Lily of the valley = Convallaria majalis

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), sometimes written lily-of-the-valley, is a woodland flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers borne in sprays in spring. It is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe, but is considered generally invasive in parts of North America.

Despite its name, it is actually not really a lily.  it is scientifically classified as a part of the Asparagaceae (asparagus ) family. 
 

Taxonomy

In the APG III system, the genus is placed in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoideae (formerly the family Ruscaceae). It was formerly placed in its own family Convallariaceae, and, like many lilioid monocots, before that in the lily family Liliaceae.
 
There are three varieties that have sometimes been separated out as distinct species or subspecies by some botanists.
Convallaria majalis var. keiskei – from China and Japan, with red fruit and bowl-shaped flowers
Convallaria majalis var. majalis – from Eurasia, with white midribs on the flowers
Convallaria majalis var. montana – from the United States, with green-tinted midribs on the flowers
 

Mention in Bible

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

Song of Songs 2:1

The Old Rugged Cross, 1912 (hymn)

 

"The Old Rugged Cross" is a popular hymn written in 1912 by American evangelist and song-leader George Bennard (1873–1958).

History

George Bennard was a native of Youngstown, Ohio, but was reared in Iowa. After his conversion in a Salvation Army meeting, he and his wife became brigade leaders before leaving the organization for the Methodist Church.

As a Methodist evangelist, Bennard wrote the first verse of "The Old Rugged Cross" in Albion, Michigan, in the fall of 1912 as a response to ridicule that he had received at a revival meeting. 

Bennard traveled with Ed E. Mieras from Chicago to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin where they held evangelistic meetings at the Friends Church from December 29, 1912 to January 12, 1913. During the meetings Rev. George Bennard finished "The Old Rugged Cross" and on the last night of the meeting Bennard and Mieras performed it as a duet before a full house with Pearl Torstensen Berg, organist for the meeting, as accompanist. Charles H. Gabriel, a well-known gospel-song composer helped Bennard with the harmonies. 

The completed version was then performed on June 7, 1913, by a choir of five, accompanied by a guitar in Pokagon, Michigan, at the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon. 

Published in 1915, the song was popularized during Billy Sunday evangelistic campaigns by two members of his campaign staff, Homer Rodeheaver (who bought rights to the song for $50 or $500) and Virginia Asher, who were perhaps also the first to record it in 1921. 

Be Thou My Vision, 1912 (hymn)

"Be Thou My Vision" (Old Irish: Rop tú mo baile or Rob tú mo bhoile) is a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish poem that has traditionally been attributed to

Dallán Forgaill ( AD 560-640 ).

The best-known English version, with some minor variations, was translated in 1905 by Mary Elizabeth Byrne (1880-1931)  in 1905, then made into verse by Eleanor Hull ( 1860-1935 ) and published in 1912. 

Since 1919 it has been commonly sung to an Irish folk tune, noted as "Slane" in church hymnals, and is one of the most popular hymns in the United Kingdom.

The Lily of The Valley, 1881 (hymn)

 

"The Lily of the Valley" ("I've Found a Friend in Jesus") is a Christian hymn written by William Charles Fry (1837–1882) in London for the Salvation Army. Ira D. Sankey (1840-1908) arranged the words to the music of "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane" composed by Will S. Hays (1837-1907).

History

Fry and his family were members of the Salvation Army which was then was in crisis. It is recorded that Fry did not like the abuse he saw hurled at the Salvation Army when they established their ministry in 1878 in Salisbury, where the Fry family lived. 

Mr. Fry, who was a bricklayer, and his three sons offered to serve as bodyguards for the Salvation Army workers. The next day the four men arrived with their “weapons". These weapons consisted of two cornets, a trombone and a small tuba. In between fighting off the troublemakers, the Fry men played, and their music attracted a crowd for the Salvation Army preachers. This was the first Salvation Army brass band with Mr. Fry as the leader of the band as inscribed on his grave stone.

Fry took the term "Lily of the Valley" from the book of Song of Solomon 2:1 < I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley …>. He used this verse of Scripture to represent the message of the preacher William Booth to the people during the protests of 1881 describing a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. 

Those words were first published in the December 29, 1881, edition of the Salvation Army national magazine, the War Cry. 

Charles Fry died the year after publishing the hymn, on August 24, 1882, in Park Hall, Polmont, Scotland. American evangelist Ira D. Sankey adapted Fry's words to the music of "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" composed in 1871 by Will Hays for a secular minstrel show.