What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Author – Joseph Scriven, 1819–1886
Composer – Charles C. Converse, 1832–1918
Tune Name – “Converse”
Meter – 87.87 Doubled
Scripture Reference – Proverbs 18:24
Verse – “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

Someone once observed, “A Christian’s practical theology is often his hymnology.” This has been proven true in the lives of many believers, especially during moments of grief or difficulty. For many, the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” has been such a source of comfort and assurance, meeting deep spiritual needs with its simple but profound message.

This hymn was written in 1857 by Joseph Scriven, a native of Dublin, Ireland, born in 1819 to a prosperous family. A graduate of Trinity College in Dublin, he made the life-changing decision at age twenty-five to move to Canada. His reasons were deeply personal. First, his embrace of the Plymouth Brethren faith caused a rift between him and his family. Second, the tragic drowning of his fiancée the night before their wedding left him grief-stricken.

After arriving in Canada, Scriven adopted a life of selfless service. He lived out the teachings of Christ, particularly the Sermon on the Mount. He gave freely of what little he owned, often sharing his clothing and never turning away anyone in need. Stories from the town of Port Hope, Ontario, describe how he would labor with a saw and buck for the benefit of widows and the sick who could not afford to pay. When someone once tried to hire him for work, a local replied, “You cannot get that man. He only saws wood for those who cannot pay.” Though admired, Scriven was also viewed as eccentric due to his unwavering generosity.

The words of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” were never meant for the public. He originally wrote the poem in a letter to comfort his ailing mother back in Ireland. Years later, while Scriven himself was ill, a friend visiting his room noticed the verses written on a piece of scrap paper near his bed. When asked if he had written them, Scriven quietly responded, “The Lord and I did it between us.” The poem was later included in a modest 1869 publication titled Hymns and Other Verses.

Scriven’s life came to a tragic end by accidental drowning, the same manner in which his fiancée had died years earlier. In recognition of his compassionate life and poetic contribution, the citizens of Port Hope erected a monument on the highway between Port Hope and Peterborough, Ontario. It reads, “Four miles north, in Pengally’s Cemetery, lies the philanthropist and author of this great masterpiece, written at Port Hope, 1857.”

The tune commonly associated with this hymn was composed by Charles C. Converse, a talented and educated Christian man born in 1832. Converse excelled in both law and music, publishing under the pen name Karl Reden and contributing numerous scholarly articles. Though many of his musical compositions were performed by the finest American orchestras and choirs of his day, he is best remembered for this gentle, heartfelt melody that perfectly matches Scriven’s words.

In 1875, gospel musician Ira D. Sankey came across the hymn and added it to his collection Gospel Hymns Number One. Reflecting on its inclusion, Sankey later remarked, “The last hymn which went into the book became one of the first in favor.” Since then, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” has been translated into many languages and embraced by believers around the world, especially in mission fields where its message of the Savior’s personal love and comfort continues to resonate.