Friends in Jesus

The stories and Hymns of Cecil Frances Alexander and Joseph Scriven; writers of two great hymns; "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and "There Is a Green Hill Far Away."

The Christian Church has given the world many great hymns which are still sung with enthusiasm, gratitude and faith. Many of these favorites are sung again and again in tiny gospel halls, in churches of all denominations and in great
cathedrals. Their uplifting melodies, memorable poetry and timeless message have truly seeped into the heart and soul of the saints for generations.

Friends in Jesus tells the story behind two classic hymns written by Irish hymn writers and gives insight into what makes them so precious to the church; “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” written by Joseph Scriven and “There’s a Green Hill Far Away” by Cecil Frances Alexander.

“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was written by Banbridge man, Joseph Scriven. Born out of tragedy, after the loss of two sweethearts, and yet conceived in love and sympathy for his mother who was dying, Scriven’s hymn has become possibly the most loved of all time. Yet Joseph Scriven, who never lived to see the popularity of his hymn, died also in tragic circumstances. Such are the mysteries that permeate the lives of faithful.

Cecil Frances Alexander was a woman of great faith, exemplary life and compassionate spirit, who devised a method to make the catechism more easily understood to children. No hymn sums up Calvary and the redemptive work of Christ more beautifully and simply than Mrs. Alexander’s “There is A Green Hill Far Away.”

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