WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS

WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS, is certainly one of the most inspiring hymns in our hymnals, and one that has been used effectively as a choir selection, or a song requested and enthusiastically sung by the whole congregation.  It was written and composed by one of the significant, twentieth-century hymnwriters in North America.

Haldor Lillenas was born in November, 1885 in the beautiful fjord country of Bergen, Norway.  He immigrated to the US with his family who settled in South Dakota before moving in Oregon.  He was raised in the Lutheran Church.

In 1906, due to the ministry of the Peniel Mission in Portland, Oregon, Haldor had a dramatic conversion experience and soon afterwards felt called to preach the gospel and to write songs that would reach the hearts of people.  He enrolled in training to further his education. 

He married Bertha Wilson, a songwriter in her own right.  They travelled extensively, conducting evangelistic meetings as well as furnishing songs and choir music for many of the foremost song leaders of that era.

Altogether, Haldor wrote approximately 4,000 gospel hymn texts and tunes.  Back in 1917, when He and his wife built their first home, they had little money left to furnish it.  A priority was set to find a music instrument and they found a wheezy organ for sale at a neighbour’s house which they purchased for $5.00.  With the aid of this organ, a number of their songs were composed…including their hymn, WONDERFUL GRACE OF JESUS.  It is a hymn that can not be sung without emotion and spirit!