October 3 | Moments Almanac | Song
On October 3, two Christian musicians died nearly seven centuries apart.
In 1226, Francis of Assisi reached the end of a remarkable life—one in which he exchanged privilege for poverty, comfort for service, and admiration of Jesus for the radical pursuit of actually following Him.
Then, 693 years later, on October 3, 1919, Daniel B. Towner died. Towner composed more than 2,000 gospel tunes and worked alongside evangelist D. L. Moody. His best-known melody grew from the simple testimony of a young believer who didn't understand everything about his newfound faith but knew
Welcome to Moments Almanac for October 3rd. And on this day, two Christian musicians died, nearly seven centuries apart. One wrote a song with his life, and the other wrote a song Christians are still singing. Francis of Assisi was born into comfort around the year 1181. His father was a prosperous cloth merchant, and young Francis enjoyed the privileges that came with it, but somewhere along the way, Jesus disrupted his plans. Francis began caring for lepers, giving away possessions, and embracing a life of radical simplicity. He became convinced that following Jesus meant more than admiring the words of Jesus, it meant actually obeying them. So Francis walked away from wealth and status and spent the rest of his life preaching, serving the poor, and calling people back to Christ. By twelve twenty-six, his body was failing, he was sick, nearly blind, and knew death was approaching. Francis asked to be carried to the little chapel at Porticula, the place where his movement had begun, and there, surrounded by friends, Francis of the C died on the evening of October third. Six hundred and ninety-three years later, on october third, nineteen nineteen, another Christian musician died. His name was Daniel Brink Touner. Towner had worked alongside evangelist D. L. Moody and eventually became head of the music department at the Moody Bible Institute. Over his lifetime, he composed some 2,000 gospel tunes, but we remember him primarily for one. During one of Moody's evangelistic meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts, Towner heard a young man stand to give his testimony. The young believer didn't have all the answers. In fact, he admitted that. But then he said something like I am not quite sure, but I am going to trust and I am going to obey. Tower wrote the words down and sent them to Presbyterian minister John Samus. Samus turned that simple testimony into a hymn. Towner gave it a melody. And churches have been singing it ever since. Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. Saint Francis of Assisi never sang that hymn. Daniel Towner never walked the roads of medieval Assisi. But somehow, across nearly seven centuries, they were singing the same song. Because faith isn't merely knowing the right things about Jesus, eventually faith has to put its shoes on and follow him. Jesus said in John fourteen, fifteen, If you love me, keep my commandments. Maybe today you're waiting until you understand everything before you take the next step. You don't have to. So hold what you have loosely. Do what he says. Go where he sends. And when you cannot see very far down the road, trust and obey. And that's Moments Almanac for October 3rd. Sometimes history doesn't just tell us what happened, it reminds us how to walk. I hope you'll join me tomorrow. Until then, take heart. Notice the scattered moments, and share the grace.
