Hymns & Hymn Writers: One Soul For Thee

The Parable of the Talents is very familiar. The talents which were distributed were of monetary nature; although we tend to think of talents as knowledge, skills, or abilities. When one considers the life of V. E. Howard, the concept of talents as abilities comes to the surface. He was a writer, gospel preacher, radio broadcaster, lecturer, debater, and he is the publisher of the songbook Church Gospel Songs & Hymns. His first songbook was Gospel Songs & Hymns (1978), which was followed by Church Gospel Songs & Hymns (1983). He owned a jewelry store (Howard’s Jewelers), a President of a publishing house (Central Printers & Publishers), President of Howard Foundations, and he served on the Board of Directors for Freed-Hardeman College. He has received awards and commendations for his various works for the cause of Christ.

Verna Elisha Howard (1911-2000), Lyricist & Composer

Verna Elisha Howard was born September 29, 1911 in Farmersville, LA. He was baptized in 1930 and married his wife, Ruth Moryne Jackson Howard, on December 20, 1931. They had three children: Jasper Smith, Vernon Edgar, and Marilyn Kay.

V. E. Howard began preaching a few months after his immersion in Powen, Texas. He attended Abilene Christian College, Harding College, and Arkansas State University. He preached in many places over his 50 years of preaching. As for located work, he preached many years in Texarkana, Texas. He also was a pioneer in radio preaching which he did for 46 years when he founded the International Gospel Hour, which is one of the longest continuous radio preaching programs in the nation. It is reported he baptized over 8,000, published at least 13 books, and wrote numerous tracts and articles. He also loved hymns. He wrote several hymns and published songbooks.

V. E. Howard asked E. Claude Gardner to find someone to take the International Gospel Hour over. E. Claude Gardner found Winford Claiborne, so in 1995 the International Gospel Hour was relocated to West Fayetteville, TN. Upon the death of Winford Claiborne in 2014, Jodie Apple became the Speaker of the program. Mr. Howard’s wife passed away January 31, 2000, and V. E. Howard passed away a few months later on September 28, 2000 in Texarkana, TX. They are buried with the Howard family in Rocky Branch just north of West Monroe, LA. On his tombstone includes his signature phrase: “Are You Listening?”

One Soul For Thee

The value of a soul is never to be underestimated. Jesus made this clear: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NKJV) God cares about each and every soul. Recall these words of Jesus about the value of another person’s soul from the Parable of the Lost Sheep: “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, NKJV.) Of course, we are commissioned to take the gospel into the whole world: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16:15–16 NKJV). It is a great tragedy when people are mistreated, and that mistreatment contaminates the relationship with that person and their family members too. How does one reach a soul that has been poisoned due to mistreatment by those who should care when others do not?

Someone I met in college and married another friend wrote the following after married life did not turn out the way they planned. I asked the person if I could quote what they commented on in a story of two apples that looked great on the inside but one had been abused to the point that it was a wreck on the inside (though it still looked fine from the outside.) Here was their comment:

This is what I was referring to when I mentioned how people treated me different in the church I went to before and after my divorce. I had to work all the time, resulting in not being able to go to church for a good 8+ years. …I was judged and gossiped about. My children were wrongfully accused of things with no apology…. My children were gossiped about so much that they never want to go to church ever again. The small groups I was in played favoritism, then played the victim card. I was shunned for something I had no control over, and so much more. Again, that "I am better than you, you are less than us" in attitude and words. You go there to get encouragement and help with healing your hurt and pain, but instead you receive this...... we may look O.K. on the outside but inside all our hearts are broken. We had non-Christians be so much more loving and accepting of us than any of the Christians in our church ever were.

The song “One Soul For Thee” speaks of us being a soul for Christ so we can win a soul for Christ too. It is not enough that we value our own soul, but we must realize the value of other souls to God. Be sure to understand that silence is not a solution: “Just putting an arm around them and saying we understand your pain and we are here for you, but then be there! If they need to cry, be there, if they are confused, be there, if they are faltering, be there.”

Thought Question: If you have never led someone to Christ, then are you satisfied with your Christian walk toward God? If you have led a soul to Christ, then do all that you can to help them become a soul winner too!

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SOURCES:

George C. Finely, Editor. Our Garden of Song – A Biography of Song Writers of the Church of Christ and Articles and Other Items of Interest of Our Worship in Song. West Monroe, LA:  Howard Publishing Company, 1980.

John P. Wiegand, Editor, Praise for the Lord, Nashville, TN:  Praise Press, 1997.

V. E. Howard, Editor, Church Gospel Songs & Hymns, Texarkana, TX:  Central Printers & Publishers, 1983.

“Verna Elisha Howard.” No Pages. Cited 23 June 2018. Online: http://www.therestorationmovement.com/_states/louisiana/howard,ve.htm.  

“Verna Elisha Howard.” No Pages. Cited 23 June 2018. Online: http://www.vehoward.net/bio.html.

“Verna Elisha Howard.” No Pages. Cited 23 June 2018. Online: https://hymnary.org/person/Howard_VE1.