Is Your All on the Altar

 Is Your All on the Altar

By: Elisha A. Hoffman

You have longed for sweet peace, and for faith to increase, and have earnestly, fervently prayed; But you cannot have rest, or be perfectly blest, until all on the altar is laid. 

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest, and have peace and sweet rest, as you yield Him your body and soul. 

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Would you walk with the Lord, in the light of His word, and have peace and contentment alway? You must do His sweet will, to be free from all ill, on the altar your all you must lay. 

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest, and have peace and sweet rest, as you yield Him your body and soul. 

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Oh, we never can know what the Lord will bestow of the blessings for which we have prayed, till our body and soul He doth fully control, and our all on the altar is laid. 

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest, and have peace and sweet rest, as you yield Him your body and soul. 

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Who can tell all the love He will send from above, and how happy our hearts will be made; Of the fellowship sweet we shall share at His feet, when our all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest, and have peace and sweet rest, as you yield Him your body and soul. 

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Elisha Albright Hoffman, who was born on May 7th,1839, in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, is the author of this beloved hymn. His father worked as a minister in the Evangelical Association for over 60 years, which likely influenced Hoffman’s decision to enter the ministry. Hoffman’s musical education was obtained from his parents. While possessing natural musical abilities, Hoffman never attended a school of music. Any musical instruction Hoffman received came from his experiences at his father’s church or at home^. In addition to singing at church, the Hoffman household had a daily family worship time, of which hymn singing was an important part. Hoffman, therefore, became very familiar with the musical and spiritual tradition of Evangelical hymnology at a very early age. It was during these times of family worship that Hoffman developed a love for sacred music and a belief that songs were “as natural a function of the soul as breathing was a function of the body.  After graduating from Union Seminary in Pennsylvania, he was ordained in 1868. As a Presbyterian minister, he was appointed to the circuit in Napoleon, Ohio in 1872. In Cleveland, he worked with the Evangelical Association's publishing arm for eleven years. Elisha Hoffman served in numerous churches and chapels in Cleveland and in Grafton in the 1880s, among them Bethel Home for Sailors and Seamen, Chestnut Ridge Union Chapel, Grace Congregational Church and Rockport Congregational Church. Hoffman wrote more than 2,000 gospel hymns during his lifetime including "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," "What A Wonderful Saviour!", "Enough for Me," "Are You Washed in the Blood?", "No Other Friend Like Jesus," and "I Must Tell Jesus." He compiled and edited over 50 song books, two of which were Pentecostal Hymns No. 1 and The Evergreen. On November 5th, 1929, Elisha Hoffman went to be with the Lord in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 90. 

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Farewell for now and may the peace of God fill your hearts and minds. 
Sincerely in Christ Jesus,
Ashley
Philippians 4:8
 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.