Turning grief into inspiration:The story of Horatio Gates Spafford

Horatio Spafford

Horatio Gates Spafford  was born in October 20, 1828,in New York.He was a prominent lawyer and a renown business man who had invested heavily in real estate.Spafford was also a committed Christian.

On September 1861, in Chicago, he married Anna Larsen, of Stavanger, Norway

On October 8, 1871,  a great fire , what is commonly refered as the Great Chicago Fire swept through the city and the fire destroyed almost everything he owned.During this period of time, his wife came and asked him what they were to do and he answered her that all was in control of God and that should be at peace.

Two years later, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday somewhere in Europe, and chose England knowing that his friend D. L. Moody would be preaching there in the fall so that he can hook up with him and continue preaching with him. He was delayed because of business, so he sent his family ahead: his wife and their four children, daughters eleven year old Anna “Annie”, nine year old Margaret Lee, five year old Elizabeth “Bessie”, and two year old Tanetta.

On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship Ville du Havre, their ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and two hundred and twenty-six people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford's daughters. Anna Spafford survived the tragedy and upon arriving in England, she sent a telegram to Spafford beginning "Saved alone.” Spafford then had to sail to England.When he got to the exact spot where all his daughters perished, he had the option of choosing to cry or agonizing over his daughters demise.But Spafford chose neither.The spirit of the lord inspired him to come up with a song that is today one of the favorite hymns used in churches for worship. The song goes………….

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
(Refrain)

And Lord haste the day, when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Following the sinking of the Ville du Havre, Anna gave birth to three more children and   as if the spaffords had not been through enough tragedy, they still lost their only son Horatio Goertner Spafford,  at the age of four. In August 1881, the Spaffords set out for Jerusalem as a party of thirteen adults and three children and set up the American Colony. Colony members, later joined by Swedish Christians, engaged in philanthropic work amongst the people of Jerusalem regardless of their religious affiliation and without proselytizing motives--thereby gaining the trust of the local Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. During and immediately after World War I, the American Colony played a critical role in supporting these communities through the great suffering and deprivations of the eastern front by running soup kitchens, hospitals, orphanages and other charitable ventures.

Spafford died on October 16, 1888, of malaria, and was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Jerusalem.