O for a thousand tongues to sing:   page 468 

The original title for this song was "For the anniversary Day of one's Conversion"; Charles Wesley wrote it on May 21, 1749 (not the 1740 it says in our book) the 11th anniversary of his own "conversion."  Before he felt he was "truly converted", he and his brother John were known as "Methodists" because of the strange "methods" of spirituality they had introduced in their club at Oxford, what they considered the "holy Club."  But later, John and Charles met the German Moravians, who loved to sing, were very mission-minded, and emphasized a very personal conversion experience. 

One of the Moravian leaders, Peter Bohler, once said "Oh Brother Wesley, the Lord has done so much good in my life, if I had 1,000 tongues, I would praise Christ Jesus with all of them."  This was the inspiration for Charles Wesley to write this hymn to celebrate the day he became more than just a person who followed God in ritual practices, but discovered the true meaning of the Love of Christ, what he called his conversion.

Charles had known since childhood that Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin.  But on May 21, 1738, he accepted and applied it personally - "His blood availed for me."

I will sing the wondrous story       page 301 

The year was 1886. The place was North Adams, MA.  21 year old Peter Bilhorn, who was recently converted, approached evangelist Francis Rowley after a church service.  Young Bilhorn was eager to use his musical talents for the Lord.  "Why don’t you write a hymn" he asked the preacher.  "And I will set your song to music." 

Rowley didn’t know if he could write a hymn, and he didn’t know if Bilhorn could compose a good tune, but he said he would try.  He came back the next service with this gospel song.  It originally began "Can't you sing the wondrous story?"  For Bilhorn, who was a singer as well as pianist and organist, the words in this song were a wonderful testimony. Just a couple years earlier, he had started his musical career singing in Chicago Taverns,  so he understood the line "I was lost but Jesus found me, found the sheep who went astray."  Bilhorn wrote the music, and the following year the song was published.  It was such an instant favorite, Bilhorn devoted his life to writing hymns, and wrote over 2,000 hymns during his lifetime.

Alas and did my savior bleed    page 12

This hymn by Issac Watts has touched millions for years. There was a young man in the west, haunted by the line the line “alas and did my savior bleed” And was it for crimes that I have done He decided to surrender his life to God.  “here Lord I give myself away, tis all that I can do” He went about singing this song and teaching others,

One time, leading it in a congregation when there was a visitor.  Poor blind woman, torn clothing,    Stanza after stanza of this song affected her.  She gave herself to Christ that night.  Her name was Fannie Crosby. 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus    page 595

In 1858, churches throughout Philadelphia united in a citywide evange­listic effort. Every morning and evening, services were held in churches, convention halls, and theaters. Dudley Tyng, a twenty-nine-year-old preacher, spoke to five thousand men, over 100 responded to the gospel invitation.

Four days later, however, Tyng was tragically injured while watchings corn-threshing machine in a barn on the family farm. He caught his loose sleeve between the cogs, and his arm was severely torn. A main artery was cut, and he lost a great deal of blood. As he lay dying, he whis­pered to his father, "Stand up for Jesus, Father, and tell my brethren of the ministry to stand up for Jesus."

A friend, Presbyterian minister George Duffield, preached the next Sunday on the text "Stand therefore" and in conclusion read a poem that he had just written based upon Dudley Tyng’s last words, entitled "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus." The verses of the hymn first appeared as a leaflet for Sunday school children, then later were set to music.

Take the Name of Jesus with you.    page 611

Although Lydia Baxter was a bedridden invalid for much of her life people who were depressed came to visit her in order to have their spirits lifted. Christian leaders often met in her home for prayer and Bible study. Lydia loved to study the Bible and had a special joy in learning the meaning of scriptural names.

But the Name above all names to her was Jesus. When she was asked how she could remain so cheerful, she responded, "I have a very special armor. I have the name of Jesus. When the tempter tries to make me blue or despondent, I mention the name of Jesus, and he can't get through to me anymore.

When I feel badly and wonder if I will ever enjoy a good night's sleep again, I take the name of Jesus and ask Him to give me the soothing balm of his presence. He does, and soon I drop oft to sleep."

When Lydia was sixty-one years old, she wrote the words to this song, which was basically a testimony of her life,   "Take the Name of Jesus with You." 

Hallelujah, what a Savior!    Pg 203

This was his last song, in fact he didn’t even finish it.  He was on his way to Chicago to work in the Dwight Moody Evangelism School.  He was involved in a train wreck - he could not find his wife and went back into the fiery car to look for her.  Both perished in the fire.

2 songs found in his trunk.  This one and # 300, I will sing of my redeemer. 

He wrote the 1^st 4 verses and you can see how they have a somewhat somber mood. When he died, it was assumed he merely changed his address to heaven’s, so the last verse was finished for him.  It became a song of victory for him and all the other saints who have gone home.