Scripture Verse

Introduction

Anecdotes

When the world-re­nowned lay preach­er, Dwight Ly­man Moo­dy, lay on his death bed in his North­field, Mas­sa­chu­setts, home, Will Thomp­son made a spe­cial vi­sit to in­quire as to his con­di­tion. The at­tend­ing phy­si­cian re­fused to ad­mit him to the sick room, and Moo­dy heard them talk­ing just out­side the bed­room door.

Recognizing Thomp­son’s voice, he called for him to come to his bed side. Tak­ing the Ohio po­et-com­pos­er by the hand, the dy­ing ev­an­gel­ist said, Will, I would ra­ther have writ­ten ‘Soft­ly and Ten­der­ly Je­sus Is Call­ing’ than any­thing I have been able to do in my whole life.

Emurian, p. 109

This hymn was sung at a me­mor­ial ser­vice for Am­er­ican ci­vil rights lead­er Mar­tin Lut­her King, at the Eb­en­ez­er Bap­tist Church, At­lan­ta, Geor­gia, April 8, 1968, and in the 1985 Aca­de­my Award win­ning mo­vie Trip to Boun­ti­ful.