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April is the birth month of perhaps the greatest hymn writer in the English language, Cecil Frances Alexander. She was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1818. Mrs. Alexander composed over 400 hymns and also wrote articles in support of the Oxford Movement.  

In 1848 a collection of her hymns was published which went through over 69 editions: Hymns for Little Children. One of the hymns, “Do no sinful action”, reminds the little (and the big) children of God to be aware that even though they are one of God’s precious children, “there’s a wicked spirit watching round you still and he tries to tempt you to all harm and ill.” Be on guard!  

Mrs. Alexander died in 1895 and is buried in a hillside cemetery in Derry, perhaps such a green hillside helped her in expressing the Gospel teaching of the plan of salvation in her hymn, “There is a green hill far away.”  But the plan of salvation does not end at Calvary, as the hymn, “He is risen, he is risen” by Mrs. Alexander so proclaims. Thanks be to God!  

Suggested Reading; the Apostles Creed  (the inspiration for many of Mrs. Alexander’s hymns)