Nothing but the blood of Jesus 

Robert Lowry, the author of this poem, wore many hats.  He was a professor of literature at Bucknell University, and served as a pastor in many churches in PA, New Jersey, and New York.  He enjoyed writing songs and often worked with Fanny Crosby as a lyricist.  Occasionally he would write both the lyrics and the music as, he did for the Easter hymn Low in the grave he lay and this one, nothing but the Blood. 

He made a deliberate attempt to keep this song simple.  It has only a 5 note range.  The basses have only 2 notes to sing, and on the guitar or piano, there are only 2 chords to play.  But Lowry said it was in keeping with the overall theme of this song, simplicity, because salvation is simple.  We try to complicate it, but salvation is nothing but the blood. 

Victory in Jesus 

Eugene M. Bartlett is a legendary name in gospel music circles.  Born in 1885, he taught singing schools throughout the south and founded the Hartford Music Company.  He personally brought music into congregations, large and small, leading singing and teaching his and other songs. 

In 1939, at age 54, he suffered a serious stroke.  Almost completely paralyzed, he was confined to his bed.  No more travel and encouragement to congregations in their singing.  No more could he teach students, as he loved to do. 

But he could still study the bible.  Writing was laborious and took hours for one paragraph; he struggled to put words on paper and to put notes to the score.  But that's the way he wrote his last song, "Victory in Jesus," a song filled with hope and cheer, but also his understanding of the bible. 

He lives 

By training, Albert Ackley was a cellist who had studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, like our Julliard school in New York.  But he was also a minister of the gospel serving many congregations in Pa. and NJ. 

This song was written after he was asked by a young Jewish student, "why should I worship a dead Jew?"  Albert's quick reply was, "he isn't dead, he lives!  He lives here and now!  Jesus Christ is more alive today than ever before!  I can prove it by my own experiences, as well as the countless testimony of countless thousands." 

Ackley talked to the man further, but as he continued, the theme to this song began to form.  He went home and re-read the stories in the gospels of the resurrection.  He read the words, "HE is Risen," with a whole new meaning.  Then from the combination of his own experiences and many stories he had heard of what he had done for others, he sat down and wrote this song. Hence, one of the greatest hymns ever written was based  upon that one cynical remark.   

Christ the Lord is Risen today 

The song that almost wasn't, and maybe shouldn’t have been.   This was the first hymn that was song in the famous Foundry Meeting House, in London, England.  It was named such because it was an abandoned iron foundry that John and Charles Wesley used when they founded the Methodist Church.  Charles had been converted to Christianity only 1 year earlier but was already writing hymns. This was one of his earliest, and it was written for the first service in the foundry meeting house. 

Today this resurrection hymn is known as one of Charles Wesley's best hymns, but it was almost lost forever due to his brother's direction to not submit it.  Brother John wasn't convinced this hymn was good enough to be preserved, so he excluded it from the hymnal that was to be used by the Methodist churches.  It wasn't until 50 years later, a copy of this hymn was found and was then inserted into a new Wesleyan hymnal. 

Precious Lord, take my hand 

Thomas Dorsey was a famous night club performer in Chicago, but as a Christian he was constantly being urged to use his talents for the lord instead of a "bunch of drunks."   In 1932 he was invited to go to St Louis and lead the music for a large revival meeting to be held there.  He hesitated as his wife was pregnant.  But he left anyway. 

The 2nd day of the meeting, he got a telegram his wife had delivered, but she had died in childbirth.  He rushed back to Chicago and held his newborn baby in his arms, a baby that also died a few hours later.  Both mother and child were buried in the same casket. 

Dorsey was devastated.  He was trying to serve God, and this is what happened.  In his anger, he told the Lord, "God, you aren’t worth a dime to me." 

A few weeks later, still in deep depression, he sat down, and in his depression, with tears rolling down his cheek, wrote the words that came to him freely, Precious Lord, Take my hand.  

Because He Lives 

The 1960's were a troubling time for Bill and Gloria Gaither.  The Viet Nam war, the new culture of drugs and free sex, and violence in our cities made this a bad time for them to be bringing a child into the world.  How could they raise a family when the world seemed to be falling apart around them? 

Bill went outside his office to inspect a newly paved parking area.  Construction workers had covered it with layer upon layer of asphalt and he was satisfied the job was done well.  But a couple days later, he discovered a single blade of grass that had managed to grow through these layers of rock and asphalt to the light of day.  

When the baby was born a few weeks later, Bill and Gloria wrote this song of joy, remembering that single blade of grass that prospered even in the most hostile of environments.  More importantly, they figured their baby could face uncertain days as well, but because Christ lives, they could face