Dr. J. Edwin Orr

As I was reading my Bible this morning, I came across a verse in Psalms 139: 23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." It stuck in my mind as I had sung this song many times at church in my youth. Sometimes a song just does not leave your memory. Years later, when I was taking piano lessons, I found this song in the piano music course of Henry Slaughter. This course was teaching augmented and diminished cords. So as anyone who knows me, I decided to search out about the man who wrote the words. I love all biographies, and since my grandfather and all his brothers wrote gospel music, the first website I visited contained a great deal about Dr. Orr. It was easier than I thought, as he had a lifetime of Christian leadership. Though out his life, he had led revivals in just about every country of the world. What an accomplishment and testimony to our GOD. He has a website and you can order many of his sermons and books. www.jedwinorr.com. The following are from various websites.

James Edwin Orr. He was born January 12, 1912 in Belfast, Ireland. He died April 22, 1987m in Ridgecrest, North Carolina. Orr was ordained an American Baptist minister in 1940, attended Northwestern University (MA-1941) and Northern Baptist Seminary (ThD-1943), and served as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific in World War II. After the war, he continued his schooling, attending Oxford University (PhD-1948) and the University of California at Los Angeles (EdD-1971); he also received honorary degrees from an Indian seminary, Pasadena, California. He wrote at least six hymns including "Cleanse Me."
The words were written at a revival meeting in Ngarunwahis, New Zealand, taking less than five minutes to put them down on paper. This is a "MAORI" tune adapted by John T. Benson Jr.

"Search me, O God,
and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free."

I have included the first verse, but it can be found in many hymnals for various churches. Besides his writing, teaching, and preaching, Dr. Orr had great impact on evangelicals around the world through his friendship with other leading Christians. He was an advisor of Billy Graham's from the start of that evangelist's career.
Orr passed on to Glory on a preaching trip in 1987.

Below is a dedication for Dr. Orr's book "Full Surrender" by Billy Graham
"Dr. J. Edwin Orr, in my opinion, is on of the greatest authorities on the history of religious revivals in the Protestant world. I think that God has given him one of the greatest and most unique ministries anywhere in the nation...I know of no man who has a greater passion for worldwide revival or a greater love for the souls of men."

From F.F.Bruce, from the introduction to "Light of the Nations" by Dr. Orr
"Some men read history, some write it, and others make it. So far as the history of religious revivals is concerned, J Edwin Orr belongs to all three categories."


Ref:
www.believersweb.org.
www.cyberhymnal.org.

ANTHONY JOHNSON SHOWALTER

                       1858-1924                                        Interred at West Hill Cemetery in Dalton, GA

I recently received a message from a descendant of George Wilson Griffith referring to his oldest son. I had these people on my family tree as one of my grandfather's sisters had married into this family. It kept referring to the name "Showalter" as a middle name. I knew that my great uncle Thomas Beall had used this name for his child so I decided to google the name and see where it originated.
So I came up with the name of VAROCKIN (Valentine) SHOWALTER from the Netherlands. The family was referred to as being "Dutch." Jacob Showalter, born about 1800 in Virginia or as many refer to as the Shenandoah Valley, had many descendants, one being Anthony Johnson Showalter, born May 1, 1858 in Cherry Grove, Virginia and died September 14, 1924 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is buried in West Hill Cemetery in Dalton, GA. He married Carolyn Walser on November 13, 1881. He was a music teacher, author, and publisher. He studied music in England, France, and Germany. He published over 130 music books, which sold over a million copies. He was the principal of the Southern Normal Musical Institute in Dalton, Georgia from it's beginning in 1880. He edited the "Musical Teacher" for over 20 years, and served as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Dalton, GA. He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame in 2000. He published a hymn for B. B. Beall in 1922 titled "Lift Him Up." He taught many shape-note singing schools in Georgia and Alabama of which the Beall Brothers and the Griffiths attended. Probably his most famous hymn is "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." Showalter wrote this tune and words to the refrain and first verses after hearing from two friends whose wives had died. This song was sung in the 1943 movie "The Human Comedy" and was nominated for Academy Awards in five categories. It is on the sound track of "O Brother, Where art Thou."

                        "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms"

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this Pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
refrain:

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace, with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
refrain

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS

                                                                 Saturday, July 02, 2011 9:47:41 AM

      II Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me. In faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (King James version.)
        -A devotional that I read has it worded a little different-
 "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in Christ Jesus." New Version
As I was reading this, I was transported back in time to a place that wasn't fun for me. Freshman class in high school, my mom had died and my depression was taking it's toil with me and school work. I am referring mainly to Mrs. Wyrick's Home Economics I. I thought I wanted to learn to sew. Just couldn't follow all the directions. Made many mistakes and in the end, I failed this class. A rule in our school was if you failed, you would have to make it up before your senior year. Failed the entire freshman class, so it was a "do over." When I finally reached my sophomore year, I thought it might be time to repeat this class. What a big difference my maturity had taken me in following directions. Passed this class with a breeze and went on to number II. I had advanced in my sewing so I made a garment that I could wear to school. At our fashion show that year, I received great reviews from my fellow students and well as the teachers. It wasn't any thing fancy, just a skirt and vest with a matching blouse. I had used a material with all the fall colors, bright orange with many shades of rust, red and brown. Light and dark gold, and stripes of amber and yellow, so I looked like a walking rainbow except for the blue. I followed every little detail of the pattern and instructions from my teacher. I made an A+ and at my age of 67, I still remember the feeling when my dad saw the project. I had been after him to buy me a sewing machine to use at home instead of traveling to Aunt Josie's house everyday just to sew on her machine. Now he told me the reason I had not received this gift from him. He wasn't sure that I would keep up with this endeavor. I had not followed through on many things that I just knew that I could do. Wasn't old enough or mature enough to have a staying power. So after this, he went to Sears and bought a little Singer portable. It had all the major attachments and I used it for many years making all my clothes. I continued to make clothes for my children and even learned to make quilts on a machine. God knew I could do this but I wasn't ready to persevere. Funny how GOD teaches his children just like our parents teach and help us grow to be the people they wants us to be. My dad was a wonderful person and he helped me even tho I gave him a lot of heartache through my teenage years.
Every time I pick up a pattern now, I remember those classed and how many projects I have made over the years. One is a cloth doll dressed in Christmas clothes that sits under my Christmas tree. Every year, it reminds me of learning by following all the instruchions from our parents and GOD.