Horatio G. Spafford was father of five children, one boy and four girls. In 1871, his boy died of pneumonia. That same year, the Chicago fire destroyed his law offices. I cannot imagine losing a child, and I pray I never have to. Those losses, though, were just the start of troubles for Horatio and his wife, Anna.
Two years later, Anna and their four girls were crossing the Atlantic on the iron steamship Ville du Havre when it collided with an iron clipper named Loch Earn. Horatio, detained by business, was to follow them to Paris a few days later. Within 12 minutes of the collision, the steamship had sunk.
Anna was rescued from the debris of steamship but there was no sign of their four daughters. They had drowned. “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why,” said Anna.
On his journey to meet Anna, Horatio found comfort in prayer when God hid the grieving father away in His presence. It was then that he penned the following poem, later set to music:
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Fear Not, for, though the world may not understand, You hide is in Your presence and lavish us with Your love.
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