Hymnology Biographical Term Paper Daniel Brandon

Ira Sankey: His Life and Legacy

Daniel Brandon
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Ira Sankey: His Life and Legacy

As we study the lives of numerous hymn writers and the impact they have held in

America, it is crucial that we analyze the life of one of the most influential hymn writers

in American Hymnody - Ira David Sankey. Born August 20, 1840 in Edinburg

Pennsylvania, Ira Sankey quickly became known as the most popular evangelistic song

leader of his era as he worked closely and devotedly beside famous evangelist D.L.

Moody. Interestingly enough, we find that Ira Sankeys love for music and hymns

actually started in his early childhood. When Sankey was a boy, we find that his family

would spend countless long winter nights gathered around the fireplace in his childhome

house singing the grand old hymns of the church. By the age of eight, Ira Sankey had

learned to read music skillfully and had developed a love and desire for singing.

On September 9, 1863, Ira Sankey marries a member of the choir he instructs as

well as a Sunday School teacher and the love of his life - Fanny Edwards, daughter of

the famous, well-renowned Jon Edwards. Fanny Edwards as known as a very Godly

woman who was always cheerful and self sacrificial companion to Ira Sankey.

Most probably the turning point Ira Sankeys ministry takes place June of 1870. In

his work with the Young Men’s Christian Association, Ira Sankey crosses paths with

D.L. Moody for the first time. For many years, Ira Sankey had read with great interest in

the religious press about the work and ministry of D.L. Moody and was very pleased to

discover that he would be attending the same convention with Moody. At a six o’clock

morning prayer meeting led by Moody, Ira Sankey came into the service a few minutes
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late and sat beside a Presbyterian minister. At the opportune moment, a delegate came

to Sankey and urged him to start up a song and Ira Sankey decided to lead the

congregation in the song “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood”. After this service, the

Presbyterian minister that Ira Sankey had sat beside asked Sankey if he could introduce

him to D.L. Moody and Sankey readily and willingly accepted. Randomly enough, D.L.

Moody began to question Ira Sankey with questions such as “Where are you from? Are

you married? What is your business?”. After Mr. Sankey told Mr. Moody that he was

employed by the government, Mr. Moody declared “ You will have to give it up! I have

been looking for you for eight years!”. It was at this moment that Ira Sankey made

undeniably the turning point decision in his ministry by partnering with D.L. Moody to

become one of the most influential person in holiness music.

When a local pastor asked Rev. Moody about the contribution that a gospel

singer and song leader such as Ira Sankey brought to his meetings, Moody replied, "If

we can only get people to have the words of the Love of God coming from their mouths

it's well on its way to residing in their hearts."Throughout the ministry of Moody and

Sankey, Sankey wrote and/or composed almost 100 hymns (81). The most famous

hymn that Ira Sankey composed was entitled the “The Ninety and Nine”. According to

an article in trditionalmusic.co.uk, “Sankey and Moody were en route from Glasgow to

Edinburgh, Scotland, in May, 1874, as they were to hold a three-day campaign there.

This was at the urgent request of the Ministerial Association. Prior to boarding the train,

Sankey bought a weekly newspaper for a penny. He found nothing of interest but a

sermon by Henry W. Beecher and some advertisements. Then, he found a little piece of
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poetry in a corner of one column that he liked, and he read it to Moody, but only

received a polite reply. Sankey clipped the poem and tucked it in his pocket. At the noon

day service of the second day of the special series, Moody preached on The Good

Shepherd. Horatius Bonar added a few thrilling words and then Moody asked Mr.

Sankey if he had a final song. An inner voice prompted him to sing the hymn that he

found on the train. With conflict of spirit, he thought, this is impossible! The inner voice

continued to prod him, even though there was no music to the poem, so he acquiesced.

As calmly as if he had sung it a thousand times, he placed the little piece of newspaper

on the organ in front of him. Lifting up his heart in a brief prayer to Almighty God, he

then laid his hands on the keyboard, striking a chord in A flat. Half speaking and half

singing, he completed the first stanza, which was followed by four more. Moody walked

over with tears in his eyes and said, "Where did you get that hymn?"” This hymn quickly

became one the most powerful words ever set to music in this era.

During the last five years of his life, Ira Sankey became blind as a result of

Glaucoma and on August 13, 1908, Ira Sankey passes away at his home in Brooklyn,

New York. I’m always amazed from time to time as I study and research the life of Ira

Sankey. I recently heard a rare video clip that was once recorded of Ira Sankey

(​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbcWklq12nk​) and it’s so amazing to note that Ira

Sankey’s voice wasn’t what I expected (almost quite normal). It wasn’t simply his

singing skills that made him famous but I think it’s crucial to note that the spirit of God

was heavy on this man. I’m encouraged to remember that God isn’t just interested in

men and women that can sing incredibly well, God is also interested in people who are
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simply willing to give God everything. Helen Rothwell says it best in her book, “Ira

Sankey: A Great Song Leader” when she says

What's a voice sweet and tempered to Heavenly chords in the crucible of human

suffering, Sankey had heard the invitation to join the company of the choir

invisible and an immortal, there to sing forever the songs of redemption that had

been his favorites here. He who had learned “songs in the night” had reached the

land of fadeless day

What an unbelievable legacy is left in the life of Ira Sankey!

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References:

Ira Sankey Hymn Collection: Start Page and Titles List. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/ira-sankey/

Rothwell, H. F. (1946). ​Ira D. Sankey, a great song leader​. Chicago, IL: Van Kampen Press.