The following was written by Alfred B. Smith, and he tells a brief history of William Newell and the song Newell wrote entitled, “At Calvary.”
This gospel song of testimony, which is enjoyed by so many and is one of my favorites, would not have been written had it not been for a concerned father and Bible School official who made an exception to the rules because he felt God wanted him to do so.
I’ll let Dr. R. A. Torrey tell the story as he told it in a Torrey-Alexander meeting in Birmingham, England, in 1905.
“When I was president of the Moody Bible Institute, I received a letter from a very concerned pastor father who told me of a son who was causing himself and his family a great deal of trouble. His life was really mixed up, and the father felt that the only thing that could help would be if his son could be under the daily teaching of the Bible as well as Christian fellowship with other young people. I, at first, advised the father that even though I sympathized with him, for I too was a father, yet, because I was running a Bible school and not a reform school, I had to deny his request. The broken hearted father contacted me immediately upon receipt of my reply and again pleaded his son’s cause. This time I capitulated with the stipulation that the son was to see me each day and that he would make every effort to abide by the rules and requirements of the Institute. If he failed any of these terms, I would have to ask him to leave.
“The son came and at first it seemed hopeless. Never have I met someone with so many problems, and particularly in the spiritual realm. He did however, abide by the rules as he had promised. As I look back, I feel that this was the first step to recovery. But each day as he came, he would reveal by his questions the turmoil and raging turbulence which was almost tearing him apart. Each day I would answer his questions with God’s Word. I felt that this would do more than all of the human reasoning I might be able to give. The days became weeks, the weeks became months, and though some improvement seemed to have been made yet there was not the total deliverance for which we prayed. One day he came with his face aglow, like the rain on parched ground - God had answered our prayers for his needs. From that time he became an exemplary student and today in our country, he is one of our finest teachers - his name is William R. Newell.”
It was my privilege to know Dr Newell personally and he confirmed all that Dr. Torrey had said but then he added, “You know, Al, if I hadn’t gone through that experience, and may I assure you it wasn’t pleasant at the time, I perhaps never would have come to know the importance of God’s Word and the wonderful truth of salvation by grace - that my place had been taken at Calvary by God’s only begotten Son. It was one day, as I was rejoicing in the reality of this, that I decided I would write it out as a poem - more or less giving an account of God’s leading in my life. I thought how I gave little thought to the Gospel, but how through Dr. Torrey and his faithful in presenting God’s Word as the answer to my problems, I realized I was a sinner and had to come God’s way. There followed the wonderful day when I surrendered my all - that wonderful day when I came rushing into Dr. Torrey’s office to tell him. It was then I decided that the poem needed one more stanza and so, led by the Holy Spirit I am sure, I wrote:
‘O the love that drew salvation’s plan,
O the grace that brought it down to man;
O the mighty gulf that God did span,
At Calvary!’
“As I read what I had written, I realized that this not only was a word picture of what had happened in my life but could also apply to many more in the family of God.
“I was, at that time, teaching at the Moody Bible Institute and so with a copy of the poem in my hand, I made my way to the office of D. B. Towner, who was the head of the music department and also a well known composer of Gospel music. I hoped that perhaps he might find the poem good enough to write some music for it. I met him in the hallway and handed it to him and then went on to a class I was teaching. After teaching the class, I was on my back to my office when Dr. Towner met me and said, ‘Bill, I was so taken with the poem you gave me that I went immediately to my studio and composed a tune. I feel that it could be the best song that either of us will ever write in our lifetime.
“And you know, Al,” continued Newell, “I don’t know how much merit my song has as far as literary value is concerned but I’ll tell you one thing - that song has affected more people around the world than the many books the Lord has permitted me to write. God is good, isn’t he?”
Terre and the Browns with Paul Peters minister this song, "At Calvary," and below you will find the lyrics as well as a video of them ministering this song.
Years I spent in vanity and pride
Caring not my Lord was crucified
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
By God’s Word at last my sin I learned
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned*
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary
O the love that drew salvation’s plan
O the grace that brought it down to man
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
Now I’ve given to Jesus everything
Now I gladly serve Him as my King
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary
Mercy there was great and grace was free
At Calvary
CALVARY!
*Webster's Definition of "spurned:" to tread sharply or heavily upon, to reject with disdain or contempt.*
You can watch and listen to this song below:
Source:
Smith, Alfred B. Al Smith's Treasury of Hymn Histories. Falmouth, Mass. (P.O. Box 109, Falmouth, MA 02541): Heritage Shoppe Distributing, 1982. Print.
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