In time the hymn was translated
into German and Russian and was noticed by a British
missionary who was serving in Ukraine. That missionary,
Reverend Stuart K. Hine, was visiting a home in the Carpathian
Mountains near the Polish border when he found a Christian by
the name of Dimitri and his wife. Almost by chance, a Bible
had fallen into their hands, but no one in the village, save
Dimitri's wife, had learned to read, and she only with the
greatest of effort.
As she slowly spelled out the
wonderful words of John 3:16* to the wondering villagers, tears
began to flow, and one by one they dropped to their knees,
crying aloud to God. Twelve of these villagers had been truly
converted, and it was these believing disciples that Mr. Hine
met when he called at the cottage in the mountains that day.
He arrived just in time to hear them crying out in amazement
again at the revelation of God's love at Calvary.
Under the inspiration of the
blessed scene, he wrote:
"And when I think that
God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take
it in; that on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled
and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior
God, to Thee, how great Thou art! How great Thou art!"
Later Hine translated three
stanzas into English from the Russian
version, and added his words as a
fourth verse.
*
John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life." (New King James Version)
Please visit "Hymns,
Ancient & Modern" for more information on this
hymn and other beautiful and familiar hymns.
