O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink – William Hiley Bathurst

He was an educated Anglican rector, who was in the middle of a ministry in a church in old England. How did he feel about his life’s work up to that point? Thirty-five year-old William Hiley Bathurst might have been asked that by others, or even by himself as a point of self-reflection. Could it be that “O for a Faith that Will Not Shrink” was his answer that year in 1831?  He must have been asked about faith many times by those he served, so it was logical for him to ponder the subject as he studied for his sermon topic. What kinds of things might have crossed his mind as he considered his topic?

Bathurst had been a rector in a small village within Leeds in northern England’s Yorkshire County (see its flag here)

for over 10 years when he penned this hymn about a faith he sought. Bathurst had been educated at Winchester and Oxford, and was the son of a member of England’s Parliament, so he most likely was not a man who struggled with poverty, and the faith-doubts that condition might have inflicted upon the believer. But he did struggle, apparently with his own beliefs and how those compared to baptismal and burial practices in the church in which he was ordained, an ongoing challenge that eventually led to his resignation in 1852, some 20 years after “O for a Faith…” was written or published in 1831. What would have been on William’s mind early on in his ministry, in 1831, that would cause him to compose six verses (see link to them below) about faith? It’s said that Bathurst was studying the book of Luke (chapter 17, verse 5) and the episode of Jesus’ disciples asking Him to increase their faith. It’s interesting that they beg Him for this in the wake of Divine instruction on forgiveness – even seven times a day toward a repeat offender. Did that strike Bathurst, the way it does me? Faith is toughest, perhaps, when managing affairs with other people whom we estimate don’t deserve another chance. Did that Jesus-challenge resonate especially with this 19^th Century small-town rector, because of people in his path every day? Or, maybe with his church’s members, were there issues that he saw affected them internally, spiritually? Did some of them, like him, have questions about the way baptism and burying the dead were addressed there? What things might assault someone’s faith, then and now?

Bathurst’s ministry must have given him a seat to witness a wide range of issues that could test faith, probably much more broadly than those occupying his own personal list. His inventory in this hymn is pretty thorough, and timeless. Fear (verses 1 and 3); complaints/dissatisfaction, pain, and grief (v.2); doubt (of course) (v. 3); disapproval/scorn by others (v. 4); and death’s approach (v.5). Bathurst wasn’t immune – is anyone? – to blind belief's pitfall. These are the words of a preacher, a watcher of many human spirits whom he thought needed a message. Faith is tough, the composer says, in numerous ways. But maybe what he’s saying—after reading what Jesus says about repetition—is that faith needs testing. How will I know if I have a shrinking or sturdy faith otherwise?

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 Then Sings My Soul – 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, Robert J. Morgan, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003.

See biography of composer here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hiley_Bathurst

See also here for six verses of the hymn: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/o/f/a/o4afaith.htm