Some of Our Favorite Easter Hymns Quiz

Answer: He Lives

Alfred Henry Ackley was born in Spring Hill, Pennsylvania, in 1887. He wrote a large number of Christian hymns and was an ordained minister, and for a few years worked with evangelist Billy Sunday. 'He Lives!' was copyrighted in 1933 by Word Music, Inc.

-0- Question submitted by Logcrawler

Answer: Luke

The statement 'He Is Not Here, But Is Risen' comes from Luke 24:6. According to Scripture, two men in shining garments asked a question before they made the famous declaration about Christ's resurrection. In the question, the angels asked "why do you seek the living among the dead?" They then go on to state, "He is not dead, but is risen."

For the record, the Gospel of Matthew has almost the same quote, but it is ever so slightly different in both the KJV and the NKJV. Matthew 28:6 states, 'He is not here; for He is risen."

In his Easter hymn, Whittle attempts to capture the glorious news of Christ's resurrection. His full name was Daniel Webster Whittle, in tribute to the American politician Daniel Webster.

Two of his better known hymns are 'There Shall Be Showers of Blessing' and 'I Know Whom I Have believed'.

-- Question by Cowrofl

Answer: This Is the Feast of Victory

The text of this hymn is from Revelation 5, and was translated and adapted from the Latin, in which language its title is 'Dignus est Agnus', in 1970 by John W. Arthur. The music was composed by Richard Hillert, circa 1975. Hillert was a noted Lutheran composer and distinguished professor of music emeritus at Concordia University, Chicago, Illinois. He died in 2010.

-- Question submitted by Falseplayer

Answer: The Day of Resurrection

The lyrics of this extremely old hymn were first written by John of Damascus around 750 AD, but it wasn't until 1853 the words were translated into English by John Mason Neale. There is a beautiful rendition of it on YouTube as performed by the Gloucester Cathedral Choir.

-- Question submitted by Logcrawler

Answer: Because He Lives

The line "An empty grave is there to prove He lives" comes from the hymn 'Because He Lives'. The hymn was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither and is popular throughout the year, not just at Easter. This, even though 'Because He Lives' has a strong Easter message.

Here's the first verse of the hymn:
"God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove He lives."

-- Question submitted by Cowrofl

Answer: King George II

King George II is the correct answer. He reigned as king from June 11, 1727 to October 25, 1760, a total of thirty-three years.

Charles Wesley was born in England and spent practically all his life there, with the exception of a few months in the United States. He was born De­cem­ber 18, 1707 in Ep­worth, Lin­coln­shire and died March 29, 1788 in Lon­don. He is buried at Ma­ry­le­bone Par­ish Church in Lon­don. His famous older brother was John Wesley, a co-founder of the evangelical Christian movement known as Methodism.

Charles Wesley is credited with writing more than 6,000 hymns and many of them remain popular today.

-- Question submitted by Cowrofl.

Answer: True

True. The 'Hallelujah Chorus' by German composer Handel is associated with Christmas. However, according to various websites it was intended to pay honor to Christ during Easter.

Christianmedia.com, for example, reports when Handel wrote his oratorio 'Messiah' in the 1700s, the Hallelujah Chorus was placed at the end of the second part of the piece after Jesus triumphantly rises from the dead.

So, don't be surprised if a decision is made at your church to have the 'Hallelujah Chorus' performed on Easter Sunday.

-- Question submitted by Cowrofl

Answer: Blessed Redeemer

The refrain following each verse is as follows -

"Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems I now see Him on Calvary's tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding; dying for me!"

Alvis Christiansen, nee Burgeson, was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and was born in 1895. In 1917, she married Ernest Christiansen, who later became vice-president of the Moody Church in Chicago.

She had begun writing Christian poetry as a child, and prior to her death in 1985 she had written literally thousands of poems.

Interestingly, the music to the tune was written BEFORE the actual lyrics were penned!

A friend of Mrs. Christiansen, Harry Dixon Loes, was a music student in Chicago and had been so affected by a sermon he had heard entitled "Blessed Redeemer" that he wrote a melody for it. He then sent his tune to her to compose the lyrics to fit his music.

-- Question submitted by logcrawler

Answer: Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby is the correct answer. The hymn 'Christ the Lord is Risen Today, He is Risen Indeed' is also known as 'He Captive Led Captivity', the first line of the hymn. Although Crosby became blind as an infant, she was a juggernaut when it comes to old-time classic hymns. She is credited with writing at least 6,000 hymns, but a number of websites suggest the total is much higher as a number of her hymns were published under pseudonyms. Legend has it publishers of hymn books insisted Crosby use different pen names to prevent the appearance she was practically the only author of some hymn books. It is believed she published hymns under more than twenty pen names, but some sources suggest this figure too could be even higher as well.

-- Question submitted by Cowrofl.

Answer: Robert Lowry

'Up From the Grave He Arose!' was written by Robert Lowry in 1874. (Some people refer to the hymn as 'Low In the Grave He Lay', based on the first line.) Lowry was born in Philadelphia on March 12, 1826, and was educated at Lewisburg University. He is credited with writing more than 350 hymns.

-- Question submitted by Cowrofl.