February 28, 2005

Sweeter as the Years Go By

Words and Music by Lelia Naylor Morris, 1862-1929

    The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:12, 13

    Lelia Morris was born in Pennsville, Ohio on April 15, 1862. She was married in 1881 to Charles H. Morris, and was very active for a very long time in Methodist circles. When her eyesight failed in 1913, her son created a twenty-eight foot long blackboard with staff-lines for her, so that she could continue writing music. She continued to write gospel songs during the last 15 years of her life, even after going blind in her early fifties. Sweeter as the Years Go By was written during the early years of her blindness. In all, Lelia Morris wrote more than 1,000 hymn texts, as well as many of the tunes. Her handicap never deterred her from being effective and productive for God. Even in blindness she found her Lord sweeter as the years went by.

Some other hymns written by Lelia Morris include

Of Jesus' love that sought me,
When I was lost in sin;
Of wondrous grace that brought em back to His fold again;
Of heights and depths of mercy,
Far deeper than the sea,
And Higher than the heavens,
My theme shall ever be.

He trod in old Judea life's pathway long ago;
The people thronged about Him His saving grace to know;
He healed the broken hearted,
And caused the blind to see;
And still His great heart yearneth
In love for even me.

'Twas wondrous love which led Him for us to suffer loss --
To bear without a murmur the anguish of the cross;
With saints redeemed in glory
Let us our voices raise,
Till heaven and earth re-echo with our Redeemer's praise.

Chorus:
Sweeter as the years go by,
Sweeter as the years go by;
Richer, fuller, deeper,
Jesus' love is sweeter,
Sweeter as the years go by.