440. There is no name so sweet on earth
George W. Bethune, 1805-62
A hymn honoring the name of Jesus. John Wesley always objected to words like “dear” and “sweet” applied to Jesus, as being too sentimental, and the terms are never so used in the New Testament. But the gospel song writers have employed them frequently and many good Christians have no hesitancy in singing them.
George W. Bethune was the son of a prominent merchant, philanthropist, and churchman in New York City. On the day of his birth he was dedicated to God by his godly parents, their prayer being that the child may “be made a faithful, honored and zealous minister of the everlasting gospel.” The son was given many educational advantages and made good use of them. He was admitted to college at 14 and graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary when only 20 years of age. After serving for a year as chaplain to the seamen in the port of Savannah, he returned north to accept the pastorate of a Dutch Reformed Church and later served churches in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and elsewhere. A man of fine literary taste and good scholarship, he was offered, but declined, the Provostship of the University of Pennsylvania and the Chancellorship of New York University. He preferred to be a preacher of the Gospel. To his son and sons-in-law, he gave this dying charge: “My sons, preach the Gospel. Tell dying sinners of a Saviour. All the rest is but folly.” He went to Florence, Italy, for his health and died there on a Sunday night after having preached in the Scottish Church in the morning on the text, “Be of good cheer: thy sins be forgiven thee.” The following poem, found in his portfolio, was written on the Saturday before his death:
When time seems short and death is near,
And I am pressed by doubt and fear,
And sins, an overflowing tide,
Assail my peace on every side,
This thought my refuge still shall be,
I know the Saviour died for me.