Behind the Song

Today in church we sang the song "I Will Abide in Thy Dwelling Place Forever," written by John Overholt.  I had read just recently about some of the hard things he faced in life, like being silenced by the church that had ordained him.  (I'll refrain from speculation about whether or not that was justified.)  Ever since I read about the circumstances under which he wrote the song,  I have followed the words with new appreciation. To have faced rejection of that magnitude and to have turned to God in it is a powerful testimony.

I might have mentioned one more tidbit when I referred to some of the above in share time today at church if I had thought of it in time.  John's wife, Vera, had a breathtaking soprano voice.  One anecdote says that when she wished to take voice lessons as a student at Eastern Mennonite College (now University), the instructor refused to take her on as a student, for fear that her perfect voice would somehow be diminished.

The song "I Will Abide in Thy Dwelling Place Forever" has a soaring descant on the final stanza.  One person who knew both John and Vera believes that John wrote the descant to showcase his wife's voice.  From now on, I will also remember the song as the work of a husband who cherished his wife's lovely voice.

This site has more information about John Overholt's work as a composer and compiler of hymns.