Christian History

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====== Oak Glen - Los Rios Fire ======

On Oct 2nd 2020 in the early morning a fire blew through the Los Rios Rancho apple farm.  The cause of the fore hasn't been publicly reported but a faulty transformer is likely.  Five buildings were destroyed including the pre-1910 packing house.  The Story below and Hymnal are on prominent display as a testament to God's provision.

"**The Story of The Hymnal**//{{ :oak_glen_-_los_rios_-_hymnal.jpg?nolink&400|}}
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The day after our devastating 5 building fire we began shifting through the ashes looking for anything that might have survived.  The first thing we found was our large metal train and tractor that currently sit above the cider refrigerator.  Next we found our dutch ovens that we cook with during our Old West Weekend.  The most incredible find was three hymnals.  A church donated their hymnals to be used for Gospel Night sing-a-longs at the Ranch.  All buy 3 burned. One of them was lying in the ashes of our 1914 packing house, open to page 410 “It is Well With My Soul”. It was written by Horatio Spafford in 1972 following a family tragedy in which his four daughters died aboard the S.S. Ville de Havre on its trans Atlantic voyage.  As Horatio travelled to join his grieving wife, he passed near the location where his four daughters perished. In the midst of despair, he took pen in hand and praised God with this very famous hymn.  He later claimed he was inspired to write this Hymn.  We are amazed that the fire consumed everything in our kitchen, store, packing house, and workshop except these 3 hymnals.  This hymn, written over 100 years ago in the midst of great loss and sorrow, survived the fire and inspired us to claim “It is well with my soul”.

**The Devon Riley Family**" ((The Devon Famuly, The Story of The Hymnal, circa 2022))//