And is it so! I shall be like Thy Son

1
And is it so! I shall be like Thy Son?
Is this the grace which He for me has won?
Father of glory—thought beyond all thought!
In glory, to His own blest likeness brought!
2
Oh, Jesus, Lord, who loved me like to Thee?
Fruit of Thy work, with Thee, too, there to see
Thy glory, Lord, while endless ages roll,
Myself the prize and travail of Thy soul.
3
Yet it must be: Thy love had not its rest
Were Thy redeemed not with Thee fully blest;
That love that gives not as the world, but shares
All it possesses with its loved co-heirs.
4
Nor I alone; Thy loved ones, all complete
In glory, round Thee there with joy shall meet
All like Thee, for Thy glory like Thee, Lord,
Object supreme of all, by all adored.
5
Bob Carbrey

Durham, North Carolina, United States

So beautiful!


Nancy Goss

Falls Church, VA, United States

Such a beautiful hymn written by such a dear man of God.


Ana Lara

Storrs, Connecticut, United States

John Nelson Darby (1800-82) is well known for writing a five volume set called ‘The Synopsis of the Bible’. Watchman Nee gave a set to Witness Lee as a reply to a letter that Lee had written to Nee in 1925 on how to help in the reading of the Bible. Darby also wrote other publications as well as several hymns of high spiritual character.

He was born on November 18, 1800 (the year William Cowper died). He was the youngest son of John Darby of Sussex and of King’s County Ireland who was a descendant of the Normans. His mother was from the Vaughan family in Wales.

In 1798 Lord Nelson who won the Battle of the Nile and serving under him was Sir Henry Darby, Darby’s uncle. Lord Nelson sponsored JN Darby in his baptism and gave him his middle name. Even though he was in a position and had the ability to be great in this world, he chose Christ to become all to him. As he puts it in one of his hymns:

‘Tis the treasure we’ve found in His love

That has made us now pilgrims below’

Like Cowper he lost his mother early in his childhood to whom he refers to early in his writings. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in 1819 winning the classical Gold Medal. Later, he entered the legal profession as his father had desired but left it after being converted to God.

He took up holy orders in the Church of England and was made a deacon by 1925 and appointed to a large parish in Wicklow County, Ireland. A year later when he went up to the city to be made a priest by the Bishop and was informed about the condition of the Church of England. Upon returning to his parish he did much among Roman Catholics, many of whom were led to Christ as Savior. A notice from the Bishop that that new converts must take allegiance to the King, stirred up His conscience to leave the Anglican Church.

He and others met at Lady Powerscourt’s Castle in Ireland. Church truth came out and it was where they first took up prophecy.

In Dublin, Edward Parnel and J. G. Bellet broke bread and Mr. Darby recognized this as the work of the Lord. The Lord gave him many truths to help those who were now gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus outside Christiandom. He became the first real expositor of the book of Revelation. Justification by faith was more clearly seen as well as the body of Christ, and Israel’s restoration after the rapture. His work carried him all over Europe the United States, Canada and the south sea islands of the Pacific.

In 1881 he revised the Little Flock Hymn Book where he added more hymns with definite praise to the Father. Some of the hymns Darby wrote appear in this hymnal: 47, 127, 664, 950 and ‘Oh the Joy of Having nothing’ Other works include 34 volumes of ministry, the synopsis of the whole Bible, and three volumes of letters in which he stood firmly for the truth.

He became ill with the dropsy in February of 1882. On April 29, 1882, Dr. A. H. Burton, his attending physician, gave the news that Brother J. N. D. Had finished the wilderness journey

On April 11, 1882 he said:-

“Well, it will be strange to find myself in heaven; but it won’t be strange to Christ-One I have known these many years. How little I know Him. I am glad He knows me-I KNOW MY SHEEP.


Oscar Richards

Hoywood, Florida, United States

About bible audio thing to read simple thing to let me understand.


Jim Mcmullan

Belfast, N. Ireland, United Kingdom

Outstanding hymn which has become one of my favourites - to think that one day those who love the Saviour will be like Him. I am so unlike Him now but then and forever I will be like Him for I shall see Him as He is.