OUR GREAT SAVIOUR (JESUS, WHAT A FRIEND OF SINNERS)

During his teen years, John Wilbur Chapman attended two Sunday Schools each week in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana.  He attended a class in the morning at one church and in the afternoon, he would go to Grace Methodist Episcopal Church.  It was in the Grace church that he first professed his faith and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour.  He was seventeen. 

He remembers that a guest speaker was presenting the lesson that day and asked if there were any present who wanted to become Christians.  John remembers that every boy in the class stood up but him.  His teacher, Mrs. Binkley, looked at him and gently encouraged him to stand also.  Throughout his life he always remembered the influence of his wonderful teacher, Mrs. Binkley.

Wilbur went on to become an outstanding pastor, writer, hymnist and leader in the denomination, but he was most remembered for his evangelism.  Hundreds were influenced to take a stand for Christ during his crusades held in the United States, in Canada and all around the world.  In 1910, in the midst of these endeavours, he wrote the hymn, OUR GREAT SAVIOUR or as some know it JESUS, WHAT A FRIEND OF SINNERS.