This beloved hymn of comfort and trust was written by a pastor who was sickly and unwell most of the time. He pastored a seashore church in England among the rough sailors and uncultured villagers. And this made outsiders often wonder. But they loved him and he loved the work.
However, health finally left him and the doctor advised him to retreat to sunny southern Europe, and he prepared to sail,
The last Sunday before leaving, although he had no strength to stand up and preach, yet he forced himself and preached among his weeping people. That evening, by the light of the evening sun, he wrote these words:
Abide with me, Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me!
He sailed, but died abroad within that year.
Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.