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Sunday, May 28, 2017

My faith has found a resting place

1. My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the Ever-living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain: I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

2. Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out. [Refrain]

3. My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation through His blood. [Refrain]

4. My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave. [Refrain]

Author Eliza Edmunds Hewitt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 28, 1851. She was educated in the public schools and after graduation from high school became a teacher. However, she developed a spinal malady which cut short her career and made her a shut-in for many years. During her convalescence, she studied English literature. She felt a need to be useful to her church and began writing poems for the primary department. She went on to teach Sunday school, take an active part in the Philadelphia Elementary Union and become Superintendent of the primary department of Calvin Presbyterian Church. According to Hymnary.Org, some of her songs were written under the pseudonym Lidie H. Edmunds. Find-A-Grave says she was a cousin of hymn writer Edgar Page Stites. He wrote the hymn Trusting Jesus used on page 573 in the Cooper Edition of The Sacred Harp.

I used words by her for a tune I titled HEWITT in her honor:

1. O come and walk the pilgrim way.
Beside the cross an open door!
Tho millions come theres room for more.
Tis Christ who calls you, calls today,
O come and walk the pilgrim way.

2. O come and walk the pilgrim way.
From Calvrys blessed starting place
Begins a walk of faith by grace.
Tis Christ who calls you, calls today,
O come and walk the pilgrim way.

3. O come and walk the pilgrim way.
In fellowship with Christ the King
We walk, and loud his praises sing.
Tis Christ who calls you, calls today,
O come and walk the pilgrim way.

Eliza Edmunds Hewitt died April 24, 1920, and is buried in the Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I was surprised to find out after I had chosen her words for my tune, completed it and titled the tune HEWITT (I thought about calling it Pilgrim Way), that this song was finished on the anniversary of her death.

[Much of the bio from Hymnary.Org]

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