Nearer My God To Thee

This hymn was written by Sarah Flower Adams who was born at Harlow, England on February 22, 1805 and is considered to be one of the finest hymn written by a woman songwriter.  She died at an early age of forty three in 1848. The text for this hymn is based on Jacob's dream when he was fleeing from his home and from his brother Esau. Sarah's sister, Eliza, was a talented musician and composed music for a number of Sarah's songs. One day the two sisters were busy involved in a project of compiling a hymnal when their pastor, Rev. William Johnson Fox remarked that he wished he had a hymn for the sermon he was writing based on Jacob's dream depicted in Genesis 28:10-22. Eliza enthusiastically asked her sister Sarah to write a song based on the dream and the song "Nearer My God To Thee" was born.
The hymn was initially published in 1841 in the "Hymns and Anthems" but it did not become popular till the present tune for the hymn was composed by Lowell Mason twelve years after it was introduced in America in 1844.
A lot of interesting stories have been associated with this hymn one of them being the playing of this hymn during the sinking of the ship The Titanic as depicted in the film. It was so reported by a survivor of the sinking in 1912.
It has also been the favorite hymn of many great world leaders, notable among them being {resident William McKinley and it is said that he whispered these words while drawing his last breath.
The lyrics of the hymn are as follows.

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me;
Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to Thee,
 Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

There let the way appear steps unto heav'n;
All that Thou sendest me in mercy giv'n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Then with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee, 
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Or if on joyful wing, cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upwards I fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

A sixth verse was later added to the hymn by Ed­ward H. Bick­er­steth, Jr. as follows:

There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!