1846–1924

Introduction

Born: Sep­tem­ber 17, 1846, St. Aus­tell, Corn­wall.

Died: Jan­ua­ry 30, 1924, Pas­sa­ic Coun­ty, New Jer­sey.

Buried: Ce­dar Lawn Ce­me­te­ry, Pa­ter­son, New Jer­sey.

Biography

Son of an Eng­lish op­en-com­mun­ion Bap­tist, Of­ford emi­grat­ed to Am­er­ica in 1870. He was as­so­ci­at­ed for some time with the Me­tho­dists, but joined the Dutch Re­formed Church in 1878. In ad­di­tion to writ­ing, he ed­it­ed the New York Ob­serv­er.

Works

Poem

The Poet’s Desire

I would dip my pen in the sapphire blue
Of the arch that is o’er us spread,
I would write the love of my God so true
And His gift of our daily bread.

I would dip my pen in the sun’s bright flame,
As it chases the shades of night,
And the Christ of God to the world proclaim
As the only enduring light.

I would dip my pen in the Saviour’s tears,
I would picture His tender heart,
Till the child of woe should forget his fears,
And be healed of his sorrow’s smart.

I would dip my pen in the crimson flood
As it falls from the tree of shame,
Till the world should learn of the cleansing blood,
And the glorious saving name.

Robert Marshall Offord
Heart-Song, 1895

Sources

Lyrics

  1. Come, My Soul, Thy Songs Pre­pare
  2. Come un­to Me, O Pre­cious Words
  3. Help Me Sing My Sav­ior’s Worth
  4. How Brief the Life We Live Be­low
  5. It Is No Un­tried Way
  6. Jesus, Heed Me, Lost and Dy­ing
  7. Jesus Weep­ing, Sin­ner, See
  8. Just as I Am, O Lord
  9. Lo a Ris­en Lord We Sing
  10. Nobody Knows the Bur­dens I Bear
  11. Not in Some Clois­tered Cell
  12. O Carry Thy Bur­dens No Long­er
  13. O How Much to Thee I Owe
  14. Our God Hath Not For­sak­en Us
  15. Preach the Gos­pel as You Go
  16. Somewhere To­night
  17. Tell the Sto­ry
  18. Thy Mer­cy, Lord, Is Like the Sea
  19. We Give Thee Thanks, O God, This Day

Help Needed

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Of­ford (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),