Just as a fun preamble…I was thinking the other day about hymns I would want sung at my funeral, and this is one of them. I LOVE this song.
But funeral arrangements aside…. here’s more about the author and the songs history. 🙂
I am so thankful that J. Wilbur Chapman wrote it back in the day. Mr. Chapman lived from 1850-1918, an American belonging to the Presbyterian church. As a child he attended a Quaker Day School and a Methodist Sunday School. Upon maturity he became a pastor within the Presbyterian Church, later becoming an evangelist working under Dwight Moody.
Overtime he became a superintendant over a number of other evangelists. In 1909, Chapman demanded that any field evangelist who doubted the inerrancy of Scripture be removed from ministry. (source) I read this and thought “good on him”.
Most of his work occured in the states…but get this.. he made an evangelistic trip to Canada!
Interesting fact. Chapman wrote two poems that he gave to his evangelistic singing partner to put to a tune Charles Marsh. Marsh then wrote the tune, but
there was disagreement over the copyright between two publishers. As a
result, this song was not published until 1911. (source)
One day when sin was As black as could be,
Jesus came forth To be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried My sins far away;
Rising He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming– O glorious day!
One day they nailed Him To die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected:
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He![Chorus]
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He![Chorus]
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore![Chorus]
One day the skies With His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved One bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine![Chorus]





