Response to Financial Crisis
by Kevin Butler
Combining her hymn singing and prayer time last week, Barbara LaFrance came across a hymn written by Erastus Johnson and William Fischer, "The Rock That Is Higher than I." It was written in response to America's financial panic of 1871. Due to our current-day financial news, Barbara offers this hymn as a prayer offering for all of us.
Here is more about the hymn from The Cyberhymnal, taken from the autobiography of Erastus Johnson:
There was a convention of the Y.M.C.A. at Carlisle, Pa., which I attended as a delegate, and John Wanamaker was president of the convention. About the second day there came a telegram from Philadelphia that the banking house of Jay Cook & Co. had failed, in which Mr. Wanamaker had $70,000 which to him at that time in life was a great amount to lose. Soon followed reports of other firms throughout the country, indicating a general panic.
As a matter of course, it threw a pall of gloom over the convention, for nearly all its members were men of business. As an expression of the common feeling I wrote "The Rock That Is Higher Than I."…
Mr. Wm. Fischer of Philadelphia, the composer of many tunes for gospel hymns, was at the convention, and in conjunction with Brother William, led the singing. I gave the words to him and he set them to music, sang them, and they with the music immediately became popular in the convention, especially with Mr. Wanamaker, who several times called for it. And soon it found its way into many publications.
Lyrics to "The Rock That Is Higher than I":
Oh! sometimes the shadows are deep,
And rough seems the path to the goal,
And sorrows, sometimes how they sweep
Like tempests down over the soul.
Refrain:
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I!
Oh! sometimes how long seems the day,
And sometimes how weary my feet!
But toiling in life’s dusty way,
The Rock’s blessed shadow, how sweet!
Refrain
Then near to the Rock let me keep
If blessings or sorrows prevail,
Or climbing the mountain way steep,
Or walking the shadowy vale.
Refrain
Here is more about the hymn from The Cyberhymnal, taken from the autobiography of Erastus Johnson:
There was a convention of the Y.M.C.A. at Carlisle, Pa., which I attended as a delegate, and John Wanamaker was president of the convention. About the second day there came a telegram from Philadelphia that the banking house of Jay Cook & Co. had failed, in which Mr. Wanamaker had $70,000 which to him at that time in life was a great amount to lose. Soon followed reports of other firms throughout the country, indicating a general panic.
As a matter of course, it threw a pall of gloom over the convention, for nearly all its members were men of business. As an expression of the common feeling I wrote "The Rock That Is Higher Than I."…
Mr. Wm. Fischer of Philadelphia, the composer of many tunes for gospel hymns, was at the convention, and in conjunction with Brother William, led the singing. I gave the words to him and he set them to music, sang them, and they with the music immediately became popular in the convention, especially with Mr. Wanamaker, who several times called for it. And soon it found its way into many publications.
Lyrics to "The Rock That Is Higher than I":
Oh! sometimes the shadows are deep,
And rough seems the path to the goal,
And sorrows, sometimes how they sweep
Like tempests down over the soul.
Refrain:
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I
O then to the Rock let me fly
To the Rock that is higher than I!
Oh! sometimes how long seems the day,
And sometimes how weary my feet!
But toiling in life’s dusty way,
The Rock’s blessed shadow, how sweet!
Refrain
Then near to the Rock let me keep
If blessings or sorrows prevail,
Or climbing the mountain way steep,
Or walking the shadowy vale.
Refrain
posted by Kevin Butler at
2:07 PM
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