Backgrounds of favorite songs #2 

I need thee every hour 

You don’t think of hymns being written by a 37 year old home maker from Brooklyn, but that’s the story behind this hymn.  Annie Hawks was busy with household chores when the words came to her.  Later she recalled the day, “I was so filled with a sense of nearness to My Master that… these words, “I need thee every hour” were flashed into my mind.”  It was a bright June day, so she sat by an open window, picked up her pencil, and wrote the entire hymn.  She gave the words to her preacher, who wrote the music and the Chorus to the song.  It became famous when discovered by Dwight Moody and began using it in his meetings, much to the amazement of Annie Hawks, who had never written anything before.  After all, she was a simple housekeeper from Brooklyn!

I must tell Jesus

Some people seem to have an endless stream of heartaches and painful experiences.  A minister named Elisha Hoffman knew of such a person in Lebanon, PA.  One day when he visited her, he found her to be extremely discouraged.  When He asked her what was wrong, she unburdened herself to him and as she finished she asked, “Brother Hoffman, “What shall I do?  What shall I do?” 

Brother Hoffman quoted some scriptures to her and then said, “ You cannot do better than to take all of your sorrows to Jesus.  You must tell Jesus.” 

For a moment, the woman said nothing.  Then her face lit up, her eyes sparkled, and she responded: “Yes, I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus!”  

On his way home Bro Hoffman could not forget the joy on that woman’s face when she said, “I Must Tell Jesus!”  So as soon as he got home, he wrote the words to this song.

I love to tell the Story,    Tell me the old old story

Kate Hankey, the daughter of a wealthy British banker, grew up ina stylish London suburb.  She started teaching a Bible class for girls in her neighborhood, but when she was 18, she realized the “poor” girls needed to hear about Christ too.  So she moved into London and began a bible class for factory working girls.  IN her 20’s, she started several other classes for the same types of groups of factory girls.  

When she was in her early 30’s, she became seriously ill.  Doctors told her she must confine herself to complete bed rest and refrain from teaching anymore for at least a year..  during her long, slow recovery, she wrote 2 poems.  The first, at the beginning of her convalescence, later became the hymn Tell me the old old story.  The second, written 10 months later, was I love to tell the story.  

After 10 months times she felt strong enough to leave her bed.  She soon returned to her Bible classes in London and continued teaching for many years.  When she became to old to teach regularly, she started a prison ministry -  and even then, continued to tell the old old story.

When the roll is called up yonder

As the leader of the Youth group in his church, James Black called the roll each week for his class.  He was glad to see a particular young teenager become a regular member of class, and finally become baptized.  A few weeks earlier, Black had seen her sitting on the front porch steps of her house, and had invited her to come. He knew her father was an alcoholic and that she had no Christian training at home.  

But one Sunday evening, she didn’t answer the roll. He called her name again and soon learned she had become seriously ill.  

Black later recalled  “ I spoke of what a sad thing it would be when one of our names are called from the Lamb’s Book of Life, and one of us was absent.”  He went home that night and wrote the word f this song in less than 15 minutes.  

The missing girl had been stricken by pneumonia and died 10 days later. She missed the roll call of her church, but James Black was convinced she will be there once th3e roll is called in heaven.