Timothy Dwight – died

ON THIS DATE

Timothy Dwight died (of cancer) 1/11/1817 at New Haven, CT.  He was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards, became a Congregational minister, and was a personal friend of George Washington.  He began reading the Bible at four and matriculated at Yale at age 13.  He published an 11-volume Conquest of Canaan (1785), received a Doctor of Divinity degree (Princeton 1787), and became president of Yale University (1795). He also helped found Andover Theological Seminary (first New England seminary 1809).  He had been born 5/14/1752 at Northampton, MA.

Dwight is remembered today as the author of “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord” – believed to be the oldest hymn (by an American) still in common use.  It is one of his 72 known hymns (first two stanza below).

“I love Thy kingdom, Lord, The house of Thine abode,

The church our blessed Redeemer saved With His own precious blood.

“I love Thy church, O God. Her walls before Thee stand,

Dear as the apple of Thine eye, And written on Thy hand.”

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Charles Monroe Sheldon – death, Feb. 24, 1946

“Wealth is not of necessity a curse, nor poverty a blessing. Wholesome and easy abundance is better than either extreme; better that we have enough for daily comfort; enough for culture, for hospitality, for Christian charity. More than this may or may not be a blessing. Certainly it can be a blessing only by being accepted as a trust.”

And Sheldon’s most famous quote

“What would Jesus do?”

Charles Monroe Sheldon died this date, 2/24/1946.  He was born at Topeka, KS, 2/26/1857.  Sheldon attended Andover Theological Seminary.  His most famous book was In His Steps (1896).  He also authored Richest Man in Kansas (1921).

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William True Sleeper – death, Sep. 24, 1904

Out of my bondage, sorrow, and night,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy freedom, gladness, and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee;
Out of my sickness, into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy blessèd will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the joy and light of Thy throne,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

William True Sleeper died this date, 9/24/1904, at Wellesley, Mass­a­chu­setts. After attending Phillips-Exeter Academy, University of Vermont, and Andover Theological Seminary Sleeper became a Congregationalist minister.  He wrote “Jesus I Come” in 1887.  William was born 2/9/1819 at Danbury, New Hampshire.

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