The Incredible Story Behind Horatio Spafford's Famous Hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul'

ONLY BELIEVERS IN THE POWER AND LOVE OF CHRIST CAN SURVIVE THE KIND OF LOSS AND HARDSHIPS THE SPAFFORDS ENDURED WITH COURAGE, STEADFAST FAITH AND SERVICE

IN 1871, HORATIO SPAFFORD was a happy, successful man with a wife and four young daughters whom he cherished. His legal business and real estate properties in downtown Chicago were flourishing at a time of the city's rapid growth. The at the height of all his prosperity, in April, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire broke out, completely destroying his vast real estate holdings. The Spafford took great comfort in the fact that their family had escaped harm from the horrendous fire that had taken so mnay lives.

Their loss was cushioned by a deep faith and belief in the sovereign hand of God. Friends of the great evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, they had supported several of his crusades.

Two years after the great fire, the Spaffords were over-joyed with the birth of their first son only to see him die several months later. They buried their son among the still charred remains of the city.

Then, God seemed to offer the Spaffords a much needed rest from the accumulated sorrow of their recent years in Chicago with the opportunity for their family to go Europe to assist Moody on his next evangelical campaign and also visit the Holy Land and Jerusalem. They made their plans to go on an extended vacation.

Just before Thanksgiving, Horatio put his wife and four daughters on the Ville de Havre, a ship bound for Europe. His plan was to finish up some business, then sail to join them several weeks later.

Spafford awoke a week later to the horrifying headlines in the papers that the Ville de Havre had been struck by another ship in the mid-Atlantic and sunk. There was no initial word of any survivors. Then on December 1 1873, Spafford received a telegram from his wife with only two words:

Saved alone.

Spafford boarded the next ship for Europe. As he crossed the Atlantic and over the watery graves of his four daughters words of consolation formed in his heart and kept repeating over and over in his head:

Even so, it is well with my soul.

This phrase would become the center of the inspirational hymn Horatio would later write by the same name.

After reuniting in England, the Spaffords traveled on to Jerusalem and ultimately settled there permanently. God blessed them with a new family, though yet another of their children died also. The Spaffords established a ministry outreach to people of all nationalities and races who did not know the reality of Christ's love and His peace like a river.

---adapted from One Year Christian History, by Michael and Sharon Rusten

ALSO, thanks to Dr. Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan who used this touching example of the Spaffords last week in his sermon on peace, from the current series on gifts of the Spirit. I was so blessed to be there to hear this in person.