MUSIC
I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR! This hymn by Annie Sherwood Hawks has touched the hearts of believers since 1872. Written to worship God’s presence, it brings peace to those who sing it.
“I Need Thee Every Hour” focuses on the need to
feel Jesus Christ and the yearning to have a personal relationship with God. Written in June 1872 by Annie Sherwood Hawks, this devotional song offers peace through its stanzas. About the origin of this hymn, the author revealed: “One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks during a bright June morning in 1872. Suddenly I became filled with the sense of nearness to the Master, and I began to wonder how anyone could ever live without Him, either in joy or pain. Then the words were ushered into my mind and these thoughts took full possession of me.” After finishing the poem, Hawks gave it to her pastor, Reverend Robert Lowry, who mentored her in the production of songs to worship the Lord. He set the hymn to music and added a refrain. Thanks to the help of Lowry, who was a renowned Christian hymnwriter, the song was included in a hymn compilation prepared for the National Baptist Sunday School Convention in Cincinnati in November 1872. OUTSTANDING POETESS
Born in Hoosick on May 28, 1835, Annie Hawks wrote more than four hundred spiritual songs. At a very young age, while she was taking her first steps into the Gospel, she showed a special gift for conveying her feelings for the Redeemer through lyrical poetry. At the age of fourteen, a local newspaper published her first poem. In January 1865, after marrying Charles Hial Hawks, the hymnwriter moved to Brooklyn. There she met Pastor Lowry at a local temple she had joined. With his support, she composed a number of poems for the Lord that MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 24 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceania • Africa • Asia
