HYMNS | There's Power in the Blood

Lewis Edgar Jones

Lewis Edgar Jones USA 1865-1936. Born in Yates City, IL, his family moved near Davenport, IA, where he lived on a farm until age 21. He went into business for awhile, and attended the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He was a classmate of evangelist, Billy Sunday. After graduating, he worked for the YMCA in Davenport, IA; Fort Worth, TX (1915, as general secretary); and Santa Barbara, CA (1925 as general secretary). Hymn writing was his avocation, and he wrote 200+, advising that many came from pastors’ sermons. He married Lora May Wright (1872-1950), and they had a daughter, Frances Ellen (1897-1982). He died in Santa Barbara,

This hymn was one of those that was formative in my own young life. As a then member of the Salvation Army I both sang and played this inspiring song and its frequency of use during my life has seared it into my memory. Many decades later I am encouraged and uplifted by its unrestrained testimony to the power of what our Saviour, Jesus Christ did on Calvary's hill.  

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood.

Refrain: 

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary's tide–
There's wonderful power in the blood.

Would you be whiter, yes brighter than snow?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow–
There's wonderful power in the blood.

Would you do service for Jesus, your King?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There's wonderful power in the blood. 

 This stirring hymn written in 1899 is sung and played beautifully by the pupils of Fountain View Christian school in British Columbia, Canada. The fact that young people can bring such youthful enthusiasm to a hymn that is more than 120 year's old is so encouraging. As I prepared this blog entry it was on a cold rainy day in January and I was not particularly high spirited about things. This all changed when I found this YouTube video and I found myself singing it through that otherwise dark and dreary day. 

Citations:

Lewis E. Jones (1865-1936): both the lyricist and composer of this
Lewis E. Jones life story: https://hymnary.org
Image of Lewis E. Jones: Ron West

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