Hymn of the Month -- Revive Us Again

   William Paton MacKay (1839-1885) was  the author of the song, Revive Us Again.  His godly mother shared the gospel with him and prayed for him often, but he was unimpressed.  He lived his own life, and studied to be a doctor.

   One day a seriously injured man came to the hospital.  His case seemed hopeless.  Conscious, he asked the doctor how much time he had left to live.  The doctor responded cautiously, then asked if there was any relatives who should be notified.  No relatives, the patient said, but he did request that his landlady send him "The Book."

   The doctor visited the man daily and was impressed by the quiet, happy expression on his face.  After the man died, there were some details that had to be tended to in the presence of the doctor.  Here is the rest of the story as told in the doctor's own words*:

   “What shall we do with this?” the nurse asked holding a book in her hand.
   “What kind of book is it?” I asked.
   “The Bible of the poor man…As long as he was able to read it, he did so, and when he was unable to do so anymore, he kept it under his bed cover.”
    I took the Bible and-could I trust my eyes? It was my own Bible! The Bible which my mother had given me when I left my parent’s home, and which later, when short of money, I sold for a small amount. My name was still in it, written in my mother’s hand…

    With a deep sense of shame I looked upon the precious Book. It had given comfort and refreshing to the unfortunate man in his last hours. It had been a guide to him into eternal life, so that he had been enabled to die in peace and happiness. And this book, the last gift to me from my mother, I had actually sold for a ridiculous price…
   Be it sufficient to say that the regained possession of my Bible was the cause of my conversion.

* See story here

Among the hymns that W.P. MacKay wrote is Revive Us Again  Here it is, sung by a team from the Worship Network.  Yes, Lord, revive us -- as a church and as individuals -- again.