SONG STUDIES: BIBLE STUDIES BASED ON HYMNS AND SONGS

STUDY  (10) THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION Th e author,  Samuel John Stone , was born in Staffordshire UK in 1839.   In 1874, he succeeded his father as vicar of St. Paul's, Haggerston. In 1890 he became rector of All Hallows-on-the-Wall in London.  St. Paul's Haggerston was in a poor section of London.   S tone would open the  church at 6:30 in the morning so that  commuters, frequently poor working girls, arriving  early could have a brief service and prayer, then have  time to rest, to read or to sew. He built numerous  churches; his belief was that poor people deserved  beautiful churches in which to worship. His  thoughtfulness earned him the title of "the poor  man's pastor". Source: " The Center for Church Music. " Samuel Wesley , composer of the tune Aurelia, to which the hymn is usually sung. Famous in his lifetime as one of his country's leading organists and choirmasters, he composed almost exclusive...

SONG STUDY (9) AMAZING GRACE! John Newton         John Newton 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 has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. 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 first begun.   This is one of the best known hymns in the English language. Although there are other  tunes which fit the words, the one nearly always used is called "New Britain". John Newton appears to have written the words in 1772 (first published in 1779) whereas the melody  was coupled with the words in 1847.  A great deal has been wri...