Irenic Thoughts

Irenic. The word means peaceful. This web log (or blog) exists to create an ongoing, and hopefully peaceful, series of comments on the life of King of Peace Episcopal Church. This is not a closed community. You are highly encouraged to comment on any post or to send your own posts.

10/29/2009

If you want to mean the words more

James Keifer's brief online biography for former Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple (1881-1944) tells of an inspirational moment in a revival service:
William TempleIn 1931, at the end of the Oxford Mission (what is known in many Protestant circles as a Revival Meeting), he led a congregation in the University Church, St Mary the Virgin, in the singing of the hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." Just before the last stanza, he stopped them and asked them to read the words to themselves. "Now," he said, if you mean them with all your heart, sing them as loud as you can. If you don't mean them at all, keep silent. If you mean them even a little and want to mean them more, sing them very softly." The organ played, and two thousand voices whispered:
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
For many who participated, it was a never-forgotten experience.

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1 Comments:

  • At 10/30/2009 9:46 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Thanks for sharing this with us. Wherever did you find this story? Have you read a book about William Temple? Please let us know. THANKS!

     

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