While spending time as guests in the Practical Bible Training School at Lestershire, N.Y., Walter Stillman Martin was involved with preparing a songbook with the school's president John A. Davis. During the visit, Martin was asked to preach at a church a few miles from the Bible school.
At morning, his wife, Civilia Durfee Martin experienced a sudden illness to the point she couldn't go with him. At first, Walter contemplated cancelling the engagement because he would be gone a long time. But he changed his mind when their young son said, “Father, don't you think that if God wants you to preach today, He will take care of Mother while you are away?”
That inspired Civilla so much that she sat down on a Sunday afternoon and wrote the words of the song “God Will Take Care of You.” Then when Walter arrived home, he sat down and wrote the music on the little Bilhorn organ. In the evening, the song was performed at the service by Walter and two of the teachers. Then the song was printed in the “Songs of Redemption and Praise” book in 1905.
I love the words, “Be not dismayed whate'er betide/ God will take care of you/ beneath his wings of love abide/God will take care of you………/through every day, o'er all the way/he will take care of you.”
Born in Nova Scotia to James N. and Irene Harding Holden, Civilla Durfee Martin died in Atlanta, Ga. During his life, Civilla worked as a schoolteacher, using her musical training. “God Will Take Care of You” is just one of their songs she and her husband created along with “His Eyes Is On The Sparrow,” which was made famous by Ethel Waters in the play “The Member of the Wedding.”
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