We have left all we had to follow you! ~ Luke 18:28
Forty years ago Billy Graham wrote that Judson Van De Venter, the writer of this hymn, was one of the evangelists who had influenced his early preaching. At age 68, he had begun teaching hymnology at Florida Bible Institute. By the time Billy was a student there in the 1930s, Van De Venter had retired. However, occasionally he returned to lecture or speak in chapel. Billy said he would sit in awe at Van De Venter's words.
Judson was born in 1855 in Monroe County, Michigan; educated in the Dundee schools; and graduated from Hillsdale College in 1875. He became a Christian at age 17 and joined the Methodist Church. He loved art and eventually taught school, ending up as supervisor of art in the Sharon, Pennsylvania public schools. During this time a revival was held at his church. He became very involved as a personal worker and shortly after was licensed as a lay preacher. For five years he struggled with his love of art and God's call to preach before finally yielding to the Lord at 41 years of age. In his own words:
The song was written while I was conducting a meeting at East Palestine, Ohio, in the home of George Sebring (founder of the Sebring Camp Meeting Bible Conference in Sebring, Ohio, and later developer of the town of Sebring, Florida). 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. It was there, after telling the story of his submitting to full-time ministry that he wrote this song.
For the next few years he traveled all over America, England, and Scotland, assisting in evangelistic campaigns. The three most widely-used invitation songs of the 20th century were Just As I Am - Have Thine Own Way - and Judson Van De Venter's 1896 testimony . . .
All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give.
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
Refrain
I surrender all. I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.
- Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896
Copied fromSing to the Lord 1993 by Lillenas Publishing Company
Hymn commentary courtesy J. D. Sherrow
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