Every Friday night in the fall, football teams across Texas compete against other schools to see who can top the other. After an exciting 48 minutes of play, the referee sounds his whistle, and the game ends. The winning and losing teams alike run to their sidelines to either celebrate or solemnly watch as each school’s band plays their school song. This signals the official end of the game as players, students, and parents can meet each other, take pictures, and discuss the game. However, Wylie does something different. After the final note of the school song, a tune called “It is Well” can be heard from the Pure Gold Band. The tune has been played for decades under the lights of Hugh Sandifer Stadium, with many meanings for different people.
“It is Well” is a hymn written in the 19th century by a man named Horatio G. Spafford. Many people have heard it due to it being sung in places like church, but not as many people know about what motivated Spafford to create the song. A dedicated lawyer, husband, and father, Spafford lived in Chicago with his wife, Anna, and five kids. Early on in his only son’s life, the child passed away from pneumonia in 1871. Two years later, the loss of a son still laid heavily on Spafford’s heart when he found out even more news of loss: while on an ocean liner with their mother, the remaining four children tragically drowned after their ship collided with another vessel. Another ship found Anna clinging on to dear life on a piece of wreckage. She then was able to land in France and write to Horatio back in the States. She wrote, “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.” Through their grief, the husband and wife shared a very strong reliance on God. On his way to go see her, Spafford wrote the hymn that we know today.
The Pure Gold Band aims to console those who have lost others and to unite and claim proudly that it is well with our soul. It also gives us all a reason why we pursue what we do, whether it’s play football, watch from the sidelines, or sit at home and do homework. It is a collective statement that no matter the hardship we face in our lives, we can find comfort from the fact that it will all be ok one day. Next time you hear the Band start playing the hymn that Spafford wrote long ago, give it a listen and think of those important to you, and how thankful you are for them.
