The McMaster Hymn

Daniel Arthur McGregor (1847-1890) wrote “Jesus, Wondrous Saviour.” It is popularly known known as “The McMaster Hymn” because it is the “official unofficial” hymn of McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Written in 1889, in 1921 McGregor’s family donated the original manuscript to the McMaster University. The hymn extols and expresses of the ectasy of devout worship.

1. Jesus, wondrous Saviour! Christ, of kings the king!
Angels fall before thee, prostrate worshipping;
Fairest they confess thee in the Heav’n above.
We would sing thee fairest here in hymns of love.

2. Fairer far than sunlight unto eyes that wait
Amid fear and darkness, ’til the morning break;
Fairer than the day-dawn, hills and dales among,
When its tide of glory wakes the tide of song.

3. Sweeter far than music quivering from keys
That unbind all feeling with strange harmonies.
Thou art more and dearer than all minstrelsy;
Only in thy presence can joy’s fullness be.

4. All earth’s flowing pleasures were a wintry sea,
Heav’n itself without thee dark as night would be.
Lamb of God! Thy glory is the light above.
Lamb of God! Thy glory is the life of love.

5. Life is death if severed from thy throbbing heart.
Death with life abundant at thy touch would start.
Worlds and men and angels all consist in thee:
Yet thou camest to us in humility.

6. Jesus! All perfections rise and end in thee;
Brightness of God’s glory thou, eternally,
Favored beyond measure they thy face who see;
May we gracious Saviour, share this ecstasy.

Daniel Arthur McGregor was born December 13, 1847 in Ontario, Canada, the son of Alexander and Clementine McGregor. He died at age 42 on April 25, 1890 in New York City, USA. He was in New York for surgery for a spinal disorder that had caused paralysis. McGregor was a Baptist pastor in Ontario, then later professor at Toronto Bible College and McMaster University.

The hymn is sung to the tune Franconia by Thomas Hastings and can also be sung to Hermas by Frances Havergal. There is also a tune called McMaster that fits. I am unsure which tune is used by the McMaster University. The hymn is not common in popular hymn books, but can be found in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs (# 157; Knoxville, TN: Melody Publications, 2020) and Living Hymns: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs of Faith (# 88; Alfred B. Smith, 1972/2019, Lancaster, CA: Striving Together Publications). I could not find a sung version of it, but found it played on the piano HERE.