You are probably familiar with the In the Garden hymn if you are from a traditional Judeo-Christian background. The In The Garden hymn was composed by Austin Miles. The beginning of the song was composed in 1912 while Austin was waiting for some film to develop in a cold, dreary and leaky basement in New Jersey that didn’t even have a window in it, let alone the view of a garden. Austin Miles was a pharmacist who served as an editor of hymnals and songbooks at Hall-Mack publishers for 37 years, as well as a popular music director. His hobby was photography.
The song was popularized during the Billy Sunday evangelistic campaigns. (former professional baseball player, turned evangelist 1862-1935) Miles originally intended In the Garden hymn as an Easter song, as the speaker of the song is Mary Magdelene. You can see that from the lyrics below. Listen to the complete recorded version from My Father’s Favorite Hymns (buy My Father’s Favorite Hymns album here-download or CD) as well as hear a sample of the music. You can see videos of many of the songs on the My Father’s Favorite Hymns playlist below. (Check out the devotional guide Walking with the Hymns-available on Amazon, including more background and scriptural reflections)
I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.
He speaks and the sound of His voice, is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me, within my heart is ringing.
And He walks with me…
I’d stay in the garden with Him, though the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe, His voice to me is calling
And He walks with me…
Some who have recorded the song are Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Perry Como and Elvis Presley. It has also appeared in many films.
Sheet music is available here to: In the Garden. Also check out the full My Father’s Hymn vocal/piano book, now available for purchase as a full download! More Sheet music samples, with the first page of each song as a free download, here: http://djworksmusic.com/buy-sheet-music/. Many think of hymns as merely folk songs from a past era, but their meaning and significance runs deep and they are still relevant today. I hope you find the In the Garden hymn one of those classic Easter songs worthy to revisit time and time again.
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