Frederick M. Lehman was a German-born minister who moved to the United States at a young age with his family. Around 1917, he dealt with some financial challenges after some business deals went south. This caused Frederick to find work packing oranges and lemons on a farm to make end’s meat. During a camp-meeting, an evangelist ended his sermon quoting what would eventually become the third stanza of the hymn “The Love of God”. The preacher said the words were found written on the wall inside of a patient’s room at an insane asylum after he was being led to his grave. Frederick clung to the words dearly.

One day, leaning up against a wall at work as he sat on an empty lemon box, Frederick wrote the first two stanzas and chorus of the song. Remembering the evangelist’s story, he added the third stanza to his newly written hymn. That very day, he went home, and produced the melody on his piano.