The Witness

The Real Story Behind the Song

There have been many printed references to this story and connected it to the great American band leader, Tommy Dorsey.

But the classic gospel song "Precious Lord Take My Hand" was actually written by a different man with the same name.

The trombonist and band leader named Tommy Dorsey was born in 1905 and died in 1956.

Thomas Andrew Dorsey the composer of "Precious Lord Take My Hand" was a jazz pianist and composer was born in 1899 and died in 1993.
He is regarded by many as the father of gospel music.
After a successful career as a blues musician, he switched to gospel music.
For more than 40 years, he was the choir director Chicago's Pilgrim Baptist Church.

The actual story of the tragic death of his wife is a bit different from the eRumor.

In an account in his own words written for Guideposts Magazine, Dorsey said he was actually scheduled to be in St. Louis to sing for a revival.
He had anxiety about going because his wife was in her 9th month of pregnancy
When he left his home to head for St. Louis, he realized that he had forgotten his music case, so he returned to get it and found his wife sleeping.
He stood next to her and felt that something was telling him to stay home. 
He decided to leave and headed back to his car for the drive to the meetings.
The next night at the revival and after he had finished singing, a telegram was handed to him that said his wife had just died.
He returned home to learn that his wife had given birth to a baby boy before she died.
Before the night was over, the baby had died as well.
Dorsey went through a difficult period after that.
He said he wanted to give up serving the Lord and go back to jazz.
One of the thoughts that haunted him was whether his reluctance to leave his pregnant wife had been a leading from God and whether he had been disobedient by ignoring it.
He vowed that he would never be insensitive to such a leading again.
It was during a subsequent visit to a friend that he sat down at a piano and found himself at peace and a melody being played.
That became the song "Precious Lord Take My Hand."
Dorsey wrote, "As the Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power. And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home."

Easter Morning Invitation

for the 2% who don't know - click on the picture to enlarge

Arminian Antics #86

Shameleon

Witnessing

Be a Christian this Halloween

Why not show some common grace this Halloween and give candy to the children.

You may not like the holiday or all the costumes but you can include Gospel tracts with the sweets.

Use this time for spreading treats and tracts.

Cotton Adams - Home At Last

April 26, 1761

Pastor Finn,

Thank you for the kind words in your letter. Even though, we haven't seen each other in more'n fifteen years, I still feel the friendship and brotherly love from your pen.

You asked about the time I saw the famous circuit riding Calvinist, Cotton Adams.

I will never forget the day he rode into our town. It caused quite a stir among the townsfolk of Sandy Ridge. To this day, people jaw about the foggy, Sunday morning when Cotton Adams appeared on horseback. The bridge over Sims Creek looked as if a cloud just decided to lay down on the river. It almost seemed like he was coming from Heaven, the way the clouds covered his horse, Calico, up to his knees.

Cotton Adams was quite famous in these parts, and we were all expecting his arrival that morning. Mr. Adams was to preach in the new Sovereign Grace Church building. The pastor, George Truman, was an old friend of Cotton's. Fact is, the Church was started because of Mr. Adams' strong sermon series on Heaven and Hell. He was returning to bless us with his spiritual leadership and promised to help with the selection of deacons. 

I can understand why our pastor broke into uncontrollable tears and moaning when he went to help Cotton down from his horse that early morn. You see, Calico had brought into our town, the lifeless body of a man who had sacrificed his worldly treasures for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Cotton Adams must have gone to be with the Lord just hours before.

He had a well-worn hymnal in his hand, as was his habit of singing to the Lord as he traversed the acres of forests and farmlands between towns. He had hand-written one hymn that was found tucked in his saddle:

Depth of mercy, can there be

Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face;
Would not hearken to His calls:
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

Chorus:
Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Bow Your ear, in mercy bow;
Pardon and accept me now.

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands;
God is love, I know, I feel,
Jesus pleads, and loves me still.
Why to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above.
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

If I rightly read Your heart,
If You all compassion art,
Bow Your ear, in mercy bow;
Pardon and accept me now.
Now incline me to repent;
Let me now my fall lament:
Now my foul revolt deplore;
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Cotton Adams, I only wish I could have heard your voice once more. Your singing alone, would bring conviction on the hurting souls who listened. Your presence seemed to be like one who had been with the angels of God. I know you are worshiping the living Savior, face to face now.

The township has decided to publish his journals and distribute them at cost. Preachers, of course, get a free copy to inspire your work in the Lord. My prayer is that they will bless many and remind all that our life is His and His alone!

Your friend,

Thomas Sawyer

Every Trial Needs a Witness

Witness with E's

For the Kids

Here is part of a tract I did many years ago. Thought you might enjoy it.

You can enjoy it more by clicking on it!
The last page is missing so you might want
to finish it yourself.

Leave Your Tracts Behind

Here is the front page and opening pages of another tract I did several years ago that is still available from Good News Publishers:

 http://www.crossway.org/contributor/eddings.eddie

I get no royalties from this - I was paid outright for my work.

This is for evangelism purposes. Please keep plenty of tracts on hand, in the car, by the door of your home, in your wallet or purse, in your Bible, or use as bookmarks in some other book. Planting these seeds of Truth can be rewarding in more ways than one. Take some time and plant some tracts at the public library. Find a row of books (maybe pick a certain subject that could use some tracts, like teen fiction or witchcraft) place a stack of tracts on a shelf, then open each book on your row and stick a tract inside. It's that easy!

Anyone have more ideas for sowing some gospel seeds? ...or what to say when giving a tract to someone?

Gospel Gun

The OTHER Eddie Eddings

These albums, I have recently posted, are my father's. He was the original "Eddie" Eddings. He was an extremely gifted musician. He could play piano, banjo, fiddle, mandolin or guitar. I idolized him as a child. He wrote songs recorded by many country western stars including, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Earnest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely, among others. He was a talented singer as well, and had a promising career. But he was also an alcoholic and an agnostic. He mocked the faith and turned from a larger-than-life personality into a demon-possessed wife-beater. I have very few good memories of him during my childhood. But, I loved him.
My mother divorced him when I was ten. My first step-father was an atheist, the next step-father, a man by the name of Beau Deal, believed the Bible was true, although he didn't live it himself. (We actually smoked marijuana together one evening) I was a rock musician by then, and my drug of choice was LSD. God used Beau and my mother, who no longer agreed with the atheism of my former step-dad,  to point me in the right direction. One evening, I came home, after taking way too much LSD, and couldn't control my mental state. While I was being carried off by paramedics, he placed an old Bible in my hands. I, of course, couldn't read in my mind-warping condition but, the pictures I could understand. I hadn't seen that Bible since my grandmother used to tell me of the stories - using the same paintings - of Jesus and His virgin birth, sinless life, death and resurrection. I gripped that Bible and wouldn't let go as I stayed up all night in the hospital going through demonic hallucinations.
When God saved me months later, I visited my dad, who lived on the north side of Houston, Texas. I gave my testimony of saving grace while I saw his visage change to a hatred that had always scared me. I was shaking, literally.
Years passed, and as I grew in the Lord, I was no longer afraid of him. I witnessed to him many times after that, as did others. As far as I know, he remained an agnostic till the day he died.
I spoke at his funeral and shared the Gospel with everyone there. I could see many country western musicians who attended who had the same problems.
His music is now being found on several CD's and rockabilly blogs. I just wanted to share a little about his life. I wasn't there the day he died. I visited him a few days before and shared the Gospel for the final time. I do miss him.

Joe Tract

Here is a tract I did for Good News publishers years ago. It is still selling well. One note to all my Calvinist friends - this is not the original ending. I had an Arminian friend who worked at American Tract Society edit it. It wasn't my decision. When he was at ATS we had a few head butting conversations about my Calvinistic beliefs. We are still friends - but he removed all my "Calvinism" from the written text. I no longer have the original wording but, his use of "oft" is a little ancient in my opinion. I kidded him about it at the Christian Booksellers convention while he was talking to John Piper's son. Anyway, that's some background so you know I haven't turned into an Arminian.

Game Over

 Here is a link to more tracts I have done for Good News Publishers

Neither Nor

Album to Avoid

If anyone has a clue to what songs are on this album

please let us know. It helps with the joke.

Eddie's Advice Column #3

Dear Eddie,
When I formed our Christian Rock group, "Dirt & Spittle", a year ago, I believed everyone in the band was a follower of Christ. Well, we are now having trouble with our drummer, Mucus Langley. Seems he has a drinking problem like his father. Each night we perform he will disappear after the first set. When we are about to conclude our gig, he always stands up and drunkenly yells, "Hallelujah" and collapes on his drums, knocking everything over, including himself. What should we do?
Your fan,
Paul McCarkey

Dear Paul,
Your friend seems to be swallowing in his father's footsteps.
First, witness to him. You might begin with Psalm 141:10 from the New Living Translation: "The wicked fall into their own snares, but let me escape."
If he doesn't repent, call KFC and order a pair of drumsticks to be delivered to his house with the note: "Dude, until your heart is right with God, these are the only drumsticks you will be allowed to use. Until then, you are being replaced by a drum machine. Meanwhile, I am here if you need to talk."
I am sending you, free of charge, "The Gospel of John for Drummers". It is no different from any other Gospel of John. It just has a specialized cover that depicts Lazarus and the sons of Zebedee playing drums in Heaven.
Your friend,
Eddie

Happy Resurrection Day!

Fundamentally, our Lord's message was Himself.
He did not come merely to preach a Gospel;
He himself is that Gospel.
He did not come merely to give bread;
He said, "I am the bread."
He did not come merely to shed light;
He said, "I am the light."
He did not come merely to show the door;
He said, "I am the door."
He did not come merely to name a shepherd;
He said, "I am the shepherd."
He did not come merely to point the way;
He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
J. Sidlow Baxter

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved.
(Rom. 10:9)