The Blood of Jesus

March 11, 2018 (Sunday)
Robert Lowry was a pastor and singer. He was a prolific hymn writer. Some of his better known songs are “Shall We Gather at the River?,” “One More Day’s Work for Jesus,” “Where is My Wandering Boy To-night?,” “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “The Mistakes of My Life,” “How Can I Keep from Singing?,” “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me,” “Saviour, Thy Dying Love,” “We’re Marching to Zion,” etc. “Shall We Gather at the River?” is perhaps, without question, the most widely popular of all his songs.
“Nothing But the Blood of Jesus” was first introduced at a camp meeting in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Ocean Grove was established in 1869 as a place of spiritual retreat and revival and a place to escape the summer heat of northeastern cities. Over the years, many famous hymn writers came to Ocean Grove, including Fanny Crosby, William Kirkpatrick, and Eliza Hewitt, as well as Robert Lowry.
The first known publication of the hymn was in 1876. Hebrews 9:22 is attached with the song in hymnals. This verse says “Without shedding of blood there is no remission.”
In the 1950s-1960s, “Nothing but the Blood” was among the top five hymns sung in churches.