what a friend we have in jesus hymn

"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by preacher Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother, who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868. The hymn has been translated into many languages and has different versions with different lyrics. The lyrics of the hymn talk about the privilege of carrying everything to God in prayer and the peace that comes from doing so. The hymn also talks about the weaknesses and trials that people face in life and the comfort that can be found in Jesus. The hymn has remained popular despite criticism that it is too sentimental.