HYMN WRITER: Rufus McDaniel
MUSIC WRITTEN BY: Charles Gabriel
HYMN
HISTORY:
Rufus
McDaniel was a poet and would often send his poems out to be published as
songs. One poem he wrote in preparation
for upcoming Billy Sunday revivals in Philadelphia. He sent six poems to song writer Charles
Gabriel as many seemed to enjoy singing Gabriel’s songs. But he waited and waited and never heard
anything. As such, he just felt the
poems were rejected. He then began to
read of the words to his poem in various publications. Not only did Gabriel take one of his poems
and put it to music, it was in fact sung at most of those revival meetings with
Billy Sunday and folks were singing this song in the streets of Philadelphia. The song… “What
a wonderful change in my life has been wrought; Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I had sought, Since Jesus came into my
heart!”
BIBLE VERSE: 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
HYMN LYRICS:
What a wonderful change in my life
has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I had sought,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I had sought,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Refrain
Since Jesus came into my heart,
Since Jesus came into my heart,
Floods of joy o’er my soul
Like the sea billows roll,
Since Jesus came into my heart.
Since Jesus came into my heart,
Floods of joy o’er my soul
Like the sea billows roll,
Since Jesus came into my heart.
I have ceased from my wandering and
going astray,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And my sins, which were many, are all washed away,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And my sins, which were many, are all washed away,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Refrain
I shall go there to dwell in that
City, I know,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And I’m happy, so happy, as onward I go,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And I’m happy, so happy, as onward I go,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
In 1958, I, and my twin brother had already been baptized, and confirmed the Episcopal Church. We were age 13 at the time. And just like Ken Woodley, in his meditation, I and my twin, (And cousins), did something we never expected.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the circumstances, but we ended up going to a revival. I was sponsored by Kathryn Kuhlman, an evangelist whom I was familiar with from her radio broadcast. The revival was actually a teen rally, held a the former Syria Mosque, in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. I remember upon entering the mosque, we were greeting in the lobby by Kathryn Kuhlman. I have a vivid memory of her wearing a long white dress, bejeweled with pearls and sequences, and a glowing persona that reminds me of angels and heaven. We went in and found seats, and then the revival started with music. The song I remember the most, and which today's meditation reminded me of was, "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart." After some singing, Kathryn Kuhlman introduced the guest speaker. His name was David Wilkerson. I remember his talk being filled with passion, and tears, as he spoke to us teens about salvation. I, being anewly baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church, didn't think I needed to go forward for the Altar call. But something compelled I, my twin, and my cousins, to go to the front of the stage, and give our lives to Christ. I remember years later as an adult talking with my twin brother, and him saying, that this was the moment he gave his life to Jesus. And I, in my own way, through tears, also let Jesus come into my heart.