Haldor Lillenas – birth, Nov. 19, 1885

Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Refrain Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Wonderful grace, all sufficient for me, for even me.
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame,
O magnify the precious Name of Jesus.
Praise His Name!

2. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost,
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

3. Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God’s dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.

Haldor Lillenas was born this date,11/19/1885, at Island of Stord, Norway.  His Lutheran family moved to the US and after a stay in South Dakota (Colton, a few miles NW of Sioux Falls) settled  in Oregon.

 

Haldor was converted to personal faith in Jesus Christ at age 21 under the influence of the  Penial Mission in Portland.  He almost immediately felt a call to minister God’s Holy Word becoming a Nazarene as was his wife, Bertha Mae Wilson, also a song writer.

 

God gave Lillenas some 4,000 Gospel texts plus hundreds of hymn tunes, including the above.  In 1924 he founded Lillenas Music Company (bought by the Nazarenes in 1930) and worked there until he retired in 1950.  He passed away at Aspen, CO, 8/18/1959.

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Alfred Edersheim – birth, Mar. 7, 1825

Alfred Edersheim was born this date, 3/7/1825, at Vienna, Austria. His parents were Jews of some means who spoke English in their home. He was able to enter the University of Vienna at sixteen.

Later he emigrated to neighboring Hungary where he taught languages and were, influenced by John Duncan he was converted to Jesus Christ. Edersheim was ordained a clergyman in the Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) in 1846 and in the same year married a lady named Mary Broomfield. There home was blessed with seven children.

Later yet he became affiliated with the Church of England. He was “Select Preacher” to Oxford University (1884-85) delivered the “Grinfield Lecturer on the Septuagint” (1886-1888 and 1888-1889).

Alfred Edersheim is remembered for his book Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. He passed from this life 3/16/1889 at Menton, France.

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George Bennard – birth, Feb. 4, 1873

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

George Bennard was born this date, 2/4/1873, in Youngstown, Ohio. While he was still a lad his family moved to Io­wa (first Al­bia, then Lu­cas).  His dad, a coal miner, passed away when George was 16 and he supported his mother and four sisters for some time.

He started attending meetings of the Salvation Army and was converted to Jesus Christ. He met and married Araminta Statler Beeler (she was born in 1871 and died in 1941) and together they worked for the Salvation Army in Illinois. 

Later George became a Methodist evangelist traveling in both Ca­na­da and the States.  During this time he not only preached but wrote hymns (some 300 total).  None is so well known or so well loved as “The Old Rugged Cross” (1913). Another one worth singing and knowing is Speak, My Lord.

Eventually Reed City, Michigan became his home.  He died there 10/10/1958.  The Reed Cham­ber of Com­merce erected a cross near his place and Reed is home to The Old Rug­ged Cross His­tor­ic­al Mu­se­um.

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C. T. Studd – birth, Dec. 2, 1860

Some want to live within the sound
of church or chapel bell;
I want to run a rescue shop
within a yard of hell.

C. T. Studd was born this date, 12/2/1860 in England.  He was a missionary to China, pastored in India and served in both Sudan, and Belgian Congo (now called Democratic Republic of the Congo).  Charles Thomas Studd, one of England’s more famous cricket players, was converted to Jesus Christ and blessed the world with his mission vision. 

He and his wife Priscilla (Stewart) where blessed with four daughters (one of whom married Norman Grubb).  Studd died, 7/16/1931, in Belgian Congo.

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Stuart Hamblen – Converted to Christ, Oct. 18, 1949

This Ole House

This ole house once knew his children
This ole house once knew his wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As they fought the storms of life
This old house once rang with laughter
This old house heard many shouts
Now he trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin’ walks about

CHORUS:
Ain’t a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain’t a-gonna need this house no more
Ain’t got time to fix the shingles
Ain’t got time to fix the floor
Ain’t got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the windowpane
Ain’t a-gonna need this house no longer
He’s a-gettin’ ready to meet the saints

2. This ole house is a-gettin’ shaky
This ole house is a-gettin’ old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On his knees I’m gettin’ chilly
But he feel no fear nor pain
‘Cause he see an angel peekin’
Through a broken windowpane
 
3. This ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is gettin’ feeble
This old house is needin’ paint
Just like him it’s tuckered out
But he’s a-gettin’ ready to meet the saints
 
4. This ole house dog lies a-sleepin’
He don’t know I’m gonna leave
Else he’d wake up by the fireplace
And he’d sit there and howl and grieve
But my huntin’ days are over
Ain’t gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door.

Carl Stuart Hamblen, on this date, 10/18/1949, country songwriter, converted to Jesus Christ.  He authored the above (a “hit” in 1954) and later penned “It Is No Secret What God Can Do,” “How Big is God?” and “They That Wait Upon the Lord.”

Hamblen was born 10/20/1908 at Kellyville, Texas the son of a Methodist preacher.

He passed from this life 3/8/1989.

PERSONAL NOTE – Heard this first, riding in a 1934 black Chevy (spoke-wire rims) with my only brother, Keith, who was killed in May 1954.

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John Newton – converted to Christ, Mar. 21, 1747

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

John Newton on this date, 3/21 1747 [New Style Calendar], was converted to Jesus Christ.  He, that day, was on a slave ship bound for England.  It hit a vicious sea storm.  Newton soon left the sea life behind and for forty-three (43) years was a sincere minister within the bale of the Anglican Church.

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Charles Finney – death, Aug. 16, 1875

A state of mind that sees God in everything is evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart.

Unless the will is free, man has no freedom; and if he has no freedom he is not a moral agent, that is, he is incapable of moral action and also of moral character.

Unless I had the spirit of prayer, I could do nothing.

There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience.

A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.

Charles Finney died this date 8/16/1875 at Oberlin, Ohio. He was converted to Jesus Christ at age twenty-nine.  Finney was a lawyer who became a Presbyterian revivalist.  Later he affiliating with Oberlin College.  He was born in 1792.

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John Wesley – converted to Christ, May 24, 1738

Two hundred and seventy-one years ago this evening in London, England, a very religious man was converted to Jesus Christ.  His name?

John Wesley.  On May 24^th, 1738 (about 8:45 PM we are told) Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed.”  It would be difficult to find one, let alone two men, who were more “religious” yet unconverted, than John and Charles (Charles was converted before John, 5/21) Wesley.  They had Disciple with a capital “D,” they were reading some of the right things, they were active in helping others but were not truly converted.

 

Quakers know (others should know more than they do) that George Fox was advocating holiness a century (round figures) before Wesley.  But Wesley and Wesley (and others) saw a greater surge toward heart purity in their day.  While we are not Wesleyan in name, we can appreciate the dramatic and lasting influence the Wesleys had on England and (via Asbury, et al) on our native, needy land.

 

Personally, I could wish John had had a happier marriage (Charles did), and would have had more haircuts.  He is not on a pedestal with me as with some men, but I’m very glad for his salvation, his emphasis on heart purity, and his view of and practice of evangelism.  Thank God for the 24^th of the 5^th month in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven-hundred and thirty eight.  Thank God for John (and Charles) Wesley!

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Charles Wesley – Converted to Christ, May 21, 1738

“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

In Christ your Head, you then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.

Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.

Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!

I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.

Look unto Him, ye nations, own
Your God, ye fallen race;
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.

See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.

Awake from guilty nature’s sleep,
And Christ shall give you light,
Cast all your sins into the deep,
And wash the Æthiop white.

Harlots and publicans and thieves
In holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
From crimes as great as mine.

Murderers and all ye hellish crew
In holy triumph join!
Believe the Savior died for you;
For me the Savior died.

With me, your chief, ye then shall know,
Shall feel your sins forgiven;
Anticipate your heaven below,
And own that love is heaven.

Charles Wesley was converted to Jesus Christ this date 5/21/1738.

On 5/21/1739 Wesley wrote this hymn on the first anniversary of his conversion.  He wrote 6000 hymns across some fifty years or an

average of 120 a year.  This means he wrote (on the average) between

two and three a week.  And, as seen here, some were not short!

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C. S. Lewis – death, Nov. 22, 1963

What God begets is God…What God creates is not God.

            – C. S. Lewis, Beyond Personality (NY: Macmillan, 1945), 5.

 

…God has no history.  He is too completely and utterly real to have one.        

            – C. S. Lewis, Beyond Personality (NY: Macmillan, 1945), 17.

 

When He said, “Be perfect,” He meant it…It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg.  We are like eggs at present.  And you cannot go in indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg.  We must be hatched or go bad.

             – C. S. Lewis, Beyond Personality (NY: Macmillan, 1945), 42.

 

It cost God nothing, as far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious wills cost Him the crucifixion.

            – C. S. Lewis, Beyond Personality (NY: Macmillan, 1945), 55.

 

Clive Staples Lewis died this date. He had taught at Oxford (1924-1954) and Cambridge (1954-1963) universities. In his early thirties, Lewis was converted to Jesus Christ. He is best known for his children’s classic The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-1956), and for Screwtape Letters, Miracles,and Mere Christianity.  Lewis was born 11/29/1898, Belfast, Ireland.

 

 

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