I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. ~ Philippians 3:8
If there was a Hall of Fame for late nineteenth and early twentieth century church musicians, Wilton, Iowa native, Charles H. Gabriel would be one of the first inductees. Growing up on an Iowa farm, Gabriel taught himself to play the family’s reed organ. He began teaching in singing schools by age 16, and became well known as a teacher and composer.
Gabriel served as music director at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, San Francisco, California for two years. An experience there launched his career. The Sunday school superintendent asked Charles to write a hymn for Easter Sunday, March 6, 1890. That Easter the theme was Golden Offering, with a missionary emphasis. “Send the Light” was the song he composed. The congregation loved it and the visiting missionary took it back east with him. Gabriel had attempted hymn writing before with no success. However, this song gained such popularity that, within two years, he moved to Chicago, which was the center of Christian publishing.
In 1912 Gabriel began working at Homer Rodeheaver Publishing Company. He edited 43 song books, seven men’s chorus books, 19 anthem collections, and 23 cantatas. His pseudonyms were H. A. Henry, Charlotte G. Homer, and S. B. Jackson.
Ten years after moving to Chicago, and 10 years before starting his career at Rodeheaver Publishing, Charles wrote his testimony in this hymn...
So precious is Jesus, my Savior, my King;
His praise all the day long with rapture I sing.
To Him in my weakness for strength I can cling,
For He is so precious to me.
Refrain
For He is so precious to me;
For He is so precious to me.
’Tis heaven below, my Redeemer to know,
For He is so precious to me.
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