Only A Sinner

James M. Gray wrote the words of Only a Sinner and Daniel B. Towner wrote the music. It was copyrighted in 1905 by Towner, and probably first printed in Revival Hymns: A Collection of New and Standard Hymns for Gospel and social meetings, Sunday schools and Young People’s Societies (Towner & Charles M. Alexander, Chicago, IL: Bible Institute Colportage Association, 1905). It has four stanzas and a recurring chorus, all of which place the salvation of sinners in no good that man does, but only of grace. To God be the glory!

1. Naught have I gotten but what I received;

Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed;
Boasting excluded, pride I abase;
I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!

Chorus:
Only a sinner saved by grace!
Only a sinner saved by grace!
This is my story, to God be the glory—-
I’m only a sinner saved by grace!

2. Once I was foolish, and sin ruled my heart,
Causing my footsteps from God to depart;
Jesus hath found me, happy my case;
I now am a sinner, saved by grace! (Chorus)

3. Tears unavailing, no merit had I;
Mercy had saved me, or else I must die;
Sin had alarmed me, fearing God’s face;
But now I’m a sinner saved by grace! (Chorus)

4. Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows,
Loving his Saviour, to tell what he knows;
Once more to tell it would I embrace—
I’m only a sinner saved by grace! (Chorus)

James Martin Gray was born in New York City, May 11, 1851. He was a son of Hugh Barr Gray and Mary Ann Martine. He was raised in the Episcopal Church and was converted around age 22 while training for the ministry. He married in 1870, and they had three children before her death in 1875. He joined those who seceded to form the Reformed Episcopal Church, and was ordained in 1877. In 1878 Gray married Susan Goodenough, and in 1879 he became pastor of the Reformed Episcopal Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He stayed there 14 years. Afterward he became dean and later president of the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois, serving 30 years, from 1904 to 1934. Working with D. B. Towner, Gray published several editions of The Voice of Thanksgiving, the official hymnal of Moody Bible Institute.

Gray was active in the Christian struggle against modernism. He wrote the essay on the inspiration of the Bible in Volume 3 of The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth (Chicago, IL: Testimony Publishing Company, 1917). Gray was one of the editors of the 1909 Scofield Reference Bible.

James M. Gray died September 21, 1935, at the Passavant Hospital in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City, where Amanda, Susan, and three children had already been laid to rest. Hymnary.org list about 90 hymns written or arranged (altered) by James M. Gary.

Daniel Brink Towner was born April 5, 1850 in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. His parents were John Griffin Towner and Julia Forbes. He received his first musical training from his father, who also taught Philip Paul Bliss. He began his career as a music director in Methodist churches, then became the Director of Music at the Moody Bible Institute in 1893 – where he served until 1919. Towner died October 3, 1919 at age 69 near Sedalia, Missouri, while engaged in an evangelistic meeting. He is buried at the Rosehill Cemetery and Mausoleum in Chicago, Illinois. Perhaps his best-known tune is Trust and Obey, which he wrote for words written by John H. Sammis.