Scripture Verse

Only believe. Mark 5:36

Introduction

portrait
John B. Peaslee
1842–1912

Words: John B. Peas­lee, 1894.

Music: Es­cof­fi­er George C. Ker­sey, in Up­lift­ing Songs, New and Old, ed­it­ed by Charles C. Case & James R. Mur­ray (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: John Church, 1896), num­ber 120 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Ker­sey (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

Origin of the Hymn

Converted to Je­sus was writ­ten for, and sung on, the oc­ca­sion of my bap­tism and ad­mis­sion to mem­ber­ship in the Mt. Au­burn Pres­by­ter­ian Church, of this ci­ty [Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio], in Ap­ril, 1894.

It was writ­ten to the tune of Por­tu­guese Hymn, but a new tune has since been set to the words by George C. Ker­sey, of Ken­tu­cky…This was my first at­tempt in writ­ing verse.

John Peas­lee, Oc­ca­sion­al Vers­es and Sac­red Songs (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Jen­nings & Gra­ham, 1905), p. 186

Lyrics

Converted to Jesus!
Oh, blessèd the day,
When the darkness of doubt
Was all banished away,
And joy in a new life
Of faith has begun
In works of devotion
To God and His Son.

Refrain

Converted to Jesus,
Oh, blessèd the day,
When the darkness of doubt
Was all banished away.

Converted to Jesus!
Oh, precious the thought,
Obeying the truth
That our Savior has taught,
Of following Him
Who alone can us save
In land of immortals
Beyond the dark grave.

Refrain

Converted to Jesus!
Oh, wondrous love
That centers our hopes
On the kingdom above,
And opens the way
To the heavenly home,
Where ransomed from sin
All believers shall come.

Refrain

Converted to Jesus!
Oh, marvelous the deed,
Redemption through Christ
Of poor mortals in need—
Salvation is free
And is offered to all,
Who, trusting His promise,
On Jesus shall call.

Refrain