William L‭. ‬Stidger‭: ‬Christian minister‭, ‬poet‭ ‬

Years ago during a college chapel service, the guest speaker closed his speech by quoting a poem by William L. Stidger (1885-1949) entitled “I saw God Wash the World.” That poem, written in 1934, became a favorite of mine and was soon memorized and placed inside my Bible. I, too, have quoted it many times. 

William Stidger was born in West Virgina; began writing at an early age; served in the U.S. Army as an ambulance driver in Europe during WWI; and, after the war ended, he entered the Methodist ministry. He later served for 20 years as a professor in the School of Theology at Boston University. He continued to write volumes of poetry, books, essays, etc., and has a profound influence on hundreds of his seminary students. 

In 1978, while serving as a U.S. Army chaplain in Michigan, I was presented a book gift by a friend, and the book was entitled “I Saw God Wash the World.” It was a collection of William Stidger’s poems. Here is that poem that has touched and influenced by life through the years. 

I Saw God Wash the World 

I saw God wash the world last night

With His sweet showers on high;

And then when morning came

I saw Him hang it out to dry.

He washed each slender blade of grass

And every trembling tree;

He flung His showers against the hills

And swept the rolling sea.

The white rose is a deeper white; 

The red, a richer red

Since God washed every fragrant face

And put them all to bed. 

There’s not a bird, there’s not a bee

That wings along the way,

But is a cleaner bird and bee

Than it was yesterday.

I saw God was the world last night;

Ah, would He had washed me

As clean of all my dust and dirt

As that old white birch tree.

Peace!