Nearer, My God, to Thee UMH # 528

Nearer, My God, to Thee

UMH # 528

Scripture Meditation

Genesis 28:11,12 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. ...................
Genesis 28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

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 Heav’n;
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’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

lyrics Sarah F. Adams 1841

music "Bethany" by Lowell Mason 1856

Sarah Fuller Flower Adams was the daughter of journalist and politician, Benjamin Flower. She always enjoyed the spotlight and dreamed of being an actress. Her generally frail health hampered her aspirations, and she began to write lyrics, including hymns. Her sister, Eliza would often write tunes for her words. Eliza died in 1846 and Sarah 2 years later at the age of 43. Both sisters died of tuberculosis.

Lowell Thomas was a prolific tune writer, many of which are used in our UMH. His name is scattered throughout the UMH in footnotes. Born in Massachusetts, he lived in Savannah, Georgia for 15 years, working as a bank clerk. His hobby was writing music. His first works were published in 1822 without using his name. Mason wrote, "I was then a bank officer in Savannah, and did not wish to be known as a musical man, as I had not the least thought of ever making music a profession." When this first publication sold around 50,000 copies, he moved back to Boston and became a music director for several churches over time. He continued to write, until he had completed over 1600 pieces of religious music. In addition, he was the first person to teach music in an American public school. There is little wonder that he is often called, "the father of American church music."

This hymn is of historical significance for several reasons. The most often remembered, is that it was the song played by the band while the Titanic sank. This may not be true. Several survivors claimed that this was the last song they heard, but they disagreed about which tune it was played with. There are three melodies that these lyrics are commonly used with. This is the one most commonly heard in the US. The Titanic, however was a British ship and they use a different melody called Horbury. There is yet another version, often called the Methodist version, which has fallen into disuse. It was written by Arthur S. Sullivan, of Gilbert and Sullivan fame and was titled Propior Deo. True or no, this song is firmly linked to the sinking of the Titanic, where the entire band perished along with many others, due to insufficient numbers of lifeboats, and, of course, a glacier.

U. S. President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. The physician who attended him, Dr. Mann, said that among his dying words was "Nearer, my God, to Thee, e’en though it be a cross, has been my constant prayer." On September 13, 1901, after the nation observed five minutes of silence for their fallen leader, bands in Union Square and Madison Square in New York City, played Nearer, My God, to Thee.

And finally, this hymn was also played as the body of another assassinated U.S. President, James Garfield was interred at Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.