I love this song so I wanted to share the story behind it. I hope ya'll like it.
This is My Father's World
Maltbie Babcock was arguably the most remarkable student Syracuse University had ever seen. He was a bright scholar, Outstanding athlete, expert swimmer, played several instruments, and composed many songs, on the side he was an avid fisherman. He would have been successful in any profession, but God called him to the ministry ; and after further training at Auburn Theological Seminary, he became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Lockport, New York. A beautiful area between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, not far from Niagara Falls- and Maltbie enjoyed hiking and running in the hills outside of town. Telling his secretary, "I'm going out to see my father's world", he would hike or run a couple of miles into the countryside where he would lose himself in nature. During is pastorate at Lockport that he wrote a sixteen-stanza poem, each verse beginning with the words "This is my Fathers world".
Maltbie was called in 1886 to the Brown Memorial Churn in Baltimore. While there, he traveled widely and was in great demand on college campuses. He was and engaging speaker who never failed to stimulate his students. In 1899 he moved to the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Here he found it more difficulty to take off on his hikes. When he was forty-two, his church presented him with a spiritual gift-a pilgrim-age to the Holy Land. With great excitement, Maltbie departed by ship. While en route at Naples, Italy, he was seized with a deadly bacterial infection fever and died at the International Hospital on May 18, 1901.
After his death, his wife wife compiled his writings into a book called Thoughts for Everyday Living, published in 1901. Included was Malbie's "This is My Father's world".
Have a wonderful Sunday!
Blessings, Morgan
