At Calvary

The Story Behind "At Calvary"

At Calvary is a hymn written in 1895 by William R. Newell. This hymn reflects Newell's life story, which is probably like many of our stories. William was a troubled kid whose father was a pastor, and he was gravely concerned about his son. To find hope for his son, he reached out to R.A.Torrey, who was the president of Moody Bible Institute. He wrote a letter asking him if he would enroll his troubled son in their institution. Torrey initially rejected the idea, but that did not deter William’s father. He persisted, and eventually Torrey accepted William into Moody Bible Institute.

Although William tried his best as a student, his own troubles still plagued him. Torrey even famously stated about William, “I never saw a young man with more problems.” However, everything changed in William’s life when he became a Christian. He went from being a troubled student to becoming a model student. After graduating, he furthered his studies and eventually returned to Moody as a member of the faculty.

While he was serving on faculty he wrote a poem, which depicted his life and would become the beloved hymn "At Calvary." He gave the words he had written to Dr. Daniel B. Towner, who was the head of the music department. Towner set music to Newell's lyrics, leading us to the hymn we know today.

The Powerful Message of "At Calvary"

When you consider the lyrics, you discover that each verse has a theme. What you will also discover is that these verses reflect the journey of the hymn-writer William R. Newell, which parallels many of our own journeys to Christ.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

Newell reflects on his life before finding Christ. He lived for his own pleasure and pride and had no knowledge or concern for the crucified Jesus. Not only did he not know Jesus, he had no understanding of what Jesus had done for him. Yet, that is not strange, because how many of us knew nothing about Jesus or what he had done for us until we encountered Christ? 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

For so many of us, it is the truth of God’s Word that brings conviction to our hearts. We see ourselves compared to the standard that God has established. With that revelation is the reality of how far we have fallen short of what God desires in us. Our inability to live up to God’s standards is why we need to find freedom and forgiveness at Calvary.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

No salvation journey is complete without relinquishing something. We first must relinquish our pride and humble ourselves to recognize that we need Christ for salvation. Afterwards, we then relinquish our lives in surrender to his plan and purpose. Newell recognized this and acknowledged that this surrencer is only possible because of Calvary.

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19).

In the final stanza, William rejoices over the wonderful plan of salvation that God established in Jesus. It is a reminder of his great love for us, the grace it took to execute that plan, and how large the gap that was covered between our sin and his righteousness.
 

The last thing to say about this song is that the message remains true. Mercy is still great. Grace is still free. Pardon is still being offered to all who would believe. The burden of sin is being lifted from people as they find freedom in Christ. As Newell wrote it then, and as it always will be, this happens because of and "At Calvary."

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