Scripture Verse

Introduction

Introduction

Background

In its pre­sent form this hymn was wrought out of a bi­tter ex­pe­ri­ence in the life of Sir Wal­ter Shir­ley, who was at the time Rec­tor of Lough­rea in the Coun­ty of Gal­way, Ire­land.

His bro­ther, the Earl of Fer­rars, a man of ev­il ha­bits, en­gaged in a quar­rel with one of his ser­vants, who had long been in his em­ploy, and in the pas­sion of his an­ger he mur­dered the old man. He was at once im­pris­oned; and Shir­ley, though mor­ti­fied by the ter­ri­ble dis­grace which the re­volt­ing crime had brought upon his fa­mi­ly, jour­neyed to his bro­ther’s pri­son and re­mained near him dur­ing the dis­tress­ing weeks that fo­llowed.

The Earl was tried, con­vict­ed, and sen­tenced to be hanged at Ty­burn. Aft­er the ex­e­cu­tion Shir­ley, worn out by his long vi­gil and hu­mil­i­at­ed in spi­rit, re­turn­ing to his par­ish, find­ing com­fort on­ly in the cross of Je­sus Christ.

Discovering an im­pe­rfect ex­press­ion of his em­o­tions at that time in a hymn, O How Hap­py Are the Mo­ments, by the Rev. James Al­len, he adapt­ed and re­vised the hymn so com­plet­ely that it be­came prac­tic­al­ly a new com­po­si­tion, tru­ly po­et­ic in lang­uage and form, and ten­der­ly el­o­quent of his own ex­pe­ri­ence.

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