SAVED, SAVED, SAVED!

        Some of my best memories of growing up are from the many years that I spent, decades ago, attending our annual camp meeting at Mizpah Grove in Allentown.  The evening service in the open tabernacle was always a highlight of the week as a guest evangelist would speak and many talented vocalists would sing.  And there was always a camp choir which would present stirring numbers each evening.  And one of those numbers which I still remember is "Saved, Saved, Saved!".  It is really a happy hymn about the joy of salvation.  In July of 1910, the Baptist evangelist, Mordecai Ham, held an evangelistic campaign in Gonzales, Texas. The evangelist was preaching on the subject, 'Christ Our Refuge'. In the audience there was a man who had killed four men and had despaired of ever being saved. He listened to Mr. Ham explain that Christ is a refuge for sinners of any and every stripe and that the 'Cities of Refuge', described in the Old Testament, are a type of Christ, who is a haven of hope and eternal forgiveness for all who will flee to Him. Midway during the sermon this man jumped up from his seat and shouted,  'Saved! Saved! Saved!'.  Jack P. Scholfield (1882-1972) was so inspired by that outburst that the next afternoon he sat outside the hotel where the Ham party was residing and composed both the words and the music for the hymn that is this week's choice.  Schofield wrote that "the melody just came to me almost as a gift.  Then I simply tried to make the words fit the tune. That night the tabernacle audience heard the song for the first time."  And for years it was s popular favorite of evangelistic campaigns.   The events that caused him to write this song were a good illustration of Psalm 116:6,  "When I was in great need, He saved me."  Titus 3:5 reminds us  "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."    And Acts 4:12 tells us of the only source of salvation, " Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  Have you experienced the joy of salvation in your life?  If you have, then you can join in the triumphant chorus, "Saved by His power divine, Saved to new life sublime! Life now is sweet and my joy is complete, For I'm saved, saved, saved!".

1.     I've found a friend, who is all to me,

His love is ever true;

I love to tell how He lifted me

And what His grace can do for you.

Saved by His power divine,

Saved to new life sublime!

Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,

For I'm saved, saved, saved!

2.     He saves me from every sin and harm,

Secures my soul each day;

I'm leaning strong on His mighty arm;

I know He'll guide me all the way.

Saved by His power divine,

Saved to new life sublime!

Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,

For I'm saved, saved, saved!

3.     When poor and needy and all alone,

In love He said to me,

Come unto Me and I'll lead you home,

To live with Me eternally.

Saved by His power divine,

Saved to new life sublime!

Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,

For I'm saved, saved, saved!

Listen to it here.    SAVED