Cowper – born

ON THIS DATE

William Cowper was born 11/26/1731 at Hertfordshire, England.  Cowper (pronounced “Cooper”) was influential in both “secular” and religious poetry in spite of his bouts with depression (was institutionalized).  Eventually he moved to Olney where he collaborated with John Newton (who penned “Amazing Grace”) in _Olney Hymns_ contributing sixty-seven of them.  He and Newton were neighbors, sharing a back fence.  He died 4/25/1800.

Probably his greatest hymn is “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood”

There is a fountain fill’d with blood

Drawn from EMMANUEL’s veins;

And sinners, plung’d beneath that flood,

Lose all their guilty stains.

 

Cowper Quotes:

“GOD moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.”

 “God made the country, and man made the town.”

“Variety’s the very spice of life…”

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This DATE – Newton Wrote

 

ON-this-DATE   

 

4/23 John Newton, on this date 1779, is said to have

expressed the following in a letter:

 

“‘What Thou wilt.  When Thou wilt.  How Thou wilt.’ 

 

I had rather speak these three sentences from my heart

in my mother tongue than be master of all the languages

in Europe.”

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John Newton – married, Feb. 12, 1750

Safely through another week God has brought us on our way;
Let us now a blessing seek, on th’approaching Sabbath day;
Day of all the week the best, emblem of eternal rest,
Day of all the week the best, emblem of eternal rest.

 

Mercies multiplied each hour through the week our praise demand;
Guarded by almighty power, fed and guided by His hand;
Though ungrateful we have been, only made returns of sin,
Though ungrateful we have been, only made returns of sin.

 

While we pray for pardoning grace, through the dear Redeemer’s Name,
Show Thy reconciled face, shine away our sin and shame;
From our worldly cares set free, may we rest this night with Thee,
From our worldly cares set free, may we rest this night with Thee.

 

Here we come Thy Name to praise, let us feel Thy presence near,
May Thy glory meet our eyes, while we in Thy house appear:
Here afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast,
Here afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast.

 

When the morn shall bid us rise, may we feel Thy presence near:
May Thy glory meet our eyes, when we in Thy house appear:
There afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast,
There afford us, Lord, a taste of our everlasting feast.

 

May Thy Gospel’s joyful sound conquer sinners, comfort saints;
May the fruits of grace abound, bring relief for all complaints;
Thus may all our Sabbaths prove till we join the church above,
Thus may all our Sabbaths prove till we join the church above!

                                                                                                – John Newton

 

John Newton, on this date,2/12/1750, married Mary Catlett.  John and Mary’s mothers were friends and even talked about their babies marrying someday.  Mary later became his young manhood sweetheart.  John wrote before leaving on a voyage “I press to my lips the paper that will be with you in a few days, while I must be kept from you for many months.”  He also asked her to, “Let me know at what hours you usually rise, breakfast, dine, sup and go to bed that I may keep time with you.”  At some point Newton said that to make those around him understand his love for her would be “like describing the rainbow to a man born blind.”  They were married until her death forty years later.

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John Newton – wrote, Apr. 23, 1779

How tedious and tasteless the hours
When Jesus I no longer see;
Sweet prospects, sweet birds and sweet flowers,
Have all lost their sweetness to me;
The midsummer sun shines but dim,
The fields strive in vain to look gay.
But when I am happy in Him,
December’s as pleasant as May.

His Name yields the richest perfume,
And sweeter than music His voice;
His presence disperses my gloom,
And makes all within me rejoice.
I should, were He always thus nigh,
Have nothing to wish or to fear;
No mortal as happy as I,
My summer would last all the year.

Content with beholding His face,
My all to His pleasure resigned,
No changes of season or place
Would make any change in my mind:
While blessed with a sense of His love,
A palace a toy would appear;
All prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there.

Dear Lord, if indeed I am Thine,
If Thou art my sun and my song,
Say, why do I languish and pine?
And why are my winters so long?
O drive these dark clouds from the sky,
Thy soul cheering presence restore;
Or take me to Thee up on high,
Where winter and clouds are no more.

John Newton, on this date 4/23/1779, is said to have expressed the following in a letter : “‘What Thou wilt.  When Thou wilt.  How Thou wilt.’  I had rather speak these three sentences from my heart in my mother tongue than be master of all the languages in Europe.”

He, of course is the Anglican minister who penned “Amazing Grace,” the above hymn and some 280+ more.

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William Cowper – death, Apr. 25, 1800

O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame,
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

Where is the blessedness I knew,
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul refreshing view
Of Jesus and His Word?

What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn
And drove Thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.

So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

William Cowper died this date, 4/25/1800, at East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Cowper (pronounced “koo’ pur”) trained to be a lawyer but did not become one.  He is credited with over sixty hymns/gospel songs among which are “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” and “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.”

In spite of long-standing depression Cowper left not only the above (a spiritual literary legacy) he also wrote “The Negro’s Complaint” an anti-slavery work, and “The Task” – a work some 5,000 lines in length.  He was back-fence neighbors with John Newton, the author of famous “Amazing Grace.”  Cowper was born 11//15/1731, at Great Berk­hamp­stead, Hert­ford­shire, Eng­land.

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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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John Newton – wrote, Jul. 14, 1775

“Amazing Grace”

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 7/14/1775, is said to have written in a letter,

“The knowledge of God cannot be attained by studious discussion on our parts;

it must be by revelation on His part.”

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John Newton – death, Dec. 21, 1807

“Lord, I Approach, Thy Mercy Seat”

Lord, I approach, Thy mercy seat,
Where Thou dost answer prayer;
There humbly fall before Thy feet,
For none can perish there.

Thy promise is my only plea,
With this I venture nigh;
Thou callest burdened souls to Thee,
And such, O Lord, am I.

Bowed down beneath a load of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
By war without and fears within,
I come to Thee for rest.

Be Thou my Shield, my hiding Place,
That, sheltered near Thy side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him Thou hast died.

John Newton, famous for penning “Amazing Grace” also penned scores of other hymns, the present “Lord, I Approach, Thy Mercy Seat,” being one of them.  Newton died this date 12/21/1807 in London, England the same city in which was was born 7/24/1725.  He and William Cowper shared backyard fences.

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William Cowper – penned this date, Dec 6, 1769

“O For a Closer Walk with God”    (stanza 2-5)

Where is the blessedness I knew,
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul refreshing view
Of Jesus and His Word?

What peaceful hours I once enjoyed!
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest!
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn
And drove Thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate’er that idol be
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.

William Cowper on this very date wrote this hymn.  He was a back-fence neighbor to John Newton (“Amazing Grace”).  Cowper also penned “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood” “God Moves in Mysterious Ways” and sixty-some more hymns.

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