What a Friend We Have in Jesus [1855]

Joseph Scriven (1819-1886)

Joseph Scriven was born in 1819 to a well-to-do family in Dublin, Ireland. He gradeuated from Trinity College in Dublin and, at the age of 25, was preparing to be married to his fiancée. The night before his wedding, Scriven watched in horror as the lifeless body of his fiancee was pulled from a nearby lake. Reeling from this tradgedy, Scriven decided to immigrate to America. Packing up his belongings and leaving his mother behind in Dublin, Scriven sailed for Canada. It is said that some 10 years later, Scriven received word that his mother was facing some crisis. Joseph wrote this poem of encouragement to his mother to lift her soul. Apparently, Mrs. Scriven gave a copy of the poem to a friend who had it published anonymously. Joseph fell in love again and was engaged to be married to Eliza Catherine Roche when tragedy struck again and his fiancée contracted tuberculosis and died in 1860, before their wedding ever took place. Joseph Scriven lived a simple life, preaching and teaching among Baptists, cutting firewood for widows, giving freely of his limited possessions to those in need, even sharing the clothing from his own body, if necessary.

Ira Sankey wrote of Scriven: "Until a short time before his death, it was not known that he had a poetic gift. A neighbor, sitting up with him in his illness, happened upon a manuscript copy of ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’ Reading it with great delight and questioning Mr. Scriven about it, he said that he had composed it for his mother, to comfort her in a time of special sorrow, not intending that anyone else should see it. Some time later, when another Port Hope neighbor asked if it was true he composed the hymn, his reply was, ‘The Lord and I did it between us.’"

On October 10, 1896, Joseph Scriven died at the age of 66, after stumbling outside in his delirium and falling into a creek where he drowned. It is said that his grave was arranged so that his feet were opposite those of his lost love, Eliza Catherine Roche, so that at the resurrection they might arise facing one another.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrow share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge! Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.

Reflective thoughts:

Someone has well penned this statement, "A Christian's practical theology is often his hymnology." This was true in the life of Joseph Scriven, as he sought to comfort another with the comfort with which he had been comforted (2 Cor.1). He had experienced the real and intimate fellowship of Christ amid great heartache and found Him to be an intimate Friend and Savior for every trial of life. Identify throughout the hymn the ministry of Jesus as our friend. Then apply it to whatever you are facing in your life.

Jesus is:

• A great and true friend (what a Friend we have in Jesus)
• A burden bearer (all our sins and griefs to bear)
• Giver of peace (what peace we often forfeit)
• Encourager of troubled hearts (we should never be discouraged)
• The One who shares in our sorrows...completely (who will all our sorrows share)
• A sure refuge in times of distress (Precious Savior, still our refuge)
• Our Great Shepherd (in His arms He'll take and shield thee)

Run to Jesus today! He is there the moment you turn your face to Him.