John 20:18
Words and Music by C. Austin Miles, 1868-1946
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It was in 1912 that music publisher Dr. Adam Geibel (No.
85) asked C. Austin Miles to write a hymn text that would
be "sympathetic in tone, breathing tenderness in every
line; one that would bring hope to the hopeless, rest for
the weary, and downy pillows to dying beds."
In George W. Sanville's book, Forty Gospel Hymn Stories,
Miles has left the following account of the writing of
this hymn:
One day in March, 1912, I was seated in the dark room,
where I kept my photographic equipment and organ. I drew
my Bible toward me; it opened at my favorite chapter, John
20-whether by chance or inspiration let each reader
decide. That meeting of Jesus and Mary had lost none of
its power to charm.
As I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I
became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary's
life, when she knelt before her Lord, and cried,
"Rabboni!"
My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at the
light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be
standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a
gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in
white, with head bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to
choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It
was Mary. As she came to the tomb, upon which she place
her hand, she bent over to look in, and hurried away.
John, in flowing robe, appeared, looking at the tomb; then
came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John.
As they departed, Mary reappeared; leaning her head upon
her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw
Jesus standing, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt
before Him, with arms outstretched and looking into His
face cried "Rabboni!"
I awakened in full light, gripping the Bible, with muscles
tense and nerves vibrating. Under the inspiration of this
vision I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the
poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening I
wrote the music.
Next to "The Old Rugged Cross", this hymn has
been one of the most popular gospel hymns ever written,
beginning with the days when Homer Rodeheaver led singing
for the great Billy Sunday campaigns and used the hymn
extensively.
Quoted from "101 Hymn Stories" by Kenneth Osbeck. Kregel Publishers, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1982.
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