Bartlett was born in Waynesville, Missouri, in 1885. He grew up in Sabastian County, Arkansas, and was educated as a music teacher at Hall-Moody Institute in Tennessee and William Jewell College in Missouri. In 1917, he married Joan Tatum. The couple had two children together.
Bartlett began his career as a publisher for the Central
Music Company in Arkansas. In 1918, he established Hartford Music Company,
which became one of the first publishing companies for Southern Gospel
music. He served as company president from 1918 until 1935.
In addition to establishing the music company, he also
established a shape note school, the Hartford Music Institute in 1921 and began
publishing a monthly quartet magazine, The Herald of Song. As a publisher, his
hymn book was in demand, selling over 15,000 copies across the county.
He felt his calling was to publish hymns and teach aspiring
singers how to sight-read. He traveled the south, holding singing school and
singing conventions. These and similar schools trained aspiring musicians in
vocal technique, sight reading, and conducting, and were influential in the
development of church music for much of the remainder of the century.
But in 1939 at age 53, his world changed drastically.
Bartlett suffered a paralyzing stroke that left him unable to walk or even
speak and for the most part, he was bedridden. Many felt the stroke ended his
teaching ministry, yet it was during these dark days that Bartlett would write
his best-known hymn, Victory in Jesus.
While looking back over his life he began to think back to
the night he was born again and the rich life he had since that night. He
picked up a pen and began writing with the following words: “I heard an old,
old story, How a Savior came from glory, how He gave His life on Calvary to
save a wretch like me.” Realizing that the love of God had sustained him and
brought him to where he was that day, he is quoted as saying he felt the
prompting of the Holy Spirit to add another verse. He wrote, “I heard about His
healing, of His saving power revealing, how He made the lame to walk again and
caused the blind to see.”
Studylight.org, A. C. Hervey, Pulpit Commentary: We have in this short verse the summary of Christian doctrine as regards man and God. Repentance and faith on the part of man; forgiveness of sins, or justification, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, or sanctification, on the part of God.
Biblehub.com, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers: The Apostle will not be ashamed of his mission, even in the metropolis of the world. He cannot be ashamed of a [plan] so beneficent and so grand. The gospel that he preaches is that mighty agency which God Himself has set in motion, and the object of which is the salvation of all who put their faith in it, to whatever nation or race they may belong.
Biblestudytools.com: The power of God is seen in working grace in the hearts of men, thereby making them believers in Christ; and it is also displayed in the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on men, which is called being endued with a power from on high; thereby making men . . . ministers of Christ; and likewise in assisting them in their work, and in carrying them through it, and in making them successful in it, to the conversion of sinners, and the edification of saints.
Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: With the saving strength . . . That is, He will interpose with that saving strength. Literally, “with the strength of salvation.” The answer to the prayer will be manifest in the strength or power put forth by Him to save . . . The right hand is the instrument by which we mainly execute our purposes; and by constant use it becomes in fact more fully developed and is stronger than the left hand. Hence, it is used to denote “strength.”
Biblehub.com, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: This
Christ says partly to reconcile the minds of His disciples to His departure
from them, and partly to strengthen their hope of following Him thither; in
which “are many mansions”; abiding or dwelling places; mansions of love, peace,
joy, and rest, which always remain: and there are “many” of them . . . it denotes fulness and sufficiency of room for all His people; for the many
ordained to eternal life.
RedeemingGod.com: Paul writes that as a result of their belief, they were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit . . . it is to guarantee that we are genuine, it shows ownership, who we belong to, it shows that we are approved, and it provides us with protection or security.
“Victory In Jesus” is more than just a song; it is a
constant reminder of God’s grace and mercy in each of our lives. The lyrics
serve as a powerful testimony of how Jesus can save and transform even the most
broken and lost individuals.
