A Song from Sadness

Horatio Spafford was a very successful business man.  His understanding and expertise in real estate and law had set him high above most men in his day.  That was until October, 1871.  On Sunday, October 8th, in the early morning hours, the city of Chicago, Illinois began to burn.  When the flames were finally dosed and the embers began to cool; Horatio Spafford had lost almost all of this wealth.  What made his loss even more difficult was that he had just previously lost his only son at the age of four.  His physician and friend encourage him to get away with his family and spend some days in Europe.  He agreed, but before he could leave, he was called away for some last minute re-zoning issues caused by the Chicago fire.

Horatio sent his wife and four daughters ahead and assured them he would follow shortly.  However, after a week sailing the Atlantic, their vessel, the SS Ville de Havre, struck another ship and sank in just a short time.  Over 200 of her passengers perished in the accident, only 60 had survived.  Once the survivors arrived in Wales, Anna Spafford (Horatio’s wife) sent him this cable; “Saved alone…what shall I do?”  All four of his daughters were lost to the icy Atlantic.  As he rushed to his wife’s side, the ship he sailed on passed near the site of the earlier collision, and Spafford wrote the following words;

“When peace like a river attendth my way, when sorrows like sea billows role.  Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say…’It is well with my soul.’ “

You have most likely sang three of the verses to this song which was originally named, ‘Ville de Havre’ after the doomed vessel.  But Horatio Spafford eventually wrote 5 more verses.  Remembering this terrific lose, you can see his exceptional faith in the words of this hymn written in 1873.  Notice these words and see the faith and trust in this man;

“Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul.”

“My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!”

“For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life, Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.”

“But Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, the sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.”

In difficult times we reach out for comfort.  Thanks to this man of old for encouraging us to stay close and hold fast to the faith we have in our God.  The closing verse and chorus I’m sure you well know…

“And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.  It is well, with my soul…it is well, it is well with my soul!”