Encouraging people around the world
since 1991 !!
My mom passed away a few years
ago. As I was preparing to
give the eulogy at the memorial service, my wife shared with me the
beautiful poem "He Maketh No Mistake". I found great
comfort in the words,
and hope you will as well... (Ralph Merrifield, December 2007)
The story behind
"He Maketh No Mistake"
"Hello! I am writing in regard to a post on your site
about a poem entitled "He Maketh No Mistake".
I am delighted that the poem was posted! You
might be
interested to know its origin.
It was written by my late grandfather,
A.M. Overton, during the funeral of his
wife and child
who both died during childbirth... My brother, Rob Overton,
used his blog to provide a central location for the
story of the
poem and information about my grandfather. The history
is written by my father,
Dr. Bob Overton,
who pastored for over 50 years
and is now Director of Applied Ministries at
Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary's Houston campus."
(Email from Jean Ann Overton, July 2011)
In 1932, My grandfather, A.M. Overton, was a pastor of a church in Mississippi with a wife and three small children. His wife was pregnant with their fourth child but when it came time for delivery, there were complications and both she and the baby died. During the funeral service, the preacher officiating the service noticed my grandfather writing something on a piece of paper. After the service the minister asked him about it, and he handed him the paper with a poem he had just written which he titled, “He Maketh No Mistake”.
Background Info (Written by my Dad, Dr. Bob Overton in response to an inquiry by a researcher Wiley Fulton)
Thanks for your interest in my dad, A.M. Overton. I am glad to give you some information about him.
He grew up in Toone, TN, the son of a
farmer. He graduated from Union University in Jackson, TN, where he was a debate
partner with J.D. Grey. He told the story that when they left college, J.D.
said, "I am going to be president of the SBC," to which Dad replied, "I will
probably be so far out in the boondocks that I won't hear about it." While a
college student, I visited Dr. Grey at the FBC of New Orleans. He treated me
royally and spoke most fondly of Dad. He also gave me some information about the
poem. I knew something of the story but not as much as he told, which I will
repeat to you.
First, Dad was pastor of the FBC of Baldwyn, MS, a small town in northeast
Mississippi. While there his wife died in childbirth, the baby also dying. He
was left with three children, two girls and a boy, ages about 8-12. During the
funeral service, the pastor preaching the sermon noticed that Dad was writing.
After the service he asked about it, and Dad gave him the words that are now
familiar to many people around the world, "He Maketh No Mistake."
Shortly afterwards, he married a lady from Baldwyn and then became the pastor of
the Fulton Baptist Church [now FBC], about forty miles from Baldwyn. Fulton is a
county seat town just a few miles west of the Alabama state line, about fifty
miles south of the Tennessee state line. He pastored that church until his death
of colon cancer in 1952, at the age of 52. I was the oldest of four children
born to that marriage in Fulton, followed by two daughters and another son. His
preaching ministry was that of expository preacher. He almost always preached
through books of the Bible, one on Sunday morning, another on Sunday night, and
another on Wednesday night. [Sometimes I think that both Sunday sermons were
from the same book.]
His activities were many. He began a radio program around 1945, a Saturday
morning "Radio Bible Class." This grew into a network of several stations in
several states nearby; then later he added some large "clear channel" stations
in Texas and Mexico that covered a large part of the nation. He once received a
letter of H.S. Ironside of Moody Church, Chicago, very well-known at that time,
commending him for his good work. It was during that time that I played the
piano as introduction and conclusion to his programs, traveling with him every
Saturday to Tupelo, MS, where the broadcast originated, and once a month for a
whole afternoon while he recorded four or five messages for use in the larger
stations further away. I had no idea at the time that those experiences were
making an enormous impact on me. When I arrived at Mississippi College, by his
arrangement, shortly after his death, having just surrendered to preach, it
dawned on me after two or three years there that I was miles ahead of my fellow
ministerial students in knowledge of the Bible. The reason, of course, was that
I had been under my father's strong Bible preaching three times every week all
my life through high school, plus the untold numbers of radio messages. I must
admit that I wasn't really "trying" to learn the Bible all that time, but much
of it rubbed off on me anyway. A tribute, of course, to the grace of the Lord to
me.
You will appreciate this little side note, especially given your name. He
received mail from all over the country in response to his radio programs. He
never, ever asked for money, but it came unsolicited and was the entire
financial provision for the programs. His address was simply, A.M. Overton,
Fulton, MS. He once received a letter addressed to A.M. Fulton, Overton, MS.
Somehow, he got it! By the way, the Lord's provision of finances for the radio
ministry was a story in itself. Countless times he came to the absolute last day
that bills had to be paid, without sufficient funds to pay them, but the last
mail delivery on the last day would always have the needed amount, often almost
to the dollar!
As far back as I can remember, Dad published a monthly paper called "The
Clarion" which went to hundreds of homes all those years. The radio ministry
expanded the reach of it and it was sent to most of the states plus a few
foreign countries. He published numerous gospel tracts on various subjects and
these were sent all over the world. He published several books of the radio
sermons and also, as you thought, a book of poems. But the book of poems was not
promoted and never went very far. "He Maketh No Mistake" was in that book,
entitled "Chimes of Dawn."
Perhaps a crowning achievement of his life was the beginning of a school for
preachers which was housed in the church in Fulton. He was Dean and Teacher, and
some pastor friends of his composed the teaching faculty. This lasted only a few
years because it ended at his death, but for those years there were 20-30
students every semester. In our house we had two upstairs bedrooms and four of
the students would live there, eating their meals at our table. I don't know how
my mother managed this, but it just seemed like the way life was supposed to be
for us kids. Table conversations were most interesting. Again, part of my
legacy. These were the years I was in upper elementary school through high
school, so mid-40s to early 50s.
His life was cut short, or so it seemed to us, by colon cancer that began in
1951. He had surgery at the Baptist Hospital in Memphis, TN, and later returned
to the pulpit for a while, but after a few months the cancer resumed it
relentless march through his body. He suffered much pain for several months
before his death in July of 1952. Looking back, it's hard to see how he could
accomplish so much in so short a period of time. He was a tireless worker who
never really took any time off. The church built for him a garage with adjoining
office in the back yard of our house, which he enjoyed for many years. Part of
his radio ministry became the sale of religious books which he stocked in that
office. So I grew up with a ready-made "library" of Christian devotional books
and Christian fiction for teenagers. Another part of my legacy.
Surely you have recognized by now that I have enjoyed writing these lines to
you. I have never had occasion to do this before, so I thank you for the inquiry
that set it into motion, and for my son's internet search concerning the poem
that precipitated your inquiry. Apparently you are something of a "history buff"
so maybe you have enjoyed this little trip down memory lane just half as much as
I have.
Perhaps you would like to know that I was a Baptist pastor for 47 years, the
last church being the Rice Temple Baptist Church in Houston, TX, where I served
for 31 years. I began teaching for Southwestern Seminary's Houston campus in
1983 as an ad junct professor, then retired from the church and began work
fulltime with the seminary in 2001. I greatly enjoy my work as Dean and
Professor because it is an opportunity to make an investment in the lives of men
and women who will be serving the Lord all over the world for many years. I
continue to preach regularly, serving as Interim Pastor for churches most of the
time.
Originally posted by Rob
Overton at
http://www.churchlead.com/mind_wanderings/view/1630/he_maketh_no_mistake
He Maketh No Mistake
My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad to know,
He maketh no mistake,
My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away,
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,
For He doth know the way,
Tho' night be dark and it may seem,
That day will never break,
I’ll pin my faith, my all, in Him,
He maketh no mistake,
There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim,
But come what may, I’ll simply trust,
And leave it all to Him,
For by and by the mist will lift,
And plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, tho' dark to me,
He made not one mistake.
– A.M. Overton, 1932
In My Father’s Hands
My Father’s way may twist and turn, my heart may throb and
ache.
But in my soul I’m glad I know, He doesn’t make mistakes
My cherished plans may go astray, my hopes may fade away,
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead, 'tis He Who knows
the way. (chorus)
CHORUS:
I will praise Him for the dry times
I will
praise Him through the rains
From the darkest night to the brightest morning
Blessed be His name
I will cling to Him in trials
I will hide beneath His
wings
For by faith I know He’ll never leave me.
Safely I’ll remain...
in My Father’s hands
Tho’ night be dark and it may seem that day will never break;
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him. He doesn’t make mistakes
There’s so much now I cannot see, My eyesight’s far too dim;
But come what may, I’ll simply trust and leave it all to Him. (chorus)
My Father’s way may twist and turn, my heart may throb and ache.
But in my soul I’m glad I know, He doesn’t make mistakes
For by and by the mist will lift and plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, tho’ dark to me, He made not one mistake.
(chorus)
FINAL CHORUS:
I will praise You for the dry times
I will
praise You through the rains
From the darkest night to the brightest morning
Blessed be Your name
I will cling to You in trials
I will hide beneath
Your wings
For by faith I know You’ll never leave me.
Safely I’ll remain
in My Father’s hands
Verses by A. M. Overton (He Maketh No Mistake), altered. Written 1932.
Music & Chorus by Ralph Merrifield. Written and Copyright 2008.
New Hope Music, PO Box 1612, Westboro MA 01581
You have our encouragement and permission
to duplicate and share this song for all "not-for-profit" purposes
(ie. corporate worship, overheads, songbooks,
web sites, give-away copies).
Please contact New Hope for other uses. Thanks !!!
Come
view a beautiful video of this song,
created by Rolando De Guzman Reyes (from the Philippines)
Visit the web page for "In My Father's Hands"
Hi! Oh my
goodness, what an incredible website you have! I am looking
for sheet music to "He Maketh No Mistake." (A. M. Overton).
Oh, thank you very much for this God-given service you provide to us!
(email from Cynthia)