The King of the Ages

Short name: Civilla D. Martin
Full name: Martin, Civilla D. (Civilla Durfee)
Born: August 21, 1866, Jordan Falls, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died: March 9, 1948, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Civilla Durfee Martin was a Canadian American hymn writer and gospel song lyricist active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She was the daughter of James N. Holden and Irene Harding Holden. She worked as a schoolteacher before becoming widely known for her hymn writing.

On May 19, 1891, she married Rev. John F. Geddes, a Congregational minister of Coventryville, New York. The marriage took place at Jordan Falls Methodist Church in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. Limited information survives regarding the duration or conclusion of this marriage.

She later married Walter Stillman Martin, a Baptist minister and gospel music composer. Together they engaged in evangelistic work. Due to ongoing health limitations, she often remained at home while continuing her writing. In 1916, Civilla D. Martin and her husband became members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). They had one son, Albert Grady Martin.

She published her work under the initials “C. D. Martin”. She is credited with writing several hundred hymns and gospel songs. Her first major hymn, “God Will Take Care of You” (1904), with music by Walter Stillman Martin, achieved international recognition.

Another of her most widely known texts, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” (1906), was set to music by Charles H. Gabriel. Other notable hymn texts include “Like as a Father,” “A Welcome for Me,” and “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.”

Walter Stillman Martin (1862–1935) preceded her in death. Civilla D. Martin spent the final twenty nine years of her life in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was a member of the First Christian Church. Her funeral was held on March 10, 1948, and she was buried at West View Cemetery, Atlanta.

Civilla D. Martin remains a significant figure in American gospel hymnody, particularly for texts that became central to early twentieth century devotional and revival music.