When Peace Like A River

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the ship’s captain called one of his passengers to the bridge and said, “To the best of my calculations, Mr. Spafford, this is where the tragedy occurred and your daughters were drowned.” Weeks earlier Horatio Spafford had planned a family trip to Europe in November of 1873. Last-minute business developments made it necessary for Spafford to remain in Chicago for a few days. He sent his wife and four daughters - Anna, eleven; Maggie, nine; Bessie, seven; and Tanetta, two - on the ship Ville du Havre to France with a group of friends.

In midocean the Ville du Havre was struck by the Lochearn, an English ship, and twelve minutes later it sunk. Mrs. Spafford was picked up among the survivors, but the four little girls perished. As soon as possible, Spafford left New York to join his wife. At the place where the tragedy occurred, he stood on the bridge of the ship for some time, contemplating the loss of his girls. Then he went to his cabin and wrote the poem that begins, “When peace like a river attendeth my way.” In the midst of great sorrow and tragedy, he gave expression to the peace in his heart.