Hon's Story Time

It's been a while since I've had any really good stuff to blog about. There was this really good cake recipe that turned out way better than expected, so I think I'll share that with you tomorrow.

If you've read my blog for any time, you know that I have a fondness for stories. While I enjoy the stories I post here, I doubt that they are entirely true. Daddy usually picks the ones that he thinks are the most touching, however, I think they may involve a small amount of imagination.

Today I want to tell you story that is both completely factual, and touching at the same time! I often enjoy what I like to refer to as the 'back-story', or the story behind the story. A sort of 'the rest of the story', if you will.

I was reminded of this story at church yesterday, so I decided to share it. This story is about a man named Horatio G. Spafford who was a lawyer in Chicago in the 1800's. Horatio had invested much of his money into real estate in downtown Chicago. Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened. At about 9 pm on October 8, a cow, owned by a Mrs. O'Leary, kicked over a lantern, and started the shed where she was on fire. Actually, that part of the story was made up by the guy who wrote the story for the Chicago Republican because he thought it made more colourful copy! There is no doubt, however, that the fire did start in the O’Leary barn, based on the ruins left by the devastion. The actual cause will probably never be known, however, the Great Chicago Fire did start on that day, and burned until early Tuesday October 10, 1871!

There were a few buildings that did not get destroyed. The Chicago Water Tower was one of them. The principal reason was because the Water Tower was one of the few buildings that wasn't made out of wood. It was made out of limestone. Of course the fire ruined it a little but after the fire, workers made it even better than it had been before. That is why the Water Tower still stands today.

When the fire was over, 300 people of the 300,000 in Chicago were killed, 100,000 were left homeless, 17,500 buildings were destroyed, 73 miles of street were destroyed and $200 million of property was destroyed.

Horatio lost almost everything he owned that day. Still, for two years Spafford, who was a friend of the famous evangelist, Dwight Moody, assisted the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken ruined by the fire.

After two years of rebuilding, Horatio decided to take an extended vacation with his wife and four daughters in Europe. As they were preparing to leave, Horatio got caught up in some unexpected real estate business and could not leave on the day they were supposed to depart. Horatio sent his family on ahead of him, and planned to catch up to them in Paris.

Their ship, the Ville du Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, the Ville du Havre was rammed by the British iron sailing ship the Loch Earn, and sank within 20 minutes. Though Horatio's wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage and was one of only 47 survivors among hundreds, all four of their daughters, Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie, drowned in the cold waters of the Atlantic.


Anna was picked up unconscious by the crew of the Loch Earn, which itself was in danger of sinking. Fortunately, the Trimountain, a cargo sailing vessel, arrived to save the survivors. Nine days after the shipwreck Anna landed in Cardiff, Wales, and sent Horatio a telegram stating, "Saved alone. What shall I do . . ."


A fellow survivor of the collision, Pastor Weiss, recalled Anna saying, "God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why."

After receiving Anna's telegram, Horatio immediately left Chicago to bring his wife home. When the two finally met up with each other, Dwight Moody was also present. "It is well," Spafford told him quietly. "The will of God be done."

On the Atlantic crossing home, the captain of his ship called Horatio to his cabin to tell him that they were passing over the spot where his four daughters had perished. He wrote to Rachel, his wife's half-sister, "On Thursday last we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe, folded, the dear lambs."

The Holy Spirit inspired Horatio to write the following as he passed over their watery grave, which I think you will recognise:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

The name of this hymn is Ville du Havre, but we know it today as It is Well with My Soul.

And that, as Paul Harvey would say, is the rest of the story.

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