Victory In Jesus

HYMN WRITER: Eugene Bartlett, Sr

HYMN HISTORY: Eugene Monroe Bartlett Senior (1885-1941) was born on Christmas Eve of 1885. He dedicated his life to Jesus at an early age. Years later, as a very successful business man, he decided to invest his money into founding the Hartford Music Company and Music Institute. He also became editor of the Herald Song music magazine.

Bartlett's mission was to publish hymns and teach singers to sight read. He hired instructors to teach voice, piano, piano tuning, rudiments, harmony and stringed instruments. The school attracted many talented artists. Within the first year of business he sold more than 15,000 copies of his hymnbook. He wrote many of the songs himself.

Through this music ministry, Bartlett gave many writers, singers and musicians their first opportunity in Gospel music, including Alfred E. Brumley who wrote I'll Fly Away and Turn Your Radio On.  Bartlett is considered a founding father of Southern Gospel music, and he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1979. Throughout his 56 years of life, he composed more than 800 songs, including Everybody Will Be Happy Over There, and Just a Little While to Stay Here. He wrote the words to his last hymn in 1939 - Victory in Jesus.

BIBLE VERSE:  1 Corinthians 15:57 -  “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

HYMN LYRICS:

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory.

Refrain:
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing power revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and brought
To me the victory.
Chorus:

Refrain

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there
The song of victory.

Refrain