Whispering Hope

Septimus Winner had an unusual first name. It was given to him because he was the seventh child born to his parents. In the years to come, names were to be an important part of his life.

Born in Philadelphia in 1827, he joined one of his brothers in forming a music publishing business. By age twenty, he was also running his own music shop. He later became a popular music instructor. He began writing poetry, then lyrics and music. Some of his compositions became classics, such as “Listen to the Mocking Bird” and “Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?”

For whatever reason, Winner published many of these under different pseudonyms. One was “Alice Hawthorne” (an arrangement of his mother’s maiden name). It was under this name that, in 1868, Winner published perhaps his best known Gospel song, “Whispering Hope.”

This song is filled with the hope that Winner had found in Christ. It was a song filled with images of God’s tenderness as he felt the whisper of hope in situations that could seem hopeless.

This hope came to him with “a gentle persuasion.” The message was to “wait till the darkness is over, wait till the tempest is done, hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone.”

It was a hope that brought him great joy. It made his heart rejoice even when going through sorrow. He knew that even during the night when everything seemed dark, his heart did not have to sink away. Rather, he could “watch for the breaking of day.” Winner knew how hope was a steadfast anchor for the soul, how hope can impact weary hearts.

Today, receive God’s hope in your life. In the midst of your journey, let Him take away your burdens and give you His peace. The morning will come. The light will shine.