This sheet music is part of the collection of crosby3145 :
The name Daniel B. Towner
pops up quite frequently in
hymnals. Born in 1850 in
Rome, Pennsylvania, Towner
learned music from his father
and, most likely, from Philip
P. Bliss, his grade school
teacher. Towner went on to
become the music director for
Centenary Methodist Church in
Binghamton, New York
(1870-1882), York Street
Methodist Episcopal Church in
Cincinnati, Ohio (1882-1884),
and Union Methodist Episcopal
Church in Covington, Kentucky
(1884-1885). At some point he
met D.L. Moody; the connection
translated into Towner’s
appointment as director of
music at the Moody Bible
Institute in Chicago, a
position he held from 1893
until his death in 1919.
Mostly the composer, Towner
combined with several
lyricists to write over two
thousand songs in his
lifetime. This edition
contains ten of his most
endearing works. Though
different men wrote the texts,
a common theme in Towner’s
hymns is the saving grace of
Jesus Christ. “At
Calvary” tells how “grace
was free” at the cross.
“Grace Greater Than Our
Sin” emphasizes how God’s
Precious Gift more than covers
our sin debt. “Nor Silver
nor Gold” frequently reminds
us it takes more than money to
purchase salvation. “Only a
Sinner,” like “At
Calvary,” emphasizes that it
was God’s Sacrifice, not our
good works, that saved us.
Clearly, the message of
salvation was very important
to Towner, and he was grateful
for the free gift God had
bestowed upon him.
We have an account from Towner
himself of the story of one of
his most famous hymns. “Mr.
Moody was conducting a series
of meetings in Brockton,
Massachusetts [presumably in
1886], and I had the pleasure
of singing for him there. One
night a young man rose in a
testimony meeting and said,
“I am not quite sure-but I
am going to trust, and I am
going to obey.” I just
jotted that sentence down, and
sent it with the little story
to the Rev. John H. Sammis, a
Presbyterian minister. He
wrote the hymn, and the tune
was born.” Sammis started
by writing the chorus, then
wrote five verses to the
well-known hymn. Moody and
his songleader, Ira D. Sankey,
started using the piece in
their crusades, and the rest
is history.
Towner’s skill as a composer
is evident, and the fine music
that accompanies these lyrics
really helps get the message
across. It is my prayer that
these arrangements help
glorify God in the way that
Towner intended. I hope you
enjoy!