Missing Letters -- Christian Hymns -- #2 Quiz

Answer: His Eye Is On the Sparrow

'His Eye is on the Sparrow' is an ever popular hymn, especially among African American Christians. Many people believe the hymn originated among Negro slaves in the southern United States, but Wikipedia reports the song was actually written by a Caucasian woman from Canada. Her name was Civilla D. Martin. Wikipedia reports Martin's husband Walter Stillman studied ministry at Harvard University and served as a Baptist minister. The two collaborated on a number of hymns which remain popular in evangelical Christian churches around the world.

Here are the words to the Gospel hymn 'His Eye is On the Sparrow':

"Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for heavenly home
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me

'Let not your heart be troubled'
His tender word I hear
And resting on His goodness
I loose my doubts and fears
Tho' by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me

Whenever I am tempted
Whenever clouds arise
When song gives place to sighing
When hope within me dies
I draw the closer to Him
For care He sets me free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches me."

Answer: He Touched Me

'He Touched Me' is the correct answer. The hymn was written by Bill Gaitor in 1964. According to Wikipedia, Gaitor was performing with Dr. Dale Oldham on his evangelistic crusades when the idea for 'He Touched Me' was born.

The Website reports Oldham told Gaitor the word 'touch' is used often in Scripture with people being healed with Christ simply touching them and that he should write a song with that theme. "That week, Dr. Oldham's son Doug Oldham began singing it in the meetings," Wikipedia reports. "Doug was also the first to record the song (in 1964). Not long after that, the Bill Gaither Trio recorded it."

Here are the words to 'He Touched Me':

"Shackled by a heavy burden,
'Neath a load of guilt and shame.
Then the hand of Jesus touched me,
And now I am no longer the same.

He touched me, Oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know,
He touched me and made me whole.

Since I met this blessed Savior,
Since He cleansed and made me whole,
I will never cease to praise Him,
I'll shout it while eternity rolls.

He touched me, Oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole."

Answer: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

The correct answer is 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross'.

The hymn is one of an estimated 750 songs written by Isaac Watts, an English hymnwriter and theologian. He was born July 17, 1674, in Southampton, United Kingdom and died November 25, 1748, in Stoke Newington. 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross' was written in 1707. The Website Plymouthbrethren.org states the "classic hymn of Isaac Watts has often been called the greatest hymn in the English language." The Website states the hymn is based on Galations 6:14, which reads: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

The original title of the hymn was 'Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ,' according to Plymouthbrethren.org. Later the title was changed to 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.'

Here are the words to the hymn 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross':

"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all."

Answer: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing' is the correct answer.

Robert Robinson wrote the words to 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing' in 1757 when he was 22 years old. According to the Website Sharwefaith.com, Robinson became a Christian shortly after he attended a crusade meeting in London with some of his drunken friends with the goal of heckling the preacher. It is believed two lines in Verse 3 of the hymn are autobiographical. The two lines state, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love."

Here are the words to the hymn 'Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing':

"Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

"Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

"O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above."

Answer: Jesus Paid It All

'Jesus Paid it All' is the correct answer.

Elvina Hall, 1822-1889, wrote the words to 'Jesus Paid It All' in Baltimore, Maryland in 1865. The Website Sharefaith.com states the music for the hymn was composed by John Thomas Grape, 1835-1915. They both attended Monument Street Methodist Church in Baltimore.

Here are the words to the hymn 'Jesus Paid It All':

"I hear the Savior say,
'Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.'

Refrain
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim,
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb.

Refrain

And now complete in Him
My robe His righteousness,
Close sheltered 'neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Refrain

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone.

Refrain

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
"Jesus died my soul to save,"
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

Refrain

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I'll lay my trophies down
All down at Jesus' feet.

Refrain"

Answer: Holy Holy Holy

The correct answer is 'Holy, Holy, Holy!'.

'Holy, Holy, Holy!' was written in 1862 by Reginald Heber. According to Hymnary.org, Heber was extremely intelligent "translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven." Heber was born into a "wealthy, educated family" in 1783 and he was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823.

Hymnary.org reports he worked "tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke." The Website also reports Heber wrote fifty-seven hymns, many of which are still in use today.

Here are the words to the classic hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy!':

"Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert and art and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!"

Answer: Crown Him With Many Crowns

'Crown Him With Many Crowns' is the correct answer.

The hymn was written in 1851 by Matthew Bridges. Hymnary.org reports Bridges was born in Malden, Essex, United Kingdom on July 14, 1800 and died in the Canadian province of Quebec on October 6, 1894. Other hymns he wrote include 'Blessed Lamb, on Calvary's Mountain', 'Jesus to Thee We Look' and 'Holy of Holies, Seat of Love'.

Here are the words to the hymn 'Crown Him With Many Crowns'.

"Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne,
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing,
who died, and rose on high,
who died, eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end,
and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For thou hast died for me;
thy praise and glory shall not fail
throughout eternity."

Answer: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus' is the correct answer.

Helen Howarth, writer of the hymn 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus', was blind, similar to Fanny Crosby, a prolific writer of old-time hymns. "A brilliant singer and musician, Mrs. Lemmel's remarkable literary abilities were also widely recognized," states the Website Chrisfieldblog.com. "She composed more than 500 hymns and poems and also authored a very successful book for children, 'Story of the Bible', and composed many musical pieces for children. She continued her musical and literary pursuits until her death just 13 days before her ninety-eighth birthday." 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus' was first published in the United Kingdom in 1918.


Here are the words to the hymn 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus':

"O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O'er us sin no more hath dominion-
For more than conqu'rors we are!

Refrain:

His Word shall not fail you-He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Refrain:"

Answer: Nearer My God To Thee

'Nearer, My God, To Thee' is the correct answer.

The hymn was written by Sarah Flower Adams in 1841. According to Wikipedia, she was born in 1805 at High Street, Old Harlow, Essex, United Kingdom and her father Benjamin Flower was an editor. The Website reports 'Nearer, My God, to Thee' is based loosely on Genesis 28:11-19. The passage tells of Jacob having a dream at Bethel in which he sees angels of heaven ascending and descending a ladder.

'Nearer, My God, To Thee' is often associated with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 as some survivors told of the hymn being played while the ocean liner was sinking. Other survivors, however, disputed the claim. Wikipedia reports 'Nearer, My God, to Thee' was sung by the doomed crew and passengers of the SS Valencia as it sank off the Canadian coast in 1906 "and this event may be the source of the Titanic legend."

Here are the words to the hymn 'Nearer, My God, To Thee':

"Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

"Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

"There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

"Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

"Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!"

Answer: Go Tell It On the Mountain

'Go Tell It On The Mountain', written by John W. Work, is the correct answer. Work was born in Nashville, Tenn., but no one is certain about the year. (Some Websites state 1871 and others 1873.) According to Wikipedia Work "was the first African-American collector of folk songs and spirituals, and also a choral director, educationalist and songwriter." He also owned a music publishing company called Work Brothers and Hart.

Here are the words to the old-time classic 'Go Tell it on the Mountain':

"Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching
Over silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.

(Refrain)

The shepherds feared and trembled,
When lo! above the earth,
Rang out the angels chorus
That hailed the Savior's birth.

(Refrain)

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born
And God sent us salvation
That blessèd Christmas morn.

(Refrain)"