It is well with my soul

In 1871, Chicago was largely destroyed by fire. During reconstruction, Mr. H. G. Spafford sent his wife and four daughters on a trip to Europe, but the ship on which his family sailed never reached further than half way across the Atlantic, when in the middle of a November night the ship was rammed by a sailing vessel and cut in two. Mrs. Spafford saw all four of her daughters swept away by angry waves. A falling mast knocked her unconscious. She was rescued and taken to Wales, from there she cabled two words to her husband…. saved… alone. Mr. Spafford took the first ship available and asked the Captain to notify him when they reached the spot where his daughters lay. It was 3 am when the skipper knocked at his door and said “in ten minutes,…. we’ll be at your spot.” Mr. Spafford dressed and went to the bow. As the ship passed over the watery graves of his daughters,….. he wrote on the back of an envelope,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, these words…. When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,,, it is well ,, it is well, with my soul.