Hymstory

by Bill Dagle

Have you ever thought about how far your witness will go? That is - we never will know until we get to heaven how our soul-winning has impacted the lives of others. Let me give you an example of how one man given over to God still influences people today and how, along the way, a song would do the same:

The year was 1924 and Billy Sunday was holding evangelistic meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina. As usual, before the weeks of meetings had ended, thousands would be born into the kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, before Sunday's life was ended, over one million would walk the sawdust trail because of his soul-winning efforts. Not only was Billy Sunday a soul-winner, but also a discipler of the new converts. So to do the follow-up work, Billy Sunday Bible Clubs would be started at the close of each crusade. The crusade in Charlotte was no exception.

Ten years later, this same club sponsored a week long meeting with Mordecai Ham as the guest evangelist. A young Billy Graham was saved that week because of the spirit-filled preaching and a song written a few years earlier in another Mordecai meeting. Both the young convert and the song would influence the life of a young man many years later. This man would go on to reach the hearts of millions by way of radio.

Jack Scofield had written the song "Saved, Saved" because of a murderer's testimony in a Mordecai meeting down in Texas. This song became the first one learned by the young radio man "to be". He too was an indirect convert of Billy Sunday. A testimony and a song working together to touch the heart of none other than our beloved founder of Songtime - John DeBrine. For as the songwriter so aptly put it: "I've found a friend who is all to me, His love is ever true; I love to tell how He lifted me, and what his grace can do for you."