Hymns & Hymns Writers: For Christ and The Church

This hymn was created in 1890 by Hewitt and Kirkpatrick. They also collaborated on “Stepping in the Light” in 1889 and “Who Will Follow Jesus?” in 1891. One source states that Kirkpatrick and John S. Sweeney were two people that published her works.

Eliza Edmunds Hewitt (1851-1920), Lyricist

Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was born June 28, 1851 in Philadelphia, PA to James and Zeruiah Edmunds. She was valedictorian of her class, and she became a public school teacher. She was injured by a student with a large piece of slate. This required her to be in a cast and the injury forced her to quit teaching for a period. She turned to singing and writing, perhaps due to the influence of her cousin, Edgar Stites, who was a hymnist. In time, she was able to return to teaching which she did in Bible Classes operated by the Methodist and Presbyterian Church. In addition to the songs she did with Kirkpatrick, she also wrote: “More About Jesus,” “Stepping in the Light,” and “There Is Sunshine In My Soul” which is on her tombstone. You may see works under a pseudonym, Lidie H. Edmunds. She was also close friends with Fanny J. Crosby. She died in Philadelphia on April 24, 1920 and is buried in Woodlands Cemetery.

William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921), Composer

On February 27, 1838, William James Kirkpatrick was born in Keerogue, County Tyrone, Ireland.   His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Storey Kirkpatrick.  The family migrated to the United States settling in Philadelphia in 1840, but William came over later. William’s parents were schoolmaster and musician, so he received musical training at a very young age.  He traveled to America in 1854 where he learned to play the cello, flute, organ, violin, and other instruments.  In 1855 he used his talents and education with the Methodist Episcopal Church, plus he joined Hayden Sacred Music Society that broadened his exposure to composers.  He also wrote under a pseudonym of Annie F. Bourne. He published his first work, Devotional Melodies, in 1859.  He married Sara Lankford Kellog in 1861.  He enlisted in the 91st Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers as a Fife-Major shortly after his marriage, but the position was terminated in 1862.  He continued his work with the Episcopal Methodist Church.  He would eventually go into the music business with John R. Sweeney and they published over 49 major works together.  When Kirkpatrick’s wife died in 1878, he devoted his time to music composition.  He re-married in 1893 and traveled the world.  He continued to publish compositions, over a hundred.  One night, he had a tune he wanted to write down, so his wife went on to bed.  She found him dead the next morning, September 20, 1921. He was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, PA. He left us some wonderful music we often sing:  “A Wonderful Savior Is Jesus My Lord,” “Lead Me To Calvary,” Lord, I’m Coming Home,” “He Hideth My Soul,” “O To Be Like Thee,” “We Have An Anchor,” “Stepping in the Light,” “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah,” and others.

For Christ And The Church

This song is about commitment, a call to action! There are all kinds of slogans to inspire emotions and a response (i.e., “Remember the Alamo!” “Don’t Tread On Me” “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”). Perhaps “For Christ and the Church” was written for such purpose.

What inspires such rallying cries? What would inspire such a rallying cry for us? Christ is our King. He is king in the Kingdom of Truth. He fought and died for the establishment of His Kingdom and the redemption of His subjects. He watches over us until the day comes when we can join Him in His Father’s kingdom. Someone certainly worth rallying to!

What should our response to this call be? What are we being rallied to do in this song? We worship Him with our voices in song, prayer, and teaching. We honor Him and stand for the truth. We live lives of purity, bravery, and strength. We give of our talents, our resources, and our time. Because of Christ and His Church, we can set aside such things as self, pride, and fear and live a life dedicated to Him, even one that requires us to bear the cross.

Some attempt to interpose someone or something between Christ and His Church. We need to be reminded and teach others that Christ is the Head and the Church is His Body. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus: “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23 NKJV). Certainly no wife would accept any substitute for her husband than the man she married, and no man would accept any substitute for the woman who has vowed to be his wife. When such happens, we know that something is amiss. Some attempt to usurp Jesus as the head of the church, or they lord over His flock and attempt to transform the church into their design rather than His. Sadly, some cry that they want Jesus, but they abandoned or have rejected the church. While a congregation may have imperfect people, these people are the Lord’s people. What would the Lord think of someone who claimed to be loyal to Him but rejected His people? “For Christ and The Church” should be a reminder of Christ’s loyalty to us and our loyalty to Him. A rallying cry: “For Christ and The Church!”

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SOURCES:

“E. E. Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 30 June 2019. https://hymnary.org/person/Hewitt_EE.

“Eliza Edmunds Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 30 June 2019. Online: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/h/e/w/hewitt_ees.htm.

“Eliza Edmunds Hewitt.” No Pages. Cited 30 June 2019. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6688760.

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

“Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus,” No pages. Cited 30 July 2017. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%27Tis_So_Sweet_to_Trust_in_Jesus.

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

“William J. Kirkpatrick,” No pages. Cited 30 July 2017. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Kirkpatrick.