Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Phi­lip P. Bliss, Gos­pel Songs (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: John Church, 1874), num­ber 3 (🔊 pdf nwc).

A min­is­ter from Eng­land, in tell­ing of a cer­tain meet­ing, says: “Among the con­verts was a man some­what ad­vanced in years, who was ve­ry an­xious about the sal­va­tion of his wife, and ex­pressed a wish that I should vi­sit her.

“I did so re­peat­ed­ly, and ex­plained to her in ve­ry sim­ple words the plan of sal­va­tion, but she could not com­pre­hend the mean­ing of my mes­sage.

“Every time I left, how­ev­er, she would ex­press a strong de­sire that I re­turn. One day I went in just be­fore din­ner, and talked to her about Je­sus, but no light seemed to dawn up­on her mind.

“Then the thought struck me to sing some­thing to her, and so I com­menced, ‘Tis the pro­mise of God, full sal­va­tion to give.’ When I was through the chor­us, she ex­claimed ‘Sing it ov­er again.’ I did so, time af­ter time, and when I asked her to as­sist me, she joined in ve­ry hear­ti­ly.

“The light dawned on her dark mind while we were sing­ing, the big bur­den of sin was re­moved from her heart, and her face was light­ed up with ho­ly joy as she ex­claimed ‘Hal­le­lu­jah, ’tis done! I do be­lieve in the Son; I am saved.’

Just then her hus­band walked in for his din­ner, and she shout­ed out to him, ‘Ah lad! I’ve got it! Hal­le­lu­jah! ’tis done!’ Their hearts were full of joy ov­er the won­der­ful dis­co­ve­ry she had made, and I was grate­ful to God for a sin­ner brought to Christ by the min­is­try of ho­ly song.

Sankey, pp. 163–64