Haldor Lillenas – born

ON THIS DATE

Haldor Lillenas, Nazarene’s Greatest Song Writer, was born 11/19/1885 on the Island of Stord, Norway.

Lillenas emigrated to US with his family which settled first in South Dakota, then moved to Oregon.  Raised Lutheran he was converted to Christ at 21 in the Penial Mission in Portland. He attended Deets Pacific Bible College (renamed Pasadena College) and later studied music at Siegel-Myers School of Music (Chicago).  He pastured in Lompoc and Redlands, California, and in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In 1924, he founded the Lillenas Music Company (bought by Nazarene Publishing Company, 1930) and worked as an editor there until his retirement in 1950.

Haldor married Bertha Mae Wilson, a songwriter like himself.  He was an elder in the Church of the Nazarene.  He died 8/18/1959 at Aspen, CO.  Lillenas penned nearly 4,000 Gospel songs including:

“It Is Glory Just to Walk With Him”

“Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace”

“Wonderful Grace of Jesus”

“Jesus Has Lifted Me”

“My Wonderful Lord”

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Hans Poulsen Egede – birth, Jan. 31, 1686

Hans Poulsen Egede (ā’ gu dĕ) was born this date, 1/31/1686, at Hinnøya in Harstad, Norway, hundreds of miles north of the Artice Circle.  After being educated by his Lutheran uncle and at the University of Copenhagen (earned a Bachelor’s degree in Theology) he returned home.  In April 1707 he was ordained and in the same year married Gertrud Rask (maybe Rasch) 13 years older than him, to whom were born two sons and two daughters. 

 

In 1721 he sought permission from Frederick IV of Denmark to search for a colony in Greenland and establish a mission there.  He departed from Bergen on 5/12/1721 reaching Greenland July 3^rd.  Egede found the Inuit people, started mission among them and studied their language.  In translating the Lord’s Prayer (since they had no word for bread) he saw the equivalent as “Give us this day our daily harbor seal.”

 

Hans Egede left his son Paul in Greenland and traveled on August 9, 1736 with his other children to Denmark, to become principal of a Copenhagen seminary that trained missionaries for service to Greenland.

 

Of interest are at least two more facts:

He founded Godthåb Nuuk in today’s world which became the capital of Greenland.

And he gave one of the oldest descriptions of a sea serpent.

 

Egede died 11/5/1758 at Falster, Denmark.

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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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Haldor Lillenas – death, Aug. 18, 1959

The Bible Stands

 

The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
’Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal,
And they glow with a light sublime.

Refrain

The Bible stands though the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.

2. The Bible stands like a mountain towering
Far above the works of men;
Its truth by none ever was refuted,
And destroy it they never can.

3. The Bible stands and it will forever,
When the world has passed away;
By inspiration it has been given,
All its precepts I will obey.

4. The Bible stands every test we give it,
For its Author is divine;
By grace alone I expect to live it,
And to prove and to make it mine.

Haldor Lillenas died this date 8/18/1959 at Aspen, Colorado. Lillenas (born 11/19/1885, on Stord Island, Norway) emigrated to the States with his family who settled in Colton, South Dakota.  Later they moved on to Oregon.

He attended Deets Pacific Bible College in Los Angeles, CA (later named Pasadena College) and afterward studied music at the Siegel-Myers School of Music in Chicago, Illinois.  He was given an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Olivet Nazarene College.

His first pastorate was in Lompoc, California in 1910; he later pastored in Redlands, California, and Indianapolis, Indiana.  He founded Lillenas Music Company (1924).  After the Nazarene Publishing Company bought it (1930) he worked there as an editor.  He retired in 1950.

Haldor married Bertha Mae Wilson, who was also a songwriter.  He and Bertha were elders in the Nazarene Church,  He is said to have written some 4,000 hymns and songs.

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Haldor Lillenas – birth, Nov. 19, 1885

“The Bible Stands”  (stanza 1 & refrain)

 

The Bible stands like a rock undaunted
’Mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal,
And they glow with a light sublime.

Refrain

The Bible stands though the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.                            (see more at Cyberhymnal.org)

 

Written and composed by Haldor Lillenas, 1917.  Lillenas, born on Stord Island (near Bergen) Norway, emigrated to the US with his parents, living first in Colton, South Dakota and later in Oregon.  He was converted to Christ at 21in Portland and attended Deets Pacific Bible College (later renamed Pasadena College).  His pen left some 4000 hymns/poems.

 

Also read/hear “The Garden of My Heart” “Glorious Freedom” “Jesus Will Walk With Me” “Wonderful Grace of Jesus” 

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