O for grace to trust Him more!

As a teen­ag­er in Dover, England, Louisa Stead (1850-1917), author of the great old hymn, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, was said to have "felt called to be a mis­sion­a­ry." She emigrated to Am­er­i­ca at age 21, living in Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio.

"She at­tend­ed a camp meet­ing in Ur­ba­na, Ohio, where she felt the call to be a mis­sion­ary ev­en strong­er.  However, due to her frail health, she was un­a­ble to go to China and serve. So in 1875, decided to settle down and have a family instead," says an online biography.

She married William Stead in 1875 and they had a daughter, Lily. Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck describes this major tragedy to soon hit the young family:

“When the child was four years of age, the family decided one day to enjoy the sunny beach at Long Island Sound, New York. While eating their picnic lunch, they suddenly heard cries of help and spotted a drowning boy in the sea. Mr. Stead charged into the water. As often happens, however, the struggling boy pulled his rescuer under water with him, and both drowned before the terrified eyes of wife and daughter. Out of her ‘why?’ struggle with God during the ensuing days glowed these meaningful words from the soul of Louisa Stead."

From another biography: "Without her husband, Louisa and her daughter became destitute. Around 1880, she emigrated to Cape Colony, South Af­ri­ca, where she finally served as a mis­sion­a­ry for 15 years. There she ­mar­ried a Ro­bert Wode­house, but her health declined and she returned to Am­er­i­ca in 1895 to re­co­ver. When she had, she returned to the mis­sion field in southern Rho­de­sia in 1901 with her husband, who has pastored a Methodist congregation. There, her daugh­ter Li­ly was mar­ried and be­came a mis­sion­a­ry herself, following in her mother’s footsteps." 

Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, "Thus says the Lord!"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

(new article tomorrow)