Scripture Verse

They sailed to the re­gion of the [Ga­da­renes], which is across the lake from Ga­li­lee. When Je­sus stepped ashore, He was met by a de­mon-pos­sessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. Luke 8:26-27

Introduction

portrait
The Gadarene Demoniac
William Brassey Hole (1846–1917)

Words: So­phia T. Gris­wold, in The Prize, by George Root (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Root & Ca­dy, 1870), page 40. Some hym­nals give the ly­ri­cist as Pau­li­na, Gris­wold’s pseu­do­nym.

Music: Elâ­zığ George F. Root, 1870 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
George F. Root (1820–1895)

Lyrics

Oh, dread on the mount­ains the shriek of des­pair,
The foam on the lip, and the eye­balls’ red glare;
And hot as the de­sert the blast of his breath,
Who comes with the fiends from the dwell­ings of death.

The Sav­ior be­holds him—the spir­its un­clean
Cry out through the lips of the poor Ga­da­rene;
Accursed—man de­fy­ing, they go at a word,
Entreating, be­seech­ing and own­ing their Lord.

Oh, dread in the soul is the pre­sence of sin,
Sweet peace takes her flight as the tempt­er comes in;
And on­ly the pow­er of God in the heart
Can say to the spir­its of evil, De­part.