Episodes

A Bit About The Song… “Softly and Tenderly,” which was originally known as “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling,” is a classic invitation hymn from the 19th century. It was written by Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909) who was a composer of the gospel, secular, and patriotic songs. Due to his earlier songs being rejected, Thompson formed his own music publishing company, and “Softly and Tenderly” was first published in a collection titled Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2. It quickly became a popul...

A Bit About The Song… “Softly and Tenderly,” which was originally known as “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling,” is a classic invitation hymn from the 19th century. It was written by Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909) who was a composer of the gospel, secular, and patriotic songs. Due to his earlier songs being rejected, Thompson formed his own music publishing company, and “Softly and Tenderly” was first published in a collection titled Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2. It quickly became a popul...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… I Will Sing Of My Redeemer This beautiful song was written by Philip Paul Bliss In the 1800s. He was converted at a Revival meeting at age 12 while he was working on farms and in lumber camps and trying to finish his schooling. At a young age, his vocal talents were recognized and he was encouraged to become a music teacher. At age 22, He became an itinerant music teacher, going house-to-house on horseback in the winter. Not long afterward, the Normal Academy of Music was...

A Bit About The Song… Nearer My God to Thee This hymn is probably most widely known for reportedly being the last musical piece the band on the sinking Titanic played before the boat tragically crashed into the sea in April 1912. The report was not able to be confirmed by eyewitnesses whose testimony were conflicting, however, Wallace Hartley, the ship’s bandleader who died when the ship sank along with all of the other musicians on board, was known to have liked the hymn very much and had even ...

A Bit About The Song… Depth of Mercy From the depths of the dark ages, comes this powerful cry from the heart of Charles Wesley. It resonates with each sincere listener as the theme resounds throughout all ages, can there be mercy still, for me? The answer comes quickly from the throne of God Himself – YES! Live, sinner, live, for I gave my life for thee. We hope you enjoy this re-imagined and augmented theme by The Rain. “Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also...

A Bit About The Song… Depth of Mercy From the depths of the dark ages, comes this powerful cry from the heart of Charles Wesley. It resonates with each sincere listener as the theme resounds throughout all ages, can there be mercy still, for me? The answer comes quickly from the throne of God Himself – YES! Live, sinner, live, for I gave my life for thee. We hope you enjoy this re-imagined and augmented theme by The Rain. “Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also...

A Bit About The Song… “Softly and Tenderly,” which was originally known as “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling,” is a classic invitation hymn from the 19th century. It was written by Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909) who was a composer of the gospel, secular, and patriotic songs. Due to his earlier songs being rejected, Thompson formed his own music publishing company, and “Softly and Tenderly” was first published in a collection titled Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2. It quickly became a popul...

A Bit About The Song… “Softly and Tenderly,” which was originally known as “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling,” is a classic invitation hymn from the 19th century. It was written by Will Lamartine Thompson (1847-1909) who was a composer of the gospel, secular, and patriotic songs. Due to his earlier songs being rejected, Thompson formed his own music publishing company, and “Softly and Tenderly” was first published in a collection titled Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2. It quickly became a popul...

A Bit About The Song… Take the world but give me Jesus This striking him was written by the amazing Fanny Crosby in the eighteen hundreds. At the age of 6 weeks, old Fanny Crosby lost her eyesight by a mistake from a careless physician during an illness. She never remembered being able to see, yet at the age of eight, her very first poem expressed exactly how she felt about her misfortune. “It has been the motto of my life,” she said. “O what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see. I am resolv...

A Bit About The Song… Take the world but give me Jesus This striking him was written by the amazing Fanny Crosby in the eighteen hundreds. At the age of 6 weeks, old Fanny Crosby lost her eyesight by a mistake from a careless physician during an illness. She never remembered being able to see, yet at the age of eight, her very first poem expressed exactly how she felt about her misfortune. “It has been the motto of my life,” she said. “O what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see. I am resolv...

A Bit About The Song… My Faith Looks Up To Thee This well-known hymn was written by Ray Palmer, considered to be one of America’s best-known hymn writers from the 1800s. The creative process brings us very close to the Creator. Anyone who paints or writes music or poetry or stories can attest that sometimes they take time. Other times it is as if another spirit is pouring through us something special, something otherworldly. When Ray Palmer wrote this hymn he was fresh from college. It was 1830....

A Bit About The Song… My Faith Looks Up To Thee This well-known hymn was written by Ray Palmer, considered to be one of America’s best-known hymn writers from the 1800s. The creative process brings us very close to the Creator. Anyone who paints or writes music or poetry or stories can attest that sometimes they take time. Other times it is as if another spirit is pouring through us something special, something otherworldly. When Ray Palmer wrote this hymn he was fresh from college. It was 1830....

A Bit About The Song… O, For A Closer Walk With God This beautiful hymn speaks the longing of a heart yearning for a deeper connection with God. To understand where the sentiment comes from in the beautiful words of the song, we have to take a look at the life of the original author, Englishmen William Cowper. William Cowper suffered so severely from chronic depression that his contemporaries called him Mad Cowper. Of course, during the 1700s, the connotation of the word mad during the time lean...

A Bit About The Song… O, For A Closer Walk With God This beautiful hymn speaks the longing of a heart yearning for a deeper connection with God. To understand where the sentiment comes from in the beautiful words of the song, we have to take a look at the life of the original author, Englishmen William Cowper. William Cowper suffered so severely from chronic depression that his contemporaries called him Mad Cowper. Of course, during the 1700s, the connotation of the word mad during the time lean...

A Bit About The Song… I Hear Thy Welcome Voice Lewis Hartsough, A Methodist Minister from Ithaca New York pend these beautiful worlds and the words of almost a hundred other hymns during the 1800s. Little is known about the life of this man other than What popular gospel singer of the day, Ira D Sankey, wrote in his book “ My Life and Sacred Songs” published in 1906: “The words and music of this beautiful hymn… proved to be one of the most helpful of the revival hymns, and was often used as a...

A Bit About The Song… I Will Sing Of My Redeemer This beautiful song was written by Philip Paul Bliss In the 1800s. He was converted at a Revival meeting at age 12 while he was working on farms and in lumber camps and trying to finish his schooling. At a young age, his vocal talents were recognized and he was encouraged to become a music teacher. At age 22, He became an itinerant music teacher, going house-to-house on horseback in the winter. Not long afterward, the Normal Academy of Music was...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… O, Come, Emmanuel This hymn, originally written in Latin, was translated roughly in 1861 by Jason Mason Neal, a pastor in the Church of England. I love the name Immanuel (Emmanuel), meaning, “God is with us” עִמָּנוּאֵל‎ Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Knowing that God is with us because that is His name, our hearts still call out to Him to come so ...

A Bit About The Song… Shelter in the Storm This beautiful hymn was written in the late 1880s by Vernon J Charlesworth, who was a London Pastor serving as Headmaster of Charles Spurgeon’s Stockwell Orphanage. This well-beloved him was heard often sung by sailors as they were approaching a safe harbor in the time of storm. Near the close of 1890, Ira D Sankey, A well-known gospel singer, discovered the words written by Charles worth and recomposed the melody that we know and love today. The messag...

A Bit About The Song… Shelter in the Storm This beautiful hymn was written in the late 1880s by Vernon J Charlesworth, who was a London Pastor serving as Headmaster of Charles Spurgeon’s Stockwell Orphanage. This well-beloved him was heard often sung by sailors as they were approaching a safe harbor in the time of storm. Near the close of 1890, Ira D Sankey, A well-known gospel singer, discovered the words written by Charles worth and recomposed the melody that we know and love today. The messag...