This is a story of how that hymn we all know and sing came to be. Samuel Smith was a man of many difficult and varied accomplishments. He was an outstanding Baptist Preacher and patriot of the past century. He was and 1829 graduate of Harvard, and studied for the ministry at Andover Theological Seminary. He went on to become a successful Baptist pastor at several churches in the east. And in 1843 compiled a hymnal called The Palmist. He was later editor of The Missionary Magizine and secretary of the Baptist Missionary Union. An accomplished linguist, master of 15 languages. He traveled overseas and had started learning Russian just prior to his death at age 86. In his last year of school at Andover, this giant of our past wrote a song on a scrap of paper six inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. He later said it only took 30 minutes to write this song, which during his life, he saw become widely used and loved by those who sang it.

Actually, this song he found in German Music, and upon translating it, thought it could be adapted to our language and people. The tune for this song is the national or semi-national tune for the tune for this song is the national or semi-national tune for some 20 countries around the world. We know this song as:
 

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