The recurring theme is “Let us draw near with a true heart” (Heb. 10:22) and “Draw nigh to God” (James 4:8). Other references are: “The Lord God, merciful and gracious” (Ex. 34:6) and “Let him take hold of my strength” (Isa. 27:5).

Robert Harkness, the writer of both words and music, was born in Bendigo, Australia, March 2, 1880, and reared in a Christian home. His father was a well-respected local preacher and town mayor. Robert loved music right from the beginning; he composed his first hymn, tiled “Morning Worship,” at the age of 8. It was published three years later. In 1902 the Torrey-Alexander evangelistic team came to Bendigo. Harkness, who by this time had several years of training and experience as a choir director and organist, played for meetings. He was led to accept Christ by the song leader, Charles Alexander. Joining the evangelistic team, Harkness played for their meetings around the world for several years, writing his gospel songs for use in the meetings. He possessed a great gift for devising unusual (at that time) and beautiful harmonies for his melodies. His skill at the keyboard captured the hearts of everyone. Later he toured with the great preacher J. Wilbur Chapman (see SDAH 187). He made six world tours in the interest of gospel music, giving his special program, “The Music of the cross.” 

The hymns and gospel songs he wrote number about 2,000, including “He Will Hold Me Fast,” “Why Should He Love Me So?” “When the Shadows Flee Away,” “Sometimes,” “When I See My Savior,” “In Jesus,” “Beautiful in the Morning,” and  “What Will It Be to See Jesus?” He was the author of a successful correspondence course, “Evangelistic Piano Playing,” published later in one book by Lillenas Publishing Co. 

In 1959 he was living in Pasadena, California, and was a guest on a special program of the Voice of Prophecy that featured some of his best-known songs.

In a letter written shortly before his death in London on May 8, 1961, Harkness showed the motivation that sparked the music from his prolific pen: “My Great desire in all my compositions is to send forth in the best musical form the great message of the cross, for the spiritual uplift of that message.”

A number of his songs were included in Gospel in Song  (Review and Herald, 1926).

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.