Gospel Greats -- 'Count Your Blessings' Quiz

Answer: tossed

The missing word is 'tossed'.

'Count Your Blessings' was written by Johnson Oatman Jr. in 1897 and Edwin Excell composed the music. According to Hymnary.org, Oatman was born in 1856 in Medford, New Jersey, the son of Johnson and Ann Oatman. He died September 25, 1922, in Norman, Oklahoma. He is credited with writing 5,000 Gospel songs, a number of which remain popular today.

Answer: lost

The missing word is 'lost'.

As stated in the answer to Question No. 1, Edwin Excell composed the music for 'Count Your Blessings', a hymn written by Johnson Oatman. According to Cyberhymnal.org, Excell was born De­cem­ber 13, 1851, Stark Coun­ty, Ohio and died June 10, 1921, in Chi­ca­go, Ill­i­nois, while on a crusade tour with noted evangelist Gyp­sy Smith. Cyberhymnal.org reports Ex­cell wrote more than 2,000 Gos­pel songs, and worked at a mu­sic pub­lish­ing house in Chi­ca­go. Some of the titles of hymns written by Excell include 'Grace, Enough for Me', 'His Love Is All I Need', 'I Am Happy in Him', 'Little Bit of Love' and 'Since I Have Been Re­deemed'.

Answer: many

The missing word is 'many'.

Johnson Oatman Jr., writer of the hymn 'Count Your Blessings', attended Her­bert's Acad­e­my in Vin­cen­town, New Jer­sey, and the New Jer­sey Col­le­gi­ate In­sti­tute in Bor­den­town, according to Cyberhymnal.org. Oatman was or­dained as a Meth­od­ist Epis­co­pal min­is­ter, but his pas­tor­al work was con­fined to speaking at lo­cal church­es, as he worked full time in the re­tail and in­sur­ance in­dus­tries. Cyberhymnal.org reports he joined his father's life insurance business Johnson Oatman and Son in Lumberton, New Jersey, where he served for a number of years.

Answer: surprise

The missing word is 'surprise'.

Johnson Oatman, Jr., writer of the hymn 'Count Your Blesssings', married Wilhelmina Reid, of Lumberton, New Jersey, in 1878. Hymnary.org reports the couple had three children, two girls and a boy. Their names were Rachel, Miriam, and Percy. According to Drhamrick.blogspot.ca, Oatman was a bit of a late bloomer in the hymn writing scene, writing his first hymn lyrics in 1892 at the age of 36. In the years that followed, he would write a plethora of hymns.

Answer: bear

The missing word is 'bear'.

According to Gaffneyledger.com, Johnson Oatman, the writer of 'Count Your Blessings', wrote an average of more than 200 hymns a year over a period of twenty-five years. His total output reached a staggering 5,000 hymns. "When publishers insisted, for business reasons, that he set a price for each hymn, Oatman stipulated his own terms," Gaffneyledger.com reports. "He would only accept one dollar per hymn. His messages in hymns still reach multitudes through such Gospel hymns as 'Count Your Blessings'."

Answer: days go by

The missing words are 'days go by'.

In 1914, Jacob Henry Hall wrote the book titled 'Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers' and had nothing but praise for hymn writer Johnson Oatman. "...No Gospel song book is considered as being complete unless it contains some of his hymns," Hall wrote. He also stated Oatman's father, Johnson Oatman Sr. was an "excellent singer and it always delighted the son to sit by his side and hear him sing the songs of the church."

Answer: gold

The missing word is 'gold'.

A story in the St. Augustine Record states Rodney 'Gypsy' Smith, a famous evangelist from yesteryear, was a big fan of the hymn 'Count Your Blessings'. "Men sing it, boys whistle it and women rock their babies to sleep to it," Smith is quoted as saying. According to Hymnary.org, 'Count Your Blessings' has been featured in 193 different hymn books over the years.

Answer: reward

The missing word is 'reward'.

'Count Your Blessings' is a hymn with a catchy tune to it. However, the words offer much for people to consider. Regardless of how dire a situation can be, one can always find a blessing. It brings to mind the adage "I was crying because I had no shoes, then I saw a man with not feet." According to Cyberhymnal.org, 'Count Your Blessings' is based on Proverbs 10:6. The verse, in the New International Version Bible, states, "Blessings crown the head of the righteous."

Answer: all

The missing word is 'all'.

Since Johnson Oatman wrote 'Count Your Blessings' in 1897, a number of musical works have been released with the same title. According to Wikipedia, the works include:
-- 'Count Your Blessings' (Bring Me the Horizon album), 2006
-- 'Count Your Blessings' (compilation album), a 1994 Christmas compilation album
-- 'Count Your Blessings' (Richard Morgan & Edith Temple song), 1946
-- 'Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)', a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1954.

There are also two movies with the title 'Count Your Blessings'. They are a 1959 drama starring Deborah Kerr and a 1987 Dutch film by Pieter Verhoeff.

Answer: comfort

The missing word is 'comfort'.

As stated in the answer to Question No. 1, Johnson Oatman Jr. is credited with writing 5,000 Gospel hymns. In addition to 'Count Your Blessings', some of the more popular titles are 'I'm Pressing on the Upward Way' and 'There's Not a Friend Like the Lowly Jesus'.

Here are the words to the old-time hymn 'Count Your Blessings'.

"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

[Refrain]

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

[Refrain]

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

[Refrain]"