"Jesus Is Coming"

Daniel W. Whittle (1840 – 1901) wrote the lyrics for “Jesus Is Coming” in Ira Sankey’s hymnal Gospel Hymns No. 1 to 6 Complete. Whittle, a major in the American civil war wound up in a prisoner of war hospital because he lost his arm while being captured. While in the hospital someone gave him a New Testament and he began to consider accepting Christ. It was only when an orderly asked him to pray for a dying soldier that he did so. He knelt by the soldier, and asked God to forgive him of his sins and then to ease the soldier’s pain. The soldier died, but Whittle rose from his bedside a different man—a Christian. When the war was over, he became treasurer of Elgin Watch Company in Chicago. It was during his time in Chicago that he met with other evangelists, like Dwight L. Moody, and began his own career as an evangelist. He wrote music with other musicians, such as James McGranahan, the one who set the American anthem, “Jesus is Coming” to music.

McGranahan had a wonderful tenor voice, and after the death of his close friend Phillip Bliss, he came to a faith in Christ Jesus. In addition to his vocal talent, he was a great musician and composer of melodies. He created the melody for the American anthem, “Jesus is Coming” apparently for one of the evangelical meetings that were commonly held in Chicago.

“Jesus Is Coming”

Jesus is coming! O sing the glad word!
Coming for those He redeemed by His blood,
Coming to reign as the glorified Lord!
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Jesus is coming, is coming again!
Jesus is coming again!
Shout the glad tidings o’er mountain and plain!
Jesus is coming again!

Jesus is coming! The dead shall arise,
Loved ones shall meet in a joyful surprise,
Caught up together to Him in the skies
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

Jesus is coming! His saints to release;
Coming to give to the warring earth peace:
Sinning and sighing, and sorrow shall cease.
Jesus is coming again.

Refrain

Jesus is coming! The promise is true;
Who are the chosen, the faithful, the few,
Waiting and watching, prepared for review?
Jesus is coming again!

Refrain

It is believed that May Moody, Daniel W. Whittle’s daughter, and the wife of Dwight L. Moody’s son, William R. Moody, helped “Major” Whittle write the words for the American anthem “Jesus Is Coming.” She helped him write many hymns as well as singing at the evangelical meetings and co-editing hymnals.

“Jesus Is Coming”

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