I Love to Tell the Story
BIBLE
REFERENCE:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and
he that winneth souls is wise.
Proverbs 11:30
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and
one convert him; Let him know, that he
which converteth the sinner from the error of his way
shall save a soul from death, and
shall hide a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness
of the firmament; and they that turn many
to righteousness as the stars for ever and
ever.
Daniel 12:3
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father
which is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1 Peter 2:9
Arabella Katherine Hankey - Lyrics
1834-1911
Born: January 12,1834, Clapham, Middlesex, England.
Died: May 9, 1911, London, England.
William Gustavus Fischer - Composer
1835-1912
Born: October 14, 1835, Baltimore, Maryland.
Died: August 13, 1912, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
HYMN HISTORY:
Katherine Hankey was born in 1834, the daughter of a
wealthy English banker. Early in life Katherine, or Kate, as she was affectionately known, caught
the evangelical concern from her father.
She began organizing Sunday School classes for rich and poor throughout London. All of the
royalties received from these publications were always directed to a foreign mission
project.
When Katherine was only thirty years of age, she experienced a serious illness. During a long period
of recovery she wrote a lengthy poem on the life of Christ. The poem consisted of two main sections,
each containing fifty verses.
The first section of the poem was entitled �The Story Wanted.� It was from this part of her poem
that she later adapted the words for another of her familiar hymn texts, �Tell Me the Old, Old
Story.� This hymn has since become another of the church�s classic children�s hymn.
Later that same year while still recovering from her illness, Kate Hankey completed the second part
of her poem on the life of Christ. This sequel to the first section was entitled �The Story Told.�
From these verses came the text for �I Love to Tell the Story,�
written in the same meter but with a different accent than her other familiar hymn text.
Being musically inclined, Kate also composed her own tunes for these two texts. Her hymns received
little notice, however, when used with this music. The following year, 1867, a large international
YMCA convention was held in Montreal, Canada.
One of the speakers at the convention Major General Russell from England, closed his emotionally
charged message to the delegates by quoting the verses from Miss Hankey's two hymn texts. In the
audience that day was a noted American gospel musician,
William H. Doane, composer of more than 2,000 gospel songs. Mr. Doane was greatly moved by these
lines an promptly composed musical settings for both texts.
Later a new musical setting, which replaced Doane�s music for �I Love to Tell the Story,� was
composed by William G. Fisher, a Philadelphia musician and piano dealer. Fischer also added the
refrain for the hymn, �I Love to tell the story!
�Twill be mt theme in glory-to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.� In 1875 the hymn
appeared in its present from in Bliss and Sankey�s collection, Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs, which
brought �I Love to Tell the Story�
to the attention of evangelical congregations everywhere. Both of Katherine Hankey�s hymns are still
widely used today.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in
Christ,
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings
of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed oucolor=#66ffff size=2>
Romans 10:13-16
The desire of every true Christian should be to tell
the good news of the gospel and how the power of God saved them and how He is working in their life
in a real and personal way.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear:
1 Peter 3:15
This hymn is very dear to us because it speaks of our
need to proclaim the Gospel to all men. As we take a closer look at each stanza we
find:
Stanza 1 says that we should tell the story of
Jesus and His love:
"I love to tell the story Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, Of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the story Because I know 'tis true;
It satisfies my longing As nothing else can do."
-
The story reminds us that there are unseen things which are above:
2 Corinthians 4.16-18, Colossians
3.1-2
-
And these unseen things above are available to us because of Jesus and His love:
John 3.16, Romans 5.8
-
This story satisfies our longings as
nothing else can do because it brings salvation to us:
Acts 4.12
Stanza 2 says that we should tell the story to
everyone:
"I love to tell the story: More wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies Of all our golden dreams;
I love to tell the story: It did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee."
-
The gospel is more wonderful than all
our golden fancies and dreams because it is the message of salvation:
Mark 16.15-16
-
Like the demoniac who was healed by
the power of Jesus, each Christian can say that the gospel story has done so
much for him or her:
Mark 5.19
-
Therefore, we should want to
speak of it to anyone and everyone we can:
Acts 4.20
Stanza 3 says that we should tell the story
over and over again:
"I love to tell the story: 'Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, More wonderfully sweet;
I love to tell the story, For some have never heard
The message of salvation from God's own holy word."
-
The gospel story by which we have been
converted becomes more wonderfully sweet to us:
Psalms 19:7-11
-
Furthermore, as long as the earth
remains, there will always be those who need to hear the message of
salvation:
Acts 18.9-10
-
Thus, we must continually be
teaching God's will so that people can receive it as it is in truth the word of
God:
1 Thessalonians 2.13
Stanza 4 says that we should tell the story because
it will be the new song of eternity:
"I love to tell the story, For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting To hear it like the rest;
And when in scenes of glory I sing the new, new song,
'Twill be the old, old story That I have loved so long."
-
Certainly, we need to be hungering and
thirsting to hear this story as long as we live on this earth:
Matthew 5.6
-
Someday, if we remain faithful to Christ,
we shall experience those scenes of glory that God has reserved for His people in
heaven:
1 Peter 5.1, 10
-
If we tell the old, old story here,
then we will be able to sing the new, new song with the redeemed of all ages in
heaven:
Revelation 14.1-3.
Tell the Good News of the Gospel to someone today and
boldly proclaim your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.