Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Helen Howarth Lemmel

Helen Lemmel was born in 1863 in England, the daughter of a minister who emigrated to America when she was a child.  She was a very gifted musically and her parents paid for music teachers as often as they could.  She eventually returned to Europe as a young woman to study music in Germany where she earned a reputation as a brilliant singer.

In Europe, Helen married a wealthy European and the two came to America where they traveled widely throughout the United States, especially in the Midwest.  Helen sang in various churches – often singing hymns she wrote herself.  She later taught voice in the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and later at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.  She was involved in some of the musical worship of Evangelist Billy Sunday and wrote many songs and hymns for adults and children.  She even authored a Christian book for children which was widely read in her day.

In her middle-age years, Helen was diagnosed with a disease which ended up making her permanently blind.  As a result of this her husband abandoned her, leaving her destitute.  It was in dealing with this dual tragedy that a friend brought and read to her a tract written by a missionary.  This little tract contained a statement which had a profound impact on her.  It read, “So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.”  Helen wrote the words to her hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus that same week, stating that the words were “dictated by the Holy Spirit.”  It was first published in 1918 under the title “Heavenly Vision” and has been a staple in Christian hymnals ever since.

Helen continued to write songs of praise and worship, often calling friends over at odd hours to write down the words for her when they would come to her mind.  In her later years, numerous visitors would tell of her joy and enthusiasm.  Though in a sparse apartment and living off of government and charitable assistance Helen, when asked how she was doing, would reply, “I’m doing well in the things that count.”  She had a small plastic keyboard by her bed.  There she would play, sing, and pray.  She was known to say, “One day God is going to bless me with a great heavenly keyboard.  I can hardly wait!”

Helen died in Seattle, Washington, on November 1^st, 1961, just 13 days short of her 98^th birthday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=682yRGibD1U

http://chrisfieldblog.com/2008/11/14/blind-helen-howarth-lemmel-turns-our-eyes

https://womenofchristianity.com/turn-your-eyes-upon-jesus-by-helen-lemmel-hymn-story/

Morgan, Robert J., Then Sings My Soul, Nelson Publishers, 2003.