William Lamartine Thompson was a successful popular song writer before he became a hymn writer. When a publisher in New York offered him only twenty-five dollars for four songs he had written, he decided to form his own company and publish them himself. It was not long before he was selling millions of copies, and he became known as the “Bard of Ohio,” and the “Millionaire Song-writer”!No doubt about it, Will Thompson was a success! But he admitted later that he still felt there was something missing from his life. He said, “One day God spoke to my heart through meeting [evangelist] D. L. Moody. He told me, ‘Will, they are good songs you wrote, but why not write some songs that will bless people’s hearts and lives, and bring them to Christ.’” Said Thompson, “From that day on I have written only sacred songs, and it’s a decision I have never regretted.” One of these, Jesus Is All the World to Me, might well have been the author’s own testimony.Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all;He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall.When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so;When I am sad, He makes me glad, He’s my Friend.Jesus is all the world to me, I want no better friend;I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him when life’s fleeting days shall end.Beautiful life with such a Friend, beautiful life that has no end;Eternal life, eternal joy, He’s my Friend.Another of Will Thompson’s songs, Lead Me Gently Home, has most often been treated as a solo number. (I have sung it myself on occasion.) It says:Lead me gently home, Father,Lead me gently home,When life’s toils are endedAnd parting days have come;Sin no more shall tempt me,Ne’er from Thee I’ll roam,If Thou’lt only lead me, Father,Lead me gently home.But the song that has had a greater impact than all the rest is Thompson’s invitation hymn, Softly and Tenderly. It has been the means of drawing many to the Saviour.Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,Calling for you and for me;See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,Watching for you and for me.Come home, come home,You who are weary, come home;Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,Calling, O sinner, come home!O for the wonderful love He has promised,Promised for you and for me!Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,Pardon for you and for me.You get two for the price of one with the following video clip. There is a lovely rendering of the first stanza of Softly and Tenderly, and a plug for a great movie. If you have never seen The Trip to Bountiful, I encourage you to check it out. A Hollywood movie that’s wholesome, and delivers an important message (Who’da thunk it?). It deals with being caregivers to a senior parent in the home. And by its sometimes painful example of what not to do, it is a thought-provoking film indeed.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 13:11:27 +0000
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