Hymns & Hymn Writers: Jesus Calls Us

The words to “Jesus Call Us” are a poem by Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, but there are two tunes by which we sing these words. The one in Church Gospel Songs &Hymns credits the music to Leonard Burford and the tune as BURFORD. In other songbooks, such as Praise For The Lord, it has a different composition by William H. Jude, and the tune is called GALILEE.  For the purpose of this study, we will continue our reference to the songbook published by V. E. Howard, Church Gospel Songs & Hymns, and the music by Leonard Burford (who was a member of the church of Christ.)

Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander (1818-1895), Lyricist

Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander was born in April 1818 (the closest reference to the day one can find is “Early April”) in Dublin, Ireland.  Her parents were John Humphreys and Elizabeth Francis Reed Humphreys.  Her father was a military man and a strict disciplinarian. She feared to let him see her poems until he discovered them to great delight. He was a great encouragement to her by reading her poems out load. She was taught about writing poems at an early age which resulted in several of her lyrics being incorporated into hymnbooks of the Church of Ireland (Anglican).  She wrote many poems, some sources estimate over 400, including some under pseudonyms.  She was very much interested in the spiritual welfare of children having published a children’s hymnbook entitled Hymns for Little Children that went through several editions.  Some of her writings she used to help build institutions to help troubled young girls, the deaf, and the mute. 

In October 1850, she married William Alexander who was a clergyman of the Anglican Church.  Her husband was also an accomplished poet.  He regarded her poem “The Burial of Moses” to be among the best poem written which was based on a sermon he had preached. Cecil Frances Alexander passed away on October 12, 1895, in Londonderry, Ireland at the age of 77 years old.  She is buried in the Londonderry City Cemetery next to her husband who had died 16 years prior.

Leonard Burford (1905-1961), Lyricist

Leonard Burford was born September 30, 1905, in Abilene, TX. He was the head of the music department at Abilene Christian College for 24 years. He was born with poor eyesight, and by the time he was 14 years old, he could only read large print. By the age of 28, he was totally blind. He taught himself how to read by the Braille alphabet. His mother was a great source of help in his education. He graduated from high school at the Abilene Christian College academy in 1921, and he graduated with honors with a college degree in education from ACC in 1925. When he received his degree from Abilene, his mother was granted an honorary degree at his graduation for her contributions to his life. He would continue his studies at various education institutes until he earned his Ed. D. from Columbia University in 1952. He wrote 86 religious hymns, in Braille, which was published. He joined ACC and was the founder of A Capella Chorus which performed abroad. He was also an accomplished pianist. He had a brother and sister, and they both had the same eyesight condition: retinitis pigmentosa. The source of their contact with this condition remains a mystery. Leonard Burford died September 2, 1961 at the age of 55. His funeral was preached by George W. Bailey. He is buried in Abilene Municipal Cemetery. There is a tribute LP album, Come Unto Me, in his honor that includes some of his compositions and favorite hymns including, Jesus Calls Us.

Jesus Calls Us

Mrs. Cecil Alexander wrote a hymn based on one of the sermons her husband had preached in 1852. He was impressed with it and asked her to write one for his upcoming sermon based on the text of Mark 1:16–18. The subject of our hymn is based on that effort. The passage reads, “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:16–18 NKJV).

These disciples were fishermen by trade. Simon and Andrew may have been partners with James and John in the fishing industry. What would possess these men to drop their trade and follow Jesus to be “fishers of men”? They had been taught by the forerunner, John the Baptist or John the Immerser. The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah to come, and they saw John the Baptist say, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29 NKJV) Not all the disciples may have heard this, but we know that Andrew did (John 1:40). This was the moment the Jews had been waiting for! They did not understand what all was going to happen, but they knew that when the Messiah came things were going to happen!

There were times of thrilling adventures, of seeing the wondrous signs and miracles that Jesus performed. There were also times of deflation too. Some became rather disillusioned when Jesus did not measure up to what they thought the Messiah should be. Sadly, some were more interested in a temporal physical kingdom and were willing to force it upon Jesus (cf. John 6:15). Imagine the reward the faithful ones that walked with Jesus are enjoying right now! Would you not want to enjoy that same reward? I am sure they lost people along the way, people they cared about. But they cared about God and Heaven even more!

Jesus instructed His disciples: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 NKJV). People heard the gospel and had a choice to make, just as you have a choice to make. Their message is our message. Their call is our call. The call is not ethereal but is through the gospel preached: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 NKJV). Jesus calls, but how will you respond?

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SOURCES:

“All Things Bright and Beautiful.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: http://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/quotall-things-bright-and-beautifulquot/

“All Things Bright and Beautiful.” No Pages. Cited 31, March 2019. Online: http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/All_Things_Bright_and_Beautiful.

“Cecil Alexander.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/a/l/e/alexander_cfh.htm.

“Cecil Frances Alexander.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Frances_Alexander.

“Cecil Frances Alexander.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Frances_Alexander.

“Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13737570/cecil-frances-alexander.

“Church Music Recording Honors Dr. Burford of ACC.” Abilene Reporter-News. 17 July 1966, 18.

“Leonard Burford.” No Pages. Cited 31 March 2019. Online: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34520784/leonard-burford.

Emurian, Ernest K. “Jesus Calls Us.” Living Stories of Famous Hymns. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1955.

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

Smith, Jane Stuart and Betty Carlson. “Cecil Francis Alexander (1823–1895).” Favorite Women Hymn Writers. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1990.

Wiegand, John P., Editor, Praise For The Lord, Nashville, TN:  Praise Press, 1997.