The hymn In The Garden is one of the most beloved of all hymns. The song 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 read over his favorite Bible Chapter 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 artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Perry Como. But my favorite version of the song is Pap and Paul’s-their harmony makes the lovely words even lovelier-to the point of making the song seem like a lullaby.
I hope you enjoyed the song-I could never get tired of hearing this one!
Tipper
This is so pretty,they have such good harmony, thanks so much for sharing. kay
One of my favorites too.
Tipper,
I loved this post…Just beautiful!
I love our garden in the morning, while the dew is on the roses.
Thanks Tipper,
I lost my comment yesterday! The kids say it is “operator error”!
I say it is the ancient computer!
I remember someone singing or humming that a lot when I was a child, but I couldn’t tell you who it was. It’s always been a favorite of mine though, along with Old Rugged Cross (sung best by Tennessee Ernie Ford, I believe) and Church in the Vale, but my very favorite has always been A Mighty Fortress Is My God.
The hymn, In The Garden, always reminded me of one of my favorite poems:
“The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the dove for mirth,
One’s nearer God’s heart in a garden,
Than anywhere else on earth.”
It’s words I’ve always held close to my heart for a very long time and are words I believe because I can hear His “still small voice” so clearly when I’m in a garden or woods, and it’s where I go when I desperately need to hear Him.
God bless.
RB
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Very, Very pretty. One of my favs from the youtube playlist.:)
This is my Mom’s favorite, and very nicely done by Pap and Paul!
Tipper,
I just love the way Paul and Pap
do religious songs. It’s in the
quiet times that appeal to me most.
Yesterday evening I heard my first
nightingale singing its many tunes.
Mama always said they never say the
same thing twice…Ken
We plant a garden of food to nourish our body. We plant a garden of flowers to nourish our senses. We need a garden to nourish our soul. But, that garden is already planted. We need only to find it.
It’s a place where our soul can talk to it’s creator. We need not utter the words. We need only to listen. If we can listen, we will hear and will understand our part in the master’s grand scheme.
Each of us have such a place. A private garden only we can visit. There we need only to hush and be still to hear a voice so sweet that all creation stops to listen.
Very beautiful–it’s one of my all time favorites.
So appreciate this beautiful music. Thank you!
tipper: thanks for the memories, the song and the singing really take me back. pap and paul remind me of my dad and his brothers. they made a record that seems to have disappeared. i think maybe we wore it out. blessings on you all. k.o.h
I always loved this song. My Mom sang the alto part for this in church and it was beautiful. Mom passed in 1997.
She could also hear a song one time, sit down at the piano and reproduce it exactly. She took piano lessons for 7 years when she was a child and her piano teacher always played the song first. In the seven years, Mom’s piano teacher never figured out that she was legally blind and could not read the music!! Mom also sat in as church pianist on many occasions and no one really knew that she could not read the music on the piano. She knew every hymn she had ever heard like she had practiced it for months.
She was also an excellent ragtime piano player. She could make a piano walk!!!
Thanks for bringing back a flood of great memories!
that brought tears! I have always loved that song — it brings so many lovely memories and is so soothing. Pap and Paul do a terrific job – their voices blend so well yet each is distinctly heard. God Bless this lovely Sunday morning.
Beautuful!! My favorite hymn. I’ll be singing it all day.
Tipper,
I can’t speak to the musical part of things, but in a spiritual sense, this hymn is written for two part harmony, and no one can do it as well as Pap and Paul.
“In the Garden” was Mama’s favorite hymn (something I think I’ve told you before).
Thank you so much for today’s posting. Your inspiration clearly comes from the same Source as C. Austin Miles.
Have always loved this song and Pap & Paul did a wonderful job of singing it. Thanks for sharing it.
beautiful
daddy and i sung this song, just like this, at least 100 times in 2 churches over 20 years. i did not know all the details about the song, but it was the number one request for us to sing in church… thanks for the info. tell pap and paul this is truly beautiful…the second most requested for us was it is well with my soul and next was Old rugged cross
This was such a nice way to start my Sunday morning. Thanks!
Hearing Pap and Paul play and sing “In the Garden” was such an inspiring way to begin the Lord’s Day! Beautiful–and with such ease and sincerity! Thank you for posting their rendition of this beautiful hymn; and reading about how it was inspired was a delight, too. “God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform!”
I’m with you on this one,, it’s one of those songs that touches you, like Amazing Grace, no matter how often you hear it, and as you said, your Dad and Brother so graciously bring that out in their harmonies..
Pap and Paul’s harmonies make this song even sweeter. Thank you!
“And the birds hushed their singing…”. The song was beautiful Tipper. How did you know when to post this one?