Ivory Palaces

Scenic Montreat North Carolina in autumn

"This song was written near to my home in the mountains of North Carolina.

In the summer of 1915, the famous evangelist, Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman, was

preaching at the Presbyterian conference grounds at Montreat.

With him were the song leader, Charles M. Alexander, soloist Albert Brown,

and their pianist Henry Barraclough.

Dr. John Wilbur Chapman
(1859-1918)
American evangelist

Barraclough, the author of this hymn, was a twenty-four year old Britisher;

he met Chapman the previous year during a preaching mission in England.

During the conference, the evangelist spoke one evening on the forty-fifth

Psalm. In 1893, Chapman had written a book called,

"Ivory Palaces of the King".

He believed, as I do, that this is a prophetic, "Messianic" psalm which

speaks of the relationship of Christ, the bridegroom, to His bride, the church...

After the evening service, "Charlie" Alexander and Henry Barraclough drove

some friends to the Blue Ridge YMCA Hostel a few miles away.

Sitting in the front seat of the car, young Barraclough thought about the

message and the four short phrases of the refrain began to take shape in his mind.

When they stopped at a little village store, he quickly wrote them down on a

"visiting card"-the only paper that was available.

Returning to the conference hotel, he worked out the first three stanzas,

using the outline of Chapman's message.  The following morning, Mrs. Alexander

and Mr. Brown sang the new hymn at the Montreat conference session."

-Reverend Billy Graham

"Crusader Hymns and Hymn Stories"

Cliff Barrows

Billy Graham Evangelical Association
(1967)

"Your garments are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia;

stringed instruments make You glad."
Psalm 45:8

Myrrh

My Lord has garments so wondrous fine,

And myrrh their texture fills;

Its fragrance reached to this heart of mine

With joy my being thrills.

(Refrain)

Out of the ivory palaces,

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

His life had also its sorrows sore,

For aloes had a part;

And when I think of the cross He bore,

My eyes with teardrops start.

Aloe

(Refrain)

Out of the ivory palaces,

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

His garments too were in cassia dipped,

With healing in a touch;

Each time my feet in some sin have slipped,

He took me from its clutch.

(Refrain)

Out of the ivory palaces,

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

Cassia

In garments glorious He will come,

To open wide the door;

And I shall enter my heav'nly home,

To dwell forevermore.

(Refrain)

Out of the ivory palaces,

Into a world of woe,

Only His great eternal love

Made my Savior go.

Touch Of Faith

Yongsung Kim

Korean artist

"Ivory Palaces"

Henry Barraclough

(1891-1983)

English hymn writer, pianist

Veteran of World War I