The Ninety And Nine

© Copyright 2013 PJ Stassen

All Rights Reserved

    Sweetest melodies are those that by distance are made more sweet.

-          William Wordsworth.

   This song, reportedly written by Elizabeth Clephane in memory of her wayward brother, George Clephane, who had earlier died in about 1842, is one of the most moving of anthem-type hymns in the Church.  With this song most people acquainted with the Holy Scriptures will probably be instantly reminded of Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep:

   For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.  What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one?  And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:11-14 MKJV, eSword).

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The Ninety And Nine

(Words: Elizabeth C. Clephane/Music: Ira D. Sankey)

There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold.
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold.
Away on the mountains wild and bare.
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.

Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for Thee?
But the Shepherd made answer: This of Mine
Has wandered away from Me;
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find My sheep,
I go to the desert to find My sheep.

But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
Out in the desert He heard its cry,
Sick and helpless and ready to die;
Sick and helpless and ready to die.

Lord, whence are those blood drops all the way
That mark out the mountain’s track
They were shed for one who had gone astray
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.
Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?
They are pierced tonight by many a thorn;
They are pierced tonight by many a thorn.

And all through the mountains, thunder riven
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a glad cry to the gate of Heaven,
Rejoice! I have found My sheep!
And the angels echoed around the throne,
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!

Piet Stassen

eLiterature/eLiteratuur:

1. Scribd Publishing Site:  www.scribd.com/PietStassen (ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS)
2. eBook: 'Evolution: The Science That Evolved Into A Fairy Tale' (ENGLISH)  
3. eBook:  'Bertrand Russell Revisited: Rebuttal Of Bertrand Russell's 'Why I Am Not A Christian''(ENGLISH)
4. eBook: 'Meditations & Contemplations: A Reader For Both Atheists And Creationists' (ENGLISH)
5. eBook: 'Conservation, Rhino Poaching And Hypocrisy' (ENGLISH)
6. eBook: 'Why Darwinism ('Evolution') Does Not Make Sense' (ENGLISH)
7. eBook: 'Names And Titles Of Jesus Of Nazareth (ENGLISH)'
8. eBoek:  'Darwin Of Christus: Suid-Afrikaners By 'n Kruispad!' [AFRIKAANS].
9. eBoek:  'Bevryding Van Die Anti-Evangelie Van Ateisme-Evolusionisme' [AFRIKAANS].
10. eBoek:  'Name & Titels Van Jesus Christus' [AFRIKAANS].
11. eTracts, Christian (Free, Downloadable):  Free, downloadable Christian eTracts for free distribution (ENGLISH)
12. eTraktate, Christelik (Gratis, Aflaaibaar): Gratis, aflaaibabre Christelike Traktate vir gratis verspreiding (AFRIKAANS)

Bibliography

1.  Elizabeth C. Clephane. Accessed At <http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/n/i/n/90_and_9.htm> [online] 2013.  
2.  Ira D. Sankey.  Accessed At  <http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/s/a/n/sankey_id.htm> [online] 2013.  
3.  The Cyber Hymnal^TM The Ninety And Nine. Accessed At ,>http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/n/i/n/90_and_9.htm> [online] 2013.