I need Thee every hour.

The old hymn "I need Thee every hour" keeps coming to my mind. We don't seem to sing it so much these days, but to me it remains a daily prayer. It was composed by Annie S Hawkes, the chorus was added on by Robert Lowry. It was first sung at a Sunday School convention held in Cincinnati in 1872 and immediately became popular, spreading from there to all parts of the world. It has been translated into many languages.

This hymn was used in Changi Prison. In his book Campaigning in Captivity, Arch R Wiggins tells the story of the conversion of a backslider when he was a prisoner in the prison camp. He recalled, "The night was pitch dark, and a sailor friend and myself were walking across a meadow when a chorus reached my ears:

"I need Thee, O I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee."

"We stopped to listen and I found myself joining in the quiet singing. Then a voice within said,'Yes, and you need Him.' I discovered that the singing was coming from the Salvation Army 'Citadel.'On the next Sunday I went to the meeting and found Jesus again."

A number of Salvation Army officers we knew personally were at that meeting. Lieut. Colonel Herbert Lord, Adjutant Frederick Harvey, Captain Stan Cottrill, Major Will Price and a many other salvationist servicemen were present. It was Major Price who wrote the sign outside the hall, "The Salvation Army Citadel" So we can say, this old hymn or song was one of the favourites of the first Changi Corps right within the Prison compound!

Here's something else I found among my notes in my scrapbook. When the writer Miss Hawkes was old and feeble, the man who wrote the music,Mr. W Martin visited her and she asked him to sing. He responded with "I shall sing my favourite hymn - I need thee every hour." She was surprised to know it was the one he loved the best. She said to him, "I will sing MY favourite hymn - "God will take care of you" one that he had written.

So two persons whose inspired poetry and music have blessed thousands were able to comfort one another in their old age. May the songs live on.

This song is not in our Salvation Army Song Book, but I recall when as a young officer (pastor) in Malacca Corps (church) (1954-1957) it was one of our favourites in this Hokkien speaking congregation. We used a Chinese Hymnal.

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Chorus
God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.

All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.

No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.

We often sing the chorus at the Peacehaven chapel service we conduct every Tuesday.
The older I get, the more I need Him, yes every moment of the day. And I get the assurance "God will take care of you."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------