cowper Horsley

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You bring the Hymnal, I'll bring the History
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William Cowper (1731-1800) had a life of great emotional turmoil and yet, he was able to write some very inspiring and beautiful hymns for us to sing today. "There is a Fountain," is an example of one of his hymns. He wrote the hymn based on the verse Zech 13:1, "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." Cowper grew up being pressured to study law. But before he could take his final exams he had a mental breakdown and was admitted into an asylum. But it was during this time that he was able to find out what Jesus had done for him and so at the age of 33 William Cowper gave his heart to Jesus, the Savior. He moved to Olney and became very good friends with John Newton. Together they were able to compile the "Olney Hymns". There were a total of 349 hymns in the book, 67 were written by Cowper. This man who still suffered from depression but learned that he could trust in God to take away the guilt of this sins by coming to God's fountain of Jesus' sin cleansing blood.

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There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains:
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away, wash all my sins away,
And there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its pow'r,
Till all the ransomed Church of God be saved to sin no more:
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed Church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I'll sing Thy pow'r to save,
When this poor lisping, stamm'ring tongue lies silent in the grave:
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stamm'ring tongue lies silent in the grave.
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