The Lily of the Valley

Charles Fry
(1838 - 1882)

Charles William Fry, the first bandmaster of the Salvation Army, was born in Alderbury, Wiltshire, England, and was a bricklayer by trade, he was a very accomplished musician playing no less than five instruments. In response to the shouting down of the early Salvation Army evangelists, Fry formed the first Salvation army band in 1878 together with his three sons, as an attempt to spread the gospel and drown out the hecklers! He wrote this hymn, and it first appeared in 'The War Cry' in 1881. Fry died in Stirlingshire, Scotland and is buried in Glasgow.

Salvationist

1.

I have found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;
He tells me every care on Him to roll.

refrain

He’s the Lily of the Valley,
The Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

2.

He all my grief has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tower;
I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart and now He keeps me by His power.
Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.

refrain

He’s the Lily of the Valley,
The Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

3.

He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear,
From His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessèd face,
Where the rivers of delight shall ever roll.

refrain

He’s the Lily of the Valley,
The Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

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