Be Not Dismayed Whate'er Betide -- Civilla Durfee Martin

‘Out of the mouths of babes’, someone has said. Might 38-year old Civilla Martin and her husband Walter Stillman Martin have uttered those words at the end of one day in 1904, in reference to their own son? He might have been as responsible for “God Will Take Care of You” (aka “Be Not Dismayed Whate’er Betide”) as Civilla was. What would a child see that would make him utter words with such insight? Had he heard this sentiment and merely repeated it in rote fashion, the way a parrot might articulate words it is trained to verbalize after several iterations? How often might a believer mechanically drone on about a conviction, until that attitude manifests itself in a tangible way? Is that God speaking? Lotsa questions here…see if you have answers after reading the Martins’ story.

Civilla and Walter were in a small town in New York state, just across the border from Pennsylvania, one Sunday in 1904. Lestershire (its name has changed to Johnson City, and it’s in the Binghamton area of New York…see the 1910 picture of Binghampton here)     

was unspectacular, really, but it would become the birthplace of a hymn through some unique circumstances. The Martins were there to help the church put together a songbook for its school. Upon waking that morning, Civilla informed her husband that she’d be unable to accompany him on the day’s preaching visit via a train ride, because she felt ill. Her husband, though a loyal evangelist, was also a devoted mate, and so he was at the point of cancelling the visit. The Martins’ youngster must have heard his God-fearing parents express their faith many times, because the words apparently came from him quite easily – “Father, God will take care of her”. Unable to rebut his son’s declaration, Walter indeed kept his preaching appointment. It’s said that this decision allowed him to see several people express their allegiance to Christ that day, and also find a bonus afterwards. Civilla, spurred by her son’s words and a renewed vigor, composed a poem to underscore the incident. Evidently, she must have sensed that God was not only affirming the boy’s confidence that she’d recover, but that He was really capable of much more. ‘Whate’er’ (whatever) and ‘no matter what’ are in her prose, revealing her impression that he is indeed the Almighty. It’s said that Walter composed the poem’s musical counterpart that same night. “God Will Take Care of You” was not only a selection in the hymnal the Martins arranged in Lestershire, it was their personal reflection and affirmation of His presence.

What answers might you have now? Do kids say things they first hear parents say? Do we sometimes say things in professed faith, when really we need someone to push us to do what should follow naturally from that verbalized trust? Is God speaking more frequently and clearly than we think He is? How does He respond to faith expressions? Hmmm…you think you know how the Martins might have responded? Let’s go talk to them someday, how about it?

        

Information on the song was obtained from the books  “Amazing Grace – 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions”, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, 1990, Kregel Publications; “The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs”, by William J. and Ardythe Petersen, 2006, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; and “The Sings My Soul”, by Robert J. Morgan, 2003, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

See brief biography on composer at these two links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilla_D._Martin

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/m/a/r/t/martin_cd.htm

See also this link for all four verses and the brief hymn story: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/g/w/i/gwiltake.htm