Joseph M. Scriven's Irish Emigrant Poem Becomes World Beloved Hymn
Scripture:
- Ephesians 5:19 Greet one another with psalms, and hymns and sacred songs; sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your heart.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus has been translated and sung in many languages around the world. The story behind this beloved hymn by Joseph M. Scriven is rather tragic. This post has the words What a Friend We Have in Jesus, as well as a bit about the author of this hymn and other resources you might find useful.
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The Story Behind What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Joseph Medlicott Scriven was born to a prosperous Irish family on September 10, 1819, in Banbridge Ireland. He graduated with a degree from Trinity College in 1842. Life must have seemed wonderful. He was engaged to be married in 1843, but the night before their marriage, his fiance accidentally drowned.
Two years later, the bereft young man left Ireland and emigrated to Canada where he took up residence in Woodstock Ontario. In 1855, while visiting James Sackville in Bewdley Ontario he got word that his mother in Ireland was gravely ill. He wrote a poem which he titled "Pray Without Ceasing" to send to her. Joseph only made two copies of the poem. One he sent to his mother, and the other he gave to Mrs. Sackville. How the poem came to be published in a newspaper and caught the attention of composer Charles Crozat Converse remains a mystery. It was Converse who created the tune and changed the name of the song to What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
In 1850, Joseph moved to Rice Lake and was employed as a tutor for the family of Lieut. Pengelley. About 1857, Joseph fell in love once again shortly after moving to Port Hope, Ontario. Once again his fiance died before they could be married. He devoted the remainder of his life to tutoring, preaching and caring for others. Scriven was not a stranger to hard work. He even established a dairy in Port Hope to support a destitute widow.
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| Modest Home of Joseph M. Scriven from Internet Archives |
While Mr. Scriven was not a member of the Plymouth Brethren, his faith was greatly influenced by their ideals, such as not purchasing anything beyond a person's needs. Joseph Scriven was known as an ardent philanthropist, sometimes even giving people the clothes off his own back. He expounded on the importance of men and women wearing plain clothing so they could provide for the poor in some of his writings.
If we would avoid unnecessary and unscriptural expenses, there would be no need to ask the people of the world for money to carry on Christ's work, or to get concerts, banquets and other unscriptural means of coaxing money, from the people, of the world, as though Christ needed to beg from Satan.
He was often found preaching in the market and streets of Port Hope and gathered a small congregation at Rice Lake.
In 1869, Scriven published a collection of 115 Hymns and Verses, but it did not include "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
Ironically, a tall obelisk bearing the words of the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus was erected at his gravesite in the Pengelly Family Cemetary north of Port Hope Ontario in memory of Joseph Scriven by a group of people who loved the wonderful hymn he blessed the world with - What a Friend We Have in Jesus. If you love this Hymn, please consider donating to the charity that has enabled me to write this post The Salvation Army Toronto Homeless Supports Donations of time and expertise as well as funds are greatly appreciated.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus - Lyrics
Here are the lyrics to What a Friend We Have in Jesus. If you would like to print a copy of these lyrics, just click the image below and head over to the Google Docs copy I created of these lovely lyrics. Then click "File" and select "Print".
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS.
Joseph M. Scriven 1819-1886
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear —
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged :
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a Friend so faithful?
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness —
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee ?—
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms, He'll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
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| Lyrics - What a Friend We Have in Jesus |
What a Friend We Have in Jesus - Music
What a Friend We Have in Jesus has been recorded in many languages over the years including:
Sources:
About This Author
Sister Su is grateful to God for keeping her alive. She is a Trent/Queen's Concurrent Education graduate with over 20 years of teaching experience. She writes on several blogs, has a YouTube channel and is most easily reached through Twitter @Sister_Su See her link tree for more details:@Sister_Su | Linktree
This post was proofread with the free version of Grammarly
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