Sunday's Hymn

Here’s a hymn I love. (And really, who doesn’t like this one?) I don’t think I’ve ever sung the fifth verse. Have you?

And Can It Be That I Should Gain?

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

’Tis mystery all: th’Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore;
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

—Charles Wesley

See and hear it sung by a group of young men at Christmas in (I think) a cabin.

Other hymns, worship songs, sermons etc. posted today:

(This must be double up Sunday)

• Give to Our God Immortal Praise at joythruChrist
• Forth in Thy Name, O Lord, I Go at Whatever Things…
• The Lord’s My Shepherd at Tapestry of Graces
• The Lord’s My Shepherd at Field Stone Cottage
• Lord’s Day 4, 2009 at The Thirsty Theologian
• Be a Ray of Sunshine at The Happy Wonderer
• We Sing the Glorious Conquest at Nova Scotia Scott
• We Sing the Glorious Conquest at Conjubilant With Song (This is the Sunday set aside to commemorate the conversions of Saul. This hymn, featured by both Nova Scotia Scott and Conjubilant With Song tells of the power of God’s grace in the conversion of Paul)
• Your Weekly Dose of Spurgeon at Pyromaniacs: Momento Mori and To Fetch Me Home
• All People That On Earth Do Dwell at Hiraeth

Have you posted a hymn today and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Vulgar Language

Let’s say you have 12 minutes to name the 100 most commonly used words in the English language. How many would you get?

I got 59 of them. Can you beat me?

Find out.

Mystery Artist, Guess Again

Yes, I know it’s supposed to be strike three and you’re out, but I’m having pity on you. I’m giving you one more chance to guess this week’s mystery artist. (If you’re late to the game, here are strikes one, two, and three.) This time, I’m not holding back. I’m going to get as close to giving it away as I possibly can without showing you an actual illustration from a storybook done by this author-illustrator.

First, let me show you this. This should help.

This photo from Life magazine, May 13, 1940, was the inspiration for a character who appears in many of this author’s children’s books.

Second, let me point out that I gave a significant clue in the text of yesterday’s post when I told you that this artist’s illustrations in children’s books are not from sketches or paintings.

If that’s not enough, here is a preliminary sketch our author-illustrator used in preparation for one of the storybooks.

I’m pretty sure someone will know this now. Give it your best shot. Please.

Directions to this game: I post a work done by a fairly well-known author/illustrator of classic children’s books—a piece that isn’t an illustration for a children’s book—and your job is to guess who the artist is. If no one guesses correctly with the first piece, I keep posting works until someone gets it right.