Victory in Jesus

1 Corinthians 15: 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I have sung the song Victory in Jesus as long as I can remember. However, until today (6/5/2026) I had not noticed the story about this song written by E. M. Bartlett. In 1939, Bartlett suffered a stroke, which left him partially paralyzed. It was during this time of trouble that he wrote his last and best-known song. Despite the critical condition of Bartlett at the time he composed the words and music of Victory in Jesus, the song is a bright number that emphatically looks back on salvation through the blood of Jesus and expectantly looks forward to some sweet day when we’ll sing up in heaven “the song of victory.”

It seems Victory in Jesus was first published in Gospel Choruses (Lawrenceburg, TN: James D. Vaughan Music Publisher, 1939, No. 104). It was popularized through shape-note song books, singing in church worship services, and recordings by popular singers.

1. I heard an old, old story, how a Saviour came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins and won the victory.

2. I heard about His healing, of His cleansing pow’r revealing
How He made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and brought to me victory.

3. I heard about a mansion He has built for me in glory,
And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing, and the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there the song of victory.

Chorus:
O victory in Jesus, my Saviour, forever!
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to victory, beneath the cleansing flood.

Eugene Monroe Bartlett was born at or near Waynesville, Pulaski County, Missouri on December 24, 1883 (or 1885).[i] He was the son of Hiram F. Bartlett and Elizabeth Atwell. At some time before the 1900 census, the family had moved to Sebastian County, Arkansas. (Hiram and Elizabeth had previously been in Sebastian County during the 1880 census enumeration, but has returned to Missouri.) Bartlett furthered his education at the Hall-Moody Institute in Martin, Tennessee, and William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. In 1913 he married Joan Tatum and they had at least two children. E. M. Bartlett died January 25, 1941. At the time of his death, E. M. Bartlett was a member of the Baptist Church at Siloam Springs. The Bartletts are buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Siloam Springs, Benton County, Arkansas.

With David Moore and John A. McClung, E. M. Bartlett partnered to established the Hartford Music Company in Hartford, Arkansas in 1918.[ii] In 1921 E. M. Bartlett started the Hartford Music Institute, a shape-note singing school. He also served as editor of a monthly musical magazine called The Herald of Song. Bartlett was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1973.

Bartlett’s Everybody Will Be Happy Over There is a popular shape-note convention song. He also wrote some humorous songs, such as Take an Old Cold Tater and Wait, a song about the country practice of kids having to wait to eat at the “second table” when the family had company. This song was recorded by country music singer Little Jimmy Dickens.

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[i] 1883 according to his World War I draft registration, but 1885 according to his tombstone. The 1900 census also has 1883. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas gives his marriage year as 1917, but records in Ancestry (if transcribed correctly) show he was married in 1913. This needs further research.
[ii] On his World War I draft registration, he called this company the Bartlett-Moore Music Company. This was apparently the original name.