In The Garden hymn

The song In The Garden is one of the most beloved of all hymns. It was written by C. Austin Miles.

Miles, (1868-1946), was a very talented man. Along with being a successful songwriter he was a church music director, a pharmacist, and a photographer who developed his own photos.

According to the book 101 Hymn Stories written by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Dr. Adam Geibel asked Miles to write a song that would “bring hope to the hopless, rest for the weary, and downy pillows to dying beds.”

The book shares a quote from Miles that details the day he wrote the song In The Garden. While in his photography darkroom Miles looked over his favorite chapter of the Bible, John 20. As he read over the verses he had a sort of vision which inspired him to write the hymn. (click here to read the full quote)

The hymn has always been one of my favorites. I grew up singing the song in church-as I’m sure many of you did.

In The Garden has been recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley to Pap and Paul! Recently The Pressley Girls have been singing the song as well.

I hope you enjoyed the song-I could never get tired of hearing this one!

Tipper

 

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19 Comments

  1. As a little girl i can remember my grandmother’s beautiful voice sing this song over and over, she also sang Swing low sweet chariot.Your sweet girls will have wonderful memories when they age as i have in my elder years.

  2. Truman sings in the garden at church a lot. I love Elvis version as well.it is a very wonderful well written song.
    Those with dementia can remember word to songs that they loved and can sing every word. amazing isn’t it?

  3. Love your thoughtful posts, great recipes and beautiful songs. Reading your messages is a wonderful way to start the day.

  4. Tamela-thank you for the comment! Yes they do their own arrangements as far as deciding what key to sing/play the song in, who does which parts, and who sings what. They did get their general arrangements of this song from watching The Avett Brothers perform it. Hope you have a great day!!
    Tipper
    Blind Pig The Acorn
    Celebrating and Preserving the
    Culture of Appalachia
    http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com

  5. Several years ago I went to the funeral of a co-worker’s son and this hymn was sung there. I had never heard it before and loved it. I did not know its name but I sang it to my husband who knew. So I tried to find a CD with the hymn and bought the one by Elvis Presley – the first CD I ever bought of him. It is a beautiful hymn.

  6. Tipper,
    I always loved this hymn. The girls did a wonderful rendition. I noted a bit of chorus change but thought it was great.
    I think one is closer to God in the garden than just about anywhere.
    I heard a preacher say once, that it used to bother him to see folks working in the yard and garden on Sunday. Then he said, that after he got his own garden/yard, he understood the peace and meditation and the closeness to God he felt, while puttering around in his garden.
    He laughed and also said that it didn’t mean you should skip church on Sunday morning to pick peas….LOL
    Thanks Tipper,

  7. An all time favorite. It became very personal when I visited the Garden Tomb and the dew was all over the plants. I took a picture of a rose bush but it didn’t do justice but it bring fond memories when the song grew closer to my heart.

  8. So many sweet memories in my childhood of my sister who passed at 40 singing this song. I love this song and always will. Thank you for letting us go down memory lane so many days. Crys from Arkansas

  9. Tipper,
    In the Garden is one of my all time favorites and wonderfully done by Chitter and Chatter.
    I had a friend come by my shop
    yesterday while I was busting wood. After we finished, I played him #2 on your Playlist and he thought the Pressley Girls had really improved since he last saw them perform.
    Thanks for the blessing!…Ken

  10. This is one of my favorite hymns. Chitter & Chatter’s rendition is a little more upbeat than I usually hear it done but they make it work. Good job.

  11. Such a beautiful song and such beautiful girls singing it. They have really grown up. I could listen to this song many times.

  12. In The Garden and The Little Brown Church were my Father’s favorite hymns and as soon as I took a few piano lessons he insisted I learn them.
    To this day I can still sit down and play those two. His next favorite was The Old Rugged Cross.
    These songs bring back such good memories.

  13. That’s a beautiful song and the girls certainly do a good job of it. Their harmony just keeps getting better and better!
    One last comment….Chitter, a yawn in the middle of the song, really….

  14. I have sweet memories of my Nana singing this hymn in the kitchen. She always said it reminded her of her mother. Thanks for posting this.

  15. What a beautiful recording by the girls! In the Garden is one powerful song. It is my sweet Mother-in-Law’s favorite and even though dementia has robbed her of so much, she can still sing every word. It brings her back to us for a moment and truly does give hope to the hopeless!

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