[Biblemat] hymn study, "O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink"

[Wayne S Walker]

Wayne Walker here with another weekly hymn study.

"O FOR A FAITH THAT WILL NOT SHRINK"
"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 Jn.
5:4)

     INTRO.:  A hymn which asks God to help us have the faith that
overcomes the world is "O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink" (#581 in
Hymns for Worship Revised).  The text was written by William Hiley Bragge
Bathurst, who was born at Clevedale near Bristol, England, on Aug. 28,
1796, the son of Charles Bragge, a one-time member of Parliament from
Bristol, who changed his name to Bathurst when he succeeded to his
uncle's estate at Lydney Park in Gloucestershire.  William was educated
at Winchester and at Christ Church College of Oxford, from which he
gratduated in 1818, and became an Anglican minister the following year. 
Beginning in 1820, he served at Barwick-in-Elmet near Leeds for 32 years.

     During this time Bathurst completed his Psalms and Hymns for Public
and Private Use in 1830, published in 1831, from which this hymn,
originally entitled "The Power of Faith," is taken.  He also produced A
Translation of the Georgics of Virgil and Metrical Musings or Thoughts on
Sacred Subjects in Verse, both in 1849.  In 1852, he resigned his
ministry because of an inability to reconcile his doctrinal views with
certain portions of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, especially
regarding the baptismal and burial services, and retired to private life
at Darley Dale near Matlock.  On the death of an older brother in 1863,
he succeeded to the family estate at Lydney Park in Gloucestershire,
where he died on Nov. 25, 1877.

     All told, Bathurst is credited with over 200 hymn texts as well as
The Roman Antiquities of Lydney Park which was published posthumously in
1879.  Various emendations have been made to the the text of this hymn
over the years, and several tunes have been used with it.  Most of our
books have used a tune (Azmon) composed in 1828 by Carl Gotthelf Glaser
(1784-1829).  It was arranged as a hymntune in 1839 by Lowell Mason
(1792-1872). Since this melody is most commonly associated with Isaac
Watts's "I'm Not Ashamed to Own My Lord," another beautiful tune was
composed for Bathurst's text by Lloyd Otis Sanderson (1901-1992).  It
most likely was first published in the 1935 Christian Hymns (No. 1)
edited by Sanderson and others for The Gospel Advocate Co. of Nashville,
TN.

     Among other hymnbooks published by members of the Lord's church
during the twentieth century for use in churches of Christ, the song
appeared in the 1921 Great Songs of the Church (No. 1) and the 1937 Great
Songs of the Church No. 2 both edited by E. L. Jorgenson; the 1948
Christian Hymns No. 2 and the 1966 Christian Hymns No. 3 also both edited
by Sanderson with his tune; the 1963 Abiding Hymns edited by Robert C.
Welch; and the 1963 Christian Hymnal, with at tune (Martyrdom or Avon) by
Hugh Wilson often used in our books with "When Morning Lights the Eastern
Skies" from Psalm 143, edited by J. Nelson Slater.  Today it may be found
in the 1971 Songs of the Church, the 1990 Songs of the Church 21st C.
Ed., and the 1994 Songs of Faith and Praise all edited by Alton H.
Howard; the 1978/1983 Church Gospel Songs and Hymns edited by V. E.
Howard; the 1986 Great Songs Revised edited by Forrest M. McCann; and the
1992 Praise for the Lord edited by John P. Wiegand; as well as Hymns for
Worship Revised (previous editions had words only).

     This song expresses a yearning for the kind of faith that is
pleasing to God.

I. According to stanza 1, we need a faith that will not shrink.
"O for a faith that will not shrink, Though pressed by every foe,
That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe."
 A. Rather than shrinking back to perdition, we should have faith to the
saving of our souls: Heb. 10.39
 B. The reason for this is that we have foe who goes about as a roaring
lion seeking whom he may devour: 1 Pet. 5.8
 C. Yet, so long as the Lord is our helper, we have nothing before which
to tremble or be afraid: Heb. 13.5-6

II. According to stanza 2, we need a faith that will not complain
"That will not murmur or complain Beneath the chastening rod,
But, in the hour of grief or pain, Will lean upon its God."
 A. There will be many times that we may be tempted to murmur or
complain, but we must not do so: Phil. 2.14-15
 B. One of the things that might often lead to murmuring and complaining
is the chastening of the Lord: Heb. 12.5-11
 C. However, when we find ourselves tempted in hours of grief or pain to
murmur or complain, we should lean upon God and ask Him to help our
unbelief: Mk. 9.23-24

III. According to stanza 3, we need a faith that will not doubt
"A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without;
That when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt!"
 A. The "tempests" symbolize the trials and tribulations that come upon
all of God's people at one time or another: 1 Pet. 4.12-13
 B. Again, in whatever danger we may find ourselves, we do not need to
fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul: Matt. 10.28
 C. Rather, Jesus tells us that we should have faith and not doubt in
order to receive God's blessings: Matt. 21.21-22

IV. According to stanza 4, we need a faith that will stand up to Satan
"That bears, unmmoved, the world's dread frown, Nor heeds its scornful
smile;
That seas of trouble cannot drown, Nor Satan's arts beguile."
 A. The Christian can bear, unmoved, the world's dread frown because he
is no longer conformed to this world but transformed: Rom. 12.1-2
 B. The seas of trouble cannot drown him because he knows that God will
not allow him to be tempted beyond what he is able to bear: 1 Cor. 10.13
 C. Therefore, when he is attacked by Satan's darts, he can protect
himself with the shield of faith: Eph. 6.16

V. According to stanza 5, we need a faith that will keep the narrow way
"A faith that keeps the narrow way Till life's last hour is fled,
And with a pure and heavenly ray Lights up a dying bed."
 A. To reach eternal life, we must enter the strait gate and travel the
narrow way: Matt. 7.13-14
 B. And we must continue to do this until life's last hour is fled, being
faithful until death: Rev. 2.10
 C. Those who approach the end of life with this kind of faith will light
up their dying bed because they will have been released from fear of
death by Christ: Heb. 2.14-15

VI. According to stanza 6, we need a faith that comes from God
"Lord, give us such a faith as this; And then, whate'er may come,
We'll taste e'en here the hallowed bliss Of an eternal home."
 A. Like the apostles, we need to look to the Lord and ask His grace to
increase our faith: Lk. 17.5-6
 B. However, we must remember that God does not "give us such a faith as
this" by opening our heads and just pouring it in; it comes by hearing
His word: Rom. 10.17
 C. Yet, for those who work with the Lord to develop this kind of faith,
it will provide in this life bliss and in the world to come an eternal
home: Mk. 10.29-30

     CONCL.:  Augustine said, "Faith is to believe what we do not see,
and the reward of faith is to see what we believe."  When we become
discouraged, it is easy to allow our faith to grow weak, even to the
point that we consider giving up.  However, one of the primary attributes
of spiritual growth and maturity is a faith that will persevere in the
face of adversity.  If faith is real, it will stand the test.  Therefore,
every child of God should be praying to the Father, "O For a Faith That
Will Not Shrink."

      Brotherly,
Wayne S. Walker
9024 Amona Dr.
Affton, MO  63123
home phone: (314) 638-4710
office phone: (314) 544-1612
e-mail: wswalker310 at juno.com
website: www.defenderoftruth.com

     Notes: Other hymn studies are available at the Defender of Truth
website.  Also, some of my previous hymn studies are now included in book
that I have written entitled Songs of Zion.  It can be ordered from the
publisher by calling 1-800-423-2484 or going to www.faith-facts.com.  And
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