More about Jesus would I know

with SWENEY

I. Origins

Lyricist Eliza E. Hewitt (1851–1920) and composer John R. Sweney (1837–1899) were lifelong residents of Philadelphia and the nearby communities of Chester and West Chester, Pennsylvania. Hewitt was trained as a teacher and spent most of her career working with church Sunday Schools, including Tabernacle (Presbyterian) Church in Philadelphia, Olivet Presbyterian Church, the Philadelphia Primary Union, and Calvin Presbyterian Church. In support of her methods, she also wrote poems and songs. In the mid 1880s, her work came to the attention of Sweney, who at the time was an established musician, composer, songbook compiler, and fellow Presbyterian. For at least ten years, Sweney was in charge of the music at Bethany Presbyterian Church and Sunday School in Philadelphia. One of their first published collaborations was “More about Jesus,” which was included in Glad Hallelujahs (Philadelphia: Thos. T. Tasker, 1887 | Fig. 1).

 

Fig. 1. Glad Hallelujahs (Philadelphia: Thos. T. Tasker, 1887).

 

II. Analysis

Given Hewitt’s longtime passion for education and Sunday Schools, this text serves that context well, because at its core it is a song about desiring to know more about Jesus. The repetition of the first three words across all four stanzas and the refrain creates a sense of urgency and passion toward that end. Hymn enthusiast Robert Cottrill offered this Scriptural assessment of the text:

As the Christian is one who is rightly related to Christ, so the spiritual person is rightly related to the Holy Spirit. … He is teachable, and growing in his Christian life (contrast I Cor. 2:9–16 with I Cor. 3:1–3).

In [stanzas] 2 and 3, she reminds us that it is the indwelling Holy Spirit who teaches us (Jn. 16:13–14; 1 Cor. 2:10), giving enlightenment as we study God’s Word. By the Spirit, we actually hold communion with the Lord, and we are empowered to appropriate the truths found in the Scriptures.

Finally, the hymn points us to Christ, our great High Priest, on the throne of God (Heb. 4:14–16), and to the resources of heaven that are ours through prayer (Phil. 4:6,19). Hewitt wants to know more about Christ’s kingdom (Matt. 6:10) and more about His coming reign (Isa. 9:6–7).[1]

by CHRIS FENNER
for Hymnology Archive
25 October 2019

Footnotes:

  1. Robert Cottrill, “More about Jesus,” WordWise Hymns (9 Dec. 2011):
    https://wordwisehymns.com/2011/12/09/more-about-jesus/

Related Resources:

Homer A. Rodeheaver, “More about Jesus,” Hymnal Handbook for Standard Hymns and Gospel Songs (Chicago: Rodeheaver Co., 1931), p. 163.

Scotty Wayne Gray, Handbook to the Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: Convention Press, 1992), pp. 189–190.

“More about Jesus,” Hymnary.org:
https://hymnary.org/text/more_about_jesus_would_i_know