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On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss
David R. Holsinger
Horatio G. Spafford, a Presbyterian layman, planned a European trip with his family in 1873, but unexpected business kept him in Chicago as his wife and four daughters sailed on the S.S. Ville du Havre. Short of Wales, the ship collided with another and sank quickly. Once ashore, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone." Spafford penned text out of grief and sorrow that focussed on the redemptive work of Christ, "It is well with my soul...". Hymnwriter Philip Bliss wrote music for the text.
David R. Holsinger (b. 1945) is a graduate of Central Methodist University, the University of Central Missouri, and the University of Kansas. He is a member of the music faculty at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee.
Last updated on July 5, 2013 by Palatine Concert Band