They Are Nailed to the Cross

There was One Who was willing to die in my stead,
That a soul so unworthy might live;
And the path to the cross He was willing to tread,
All the sins of my life to forgive.

Refrain  They are nailed to the cross,
            They are nailed to the cross,
            O how much He was willing to bear!
            With what anguish and loss Jesus went to the cross!
            But He carried my sins with Him there.

2. He is tender and loving and patient with me,
While He cleanses my heart of the dross;
But “there’s no condemnation”—I know I am free,
For my sins are all nailed to the cross.

3. I will cling to my Savior and never depart—
I will joyfully journey each day,
With a song on my lips and a song in my heart,
That my sins have been taken away.

Grant Colfax Tullar was born this date 8/5/1869 at Bolton, Connecticut.  Ulysses Grant was president of the United States and Schuyler Colfax vice-president hence the high-sounding name. His mother died when he was two and he, raised by less than best relatives, was found working (age ten) at a woolen mill.  After a move toHartford, he worked in a shoe store.  When Tullar  was nineteen he was converted at a Methodist camp meeting near Waterbury, CT.

After a year as a pastor he turned music evangelist.  In 1893 he and Isaac H Meredith founded the Tullar-Meredith Publishing Co. (New York) publishing Sunday school literature and church music.  It is to Tuller’s music we sing “Face to Face with Christ My Savior,” “Every Work for Jesus Will Be Blest,” the above song, and others.  Tullar died 5/20/1950 at Ocean Grove, New Jer­sey.

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Phoebe Palmer Knapp – birth, Mar. 9, 1839

Oh, now I see the cleansing wave!
The fountain deep and wide;
Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,
Points to His wounded side.

Refrain

The cleansing stream I see! I see!
I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me!
Oh, praise the Lord! It cleanseth me!
It cleanseth me—yes, cleanseth me.

2. I rise to walk in Heav’n’s own light,
Above the world and sin,
With heart made pure and garments white,
And Christ enthroned within.

3. I see the new creation rise;
I hear the speaking blood.
It speaks! Polluted nature dies!
Sinks ’neath the cleansing flood.

4. Amazing grace! ’tis Heav’n below
To feel the blood applied,
And Jesus, only Jesus know,
My Jesus crucified.

Phoebe Palmer Knapp was born this date, 3/9/1839, in New York City.  She was the daughter of Walter C. and Phoebe Palmer.  At 16 she married Joseph Knapp, the founder of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.  Both were members of John Street Methodist Church of New York City, where Fanny Crosby was also a member.  

Phoebe Palmer Knapp published more than 500 hymn tunes.  Some think her most famous tune is that of “Blessed Assurance” by Fanny Crosby’s” but the above is her tune to accompany her mother’s poem.  Mrs. Knapp died 7/10/1908 at Po­land Springs, Maine.

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John Samuel Norris – birth, Dec. 4,1844

I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.”

Refrain

Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow;
I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.

I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

I’ll go with Him through the judgment,
I’ll go with Him through the judgment,
I’ll go with Him through the judgment,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
He will give me grace and glory,
And go with me, with me all the way.

 John Samuel Norris was born this date, 12/4/1844, at West Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.  He was a Congregationalist who moved to and was educated in Canada.  Norris was ordained in 1868 and served churches in Canada, New York, Wisconsin, and Iowa.  He wrote more than 100 hymns but is possibly best remembered for his hymn tune entitled NORRIS – “I Can Hear My Savior Calling,” a.k.a. “Where He Leads Me I Will Follow.”  Norris died 9/23/1907 in Chicago.

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James Strong – birth, Aug. 14, 1822

James Strong was born this date, 8/14/1822 in New York.  The author of Strong’s Concordance was a successful businessman (built and was the president of the Flushing railroad – later merged with others).

Dr. Strong (D.D. from Wesleyan University, 1856) spent twenty-five years on the faculty of Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, NJ.  An earnest Bible student, he taught in other institutions of higher learning and in addition to compiling his Concordance – upon which he spent the better part of thirty-five years he co-authored the Cyclopedia of Biblical Theology and Ecclesiastical Literature. He died at Round Lake, New York, 8/7/1894.

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Bud Robinson – Sanctified Holy, June 2, 1890

“Anything that a change of date will alter, is not truth.”

“Lord I thank you for letting me see the sights of New York and Lord I thank you that I didn’t see anything I wanted.”

“When the Lord saved me He gave me something I never had, and always wanted.”

“When He sanctified He took out of me something I never needed, and never wanted.”

“Holiness seed never rots.  Plant it and it will grow.”

Bud Robinson was sanctified 6/2/1890, in Hill County, Texas.  He later wrote

My Hospital Experience, Sunshine and Smiles (1902) Honey in the Rock (1913),  Religion, Philosophy and Fun (1957)

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Edward Hopper – birth, Feb. 17, 1818

Jesus, Savior, pilot me
Over life’s tempestuous sea;
Unknown waves before me roll,
Hiding rock and treacherous shoal.
Chart and compass come from Thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

While th’Apostles’ fragile bark
Struggled with the billows dark,
On the stormy Galilee,
Thou didst walk upon the sea;
And when they beheld Thy form,
Safe they glided through the storm.

Though the sea be smooth and bright,
Sparkling with the stars of night,
And my ship’s path be ablaze
With the light of halcyon days,
Still I know my need of Thee;
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When the darkling heavens frown,
And the wrathful winds come down,
And the fierce waves, tossed on high,
Lash themselves against the sky,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me,
Over life’s tempestuous sea.

As a mother stills her child,
Thou canst hush the ocean wild;
Boisterous waves obey Thy will,
When Thou sayest to them, “Be still!”
Wondrous Sovereign of the sea,
Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”       (published 1871)

Edward Hopper was born this date, 2/17/1818, in New York City.  He was a grad­u­at­e of both New York Un­i­ver­si­ty and Un­ion The­o­lo­gi­cal Sem­in­a­ry.  He was or­dained a Pres­by­ter­ian min­is­ter and pas­tored Green­ville, New York, Sag Har­bor, Long Is­land, and the Church of the Land and the Sea in New York Ci­ty.  Hopper passed away 4/23/1888, also at New York Ci­ty.

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Norman J Clayton – birth, Jan. 22, 1903

Now I belong to Jesus
Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow’r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Refrain

Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Once I was lost in sin’s degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

Norman J Clayton was born this date, 1/22/1903, at Brooklyn, New York.  Clayton was married – he and his wife were blessed with two children.  He seems to still be living in 1985. He also wrote “Every Moment of Every Day” and “We Shall See His Lovely Face”

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William Orcutt Cushing

Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For a soul, returning from the wild!
See, the Father meets him out upon the way,
Welcoming His weary, wandering child.

Refrain

Glory! Glory! How the angels sing:
Glory! Glory! How the loud harps ring!
’Tis the ransomed army, like a mighty sea,
Pealing forth the anthem of the free.

Ring the bells of Heaven! There is joy today,
For the wanderer now is reconciled;
Yes, a soul is rescued from his sinful way,
And is born anew a ransomed child.

Ring the bells of Heaven! Spread the feast today!
Angels, swell the glad triumphant strain!
Tell the joyful tidings, bear it far away!
For a precious soul is born again.

William Orcutt Cushing was born this date 12/31/1823, Hingham, Massachusetts.   He penned some 300 or more hymns and/or Gospel Songs.  These include “When He Cometh” “Under His Wings” and “Hiding in Thee.”  Cushing died 10/19/1902, at Lis­bon Cen­ter, New York.

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Jeremiah Eames Rankin – death, Nov. 28, 1904

God be with you till we meet again;
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

Refrain

Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’ feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,

God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
Neath His wings protecting hide you;
Daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
With the oil of joy anoint you;
Sacred ministries appoint you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
When life’s perils thick confound you;
Put His arms unfailing round you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
Of His promises remind you;
For life’s upper garner bind you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
Sicknesses and sorrows taking,
Never leaving or forsaking;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
Keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
Strike death’s threatening wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

God be with you till we meet again;
Ended when for you earth’s story,
Israel’s chariot sweep to glory;
God be with you till we meet again.

 

Jeremiah Eames Rankin died this date, 11/28/1904, at Cleveland, Ohio.  He was a  Congregationalist who wrote “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.”  He pastored in Potsdam, New York, St. Albans, Vermont, Lowell, Massachusetts, Charlestown, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and Orange, New Jersey.  Rankin also was a professor of homiletics and pastoral theology (1878-’84) and from 1889 til his death was president of Howard University.  He was born 1/2/1828, at Thornton, New Hampshire.

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Ray Palmer – birth, Nov. 12, 1808

My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day be wholly Thine!

May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me, O may my love to Thee,
Pure warm, and changeless be, a living fire!

While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread, be Thou my Guide;
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray from Thee aside.

When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream over me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love, fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!

Ray Palmer was born this date, 11/12/1808, at Little Compton, Rhode Island.

He at­tend­ed Phil­lips An­do­ver Acad­e­my (had Oliver Wendell Holmes for a school ­mate there) and attended Yale Un­i­ver­si­ty.  Palmer first taught (New York and Con­nec­ti­cut and later was or­dained a Con­gre­ga­tion­al min­is­ter.  He pas­tored in Maine and New York.  He eventually served as Sec­re­ta­ry of the Con­gre­ga­tion­al Un­ion. 

Low­ell Ma­son (wrote the music for this) is said to have predicted “You may live ma­ny years and do ma­ny good things, but I think you will be best known to pos­ter­i­ty as the au­thor of “My Faith Looks Up to Thee.”  How right Mason was. Palm­er re­tired in 1878 and died 3/29/1887 at New­ark, New Jer­sey.

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