Everywhere He leads me, I will follow on!
Ever heard of William O. Cushing? Possibly you never have but his life was definitely not wasted. He was born in 1823 to Unitarian parents and trained as such until he was a teenager. He began to study the Word for himself and then joined the Christian church. At the age of 18 he was called to the ministry, finished his education first and then began to work for God. He pastored in Searsburg, New York, where he met Miss Hena Proper, and married her on February 4, 1854. Hena was a wonderful partner and help to him in the Church. Together, they pastored in Auburn, Brooklyn, Buffalo and Sparta, New York. Hena became ill and they returned to pastor in Searsburg. Cushing cared for his ailing wife until she passed away on July 13, 1870.
Not long after his beloved Hena had gone on to be with the Lord, Cushing also became ill. Paralysis was affecting his voice, he could no longer preach the Gospel and suddenly retired. But he didn’t want to just sit in a rocking chair and be of no use so he prayed, “Lord, still give me something to do for Thee!”
God heard his prayer and Cushing began to write; he wrote more than 300 hymns, some you might recognize today, such as:
- Ring the Bells of Heaven
- We are Waiting, We are Watching
- When He Cometh
- Hiding in Thee
- Do they Know
- There’ll be no Dark Valley
- Down in the Valley
- Beautiful Valley of Eden
- I am Waiting by the River
- The Name of Jesus and many, many more.
Cushing was also known as a noble and honorable Christian. It is said, to know him was to love him. He was very compassionate and empathized with those who were suffering, all the while ignoring his own handicap. He truly ministered to others through his giving and life’s work.
It is told that he once gave $1,000 to a girl who was blind so she could obtain an education. That would be over $20,000 today!
He wasn’t wealthy, he might even have been considered poor by his bank account that dwindled due to his kindness. His generous spirit inspired many and his songs live on to bless countless Christians.
One of the most familiar songs he penned (or that I readily recognize anyway) was Follow On, music by Robert Lowry. It was written in 1878, following much suffering, born out of Psalm 17:8, “Hide me under the shadow of your wings.”
Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the flow’rs are blooming and the sweet waters flow;
Everywhere He leads me I will follow, follow on,
Walking in His footsteps till the crown be won.
Follow! follow! I will follow Jesus!
Anywhere, everywhere, I will follow on!
Follow! follow! I will follow Jesus!
Everywhere He leads me I will follow on!
Down in the valley with my Savior I will go,
Where the storms are sweeping and the dark waters flow;
With His hand to lead me I will never, never fear,
Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.
Down in the valley, or upon the mountain steep,
Close beside my Savior will my soul ever keep;
He will lead me safely in the path that He has trod,
Up to where they gather on the hills of God.
Are you in the valley today? Discouraged or confused by your circumstances? Much pain came to the life of William Cushing but he found a way to give God praise and give back to others. He encouraged us through his hymns to love and trust God and we then will experience that peace that passes all understanding. Grab hold of that peace today and share it with someone who is hurting!
You can be the hands and feet of Jesus, and in the process, He will strengthen and encourage you.
Sharing with Good Morning Mondays, Me Coffee & Jesus, Mama Moments Monday, Words of comfort, Friendship Friday
love it I have heard this story before and so agree with you on the fact that we are His hands and feet. We may be the only church some people see, we should act accordingly and share as often as we can
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Great story! I’d heard of him, but didn’t know the details. It’s amazing how a soul can be used by our Father despite the failing of our senses. That takes a heavenly perspective. Thanks for the reminder. The valley is temporary…
How incredible to hear the testimony behind the music many of us have sung in churches throughout the years. I can’t help but think of David and how much more appreciative we can be of the Psalms he penned if we example his whole life and know the story behind his words. Understanding where the lyrics come from helps us to see where singing them with a prayerful heart can take us! Thank you for bringing William O. Cushing’s story to light today with #WordsOfComfort
Amen to that Anastasia! He who began a good work in you is able! Blessings!
Thank you for visiting Debbie! We all need a little inspiration ♥
Great story! I never heard of him and loved reading about him. There are so many wonderful testimonies of people in the past that are inspiring. Thanks for sharing his.
Whenever I am afraid of what God has called me to, I am comforted and empowered by knowing that He will give me the strength and talents I need in order to do the job. He is good!
Visiting today from Living Proverbs 31 Link-up! Have a fantastic day!