Ralph Erskine Hudson – death, Jun 14, 1901

“A Glorious Church”

 Do you hear them coming, brother,
Thronging up the steeps of light,
Clad in glorious shining garments,
Blood washed, garments pure and white?

Refrain

’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb;
’Tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle,
Washed in the blood of the Lamb.

2.

Do you hear the stirring anthems,
Filling all the earth and sky,
’Tis a grand, victorious army,
Lift its banner up on high!

3.

Never fear the clouds of sorrow,
Never fear the storms of sin.
We shall triumph on the morrow,
Even now our joys begin.

4.

Wave the banner, shout His praises,
For our victory is nigh!
We shall join our conqu’ring Savior,
We shall reign with Him on high!

Ralph Erskine Hudson died this date, (6/14/1901) at Cleveland, Ohio.  He was Pro­fes­sor of Vo­cal Mu­sic at Mount Un­ion Coll­ege, Alliance, Ohio.  Hudson was a Methodist but sup­port­ed the Sal­va­tion Ar­my when it started in Al­li­ance.  He was a trustee of Tay­lor Un­i­ver­si­ty, Up­land, In­di­a­na.  He was born 7/12/1843 at Napoleon, Ohio

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Francis Scott Key – death, Jan. 11, 1843

Lord, with glowing heart I’d praise Thee,
For the bliss Thy love bestows,
For the pardoning grace that saves me,
And the peace that from it flows:
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
This dull soul to rapture raise:
Thou must light the flame, or never
Can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
Wretched wanderer, far astray;
Found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
From the paths of death away;
Praise, with love’s devoutest feeling,
Him Who saw thy guilt-born fear,
And the light of hope revealing,
Bade the blood-stained cross appear.

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
To that cross, new life to give,
Held a blood sealed pardon to thee,
Bade thee look to Him and live.
Praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
Roused thee from thy fatal ease;
Praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
Praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom’s ardent feeling
Vainly would my lips express.
Low before Thy footstool kneeling,
Deign Thy suppliant’s prayer to bless:
Let Thy grace, my soul’s chief treasure,
Love’s pure flame within me raise;
And, since words can never measure,
Let my life show forth Thy praise.

Key, of course, is far better known as the author of our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner.  He was a lawyer, as most know, but he also was a Christian who taught a Sunday School class and who helped to organize The Foriegn and Domestic Missionary Socitey in 1820.  He died in Baltimore.

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A B (Albert Benjamin) Simpson – birth, Dec. 15, 1843

“The Mercy of God Is an Ocean Divine”   (stanza 1 and refrain)

The mercy of God is an ocean divine,
A boundless and fathomless flood.
Launch out in the deep, cut away the shore line,
And be lost in the fullness of God.

Launch out, into the deep.
Oh let the shore line go.
Launch out, launch out in the ocean divine,
Out where the full tides flow.

A B Simpson was born 12/15/1843 on Prince Edward Island in Canada.  It was my privilege to see the spot where his family home was.  His dad had a mill and would cut lumber, place it on a small boat and float it down the narrow creek that boarded their land to a ship building yard.  Simpson was a lad who grew up with the sea – this song reflects this boyhood scenes.  He died 10/29/1919 in Nyack, NY. 

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A. B. Simpson – death, Oct 29, 1919

“Himself” (stanza 1)

Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.

Refrain:

All in all forever,
Jesus will I sing;
Everything in Jesus,
And Jesus everything.

A. B. (Albert Benjamin) Simpson was born at Bayview, PEI (Prince Edward Island), Canada,12/15/1843.

He founded Christian Missionary Alliance 

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