The lyrics of this song were written by Judson Van DeVenter around 1890 (later put to music by Winfield S. Weeden, published in 1896). Van DenVenter was an accomplished musician and worked as an art teacher and supervisor of art in local public schools where he lived. Records reveal that he was an active member in his church and involved in evangelistic meetings. We can suppose it was because of his fervent faith and involvement in the church that his friends encouraged him to leave his field of teaching and art to become an evangelist. An account left by Van DenVenter during this period reads:
“The song was written while I was conducting a meeting at East Palestine, Ohio… For some time I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life. I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, he caused me to sing.”
And so, the song ‘I Surrender All’ was born. I’m certain this song has encouraged and challenged many followers of Christ over the years. One such person I read about recently was William (Bill) Borden. Bill, heir to the Borden fortune, spent a year traveling the world after he graduated from high school (as many do). After this time abroad, he came to discover and be changed by the best news! The account of his conversion is as follows:
On July 2, 1905, he attended meetings in London on the subject of assurance of salvation, and Bill was deeply moved. After the sermon, a soloist sang ‘I Surrender All’. With depth of feeling, Bill stood with several others and sang the chorus: “I surrender all; I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.” He was seventeen years old, but the die was cast. He returned home, gave away vast amounts of his fortune, and prepared for missionary service among the Muslims of China. Though he died of spinal meningitis in Egypt en route to China at age twenty-five, his story has influenced generations of young people of over one hundred years. His life slogan was: “No Reserve. No Retreat. No Regrets.”
