in 1911.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

 Beethoven’s “Hymn of Joy” which is the final movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was composed somewhere between 1817-1823 and published in 1823. Beethoven never wrote a tune specifically for a hymn text. However, some of his works have been the musical accompaniment to hymns.

The Ninth or the “Choral” symphony was the last and perhaps greatest piece he ever wrote. It took six years to complete the entire symphony. His desire was to create one great symphony that would combine both voice and instruments in one majestic expression of sound. His poet friend Frederick Schiller inspired the work with his poem Ode to Joy.

The musical world was and still is amazed at how wonderful this piece was since Beethoven hearing declined toward deafness by the time he was thirty. There is a debate as to whether Beethoven was totally deaf or only had severe hearing loss at the time he wrote this final symphony. When the Ninth Symphony was first performed in Vienna, Austria, in 1824, the soloist had to come down from the stage and turn Beethoven around from his position facing the stage so he could see all the enthusiastic applause. The joy in the music truly complements the lyrics Henry van Dyke was inspired to write.

 

Joyful Joyful, We Adore Thee

1. Joyful, joyful, we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You,
Op'ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

2. All Your works with joy surround You,
Earth and heav'n reflect Your rays,
Stars and angels sing around You,
Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Praising You eternally!

3. Always giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Loving Father, Christ our Brother,
Let Your light upon us shine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.

4.Mortals, join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
God's own love is reigning o’er us,
Joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life.

Listen for yourself

Here is a link to a YouTube video.

 

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-iba-3&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-3&hspart=iba&p=performance+of+joyful+joyful+we+adore+thee+youtube&type=smff_10230_FFW_ZZ#id=3&vid=083ff3b4a1ac5c1bdf3fbbfa7d1ec030&action=view

Have you ever heard this hymn before? How does it inspire you?

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author. A 2018 Selah Finalist. She has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.

Cherishing Her Heart

After being falsely imprisoned in an asylum, Susan escapes and assumes the identity to a simple valet’s daughter. Once she starts a new life in Kansas, she vows to never be under a man’s thumb again. But Monty’s presence makes her heart race, and his care and kindness under different circumstances might win her heart.

When her ex-husband puts a bounty on her head for her return, Monty steps up to help. Can she trust this handsome rancher to protect her and not control her? Buy link.