Nobody writes hymns that resonate with Christian experience like the pastor from Olney. That is why I am sad that the concluding verse to his most famous hymn is rarely known - let alone sung.
The famed "ten thousand years" verse did not appear until about 40 years after Newton first published the hymn. It was not written by him, although who exactly did write it is up for some debate. The point is, this is how the original hymn came to its conclusion.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Shall be forever mine.
Perhaps it did not fit with someone's more man-centred theology. Of course we Strict Baptists have had the original in GADSBY'S all the time.
ReplyDeleteAh, dear Gadsby!
ReplyDeleteQuite lovely.
Most of the time...