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Edward Mote was born January 21, 1797, London, England. He was saved at the age of 16. In his younger years he was a carpenter and a devoted church layman. Eventually he became a pastor of a Baptist church at Horsham Sussex. The congregation loved him so much that they offered him the deed to the property but he said: "I do not want the chapel, I only want the pulpit; and when I cease to preach Christ, then turn me out of that." The following account was given to one of the local newspapers by Edward Mote regarding the writing of the hymn, The Solid Rock: "One morning it came into my mind as I went to labor, to write an hymn on the "Gracious Experience of a Christian." As I went up Holborn I had the chorus, 'On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.' "In the day, I had the first four verses complete, and wrote them off. On the Sabbath following, I met Brother King as I came out of the Lisle Street Meeting ... who informed me that his wife was very ill, and asked me to call and see her. I had an early tea and called afterwards. He said that it was his usual custom to sing a hymn, read a portion, and engage in prayer, before he went to the meeting. He looked for his hymnbook, but could find it nowhere. I said, 'I have some verses in my pocket; if you like, we could sing them.' We did, and his wife enjoyed them so much that after the service he asked me, as a favor, to leave a copy of them for his wife. I went home, and by the fireside composed the last two verses, wrote them off, and took them to Sister King." William Bradbury was the composer of this song. He also composed Jesus Loves Me, He Leadeth Me, Sweet Hour Of Prayer, Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us, and many other sacred songs. |
Than Jesus` blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus`s name.
When darkness veils his lovely face
I rest on his unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, his covenant, his blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,l
He then is all my hope and stay.
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found,
Dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.