Elizabeth Payson Prentiss – birth, Oct. 26, 1818

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Elizabeth Payson Prentiss was born this date 10/26/1818, at Portland, Maine.  She was a Congregationalist schoolteacher and poet who in 1845 married a minister. One of her poems became the hymn “More Love to Thee” written out of a broken heart for the loss of a child. The original poem was originally printed as a leaflet. She died 8/13/1878 at Dor­set, Ver­mont.

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Elizabeth Payson Prentiss – death, Aug. 13, 1878

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Elizabeth Payson Prentiss died this date, 8/13/1878 at Dor­set, Ver­mont.  Born Elizabeth Payson (10/26/1818), she in 1845 married Dr. George Lewis Prentiss.  This native of Portland, Maine became a school teacher but is primarily remembered as the author of this hymn.

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William H Parker – birth, Mar. 4, 1845

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me if He were here;
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

First let me hear how the children stood round His knee,
And I shall fancy His blessing resting on me;
Words full of kindness, deeds full of grace,
All in the love light of Jesus’ face.

Tell me, in accents of wonder, how rolled the sea,
Tossing the boat in a tempest on Galilee;
And how the Maker, ready and kind,
Chided the billows, and hushed the wind.

Into the city I’d follow the children’s band,
Waving a branch of the palm tree high in my hand.
One of His heralds, yes, I would sing
Loudest hosannas, “Jesus is King!”

Show me that scene in the garden, of bitter pain.
Show me the cross where my Savior for me was slain.
Sad ones or bright ones, so that they be
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

William Henry Parker was born this date (3/4/1845) in New Basford, Nottingham, England.  He worked as a construction worker.  Later he headed up an insurance company.  He was active in the Chelsea Baptist Church where he wrote a number of Sunday School songs. 

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