Tell me the old, old story

This world's empty glory is costing me TOO DEAR

Miss Kate Hankey born about 1846, the daughter of an English banker, is the author of this very devout and tender Christian poem, written apparently in the 1860s. At least it is said that her little volume, Heart to Heart, was published in 1865 or 1866, and this volume contains “Tell me the Old, Old story, ” and it’s answer.

Miss Hankey was recovering from a serious illness, and employed her days of convalescence in composing this song of devotion, beginning it in January and finishing it in the following November.

The poem is very long – – a thesaurus of evangelical thoughts, attitudes, and moods of faith – – and also a magazine of hymns.

Four quatrains of it, or two eight-line stanzas, are the usual length of a hymnal selection, and editors can pick and choose anywhere among its expressive verses.

Doctor W. H. Doane was present at the international conference of the YMCA at Montreal in 1867 and heard the poem read– – with tears and in a broken voice – – by the veteran Major General Russell. It impressed him so much that he borrowed and copied it, and subsequently sent it to music during a vacation in the White Mountains.

The poem of 50 stanzas was entitled “The Story Wanted; “ the sequel, or answered to it, by Miss Hankey, was named “The Story Told. “ This second hymn of the same meter but different accent, was supplied with a tune by William Gustavus Fischer.

(Brown and Butterworth 1906)

Love the old hymns! Love the new as well; as long as they lift up our Savior.

After all, it's about what He has done, not what I can do.

No other Faith, as far as I can tell, has a God who created me (Genesis 1:26), redeemed me (John 3:16-17) and advocates for me (Romans 8:26-27).

Thank you Father, for telling me the old, old story. Psalms 115:1

I love singing these old hymns. The words send the message clearly to me and renews my strength and faith.

This hymn was translated into my language, Tiv by the Dutch Reformed Christian Missionaries from South Africa as, Ôrom loho u dedoo, in 1911. It has since saved many souls and still does. Thank you Jesus. 🙏

The way this song is loved here, I can't explain it properly 🥰.

Love this song

This hymn always makes me emotional whenever I hear it.

Oh how loved 🥰 it makes me know and feel.

Whenever the Holy Spirit stirs up this song in me, my eyes well with tears in nostalgia. But the part that makes me cry the most, is being reminded of His deep love that assures me that He's with me through the ups and downs of this life. Thank you Lord Jesus.

The composer of the music for this hymn is William Howard Doane. He was born on February 3, 1832 in Preston, Connecticut to Joseph Howard Doane and Frances Treat Doane. William was the fifth of eight children. At a young age, he showed impressive musical talent and by early adolescence he was playing the flute, violin, and double bass fiddle.

William attended the Woodstock Academy, a private secondary school in Woodstock, Connecticut affiliated with the Congregational church. He later served as choir director there. After graduation, he worked as an accountant for his father‘s company and then for the J. A. Fay & Company, a woodworking machinery company to which he ascended to its presidency.

On November 2, 1857, William married Mary F. Treat, the daughter of his father’s partner in their cotton manufacturing business. He became president of his father’s new company in Cincinnati, Ohio. During his time there, he developed more than 70 patents and numerous inventions, making those years the golden-era of the company. After that, Doan’s achievements diversified to become director of the Barney & Smith Car Company, which earned him “fellow” of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Geographical Society and the American Society for the Advancement of Science.

By 1879, his wealth accumulated enough for him to purchase the impressive “Sunny-Side” mansion, located in the Mount Auburn Historical District. William was raised a Presbyterian but chose to follow his mother’s preferred denomination—the Baptist church, which began a lifelong commitment by devoting his talents to being choir director, musical composer, and denominational leader.

Doane composed numerous hymn-tunes, edited 43 collections of hymns, and composed an estimated 2,300 works, including hundreds of original hymns and hymns settings. He is best remembered for being a long-time collaborator of Fanny Crosby, having written the music for 1,500 of Crosby’s poems. He also composed secular, instrumental, vocal, and choral works as well as several cantatas.

Doane served as superintendent of the Sunday School program and was choir director at the Mount Auburn Baptist Church in Cincinnati. He also headed-up the Ohio Baptist Convention Ministries near his Sunny-Side home.

Some of his philanthropic works include: Denison University, Moody Bible Institute, and the YMCA. His daughter Marguerite

co-founded the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism in 1929.

William Doane died in South Orange, New Jersey, on December 24, 1915. He is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, in Cincinnati.

(Biography of Gospel Songs & Hymn Writers by J. H. Hall 1914)