Every once in a while, I come across an arrangement that contains a brief story of its origin. Whether it is the words in a poem; the music, or the arranger/composer, the story is intriguing. In digging for more information, I have come across some very interesting tidbits on the history of some of our hymns, composers, and poets. The story of how some of our hymns were born is fascinating to say the least.
Hymns have been written under strange circumstances. They have been written aboard ships, on trains, in railway stations, on busy streets, at deathbeds, by the sea, and in the quiet of scholarly libraries. Isaac Watts did much of his writing under a shade tree. Charles Wesley often wrote while riding horseback. John Wesley wrote while riding in his buggy by having had a special table constructed for the inside of his buggy. Fanny Crosby, blind at the age of six months, dictated verse wherever she was. John B. Dykes composed music while walking. Some hymns are sung to music originally composed for secular songs and many a hymn tune was composed a century or more before or after the verse was written.
In the coming months, I plan to share with you brief stories on how some of these hymns came to be. I'm excited about my new endeavor and wish to share my new-found information with you. ~Roy
