All for Jesus - Mary D. James

This hymn of commitment to the Lord was written as a poem for a New Year’s resolution by Mary D. James. She wrote it in her New Year’s letter for 1871, desiring that she would do all for God’s glory in the coming year. Indeed, her entire life was spent living for God’s glory.

Born in New Jersey in 1810, Mary’s mother named her in hopes she would sit at the feet of Jesus as had another Mary. When she was ten years old, she received Christ as her Savior during a Methodist revival. Her mother said Mary began a life of “prayer without ceasing” and so also began a life of service for the Lord. At age thirteen, she taught Sunday school; she would also visit the children in their homes and bring them gifts her mother had made. She taught Sunday schools all her life and led the children's meetings at the Ocean Grove, New Jersey, camp meeting. In 1853 she helped to found a home for distressed and orphaned children. She wrote letters to young pastors to encourage those new in the ministry, and she also wrote for a number of widely-read Christian periodicals.

Mary wasn’t a prolific hymn writer, but “All for Jesus” is well-remembered. It originally had five stanzas, but the third is omitted in many hymnals. Hymnologists are uncertain of the date and source of the first publication as well as the composer of the tune. In most hymnals, the tune “Constancy” is attributed to Asa Hull and first appeared in William McDonald’s “Songs of Joy and Gladness” in 1885. As an editor, McDonald likely arranged Hull’s tune to fit the text but never took credit for it.

Toward the end of her life, Mary said of the admonition for all believers to surrender their all for God’s service:

It has been my constant effort all these years to bring others to entire consecration to His blessed service to whom I have delighted to give my heart, my life, my all. O how this great matter of entire devotion to God looms up before me now as I am nearing the end of my life’s journey!

In 1883, Mary D. James went to be with the Lord after living her life “All for Jesus.” I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:1-2).

All rights reserved. Without the express written permission of the publisher, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted, whether in whole or in part, in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, storage retrieval system, recording, or any other.