HOTM ~May

Glorious things of thee are spoken,

Zion, city of our God!

He, whose Word cannot be broken,

formed thee for His own abode.

On the Rock of Ages founded,

what can shake thy sure repose?

With salvation's walls surrounded,

thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,

springing from eternal love;

well supply thy sons and daughters,

and all fear of want remove:

Who can faint while such a river ever will their thirst assuage?

Grace which like the Lord,

the giver, never fails from age to age.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,

washed in our Redeemer's blood!

Jesus, whom their souls rely on,

makes them kings and priests to God.

'Tis His love his people raises,

over self to reign as kings, and as priests,

His solemn praises for a thankful offering brings.

Savior, if of Zion's city,

I though grace a member am,

let the world deride or pity,

I will glory in Thy Name.

Fading is the worldling's pleasure,

all his boasted pomp and show;

solid joys and lasting treasure

but Zion's children know.

It's hard to sum up all John Newton did in his lifetime. Here's a brief sketch on him: Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken was written by John Henry Newton, author of the famous hymn Amazing Grace. He was born on July 24, 1725 in London and died on December 21, 1807. An Anglican clergyman, former slave-ship captain, and an encouraging friend, John Newton was known by many names. He began sailing on voyages with his father at age eleven and went on a total of six voyages with his father before his father retired. Though he continued to run his slave-ships after his conversion to Christianity, he later came to repentance on that issue. He stopped running slave-ships and participating in slave trading after a severe stroke in 1754. He was accepted and ordained into the Church of England in 1764, seven years after he had originally applied for Anglican priesthood. His words to William Wilberforce, in regards to whether or not William should enter into the ministry, were especially commendable, "Serve God where he was".

In Christ,

Micaela