“I Love to Tell the Story,” while certainly biblically driven, cannot be separated from the writer’s life experience and testimony. Katherine Hankey’s love for her Savior inspired her deep passion for seeing souls saved. Her zeal to tell others about Jesus in word and deed was a driving force in her life. The heart of the gospel is “Good News.” She proclaimed the good news of salvation in her actions, writing, and music.
Katherine Hankey, the daughter of a prosperous British banker, grew up in a stylish London suburb. She started a Bible class for girls in her neighborhood. When she was only eighteen, Hankey went to London to teach a Bible class to "factory girls." In her twenties, she started other Bible classes for factory girls.
The girls in the class were eager to learn about the gospel. They had been taught well. Their enthusiastic teacher was a natural for such leadership because she had been a student of the gospel from childhood. Born in England in 1834, her family guided her in the faith. As members of the Anglican Church, they actively shared the gospel among the wealthy in their elite suburb of London.
The evangelistic spirit, however, was moving rapidly among all classes of people. So it was fitting that Katherine, nicknamed Kate, would reach out to teach Sunday School classes among the poor as well as the rich.
When she was in her early thirties, Kate became seriously
ill. Doctors said she needed a year of bed rest. She was forbidden to teach her
Bible classes for twelve months.
During her long, slow recovery, she wrote two lengthy poems. The first, at the beginning of her convalescence, later became the hymn, ”Tell Me the Old, Old, Story.” The second, written ten months later, became “I Love to Tell the Story.” It fully covers Jesus’ life, focusing on His glory and love but just touching on His birth, life, and Resurrection. It creates a desire to know more.
After she recovered from her long illness, the speaker at a large convention quoted parts of her poem. William Doane (1832-1915) happened to be in the audience and was entranced by the poetry. Doane was a successful businessman who happened to love Christian music. During his lifetime he composed the music for hundreds of hymns and edited a number of hymn collections.
Upon hearing Kate’s poem, Doane was inspired to use part of
it as the basis for the hymn, “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.”
In Katherine’s later years, she became too old to go out into the streets to declare the gospel. She continued proclaiming its message in another way. Katherine organized Bible classes in the local prisons toward the end of her life. She never quit telling the old, old story until her death at age 77 in 1911.
Biblehub.com, Barnes' Notes on the Bible: Let your holy life, your pure conversation, and your faithful instructions, be everywhere seen and known . . . The proper motive to influence us is not simply that we may be seen, but it should be that our heavenly Father may be glorified . . . true Christians act to glorify God, and care little what people may think of them, except as by their conduct others may be brought to honor God.
Biblehub.com, Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food; the words of the Lord, the doctrines of grace that came from His mouth, are food for faith; there are in them milk for babes, and meat for strong men; they are savory, salutary, and wholesome words, by which the people of God are nourished up unto eternal life; and they are esteemed by them more than the food that is necessary and convenient for their bodies.”
Christianity.com, Mattheew Henry's Concise Commentary: The psalmist declares that the righteousness of Christ, and the great salvation obtained thereby, shall be the chosen subject of his discourse . . . The righteousness is unspeakable, the salvation everlasting. God will not cast off his grey-headed servants when no longer capable of laboring as they have done. The Lord often strengthens His people in their souls . . . And while speaking of His righteousness, and singing His praises, we shall rise above fears and infirmities, and have earnests of the joys of heaven. The work of redemption ought, above all God's works, to be spoken of by us in our praises. The Lamb that was slain, and has redeemed us to God, is worthy of all blessing and praise.”
Biblehub.com: We should readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those who believe the same things with us. If redeemed by the blood, and converted by the grace of the Lord Jesus, we are altogether His; and for His sake we are debtors to all men, to do all the good we can. Such services are our duty.
Isn’t it encouraging to see Bible students who already know the story continue to come to study groups? Even after a lifetime of knowing Jesus, we still hunger and thirst to hear the story like new Christians. The last verse, affirms this: "And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, ‘twill be the old, old, story that I have loved so long."
