By Faith Marie Macomber, age 13
Revised and expanded by Darren Glenewinkel
A hymn of comfort and assurance for all those who have placed their personal faith in the shed blood of Christ, this hymn has been pertinent to the faith throughout the ages.
Psalm 107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Song of Solomon 3:4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go….
Ralph Erskine Judson was born in Ohio on July 9, 1843 in Napoleon, Ohio; he died in Ohio on June 14, 1901. He enlisted as a private at Camp Wilkins during the Civil War on June 20, 1861.
He served as a nurse at the General Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland from June 1862 to February 1863 after serving his country during the Civil War as a private in the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves (later name the 39th Pennsylvania Volunteers) Company K.
He married Mary Smith, on March 4, 1863.
Following an honorable discharge, on June 11th, 1864 he taught music at Mount Vernon College in Alliance, Ohio for five years. He was active as a composer and publisher at Alliance. He became a licensed preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a devoted evangelist.
He published these four songbooks.
- Salvation Echoes
- Gems of Gospel Songs
- Songs of Peace, Love and Joy
- Songs of the Ransomed
These four songs books were later combined in one songbook. The book was printed in a single volume.
All my life long I had panted for a draught, from some clear spring, that I hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.
Feeding on the husks around me, till my strength was almost gone, longed my soul for something better, only still to hunger on.
Poor I was, and sought for riches, something that would satisfy, but the dust I gathered round me only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
Well of water, ever springing, bread of life so rich and free, untold wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me.
Chorus: Hallelujah! I have found Him whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings—Thru His blood I now am saved.
Clara Tear Williams was born in Ohio on September 22, 1858; she died in New York, on July 1, 1937. She lived in New York and was a member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church.
She was married in May 1895, to a preacher named W.H. Williams. She had two daughters.
Clara was a loved and respected hymn writer. About 1875, Ralph E Hudson, just before retiring for the night, asked her to write a song for a book he was writing. Written during a time of despair, she wrote the hymn to express her complete solace in Christ’s perfect shed blood on Calvary’s tree. This hymn was used as one of reassurance to believers in Jesus Christ during a time of national turbulence.
1901 Because there was no qualified pastors for two Methodist “circuits.” She accepted them for five years.
Till 1920, Clara and her husband served as co-pastors in Ohio and Pennsylvania, even though neither was ordained.
She was recalled as being seen by George Beverly Shea. She was pointed out on the streets of Houghton, New York as a respected hymn writer of one of the favorite Christian hymns.
Sources:
This photo can be found at:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/h/u/hudson_re.htm
You can find history on Clara at:
http://www.messiah.edu/whwc/satisfd.htm
You can find history on Hudson at:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/a/satsfied.htm
K.W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990). Page 191.
William J. Reynolds, Companion to Baptist Hymnal. (Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1976), pp. 342, 462.
Forrest M. McCann, Hymns & History. (ACU Press, Abilene, TX, 1997), p. 430.
