
McDaniel lost a son, and following his son’s untimely death
he penned the words to this hymn as an expression of his faith and hope. And
the words of this hymn certainly do that for every Christian.
McDaniel wrote how “a wonderful change in my life has been
wrought.” How light had come into his soul, and he had “ceased from my
wandering and going astray.” How his sins were “washed away.”
This testimonial poem is not some quick sparkling firework
celebration of faith but the testimony of an authentic Christian journey of
faith with a clear spiritual vision of God’s salvation and kingdom.
McDaniel was born in 1850 in Brown County, Ohio. He was
educated in the public schools there and attended Parker’s Academy in Clermont
County, Ohio. He started preaching at age nineteen and then became a minister
with the Christ Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1873.
McDaniel married and had three children. One son became a
minister. Another son died. A daughter married Frank R. Liesenhoff of Dayton,
OH.
McDaniel was a poet and would often send his poems out to be
published as songs. One poem he wrote in preparation for the upcoming
Billy Sunday revivals in Philadelphia. He sent six poems to song writer
Charles Gabriel as many seemed to enjoy singing Gabriel’s songs. But he
waited and waited and never heard anything. As such, he just felt the
poems were rejected.
He then began to read of the words to his poem in various
publications. Not only did Gabriel take one of his poems and put it to
music, it was sung at most of those revival meetings with Billy Sunday and
folks were singing this song in the streets of Philadelphia. The song? "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart.”
The song was introduced in pamphlet form at Billy Sunday
campaigns at Philadelphia, PA, in 1915 and was first published later that year
in Songs for Service edited by Homer A. Rodeheaver, who purchased the
copyright and then renewed it in 1942.
After serving various local churches in southern Ohio,
including Hamersville, Higginsport, Centerburg, Sugar Creek, and Cincinnati,
McDaniel retired in Dayton, Ohio. During his life, he produced more than one
hundred songs, many of which were found in the collections published by the
Rodeheaver Company, before his death on Feb. 13, 1940, in Dayton.
McDaniel expressed regret for not entering into the field of hymn writing earlier in his career, but he had a great passion for leading song services. “Since Jesus Came into My Heart” stands out as his most popular and beloved hymn, having been included in at least 224 hymnals
Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: He has given
our hearts the glorious light of the Gospel, as he has given
the world the glorious light of the sun. As sure, therefore, as
God is the author of the light and the creator of the universe, so
sure is he the author of the Gospel; it is no human invention; and is as far
beyond the power of man's wisdom and might, as the creation of the world is
beyond all created power, energy, and skill.
Enduringword.com: God’s great work for us in Jesus Christ is described in three terms. (1) We are washed clean from sin by the mercy of God. (2) We are set apart, away from the world and unto God, by the work of Jesus on the cross, by God’s Word, by faith in Jesus, and by the Holy Spirit. (3) We are declared “just” before the court of God, not merely “not guilty,” but declared as “just” before Him. We are justified by God’s grace through the work of Jesus on the cross, by faith and not by our own deeds.
Studylight.com, Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible: Hope is the great anchor, or stabilizer, of the human soul; and that hope for the Christian is Christ the Lord . . . The aptness of the figure of an anchor appears in the fact that an anchor is not doing any good at all as long as it is visible. It is only when it disappears in the deep beneath that it stabilizes and protects the ship; how beautiful is the imagery of Christ's also being out of sight from Christians, having disappeared into the unseen world, but who is nevertheless connected with Christians by the strong and effective cable of his love, just as the anchor, though unseen, is connected to the ship by a mighty chain . . . It is literally and gloriously true that the Christian's hope is in heaven where the Lord has already entered.
Studylight.org, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: Hope
accomplishes for the soul the same thing which an anchor does for a ship. It
makes it fast and secure . . . In the tempests and trials of life, his mind is
calm as long as his hope of heaven is firm.
Crosswalk.com: Everyone who chooses to keep their minds steadfast because they trust in God can count on experiencing perfect peace while they do so, according to this verse. That means you can enjoy a state of perfect peace as long as you focus your mind from beyond your circumstances to God, and trust him to help you no matter what. As a result of choosing to trust God, you welcome God’s peace into your mind.
Biblestudytools.com: The Gospel church is a city, built on Christ, the foundation; and is full of habitants, true believers, at least it will be, in the latter day; it is pleasantly situated by the river of God's love, and by the still waters of Gospel ordinances; it is governed by wholesome laws, of Christ's enacting, and is under proper officers, of his appointing; and is well guarded by watchmen, which he has set upon the walls of it; and it is endowed with many privileges, as access to God, freedom from the arrests of justice, and from condemnation, adoption, and a right to the heavenly inheritance: and this may be called "the city of God," because it is of his building, and here he dwells, and protects, and defends it; and who is styled "the living God," to distinguish him from the idols of the Gentiles, which are lifeless and inanimate, no other than sticks and stones.
Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible: That is, let them be prosperous and happy; let them be under thy protecting care, and partake of thy favor. While the wicked are driven away like smoke, let the righteous live, and flourish, and be safe . . . the righteous will be admitted to his presence, and will rejoice before him. Yea, let them exceedingly. The expression is designed to express great joy; joy that is multiplied and prolonged. It is joy of heart accompanied with all the outward expressions of joy.
In Acts 3:19b it says: “. . . that times of refreshing may
come from the Lord.” And when Jesus comes into your heart that is just what you
get. Times of refreshing. Joy. Never to depart. Relief. Calm. Peace. So many
positive words and thoughts come when Jesus comes into your heart. A wonderful
change in your outlook. A light that has never been there before.
Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: This was a time of
respite, which God gave them to repent of their sins, and be converted to
himself. Taking the word in the sense of refreshment in general, it
may mean the whole reign of the kingdom of grace, and the blessings which God gives
here below to all genuine believers, peace, love, joy, and communion
with himself.