In the Secret of His Presence

Words by Ellen Lakshmi Goreh Music by George C. Stebbins

"In the secret of His presence how my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons which I learn at Jesus' side!"

The author of the words of this beautiful hymn was a high-caste native of India. After her conversion to Christianity, it is said, she spent some years in the home of an English clergyman, and wrote the poem ”In the Secret of His Presence” while there. It made its appearance in a book of poems of which she was the author. In 1883 the attention of Mr. Stebbins was called to it, and he wrote the music at that time. The hymn was first sung by him as an offertory in one of the churches in Brooklyn, New York. It was often repeated as an offertory, and on occasions was sung in evangelistic services. But it had its larger introduction to the public during the All-Winter Mission conducted by Mr. Moody and myself in London in the winter of 1883-84, when I sang it frequently, as did Mr. Stebbins, who spent several months assisting in the mission. It was also often sung by Miss Beaucham, daughter of the late Lady Beaucham and since the wife of Colonel Drury-Lowe, one of the heroes of the Indian Mutiny, and uncle of Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor-General of India. The hymn at once came into general favor, and the deeply spiritual tone of the words brought blessing to many. The song was afterwards published in ”Gospel Hymns, ”and in” Sacred Songs and Solos. ”Very soon it found its way into all parts of the world. Dr. Hudson Taylor, head of the great China Inland Mission, stated at Northfield that it was the favorite hymn of his missionaries.

The winter of 1890-91 Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins spent in India. While visiting the city of Allahabad, the home of Miss Goreh, Mr. Stebbins sought her out and made her acquaintance. He found her engaged in mission work among the women of India, a modest, devoted Christian, held in high esteem by missionaries of all denominations and by all who knew her. Thus the two singers whose names had become associated in Christian song met each other,—one from the far East, and one from beyond far Western seas—both inspired by the same Lord, in the secret of whose presence they long since came to abide.