The story behind “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus”

Written by Robert Lowry in 1876, a Baptist minister and professor at Bucknell University, Pennsylvania, he wanted to be known more as a preacher than as a hymn writer. He would have rather preached a sermon to an appreciative audience than to write a hymn. Yet, more than 100 years after his death, what Lowry is best remembered for is his many popular and well-loved hymns. Nothing But the Blood of Jesus is among these. 

This hymn 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. Ocean Grove still hosts many famous preachers and speakers, as well as musical artists. 

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus has all the earmarks of a classic gospel song. It focuses on a single theme and hammers it home. The singer will repeat the text, "nothing but the blood of Jesus" twelve times if he or she sings all four stanzas. The refrain is succinct and reinforces the theme. The language is direct and obvious, with all one- or two-syllable words. The theme of cleansing from sin is prominent in gospel song literature. 

Lowry adapts a call-response pattern in the stanzas that immediately engages the singer. Stanza one begins with a question: "What can wash away my sin?" The answer is resounding and definitive: "Nothing but the blood of Jesus." This is followed by a second question: "What can make me whole again?" Once more, the answer is unequivocal, "Nothing but the blood of Jesus." This call-response pattern, along with the sturdy, almost martial rhythms of the music, gives the effect of cheerleading. Themes of pardon, cleansing, atonement, and righteous-ness permeate the remaining stanzas. 

Hebrews 9:22 appeared originally above the hymn in the original publication by Lowry and William H. Doane entitled Gospel Music (1876). The passage reads: 

"Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin." 

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Adapted from two articles posted by: (1) Liz Tolsma in http://hymnswelove.blogspot. com/2012/08/the-story-behind-nothing-but-blood-of.html (2) Michael Hawn in https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-nothing-but-the-blood. Accessed 8 Nov 2019.