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A legacy of depression
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Thursday, June, 03, 2010
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by John Fischer
You may not have heard his name but chances are he has touched your life in some way. Every time you say: "Variety is the spice of life," or "God moves in mysterious ways," you are quoting him. And if you have any high church in your background (by that I mean churches with hymnbooks that they actually sang from) you have undoubtedly sung the most famous of his 66 hymns, "There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood." His name is William Cowper (1731-1800) and he was one of the most popular poets of his time. He has been credited with changing the direction of 18th century English poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes from the natural beauty of the English countryside.
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emmanuel's veins...
What you also may not know is that his whole life was plagued with depression -- his only hope found in clinging to the cross of Jesus. Modern psychologists study his volumes of letter writing and find evidence of what we today would call a classic manic-depressive person. Of course, without the benefit of what we now know about the workings of the human brain, William Cowper was left to consider his disability a spiritual struggle of immense proportions, often filling him with doubt and the fear of eternal damnation. His sanest moments were spent in the garden of his friend, John Newton (author of "Amazing Grace") where he would bask in the love of Jesus and write hymns.
...And sinners plunge beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
When I first found this out, I had to have a little chuckle in retrospect over all my experiences hearing "There Is A Fountain" sung so majestically and so hallowed from pressed collars and pressed robes, while all along, no one knew they were singing the words of a man who would have been considered a mad man in his day and a mental patient today.
It is not uncommon for people with deep insights to live with deep inner turmoil. We've heard a lot about depression so far this week and I couldn't help but share some words with you about how God can speak into and through the darkest parts of our lives. It is my belief that had God healed William Cowper of his depression, we would not even know his name today.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote a eulogy for him titled "Cowper's Grave." I conclude our thoughts today with the first two stanzas.
It is a place where poets crowned may feel the heart’s decaying;
It is a place where happy saints may weep amid their praying;
Yet let the grief and humbleness as low as silence can languish:
Earth surely now may give her calm to whom she gave her anguish.
O poets from a maniac’s tongue was poured the deathless singing!
O Christians, at your cross of hope a hopeless hand was clinging!
O men, this man in brotherhood your weary paths beguiling,
Groaned inly while he taught you peace, and died while ye were smiling!
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