I’m a big fan of Jesus. I think He is the answer to our every problem and can meet our every need. So when I recently came across a little out-of-print book of poems by one of my heroes of yesteryear (CT Studd), I was elated to find a ditty called “Jesus Only.” The words are rich and the message grand. So today we have a guest post taken from CT Studd’s 1914 book “Quaint Rhymes for the Battlefield.”

JesusOnly

Jesus Only

I’m going to live for Jesus,
And fling the world away,
I’m going to give to Jesus
My life and all to-day.

I’ve done it, Hallelujah!
And now I pray the prayer
That I may follow “Jesus
Only,” everywhere.

I’m such a great big sinner,
And still a bigger fool;
I must keep close to Jesus
And never leave His school.

My heart’s so full of rapture,
I know not how to live;
For the joy of being Jesu’s
I wish I’d more to give.

I think I’ll copy Levi,
Who gave a dinner once,
To give a chance to Jesus
To save another dunce.

Oh, won’t it be just “ripping”
To never leave His side,
To walk and talk with Jesus,
And all in Him confide?

There is no Friend like Jesus,
So loving, strong and true,
If I had not His friendship
I don’t know what I’d do.

No soul in all creation
Can ever take His place,
But I love all others better,
Since I have seen His face.

Oh! the joy of knowing Jesus,
It takes all care away;
I would so love for Jesus
To fling my life away.

And yet I’d sooner serve Him
On earth, and suffer loss,
Than have a throne in Heaven,
For there, there’s not a cross.

I love to fight for Jesus
And every risk to run,
If there was naught of danger
It wouldn’t be half the fun.

Such as neglect Christ’s ord’nance
To fight in lands afar,
Know not the joy of Jesus
Like those who go to war.

I loved Christ’s ordination,
Its grand simplicity;
He asked no abstruse questions,
But only “Lov’st thou Me?”

He asked that once of Peter,
Who’d just denied Him thrice;
Then gave him his commission
To preach His sacrifice.

The Gospel of Christ’s salvation
Is, only His blood can atone;
The secret of walking on water
Is to look to Christ alone.

The secret of power is simple,
I must obey God, not man;
It’s naught but incredible folly
To adopt any other plan.

Christ commissioned His Spirit
To be Captain of His host;
I need no other guidance
Than that of the Holy Ghost.

He’ll brook no interference;
God is a jealous God;
Christ woo’d and won, and bought me,
He only is my Lord.

I’ll walk in His blest freedom,
And follow Him everywhere;
I’ll trust His word and presence
And fight without a fear.

Some Christians call me foolish,
The world declares I’m “fey;”
I’ll wait a little longer
To see what Christ will say.

“He hadn’t any talents,
His speech perhaps was odd;
But he did what I commanded,
He rendered all to God.”

I’d like to hear Him say that,
Tho’ there’s little chance of such;
But I don’t care a blow for the mud folks throw,
‘Cause I’m not like a parson in church.

Some stay at home with good reason
And some without a cause;
But that coward’s the worst, who stabs in the back
The man who’s gone to the wars.

But Christ was kissed in the garden
By the man who had been His friend;
So some I presume will do the same
Till this world’s come to an end.

There are some who when told to go
By the great Physician Himself,
Run off to a fallible medical man
Who puts them on the shelf.

As tho’ they know better than He!
Or their words were of greater worth!
They forget that the place where Jesus is
Is the safest spot on earth.

Some want to live too long,
Tho’ one cannot die too soon;
A day with the Son is worth millions more
Than a million on earth or moon.

For Jesus is my life,
And death my greatest gain;
Heaven means joy without alloy,
On earth we must have pain.

If we really did believe
The words that Jesus said,
We’d have no fear for the future,
Nor for our daily bread.

Who knows Christ as his Master
Is such a splendid fool;
He leaves an earthly Paradise
And “runs away” to school!

I know very little myself,
But Jesus knows everything;
So merry of soul I laugh and sing
Underneath His wing.

Oh! it’s good to belong to Jesus,
It’s the only life to live;
It’s glorious fun, it’s heaven begun,
When you’ve got no more to give.

Away with hesitation!
Man! take the plunge, and try!
Give heart and all to Jesus!
Then take your wings and fly!

Fly with Christ’s salvation
To some dark heathen land;
No cause for trepidation,
Jesus will hold your hand.

JESUS IS OUR MESSAGE!
JESUS SAVIOUR AND KING!
JESUS OUR SOLE COMMANDER!
JESUS IS EVERYTHING!

Come forth, ye men of Britain,
In brave Crusader bands;
Up! let us take possession
Of our Saviour’s promised lands.

*from C.T. Studd, Quaint Rhymes for the Battlefield. London: James Clarke & Co., [1914]

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