Women of The Hymnal
I have this old hymnal that I took from church several years back. It says First Baptist Church on the cover, and sticking out the side is a mess of color-coded tabs leading to all my favorite hymns. I like to use my hymnal as part my regular morning devotionals, but lately it has become more of a distraction. I discovered that under the song title, in the top left corner, is the name of the person who wrote the lyrics, and I find myself Googling that person and getting sucked into their Wikipedia page instead of moving on to my Bible reading. I find it particularly interesting when I come across a woman's name—which happens more often than I would have thought—as we don’t see as much about women throughout church history.
One such person who stuck out to me is Helen Lemmel. Born in England in 1863, Helen’s family emigrated to the US when she was 12. She studied music and became a well-known singer, giving concerts at various churches throughout the Midwest. She eventually became a vocal teacher at Moody Bible Institute and later at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.
Helen's life took a drastic turn when she became blind and was subsequently left by her husband.
It was after these events that Helen wrote the words to a well-known hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
The inspiration for this hymn came from a twenty-year-old tract Helen came across by Lillian Trotter (who, by the way, had an amazing life herself, one you should definitely look up), which read “Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him.”
Look at the lyrics of the first stanza, knowing now about Helen Lemmel's circumstances when she wrote it:
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
How amazing that she was able to have that perspective! This is the kind of hope and peace we have. That even when something tragic happens, or perhaps, especially when something tragic happens, we can turn to Jesus for “life more abundant and free.”
I love learning about the lives of Christians who have come before us. Their lives inspire me and remind me that there's so much more than me and my own little life.
Bonus:
In case you're curious about a couple of the other interesting female hymn writers out there:
Louisa M R Stead wrote ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus after her husband died trying to rescue a drowning boy while they were out for a family picnic. She then went off to serve as a missionary in Africa, bringing her young daughter with her.
Or Fanny Crosby, a woman blind from infancy who led an incredibly remarkable life and wrote an estimated 2,000 hymns including To God Be the Glory, Blessed Assurance, I Am Thine O Lord, Praise Him Praise Him, and He Hideth My Soul. (Fanny Crosby's story is one I thought about writing on here, but it would have been way too long! But you should Google her yourself!)
And here is a list of other women whose lives aren't as documented, but who have left wonderful legacies:
Jennie Hussey: Lead Me to Calvary
Charitie L Bancroft: Before the Throne of God Above
Lina Sandell: Day by Day and with Each Passing Moment
Adelaide Pollard: Have Thine Own Way
Annie S Hawks: I Need Thee Every Hour
Francis Ridley Havergall: Take My Life and Let It Be
Charlotte Elliot: Just As I Am
And I'm sure there's a bunch more!
Sources:
https://womenofchristianity.com/turn-your-eyes-upon-jesus-by-helen-lemmel-hymn-story/
https://www.therogersvillereview.com/article_fe7c0f90-27b6-5aff-bc01-6883fd6e49a5.html