I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the old hymns.
Today’s song is Great is the Gospel by Vernon Higham.
This one is a little unusual in that it isn’t all that old. Yet, it uses an old tune, and its writer, Vernon Higham (1926–2016) would haven’t identified with much of modern evangelicalism. He served for many years at Heath Evangelical Church in Cardiff, where he wrote many of his hymns.
I first heard the hymn in Wales back in the early 1990s. I was very fond of it. In fact, it was my experience in Wales that drew me to like the older hymns more. For many years after, I took little interest in modern hymns, but now I like them all, old and new.
Back in 1995, the Baptist Union of Ireland (now known as the Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland) celebrated its 100th anniversary. Individual churches, such as Cork Baptist Church, go back much further. In fact, Cork, which was my home church for many years, goes back to 1640. Anyway, I was very pleased to see Great is the Gospel chosen as the centenary hymn. I had little interest in the trendy Christian music back then 😀.
I don’t think that this one has found its way around the world, as has happened with so many other hymns, old and new, but I have come across a few versions, including a modern rendition. So, here’s my opportunity to spread it around the world.
And here’s a sermon on the theme of the hymn by the writer’s son Dewi, who I met in Wales, back in the early 1990s, though I doubt if he will remember me. Since getting to know about the evangelical scene in Wales back in the early 1990s, I’ve always had a special love for Welsh preaching and preachers.
Even before then, I used to enjoy reading and listening to Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, a hugely influential Welsh preacher. And, of course, I love all the Welsh hymns, history of Welsh revivals, and so on. Before that, Wales used to be just a place you’d travel through on the way to England. But nowadays, I cherish all my Welsh memories. It feels like an evangelical version of Ireland, though the proportion of evangelicals in modern Wales is only around 2.5%, which isn’t much more than Ireland. So, I pray for revival in all the Celtic countries – and everywhere else:
Hibernia Gospel 