1. I love to tell the story Of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, Of Jesus and His love: I love to tell the story Because I know 'tis true; It satisfies my longings As nothing else can do. 2. I love to tell the story; 'Tis pleasant to repeat What seems each time I tell it, More wonderfully sweet: I love to tell the story, For some have never heard The message of Salvation From God's own holy Word. 3. I love to tell the story; For those who know it best Seem hungering and thirsting To hear it, like the rest: And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, 'Twill be the old, old story That I have loved so long. Chorus: I love to tell the story, 'Twill be my theme in glory To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
Lyrics: Arabella Catherine Hankey
Music:
William Gustavus Fischer
Tune: HANKEY
Meter: 7.6.7.6.D. with Refrain
A. Catherine Hankey, 1834–1911
Kate Hankey was the daughter of a wealthy English banker and a member of the Anglican church, but early in life she developed a fervent evangelical concern. She began organizing Sunday school classes for rich and poor throughout London. These classes had a strong influence in the city, with a large number of the young students in turn becoming zealous Christian workers.
When Kate was only thirty years old, she experienced a serious illness. During a long period of recovery, she wrote a lengthy poem on the life of Christ. The poem consisted of two main sections, each containing fifty verses. The first section of the poem was titled “The Story Wanted,” later adapted for another of Catherine Hankey’s familiar hymn texts, “Tell Me the Old, Old Story,” still widely sung today. Later that same year while recovering from her illness, Kate completed the second part of her poem, titled “The Story Told,” which became the basic part of “I Love to Tell the Story.”