Midweek: It Is Well

Recently, I was searching for some easy-to-sing and familiar choruses. I came across the magnificent hymn, It Is Well with My Soul, by Horatio Spafford. With it, someone included a brief history of its marvelous inception. You can find the lyrics here, and after you have read the story of Spafford's writing of this hymn, I would encourage you to read back over the lyrics with fresh eyes. This excerpt is taken from a blog, Christian Discipleship Lessons: 

Horatio Gates Spafford was born in New York, on 20th October 1828, but it was in Chicago that he became well-known for his clear Christian testimony. He, and his wife Anna were active in their church, and their home was always open to visitors. They counted the world-famous evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, among their friends. They were blest with five children, and considerable wealth. Horatio was a lawyer, and owned a great deal of property in his home city.

Not unlike Job in the Old Testament of the Bible, tragedy came in great measure to this happy home. When four years old, their son, Horatio Jnr, died suddenly of scarlet fever. Then only a year later, in October 1871, a massive fire swept through downtown Chicago, devastating the city, including many properties owned by Horatio. That day, almost 300 people lost their lives, and around 100,000 were made homeless. Despite their own substantial financial loss, the Spaffords sought to demonstrate the love of Christ, by assisting those who were grief-stricken and in great need.

Two years later, in 1873, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday in England... Horatio was delayed because of business, so he sent his family ahead: his wife and their four remaining children, all daughters...

On 22nd November 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship, Ville du Havre, their vessel was struck by an iron sailing ship. Two hundred and twenty six people lost their lives, as the Ville du Havre sank within only twelve minutes.

All four of Horatio Spafford’s daughters perished, but remarkably Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. ... Anna immediately sent a telegram to her husband, which included the words “Saved alone….”

Receiving Anna’s message, he set off at once to be reunited with his wife. [Immediately after Spafford sailed past the very spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk and his daughters had perished] it is said that Spafford returned to his cabin and wrote the hymn “It is well with my soul” ...

Following this deep tragedy, Anna gave birth to three more children, but she and Horatio were not spared even more sadness, as on February 11th, 1880, their only son, Horatio (named after the brother who had died, and also after his father), also died at the age of four.

In August 1881 the Spaffords left America with a number of other like-minded Christians, and settled in Jerusalem. There they served the needy, helped the poor, and cared for the sick, and took in homeless children. Their desire was to show those living about them, the love of Jesus.

~ Christian Discipleship Lessons

Spafford -- The Story Behind the Hymn “It Is Well with My Soul”