Elisha Albright Hoofman
1893-1929
Hoffman, as born in
Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania USA. His father was a minister of the Gospel in the
Evangelical Association, and rendered over 60 years of service in preaching the
Word. His musical education was obtained from his parents. While possessing
natural musical abilities, he never attended a school of music. In
addition to singing at church, the Hoffman household had a daily family worship
time, of which hymn singing was an important part.
Hoffman, therefore,
became very familiar with the musical and spiritual tradition of Evangelical
hymnology at a very early age. It was during these times of family worship that
Hoffman developed a love for sacred music and a belief that song was “as natural
a function of the soul as breathing was a function of the body. Elisha after
graduating from Union Seminary in Pennsylvania was ordained in 1868.
He served in many chapels and churches in Cleveland and in Grafton in the
1880s.
In 1866 at 26, Hoffman married Susan
M. Orwig who was 22 at the time. Hoffman was ordained by the Presbyterian
Churches in 1873, at the age of 34. Two years later in 1876, his wife, Susan
died, leaving him a single parent of their three sons. In early 1879, at the
age of 40, Hoffman remarried to Emma, a woman who was 26 years old and the
couple had a boy. During the course of his life, Hoffman
composed over 2,000 hymns (What a Wonderful Saviour! Enough for
Me; Are You Washed in the Blood; No Other Friend Like Jesus; I Must Tell Jesus;
and Is Your All on the Altar?) and edited over 50 song books. He
died in 1929 in Chicago, Illinois.
The testimony that inspired the hymn I Must Tell Jesus was written after the incident below:
“There was a woman to
whom God had permitted many visitations of sorrow and affliction. Coming to her
home one day, I found her much discouraged. She unburdened her heart,
concluding with the question, Brother Hoffman, what shall I do? I
quoted from the word, then added, You cannot do better than to take all of
your sorrows to Jesus. You must tell Jesus. For a moment she seemed lost in
meditation. Then her eyes lighted as she exclaimed, Yes, I must tell
Jesus. As I left her home I had a vision of that joy-illuminated face…and
I heard all along my pathway the echo, I must tell Jesus. I must tell
Jesus.”
LET US PRAY:
John 14:6
Jesus said to
him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me.
- Jesus, thank You, for who You are. Thank You
for granting me access to the Father.
- Please, Father, let my life be lived to savour
only the interest of God and not men, no matter how much the sufferings,
trials, or troubles (Matthew 19:21- 23).
- Lord, fan to flame Your fire and all that You
have deposited in me.
- Father, let the seeds of Your
Word sown germinate and produce forth fruits meet for repentance
in my life, my spouse's life and in our children as we gather on the
family altar for devotions, on the prayer platform, in Church, in
discipleship meetings and with brethren.
- Please, Father, let all your dealings find
continuity in my children, children’s children and beyond. Let it be
beyond my widest imagination.
- Let my home be an atmosphere where You dwell -
a place of worship and peace where my children (physical and spiritual)
will find fulfilment and discover that which You have written concerning
them.
- Lord, let my life find total relief and rest
in You.
- Father, cause my life to always point people
only to Christ.
- Fathers, let the souls that you lead me to
(all my contacts) find total relief and rest in You from worldly sorrows,
trials, troubles etc. Make me a full-time evangelist, inside or
outside my home.
- Dear Lord, let me not be a lone ranger in this
pilgrimage. Let me take full advantage of all that you have done for me
and given me, especially my discipleship relationship
with disciplers and disciples indeed, so that I can get to my
destination on time. Let me not take anything for granted.
Hebrews 4: 15, Acts
17:24
Jesus is very near
and He feels what I feel.
- Thank You, Lord, for You are indeed a High
Priest that can feel what I feel. Thank You for being so near to me. I
know I will touch You again in this new day.
- Let me experience the total victory You
wrought on the cross, over sin, self and Satan. Grant me the understanding
that it is You at work in me in any situation. The enemy will not take
advantage of me in Jesus name.
- Let me continually live in You, move in You
and have my being in You. Let all of my existence be submerge
only in You.
Psalm 46
My refuge, strength
and a very present help.
- Lord, let the assurance of having You as my
refuge, strength, and a very help in times of troubles resonate in my
heart (vs. 1).
- Let me continually drink from You, who are the
Source that never dries; the Source of all my joy, hope, strength, no
matter the variableness of life (joy, sorrow, disappointments, rejection,
trials, happiness). Let my habitation be Your presence (2-4). Out of me,
let the river of Joy also flow.
- Let communing (in word and prayer) with You be
my lifestyle. Help me to speak with You often. It must not end on the
prayer platform, in Church, in discipleship meetings or in family altars.
- God, continually be in our midst. Be with us
and for us. Help us to experience Your help, right early (5, 7).
- Cause wars to cease in and around me - those
wars and fighting in my life, heart, body - be it in form of worldly
sorrows, pains, troubles, fears, agitation, anxiety, delay. Cause these
wars around us to cease - insurgences, corruption, etc, everything
due to lust (9a).
- Lord, break the bow of wickedness, self,
unrighteousness, ungodliness in our lives, also in our parents, spouses,
children, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, in/laws, friends, tribes,
locality and nations etc. Cut all their spears in sunder in Jesus' name
(9b). Set us free from the bow and spear of the devil and his agents in
Jesus' name.
Take personal time with God now and cast all your burdens on Him (whether minute or big issues in your eyes or understanding). He cares (1 Peter 5: 7). Ask, seek and knock now! Tell Him!
