You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

The Little Captive Maid

Long, long ago, a captive maid

Author: Julia H. Johnston
Tune: EL SEGUNDO
Published in 2 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 Long, long ago, a captive maid,
A wondrous message gave;
For she believed in Israel’s God,
With power to help and save.
The word she spoke, the truth she told,
Her haughty master moved;
And when he sought the way aright,
The way of life it proved.

2 No help or cure was in her hand,
She was a captive maid;
But she could tell the way to go,
To gain the prophet’s aid.
The sore disease and wasting pain
Were lost in Jordan’s save;
The Syrian captain learned that God
Was strong to help and save.

3 So children now can spread the news
Of Jesus’ power to cure;
To heal the weary, sin sick heart,
And make the spirit pure.
’Tis Jesus only who can save
As in the olden day;
And all may find Him if they will—
A child may point the way.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #8103

Author: Julia H. Johnston

Julia Harriet Johnston, who was born on Jan. 21, 1849, at Salineville, OH, in Columbiana County. Her father was a minister and he mother was a poet. She began writing when she was nine years old but really started writing verse in high school. She lived in Peoria, Ill. Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Long, long ago, a captive maid
Title: The Little Captive Maid
Author: Julia H. Johnston
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #8103
  • PDF (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer Score (NWC)

Instances in all hymnals

Instances (1 - 1 of 1)
TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #8103

Include 1 pre-1979 instance
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.