Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No.19
Count Your Blessings
- Hymn Story
“Men sing it, boys whistle, and women rock their babies to sleep to the tune.” So said Gipsy Smith of this gospel song. And indeed it has been a perennial source of blessings, inspiration, and thanksgiving to many “overburdened, weary hearts.” One biographer points out that the cheery-hearted “Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch” (Alice Hegan Rice) had a large part in making the song popular.
Stanza 1 views life as a sea that at time has such high billows that one tends to become discouraged, thinking all is lost. Oatman is saying, “Begin to count your blessings – not merely collectively, but also individually – and you will be surprised to see all that the Lord has done for you.” Stanza 2 refers to the doubts that sometimes assail a person in times of heavy problems. Again, he says, “Don’t give in to the doubts. Count your blessings, and every doubt will disappear. Moreover, you will find yourself singing as the days go by.” Instead of coveting the possessions of others, “the. Author pleads, “set your mind and affection on eternal things that money cannot buy.”
Stanza 4 depicts life as a conflict – sometimes great and sometimes small. “Do not be discouraged,” the author suggests, “God is over all, and He sends unnumbered blessings – His angels to help and comfort you to your journey’s end.”
The refrain reemphasizes the counting of one’s blessings, making doubly clear the fact that if one centres his thoughts on God rather than on self and circumstances, he will have a happier and more useful life.
We have little data with regard to the author of “Count Your Blessings.” He was born somewhere up East.” (Perhaps Lumberton, New Jersey), had a magnificent voice, and it is said that at church his son always chose a seat next to his father so that he might listen to the voice he admired so much. Perhaps the son’s inability to sing well caused him to admire his father’s talent even more.
When Oatman reached maturity, his father made him a partner in the family firm. But the heavy work schedule of merchantry interfered with the work Oatman wanted to do for the Lord. Eventually, he relinquished his partnership in the business and entered the ministry. The Methodist Episcopal Church ordained him and assigned him to a church in the New Jersey Conference. Again his sphere of service seemed too restrictive, so he decided to travel from church to church, giving the gospel message.
Though he was never a great preacher, Oatman did his best and won many souls to the Lord. Finally, at age thirty-six, he found an outlet that seemed to satisfy him: he could preach to millions by means of sermons in song.
More than 5000 song texts are attributed to this man. His works emphasized the greatness and saving power of Jesus Christ and urged people to live on a higher plane for the Lord. For most of his poems, it is said, he would accept only a nominal one-dollar payment for each. Other works of his include “Higher Ground” (1892) and “No, Not One” (1895).
In Norman, September 25, 1922, Mr. Oatman “scaled the utmost height” to which he referred in “Higher Ground” and entered the ranks of the redeemed to join with them in the song of heaven.
The music for this song (BLESSINGS) was composed in 1897 by Edwin Othello Excell of Stark County, Ohio. Mr. Excell was a brick mason, a singing-teacher, a music publisher, and an evangelistic singer with both Sam Jones and Gipsy Smith. By the time he died while on a campaign with Gypsy Smith in Lousville, Kentucky (June 10, 1921), he was recognized as one of the greatest song leaders of his day.
[Extracted and Edited from Treasury of Great Hymns and their stories by Guye Johnson]
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee