How Much More

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

How Much More

If human hearts are often tender,
And human minds can pity know;
If human love is touched with splendour,
And human hands compassion show,

Then how much more shall God our Father
In love forgive, in love forgive!
Then how much more shall God our Father
Our wants supply, and none deny!

If sometimes men can live for others,
And sometimes give where gifts are spurned;
If sometimes treat their foes as brothers,
And love where love is not returned,

Then how much more…!

From 1967 to 1990, John Gowans and John Larsson, both Salvation Army officers, wrote ten musical plays, each presenting a specific message promoting the Salvation Army’s message and goals. This song is from the second musical, titled “Hosea” – the story of the Old Testament prophet’s faithfulness and forgiveness towards his unfaithful wife, relating this to God’s forgiveness of His people who had broken their promises to Him. The musical was first performed at Bognor Regis, England, in 1969.

The first musical, as Salvationists will know, was “Take-Over Bid”, written when the authors were asked to produce something new for the Salvation Army’s International Youth Year of 1968. A month after the request, in 1966, the writers had come up with nothing, but were persuaded to try again – fortunately for the thousands of audience members and performers who have since enthusiastically received the productions and been encouraged and challenged. Both writers subsequently became Generals of the worldwide Salvation Army: John Gowans from 1999-2002 and John Larsson from 2002-2006. General Gowans passed away/was “Promoted to Glory” in December 2012.